MD 33 MCAT, retake 31 with VR=7... Take again or apply?

[EngineerWhat?]

So I received a 33 (V 8 / P 12 / B 13) and I retook the MCAT hoping to bring up Verbal.... This was a poor choice as I then deflated to a 31 (V 7 / P12 / B12).

I am scheduled to test again on 5/31 which would still allow me to get scores back by the time the app is submitted to med schools.

cGPA 3.58 sGPA 3.65

Oh and I am a re-applicant.... I applied in 2012 and was waitlisted at the two schools I interviewed with, why I did not get it is a little bit of speculation but it was a combination of things like late app, top heavy, etc...

I think I have good ECs

Field Tech Service Engineer for Medical Device Company for ~1 year now
EMT >2000 hours part time in college
Club Leadership 2 years
Research 1.5 years
Some volunteering

SO.... The million dollar questions... Should I just apply with a wider net and early or should I try to retake the MCAT and reapply based on that score???

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[The Milkman]

retaking a 33 MCAT is like splitting jacks in blackjack.

But I think a lot of it just depends on how med schools will take that retake, and how, or if, you've improved other aspects of your app since last time. If you do apply, def apply early and wide.

 

[DK2014]

What are you averaging on your practice exams now?

 

[smpbound]

BS sections are pretty similar to verbal in my opinion yet you rock it. anxiety issues maybe?

 

[BestDoctorEver]

Retaking a 33 MCAT with all sub scores >= 8 ! What could possibly go wrong?

PS = 12 ... Unlikely to increase that score...
BS = 13... Very unlikely to top that as well, and very likely to score lower...
VR = 8.... It's verbal.

You should definitely apply to low tier schools and see what happens... Also add some DO if you are ok with DO

 

[EngineerWhat?]

retaking a 33 MCAT is like splitting jacks in blackjack.

But I think a lot of it just depends on how med schools will take that retake, and how, or if, you've improved other aspects of your app since last time. If you do apply, def apply early and wide.

Yeah I gambled and lost.... Now I'm just on the fence with the cards I'm holding now

What are you averaging on your practice exams now?

Verbal is all over the place 6-9 mostly, maybe a 10 occasionally. I dont know what it is other than being in a major that required no abstract / gray area thinking (or maybe i was dropped on my head a few too many times as a kid, who knows...). Maybe ill be an American politics major next time....

PS and BS >10 but im not too worried about those

BS sections are pretty similar to verbal in my opinion yet you rock it. anxiety issues maybe?

Could be anxiety, but it just seems like 1/3 of the time ill hit a verbal passage that i just bomb completely. That in combination with missing ~1 per passage on all the other verbal passages leads to a steep slope down to a 6-8....

I just think if I can get at least a 9 on verbal it would open many more doors. Although Im not sure its worth the gamble because my 1st score is still within the last 3 years and I can maybe pass off the 12/12/7 as a bad day, maybe....

 

[DK2014]

I'm a strong believer of just going for it. Just apply. Apply right now, and you have a shot. If you get another 7 on the verbal, or a 6.. that will seriously put a hurting' on your application. I just wouldn't risk going for a 9 or 10, if you've failed twice already. I'm not sure a 9 will do that much more good than an 8, but another 7 or 6 will hurt a lot more. Just my 2 cents.

 

[chemguy79]

I would not retake the MCAT; You already showed less than stellar judgement retaking the exam once. If you score poorly again, you will hurt your application exponentially more than you already have with the previous retake.

@Goro
@gyngyn
@Catalystik

 

[Goro]

Apply with a wider net and early. I think you've reached your ceiling and the retake isn't going to magically increase your VR. Aim for any DO school, all new MD schools, and strategical target the low-tiers, and your state school. MSAR Online is your friend.

 

[EngineerWhat?]

Thank you all for your input! It is greatly appreciated!