Forum Members Official "Should I Retake?" Thread

[QofQuimica]

EDIT 12/21/18: This thread is being retired, as the majority of posts (>80 pages) pertain to the old MCAT that is no longer relevant to current applicants. You can find the current "Should I Retake" thread here: Forum Members - Should I Retake the MCAT?

For those of you who are trying to figure out whether you should re-take, this is the thread for you. Post your dilemma here if you want advice from other SDN folks. Please note that you should take the opinions you get from SDN as one source of advice; you would be wise to also consult your premed advisor before making this decision. Here is my personal advice for those considering whether to re-take:

Definitely DO retake:

-if you scored below a 24. Some allopathic schools will screen out students with scores lower than 24, which is about the mean score for all test-takers.
-if you had some kind of major problem during the test that affected your performance (ex. you started puking or running a 102 degree temperature)
-if you took the test without completing the four pre-reqs (one year each of biology, chemistry, physics, and organic) and/or without studying for it
-if you left large numbers of questions blank​

Definitely do NOT retake:

-if you scored a 30 or better, especially if all of your individual section scores were an 8 or better
-if your section subscores (the numerical ones) are all good, but you didn't perform well on the writing section (the letter score)

​

Gray area-it's not obvious what to do:

-if you scored 30+ but with one section below an 8
-if you had some minor nuisances (ex. a noisy test room) during the test and you're not sure if it affected your performance
-if you studied thoroughly for the test and you scored within the range of your practice exams, but your score is in the middle range (24-29)​

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[chewy2008]

I took the MCAT November 7th and got a 29, 10PS/9VR/10BS
cGPA will be around 3.57
sGPA probably 3.45 ish
Tons of ECs, average shadowing/volunteering, summer internship at a great hospital.
Senior, will be taking a gap year.
I really want a shot at MD schools. I'm also applying to SMPs/record enhancing post-baccs for my gap year.
No in-state schools unfortunately.
At this point, I would have to take the new MCAT, and I'm not really sure how I feel about it or know how adcoms will interpret that (I don't think anyone really knows).
Any advice is great appreciated!

You would be fine for DO schools but if you really really really want to do MD, then consider if it would be worth your time to do a retake. You only have less than a month for a possible test date (and I doubt there are any good spots left...my friend said that there were only available spots outside the US) for the current MCAT. Taking the new MCAT means possibly taking biochemistry, psychology, and sociology in addition to the current med school prerequisites. Are you willing to pay more money and spend more time taking these courses and preparing for the new MCAT? Only you can answer that.
Finally, your MCAT isn't too bad. You would, however, have to apply to many out-of-state schools (private is your best shot) with average MCAT scores at or around your score. Med school admissions is not all about the MCAT. If you do not have a strong upward trend of grades, then SMP or post-bacc is a good choice. Make sure you continue your clinical and non-clinical activities. Good luck!

 

[chewy2008]

so I am retaking the mcat in one month exactly and am trying to find the best method with time in mind. Please don't respond with everyone has their own methods even though it is true. I guess I am still finding my method. I have been looking around and since I only have the EK hard copy (and Kaplan), I am thinking about just using EK and supplementing it with Chad videos (only $50). On top of those, I will do EK 101 verbal and the full lengths Kaplan has to offer. Since I only have amonth, I want to put a lot more emphasis on practice as opposed to last time. Any thoughts or suggestions for this plan?

I really need to improve on verbal. But orgo is weak too but since it is usually only a passage, I won't worry as much. Any thoughts!!

I would take verbal material you haven't used yet and do 2-3 passages a day. After correcting them and writing down why you missed them, I would review them the next day before doing the next set of few passages. Sometimes I forget my previous mistakes and reviewing them consistently helps me. I'd do a practice test a week at the same time of day as your actual MCAT.
For orgo, make sure you know the basic reactions. Mechanisms aren't so much emphasized nowadays in the BS section, but really make sure you understand why certain experiments are done (what is the goal, why did they add this reagent, etc.). Always focus on doing topics you are not comfortable in rather than reviewing topics you already know well. Keep practicing daily but take a break to avoid burnout. Get lots of rest, exercise regularly, and eat healthy. good luck

 

[chewy2008]

I'm a non-traditional student who's been lurking for a while now. I thought I'd finally get some feedback.

MCAT Info
AAMC 9: (13/10/15) : 38
AAMC 10: (11/14/11): 36

(Took last 3 the week before actual MCAT)
AAMC 7: (13/13/12) : 38
AAMC 8: (14/14/12): 40
AAMC 11: (11/12/11): 34

AAMC Average: 37.2
AAMC 9-11 Average: 36

ACTUAL (October) MCAT: (12/12/10): 34
(shocked at 10 in bio)
Overall, thought the actual MCAT was going terrible. estimated a 30-33. Ran out of time on the bio section, which never happened on any section on the practice tests. Had to guess on 3 and didn't get to 1 before time ran out.

I've read the internal debates over whether or not to retake a 34 or not, but I am unsure as to how competitive I am, given my academic record and ECs.

