513 MCAT Retake?

[steezmed]

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Hi all, I'm in a bit of a pickle. I just received my 1/11 MCAT score: 513 (128/125/130/130). This was my second attempt (first was 504). My practice FLs average was 517.8 and I know that if I retake it in April or May, I can certainly score higher, but I'm not sure how time efficient it is to dedicate time to studying and if I could score significantly higher to make a difference. On one hand, I can retake it and score higher to compensate for my GPA, but on the other I could use that time to gain more non-clincal hours and work on my app. Here are my stats for reference as well as my current school list (I'll be applying during the 2025-2026 cycle). Any advice helps 🙂

• ORM (Asian)
• CA applicant (FGLI)
• cGPA: 3.78 sGPA: 3.73
• Clinical activities:
  • Event EMT - 500 hours
  • EMT (IFT) - 300 hours
  • Bedside Care Volunteer (supportive care floor at hospital) - 50 hours
  • MA and Scribe (volunteer clinic for uninsured patients) - just started but expecting at least 300 hours
    • I plan on allocating some of these scribing hours for shadowing
• Non-clinical activities:
  • Breakfast Distribution Volunteer - 70 hours
  • Foodbank Volunteer - 130 hours
• Extracurriculars:
  • First-generation Mentor - 150 hours
  • Career programming director - 100 hours
  • Biochemical researcher - 570 hours

School List

 

[wysdoc]

"My practice FLs average was 517.8 and I know that if I retake it, I can certainly score higher"

You had an excellent score improvement from 504 to 513, much higher than the usual score change on retake, which is 2-3 points (up or down)

I advise you to leave it here, and instead search the database carefully for schools in your stats range.

 

[Faha]

You do not need to retake a MCAT of 513. You would benefit from more non clinical volunteering hours (schools such as Loyola expect several hundred hours). Some of your schools are unrealistic with your stats.I suggest these schools:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
UMass
Albany
New York Medical College
Hackensack
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Georgetown
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
Belmont
NOVA MD
Tulane
TCU
Creighton
St. Louis
Ponce (St.Louis)
Alice Walton
Rosalind Franklin
Illinois
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Arizona (Phoenix)
California University
Kaiser
Loma Linda (if you fit their mission)
The UCs (except Riverside unless you are from that region)
Methodist (when it opens)
Roseman (when it opens)

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You should clearly define your purpose as a physician and choose schools that align with your mission. Right now, your profile doesn't give me that insight.

 

[steezmed]

You should clearly define your purpose as a physician and choose schools that align with your mission. Right now, your profile doesn't give me that insight.

Can you clarify what you mean? Did you want me to go more in depth in explaining my activities?

 

[steezmed]

You do not need to retake a MCAT of 513. You would benefit from more non clinical volunteering hours (schools such as Loyola expect several hundred hours). Some of your schools are unrealistic with your stats.I suggest these schools:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
UMass
Albany
New York Medical College
Hackensack
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Georgetown
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
Belmont
NOVA MD
Tulane
TCU
Creighton
St. Louis
Ponce (St.Louis)
Alice Walton
Rosalind Franklin
Illinois
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Arizona (Phoenix)
California University
Kaiser
Loma Linda (if you fit their mission)
The UCs (except Riverside unless you are from that region)
Methodist (when it opens)
Roseman (when it opens)

Thank you for your insight! I knew, ultimately, that I could strengthen my non-clinical experiences, but knowing that I could've done better on the MCAT clouded my judgement. I will look into the schools you provided.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Can you clarify what you mean? Did you want me to go more in depth in explaining my activities?

Yes (second question).

For a priority, I would work on your non-clinical volunteering. More hours in the food distribution activities you mentioned. But I don't see why these experiences are relevant to your purpose as a physician... from the lack of information, it's a checklist item to avoid getting screened out. Why should you care about the community service you are doing when I bring my family member to see you as a physician?