4th time MCAT

[Dr. Stalker]

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Ello everyone. To maintain anonymity, I need to be slightly vague. I've taken the MCAT 3 times now, once old, and twice new. My first old score was meh (29, balanced), I applied, had 3 MD interviews, just got waitlists and rejections. First time taking the new exam was meh. Finally, I took it in June 2017 and scored a balanced 509.

I'm at a tough position now because while a 509 is competitive (marginally at that), my score increase between second to third attempt wasn't as high as I had hoped. I'm confident with 6 months of pure studying (for a Jan 2018 exam) I can nail a 512+. I have a geographic location limiter though, hence I can't just apply all over the country with a 509. The medical schools near me have a median of 514 and an average of a 512/3.

Curious to know, what if I took it a 4th time and went from 509 --> 512. Would that make one of those nearby schools interested in me? Additionally, one of said nearby schools interviewed me with a 29 (first time MCAT score) and waitlisted and ultimately rejected me. They directly told me that I just need to come back with a higher score before they can admit me cause a 29 is simply taboo. BTW, said school is my undergrad, so I have a slight home court advantage b/c our pre-med program is notoriously difficult and our medical school acknowledges the pre-meds that graduate with a kickass GPA, which I was able to do.

So, please let me know, 509 --> 512 worth it or nah. Thanks peeps!

 

[Lawpy]

The median is a better measure than the average so you should be aiming for 514. Also, medical schools are encouraged to average all scores, so the most recent score of 514 may not help all that much, given that there are applicants who got 514 in the first try.

I don't think it's worth it and instead, it's better to add some DO schools to your list.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

The median is a better measure than the average so you should be aiming for 514. Also, medical schools are encouraged to average all scores, so the most recent score of 514 may not help all that much, given that there are applicants who got 514 in the first try.

I don't think it's worth it and instead, it's better to add some DO schools to your list.

I see, thank you.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

Having 4 MCAt scores on your AMCAS is going to be a negative more than a 514 would be a positive. If you are scoring marginally better each time, does that show that you know more or that you are just marginally better at taking the MCAT.

Your ability to succeed on the MCAT also reflects your ability to succeed on STEP. Med schools know this and also know that you don't get 4 chances to take that.

Also, what happens if on #4, you don't score any better, or god forbid, lower? Is it worth the time, money, effort just to score 1 pt better in each section?

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Having 4 MCAt scores on your AMCAS is going to be a negative more than a 514 would be a positive. If you are scoring marginally better each time, does that show that you know more or that you are just marginally better at taking the MCAT.

Your ability to succeed on the MCAT also reflects your ability to succeed on STEP. Med schools know this and also know that you don't get 4 chances to take that.

Also, what happens if on #4, you don't score any better, or god forbid, lower? Is it worth the time, money, effort just to score 1 pt better in each section?

If by December or January I see on practice exams I'm unable to crack a 512-514 like I'm aiming for I may have to bite the bullet and attend a medical school not near home. Its kind of my last choice; 2 weeks ago I got my score back, but last week I had a bit of a family emergency, and these emergencies are going to keep coming up and I can't be far away buying plane tickets or driving 4+ hours to get home. Sometimes, life just happens lol.

 

[bananafish94]

I think that taking the MCAT four times would look really bad even if you did a lot better (to be honest, taking it three times doesn't do you many favors). A 509 is a perfectly fine score although don't be surprised if people balk at how many times you've taken the test. I'd apply broadly to MD schools with lower MCAT requirements and to a lot of DO schools as well.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

I think that taking the MCAT four times would look really bad even if you did a lot better (to be honest, taking it three times doesn't do you many favors). A 509 is a perfectly fine score although don't be surprised if people balk at how many times you've taken the test. I'd apply broadly to MD schools with lower MCAT requirements and to a lot of DO schools as well.

I'm aware I have a shot at some MD schools, the issue is they aren't close to my home lol. I know 3x raises a lot of eyebrows, but I'm kind of in a tough spot now with regards to my geographic limit and score history.

 

[DBC03]

While 3 may raise some eyebrows, I think you are blessed that the first one was the old exam, so you might have some leeway on that one. I would have a very difficult time deciding what to do in your situation. I would say don't plan on retaking. It's a difficult situation for sure! Have you considered DO schools? 509 is good enough for many schools, so I'm not really sure what to say. If I was geographically limited I wouldn't be able to go to med school at all, so I can understand how this will be a difficult application for you.

