Poor third MCAT retake...need advice.

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Young Chi

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I received my November scores and unbelievable ended up dropping 4 points from a 26 (10/7/9) taken September 2013 to a 22 this time with a breakdown of 8/6/8. Really not sure what went so horribly wrong, as I felt I prepared extensively. My apps for DO are verified but I have yet to submit secondaries. Will this kill my chances of admission for this cycle? Would a 4th January attempt with an improved score help in any way? Cumulative gpa is 3.2 and science gpa is 3.4 with average EC's.
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Do not apply this cycle. retake, apply next cycle. If the new score is still a 22 or around there, shoot for low tier schools - at that point you have no choice. Cannot recommend applying to Liberty, this cycle or next.
 
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Practice exams I was averaging around 11 in PS and BS and 8-10 for Verbal. Felt like I improved on the real test but didn't see this worst case scenario happening at all.
 
I'm curious why you didn't apply with the 26? Were you focusing on a certain school in particular? A 26 is more than adequate for 85% of DO schools in the nation. I got in to what is widely regarded a high tier DO school with a 25 MCAT (KCUMB). I think you made a mistake in retaking your MCAT. You still have choices, but they are limited to schools who accept your highest score instead of most recent or instead of schools who average your MCAT scores.
 
Felt with the work I put in that I had a realistic shot at reaching a 30. In retrospect I should have kept the 26 and applied earlier, poor decision making and strategy on my part. Just hoping this hasn't negatively affected my application beyond repair.
 
Young Chi said:
Felt with the work I put in that I had a realistic shot at reaching a 30. In retrospect I should have kept the 26 and applied earlier, poor decision making and strategy on my part. Just hoping this hasn't negatively affected my application beyond repair.
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Well like I said, you have to do more research now, apply to schools that accept highest score over most recent score. Quite a few schools do that, including some of the more established DO schools. I don't have a list for you, but I know it's been posted before, a list of all the DO schools that accept highest MCAT score and it's ~15 schools, with a lot of them being great schools. Were you trying to get into MD schools as well and that's why you retook? A 30 is really not necessary at most DO schools. No reason to dwell on the past though, what's done is done, do your research and apply smart. As important as the MCAT is, it is by no means everything. I was feeling hopeless when I received my 25, applied broadly, and got into an amazing school.
 
Dr. Hopeful said:
Well like I said, you have to do more research now, apply to schools that accept highest score over most recent score. Quite a few schools do that, including some of the more established DO schools. I don't have a list for you, but I know it's been posted before, a list of all the DO schools that accept highest MCAT score and it's ~15 schools, with a lot of them being great schools. Were you trying to get into MD schools as well and that's why you retook? A 30 is really not necessary at most DO schools. No reason to dwell on the past though, what's done is done, do your research and apply smart. As important as the MCAT is, it is by no means everything. I was feeling hopeless when I received my 25, applied broadly, and got into an amazing school.
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ORM? Any outstanding EC's?

True, a good number will use the 26. However, they will ask about the 22, and a 4 pt drop is too big to ignore. If OP is ORM and considering he/she has a relatively low gpa, the more established schools will be big reaches. Thus, why i said retake. Even if it's around 22, he'd be OK for lower tier ones. If he get 28+ a huge window of schools will open.
 
Young Chi said:
I received my November scores and unbelievable ended up dropping 4 points from a 26 (10/7/9) taken September 2013 to a 22 this time with a breakdown of 8/6/8. Really not sure what went so horribly wrong, as I felt I prepared extensively. My apps for DO are verified but I have yet to submit secondaries. Will this kill my chances of admission for this cycle? Would a 4th January attempt with an improved score help in any way? Cumulative gpa is 3.2 and science gpa is 3.4 with average EC's.
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since you are already verified, you could try a few of these schools: VCOM-Auburn, WVSOM, LMU, ACOM, TUN, etc.
 
Ok. Appreciate all the feedback. Knowledge decay may very well have been a factor in my underperformance on this exam. Moving forward, will this recent score be my undoing? Would a strong January retake be of any benefit in this case, or should I focus on the programs that use the best overall score?
 
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Young Chi said:
Ok. Appreciate all the feedback. Knowledge decay may very well have been a factor in my underperformance on this exam. Moving forward, will this recent score be my undoing? Would a strong January retake be of any benefit in this case, or should I focus on the programs that use the best overall score?
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I would suggest a retake. I don't know how quickly you will be able to prepare for the Janurary exam though. You can still focus on programs that take the best overall score anyway (since a retake will only help in this case).
 
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I think with your average stats... to be honest, even 26 MCAT would be a little difficult this cycle around. I say retake the MCAT, do really well on it, focus on beefing up EC's a little if you can (shadowing? DO LOR?) and then apply next year. Even with the Jan MCAT Score - you won't be getting it until Feb and then you still haven't submitted secondaries.. I wonder if you will have hard time getting interviews that late in the cycle.
 
