August 15 MCAT Club

[Cumberland_Doc]

August is coming fast. For those of you August 15th MCAT folks, post your thoughts, preparation, and questions here.

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[DALee33]

......

 

[hype]

August 2007

PS 8
BS 9
VR 9
WS R
Total: 26R

August 2008

PS 9
BS 11
VR 10
WS Q
Total: 30Q

I wonder if the adcoms are going to look down on this because it really isn't a huge increase from my first write

Comments?

 

[sindadel]

A 30 is a substantial increase from a 26. A 30 puts you within reach of most MD schools.

 

[pitt1166]

So before this thread disappears forever, I figure I might as well get my situation out there for comments from my knowledgeable colleagues, especially since the "Retake?" thread doesn't seem to be very active.

Well, I got a 32Q for my first MCAT. Good score, but to be frank, I had higher expectations. I really studied my butt off, like crazy obsessively. I took 13 practice tests, between MCAT and AAMC, and for both, my averages were about 36.5. Near the end, once I had finished content review my scores were 35-40.

So I'm thinking I should retake. Obviously I don't want to study for this thing again, and there's the risk of doing worse.

However, taking the test in Jan/Feb/March wouldn't delay my application at all. I graduated in May 2008, and my plan has been to take two years off to work at a med school. Partially because I want to see if medicine is really what I want, but partially so I could spruce up my application a bit. I mean, my application is probably "good." 3.7 GPA, lots of research (published), child care counselor, athlete, etc. You know, a solid applicant, but not spectular. So I really went in viewing the MCAT as an opportunity to distinguish myself so I could have a chance at maybe some top 20 schools I've been eying.

So essentially, studying again would suck, but I can afford to do so, in terms of time.

One small problem is that I don't feel like I did anything really wrong during my preparation. I did the Kaplan stuff online, so I was thinking I would try EK this time around, but my prep wouldn't be drastically different. I knew the content, I did tons of practice tests, I reviewed them over and over, took tests under simulated conditions, etc. Basically I am of the opinion that I just "crapped the bed" on my test day.

I mean, I want to be realistic here. 32 is a good score. But I feel like my practice tests have shown that I am capable of doing better, and don't want to sell myself short.

Please, I would be thrilled for any advice from you folks at all. Tell me I'm crazy for thinking retake, or anything, just give me your opinion!

Well so I just had a nice chat with my boss, chair of some research department at Penn. He pretty much said that it's not terribly important where you went to school at his stage in the game. With my current stats, I should be able to get in somewhere good. However, he said if my heart was set on somewhere like Penn or Northwestern, he'd take it again and go for 35 (or higher).

I'm leaning towards a retake, but I'll decide this weekend for sure.

 

[Enta Habiby]

Well so I just had a nice chat with my boss, chair of some research department at Penn. He pretty much said that it's not terribly important where you went to school at his stage in the game. With my current stats, I should be able to get in somewhere good. However, he said if my heart was set on somewhere like Penn or Northwestern, he'd take it again and go for 35 (or higher).

I'm leaning towards a retake, but I'll decide this weekend for sure.

Honestly, you should probably feel lucky that you didn't drop below 32 when you were averaging 36. There are many people at top schools who have below 35's on the MCAT. You must look at your application and ask yourself what you have to offer. If you feel what you can offer a medical school is a great MCAT and later down the road, USMLE score, than certianly retake. If you feel you have more than this to offer, than why bother? One of my good friends just went to Hopkins with a 32 MCAT. Unless you are eying schools who have a history of loving great statistics (ie. Wash U), it's not ALL about the MCAT.

 

[Duffy]

36S

12 VR, 12 PS, 12 BS, S WS

I couldn't be more happy with the total score or the breakdown

Never will the MCAT trouble me again!

Best of luck to everyone else still waiting on scores and for those of you who will ultimately have to rewrite!

 

[NSA MD]

I would like as many people to reply if you feel it is necessary/helpful/insightful...

I just looked at my scores and saw:
PS: 8
VR: 9
BS: 9
W: N
Total: 26

And I'm crushed. Really crushed. I don't know what to think or do.. Please help

You've heard it all before, so i'll skip the usual. There is something inherently strong about never giving up. All I see with an 8-9-9 is a little more studying and experience with taking the test to hit that 10-10-10 (or more!)

Thats all it is. You can do it!

 

[maxim3L]

To anyone frustrated with your score, trust me I feel your pain. Someone very close to me went through the exact same thing a couple of years ago. Scored a 21 the 1st time. That hurt her so bad she wanted to give up and continue her day job as a scientist...but instead she got her act together & used that disappointment & frustration as fuel and scored a thirty-friggin-six just months later. Needless to say, she's rocking that white-coat today and she is my inspiration for wanting to be a doc. I hate dropping quotes but this one is truely great:

"Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things."