Academic Record

• Same top 20 public school (top 50 overall) for both undergrad and grad
• Undergrad GPA: 3.48 (Engineering unrelated to medical field)

• Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering
• Graduate GPA: 3.87

• Total BCMP GPA: 3.57 - 3.63 (best I can estimate, based on AMCAS resources, only includes undergrad classes taken during undergrad and graduate school. Does include upper division math courses)
• Undergrad pre-reqs taken during grad school GPA: 3.81

ECs

• 6 internships for gov't (doing electrical engineering/computer science work) during undergrad and grad school
• 0 pubs from grad school (yes, it happens and is more common than one would think)
• Shadowed pediatric oncologist 60+ hours (as part of grad program)
• Shadowed pediatric surgeon 60+ hours (as part of grad program)
• Biomed. Eng. Society officer 4 years during grad school, including President. Small group, but fairly active

Work Experience

• 4.5+ years working for gov't and heavily involved with medical products. I work very closely with physicians, surgeons, and scientists dealing with medical products, clinical trials, etc.

Any feedback you can provide is greatly appreciated!

I agree with AmICrazy. You obviously have the smarts, and if you retake, you do risk the chance of getting the same or lower score. Your undergrad GPA is not too bad. I would focus on your ECs. I don't see any volunteer activities either clinical or non-clinical so I think that will be a detriment to your application. Med schools want to see your involvement with the common person and patients, even though it seems like you know how to work with professionals. If you have a good MD list, you are sure to get into a school.

 

[dnic2693]

Should I retake a 27 MCAT with a 7 in VR? My gpa is 4.0 and I have tons of ECs. I just want to get into an allopathic medical school. I am a URM (if that helps at all).

I only have about a week until my next mcat if I retake. The 7 in VR was a shock (2 pts below my longstanding avg).

Thank you.

 

[WhiteMaleSyndrome]

31O - 12P/7V/12B

This verbal is stressing me out. The only advice that I've ever received for study material is to take practice exams and buy Kaplan stuff. Isn't there something other than the "purchase this" study plan for verbal?

Here's the kicker. With the new improved MCAT this year, I could potentially improve my verbal to an 8 (or the equivalent) at least, but the social sciences are going to drag me down (I only scored 50% on the trial section).

I received no interviews for this cycle, and I can only assume that my 7V was the red flag that did me in. It appears that without excess money to throw at study materials, I'll have to spend my gap year ironically volunteering to beef up my application.

 

[markymark71990]

Should I retake a 27 MCAT with a 7 in VR? My gpa is 4.0 and I have tons of ECs. I just want to get into an allopathic medical school. I am a URM (if that helps at all).

I only have about a week until my next mcat if I retake. The 7 in VR was a shock (2 pts below my longstanding avg).

Thank you.

What is your ethnicity?

 

[markymark71990]

31O - 12P/7V/12B

This verbal is stressing me out. The only advice that I've ever received for study material is to take practice exams and buy Kaplan stuff. Isn't there something other than the "purchase this" study plan for verbal?

Here's the kicker. With the new improved MCAT this year, I could potentially improve my verbal to an 8 (or the equivalent) at least, but the social sciences are going to drag me down (I only scored 50% on the trial section).

I received no interviews for this cycle, and I can only assume that my 7V was the red flag that did me in. It appears that without excess money to throw at study materials, I'll have to spend my gap year ironically volunteering to beef up my application.

That's a tough call. If you're prepared to learn the New content, I'd say go for it. Being a white male makes that 7 stand out negatively

 

[markymark71990]

And fyi I brought my 7 to a 10 in 4 months. I'll tell you my secret if u want to hear it

 

[dnic2693]

What is your ethnicity?

Mexican-American

 

[markymark71990]

Mexican-American

I wouldn't retake. You should be fine for interviews at many schools

 

[yane4000]

Should I retake a 27 MCAT with a 7 in VR? My gpa is 4.0 and I have tons of ECs. I just want to get into an allopathic medical school. I am a URM (if that helps at all).

I only have about a week until my next mcat if I retake. The 7 in VR was a shock (2 pts below my longstanding avg).

Thank you.

Hi!

I got a 27 on the MCAT as well and was in the same ballpark for Verbal. I'm Hispanic as well (Cuban). My GPA is not 4.0, but it's above average; 3.8. I'm still indecisive about applying this year, especially since I would just rather stay in Florida. If you wouldn't mind, could you list a few of your EC's?

I have a few such as as tutoring Biology and Chemistry at my university, a volunteer at a children's hospital and starting a medical scribe job this month. I'd like to get some research in as well. I'm just not sure if I'm a strong candidate yet.

Thanks!

 

[dnic2693]

Thank you for the advice

 

[dnic2693]

Hi!

I got a 27 on the MCAT as well and was in the same ballpark for Verbal. I'm Hispanic as well (Cuban). My GPA is not 4.0, but it's above average; 3.8. I'm still indecisive about applying this year, especially since I would just rather stay in Florida. If you wouldn't mind, could you list a few of your EC's?

I have a few such as as tutoring Biology and Chemistry at my university, a volunteer at a children's hospital and starting a medical scribe job this month. I'd like to get some research in as well. I'm just not sure if I'm a strong candidate yet.

Thanks!

Here is my ec http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/what-are-my-chances-with-a-7-in-vr.1114989/#post-16050896

 

[WhiteMaleSyndrome]

And fyi I brought my 7 to a 10 in 4 months. I'll tell you my secret if u want to hear it

Yeah as long as I don't have pay a million dollars for it!

 

[markymark71990]

Yeah as long as I don't have pay a million dollars for it!

no just 100 bucks

 

[Make Or Break]

no just 100 bucks

Best I can do is a paper clip I found in my pocket and a chewed piece of gum.

