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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[sparksmarie]

ORM from Delaware, interested in DO schools

- 25 MCAT (PS 8, VR 7, BS 10, this is my only MCAT score), GPA 3.78, sGPA 3.61
- >2000 clinical hours working as a scribe in an ER
- have been working part time in my family's restaurant since middle school
- TA for upper level cell biology course for one semester
- about 100 hours of volunteer experience in a senior center, and some volunteering at the local food bank
- shadowed a DO and have a letter of recommendation

I applied late this cycle (completed in middle of November) to five schools, I have gotten two interviews, one pre-interview rejection, and haven't heard from the remaining two schools.

Should I retake the 2015 MCAT in case I don't get accepted this cycle? However, I don't want to risk the chance of getting lower than a 25, but not sure if my current score of 25 is holding me back drastically.

 

[dajshah]

In need of some advise....

ORM with expected cGPA of 3.3 and sGPA of 3.3 from an engineering school (and degree) ; Medium ECs ; strong LORs ; just got my MCAT scores back yesterday; Completely Shocked.....Don't know what to do next or how to comprehend this or what went wrong on Test Day.....Appreciate any advise that can be offered on potential next steps...Should I retake? I am open to MD and DO schools as well as SMPs

Test date: 1/8/2015
Time: 8:00 AM
AAMC average: Average for 3,5,7,8,9,10 : 35
AAMC 11 : 38
Post test expected score: Don't know
Actual score: 29 (PS 12/VR 9/BS 8)

 

[Major]

Also needing some advice on whether I should take the new MCAT or just leave well enough alone....

I am applying Only to DO schools this June, and applying very broadly (like over 20).

MCAT: PS 7, VR 10, BS 8

c gpa 3.1 and sgpa 3.1

tons of shadowing, volunteering, and over 4 years of part-time work in a major hospital with pt contact....

If I do take the new mcat, I'll take it in Aug. and use this summer only for mcat prep...


Thanks in advance!

 

[DBH122]

.

 

[TxC]

AAMC practice average: 34 (12 PS/11 VR/11 BIO) scored this exact score on every AAMC practice test I took (8-11)
actual MCAT: 30 (10 PS/11 VR/9 BIO)
gpa overall: 3.82
science gpa: 3.77
In the past I have done very well on standardized testing and I truly think I can do better, but I am not sure if I want to retake because I will have to prepare for the new exam. I am currently in an intro psych class and a lower level biochem class, but I will not have taken soc by the time I would retake this summer.

For DO, you're good. For MD, apply to low-tier schools and maybe your state school(s) depending on where you're from. Get the MSAR.

 

[stormshadowx]

AAMC practice average: 36 (12 PS/ 12 VR/ 12 BIO)
Actual MCAT: 34 (10 PS/ 10 VR/14 BIO)
GPA overall: 3.4
Science GPA: 3.2
CA resident, graduated from a top 5 school with a Bio major, ECs and work history are pretty strong, but minimal clinical experience . I was really hoping for the MCAT to give me an edge, and am wondering if I should test again and shoot for a higher score. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks. If I do choose to test again, I would probably hold off applying for another year.

 

[markymark71990]

AAMC practice average: 36 (12 PS/ 12 VR/ 12 BIO)
Actual MCAT: 34 (10 PS/ 10 VR/14 BIO)
GPA overall: 3.4
Science GPA: 3.2
CA resident, graduated from a top 5 school with a Bio major, ECs and work history are pretty strong, but minimal clinical experience . I was really hoping for the MCAT to give me an edge, and am wondering if I should test again and shoot for a higher score. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks. If I do choose to test again, I would probably hold off applying for another year.

If was an adcom member and saw you retook, I wouldn't give you an interview based upon your horrible decision making abilities. If you don't get into med school this cycle, it sure as he'll isn't because of your MCAT score. That score is phenomenal. You're in the 94 percentile. COME ON. There are kids who would give their left nut to get that score. In my mind, there is only one option for you: Quit whining, sack up and get in to med school. At this point, you're waaaaay better off spending time getting clinical experience.