How bad do you want that "MD" after your name? I want it baaaaaaaaad. Rock on guys. Persistence pays.

 

[Enta Habiby]

What a great attitude!

 

[rocuronium]

"Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things."

How bad do you want that "MD" after your name? I want it baaaaaaaaad. Rock on guys. Persistence pays.

Randy Pausch sure had a bunch of good advice. You are totally right. If you want it bad enough, you can make it happen. You just have to be willing to work as hard as it takes to get there.

Don't give up!

 

[dayumgina]

So....It's friday and I still haven't gotten my scores. It's been so long that I'm no longer freaking out about what the number could actually be. Perhaps that's a good thing. Anyhow, has this happened to anyone else? I talked to the AAMC and they said that it "should" be there by today...but if it isn't, then they'll let me know. What the hell?

Ahh! Frustration.

 

[Enta Habiby]

So....It's friday and I still haven't gotten my scores. It's been so long that I'm no longer freaking out about what the number could actually be. Perhaps that's a good thing. Anyhow, has this happened to anyone else? I talked to the AAMC and they said that it "should" be there by today...but if it isn't, then they'll let me know. What the hell?

Ahh! Frustration.

wow that's odd. you must be frustrated. I'm sorry to hear that.

 

[ap888]

PS: 13
BS: 13
VR: 08
W: R

Does anyone know if I can get into a decent allopathic school with that 8 in verbal reasoning?? My advisor said no medical school will accept a sub-9 score!!!!

 

[maxim3L]

PS: 13
BS: 13
VR: 08
W: R

Does anyone know if I can get into a decent allopathic school with that 8 in verbal reasoning?? My advisor said no medical school will accept a sub-9 score!!!!

Dude, if that's a 34 I'm summing up there, you've got little to worry about if all else is typical about you. A little unbalanced? Yes. A stellar score? Hell yes.

 

[iA-MD2013]

PS: 13
BS: 13
VR: 08
W: R

Does anyone know if I can get into a decent allopathic school with that 8 in verbal reasoning?? My advisor said no medical school will accept a sub-9 score!!!!

I don't think it's bad at all. Adcoms will notice that 8, but it shouldn't kill you! Go ahead and apply!

 

[Vihsadas]

PS: 13
BS: 13
VR: 08
W: R

Does anyone know if I can get into a decent allopathic school with that 8 in verbal reasoning?? My advisor said no medical school will accept a sub-9 score!!!!

It might hold you back a little bit, but your advisor is wrong. Check out mdapps for profiles of people who got a VR of 8. Schools have accepted scores with an 8 in one section...especially with the 96%ile in the other two sections.

 

[SN2ed]

It might hold you back a little bit, but your advisor is wrong. Check out mdapps for profiles of people who got a VR of 8. Schools have accepted scores with an 8 in one section...especially with the 96%ile in the other two sections.

I think the exception might be if the poster is only applying to Canadian schools. I've heard it's much tougher to get in with an 8 VR in Canada.

 

[MilkmanAl]

It is, but that's usually because they have a hard cutoff at 9 or 10.

 

[Vihsadas]

I think the exception might be if the poster is only applying to Canadian schools. I've heard it's much tougher to get in with an 8 VR in Canada.

Oh. Ouch. I did not realize that. Yes, that is going to be a problem. A lot of schools have a cutoff of about 9 or 10 in each section (sometimes 11). If you are from Onatrio (and some other provinces) you might have to retake

 

[Star2008]

YAY to being done with the MCAT! WOOOOHOOOO

 

[seven21]

PS: 12
BS: 11
VR: 09
W: p
Total: 32P

Does the 9 on VR look really bad? Would Emory, for instance, have a cut off at 9?
English is my 4th language! i did not start to speak english till after turning 9.

 

[MilkmanAl]

A 9 on the VR is just fine for a native speaker. Since English is your 4th language, a 9 is pretty incredible.

 

[xiuying]

Any August 15 MCAT Club peoples getting love from the schools yet? I'm still waiting to hear from mine.

 

[Live4Life]

Any August 15 MCAT Club peoples getting love from the schools yet? I'm still waiting to hear from mine.

Made it past a ton of screens so far and a little more love from a few schools. However, I am surprised that my app has moved so fast at a couple of school b/c this was my first MCAT and I didn't submit secondary applications until immediately after our scores were released.

 

[michfiji09]

Score (AM Test):
11P
9V
11B

TOTAL: 31N

I don't know how many people are still watching this thread but I was wondering if anyone is planning on retaking in April/May? I was getting 13s on every physical and am planning on spending a lot of time working on Verbal throughout this school year. It's not terrible but I know a high Verbal score is really impressive and I need to compensate for a somewhat low GPA.

Let me know if anyone has a study plan...