 

[sh.h]

Are you sure you can achieve more / increase your chance by increasing your mcat score versus strengthening your application ? What I mean is that, perhaps you can solidify your ECs and CV instead of re-taking the MCAT ? this way you won't have to justify the 4th time you took the MCAT.
OR
you can retake the MCAT and become a stronger applicant in general

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Are you sure you can achieve more / increase your chance by increasing your mcat score versus strengthening your application ? What I mean is that, perhaps you can solidify your ECs and CV instead of re-taking the MCAT ? this way you won't have to justify the 4th time you took the MCAT.
OR
you can retake the MCAT and become a stronger applicant in general

I've more or less covered all ECs, the reason I'm so hellbent on my MCAT is the first time I applied with a 29 and the 3 MD interviews I had all told me upon waitlisted and finally rejected that my MCAT kept me out; my interview evals were good, ECs fine, GPA stellar, so I figure its the one thing I really need at this point.

 

[sh.h]

I've more or less covered all ECs, the reason I'm so hellbent on my MCAT is the first time I applied with a 29 and the 3 MD interviews I had all told me upon waitlisted and finally rejected that my MCAT kept me out; my interview evals were good, ECs fine, GPA stellar, so I figure its the one thing I really need at this point.

I see. Is there a way you can get advice from the faculty / advisors at your uni / or the unit you are applying to ? Ask them how you should proceed ?

 

[CyrilFiggis]

@Dr. Stalker I think you have to ask yourself how badly do you want to be a doctor. Applying far away from home means nothing until you actually get in. You shouldn't worry about crossing that bridge until you get there.

 

[UBLI-EINSTEIN]

You didn't tell us your third score, did you? I'm curious about your third score.
However, anyway, I think it will be very negative if you take MCAT 4 times. Also, it's very negative if you just improve from 509 -> 512.
If you really wan to improve MCAT, I hope you aim at 520+. If you cant do this, I really think it's meaningless to continue.
BTW, 509 can be good for DO schools.

 

[efle]

Dont retake

 

[sh.h]

Dont retake

what if he goes => 520 ? would it be worth it then ?
and if he doesn't retake, then how can he increase his chances of getting in , knowing he is limited geographically ?

 

[UBLI-EINSTEIN]

what if he goes => 520 ? would it be worth it then ?
and if he doesn't retake, then how can he increase his chances of getting in , knowing he is limited geographically ?

I think he might get a chance if he DOES GO 520+, but to be honest I don't think this is realistic at all.
Otherwise he would not have taken MCAT so many times.
I really think he should apply to DO schools or try to change his career.

 

[Lawpy]

what if he goes => 520 ? would it be worth it then ?
and if he doesn't retake, then how can he increase his chances of getting in , knowing he is limited geographically ?

OP took the exam 3 times and scored in 29-30 range all attempts. Getting a 520 on the 4th attempt would be unusual and I wouldn't be surprised if some adcoms view it as a fluke.

 

[sh.h]

@Dr. Stalker why didn't you try DO schools ?

 

[MonkeyArrow]

what if he goes => 520 ? would it be worth it then ?
and if he doesn't retake, then how can he increase his chances of getting in , knowing he is limited geographically ?

He is saying he is around a 512-514 on practice tests.

 

[sh.h]

He is saying he is around a 512-514 on practice tests.

doesn't mean he will necessarily stay in 512-514 range if he keeps working on it
@Dr. Stalker what do you think happened during those 3 times you took the MCAT ? anxiety ? did you rush it ? did you study "enough for it" ? what do you think contributed to these unbalanced scores ? was it a consistent pattern that kept repeating itself?

If ever you decide to retake, I believe you need to find out what went wrong and how you can improve, otherwise you will get the same results.

 

[UBLI-EINSTEIN]

doesn't mean he will necessarily stay in 512-514 range if he keeps working on it
@Dr. Stalker what do you think happened during those 3 times you took the MCAT ? anxiety ? did you rush it ? did you study "enough for it" ? what do you think contributed to these unbalanced scores ? was it a consistent pattern that kept repeating itself?

