MCATs not required?

[sweet_am2000]

I am very interested in going to Saba, but I just bombed the MCATs. Since they are not required does the MCAT play a large decision in admissions if you take them. What's the lowest scores some ppl have gotten accepted with??

[jar22]

I am very interested in going to Saba, but I just bombed the MCATs. Since they are not required does the MCAT play a large decision in admissions if you take them. What's the lowest scores some ppl have gotten accepted with??

it depends on the breakdown of scores of your mcat. I would say that if you have a low mcat because of the VS and have an average in ** and PS, you have chances of getting in. I would recommend taking the mcat again if they're really low. PM me if you have specific questions. I have a not so great mcat but still got in saba and ross (due to my good gpa and extracurruicular stuff)

[thinkbeyond]

do u know wat are the average mcat scores and gpa to get into saba?

[huxald]

I am very interested in going to Saba, but I just bombed the MCATs. Since they are not required does the MCAT play a large decision in admissions if you take them. What's the lowest scores some ppl have gotten accepted with??

I'd suggest figuring out what you did wrong (and right!!!); working on your weaknesses and taking the Cat again. Also submit your application while preparing for it so that if it turns out well, you'll have lots of options open to you.

[mario345]

i would say that it is very unlikey that you will get into saba without an mcat...esp. if you are not competitive

its getting harder to get admissions in saba (despite of all the recent hoopla)

two of my friends applied recently and they didnt get in, and they had MCATs and GPA similar to mine..

much has changed recently i guess...so try to be AS competitive as you can when you apply - sure its easy to get in compared to U.S./Cdn schools, but you dont want to 'mug it up'.

[tenordoc]

Saba may not "require" the MCAT, but that doesn't mean that they don't want it. When I applied, they sent me a letter asking me to rewrite my MCAT (it was 8 years old). I had a 32Q. I'm still a little bitter about that. If they had just said that they did indeed want the MCAT (and they wanted it by a certain best by date), I would have saved my essay writing anguish and my application fee. Don't throw your time and money away on an application if you don't have a good MCAT.

In my case, Ross and AUC didn't despise my old MCAT and accepted me.

[mozdef]

i applied w/ a 3.3 gpa but with low grades in the first year prereqs. They sent me a letter asking me to take the MCAT. I took the mcat in july and will be coming to saba in jan09

[Experienced]

I hate to always be the chaperone at the party, but have you considered what a very low MCAT might predict concerning your ability to get through medical school?

E.

-

[tenordoc]

...have you considered what a very low MCAT might predict concerning your ability to get through medical school?

A very good question. The MCAT can be a very good indication of how well a person performs on timed, standardized tests. IMO, it's a good gauge of how well an individual can process information under pressure; something that's essential for taking the USMLE and the boards. And frankly, processing information under pressure is required for performing the tasks of a physician.

That's not to say that individuals with poor MCATs will necessarily make horrible doctors (or at least do poorly on board exams). But it points out a potential defficiency in your academic and intellectual arsenal that needs to be addressed.

[Moldovanits]

if your gpa is above average than maybe you dont need an mcat. otherwise theres no shortcuts gdluck.

[jabee_usm]

There are many people with no mcat and pretty decent GPAs that got accepted!

[mario345]

There are many people with no mcat and pretty decent GPAs that got accepted!
and there are many more people with decent GPAs and NO MCAT who I know for sure did NOT get accepted.

lets stick to the recent trend, instead of relying on one or two outliers to predict one's chances of getting in SABA.

[jabee_usm]

and there are many more people with decent GPAs and NO MCAT who I know for sure did NOT get accepted.

lets stick to the recent trend, instead of relying on one or two outliers to predict one's chances of getting in SABA.

Ah, you must did not get accepted without your MCAT?

You must realize I did not say everyone, I said many..........Oh and the trend is pretty recent according to the administrator I talked to.

[mario345]

actually, im in my third year now and got in WITH a good enough MCAT. let's talk when you reach that stage, alright darling?

and you wont find the ground reality until, well when you are actually ON the ground - i.e. Saba...go ask the students their stats instead of relying on every Tom, D-i-c-k, and Harry who acts like an author of NEJM on every topic on this forum sitting behind the computer screen. And ooh, try calling the admin as well. That will help direct you towards reality.

ta ta'.

