502 to 511 - deal sealed on poor cycle ?

[wya2020]

Retaker here:

2019: 502 - 126/127/123/126
2020: 511: 127/128/128(Bio)/128

Did I just shoot myself in the foot? Does my second score compensate for my first or have I kind of solidified a poor outcome for myself this cycle

CGPA and sGPA both at 3.85 - not sure if it matters lol

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[Hzreio]

Retaker here:

2019: 502 - 126/127/123/126
2020: 511: 127/128/128(Bio)/128

Did I just shoot myself in the foot? Does my second score compensate for my first or have I kind of solidified a poor outcome for myself this cycle

CGPA and sGPA both at 3.85 - not sure if it matters lol

What do you mean? How would you have solidified a poor outcome? What is your definition of poor outcome?

 

[wya2020]

What do you mean? How would you have solidified a poor outcome? What is your definition of poor outcome?

Like did I just go from one low score to another low score with my retake? Poor outcome as in not getting acceptances to md programs I have submitted to

 

[Hzreio]

Like did I just go from one low score to another low score with my retake? Poor outcome as in not getting acceptances to md programs I have submitted to

If you were gunning for t20, yes that's probably not going to happen. But purely based on your stats, you seem pretty competitive for all DO schools and have a decent shot at low tier and maybe mid tier md.

 

[wya2020]

If you were gunning for t20, yes that's probably not going to happen. But purely based on your stats, you seem pretty competitive for all DO schools and have a decent shot at low tier and maybe mid tier md.

How do you classify low v mid tier schools? What would be some low tier schools? I am a resident of the midwest

 

[Hzreio]

How do you classify low v mid tier schools? What would be some low tier schools? I am a resident of the midwest

drexel, albany, rush, etc. some of your state schools too. FYI you want to apply to all those if you haven't already

 

[deleted697308]

How do you classify low v mid tier schools? What would be some low tier schools? I am a resident of the midwest

Ohio State, Loyola, SLU, Miami, UIC, ...you're competitive for all of those Midwest and out of state private schools. GPA is excellent. 511 is not a low score - it is around the average accepted for MD (cough *nerdddds* are the reason it's so artificially inflated) unless maybe you were aiming for super high tier programs. I have friends who were accepted with 504s (NOT URM, LOW SES, FIRST GEN) into MD schools.
You might want to wait for next cycle to apply though.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

Retaker here:

2019: 502 - 126/127/123/126
2020: 511: 127/128/128(Bio)/128

Did I just shoot myself in the foot? Does my second score compensate for my first or have I kind of solidified a poor outcome for myself this cycle

CGPA and sGPA both at 3.85 - not sure if it matters lol

511 is not a low score and 3.85 is great. It's very early in the cycle and no one knows what the timeline will be like this cycle anyways.

 

[wya2020]

I already have my application verified w my state school and secondaries for some schools prewritten. Goal is to be done with everything before the end of the month aka why I’m trying to finalize a school list. Hopefully that will be ok for this cycle

 

[deleted697308]

I already have my application verified w my state school and secondaries for some schools prewritten. Goal is to be done with everything before the end of the month aka why I’m trying to finalize a school list. Hopefully that will be ok for this cycle

It is september so it is a little late... If you don't get an acceptance this cycle it has to do with your submission date not your step score. Submit the first day next year. your stats are perfect for most MD programs (obviously not the Harvards of the world but who cares lol)

 

[mm5869]

i feel like going from 502 to 511...is a terrific outcome. what was the expectation here?

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

This is a pretty good improvement for a retake. Relax.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

Ohio State, Loyola, SLU, Miami, UIC, ...you're competitive for all of those Midwest and out of state private schools. GPA is excellent. 511 is not a low score - it is around the average accepted for MD (cough *nerdddds* are the reason it's so artificially inflated) unless maybe you were aiming for super high tier programs. I have friends who were accepted with 504s (NOT URM, LOW SES, FIRST GEN) into MD schools.
You might want to wait for next cycle to apply though.

Definitely not Ohio St

 

[deleted697308]

Definitely not Ohio St

My friend was accepted there with a 506 lol. and was out of state w/ no ties so yes this person would be competitive. And my other friend was accepted there with a 507 also OOS so lol no. this person is competitive for all schools especially with such a high GPA.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

My friend was accepted there with a 506 lol. and was out of state w/ no ties so yes this person would be competitive. And my other friend was accepted there with a 507 also OOS so lol no. this person is competitive for all schools especially with such a high GPA.