If ever you decide to retake, I believe you need to find out what went wrong and how you can improve, otherwise you will get the same results.

However his history of taking MCAT told us, his score will likely stay in a range near 509. It's an unrealistic dream for him to achieve a 520+.
Hard working doesn't necessarily bring you a success, because everyone is hard working. This is life.

 

[Goro]

Ello everyone. To maintain anonymity, I need to be slightly vague. I've taken the MCAT 3 times now, once old, and twice new. My first old score was meh (29, balanced), I applied, had 3 MD interviews, just got waitlists and rejections. First time taking the new exam was meh. Finally, I took it in June 2017 and scored a balanced 509.

I'm at a tough position now because while a 509 is competitive (marginally at that), my score increase between second to third attempt wasn't as high as I had hoped. I'm confident with 6 months of pure studying (for a Jan 2018 exam) I can nail a 512+. I have a geographic location limiter though, hence I can't just apply all over the country with a 509. The medical schools near me have a median of 514 and an average of a 512/3.

Curious to know, what if I took it a 4th time and went from 509 --> 512. Would that make one of those nearby schools interested in me? Additionally, one of said nearby schools interviewed me with a 29 (first time MCAT score) and waitlisted and ultimately rejected me. They directly told me that I just need to come back with a higher score before they can admit me cause a 29 is simply taboo. BTW, said school is my undergrad, so I have a slight home court advantage b/c our pre-med program is notoriously difficult and our medical school acknowledges the pre-meds that graduate with a kickass GPA, which I was able to do.

So, please let me know, 509 --> 512 worth it or nah. Thanks peeps!

I can't sugar coat this Stalker, what if you flap your arms and fly to the moon? Why do you think your score will magically go up, after three tries put you right around the same place??? You've hit your plateau.

509 is a good score. You're more at risk for being a 3x MCAT taker than for having a 509 score.

 

[Pepe18]

.

 

[Goro]

If by December or January I see on practice exams I'm unable to crack a 512-514 like I'm aiming for I may have to bite the bullet and attend a medical school not near home. Its kind of my last choice; 2 weeks ago I got my score back, but last week I had a bit of a family emergency, and these emergencies are going to keep coming up and I can't be far away buying plane tickets or driving 4+ hours to get home. Sometimes, life just happens lol.

You are right, as a medical student, you can't keep running back home every time Uncle Joe gets sick. You have to be selfish and let some other family member deal with the crises.

You still have PCOM, NYITCOM and even Touro-NY as very viable med schools for you.

But if you're gunning for the MD, you may not have a choice.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

I see. Is there a way you can get advice from the faculty / advisors at your uni / or the unit you are applying to ? Ask them how you should proceed ?

I called the local school that was my UG and did interview me, they gave me the generic "oh well even if our median is 514 and you're a 509 we do a holistic review" bs response lol.

 

[ciestar]

If by December or January I see on practice exams I'm unable to crack a 512-514 like I'm aiming for I may have to bite the bullet and attend a medical school not near home. Its kind of my last choice; 2 weeks ago I got my score back, but last week I had a bit of a family emergency, and these emergencies are going to keep coming up and I can't be far away buying plane tickets or driving 4+ hours to get home. Sometimes, life just happens lol.

You are right, as a medical student, you can't keep running back home every time Uncle Joe gets sick. You have to be selfish and let some other family member deal with the crises.

You still have PCOM, NYITCOM and even Touro-NY as very viable med schools for you.

But if you're gunning for the MD, you may not have a choice.

Ya, life DOES happen, but as Goro said, this process does require you to be a bit selfish. Trust me, I dealt with a ton of crap last year (MS1 year), and if you're bogged down by constant family emergencies, you won't make it. My mom almost died, my SO had someone he was very close with die in his family...i had to makeup multiple exams and you just end up immensely behind. You'll have to weigh this when you apply. It gets to the point where they suggest a LOA..and from what I am reading, you anticipate it happening a lot. Med school is hard enough..add constant stress and distractions from family, it gets worse. I'd get it sorted out before applying. Just my $.02.