[jabee_usm]

Wow, you have your undies in a bunch now don't you! If you read my last post, you will realize calling the admin. is exactly what I did! Geesh, make sure you read every word in each sentence and then try to be sarcastic... ta ta to you too!
actually, im in my third year now and got in WITH a good enough MCAT. let's talk when you reach that stage, alright darling?

and you wont find the ground reality until, well when you are actually ON the ground - i.e. Saba...go ask the students their stats instead of relying on every Tom, D-i-c-k, and Harry who acts like an author of NEJM on every topic on this forum sitting behind the computer screen. And ooh, try calling the admin as well. That will help direct you towards reality.

ta ta'.

[scp023]

so does saba want mcats or not

[jabee_usm]

There application says, "recommended, but not required"

[mario345]

yes, i have my undies in a bunch. can we move on to the disses that are used in grade 2 now? :rolleyes: what do you want? a lollipop and some flowers with a smile to go along with my response to something that is false?

first of all, it is quite unlikely that the 'administrator' told you that the MCAT is not taken seriously. its not a set-in-stone requirement yet on the website (which I'm sure will change any day given how the school has approached many academic issues recently), but dont make the mistake of assuming that its nothing. so, from that I can conclude that either you are lying and confused or you did not hear properly from the person you talked to. As far as I know and have seen, the SABA administration has emphasized the need to get superior students from the beginning (as evidenced by 'many' failures in the first semester which created quite a havoc on the island in the past couple of semesters - if you were there, you would know). Check post 6 on this thread as well.

And for reference, 'many' doesnt mean all; its a relative, not an absolute term, dependant on the sample size. Your use of 'many' in describing the stats of accepted SABA students is quite laughable. I only know of 2 people in my class who did not have an MCAT (but they had a VERY high GPA to make up for it)...and we are talking about a class of close to 70 which was accepted in 2006! so 2 is 'many' in a group of 5, but definitely not in a group of 70. And therefore, your point that the recent 'trend ' includes SABA ignoring the MCAT is plain WRONG and shows that you are way behind on the 'information gathering stage'. If we are to believe this new trend as perpetrated by you, then that opposes everything that has been going on for that past 3 years where MCATs are becoming a necessity. Note, I did not say that you have to do well on the MCAT...the mere fact that you have to have to sit through it, is important.

Also, the requirement also says that only 90 credit hours are needed...but i only know of one person who did not have a bachelor's degree...however, that person had a very high GPA AND MCAT to make up for it.

Therefore, you are misleading the potential applicants who read these threads with wrong information and therefore, you should be careful about that. You dont know for sure what kinda stats the entering class has, because you are not the admin, nor are you in SABA to talk to the students in your class. And let me tell you, people are much more laxed about sharing their undergrad marks and are way less likely to lie once they are in medical school, because at that time, undergrad becomes less relevant than Obama's middle name. Lastly, I must add, your false depictions of conversations with the admin doesnt really impress me either as it goes against logic (unfortunately, as soon as you enter medical school, you are taught to identify and filter out garbage ASAP and look for important stuff, and criticize everything you read). I find what you said quite hard to believe.

Anyhow, you should be careful in what you write, because as the famous sayin goes: 'if it doesnt make any sense, then its probably not true'.

[mario345]

so does saba want mcats or not
ill say this again...it is unlikely that SABA will take you if you dont have an MCAT coupled with an average/good GPA.

but if you have an excellent GPA, then thats different. otherwise, MCAT is close to a necessity.

SABA has gotten competitive, and I know this for a fact because 2 of my friends who had similar MCATs and GPA as mine did NOT get in (they applied 2 years after me and I helped them with the application so I know).