That's annectodal evidence that doens't prove the fact somebody is competitive somewhere.

edit: Also, I really doubt your story about your friends. The MSAR says the 10th percentile for OOS acceptees at OSU is 508. So to say OP is "competitive" at this school is a facrce. Not rooting against him, but a 506 is not "competitive" at somewhere like Ohio St.

 

[KnightDoc]

i feel like going from 502 to 511...is a terrific outcome. what was the expectation here?

This^^^^^. You never said how you were doing on your FLs, but a 9 point improvement is fantastic. 511 is good, but not great, and, as you know, 502 is kinda low. You had a significant improvement. If you were getting 517s on you FLs, then I'm sure it's a disappointment, but if it's within around 3 points of your FLs, either way, then it's what you should have expected. If it's a better than that, why are you posting????

At this point, depending on the school, you will be viewed as having something between 507 and 511. The rest of your app looks fine. As long as you apply to enough DO schools, you are going to be a doctor, no matter what happens with MD. Good luck!!!

 

[wya2020]

This^^^^^. You never said how you were doing on your FLs, but a 9 point improvement is fantastic. 511 is good, but not great, and, as you know, 502 is kinda low. You had a significant improvement. If you were getting 517s on you FLs, then I'm sure it's a disappointment, but if it's within around 3 points of your FLs, either way, then it's what you should have expected. If it's a better than that, why are you posting????

At this point, depending on the school, you will be viewed as having something between 507 and 511. The rest of your app looks fine. As long as you apply to enough DO schools, you are going to be a doctor, no matter what happens with MD. Good luck!!!

Would only applying MD be unwise? I have no experience with DO so that’s why I ask. Game plan was if I have no updates by November, then submit DO app that month but not sure how verification works and if I should submit earlier. My AMCAS is verified

My lowest full length was a 515 which is why I’m a little upset. My lowest score on the real ended up being in my best section. I knew coming out that I’d made dumb mistakes as I changed some discrete questions last min in my that section in an unjustified moment of panic...not sure why, but you’re right. Thank you.

 

[Hzreio]

My friend was accepted there with a 506 lol. and was out of state w/ no ties so yes this person would be competitive. And my other friend was accepted there with a 507 also OOS so lol no. this person is competitive for all schools especially with such a high GPA.

506 with an mcat avg of 517 is not competitive... lol

 

[wya2020]

When applying to schools should I make a list based on the average of my two scores or my latest score? Should I email med schools and ask or just go off of what their websites say?

 

[KnightDoc]

Would only applying MD be unwise? I have no experience with DO so that’s why I ask. Game plan was if I have no updates by November, then submit DO app that month but not sure how verification works and if I should submit earlier. My AMCAS is verified

My lowest full length was a 515 which is why I’m a little upset. My lowest score on the real ended up being in my best section. I knew coming out that I’d made dumb mistakes as I changed some discrete questions last min in my that section in an unjustified moment of panic...not sure why, but you’re right. Thank you.

DO cycle runs later, so you should be fine, but you are unlikely to have any MD As by November (very few are issued by then), so you have no reason to wait if you want a greater assurance of going to med school next year. If you don't like DO, you don't have to go that route. You can stick to MD only if you are willing to see what happens and make improvements as a reapplicant if you are unsuccessful this cycle.

You have a very decent shot, but, despite your excellent GPA, you are not a slam dunk guaranteed A because of the MCATs. You are not URM or low SES, are you? If you are, that would change everything.

And yes, if your lowest FL was 515, I'd be disappointed too. What was your FL average? Maybe even consider another retake next year if you are not successful this cycle and you have good reason to believe you could hit 517+. That could absolutely make a difference, if necessary. If that's in the cards, and you don't really want DO, that would be a good reason NOT to apply DO this cycle. You just need to be careful not to rely on relatively high FL scores if they are from FLs that you used when preparing for your first exam, because those will be inflated since you saw the questions before, even if you don't consciously remember them.

 

[wya2020]

DO cycle runs later, so you should be fine, but you are unlikely to have any MD As by November (very few are issued by then), so you have no reason to wait if you want a greater assurance of going to med school next year. If you don't like DO, you don't have to go that route. You can stick to MD only if you are willing to see what happens and make improvements as a reapplicant if you are unsuccessful this cycle.

You have a very decent shot, but, despite your excellent GPA, you are not a slam dunk guaranteed A because of the MCATs. You are not URM or low SES, are you? If you are, that would change everything.