A 3.4/26 would have gotten you into a mid tier school likely, but that's in the past. No point crying over spilled milk.

Take some time and relax a bit. And then start studying for the new 2015 Mcat. With luck you'll do well enough if you're motivated.

If not, then it may be time to consider alternatives. Podiatry is a wonderful field and with your stats you will be a... Shoe in...
 
Hey I actually was in a really similar situation as you (did fine on my first MCAT but not great so I retook it and totally effed it up) and I ended up taking it for a 3rd time after doing a prep course and I killed it. I ended up with 8 points higher than the second retake and all even scores across the board. I really think the prep course helped as well as taking every single AAMC practice exam at least once. If you want any study tips feel free to PM me! My original scores were somewhat close to yours so I absolutely know how you feel and am sure you can do better!
 
It's absolutely crushing to find out that your score fell below you previous (on a retake). This happened to me, I know the agony. But as @serenade pointed out earlier, what is done is done. Your best bet would be to take a retake. Additionally, do you have any courses that you did not do so well in? Perhaps you can retake them? Boosting your GPA (science GPA is decent for DO schools) could help compensate on the MCAT.


I'm terribly sorry for the results of your last test. Do your best to figure out what went wrong (even if it seems like nothing did). Wish you the best! Contact me if I can be of anymore help.
 
serenade said:
A 3.4/26 would have gotten you into a mid tier school likely, but that's in the past. No point crying over spilled milk.

Take some time and relax a bit. And then start studying for the new 2015 Mcat. With luck you'll do well enough if you're motivated.

If not, then it may be time to consider alternatives. Podiatry is a wonderful field and with your stats you will be a... Shoe in...
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< rimshot >

I am inclined to say they will get in somewhere even with the drop, if they apply early next year. Most schools seem to take the highest non-expired sitting score.
 
Young Chi said:
Practice exams I was averaging around 11 in PS and BS and 8-10 for Verbal. Felt like I improved on the real test but didn't see this worst case scenario happening at all.
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What exams were you using? Were these AAMC exams that you had already taken? Did you try your best to simulate test taking conditions (timed sections, closed book, not exceeding break time, etc.)? With all due respect, having an average score on practice tests of around a 30 then scoring a 22 just doesn't sound right.
 
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TPR cracking practice tests were the exams I used. I exhausted the AAMC exams last year and have not redone them. I also did a few Gold Standard exams sans verbal, and used TRPH VW and EK101 as my verbal resources. I could have done a better job adhering to test day conditions leading up to the exam.
 
Young Chi said:
TPR cracking practice tests were the exams I used. I exhausted the AAMC exams last year and have not redone them. I also did a few Gold Standard exams sans verbal, and used TRPH VW and EK101 as my verbal resources. I could have done a better job adhering to test day conditions leading up to the exam.
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I would recommend redoing the exams. They give you the best practice because they're simulating what you'll experience on test day. I did almost all of them previously (only 1 was new) but I still redid nearly every single one in preparation for my actual MCAT and they were so helpful. I was able to figure out a sense about questions that I was struggling on before (i.e. what is this question really asking and how can I rule out most of the answers to make an informed guess) and did really well because of it. Half the battle with the MCAT is learning how to take the test and you NEED those practice exams.
 
if you retake, do the 2015 version. you don't have enough time to come back from a 22 for the January test (even if you could find a seat).

unfortunately, now though, you'll have to score higher than a 26 equivalent, in my opinion, to make up for that 22. score a 28+ equivalent on the 2015 version and I think you'll get in if you apply broadly and early. there are still going to be some schools that may not want to take the chance on you for making the poor decision to retake after a 26 following it up with a 22.
 
I think taking the new test and making sure you do well is probably the best option.
 
Better start packing your bags and sending in apps to Ross and SGU! You'll be fine bud!
 
Should've kept your 26 and gone broad DO. This third retake might very well be a nail in your coffin. You could try another retake, but at this point, even that might not look great unless you show a massive improvement over a 26. Your best bet for admission this cycle would be schools that consider the highest scores from multiple retakes (I know there's a couple of them out there, maybe someone here could advise you as to which, but even they are a bit of a long shot). That failing, a SMP might be your only chance of becoming a physician at this point, barring a miraculous retake, which is, quite frankly, unlikely after 3 tries.
 
FWIW. Family friend got in with 3 MCAT attempts. Highest score was a 28 ( or 29) on the first attempt, and lowest (and the most recent) was a 24 or 25. GPAs were around 3.3/3.2. Still got into a couple DO schools.
 
DetectiveAlonzo said:
FWIW. Family friend got in with 3 MCAT attempts. Highest score was a 28 ( or 29) on the first attempt, and lowest (and the most recent) was a 24 or 25. GPAs were around 3.3/3.2. Still got into a couple DO schools.
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not surprising.
 