 

[The Brown Knight]

You would be fine for DO schools but if you really really really want to do MD, then consider if it would be worth your time to do a retake. You only have less than a month for a possible test date (and I doubt there are any good spots left...my friend said that there were only available spots outside the US) for the current MCAT. Taking the new MCAT means possibly taking biochemistry, psychology, and sociology in addition to the current med school prerequisites. Are you willing to pay more money and spend more time taking these courses and preparing for the new MCAT? Only you can answer that.
Finally, your MCAT isn't too bad. You would, however, have to apply to many out-of-state schools (private is your best shot) with average MCAT scores at or around your score. Med school admissions is not all about the MCAT. If you do not have a strong upward trend of grades, then SMP or post-bacc is a good choice. Make sure you continue your clinical and non-clinical activities. Good luck!

Hey, thanks for the reply. I've been off SDN for some time. I really want to do MD; in fact my original plan was to hopefully get a 36-37 with strong science scores and wanted to do MD/PhD (I've a good gpa and solid research and ECs), but that's probably not gonna happen. I want to at the least do MD if possible.

So I need some new advice now: starting from the date I posted above, I've been drilling with Kaplan verbal passages and TBR Bio passages till a couple days ago (so ~ 2 weeks). On 11th I took an old Kaplan test (longer version) and substituted its VR with and EK101 section and got a 12/8/12. I feel like my timing issues and a general discomfort with verbal are still there. During my Kaplan verbal practice I kept pushing towards finishing in 7.5 mins/psg but my times ranged anywhere from 6.5 mins to 10 mins no matter what I did. I tried the pre reading questions strategy but that ended up being an even bigger time sink. I tried Kaplan's method of dissecting the argument to its component opinions, evidence, conclusions but it slowed me down a bit (4+ mins/psg) and I reread more frequently. Then I tried just asking myself "what's this paragraph talking about" as I read; this improved reading speed but decreased comprehension slightly as I often found myself reskimming. What has worked briefly successfully is reading the 1st paragraph carefully and "stitching" the rest of the paragraphs to it in the back of my mind while reading, though this hasn't been consistently successful enough.
So should I take the new exam so I can have some time to experiment and incorporate new strategies? Or should I gun for the 01/23 date?
If I take the new one, these are my advantages: I've a semester schedule where I've all my classes on 2 of 7 days, my sciences are fairly solid including in biochem so I'll primarily need to read the psych/soc sections, I can spread out my verbal practice to 2 passages/day with thorough analysis
The advantage with the old one is the lesser content and getting it over with early on. But if I rush the retake, I might likely not even improve.

Thanks, your advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[chewy2008]

So I can see that you've been practicing verbal which is great, but what were your scores for AAMC verbal? I ask about AAMC because those are most representative of the current MCAT. I say go for the retake on 1/23 if your scores show that you can do a lot better than a 6 in VR (and that you can at least maintain your PS or BS scores) and that you are confident you can perform well this time. If not, then definitely wait to take the new MCAT until you have the practice scores you need. It sounds like you'll have enough time to study for the new one as well. Remember that becoming a doctor is a marathon, not a sprint.

Hey, thanks for the reply. I've been off SDN for some time. I really want to do MD; in fact my original plan was to hopefully get a 36-37 with strong science scores and wanted to do MD/PhD (I've a good gpa and solid research and ECs), but that's probably not gonna happen. I want to at the least do MD if possible.

So I need some new advice now: starting from the date I posted above, I've been drilling with Kaplan verbal passages and TBR Bio passages till a couple days ago (so ~ 2 weeks). On 11th I took an old Kaplan test (longer version) and substituted its VR with and EK101 section and got a 12/8/12. I feel like my timing issues and a general discomfort with verbal are still there. During my Kaplan verbal practice I kept pushing towards finishing in 7.5 mins/psg but my times ranged anywhere from 6.5 mins to 10 mins no matter what I did. I tried the pre reading questions strategy but that ended up being an even bigger time sink. I tried Kaplan's method of dissecting the argument to its component opinions, evidence, conclusions but it slowed me down a bit (4+ mins/psg) and I reread more frequently. Then I tried just asking myself "what's this paragraph talking about" as I read; this improved reading speed but decreased comprehension slightly as I often found myself reskimming. What has worked briefly successfully is reading the 1st paragraph carefully and "stitching" the rest of the paragraphs to it in the back of my mind while reading, though this hasn't been consistently successful enough.
So should I take the new exam so I can have some time to experiment and incorporate new strategies? Or should I gun for the 01/23 date?
If I take the new one, these are my advantages: I've a semester schedule where I've all my classes on 2 of 7 days, my sciences are fairly solid including in biochem so I'll primarily need to read the psych/soc sections, I can spread out my verbal practice to 2 passages/day with thorough analysis
The advantage with the old one is the lesser content and getting it over with early on. But if I rush the retake, I might likely not even improve.

Thanks, your advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hey, thanks for the reply. I've been off SDN for some time. I really want to do MD; in fact my original plan was to hopefully get a 36-37 with strong science scores and wanted to do MD/PhD (I've a good gpa and solid research and ECs), but that's probably not gonna happen. I want to at the least do MD if possible.