 

[plumhill]

My AAMC Average was around a 29-30, and I got a 33 (10/11/12) on the Jan 10th test date. I know that I should be absolutely elated with my score, but I'm wondering if I should retake for the following reasons:

1. My GPA is below average (~3.4, though with an upward trend)
2. I didn't have a lot of time to prepare for this MCAT because of my work schedule, but I quit my job the week before the MCAT and my course load this semester is pretty light, so I would have way more time to prepare. I guess its the classic "I wonder how much better I could do with more than three weeks to study" situation
3. I'm a Sociology and Philosophy double major, so the new test format would play to my strengths a lot more.
4. ECs and research are above average (over 1,000 hours in health care, published, etc) so a higher MCAT score would really help partially offset my GPA (although I'm doing an SMP next year)

 

[Wolfpack93]

My AAMC Average was around a 29-30, and I got a 33 (10/11/12) on the Jan 10th test date. I know that I should be absolutely elated with my score, but I'm wondering if I should retake for the following reasons:

1. My GPA is below average (~3.4, though with an upward trend)
2. I didn't have a lot of time to prepare for this MCAT because of my work schedule, but I quit my job the week before the MCAT and my course load this semester is pretty light, so I would have way more time to prepare. I guess its the classic "I wonder how much better I could do with more than three weeks to study" situation
3. I'm a Sociology and Philosophy double major, so the new test format would play to my strengths a lot more.
4. ECs and research are above average (over 1,000 hours in health care, published, etc) so a higher MCAT score would really help partially offset my GPA (although I'm doing an SMP next year)

A 33 puts you in the 90th percentile. The fact that you were 3 points above your test averages should tell that a retake is probably not a good idea. I would focus on more clinical related EC's not wasting time taking a completely new test. Although your major was Sociology and Philosophy, you would probably have to relearn a lot of things for the Biochem section. In my opinion a 33 is a great score, and if you have good EC's, you can get in to a DO or MD no problem with a 3.4 GPA.

 

[y123]

In need of some advise....

ORM with expected cGPA of 3.3 and sGPA of 3.3 from an engineering school (and degree) ; Medium ECs ; strong LORs ; just got my MCAT scores back yesterday; Completely Shocked.....Don't know what to do next or how to comprehend this or what went wrong on Test Day.....Appreciate any advise that can be offered on potential next steps...Should I retake? I am open to MD and DO schools as well as SMPs

Test date: 1/8/2015
Time: 8:00 AM
AAMC average: Average for 3,5,7,8,9,10 : 35
AAMC 11 : 38
Post test expected score: Don't know
Actual score: 29 (PS 12/VR 9/BS 8)

I think you should retake it. Did you take socio and psych classes before? You should score much higher based on your AAMC FL scores.

 

[Donthangme]

Do me guys

MCAT: 31 (11P/10V/10B)
GPA: 3.9
Research: 1 Publication Pending
Science GPA: 3.85
TA for 1 semester intro bio, tutor at unversity for 2 semesters
No health care related volunteering; ~100 miscellaneous volunteer hours
Ethnicity: East Asian (Chinese/Korean)

I want to get into Baylor Med school in Texas but my MCAT is a bit low and my ethnic background isn't gonna help either. So retake?? You decide

 

[Storph]

Do me guys

MCAT: 31 (11P/10V/10B)
GPA: 3.9
Research: 1 Publication Pending
Science GPA: 3.85
TA for 1 semester intro bio, tutor at unversity for 2 semesters
No health care related volunteering; ~100 miscellaneous volunteer hours
Ethnicity: East Asian (Chinese/Korean)

I want to get into Baylor Med school in Texas but my MCAT is a bit low and my ethnic background isn't gonna help either. So retake?? You decide

I would say no. There is a good chance that you will do better on your second try, but if you do worse, you could be jeapordizing an otherwise excellent medical school application. You have good stats, but keep in mind the odds of getting into any one particular school are small, so don't focus too much on a single school.

 

[pmull314]

Been debating this for awhile, what do you guys think?

MCAT: 30 (11B/11V/8P)
GPA: 3.4 (later year science GPAs were in the 3.7-4.0 range, just really messed up freshman and the beginning of sophomore year)
Research: 2 semesters as an assistant, nothing special
ECs: EMT-Basic for 3 years, have over 200+ volunteer hours in hospitals/doing EMT stuff but not too much community service yet, currently working as an EMT-B with a private ambulance company.
Ethnicity: white

I don't know, I took the MCAT in 2013 and now I'm worried the score is too low since I got no acceptances for 2014 and 2015 (well I'm waiting on 4 more schools but it's pretty late to ask for interviews I think).

Any advice?

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

Been debating this for awhile, what do you guys think?

MCAT: 30 (11B/11V/8P)
GPA: 3.4 (later year science GPAs were in the 3.7-4.0 range, just really messed up freshman and the beginning of sophomore year)
Research: 2 semesters as an assistant, nothing special
ECs: EMT-Basic for 3 years, have over 200+ volunteer hours in hospitals/doing EMT stuff but not too much community service yet, currently working as an EMT-B with a private ambulance company.
Ethnicity: white

I don't know, I took the MCAT in 2013 and now I'm worried the score is too low since I got no acceptances for 2014 and 2015 (well I'm waiting on 4 more schools but it's pretty late to ask for interviews I think).