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If I saw an applicant going from 26 to 22, I'd instantly reject. 4 MCAT tries is also excessive. Perhaps with a strong turnaround there would be a COM willing to take their chances with you, but at this point I'd look into another career.
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
If I saw an applicant going from 26 to 22, I'd instantly reject. 4 MCAT tries is also excessive. Perhaps with a strong turnaround there would be a COM willing to take their chances with you, but at this point I'd look into another career.
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make no mistake, there will be a DO school out there willing to take the OP (3.2/3.4/26) as most seem to take the highest non-expired score. It may not be CCOM but there should no doubt be a seat waiting for him somewhere provided he applies early/broadly next year. The new for-profit school in NM, BCOM, should at least be within reach.
 
Why in the world someone who is interested in DO will retake a 26? Even a 24 will give you some choice in the DO world... The way med school admission is these days, it would be foolish for someone to focus on a specific school...
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
If I saw an applicant going from 26 to 22, I'd instantly reject. 4 MCAT tries is also excessive. Perhaps with a strong turnaround there would be a COM willing to take their chances with you, but at this point I'd look into another career.
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I remember seeing a study that there is not a huge difference in term of passing step1 for a 24 MCAT vs a 30+. I think it was 94% (24) and 97% (30+), but they did not get into the average score 24 vs. 30+...
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
https://www.aamc.org/students/download/267622/data/mcatstudentselectionguide.pdf

This is some data I found. As you see, you're in danger to fail the USMLE and graduate on time or at all as your MCAT becomes lower. 22 is unacceptable in my book.
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75% first attempt (in the case of OP) is not atrocious IMO... Besides, I heard USMLE step1 is a little bit tougher than COMLEX...

Now with better prep books and programs, that number might be in the mid to high 80%...
 
W19 said:
75% first attempt (in the case of OP) is not atrocious IMO... Besides, I heard USMLE step1 is a little bit tougher than COMLEX...

Now with better prep test, that number might be in the mid to high 80%...
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1 in 4 or 5 is not a joke when it comes to an investment of over 200k. That's also 1 in 4/5 AFTER the 1st and 2nd year attrition.

USMLE is neither harder nor easier. It is a different test. Our schools prepare us for COMLEX. The USMLE is optional, so it's not a surprise that many people don't prepare for that style of exam or find it more challenging.
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
1 in 4 or 5 is not a joke when it comes to an investment of over 200k. That's also 1 in 4/5 AFTER the 1st and 2nd year attrition.

USMLE is neither harder nor easier. It is a different test. Our schools prepare us for COMLEX. The USMLE is optional, so it's not a surprise that many people don't prepare for that style of exam or find it more challenging.
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1 in 5 is not great, but it's not bad either... I think at a certain threshold, most people can make it in med school. That threshold is 8 in BS IMO... I don't think the material is extremely difficult in med school... The volume is just a lot more than undergrad... I think people who have an effective way to study should be able to make it. In fact, I know people in my class that I have better MCAT than them and they are doing a heck a lot better than me... These people are the ones who can study 8-10 hrs/daily....
 
I guess you could fill out secondaries to schools you already applied to and who look at the highest mcat only. If you already applied to them, not filling secondaries wouldn't prevent you from being a reapplicant (to my understanding).

In the meantime, I would try to get as unique and great EC's as possible in preparation for the next cycle. Maybe also retake a class or two, if that would make a difference to your GPA?

I wouldn't give up yet, especially if you're willing to apply broadly and relocate.
 
W19 said:
Why in the world someone who is interested in DO will retake a 26? Even a 24 will give you some choice in the DO world... The way med school admission is these days, it would be foolish for someone to focus on a specific school...
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Hmm, I had a 25 but when I called DMU, they told me to retake it (anything below 28). PCOM told me the same thing. So if the DO schools told him to retake that 26, then it is understandable.
 
feeling-dizzy said:
Hmm, I had a 25 but when I called DMU, they told me to retake it (anything below 28). PCOM told me the same thing. So if the DO schools told him to retake that 26, then it is understandable.
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A 25 is ok for many DO schools if you have a 3.4+ GPA... My point was why risk so much when you have a good shot to get an acceptance SOMEWHERE....

VCOM (3 campuses), KYCOM, WVSOM, WCUCOM, DCOM-LMU, ACOM, CUSOM, PCOM-GA, LECOM-sh and Erie, LUCOM, SOMA, PNWU etc... all these DO schools MCAT scores are b/t 24-27, so why risk so much if everything else in your application is good...
 
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If you are dead-set on becoming a physician then you have two options- apply to only schools that take the highest score or retake and try again. As for schools that take the highest score I am not sure what they would think of a 22. What was your third score? You listed two- a 22 and a 26.
 
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The 26 was my second retake, first score was a 24 (7/9/8) taken June 2013. The last thing I wanted to do was jeopardize any chance of admission I may have had, but definitely realize the doors this decision may have closed. I do appreciate all the responses and feedback, and am prepared to buckle down and take the beastly 2015 MCAT and/or look into post-bacc options.
 
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