<p>I don't know if this question has been posted - sorry if it has. Does anyone have any examples of this or statistics on some correlation? I'm assuming they are similar because they are both standardized but I really don't know. I did poorly on the SATs and wondering if I even have a chance to do well on the MCATs.</p>
<p>MCATs is more knowledge based while SAT tries to trick you out more.</p>
<p>1.) Yes, the correlation’s pretty strong. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/747292-sats-mcat.html?highlight=correlation[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/747292-sats-mcat.html?highlight=correlation</a></p>
<p>2.) There is always a chance to be an outlier.</p>
<p>3.) How low are we talking?</p>
<p>4.) Lollerpants is sort of right; the MCAT probably is more knowledge-based. But the MCAT is still, fundamentally, a critical thinking test.</p>
<p>Well, I would think that there is more of a correlation between SAT II–Physics, Chem, Bio–to the MCAT than the pure SAT I. I’d say this b/c the SAT II actually test subject matter in the specified field. So to answer your question, I think there is a string correlation b/w SAT II’s than the SAT I! </p>
<p>Just my 2¢</p>
<p>The MCAT is much more a critical thinking test than a knowledge based test. SAT II’s probably have some correlation, but the SAT I already has a pretty strong correlation.</p>
<p>For most kids I know who are really good at math/science, there is not strong correlation btween SAT and SAT II at all, simply because the test is very limited and doesn’t separate well for the upper end (2-3 standard deviation above the mean type of students). SAT II are just plain easy for people who took AP tests in those subjects. I’m sure the MCAT does better for that.</p>
<p>(Example: friend of mine got SAT II chem/physics/math is 800/800/800 and SAT is 800 M/720CR/680 W)</p>
<p>^ I could be wrong here, but I think the kids with a very good HS GPA or class rank are not necessarily the ones who do very good on SAT I, but they tend to do very good on SAT II, possibly with the exception of the language ones (for a non-native speaker of that language test, of course.)</p>
<p>Although both SAT I and SAT II are study-able (to an extent), SAT II is relatively more study-able (as long as you are a grade-wise good high school student) than SAT I. SAT II and GPA may rely more on work ethics than anything else.</p>
<p>I also suspect that the colleges evaluate students more heavily on SAT I than SAT II. Some even argues that, for many schools, SAT II are just for the placement purpose after the students have been admitted. I always think SAT II (but not SAT I) is just another way of evaluating a student’s GPA, in order to to eliminate the “teacher’s pet effect.”</p>
<p>Back to the topic of MCAT: many knowledgeable posters on this board said before that MCAT is also more important than GPA, in the sense that MCAT can tromp GPA, but not necessarily the other way around.</p>
<p>
Right. A 4.0/27 is done. A 3.2/36 is almost guaranteed to get in somewhere if he/she applies broadly enough.</p>
<p>And that’s not even the proper comparison, since a 4.0 is perfect and a 27 is average among applicants. The proper comparison would be a 3.5/42. (42 isn’t perfect, but it’s the usual national max.) And a 3.5/42 is going to do VERY well in the process.</p>
<p>So does that mean that if I didnt do well on the SAT, it is more likely that I wont do as well on the MCAT? My highest score was a 650 in math and I was quite surprised with that.</p>
<p>It’s more likely, sure. It’s not a zero probability.</p>
<p>If there is a correlation between the two exams, is there also a correlation in the way you studied and prepared for each. i.e. Should you take a prep class for MCAT if you had taken one for the SAT?</p>
<p>You should probably take a course for the MCAT regardless. It’s primarily a critical thinking test – which also requires a lot of practice – but there is information on it, and the class is useful for helping you know what you need to know.</p>
<p>Of course it’s possible to do well without one. But I really do think it’s helpful.</p>
<p>Yes, high scorers do…but only if they figure out how to refer to the MCAT properly…</p>
<p>Discussion of correlation between two outcomes usually requires elimination of confounding variables. What BDM and others have politely suggested is that, in the absence of serious deficiencies in intellect and methods, SAT and MCAT scores do correlate well.</p>
<p>Confounding variables might include impaired reading comprehension, test anxiety, poor study skills, or inability to analyze material.</p>
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<p>lol. Where DOES that “s” come from?</p>
<p>An S gets tacked onto the end of “SATs,” so the uninformed try to do the same with the MCAT?</p>