So I need some new advice now: starting from the date I posted above, I've been drilling with Kaplan verbal passages and TBR Bio passages till a couple days ago (so ~ 2 weeks). On 11th I took an old Kaplan test (longer version) and substituted its VR with and EK101 section and got a 12/8/12. I feel like my timing issues and a general discomfort with verbal are still there. During my Kaplan verbal practice I kept pushing towards finishing in 7.5 mins/psg but my times ranged anywhere from 6.5 mins to 10 mins no matter what I did. I tried the pre reading questions strategy but that ended up being an even bigger time sink. I tried Kaplan's method of dissecting the argument to its component opinions, evidence, conclusions but it slowed me down a bit (4+ mins/psg) and I reread more frequently. Then I tried just asking myself "what's this paragraph talking about" as I read; this improved reading speed but decreased comprehension slightly as I often found myself reskimming. What has worked briefly successfully is reading the 1st paragraph carefully and "stitching" the rest of the paragraphs to it in the back of my mind while reading, though this hasn't been consistently successful enough.
So should I take the new exam so I can have some time to experiment and incorporate new strategies? Or should I gun for the 01/23 date?
If I take the new one, these are my advantages: I've a semester schedule where I've all my classes on 2 of 7 days, my sciences are fairly solid including in biochem so I'll primarily need to read the psych/soc sections, I can spread out my verbal practice to 2 passages/day with thorough analysis
The advantage with the old one is the lesser content and getting it over with early on. But if I rush the retake, I might likely not even improve.

Thanks, your advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[The Brown Knight]

So I can see that you've been practicing verbal which is great, but what were your scores for AAMC verbal? I ask about AAMC because those are most representative of the current MCAT. I say go for the retake on 1/23 if your scores show that you can do a lot better than a 6 in VR (and that you can at least maintain your PS or BS scores) and that you are confident you can perform well this time. If not, then definitely wait to take the new MCAT until you have the practice scores you need. It sounds like you'll have enough time to study for the new one as well. Remember that becoming a doctor is a marathon, not a sprint.

My AAMC VR averages were overall 7-10 (with most frequent at 8-9) with like one in all my studying - in many of these I was pretty much guessing from 3 choices and just rushing through. When I redid them as part of my post-game analysis, they felt considerably easier. Also, the AAMC averages were from early october.

 

[bumbleB]

6 PS / 11 V / 10 BS = 27 overall

My GPAs are about 3.2, and I'm applying to DO schools and Texas MD schools. Should I retake?

 

[Make Or Break]

6 PS / 11 V / 10 BS = 27 overall

My GPAs are about 3.2, and I'm applying to DO schools and Texas MD schools. Should I retake?

Yes. A 6 in any section does not look good. Coupled with your GPA, I would strongly suggest a retake.

 

[swedishfishy]

Should I retake? I've made a 30 on my mcat (10/10/10). Undergrad GPA is 3.94, I have lots of research, clinical experience, volunteers hours, as well as leadership. I feel like I can do better than a 30 (when I first studied for the MCAT I focused more on memorization than application) which is why I scheduled to retake on January 23rd, and also because my first choice med school is top-tier and pretty competitive to get into (UTSW).

I've been studying using TBR and TBR CBTs since I've used up all AAMC material, but I don't know if what I am scoring on the TBR CBTs is predictive of my score. Physics is fine, but some questions, especially in bio, seem way too detail oriented.

At this point, since I already paid and everything and spent my whole winter break studying I'm just gonna go for it and see how I feel by the end of the exam, and then decide then if I want to void it or not. I just don't want a lower score. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.

 

[cavsfan]

Hi guys,

So I'm new to posting on Student Doctor, but I've been a lurker on these threads ever since I was a freshman in college(now a junior) just looking at people's advice on MCAT,GPA and applying in general.

I just got my MCAT results back from the Oct. 21th sitting and unfortunately it wasn't the best of results for me and I was wondering what everyone's opinion was of me retaking the darn test. I ended up getting a 33 (11/11/11), but my FL AAMC practice tests were 35, 36, 36 and 37. On every practice test I had never scored lower than a 13 in BS or a 12 in PS and somehow I managed to do both on the real thing. I wasn't overly nervous or had any problems test day either.

Anyways, with that I have close to a 3.9 sGPA and around 3.83cGPA currently at Stanford. For shadowing, I participated in the SMDEP program at Columbia after my Freshman year and got about 30 hours of shadowing at New York Presbyterian Hospital there. Currently I'm shadowing a pretty well-known cardiologist at Stanford Hospital right now ~30 hours there. This is also my second year volunteering at a student-run free clinic with about ~70 hours total there. I've also been involved in an afternoon free tutoring service to the underprivileged elementary, middle and high school students around east palo alto since my Freshman year - something I've been doing since High School. Since my Sophomore year I've been doing research in a cardiology stem cell lab and this past summer I presented a poster on my research at an undergraduate research symposium thing. No publications yet though. I am a URM and financially disadvantaged and received the Gates Millennium Scholarship my senior year of high school.

My overall goal is to get into a CA medical school. I'm from CA and for family reasons really don't want to be away from my family for 4 years. Further, I just love living in CA and don't want to move away. My ultimate dream is going to UCLA Med School and now with the 33 MCAT it's looking like that might keep me from achieving that.

So with that big rant, do you guys thing I should retake my 33 (11/11/11) MCAT considering I did better on FL AAMC? Is it worth the risk of somehow getting a lower score(I think i will be extremely nervous retaking this time so it could happen). Finally, I would have to retake this thing 12/6 or else I'd retake the new test. Currently I can get a spot in 12/6 and could do like 30-40 hours of studying between now and then. Any thoughts?

Why not! It couldn't hurt to try!

 

[cavsfan]

6 PS / 11 V / 10 BS = 27 overall

My GPAs are about 3.2, and I'm applying to DO schools and Texas MD schools. Should I retake?

Yes! Ps would be an easy fix!

