Addressing Inconsistencies on MCAT Scores

[dripdrops]

Hi all!

I'm in the thick of writing secondaries right now, and I've noticed that some schools will have questions along the lines of "Please comment on any fluctuations/inconsistencies with your MCAT score."

I've taken the MCAT twice: my first attempt was a 510 (128/123/129/130). My second attempt was a 509 (128/128/126/127).

My second score was more "balanced" (I retook specifically for CARS), but I'm really stuck on how to comment on any of these. There's no way for me to describe why I did worse on my second attempt. I've had two bouts of very bad anxiety on both of my attempts, but an explanation like that sounds like I'm making excuses.

Has anyone else had a similar situation? Is there a way to answer this correctly? Please help! Thanks.

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[Faha]

You do not need to mention your MCAT scores in your secondaries.

 

[candbgirl]

Why do you think you have to say anything at all?

 

[LizzyM]

Regression to the mean. Your true scores may be somewhere between the two 128+128/2, 123+128/2, 129+126/2, and 130+127/2. There is no need to mention it or explain. It is rather self-explanatory what you were trying to do and in that regard, it worked out.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Hi all!

I'm in the thick of writing secondaries right now, and I've noticed that some schools will have questions along the lines of "Please comment on any fluctuations/inconsistencies with your MCAT score."

Could you cite the specific prompts? Most of us would not care. It sounds like a trap.

 

[dripdrops]

Why do you think you have to say anything at all?

I assumed with a retake, even though my scores were more "balanced," that an explanation would be needed for the overall lower score. I've seen posts about students reflecting on the improvements they've had with MCAT retakes in secondaries, so I figured I would need to do the same for the opposite situation.

 

[dripdrops]

Could you cite the specific prompts? Most of us would not care. It sounds like a trap.

NYULISOM:
Please comment on any significant fluctuations in your academic record or inconsistencies in your MCAT score;
if you took a leave of absence for any reason during college; or any application irregularities about which you
wish the admissions committee to know more.

Albany Medical College:
Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores (1,000 characters).

are two I've run into so far!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

NYULISOM:
Please comment on any significant fluctuations in your academic record or inconsistencies in your MCAT score;
if you took a leave of absence for any reason during college; or any application irregularities about which you
wish the admissions committee to know more.

Albany Medical College:
Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores (1,000 characters).

are two I've run into so far!

Yep, given that your inconsistencies resulted in just a 1 point difference in your overall score, it's a trap. Your stated explanation is going to sound like an excuse, and for many who will read your application, you will sound whiny and very much not a student that would be teachable. Most professors get turned off at students who are groveling for points.

Look at the qualifier: LOA's or application irregularities. If it's a question of whether your test center experienced a serious power outage while you were taking a test, or there were issues with you having to change testing centers, that would be more significant. Any other excuse dealing with test taking management on your own part is not what we're looking for.

 

[dripdrops]

Yep, given that your inconsistencies resulted in just a 1 point difference in your overall score, it's a trap. Your stated explanation is going to sound like an excuse, and for many who will read your application, you will sound whiny and very much not a student that would be teachable. Most professors get turned off at students who are groveling for points.

Look at the qualifier: LOA's or application irregularities. If it's a question of whether your test center experienced a serious power outage while you were taking a test, or there were issues with you having to change testing centers, that would be more significant. Any other excuse dealing with test taking management on your own part is not what we're looking for.

I see! I was really stuck on how to possibly explain this, so I'm relieved to hear that the questions aren't focused on that. Thank you so much for your input!

 

[Goro]

. I've had two bouts of very bad anxiety on both of my attempts, but an explanation like that sounds like I'm making excuses.

Can you Enlighten us as to why you took a high stakes, career deciding exam not once, but twice, when you were not at your best?

 

[dripdrops]

Can you Enlighten us as to why you took a high stakes, career deciding exam not once, but twice, when you were not at your best?

Sure! Before my first attempt, I had a higher FL MCAT average that I was satisfied with. I went into the test initially thinking I would do okay, but ended up psyching myself out/certain I would void after the first hour. Continued the rest of the test because I trusted my FLs. My second attempt was several months later of restudying and trying different methods of stopping my anxiety. Anxiety was better the second time around, performance was worse.

If I could go back, I wish I could've told myself to go about studying differently. Both times I was blindsided by my score.

 

[SooConfused]

NYULISOM:
Please comment on any significant fluctuations in your academic record or inconsistencies in your MCAT score;
if you took a leave of absence for any reason during college; or any application irregularities about which you
wish the admissions committee to know more.

Albany Medical College:
Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores (1,000 characters).

are two I've run into so far!

Since the NYU one says inconsistency in your "score," not "scores," I think you are reading the prompt incorrectly. I think that they are asking for an explanation for the inconsistency between a 75th percentile MCAT score and 3.9+ GPA, assuming that applies to you.

Certainly not the difference between a 509 and a 510, even with different subscores. Your two scores are statistically indistinguishable. For the record, they are very low for NYULI. Unless you have FAP, you might want to reconsider spending the money on this one.

 

[OchemOficionado]

Your scores don't seem inconsistent at all. Don't even mention it.

 

[YeeOldeMillenial]

These prompts can be tough! I read it as an inconsistency between my GPA and MCAT for the Albany prompt. Here's how I responded with a high GPA but an unbalanced MCAT (low Chem/Phys score). I just got an interview from this school, so what I wrote must not have been a deal breaker! (Nontrad 508/3.8)

Albany Prompt: Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores (1,000 characters)

"An inconsistency I see is that my Chemistry/Physics section score on the MCAT (124) is inconsistent with my performance in the related courses I took in college many years before (BCPM GPA 3.72). My score in the Biology/Biochemistry section (131) was much more consistent with my performance in college coursework. I think this is because, as a *** I have repeatedly used that biological knowledge since college. I have not used the Chemistry and Physics knowledge I gained in my daily job over the years since graduation, which showed in my poor performance in the chemistry and physics section. The topics we engage with most are the concepts we can best apply in novel situations. If we don’t use it, we lose it! Overall, the incongruence between what I knew and was able to do in chemistry and physics classes and what I was able to demonstrate on the MCAT has reaffirmed that experiential learning and continuing education are the best ways that I learn and retain information."

My advice is to be honest and specific about how your prep translated into performance. I think this question is looking to see if you can be critical of yourself in a constructive way.