How to calculate your MDCAT aggregate, with a worked example

Your MDCAT aggregate is the number universities use to compare candidates. It combines three results: the MDCAT paper, the FSc result and the SSC result. For public medical colleges the common split is 50 per cent MDCAT, 40 per cent FSc and 10 per cent SSC.

The arithmetic is simple. The difficult part is knowing which version of each result the university will use, and what the number does not tell you.

The formula in one line

Aggregate = (MDCAT marks ÷ 180 × 100 × 0.50) + (FSc percentage × 0.40) + (SSC percentage × 0.10)

Each part produces points out of 100. The three parts add to a maximum of 100.

MDCAT marks are out of 180. FSc and SSC are percentages, not marks out of a total. Keep four decimal places until the last step, then round to two.

What each part means

The MDCAT part starts with your marks out of 180. Divide by 180, multiply by 100, then multiply by 0.50. A score of 160 becomes 88.89 per cent, then 44.44 aggregate points.

The FSc part uses your pre-medical percentage. Multiply by 0.40. A result of 85 per cent contributes 34 points.

The SSC part uses your matric percentage. Multiply by 0.10. A result of 90 per cent contributes 9 points.

Use the percentage printed on your result card. If the university asks for total marks, use the total it names. Do not add subjects the university does not count.

If you sat A-levels or another qualification, ask the admitting university how it converts your grades to a percentage. Do not assume the FSc scale.

The FSc percentage usually comes from the pre-medical group. If your result card shows a different group, a supplementary result or an improvement attempt, ask the university which marks it uses. The answer can change the FSc part by more than a rounding error.

The 50/40/10 split is common. It is not the only published weighting. Some universities publish a different formula or a different order. Read the prospectus for the year you apply.

A worked example: 160, 85 and 90

Take a candidate with 160 marks in MDCAT, 85 per cent in FSc and 90 per cent in SSC.

1. MDCAT percentage: 160 ÷ 180 = 0.8889, or 88.89 per cent.
2. MDCAT contribution: 88.89 × 0.50 = 44.44.
3. FSc contribution: 85 × 0.40 = 34.00.
4. SSC contribution: 90 × 0.10 = 9.00.
5. Total: 44.44 + 34.00 + 9.00 = 87.44.

The aggregate is about 87.44 out of 100.

Notice the size of each part. The MDCAT contribution is the largest, but the FSc contribution is close. A 5 per cent drop in FSc costs two aggregate points. A 5-mark drop in MDCAT costs about 1.39 points.

A second example: 150, 78 and 88

A second candidate has 150 marks in MDCAT, 78 per cent in FSc and 88 per cent in SSC.

1. MDCAT percentage: 150 ÷ 180 = 0.8333, or 83.33 per cent.
2. MDCAT contribution: 83.33 × 0.50 = 41.67.
3. FSc contribution: 78 × 0.40 = 31.20.
4. SSC contribution: 88 × 0.10 = 8.80.
5. Total: 41.67 + 31.20 + 8.80 = 81.67.

The gap between the two candidates is 5.77 points. Ten MDCAT marks, seven FSc points and two SSC points produce that gap.

The example shows why a small FSc improvement can matter. It also shows why a large MDCAT improvement matters more than it looks. Ten marks is 2.78 aggregate points.

What moves the total fastest

One FSc percentage point is worth 0.40 aggregate points. One MDCAT mark is worth 0.28. That is why an FSc improvement can move the total faster than a single extra MCQ.

Here are four scenarios with the same formula:

The comparison assumes the university uses the 50/40/10 split. Check the prospectus before you build a plan around it.

Where the estimate stops

The number is an estimate for planning. It is not a promise of a seat.

Cutoffs are set after the cycle. They depend on seats, applicants and quota. A college that closed at one level last year can close at another level this year. The estimate cannot see this year's applicants.

Quota and domicile can change which list you compete on. They do not change the formula. Read the provincial rules as well as the college prospectus. The admissions hub collects the guides on quotas and document checks.

Use the number to compare scenarios. Ask what happens if MDCAT rises by 10 marks, or if FSc rises by 5 points. A range of outcomes is more useful than one number.

Tie-breakers: check the prospectus

When two candidates have the same aggregate, the university applies its own order. The common order starts with MDCAT, then FSc, then SSC. The exact ladder varies by university and year.

Check the admitting university's current prospectus. Do not rely on a rule you read for a different year or a different university.

Tie-breakers decide few seats, but they decide some. If your estimate sits on a boundary, read the rule before results day.

Five mistakes in the arithmetic

1. Using MDCAT marks without converting to a percentage. A score of 160 is not 160 per cent.
2. Using total FSc marks instead of the percentage. The formula asks for a percentage.
3. Rounding each part before adding. Keep the decimals until the last step.
4. Swapping the SSC and FSc weights. FSc is 40 per cent, SSC is 10 per cent.
5. Using a previous year's weighting. The prospectus for your year is the authority.

Each mistake moves the result by a small amount. Together they can make a plan look better or worse than it is. Write each step down. A calculator app is faster, but the written line is easier to check.

Working backwards from a target

If your FSc is 85 and your SSC is 90, those parts contribute 34 and 9 points, or 43 points together. To reach an aggregate of 88, the MDCAT part must be 45 points.

45 points divided by 0.50 is 90 per cent. 90 per cent of 180 is 162 marks.

The sum turns a vague target into a paper score. Run it with your own FSc and SSC percentages. Then compare the result with your recent mock scores.

Sit a full past paper under the real time limit before you trust a mock score. A paper sat with pauses and a phone nearby is an optimistic estimate.

If the required MDCAT score is above your recent mocks, the gap is information. It is not a verdict on your application.

Check the rule for your university

The calculator uses the 50/40/10 split and shows each contribution. Use it for planning, then check the prospectus.

The university directory links to official sites. Read the prospectus for the current formula, the documents and the deadline.

A correct aggregate with a missing document can still fail the document check. The prospectus lists both.

PMDC sets the test. The universities set admission. Those are two different pages with two different jobs. Read both.