 

[Goro]

Ya, life DOES happen, but as Goro said, this process does require you to be a bit selfish. Trust me, I dealt with a ton of crap last year (MS1 year), and if you're bogged down by constant family emergencies, you won't make it. My mom almost died, my SO had someone he was very close with die in his family...i had to makeup multiple exams and you just end up immensely behind. You'll have to weigh this when you apply. It gets to the point where they suggest a LOA..and from what I am reading, you anticipate it happening a lot. Med school is hard enough..add constant stress and distractions from family, it gets worse. I'd get it sorted out before applying. Just my $.02.

After mental health issues, the second most common reason for us to lose students to dismissal or withdrawal is poor academic performance. NOT because they're poor students or they don't "get" medical school, but because they have poor coping skills in dealing with outside life events.

This is made worse by having an mindset that seeking help is a sign of weakness or a loss of face.

 

[candbgirl]

doesn't mean he will necessarily stay in 512-514 range if he keeps working on it
@Dr. Stalker what do you think happened during those 3 times you took the MCAT ? anxiety ? did you rush it ? did you study "enough for it" ? what do you think contributed to these unbalanced scores ? was it a consistent pattern that kept repeating itself?

If ever you decide to retake, I believe you need to find out what went wrong and how you can improve, otherwise you will get the same results.

Why do you think something went wrong ? He scored just fine for many Med schools. He's the one putting himself under stress. He's the one limiting himself geographically. His three scores are very consistent. It is very doubtful that he's going to suddenly shoot up 11 points. The questions you asked are questions that I'd ask someone who scored poorly on his tests. So why do you think something went wrong. Many people would be very happy for his scores.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[BombsAway]

I have an alternate theory: the feedback people lie.

Saying it's your mcat is just the easiest answer to give. In reality, people get into all kinds of places all over the country with 29/509, from West Virginia to Duke. You didn't get in because you didn't get in. Figure out why that is and fix it. Thinking the mcat is the end-all-be-all (like you profess in all your wamc posts) is shortsighted. From what I gather after reading through these posts, you need to decide if you wanna live in NYC, or be a physician. Choose one and drive on.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

I have an alternate theory: the feedback people lie.

Saying it's your mcat is just the easiest answer to give. In reality, people get into all kinds of places all over the country with 29/509, from West Virginia to Duke. You didn't get in because you didn't get in. Figure out why that is and fix it. Thinking the mcat is the end-all-be-all (like you profess in all your wamc posts) is shortsighted. From what I gather after reading through these posts, you need to decide if you wanna live in NYC, or be a physician. Choose one and drive on.

While I see your constructive criticism, I myself know I've achieved all my ECs hence I do believe it. Also, a 29 is a huge red flag - not the percentile, but the fact is "This applicant isn't a 30, why??"

The reason I post all over about the importance of the MCAT is I got burned by 3 MD schools cause of my 29 and it would've taken 1 point higher. 1 question correct. I don't ever want to see anyone in that position, because, it sucks. And believe it or not, the MCAT matters a crapton for earning an interview as well as the post-interview decision. I think all of us except maybe @efle has drank way too much of the SDN Kool-Aid and fooled ourselves into thinking "hey, you ECs win you an admission on interview day, your #s mean nothing anymore!" Picture two candidates. 519+4.0, 509+4.0. If the 519 student gives an average interview, he/she will simply be admitted. The 509 has a huge uphill battle and can give the best dam interview in the world, but the school may just waitlist/reject. Why? They have plenty of normal-interviewing students who will make okay doctors applying with a 519.

Now my argument totally changes if the 519 is a nutjob and has zero business in medicine (i.e. lacks empathy lol).

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Ya, life DOES happen, but as Goro said, this process does require you to be a bit selfish. Trust me, I dealt with a ton of crap last year (MS1 year), and if you're bogged down by constant family emergencies, you won't make it. My mom almost died, my SO had someone he was very close with die in his family...i had to makeup multiple exams and you just end up immensely behind. You'll have to weigh this when you apply. It gets to the point where they suggest a LOA..and from what I am reading, you anticipate it happening a lot. Med school is hard enough..add constant stress and distractions from family, it gets worse. I'd get it sorted out before applying. Just my $.02.