 

[Komorebi2]

Should I retake? I've made a 30 on my mcat (10/10/10). Undergrad GPA is 3.94, I have lots of research, clinical experience, volunteers hours, as well as leadership. I feel like I can do better than a 30 (when I first studied for the MCAT I focused more on memorization than application) which is why I scheduled to retake on January 23rd, and also because my first choice med school is top-tier and pretty competitive to get into (UTSW).

I've been studying using TBR and TBR CBTs since I've used up all AAMC material, but I don't know if what I am scoring on the TBR CBTs is predictive of my score. Physics is fine, but some questions, especially in bio, seem way too detail oriented.

At this point, since I already paid and everything and spent my whole winter break studying I'm just gonna go for it and see how I feel by the end of the exam, and then decide then if I want to void it or not. I just don't want a lower score. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.

When did you first take the MCAT? If its 2-3 yrs old, then maybe retaking is okay. But from what you're saying, it seems like you just took it this summer/fall. In which case, no...don't take again and then void it. Waste of time. I get why you want to retake (your GPA is awesome and so you should also have a great MCAT). But you really stand a great shot at going down. Best case: let's say you go up by a couple of points, it just tells AdCom that you have a case of pre-med hubris...for which the only cure is a good ol' slice of humble pie. Different story, though, if you think you're going to pull off a 36. But that's very unlikely.

I say skip the retake. Your app will still be great with a 30 and 3.9.

 

[thirtysixorabove]

Hi,

This is my second time taking the MCAT.

On my first MCAT I got a 29. (P10, V9, B10).

I decided to retake it because on practice AAMCA MCATs, I got consistently 34s and Physical Science was my strongest subject on all practice tests but on the real test, I ran out of time on PS.

I'm taking my second MCAT on 1/23, the last date before the MCAT2015.

But my practice MCAT scores have dropped to 30s and it's not improving.

With only a week a head of me, I am unsure whether I should retake the MCAT and risk getting the same (even lower) score than the first MCAT.

At the same time, I do NOT want to study for the new MCAT as I have already studied for the old MCAT twice now attachFull188650

What should I do?

Please help.

 

[Komorebi2]

Hi,

This is my second time taking the MCAT.

On my first MCAT I got a 29. (P10, V9, B10).

I decided to retake it because on practice AAMCA MCATs, I got consistently 34s and Physical Science was my strongest subject on all practice tests but on the real test, I ran out of time on PS.

I'm taking my second MCAT on 1/23, the last date before the MCAT2015.

But my practice MCAT scores have dropped to 30s and it's not improving.

With only a week a head of me, I am unsure whether I should retake the MCAT and risk getting the same (even lower) score than the first MCAT.

At the same time, I do NOT want to study for the new MCAT as I have already studied for the old MCAT twice now attachFull188650

What should I do?

Please help.

How long ago did you take your first MCAT? And which practice tests are you taking?
EDIT: If the answers to my questions are in the document you attached, I apologize. The document won't load for me.

 

[ldesczi]

Hi everyone, here's my difficult situation/dilemma:

I have a 3.9 GPA and extremely solid ECs but absolutely bombed by first MCAT in September: 22 (8 PS, 6 V, 8 BS). I never got a V score that low in even any of my practice exams and same for PS and BS so I can't make a clue why that happened and after the PS section I just felt it it wasn't going right and should've just voided but oh well.

I have been searching to get a Jan test date for so long and when I almost gave up, just a month ago I got a seat for 1/23. I have been practicing for last 4 weeks and scoring in the range of 25-27 (based on 6 AAMC exams). I KNOW I can do much better than that if I put in the work so I'm wondering if I should take 1/23 expecting a score in that range (25-27) at most or simply take the new MCAT 2015 in May? I will have 4 months to study with no big commitment in life (I have a 20 hour part-time job but that's it). Should I risk getting a score in mid 20s for 1/23 and then work my butt off to get 30+ in May (whatever the 30+ equivalent may be) or should I ONLY focus for May 2015?

Ps. I'll be okay going to DO schools.

 

[bumbleB]

Yes. A 6 in any section does not look good. Coupled with your GPA, I would strongly suggest a retake.

Yes! Ps would be an easy fix!

Thank you for the replies, I will be retaking!

 

[pithy84]

@ldesczi said: Paraphrased: Got a 22. Is now scoring 25-27 on practice exams. Has a seat for January 23rd.

You should take the test on January 23rd. I certainly would.

A 22 is no good at all, so even a 25 will help your application. And you might get a 27, or even a 29. But even a 25 (your current low-end practice score) will be good.

You can always take the test again in April. But if you have a 25 (or 27), then at least you can sleep a little easier for those months in between.

Heck, if you do get a 27, you are in great shape for DO school, especially with that GPA.

Take the test in four days, good luck.

 

[ldesczi]

@ldesczi said: Paraphrased: Got a 22. Is now scoring 25-27 on practice exams. Has a seat for January 23rd.

You should take the test on January 23rd. I certainly would.

A 22 is no good at all, so even a 25 will help your application. And you might get a 27, or even a 29. But even a 25 (your current low-end practice score) will be good.

You can always take the test again in April. But if you have a 25 (or 27), then at least you can sleep a little easier for those months in between.

Heck, if you do get a 27, you are in great shape for DO school, especially with that GPA.

Take the test in four days, good luck.