Any advice?

I think a retake could do you some good for MD. PS is usually regarded as the easiest section to improve, but I know the thought of taking this test again can be terrible. have you applied DO, or are you strictly gunning for MD? you'd have no issue getting into a great DO program I'd think, but if MD, an improved score could help you out.

 

[crittbihh]

AAMC Practice Average (Tests 7-10): 27 (8.5 PS/8.5 VR/10 BIO)
Actual MCAT: 27 (8 PS/9 VR/10 BIO)
GPA Overall: 3.98
Science GPA: ~3.95
105 hours of shadowing, I can add more if needed
100 hours community volunteering
120 hours hospital volunteering (Neuro PCU), I can add more if needed
Have worked part time at a cardiology practice for 5 years
1 semester program combining TAing and Research
1.5 years of research with a big medical technology company through my job (more data collection than lab work, but does involve patient interaction)

I know the score is not a good/competitive score ,but I’m not a very good standardized test taker and I’m not sure I will score better on the new MCAT (also will not have taken sociology). Should I retake it anyways, I want to get into a state school college. If not should I just improve my EC’s and which ones?

 

[malamed]

Need some solid advice here.
Just put my life on hold the past 8 months to study for this exam on my own using my Kaplan books/flashcards and aamc practice tests. Was averaging 21-25..Scored a 20(6,6,8).
I'm devastated. I at least wanted to do well enough to apply to D.O. schools and now I'm totally screwed.
Take the new mcat u say?..well, this is the second time I've tested and done poorly(up from a 17 three years ago). Also, I've never taken biochem..I know I could essentially learn it on my own..but how can I expect to do much better? I really gave it all I had this go round(while still working mostly full time and coaching my dance team). So I feel like the only way I can improve is to take a prep course, but I do not have 2 grand to spare and no help from my parents or grandparents..I could take out a loan, but I just took one out after totaling my car..
So what do I do? Taking the new MCAT absolutely scares the crap out of me and I have no more money or time off from work
Stats:
Psychology major
cGPA: 3.41 sGPA: 3.2 with retakes
Medical/clinical assistant of 2+ years at primary care office
Lifeguard 7 yrs, CNA I, First aid
In several clubs in undergrad (AMSA, AED, VP of Hillel)
Director of Semi-pro Dance & Cheer team
Semi-pro dancer 4 years
Volunteer at major hospital in child and adult ED
100+ hrs shadowing in ortho clinics and surgical pavilion(3 hospitals)
Psych practicum for Easter Seals serving disabled children
participation in endless volunteer events like Cancer 5Ks, charity fashion shows, etc.

After so much hard work and heart ache, I really don't want and don't have the means to take the MCAT again..are Caribbean schools really so bad/do I even have a chance? Do I have any chance of not being screened out on applications at low stat US D.O. schools?

 

[miamiheatfan]

Need some solid advice here.
Just put my life on hold the past 8 months to study for this exam on my own using my Kaplan books/flashcards and aamc practice tests. Was averaging 21-25..Scored a 20(6,6,8).
I'm devastated. I at least wanted to do well enough to apply to D.O. schools and now I'm totally screwed.
Take the new mcat u say?..well, this is the second time I've tested and done poorly(up from a 17 three years ago). Also, I've never taken biochem..I know I could essentially learn it on my own..but how can I expect to do much better? I really gave it all I had this go round(while still working mostly full time and coaching my dance team). So I feel like the only way I can improve is to take a prep course, but I do not have 2 grand to spare and no help from my parents or grandparents..I could take out a loan, but I just took one out after totaling my car..
So what do I do? Taking the new MCAT absolutely scares the crap out of me and I have no more money or time off from work
Stats:
Psychology major
cGPA: 3.41 sGPA: 3.2 with retakes
Medical/clinical assistant of 2+ years at primary care office
Lifeguard 7 yrs, CNA I, First aid
In several clubs in undergrad (AMSA, AED, VP of Hillel)
Director of Semi-pro Dance & Cheer team
Semi-pro dancer 4 years
Volunteer at major hospital in child and adult ED
100+ hrs shadowing in ortho clinics and surgical pavilion(3 hospitals)
Psych practicum for Easter Seals serving disabled children
participation in endless volunteer events like Cancer 5Ks, charity fashion shows, etc.

After so much hard work and heart ache, I really don't want and don't have the means to take the MCAT again..are Caribbean schools really so bad/do I even have a chance? Do I have any chance of not being screened out on applications at low stat US D.O. schools?

