how would the admission committee view on this?

[kimchee]

Does anyone has any info in regards how the admission committee view on >3 MCAT taken? I recently spoke to a dean of medical school and he indicated that numbers of MCAT taken is a neglible factor in the review process, as long as scores improve and >30. And this is from a well respected school.

Is this true? Do most schools focus mainly on the trend of scores and want to see high score, irrespective of numbers of trials?

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[BobbyDylanFan]

Yeah, I totally think the dean is speaking the truth. A lot of schools just look at the highest numbers, some look at all of them, and some do something in the middle. But the point is, as long as you've improved, it looks darn good (especially if you are over the 30 mark). It also shows that you are really dedicated, which is good for adcoms.

Comments?

 

[Samoa]

Hi! Welcome to SDN!

I would believe the dean of a medical school.

 

[kimchee]

Thanks for you reply!!! I was not quite sure if he was being honest or just being nice.

 

[LukeWhite]

I think that the schools will be even more forgiving in future app. cycles since this is the first year you can't withhold your scores. In previous years, you could withhold your scores, look at them, and then decide whether or not you wanted to release them. Now that everyone has to release everything (unless you cancel outright), any hypothetical stigma tied to taking the MCAT too many times will be a lot less.

I took the MCAT three times, and DID run into a slight rough patch in one interview. It was a closed-file committee interview, and they knew I had taken the MCAT three times but didn't know the scores (which were all 30+). So obviously, there was the initial impression that I didn't do too well. But that would be a worst-case interview scenario, and I was able to explain to their satisfaction.

It's really pretty close to impossible to get "lucky" on the MCAT, so the schools will realize that your highest score best represents your true aptitude. Multiple times may even help you on occasion due to the persistence factor that the adcoms are so fond of.

 

[kimchee]

Thanks lukealfredwhite


What do you mean in the future schools will be forgiving. Are you suggesting that the schools will have automatic access to all the scores from the previous attemtps? How would that be in my favor? I do see that many school might favor several attemtps as positive in the sense that they show determination and persistence. But that would be all, correct?
I am very much interested in reading your response to my inquiry.

Thanks again