Thank you so much for your insightful response. I'm sorry you had such a rough first year - the familial issues you addressed are near identical to mine. That's why I'm not just rushing submit my applications all over the country, or even local. Maybe another retake and some more "ECs" will help me get into a more local school of my choice, especially after some of these issues get resolved. The issues I'm facing aren't unfortunately ones that I can afford to be "selfish" with. They're like, super important.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

@Dr. Stalker I think you have to ask yourself how badly do you want to be a doctor. Applying far away from home means nothing until you actually get in. You shouldn't worry about crossing that bridge until you get there.

The issue is once someone gets admitted to an MD school if they opt not to attend and instead reapply, I was told those students are automatically rejected because the student didn't go for the MD school when they had the chance.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

You didn't tell us your third score, did you? I'm curious about your third score.
However, anyway, I think it will be very negative if you take MCAT 4 times. Also, it's very negative if you just improve from 509 -> 512.
If you really wan to improve MCAT, I hope you aim at 520+. If you cant do this, I really think it's meaningless to continue.
BTW, 509 can be good for DO schools.

My 3rd score was a 509.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Do not retake. An adcom would ask what I would ask "why didn't you just study 6 more months before the 3rd take if you really thought it would make a difference?" If you've already taken it twice, you should've known that you weren't ready for the 3rd. You only get maybe 7 weeks for step and it has a lot more info on it than the MCAT, so they would also be concerned that you wouldn't be able to handle that exam.

People get in with ~30MCATs. Make sure the rest of your app is good, and good luck!

The reason I took it a month back was because I was totally fine with going wherever my score dictated, and I was initially over the moon with a 509. A lot of members on the SDN community, in fact, reassured me I'm going to be very successful if I apply this cycle. Literally, one week ago, some issues came up and now I'm facing the difficult decision of boost my MCAT more to get admitted to a local school or not. Up until one week ago, I was fine with wherever I got in lol.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Also, a 29 is a huge red flag - not the percentile, but the fact is "This applicant isn't a 30, why??"

I got burned by 3 MD schools cause of my 29 and it would've taken 1 point higher. 1 question correct

Yeah sorry but that isn't how this process works at all.... adcoms don't think that way.

You need to decide if you really want to be a doctor. With your geographical limitations + being a 3x taker, and with all scores in the same range, you will never be a doctor if you don't apply to DO schools or broaden your geographical range. Being a 3x MCAT taker is a much bigger red flag than a 29, let alone a 4th.

 

[nebur4]

Ello everyone. To maintain anonymity, I need to be slightly vague. I've taken the MCAT 3 times now, once old, and twice new. My first old score was meh (29, balanced), I applied, had 3 MD interviews, just got waitlists and rejections. First time taking the new exam was meh. Finally, I took it in June 2017 and scored a balanced 509.

I'm at a tough position now because while a 509 is competitive (marginally at that), my score increase between second to third attempt wasn't as high as I had hoped. I'm confident with 6 months of pure studying (for a Jan 2018 exam) I can nail a 512+. I have a geographic location limiter though, hence I can't just apply all over the country with a 509. The medical schools near me have a median of 514 and an average of a 512/3.

Curious to know, what if I took it a 4th time and went from 509 --> 512. Would that make one of those nearby schools interested in me? Additionally, one of said nearby schools interviewed me with a 29 (first time MCAT score) and waitlisted and ultimately rejected me. They directly told me that I just need to come back with a higher score before they can admit me cause a 29 is simply taboo. BTW, said school is my undergrad, so I have a slight home court advantage b/c our pre-med program is notoriously difficult and our medical school acknowledges the pre-meds that graduate with a kickass GPA, which I was able to do.

So, please let me know, 509 --> 512 worth it or nah. Thanks peeps!

I'm also in the same boat. I have improved every time I have taken the MCAT. My first attempt was the old exam and the previous two were the new exam. I just recently got my score back and had a 5pt increase from the last one but it's not where near where I need to be. I'm planning on taking it again but seeing all these posts about 4th timers usually don't get looked at because they took the exam a 4th time. I understand the circumstances when it comes to the steps, but I just feel that knowing I can possibly increase by another 10 pts makes me want to give it another try.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

I'm aware I have a shot at some MD schools, the issue is they aren't close to my home lol. I know 3x raises a lot of eyebrows, but I'm kind of in a tough spot now with regards to my geographic limit and score history.

Do you want to be a doctor?

 

[nebur4]

Do you want to be a doctor?

