Do you want to know how competitive your med school application is? Perhaps you’ve heard about the LizzyM score.
Due to the thousands of students who aspire to become future doctors, I know that you’re wondering (or even anxious) about your chances to get in. And that’s okay.
So to help you feel at ease or somehow give you an idea if you need to step up a little, I’ll be giving you things you need to know about LizzyM score.
What Is The LizzyM Score?
The LizzyM score is a number computed from your GPA and MCAT score. It gives you an approximation of your standing based on historical data of accepted applicants.
Med school applicants use the LizzyM score to gauge how competitive their applications are. It also helps students to determine the schools where they have a high chance of getting into.
The LizzyM started as an anonymous account in Student Doctor Network (SDN)—an online platform where med students and even successful doctors share their personal tips, tricks, and hacks on how to ace every step of the med school application.
LizzyM is one of those accounts that provide pretty good advice to aspiring doctors. There were speculations that it was owned by an admissions committee member at a prestigious med school. It is said that the account is now run by a group of admissions committee members from various med schools.
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What Is A Good LizzyM Score?
The LizzyM score cannot predict your application’s fate, but you can use it to gauge where you stand. The range of a good LizzyM score varies per school. One LizzyM score might be considered low for one school but acceptable for another.
But if you are aiming for the top 20 schools in the US like the ones in the list below, then aim for a LizzyM score that is at least 70.
- University of Pennsylvania
- Northwestern University
- Washington University in St. Louis
- Vanderbilt University
- Columbia University
- Yale University
- Harvard University
- University of Chicago
- Johns Hopkins University
- Baylor University
- New York University
However, there are also universities that do not make it on the top list but accept applicants with a LizzyM score of at least 70. These schools attract relatively competitive applicants because these universities are located in popular locations. These include:
- California Northstate University
- Louis University
- SUNY-Downstate University
- California University
For LizzyM scores ranging from 67 to 69.9, you get a high chance to be admitted to the top 50 universities—which I think is still reasonably great. These include:
- University of Maryland
- Indiana University
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham
- University of Oregon
- University of Nebraska
Students with LizzyM scores of 65-66.9 are attracted by lower-ranked US allopathic medical schools.
If you got 59-64.9, you may be accepted in top-tier DO schools and other medical schools. These include:
- Thomas Jefferson University
- Touro University
- Western University
- Michigan State University
- New York Institute of Technology
- Lake Erie University
- Loyola University
- University at Albany
- Marshall University
- University of Washington School of Medicine – a top-20 medical school that accepts a LizzyM score of 63
Take note that LizzyM scores do not define your medical school application ranking. As I just mentioned, you could get in at the University of Washington, which is a top-tier medical school, without getting a LizzyM score of 70+.
Similarly, there are low-tier schools that require 70+. So, it really varies.
The LizzyM score is only helpful for finding appropriate schools that are within your range. But never rely on it solely.
What Is A Good Score On The MCAT?
I wouldn’t deny that your MCAT score has a significant bearing on your applications. But everyone is asking what MCAT score is needed to be admitted.
In my article, MCAT Score Converter For Pre-Med Students, I discussed things you need to know about your MCAT score.
From the year 2019 to the year 2020, the mean MCAT score of successful matriculants were 510 and 511, and the mean GPA was 3.71.
If we are going to set these scores in the LizzyM Score Application Assistant, you will receive a 68.1 LizzyM score. This means that an average MCAT score and GPA would give you a 66% chance of getting into the top 50 medical schools in the US.
It also showed that 76% of total applicants had a lower or equal score, or 24% of total applicants had higher scores.
What’s More Important: MCAT Score Or GPA?
The MCAT score and GPA are equally important. You should do your best in both, and flunking either one would not give a good impression to the admissions committee.
Your GPA shows your academic performance, while your MCAT score reflects your scientific foundations that give an overview of your readiness for med school. Each score indicates different aspects of your application. Getting a low score on each may have a significant effect on your application.
So better do well! Think as if this is your last chance of entering med school, and you need to show that you’ll do what it takes to be a doctor.
You can check out my YouTube video below for tips on how to increase your GPA. Or you can check this video to know how you can get into med school if you have a low MCAT score.
If you find these videos helpful, don’t forget to subscribe to my channel for more tips on how to increase your chances to get into med school!
How To Use The LizzyM Score
You may compute for your LizzyM score through this equation:
GPA x 10 + pre-2015 MCAT score
The LizzyM score shows how med school applicants fare compared with successful applicants who were already accepted in medical school.
While some medical schools review each application holistically, others reject applications solely based on minimum value GPA and MCAT scores without checking other factors.
How Accurate Is The LizzyM Score? (Should I Use It?)
I cannot emphasize enough that the LizzyM score is only a guide. It could be a screening tool to check which medical schools will likely accept you. However, note that it is not the sole factor in choosing a school and being accepted.
Low LizzyM scores do not mean that you don’t have what it takes to be accepted. It just shows that the combination of your test scores is relatively lower than the other successful applicants’ scores, and nothing more.
Similarly, a high LizzyM score does not guarantee being accepted in the med school of your choice. There are still other factors to consider, such as the recommendations, personal statements, extra-curricular activities, and interviews.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of The LizzyM Score?
Pros
- Easy to use
The calculation is relatively easy and convenient. With just basic math, you’ll get a rough estimate of how strong your application is compared with the other applicants. - Screening tool for school
Your LizzyM score gives you an idea of schools that accept your test score range. - Guide to do better
When your LizzyM score appears low, this will prompt you to do better in other aspects such as your interviews.
Cons
- Limited only to MCAT score and GPA
Your MCAT score and GPA may have a massive weight on your application, but they are not the sole criteria. For this reason, it is not advisable to rely only on the LizzyM score for your application’s fate. - It does not account for other factors
LizzyM scores do not take into account other factors that may affect your score. For instance, you had several tries for MCAT, or you managed to get a pretty competitive average during your first few years as an undergraduate but had low scores in the latter part.
These factors may seem negligible at first. But mind you, the admissions committee will review your credentials carefully, and all these factors may affect your application. - GPA is not everything
A high GPA does not guarantee acceptance in a med school. The admissions committee focuses on the components of your grade and how solid your scientific foundations are in preparation for med school.
There are students with relatively lower GPAs but have high grades in science subjects, and there could be those with high GPAs but not so high science grades.
The admissions committee is very meticulous, and the LizzyM score does not take into account all of these grade components.
The LizzyM score may show how competitive your application is, but it is not the ultimate basis of whether you will be accepted to medical school or not. Don’t worry if you have a low LizzyM score because there are other factors that the admissions committee will look into.
Just do your best on your application, know what you can offer and what you value.
If you need a step-by-step blueprint on how to get accepted to medical school, try this video course. Learn advanced strategies to make your application irresistible with the Pre-Med Blueprint!
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Now if this post has been helpful, then I’m sure you’ll learn more from these other posts:
- Medical School Chance Predictors [How Do They Work?]
- MCAT Score Converter For Pre-Med Students
- Recommendation Letters For Medical School: What You Need To Know!
- 30 Best Med School YouTube Channels (Must Follow)
- Med School Rankings Revealed
- Medical School Timeline: Full Year By Year Breakdown
- 15 Best Backpacks For Medical School
- Medical School Personal Statement Examples And Tips
- Medical School Secondary Application [Tips And FAQs]
- 9 Best Extracurriculars For Medical School
Thanks for reading until the end of this article. Hopefully, I have been a little help on your journey to med school!
Until the next one my friend…