Hey there, I know you will not want to hear this, but I really think that you need to re-take the new MCAT. You don't need to rush, but taking 2-4 years off to prepare for the test may be needed (including taking biochem and any other possible classes you may need). It will be near impossible to get into DO schools with a 20. Many DO schools now have cutoffs at 24 or 21 and/or have subsection cutoffs at 7. You can do it but you will need to have patience and trust in yourself.

 

[Splatshotz]

Hey guys.

Any advice or help would be appreciated.

I took the MCAT for the first time and got a 29 (Ps 12 VB 7 BS 10) I was really bummed out about verbal cause it was my best practice section test section going in.

Here's some background info:
ORM
cGPA: 3.75 (Cheme at top 5 program if that matters)
SGPA:3.9
2 years of research ( poster, thesis, and presentation)
2000+ hours non clinical volunteering
50 hours hospital volunteering
Good leadership positions in student groups (x3)
Medical scribe
50 hrs Shadowing
Club Sports (x2)
Quirks? (Maybe not relevant!) halo national doubles qualifiers

I really want to do MD. Should I retake? If not where should I apply? Again thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[agoron]

Hey guys.

Any advice or help would be appreciated!

I took the MCAT for the first time and got a 30 (Ps 10 VR 9 BS 11) I was a little surprised about verbal, but it's always been my weakest section

Other Info:
cGPA: 3.93
sGPA: 3.92
2 years of research, no pubs yet
Medical Scribe in the ED
300 hours medical volunteering at 2 places
250 hours non medical volunteering
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant anatomy lab
Member of Women's choir 3 years
Professional sorority vice president 3 years
American Medical Student Association member 1 year
Exec board for nonprofit volunteer organization that provides a STEM camp for underprivileged children
Will be volunteering in a pop-up clinic in Appalachia over spring break for people without proper access to healthcare
2 honors societies
Student Ambassador
Peer Mentor

Have 3 strong letters of rec, will be asking another 2 soon.

Any advice appreciated! Really don't want to take this thing again. Will the 9 in verbal reasoning put a huge kink into things? I was looking mainly at schools with an average MCAT of about 32.

 

[Myinty]

I really have no idea what to do...my score is right between retake and keep. 31 (Ps 10 VR 10 BS 11). VR surprised me because I felt awful after that section. Also, I've never scored lower than a 12 on PS, so that was also a shock.

Other Info:
cGPA: 3.72
sGPA: 3.63

Double Major and a Minor
2 years of research, no pubs yet
100 hours volunteering in a hospital
Undergraduate Student Instructor for a Student-led class
100 hours volunteering at a clinic for low-income and homeless
Leadership position in organization
1 year interning for a low-income housing non-profit
Scholarship Chair of Sorority
Spent 2 months working in a Leprosy Clinic in India
Shadowed dermatologist for 50 hours (in India)
Working 12 hours/week since sophomore year

 

[fatkitty]

ORM in sunny California:
cGPA: 3.489 sGPA: 3.345

MCAT: 30 (BS:12 PS:9 VR:9)

Hospital volunteer - 1.5 yrs, ~200 hrs.
Div. I Track & Field athlete - 2 yrs.
Undergraduate Research - 2.5 yrs. (no pubs)
Tutor for a bunch of science subjects - 1 yr.
Shadowed a dentist? - ~40 hrs.
Just started volunteering playing violin in a hospital - 0 hrs.

Currently working as Lab Assistant in same lab I did undergraduate research in. Still no pubs.

Trying to go MD. Retake MCAT (darn MCAT2015), or take another science class to boost cGPA pass 3.50 psychological barrier, or both, or neither?

 

[datboidalambo]

Hey guys. My AAMC average 11-10 was a 33.5. I left this exam feeling pretty bad, as I felt tired taking it. I got a 31. I have a 3.74 GPA as of right now and I'm not at all concerned with my extracurriculars. I'd like to get into a top tier school. I don't doubt I'd do better if I retested. Any opinions?

I was born in an Arab-speaking North African country and am classified as 'white' by the U.S. although I'm not sure that's how I should apply-- just in case you guys needed to know

 

[Mandee8767]

Hey everyone,

I am a Junior studying Cell and Molecular Biology. I currently have a 3.86 Cum and 3.7 Science. I want so badly to be a DO, it is my dream to serve those in need with the knowledge and training provided by a DO program. Unfortunately, I got a 20 on my first MCAT. I am Latina so my chances statistically are not terrible (40% chance of acceptance), but I am wondering whether or not to apply to my first choice (VCOM) as well as a few other schools or wait. I don't want to rush into the 2015 MCAT because I am not conditioned or prepared for the material and time required for that exam just yet. I will need many months of practice.