I know this response isn't toward me but infact..yes...yes I do..very much. Which is why i'm not going to give up and take it a 4th time. I mean, what do I have to lose? Right?

 

[ThoracicGuy]

I know this response isn't toward me but infact..yes...yes I do..very much. Which is why i'm not going to give up and take it a 4th time. I mean, what do I have to lose? Right?

If you have scores that are reasonable, but you are limiting yourself to a few schools, then your chances for success are small.

As for what you have to lose, just money and time...

If you want to maximize your chances for success, apply broadly to schools that are open to your scores.

 

[UBLI-EINSTEIN]

I'm also in the same boat. I have improved every time I have taken the MCAT. My first attempt was the old exam and the previous two were the new exam. I just recently got my score back and had a 5pt increase from the last one but it's not where near where I need to be. I'm planning on taking it again but seeing all these posts about 4th timers usually don't get looked at because they took the exam a 4th time. I understand the circumstances when it comes to the steps, but I just feel that knowing I can possibly increase by another 10 pts makes me want to give it another try.

You should have improved every time you've taken the MCAT. This is not something unusual unless you suddenly improved 10+~20+ scores.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I'm also in the same boat. I have improved every time I have taken the MCAT. My first attempt was the old exam and the previous two were the new exam. I just recently got my score back and had a 5pt increase from the last one but it's not where near where I need to be. I'm planning on taking it again but seeing all these posts about 4th timers usually don't get looked at because they took the exam a 4th time. I understand the circumstances when it comes to the steps, but I just feel that knowing I can possibly increase by another 10 pts makes me want to give it another try.

mean, what do I have to lose? Right?

Pretty much the whole idea of becoming a doctor. Thos idea is extremely foolish and short-sighted.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Do you want to be a doctor?

I think you missed the part where I said I have a geographic limitation. If I did not, hell yeah I'd apply and go wherever I got in.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

I'm also in the same boat. I have improved every time I have taken the MCAT. My first attempt was the old exam and the previous two were the new exam. I just recently got my score back and had a 5pt increase from the last one but it's not where near where I need to be. I'm planning on taking it again but seeing all these posts about 4th timers usually don't get looked at because they took the exam a 4th time. I understand the circumstances when it comes to the steps, but I just feel that knowing I can possibly increase by another 10 pts makes me want to give it another try.

Looks like we're in this together 😀!

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Yeah sorry but that isn't how this process works at all.... adcoms don't think that way.

You need to decide if you really want to be a doctor. With your geographical limitations + being a 3x taker, and with all scores in the same range, you will never be a doctor if you don't apply to DO schools or broaden your geographical range. Being a 3x MCAT taker is a much bigger red flag than a 29, let alone a 4th.

This is true. I'm doing the cost/benefit analysis of a 4th time 512+ vs. sticking to 3 and seeing if there's other ways I can somehow get into my local schools

 

[UBLI-EINSTEIN]

I think you missed the part where I said I have a geographic limitation. If I did not, hell yeah I'd apply and go wherever I got in.

This just means: your will to become a doctor < burden of geographic limitation.
If your will to become a doctor >>> burden of geographic limitation. Hey you are going to apply and go wherever you got in.

I know this response isn't toward me but infact..yes...yes I do..very much. Which is why i'm not going to give up and take it a 4th time. I mean, what do I have to lose? Right?

Let's think in this way: in some cases, you won't be able to treat the same patient twice.
If you failed the first time, then you might just have killed your patient. Then where will you get your second chance?
Will you have to lose anything? No, you won't lose your medical license, because probably you never will get one.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

This just means: your will to become a doctor < burden of geographic limitation.
If your will to become a doctor >>> burden of geographic limitation. Hey you are going to apply and go wherever you got in.



Let's think in this way: in some cases, you won't be able to treat the same patient twice.
If you failed the first time, then you might just have killed your patient. Then where will you get your second chance?
Will you have to lose anything? No, you won't lose your medical license, because probably you never will get one.

I'd rephrase that to

will to be a doctor < family emergency. And that I can live with.