Hi pithy84: yes I think I'll go ahead and still take the test and if I have any doubts about my performance, I will void it. I have had a disastrous app cycle with turning in every single thing beyon late and I'm just feeling so burned playing "catch up" constantly so I want to just start fresh and put in the solid work for mcat 2015, then submit apps first thing in June if it comes down to it which it most likely will. In this thread I explained my thought process and others responses are here too:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/low-mcat-score-and-mcat-2015-dilemma.1117113/#post-16092480

I did want to just take it on 1/23 similar to what you explained and as I know 22 is NOT even what my poor score looks but without preparing fully for second time and getting a 25, I may be permanently closing doors to MD as explaining two consecutive sucky scores followed by new mcat 2015 score may not cut it with any MD schools. ugh. I'm still so torn but oh well...I'l regroup myself between now and Thursday and see what happens on Friday!

 

[thirtysixorabove]

How long ago did you take your first MCAT? And which practice tests are you taking?
EDIT: If the answers to my questions are in the document you attached, I apologize. The document won't load for me.

Hi!

I took my first MCAT in September.

Here are the scores I've been getting in practice exams:

AAMC 8 : 33 (P13 V9 B11)
AAMC 9 : 31 (P11 V10 B10)
AAMC 10 : 31 (P10 V10 B11)
TPR 5 : 30 (P10 V9 B11)
TPR 4: 26 (P8 V7 B11)

I plan on taking AAMC11 today.

Thank you for your response!

 

[Komorebi2]

Hi!

I took my first MCAT in September.

Here are the scores I've been getting in practice exams:

AAMC 8 : 33 (P13 V9 B11)
AAMC 9 : 31 (P11 V10 B10)
AAMC 10 : 31 (P10 V10 B11)
TPR 5 : 30 (P10 V9 B11)
TPR 4: 26 (P8 V7 B11)

I plan on taking AAMC11 today.

Thank you for your response!

Okay, your situation is super tricky (as I'm sure you know) because your 29 is actually a good score with all sections 9+. So many people would say, "don't bother with the retake."

BUT I completely understand why you want to retake! I also think that if you are planning on applying MD and you have anything less than a 3.95 GPA, then a retake would benefit you immensely.

Of course, I understand your concern about your practice tests. It seems like you're worried you may have "lost it" in physics.

Because of all of these things, you won't be able to get a straight answer from most people. So, please keep in mind that this is just my opinion and that others may disagree! But I think you can absolutely rock the MCAT on the 23rd! And here's why...

1. Averaging 30-34s on the practice tests and landing a solid 29 on the real thing says to me that you absolutely have the knowledge and strategy to do really well!
2. And since you just took the test, we know that this knowledge and skill hasn't faded away (even though you feel like it has). Which brings me to point #3....
3. I think your scores in physics are dropping because you're psyching yourself out! Physics is the subject that is easiest to pick back up because it requires only memorizing formulas and applying them. I think that, since you didn't do as well in the PS section on the real test, now you're doubting your abilities. A similar situation also happened to me! I was scoring 11-13 on my early tests and then dropped to a 9-10 range. It scared me! But I eventually realized I was psyching myself out. So I reviewed what I got wrong on my old tests, did some deep breathing (seriously--it helps!) and brought it back up! (Scored a 12 on the real thing!! ...If you see my MDapps, you'll noticed I fudged my scores there for anonymity).
4. AND you have maintained strong verbal/bio scores, which is exceptional.
5. Also remember that TPR is so freaking hard! My scores on those tests were abysmal.

So I think its all about mindset. Go into AAMC 11 today and kick some PS ass!

I think you stand a good shot at scoring 30+ this time around! I will be rooting for you!!!

 

[thirtysixorabove]

I am literally near tears. Thank you so much for such thoughtful and encouraging response. This has been a stressful journey and you have absolutely no idea what your response means to me.

Thank you, sincerely, thank you so much!

 

[TurkDorian]

Should I retake my MCAT? I've been told that it could be higher.

12/8/10 (PS/VR/BS)

3.80 cGPA
3.77 sGPA

Also, I'm Canadian

I feel that the 8 in verbal is really DESTROYING my application.

Any input would be appreciated!

 

[pithy84]

@TurkDorian - You got a 30, with a decent GPA.

If you are fairly certain you can get a 33+ on a retake, then I would do the retake.

Otherwise, I would keep the 30 and apply to MD programs in the US. It is warm down here. Apply to some DO programs as well, you will have a very good shot at DO. You have a decent shot at MD, also.

 

[TurkDorian]

@TurkDorian - You got a 30, with a decent GPA.

If you are fairly certain you can get a 33+ on a retake, then I would do the retake.

Otherwise, I would keep the 30 and apply to MD programs in the US. It is warm down here. Apply to some DO programs as well, you will have a very good shot at DO. You have a decent shot at MD, also.

Thank you for the response!
I'm not 100% sure if I will be able to get a 33, so I might keep the 30 and if I don't get in, I'll re-write the new one. Also, what MD schools would you recommend (I'm not really interested in applying to DO)?

 

[pithy84]

Also, what MD schools would you recommend (I'm not really interested in applying to DO)?

I haven't gotten deep into the school research stage yet. However, a 30 on the MCAT definitely puts you in the running for MD programs. With your 30 MCAT / 3.80 cGPA, the all-mighty AAMC Table 24 says the rate of getting at least one MD acceptance offer is 78.3%, which is damn decent. If we bump your GPA down into the 3.60 to 3.79 bucket, because you are right on the cusp there, then it drops to 67.7%. So in reality your chances are probably like 74%, all other things being equal. You can push your chances higher by applying broadly (20+ schools), beefing up your ECs, and applying early. The "average" applicant probably does not apply that broadly, and has only "average" ECs.