Current options:
1) Apply this cycle and see what happens...
2) Wait until I graduate and focus for 6 months on MCAT studying ONLY (no job or school) and retake it to apply for that next cycle.
3) Apply for a post-bacc program that has a linkage agreement and then take the MCAT after that (2 years after graduation).


Help? Suggestions? Advice? ALL IS APPRECIATED.

Thank you.

 

[MedHopeful09]

.

 

[MedHopeful09]

Hey everyone,

I am a Junior studying Cell and Molecular Biology. I currently have a 3.86 Cum and 3.7 Science. I want so badly to be a DO, it is my dream to serve those in need with the knowledge and training provided by a DO program. Unfortunately, I got a 20 on my first MCAT. I am Latina so my chances statistically are not terrible (40% chance of acceptance), but I am wondering whether or not to apply to my first choice (VCOM) as well as a few other schools or wait. I don't want to rush into the 2015 MCAT because I am not conditioned or prepared for the material and time required for that exam just yet. I will need many months of practice.

Current options:
1) Apply this cycle and see what happens...
2) Wait until I graduate and focus for 6 months on MCAT studying ONLY (no job or school) and retake it to apply for that next cycle.
3) Apply for a post-bacc program that has a linkage agreement and then take the MCAT after that (2 years after graduation).


Help? Suggestions? Advice? ALL IS APPRECIATED.

Thank you.

With your GPA, I definitely don't think a post-bac is appropriate for you. You're also only a junior, so maybe take a gap year, study for the MCAT, and then apply.

 

[Mandee8767]

With your GPA, I definitely don't think a post-bac is appropriate for you. You're also only a junior, so maybe take a gap year, study for the MCAT, and then apply.

Thank you for the advice. I am thinking of studying this summer and taking the MCAT in August, to then apply June 2016. That way I only take 1 gap year instead of waiting 2 years to apply.

 

[JustAnother]

Hey guys. I really need some good advise here. I've been losing my hair and weight over this. Thanks in advance, everyone.

Got my January MCAT back. 14PS 6VR 12BS. Total 32. 1st time taking.
cGPA is 3.95+ and sGPA is 3.94+
Average EC: 150 hrs of volunteering including non-clinical and ER at 1 hospital. Will be much higher by the time I apply.
TA for a course over the summer. 1 medical mission trip.
1 year of research as an undergraduate. Now graduated and working part time in the same lab. No pubs/poster yet. The project (not mine) is very long.
Working about 20hrs/wk when I was in school and even now. My job allows me to observe the interaction between doctors and patients. I've been to a lot of offices: onco, dental, family, ER, opthamology.
Can get 6+ good LORs. At least that's the feeling that I get.

So here's my dilemma (with questions):

With that 6VR, will I get automatically screened out of many MD schools? Should I retake the new 2015 MCAT or should I just wait to apply in June with this score? I've already taken 1 gap year and really don't wanna take another one.
VR is really not my cup of tea, but 6 was lower than I expected. I was average about 8-9 for the practice ones. Guess I'll have to practice more. Also, I haven't taken any intro psych/socio classes, so I'm just going through the AAMC content outlines and try to learn as much about the topics as possible.

Thank you. I really appreciate your time.

 

[y123]

Hey everyone,

I am a Junior studying Cell and Molecular Biology. I currently have a 3.86 Cum and 3.7 Science. I want so badly to be a DO, it is my dream to serve those in need with the knowledge and training provided by a DO program. Unfortunately, I got a 20 on my first MCAT. I am Latina so my chances statistically are not terrible (40% chance of acceptance), but I am wondering whether or not to apply to my first choice (VCOM) as well as a few other schools or wait. I don't want to rush into the 2015 MCAT because I am not conditioned or prepared for the material and time required for that exam just yet. I will need many months of practice.

Current options:
1) Apply this cycle and see what happens...
2) Wait until I graduate and focus for 6 months on MCAT studying ONLY (no job or school) and retake it to apply for that next cycle.
3) Apply for a post-bacc program that has a linkage agreement and then take the MCAT after that (2 years after graduation).


Help? Suggestions? Advice? ALL IS APPRECIATED.

Thank you.

You GPA is competitive for URM. You don't need to do a postbac. Definitely retake.

 

[y123]

Hey guys.

Any advice or help would be appreciated!