 

[DokterMom]

Thank you so much for your insightful response. I'm sorry you had such a rough first year - the familial issues you addressed are near identical to mine. That's why I'm not just rushing submit my applications all over the country, or even local. Maybe another retake and some more "ECs" will help me get into a more local school of my choice, especially after some of these issues get resolved. The issues I'm facing aren't unfortunately ones that I can afford to be "selfish" with. They're like, super important.

@Dr. Stalker -- If the issues keeping you close to home are family medical emergencies, and you feel like you could not react "selfishly", then simply being close to home might not be enough to allow you to succeed. In fact, counterintuitively, being close to home might make it even harder for you to protect the time you need to keep up in your coursework. Whether your 'trip time' is 1 hour or 4 hour, you simply won't have time for frequent trips on short notice.

This may sound terribly cold-hearted (sorry) but please take an objective look at the situation and see if this is likely to be a short-term problem or a chronic one, and a critically-important 'gotta be there' issue or an 'I'll call to empathize' situation. For example, if a parent has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, your restrictions are likely to be short-term but you'll deeply want to be there. If an emotionally volatile sibling is in legal trouble again, that's likely to be chronic and 'phone supportable'.

If your complications are short-term, maybe postponing your application is the best answer. You'll be able to be fully 'there' to help, and can then later go wherever your scores will take you. But if the complications are likely to be chronic, you'll need to compartmentalize, and being close to home can make that harder...

 

[Dr. Stalker]

@Dr. Stalker -- If the issues keeping you close to home are family medical emergencies, and you feel like you could not react "selfishly", then simply being close to home might not be enough to allow you to succeed. In fact, counterintuitively, being close to home might make it even harder for you to protect the time you need to keep up in your coursework. Whether your 'trip time' is 1 hour or 4 hour, you simply won't have time for frequent trips on short notice.

This may sound terribly cold-hearted (sorry) but please take an objective look at the situation and see if this is likely to be a short-term problem or a chronic one, and a critically-important 'gotta be there' issue or an 'I'll call to empathize' situation. For example, if a parent has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, your restrictions are likely to be short-term but you'll deeply want to be there. If an emotionally volatile sibling is in legal trouble again, that's likely to be chronic and 'phone supportable'.

If your complications are short-term, maybe postponing your application is the best answer. You'll be able to be fully 'there' to help, and can then later go wherever your scores will take you. But if the complications are likely to be chronic, you'll need to compartmentalize, and being close to home can make that harder...

Thanks for such an indepth response. These are more short-term based, while I initially said "maybe I'll retake a 4th time" its because its the one thing I can control. If I decide to apply June 2018 and not-retake and accept a 509 I'd be perfectly alright with that, and I'd love to spend this upcoming academic year in a job, or engaging in some meaningful volunteer work, but I can't make any form of a commitment. I figure if I can study a few days here and there, yay, but I can't take a ER Scribe job and constantly use sick days/personal days for this kind of stuff. It may be just that the situation will, whether for good or bad, resolve itself by next application cycle. I guess that's more of what I was asking, in this lagtime I can't make any firm commitments, so would a 4th retake be the best idea? Always honored to get your advice @DokterMom

 

[Dr. Stalker]

FYI, I'd like to just point out it isn't a super-dire-maximum-threat-level-midnight kind of emergency, just your run of the mill kind of stuff - I don't want people on the forums freaking out about my "chaotic" life and such lol, everything is stable! 🙂

 

[DokterMom]

FYI, I'd like to just point out it isn't a super-dire-maximum-threat-level-midnight kind of emergency, just your run of the mill kind of stuff - I don't want people on the forums freaking out about my "chaotic" life and such lol, everything is stable! 🙂

If it's "run of the mill emergencies" -- that's exactly the kind of stuff that can derail a med student. If you read through the med student forums, you'll see all sorts of posts from students who are struggling, and many, many (most?) of these involve family circumstances like this. Sick parents and SO breakups and the students' inability to compartmentalize probably sink almost as many med students as depression and ADHD...

If it's not dire, and not self-limiting, then it falls into the ankle-weight dragging you down category. If it's your parents or grandparents, have a serious talk with them about the realities of your situation. You may not be able to stay close to home with a 'fair' MCAT score. And (sorry!) even a great 4th score is unlikely to change your chances much... So becoming a doctor might (probably will) require you to go farther from home than you'd prefer to be. Those are just the facts...

So the real question is apply now or wait?