You are absolutely right, if you get no acceptance offers then you can sit for the new MCAT and apply the next cycle. I sense that you will most likely get in somewhere.

Quinnipiac University in Connecticut is the lowest-stat school that I will probably apply to. They have a 30 median on the MCAT, so you definitely have a shot.

I have a friend with a 30 (and a worse GPA than you) who got 3 acceptance offers to schools with 33 for the median. She is white, no help there. She actually got rejected from some lower-stat schools, and also all the higher-stat schools. She went to UVM, which has a 32 median. UVM is also very close to Canada.

Your MCAT and GPA together put you above average for MD applicants, and just about average for acceptees. The median MCAT score for acceptees is 29.7 or 31, depending on which AAMC data you trust. The "real" data shows a 29.7 median, but the MSAR quotes it as 31.

 

[markymark71990]

Quinnipiac is a good low stat choice. They are pretty Damn rude when it comes to inquiring about you application status though

 

[californiaMD19]

Hi everyone,

I posted here once before but I would like some more input now that sign ups for the 2015MCAT are coming up.

I scored a 30 (10/10/10) on my first and only attempt. I have a 3.7+ c/sGPA and very average EC's:

- Free clinic volunteer (<1 year)
- Hospital volunteer (2+years)
- Habitat for Humanity (1+ years)
- Various on campus jobs (2+ years)
- Research tech (1 year)
- Chemistry TA (1+ years)
- Physician shadowing (6 docs, 60hrs)

I'm aware that a 30 is a good score and I'm happy with my performance, but I'm worried about my chances because I'm a California resident.

Anyways, what do you guys think?

 

[markymark71990]

Hi everyone,

I posted here once before but I would like some more input now that sign ups for the 2015MCAT are coming up.

I scored a 30 (10/10/10) on my first and only attempt. I have a 3.7+ c/sGPA and very average EC's:

- Free clinic volunteer (<1 year)
- Hospital volunteer (2+years)
- Habitat for Humanity (1+ years)
- Various on campus jobs (2+ years)
- Research tech (1 year)
- Chemistry TA (1+ years)
- Physician shadowing (6 docs, 60hrs)

I'm aware that a 30 is a good score and I'm happy with my performance, but I'm worried about my chances because I'm a California resident.

Anyways, what do you guys think?

Don't retake.

 

[TurkDorian]

I haven't gotten deep into the school research stage yet. However, a 30 on the MCAT definitely puts you in the running for MD programs. With your 30 MCAT / 3.80 cGPA, the all-mighty AAMC Table 24 says the rate of getting at least one MD acceptance offer is 78.3%, which is damn decent. If we bump your GPA down into the 3.60 to 3.79 bucket, because you are right on the cusp there, then it drops to 67.7%. So in reality your chances are probably like 74%, all other things being equal. You can push your chances higher by applying broadly (20+ schools), beefing up your ECs, and applying early. The "average" applicant probably does not apply that broadly, and has only "average" ECs.

You are absolutely right, if you get no acceptance offers then you can sit for the new MCAT and apply the next cycle. I sense that you will most likely get in somewhere.

Quinnipiac University in Connecticut is the lowest-stat school that I will probably apply to. They have a 30 median on the MCAT, so you definitely have a shot.

I have a friend with a 30 (and a worse GPA than you) who got 3 acceptance offers to schools with 33 for the median. She is white, no help there. She actually got rejected from some lower-stat schools, and also all the higher-stat schools. She went to UVM, which has a 32 median. UVM is also very close to Canada.

Your MCAT and GPA together put you above average for MD applicants, and just about average for acceptees. The median MCAT score for acceptees is 29.7 or 31, depending on which AAMC data you trust. The "real" data shows a 29.7 median, but the MSAR quotes it as 31.

Thanks! Those chances look pretty good! I'm going to work on my extra-curriculars and try to bring up my grades!

Also, thanks for the school suggestion. Quinnipiac unfortunately doesn't accept internationals/Canadians (I just checked ) but I'll try to find similar schools!!

 

[pithy84]

It's funny that Quinnipiac doesn't accept Canadians (or international students in general), because so many Canadian med schools accept few to zero US students. I didn't realize that sword cuts both ways. I wanted to go to McGill (in Canada), but they accept 4 international students total each year for a class of 160, and only a portion of those are US. In effect, I could never get in. This was confirmed by a McGill alum who is involved in admissions there.

 

[bushidowarrior]

Hey Everyone,

I took my MCAT in October and I scored a 26 (VR=8, PS=8 and BS=10). I was pretty disappointed in my score considering how much I studied, but I really don't want to take it again... especially since I have to take the new one. I have a 4.0 GPA and I think I have pretty good ECs.

• Research at a children's hospital
• Doctor shadowing
• Research at my school
• Martial arts student/instructor

What should I do?

Thanks!

 

[pithy84]

@bushidowarrior - Are you okay with DO? That MCAT and GPA are good for DO, the GPA is above average and the MCAT is either average or one point below. But the MCAT is nice and balanced.

For MD programs, that MCAT is a somewhat tough sell. You could apply to DO and MD.

If you really want MD, the next question is: Do you think you can do significantly better on the MCAT? Were you sick the day of the test? Did you not study nearly enough? Did you panic? Not enough sleep? If you did everything right, then I don't know whether you can expect to improve a whole lot, so I don't know if you should torture yourself with the MCAT2015 and the studying regimen.

 

[bushidowarrior]

@bushidowarrior - Are you okay with DO? That MCAT and GPA are good for DO, the GPA is above average and the MCAT is either average or one point below. But the MCAT is nice and balanced.

