ADVICE PLEASE! Should I retake the MCAT?

[the_reader]

Hey guys! So I just got my scores back from the test on 9/9/16 and I was a bit disappointed . I was hoping for at least a 512, but I ended up with a 510 (C/P:129 CARS:127 B/BC: 125 P/S:129). I'm currently a senior bio major at a state school, and I'm planning on taking a gap year after I graduate, so I'll be applying in the 2018 cycle.

I have a 3.81 overall GPA and a 3.72 sGPA, but I'm hoping to pull it up to a 3.85 before I graduate. I have lots of research/volunteer/shadowing hours and I've been on the eboard of 2 clubs for the past 2 years. I also have work experience and I was a chem TA. I think I have pretty decent LORs too.

I really had my heart set on applying to exclusively MD schools, and I really wanted to stay in the NYC/east coast area.

With those things in mind, should I retake the MCAT in January? Any suggestions are appreciated!

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[Lawpy]

A 510 is a good score, so retaking and aiming for a 512 isn't fruitful (aiming for 518+ is a better goal). You do have a 125 in bio which may be looked down upon. I recommend sticking with the 510 and apply accordingly to low tier MD schools and few DO.

@Goro what are your thoughts on 125 in bio but 510 MCAT?

 

[the_reader]

A 510 is a good score, so retaking and aiming for a 512 isn't fruitful (aiming for 518+ is a better goal). You do have a 125 in bio which may be looked down upon. I recommend sticking with the 510 and apply accordingly to low tier MD schools and few DO.

@Goro what are your thoughts on 125 in bio but 510 MCAT?

Thanks for the advice! If I were to retake it, I would shoot for at least a 515. Do you still think I should keep the 510?

 

[Goro]

I think a 125 in Bio would be lethal for MD schools, but merely OK for DO. It's not autoreject for me, but I'm not happy with it.

I also think that OP is more likely to merely go up a point, stay the same, or go down.

A 510 is a good score, so retaking and aiming for a 512 isn't fruitful (aiming for 518+ is a better goal). You do have a 125 in bio which may be looked down upon. I recommend sticking with the 510 and apply accordingly to low tier MD schools and few DO.

@Goro what are your thoughts on 125 in bio but 510 MCAT?

 

[CavsFan2016]

Just to play the devil's advocate, it is possible to raise your MCAT score suffiently if you put in the approprite amount of work. I scored a 27 on the old MCAT with an 8 in the bio section (40th percentile) and studied over the next 9 months and scored a 517 on the new MCAT with a 130 in the bio section (97th percentile).

So it's possible, but requires a lot of work - if you're willing to go for it, I don't see why its not possible.

 

[summergirl]

510 is a good score when it's coupled with your GPA, but I think adcoms will probably wonder why you got so low on your bio section when you are a bio major. Not sure how much impact it would be, but that's what I would wonder about if I was on the admissions committee.

 

[al22al22]

I know n=1 but I have a lower MCAT score than that, bio was my lowest score and I have a lower GPA and I'm still getting interviews. I know it doesn't mean I have acceptances yet and we could be very different applicants, but getting the interview is the hardest part and if schools only cared about scores than many of the applicants with interviews right now wouldn't have them. There is so much more to an application than your MCAT and yours is quite good, so I really wouldn't risk the chance of scoring lower or not improving much and wasting time and money that could have been better spent on other parts of your application. That's just my opinion though! Either way, good luck!

 

[the_reader]

510 is a good score when it's coupled with your GPA, but I think adcoms will probably wonder why you got so low on your bio section when you are a bio major. Not sure how much impact it would be, but that's what I would wonder about if I was on the admissions committee.

The thing is, on the practice tests that I took, my average B/BC score was a 127/8 and CARS usually was around the same as my P/S score. C/P was usually my lowest, which is why this score distribution is really unusual for me. On test day, I remember feeling that the C/P section was easier than usual and B/BC was much harder than usual, which is exactly what my score shows. I'm feeling very torn on what to do since my scores have been pretty unpredictable (with the exception of P/S) and I'm afraid other sections will go down if I just retake it for bio.

 

[the_reader]

I know n=1 but I have a lower MCAT score than that, bio was my lowest score and I have a lower GPA and I'm still getting interviews. I know it doesn't mean I have acceptances yet and we could be very different applicants, but getting the interview is the hardest part and if schools only cared about scores than many of the applicants with interviews right now wouldn't have them. There is so much more to an application than your MCAT and yours is quite good, so I really wouldn't risk the chance of scoring lower or not improving much and wasting time and money that could have been better spent on other parts of your application. That's just my opinion though! Either way, good luck!

Thanks for the input!

 

[CavsFan2016]

The thing is, on the practice tests that I took, my average B/BC score was a 127/8 and CARS usually was around the same as my P/S score. C/P was usually my lowest, which is why this score distribution is really unusual for me. On test day, I remember feeling that the C/P section was easier than usual and B/BC was much harder than usual, which is exactly what my score shows. I'm feeling very torn on what to do since my scores have been pretty unpredictable (with the exception of P/S) and I'm afraid other sections will go down if I just retake it for bio.

Then don't retake.

Focus on the rest of your application - no school is going to reject you with a 510, it just won't help you out as much as a higher score. If there's a risk you'll do the same or worse, then I wouldn't recommend a re-take.

 

[libertyyne]

Hey guys! So I just got my scores back from the test on 9/9/16 and I was a bit disappointed . I was hoping for at least a 512, but I ended up with a 510 (C/P:129 CARS:127 B/BC: 125 P/S:129). I'm currently a senior bio major at a state school, and I'm planning on taking a gap year after I graduate, so I'll be applying in the 2018 cycle.

I have a 3.81 overall GPA and a 3.72 sGPA, but I'm hoping to pull it up to a 3.85 before I graduate. I have lots of research/volunteer/shadowing hours and I've been on the eboard of 2 clubs for the past 2 years. I also have work experience and I was a chem TA. I think I have pretty decent LORs too.

I really had my heart set on applying to exclusively MD schools, and I really wanted to stay in the NYC/east coast area.

With those things in mind, should I retake the MCAT in January? Any suggestions are appreciated!

LizzyM of 68 currently. The average Matriculant is also a LizzyM of 68. Make sure the rest of your app is in line and your school selection is solid. You should be good unless you are from a state that is difficult.
Also do not retake MCAT for another point. You are just as likely to score <510 which would land you in a bad spot.

 

[the_reader]

LizzyM of 68 currently. The average Matriculant is also a LizzyM of 68. Make sure the rest of your app is in line and your school selection is solid. You should be good unless you are from a state that is difficult.
Also do not retake MCAT for another point. You are just as likely to score <510 which would land you in a bad spot.

Was the LizzyM score calculated using my science GPA?Also, is New York one of those states? Thanks for the advice though, I'm leaning towards not retaking it.

 

[libertyyne]

Was the LizzyM score calculated using my science GPA?Also, is New York one of those states? Thanks for the advice though, I'm leaning towards not retaking it.

LizzyM calculations are based on cGPA. Your scienge GPA is ok. New York is 69.7, You are within 1 SD of the LizzyM of matriculants considering the MCAT SD is 3.8.
https://www.aamc.org/download/321502/data/factstablea20.pdf
You are in the bottom 50th percentile of matriculants but above the bottom 25th percentile.Middle of the Pack. Be sure to have all your other ducks aligned. Also dont be asian.

 

[Sardinia]

Also dont be asian.

@the_reader Don't hide your face because of this please.