[kofi129]

Mario you're right. I called the admin and the lady I spoke to first said they require a GPA of 3.3 and an MCAT Bio sci of 8 and Phy Sci of 8 as well. I called again and a different lady told me to apply with my stats. The MCAT is more necessary if you, especially, took your classes in a community college or have a C in any of your requirements. I have a 3.27 and an MCAT Score of 18 but was quickly rejected as soon as my application got to them. I am a Biology major and could hardly blame them for their decision even though it made me sad. With those stats, as 3.3 and 8's you can get into Ross, SGU and AUC but then again Saba knows they offer what those other 3 schools offer, 50 states, with lower tuition. This evens out in the end if you have good credit and use davenport MBA or MPH program. This is a better deal, I trhink. The "MCAT is recommended and not require" is something for schools which don't have the 50 states and are trying everything to fill their classes in the hope of producing some wonderkidz who'll help their programs gain 50 states by doing well on the Steps and boards and putting them on the larger map.

[mario345]

I am sorry that you were not accepted, but trust me, you are not the only one who thought that they made it, but didnt. As I said, couple of my good friends who applied didnt get in. I wasnt completely confident that they would get in, but I thought that there existed a slim chance.

Anyone who is attending SABA now (esp. the upper semesters) or the class that graduated in august, knows what kind of changes SABA went through this year. Huge changes in basic science faculty and admin, etc...all are geared to make saba competitive. And in order to do that, they need more competitive students to start first semester, hence the need for having an MCAT, a bachelors and a GPA atleast meeting the SABA cutoff.

[jabee_usm]

Mario,
I am not sure what is your problem is, but flaming is really not necessary. However, before I rekindled my childhood moments, I will not continue this conversation with you about who gets in with or without the MCAT because neither you or I really know. Neither you or I can say for certain exactly what the criteria for being accepted into SABA are because we are not administrators. It maybe true you are a 3 yrs. student but in reality you are just as blind about this situation as everyone else. Having that said, PEACE!!!!:)


yes, i have my undies in a bunch. can we move on to the disses that are used in grade 2 now? :rolleyes: what do you want? a lollipop and some flowers with a smile to go along with my response to something that is false?

first of all, it is quite unlikely that the 'administrator' told you that the MCAT is not taken seriously. its not a set-in-stone requirement yet on the website (which I'm sure will change any day given how the school has approached many academic issues recently), but dont make the mistake of assuming that its nothing. so, from that I can conclude that either you are lying and confused or you did not hear properly from the person you talked to. As far as I know and have seen, the SABA administration has emphasized the need to get superior students from the beginning (as evidenced by 'many' failures in the first semester which created quite a havoc on the island in the past couple of semesters - if you were there, you would know). Check post 6 on this thread as well.

And for reference, 'many' doesnt mean all; its a relative, not an absolute term, dependant on the sample size. Your use of 'many' in describing the stats of accepted SABA students is quite laughable. I only know of 2 people in my class who did not have an MCAT (but they had a VERY high GPA to make up for it)...and we are talking about a class of close to 70 which was accepted in 2006! so 2 is 'many' in a group of 5, but definitely not in a group of 70. And therefore, your point that the recent 'trend ' includes SABA ignoring the MCAT is plain WRONG and shows that you are way behind on the 'information gathering stage'. If we are to believe this new trend as perpetrated by you, then that opposes everything that has been going on for that past 3 years where MCATs are becoming a necessity. Note, I did not say that you have to do well on the MCAT...the mere fact that you have to have to sit through it, is important.

Also, the requirement also says that only 90 credit hours are needed...but i only know of one person who did not have a bachelor's degree...however, that person had a very high GPA AND MCAT to make up for it.

Therefore, you are misleading the potential applicants who read these threads with wrong information and therefore, you should be careful about that. You dont know for sure what kinda stats the entering class has, because you are not the admin, nor are you in SABA to talk to the students in your class. And let me tell you, people are much more laxed about sharing their undergrad marks and are way less likely to lie once they are in medical school, because at that time, undergrad becomes less relevant than Obama's middle name. Lastly, I must add, your false depictions of conversations with the admin doesnt really impress me either as it goes against logic (unfortunately, as soon as you enter medical school, you are taught to identify and filter out garbage ASAP and look for important stuff, and criticize everything you read). I find what you said quite hard to believe.