For MD programs, that MCAT is a somewhat tough sell. You could apply to DO and MD.

If you really want MD, the next question is: Do you think you can do significantly better on the MCAT? Were you sick the day of the test? Did you not study nearly enough? Did you panic? Not enough sleep? If you did everything right, then I don't know whether you can expect to improve a whole lot, so I don't know if you should torture yourself with the MCAT2015 and the studying regimen.

Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it! At this point I'm considering applying both to MD and DO schools but I would prefer an MD school. As for the MCAT, I felt pretty confident walking out of the test, but apparently something was off. I think I can get a higher score but with all the changes on the new MCAT2015 I'm not so sure if I really want to take it or just try my luck and apply to schools anyway.

 

[Kaelis]

I'm a non-traditional student who's been lurking for a while now. I thought I'd finally get some feedback.

MCAT Info
AAMC 9: (13/10/15) : 38
AAMC 10: (11/14/11): 36

(Took last 3 the week before actual MCAT)
AAMC 7: (13/13/12) : 38
AAMC 8: (14/14/12): 40
AAMC 11: (11/12/11): 34

AAMC Average: 37.2
AAMC 9-11 Average: 36

ACTUAL (October) MCAT: (12/12/10): 34
(shocked at 10 in bio)
Overall, thought the actual MCAT was going terrible. estimated a 30-33. Ran out of time on the bio section, which never happened on any section on the practice tests. Had to guess on 3 and didn't get to 1 before time ran out.

I've read the internal debates over whether or not to retake a 34 or not, but I am unsure as to how competitive I am, given my academic record and ECs.

Academic Record

• Same top 20 public school (top 50 overall) for both undergrad and grad
• Undergrad GPA: 3.48 (Engineering unrelated to medical field)

• Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering
• Graduate GPA: 3.87

• Total BCMP GPA: 3.57 - 3.63 (best I can estimate, based on AMCAS resources, only includes undergrad classes taken during undergrad and graduate school. Does include upper division math courses)
• Undergrad pre-reqs taken during grad school GPA: 3.81

ECs

• 6 internships for gov't (doing electrical engineering/computer science work) during undergrad and grad school
• 0 pubs from grad school (yes, it happens and is more common than one would think)
• Shadowed pediatric oncologist 60+ hours (as part of grad program)
• Shadowed pediatric surgeon 60+ hours (as part of grad program)
• Biomed. Eng. Society officer 4 years during grad school, including President. Small group, but fairly active

Work Experience

• 4.5+ years working for gov't and heavily involved with medical products. I work very closely with physicians, surgeons, and scientists dealing with medical products, clinical trials, etc.

Any feedback you can provide is greatly appreciated!

A bit belated, but I hope I can help! I too was scoring pretty high on my practice tests, both the AAMC ones and TBR ones (40+, I think). I too only scored a 34 on my actual test. I just finished my cycle, and got into a number of schools, including a couple rank 15+ ones. I'm even in California, which is supposedly a major pain. On paper, I feel that you are a stronger applicant than me. I have a 3.93 in a top 20 undergrad, but my extracurriculars are definitely far less interesting than yours. As I see it, your application as it is will get you to the interview at many places. Couple that with some strong interview preparation and of course, a strong interview, and you'll be well on your way to that degree.

TLDR: I got the same score, and struggled over taking the test over. I didn't and two years after my MCAT, I'm on my way to one of my top choices.

 

[CaduceusMD]

.

 

[ladysmanfelpz]

26 MCAT (10P/7V/9B) with a 3.45 cGPA and 3.2 sGPA. EC's include track and field first two years of school. Limited volunteer, mostly helping with various programs for athletics and other events, but do not have any organization I can list. Currently looking for more volunteer. No lab research, but had multiple research based classes. Worked through school and am currently working part time as a scribe at my local hospital.

I applied DO only this first cycle with only one interview request so far and a few wait lists. I would like to apply maybe a few local MD's (UWashington) but prefer the DO route but would like to strengthen my application for the schools I prefer, AZCOM. Do not know how much I can improve on MCAT. Only thing I got going for me on the 2015 exam is that I was a double major in psych and took a sociology course.

 

[Kaelis]

26 MCAT (10P/7V/9B) with a 3.45 cGPA and 3.2 sGPA. EC's include track and field first two years of school. Limited volunteer, mostly helping with various programs for athletics and other events, but do not have any organization I can list. Currently looking for more volunteer. No lab research, but had multiple research based classes. Worked through school and am currently working part time as a scribe at my local hospital.

I applied DO only this first cycle with only one interview request so far and a few wait lists. I would like to apply maybe a few local MD's (UWashington) but prefer the DO route but would like to strengthen my application for the schools I prefer, AZCOM. Do not know how much I can improve on MCAT. Only thing I got going for me on the 2015 exam is that I was a double major in psych and took a sociology course.

I'm not quite sure how much help the rest of us can be with your post. First off, it doesn't actually have a question, but I'll assume you are going with the "should I retake" topic of this thread. To begin, neither your MCAT score nor your GPA are all that competitive when it comes to applying for MD schools. Your extracurriculars don't really show a school that you have a strong interest in medicine. In regards to your research based classes, I would posit a guess and say that they are closer to general lab experience rather than actual research. Even if they were completely research based, the time that you have spent will be sufficiently less than a person who worked in a basic science lab with 20 hours a week for 2+ years. With all of this in mind, you should definitely retake the MCAT and at the same time bolster either your EC's or grades (preferably both).