I took the MCAT for the first time and got a 30 (Ps 10 VR 9 BS 11) I was a little surprised about verbal, but it's always been my weakest section

Other Info:
cGPA: 3.93
sGPA: 3.92
2 years of research, no pubs yet
Medical Scribe in the ED
300 hours medical volunteering at 2 places
250 hours non medical volunteering
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant anatomy lab
Member of Women's choir 3 years
Professional sorority vice president 3 years
American Medical Student Association member 1 year
Exec board for nonprofit volunteer organization that provides a STEM camp for underprivileged children
Will be volunteering in a pop-up clinic in Appalachia over spring break for people without proper access to healthcare
2 honors societies
Student Ambassador
Peer Mentor

Have 3 strong letters of rec, will be asking another 2 soon.

Any advice appreciated! Really don't want to take this thing again. Will the 9 in verbal reasoning put a huge kink into things? I was looking mainly at schools with an average MCAT of about 32.

9 is fine. Don't retake.

 

[y123]

Been debating this for awhile, what do you guys think?

MCAT: 30 (11B/11V/8P)
GPA: 3.4 (later year science GPAs were in the 3.7-4.0 range, just really messed up freshman and the beginning of sophomore year)
Research: 2 semesters as an assistant, nothing special
ECs: EMT-Basic for 3 years, have over 200+ volunteer hours in hospitals/doing EMT stuff but not too much community service yet, currently working as an EMT-B with a private ambulance company.
Ethnicity: white

I don't know, I took the MCAT in 2013 and now I'm worried the score is too low since I got no acceptances for 2014 and 2015 (well I'm waiting on 4 more schools but it's pretty late to ask for interviews I think).

Any advice?

2013 MCAT is kind of old. Also, you are an re-applicant. You may consider retaking it.

 

[y123]

Hey guys.

Any advice or help would be appreciated.

I took the MCAT for the first time and got a 29 (Ps 12 VB 7 BS 10) I was really bummed out about verbal cause it was my best practice section test section going in.

Here's some background info:
ORM
cGPA: 3.75 (Cheme at top 5 program if that matters)
SGPA:3.9
2 years of research ( poster, thesis, and presentation)
2000+ hours non clinical volunteering
50 hours hospital volunteering
Good leadership positions in student groups (x3)
Medical scribe
50 hrs Shadowing
Club Sports (x2)
Quirks? (Maybe not relevant!) halo national doubles qualifiers

I really want to do MD. Should I retake? If not where should I apply? Again thanks in advance for any advice.

How did you do in AAMC FLs?
You have to retake if you want to go to MD schools.

 

[LWM14]

My stats: 3.42 GPA (didn't get my act together until junior year) 31 MCAT-PS10, BS11, VR10.

I took 7AAMC practice tests, lowest was 32, highest was 36, average was ~33.5. Nothing dramatic happened on test day, I just did poorly.

I've got average E/Cs: ~500 clinical hours, played baseball, etc.

Thoughts?

 

[miamiheatfan]

My stats: 3.42 GPA (didn't get my act together until junior year) 31 MCAT-PS10, BS11, VR10.

I took 7AAMC practice tests, lowest was 32, highest was 36, average was ~33.5. Nothing dramatic happened on test day, I just did poorly.

I've got average E/Cs: ~500 clinical hours, played baseball, etc.

Thoughts?

To get that score doesn't seem that far off, I would not retake. Focus on other parts of your app, applying early and to 20-30 schools. Use MSAR well.

 

[happily123]

Hi all,
I got a 32 on my MCAT that I took in January (V:9, PS:12, BS:11).
I was wondering if it is worth taking the new 2015 mcat (I haven't taken biochemistry yet).

Thanks!

 

[RedSox143]

Hi all,
I got a 32 on my MCAT that I took in January (V:9, PS:12, BS:11).
I was wondering if it is worth taking the new 2015 mcat (I haven't taken biochemistry yet).

Thanks!

Same score! Like hell I'm retaking , unless I don't get in guess it depends on your GPA but it's the verbal your worried about right?

 

[y123]

Hello everyone. Here is my dilemma: my aamc practice test average was a 32 but I got a 29 on the real thing (10 PS, 8 VR, 11 BS). I was devastated because Verbal was comsistently my strongest score on every practice (I always scored in the 10-12 range on every aamc practice). So my initial reaction has been to buy all the books for the new MCAT and start studying but my pre-med advisor has insisted that my GPA is good enough to get me into medical school. My cumulative GPA is a 3.6 and my science is a 3.3 but I struggled terribly my freshman year. My GPA has been a consistent 3.75 every semester since then. I don't like the idea of settling with the 29 because I know I am capable of doing much better. Yet, my advisor is very good and has already helped me significantly during my undergraduate career. She told me the risks are too great and that schools will not know how to compare my old and new test scores. Please help.