Anyhow, you should be careful in what you write, because as the famous sayin goes: 'if it doesnt make any sense, then its probably not true'.

[darkmansaad]

i never took my mcat for saba....am doing pretty well in medical school. However this was may 2006....things may have changed. Personally i dont think the mcat is any predictor of medical school but apparently saba is getting pretty tough to get into as a friend of mine who went to my undergrad whose gpa was about .5 higher than mine with an mcat got rejected within 2 weeks so i dunno maybe they took a chance on me haha.

Which leads me to an important point......try to include a good looking headshot when you apply to saba, you never know whos looking at the picture ;). Personally i think experienced took one look at me and admission was granted haha

[scp023]

asked this before, mcats required or not

[mario345]

...edited... :D

[mario345]

i never took my mcat for saba....am doing pretty well in medical school. However this was may 2006....things may have changed. Personally i dont think the mcat is any predictor of medical school but apparently saba is getting pretty tough to get into as a friend of mine who went to my undergrad whose gpa was about .5 higher than mine with an mcat got rejected within 2 weeks so i dunno maybe they took a chance on me haha.

Which leads me to an important point......try to include a good looking headshot when you apply to saba, you never know whos looking at the picture ;). Personally i think experienced took one look at me and admission was granted haha
you are right that the MCAT is not a predictor of your medical school competence or the USMLE score.
One reason that was pointed out was to compare one's perfomance with GPA and a standardized test, in order to really get a feel for the competence of the applicant, because GPA, etc are subjective as opposed to the MCAT. This is especially true for many Cdn students in my class who struggled to get even a 70% average their undergrad but were among the top students in class, because the grading system between universities varies so much that they need another measure to make decisions.
Also, I dont understand whats the big deal in taking the MCAT now. Its not like its given only twice a year...and its only 4 hours long...As opposed to when I took it, when it was a 7 hour written exam only twice a year. If I was interested in applying for SABA, I would definitely write the MCAT, instead of being lazy and justifying the reasons behind why i dont need it.

[mario345]

asked this before, mcats required or not
you can read this thread again to find out the answer. :D

[gumby]

i never took my mcat for saba....am doing pretty well in medical school. However this was may 2006....things may have changed. Personally i dont think the mcat is any predictor of medical school but apparently saba is getting pretty tough to get into as a friend of mine who went to my undergrad whose gpa was about .5 higher than mine with an mcat got rejected within 2 weeks so i dunno maybe they took a chance on me haha.

Which leads me to an important point......try to include a good looking headshot when you apply to saba, you never know whos looking at the picture ;). Personally i think experienced took one look at me and admission was granted haha

I would also add your composite lift records of your bench press, squat, deadlift and power clean. Anything above 1,200 lbs should get you accepted. Anything below that should get you a rejection letter and directions to the nearest gym.

[jabee_usm]

:):):):)......

[WaiWahine]

I would also add your composite lift records of your bench press, squat, deadlift and power clean. Anything above 1,200 lbs should get you accepted. Anything below that should get you a rejection letter and directions to the nearest gym.

ahahahahaha!:D

[ngoctranly]

I took MCATbut it was in 2005. Despite low verbal score, I got good scores for sciences. DO you think I should provide my MCAT score?
THank you

[BrendaB_MD]

You are mistaken. If you do a search on medline and you will find many studies on the relationship between the MCAT and USMLE. This body of evidence shows that both the MCAT and gpa are correlated with USMLE scores. The correlations are weak but statistically significant. If I recall correctly, the MCAT and gpa explain about 60% of the variation in USMLE scores. Obviously, this is a statistical relation so there is scatter. Thus, you will find people with low MCATs who score well on the USMLE and others with high MCATs who scored poorly; however, on average, those who score well on the MCAT score well on the USMLE.

One caveat is that the studies have been done on US allo students. It is possible that the MCAT/USMLE relationship may be different for carib students; however, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, it is reasonable to assume that, although there may be a quantitative difference, the MCAT/USMLE relationship for carib students is qualitatively similar to that of US allo students.



you are right that the MCAT is not a predictor of your medical school competence or the USMLE score....