And yes, if your lowest FL was 515, I'd be disappointed too. What was your FL average? Maybe even consider another retake next year if you are not successful this cycle and you have good reason to believe you could hit 517+. That could absolutely make a difference, if necessary. If that's in the cards, and you don't really want DO, that would be a good reason NOT to apply DO this cycle.

I’m 1/2 Chinese and 1/2 Mexican so I’m not sure if I qualify as URM? I don’t speak Spanish as we only spoke English at home, but I did a lot of volunteering with a Latino organization addressing healthcare disparity so I am well-connected to my background. Not low SES.

FL avg was 517. Would taking it a third time look super bad ?

 

[KnightDoc]

I’m 1/2 Chinese and 1/2 Mexican so I’m not sure if I qualify as URM? I don’t speak Spanish as we only spoke English at home, but I did a lot of volunteering with a Latino organization addressing healthcare disparity so I am well-connected to my background. Not low SES.

FL avg was 517. Would taking it a third time look super bad ?

Sorry, you did say that in earlier posts!! Again, you might get some love as 1/2 Mexican, but I don't know enough to know about that one way or the other.
Taking it a third time will not be super bad if you do much better (at least 515, hopefully 517+). Contrary to some others, I don't think retaking a mediocre score is inherently bad if you have good reason to believe you can do much better, as opposed to just living with the score and settling for whatever you can get. It is not, however, without risk, because if you do worse it will hurt. That said, if you have an unsuccessful cycle and aren't interested in DO, it is definitely one aspect of your application that can be improved.

 

[Sky138]

Don’t retake it. Just wait it out and see where the cycle takes you. Also there’s no need to force it. If for some reason you don’t get accepted to a pass/fail md school this round and you managed to get into a DO school, would you feel better knowing you have to directly compete with your classmates because you didn’t take a year to just chill, especially with step 1 going pass/fail?

 

[GreenDuck12]

Retaker here:

2019: 502 - 126/127/123/126
2020: 511: 127/128/128(Bio)/128

Did I just shoot myself in the foot? Does my second score compensate for my first or have I kind of solidified a poor outcome for myself this cycle

CGPA and sGPA both at 3.85 - not sure if it matters lol

The average MCAT score is just above a 511 for accepted applicants to MD programs. Just as many folks with higher mcat scores than you are admitted with lower scores than you. More accurately, many more people are accepted with below mean scores to offset the applicants who are accepted with a 520+. You’re in a good position, a 9 point gain is nothing to sneeze at. However, always plan and act as if you will be a reapplicant and keep building your resume.

 

[deleted697308]

That's annectodal evidence that doens't prove the fact somebody is competitive somewhere.

edit: Also, I really doubt your story about your friends. The MSAR says the 10th percentile for OOS acceptees at OSU is 508. So to say OP is "competitive" at this school is a facrce. Not rooting against him, but a 506 is not "competitive" at somewhere like Ohio St.

It's true lol. Not lying. They're going to graduate this year and one graduated last year. You just have to shoot your shot at a lot of programs and someone will take you. You might be surprised. I got into a program where I was below the 10th percentile for mcat AND gpa. My fiance had a top 5 med school interview with an mcat below 510. You don't know what people are going to like and if fall in that range or love a program give it a try.

 

[deleted697308]

DO cycle runs later, so you should be fine, but you are unlikely to have any MD As by November (very few are issued by then), so you have no reason to wait if you want a greater assurance of going to med school next year. If you don't like DO, you don't have to go that route. You can stick to MD only if you are willing to see what happens and make improvements as a reapplicant if you are unsuccessful this cycle.

You have a very decent shot, but, despite your excellent GPA, you are not a slam dunk guaranteed A because of the MCATs. You are not URM or low SES, are you? If you are, that would change everything.

And yes, if your lowest FL was 515, I'd be disappointed too. What was your FL average? Maybe even consider another retake next year if you are not successful this cycle and you have good reason to believe you could hit 517+. That could absolutely make a difference, if necessary. If that's in the cards, and you don't really want DO, that would be a good reason NOT to apply DO this cycle. You just need to be careful not to rely on relatively high FL scores if they are from FLs that you used when preparing for your first exam, because those will be inflated since you saw the questions before, even if you don't consciously remember them.

You really don't want to deprove in your score. It will make it different. There was someone on these forums when I applied who deproved between takes and it made it difficult. On the other hand I had a friend who stayed stagnant between two retakes and on the third got above a 520. You have a decent shot but applying this late is going to be hard, even for DO school. Improve on your app in the time being and send updates to programs who accept them. If you don't want to go to a DO school apply next cycle to DO programs when you apply to MD as well.