Your GPA and MCAT are competitive for DO. Retake only if you want to go to anMD school.

 

[waytogo1]

.

 

[TheOneAndOnlyJamesFranco]

GPA is 3.8 (3.7s) -- First time taker of old MCAT got a 30 (AAMC avg was 28).

I feel extremely compelled to retake it for 2 reasons:
1) I am currently taking biochem and doing very well and am a neuroscience major and so I have the psych courses
2)I did not even come close to exhausting all of the resources that people typically use to study for MCAT (although I did put in 3 months of studying)

Research: published by a medical school lab
Shadowing: A summers worth via a selective pre-medical program in NYC
Non-clinical volunteer activities: Are bountiful, I have naturally built a rapport with serving the autism community in many facets
Clinical: Hospice Care
Leadership: President of many clubs and of an honors society

Since I am a senior applying this cycle, for my gap year I was offered an international fellowship to be a music therapist for autistic individuals (which is very much in line with my interests and my narrative)

School List (VERY LOOSELY CONSTRUCTED):
(CT resident, have been NY resident all of my life)

NYMC (1st choice)
Downstate
Weill
NYU
Columbia
Brown
Albert Einstein

Should I retake in June/July for a better score or percentile EQ of a ~34 on MCAT 2015?

 

[happily123]

Same score! Like hell I'm retaking , unless I don't get in guess it depends on your GPA but it's the verbal your worried about right?

Yeah my gpa isn't stellar but it's not bad. I'm just a little worried about my verbal score being under a 10.

 

[sarma1400]

My question is aimed more at reapplicants/ those who know something about reapplying.

Background-
I took the MCAT August 2013 (got a 32 - PS 11/ BS 11/ VR 10). cGPA of 3.7 and 3.6 BCPM. Applied late this cycle, EC's have lots of lab experience including 1 year full time research (breast cancer), 2 years part time undergrad research. Only clinical experience is roughly 50 physician shadowing hours. I applied pretty late in the cycle which I think put me at a disadvantage but I know to apply early next year! Also started volunteering at a university hospital to get that hole in my application filled. I applied to 15 schools and already got back 9 rejections, so I'm trying to make plans.

Question-
If I reapply for the 2016 cycle, my MCAT will be 3 years before matriculation, which most of the schools I've looked at mention they accept scores up to 3 years old, but is this cutting it too close? Does a 3 year old MCAT look worse on an application than if I retried it? I looked at the new stuff covered on the MCAT 2015 and I'm trying to see whether it would be worth it to start studying to take the new version so I have a newer score on my application.

Also, on the tune of strengthening my application, what do you guys think of SMP programs in my case?

 

[miamiheatfan]

GPA is 3.8 (3.7s) -- First time taker of old MCAT got a 30 (AAMC avg was 28).

I feel extremely compelled to retake it for 2 reasons:
1) I am currently taking biochem and doing very well and am a neuroscience major and so I have the psych courses
2)I did not even come close to exhausting all of the resources that people typically use to study for MCAT (although I did put in 3 months of studying)

Research: published by a medical school lab
Shadowing: A summers worth via a selective pre-medical program in NYC
Non-clinical volunteer activities: Are bountiful, I have naturally built a rapport with serving the autism community in many facets
Clinical: Hospice Care
Leadership: President of many clubs and of an honors society

Since I am a senior applying this cycle, for my gap year I was offered an international fellowship to be a music therapist for autistic individuals (which is very much in line with my interests and my narrative)

School List (VERY LOOSELY CONSTRUCTED):
(CT resident, have been NY resident all of my life)

NYMC (1st choice)
Downstate
Weill
NYU
Columbia
Brown
Albert Einstein

Should I retake in June/July for a better score or percentile EQ of a ~34 on MCAT 2015?

Hey James Franco! It is up to you but I think that with an early application and applying well (which means delete NYU, Cornell, Columbia, and Brown) that you can get several interviews and a couple of acceptances. I would look at the "What are my chances" threads with numbers similar to yours, Goro has posted many times a list of schools that you should definitely apply to. Good luck!

 

[miamiheatfan]

My question is aimed more at reapplicants/ those who know something about reapplying.

Background-
I took the MCAT August 2013 (got a 32 - PS 11/ BS 11/ VR 10). cGPA of 3.7 and 3.6 BCPM. Applied late this cycle, EC's have lots of lab experience including 1 year full time research (breast cancer), 2 years part time undergrad research. Only clinical experience is roughly 50 physician shadowing hours. I applied pretty late in the cycle which I think put me at a disadvantage but I know to apply early next year! Also started volunteering at a university hospital to get that hole in my application filled. I applied to 15 schools and already got back 9 rejections, so I'm trying to make plans.

