I voided my MCAT retake - what now?

[wolfley]

Hi fellow non-trads,

I'm sad to say that I voided my MCAT re-take today. When I first took the MCAT I scored a 29 (7/11/11). I was shocked when I got my score back to see that 7 (my practice average was a 32). I signed up for a retake as fast as I could but the only seat I could get was 1000+ miles away from where I live, so I had to travel and stay in a hotel to take the exam today. The first time I took my MCAT I felt pretty good and was well rested. Taking it today, I felt terrible. I hardly got any sleep last night (I got woken up 3x in the night by loud people in the hotel and had a hard time falling asleep). When I took the test I ended up marking a ton of problems - way more than I ever have during practice exams. I didn't feel confident, so I decided to void as I was worried I may end up with a lower score. Now I somewhat regret that decision as I think I may have been questioning my judgment too much (my practice average this time around was a 35) - but alas there is nothing I can do about it now. I feel very bummed out about this and I'm not sure what I should do next. Do I take the new MCAT in the spring? Do I take a chance and apply with my 29?

Thanks to anyone who comments with advice.

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[Goro]

There are a number of medical schools for which a 29 is still in striking distance. These include:
TCMC
Quinnipiac
all other new MD schools except Va Tech and Hofstra
WVU
Rosy Franklin
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
Drexel
Albany
NYMC
VCU
Wake Forest
Rush
Your state school(s).
ANY DO school.

Hi fellow non-trads,

I'm sad to say that I voided my MCAT re-take today. When I first took the MCAT I scored a 29 (7/11/11). I was shocked when I got my score back to see that 7 (my practice average was a 32). I signed up for a retake as fast as I could but the only seat I could get was 1000+ miles away from where I live, so I had to travel and stay in a hotel to take the exam today. The first time I took my MCAT I felt pretty good and was well rested. Taking it today, I felt terrible. I hardly got any sleep last night (I got woken up 3x in the night by loud people in the hotel and had a hard time falling asleep). When I took the test I ended up marking a ton of problems - way more than I ever have during practice exams. I didn't feel confident, so I decided to void as I was worried I may end up with a lower score. Now I somewhat regret that decision as I think I may have been questioning my judgment too much (my practice average this time around was a 35) - but alas there is nothing I can do about it now. I feel very bummed out about this and I'm not sure what I should do next. Do I take the new MCAT in the spring? Do I take a chance and apply with my 29?

Thanks to anyone who comments with advice.

 

[wolfley]

There are a number of medical schools for which a 29 is still in striking distance. These include:
TCMC
Quinnipiac
all other new MD schools except Va Tech and Hofstra
WVU
Rosy Franklin
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
Drexel
Albany
NYMC
VCU
Wake Forest
Rush
Your state school(s).
ANY DO school.

thanks goro for the school list. after giving myself more time to think about it (I made this post right after I took/voided the exam), I think I'm going to go ahead and apply with the 29 and hope for the best.

 

[jamcat]

I don't have any advice to give, but as a fellow non-trad who also took the test today, I wanted to tell you that I'm regretting *not* voiding. My AAMC average was in the high 30s reaching into the 40s there at the end, but I am crossing my fingers for a 30. This isn't just post-exam uncertainty; I made so many blind guesses today. You'll always second-guess a decision to void, and that understandably feels uncomfortable, so I just wanted to give you some confidence that perhaps your decision was the right one.

Anyway, I know you're feeling bummed right now, and I'm sorry for that. Have faith that one score doesn't define you, and that you *will* become a doctor.

 

[wolfley]

I don't have any advice to give, but as a fellow non-trad who also took the test today, I wanted to tell you that I'm regretting *not* voiding. My AAMC average was in the high 30s reaching into the 40s there at the end, but I am crossing my fingers for a 30. This isn't just post-exam uncertainty; I made so many blind guesses today. You'll always second-guess a decision to void, and that understandably feels uncomfortable, so I just wanted to give you some confidence that perhaps your decision was the right one.

Anyway, I know you're feeling bummed right now, and I'm sorry for that. Have faith that one score doesn't define you, and that you *will* become a doctor.

Thanks so much, reading this did make me feel better. I'm trying not to be too hard on myself and trying not to think about all the time and money that went into this. I hope everything works out for you as well and hopefully you scored higher than you think!

 

[kevaznboy]

There are a number of medical schools for which a 29 is still in striking distance. These include:
TCMC
Quinnipiac
all other new MD schools except Va Tech and Hofstra
WVU
Rosy Franklin
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
Drexel
Albany
NYMC
VCU
Wake Forest
Rush
Your state school(s).
ANY DO school.

do you really think we have a shot with a 28/29? I guess it's worth a shot. I am in the same boat as you. I got a 28 and the score is balanced (10, 8, 10). Looks nice on paper, but the sum doesn't. The new MCAT would be the bane of my existence.

 

[Goro]

If one has killer ECs. You need something to balance out the well < avg MCAT score.

do you really think we have a shot with a 28/29? I guess it's worth a shot. I am in the same boat as you. I got a 28 and the score is balanced (10, 8, 10). Looks nice on paper, but the sum doesn't. The new MCAT would be the bane of my existence.

 

[kevaznboy]

If one has killer ECs. You need something to balance out the well < avg MCAT score.

What would be killer ECs? Were you a med student too? I did a lot of stuff in college, and am working at a renowned cancer hospital now for the past 2 years doing 'clinical research' for some really top-notch MDs. Really just want to be back in school asap - realized that being on the bottom of the totem pole with regards to any work hierarchy can be brutal.

 

[Goro]

PhD, actually. Significant service to others less fortunate than you, especially if it's outside your comfort zone.

What would be killer ECs? Were you a med student too? I did a lot of stuff in college, and am working at a renowned cancer hospital now for the past 2 years doing 'clinical research' for some really top-notch MDs. Really just want to be back in school asap - realized that being on the bottom of the totem pole with regards to any work hierarchy can be brutal.

 

[rangerdad]

Can you void the test and still receiving the score just for your own information?

 

[mavric1298]

No. Voided tests go into the ether

Also, they have shown that confidence leaving the mcat has no direct correlation to scores. It's a test that's supposed to make you uncomfortable, and more often then not when you feel you did really well, it's because you did something wrong, and vise versa.

I left mine thinking I was going to be 20-22 score range, felt worse than any of my practice exams, and I got a 30 (09, 11, 10). I spent a month preparing to take the new one I felt so poorly, and low and behold I'm keeping my score and applying in a few months.