Question-
If I reapply for the 2016 cycle, my MCAT will be 3 years before matriculation, which most of the schools I've looked at mention they accept scores up to 3 years old, but is this cutting it too close? Does a 3 year old MCAT look worse on an application than if I retried it? I looked at the new stuff covered on the MCAT 2015 and I'm trying to see whether it would be worth it to start studying to take the new version so I have a newer score on my application.

Also, on the tune of strengthening my application, what do you guys think of SMP programs in my case?

First call the schools and assuming that the majority are okay with it, I would not retake. Your problem is your lack of clinical volunteering and applying late (I also don't know where you applied so that could be an issue). I would focus on clinical volunteering, applying early, and applying strategically to 20-25 schools and eliminating the reaches. You don't need an SMP in my opinion, your GPA is good enough. Good luck!

 

[miamiheatfan]

Hi all,

I'd appreciate any advice on whether or not to retake my MCAT. 30 total, VR: 11, PS: 8, BS: 11. I feel like 30 is a gray zone and also that 30 doesn't cut it anymore like it used to.

I'm an Asian female, Nevada resident, 3.97 cGPA and 3.95 sGPA. Decent ECs except lacing clinical, which I'm doing before I apply in June. I'm a senior undergrad currently, have yet to apply. See http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/chances-3-97-cgpa-3-95-sgpa-mcat-30-nv-resident.1126428/ for my school list and more specific stats if that would be helpful.

A little stressful because if I want to retake I'd have to start studying right away. Thank you

Your GPA helps a lot, also you have Nevada to count on with your IS residence. I would not retake it. Apply broadly to 25-30 schools and early of course

 

[Wolfpack93]

I've posted here before, but just thought I'd ask again. I'm applying this upcoming cycle, and took the MCAT last summer. I got a 29 (PS10/VR9/BS10), and am wondering if I should take the new MCAT. My cGPA is 3.77 and sGPA is 3.80. ECs involve approximately 1 year of o chem research, 2.5 years of tutoring, involved in a few clubs and orgs on campus, volunteering at the student outreach clinic at my school, and working as a scribe at the ER for about 250 hours. Thank you!

 

[HaitianDrSoph]

I've posted here before, but just thought I'd ask again. I'm applying this upcoming cycle, and took the MCAT last summer. I got a 29 (PS10/VR9/BS10), and am wondering if I should take the new MCAT. My cGPA is 3.77 and sGPA is 3.80. ECs involve approximately 1 year of o chem research, 2.5 years of tutoring, involved in a few clubs and orgs on campus, volunteering at the student outreach clinic at my school, and working as a scribe at the ER for about 250 hours. Thank you!

Are you a URM? Male? Female?

 

[Wolfpack93]

Are you a URM? Male? Female?

I'm a white male so nothing going for me there haha

 

[HaitianDrSoph]

I'm a white male so nothing going for me there haha

Well I think the answer will ultimately depend on your school list.

 

[pithy84]

@happily123 - Definitely do NOT retake your 32. You have a good score. The new test will have extra material, it is too big a risk. Do you really want to waste more time studying? Also, don't worry about your verbal score. Med schools consider the verbal section to be the least important, just look at the MSAR. I wrote an entire post about how verbal is not as important, I will not repeat all my evidence here.

@TheOneAndOnlyJamesFranco - Definitely do NOT retake your 30. Your AAMC average was only 28, so the risk of getting the equivalent of a 27 on a retake is very high. Also, you are a NY resident, I am super jealous.

@sarma1400 - You may need to retake because your score is getting stale with age. You took it in August, which puts you exactly and precisely on the cutoff for many schools. You should probably email or call a bunch of schools that you are interested in, and ask them to clarify their policy.

@housemouse - Tough call. 30 is a decent score, but your GPA makes me think you could do better. Also, the 8 in Physical Sciences is unfortunate. Med schools place more weight in PS and BS.

@Wolfpack93 - Tough call. Here is the big question: Do you think you can do better? Was your 29 below your practice test average?

 

[mbeus]

Don't want to start an argument, but I completely disagree with @pithy84
Every single person who interviewed me told me that the verbal score is most important. They also said it is the best predictor of how you will do on your boards. You are literally the only person I have ever heard say that verbal is the least important.

 

[markymark71990]

Don't want to start an argument, but I completely disagree with @pithy84
Every single person who interviewed me told me that the verbal score is most important. They also said it is the best predictor of how you will do on your boards. You are literally the only person I have ever heard say that verbal is the least important.

Totally depends on the school you apply to. Ask admissions as see what they say