Advice needed

[Shadowade]

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Hi all, I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction. Recently signed up for a January 13 MCAT retake after getting a 26 in March of 2014. Unfortunately I got very sick the day of and I guess I choked. Couldn't focus at all and had trouble with timing cause of how I felt. I was averaging a 31-32 on my recent practice exams but decided to void because I had to end up guessing on too many questions and thought the risk for a second bad score was too great.

Honestly it's very discouraging as I spent the last 2 months diligently preparing and took time off work. It really sucks that I let the opportunity slip but I want to pick myself up and fix this. Would it would be worth it to take the new MCAT in April/May? I originally graduated in 2013 with a 3.78 GPA and really do not want to miss on this upcoming cycle. After I graduated I've been working as a ER scribe and also recently as a PT tech to pick up some extra money (though it's been a plus that I get to deal directly with patients as opposed to scribing). I have a year of unpublished research during undergrad as well as clinical and non-clinical volunteering and leadership experience through work. What else do you guys think I could/should do?

 

[bbbaaa]

That sucks that yesterday didn't go well for you. It sounds like you'll have a good application besides your MCAT, so if you want MD school then I think you know what you have to do - spend another few months diligently preparing for the new test and get that 31-32 and be set.

 

[Shadowade]

You're right I guess I just needed to vent. Would I be competitive for some DO schools even with the 26? I'm also concerned with being so far removed from school, but I don't see how a master's might help (graduated with a kinesiology degree). Some family stuff happened and I took another unexpected gap year. How do admissions committees look on just working after graduation for a couple years to support myself? Should I just keep working, retake and apply in June?

Also I was looking at letter of rec requirements. I think I could get one from a chemistry professor but am wondering if kinesiology faculty would also count, as I did research in the biomechanics department. How strict are those 2 science/1 non-science letter guidelines?

 

[bbbaaa]

I'm not very familiar with DO school averages, anywhere between 25 and 29 I believe, a few minutes searching on here will get you plenty of info. Your GPA would be above average, so yeah I suppose you'd have a good shot.

If you believe you can still do much better than a 26, albeit taking a new version of the test, I personally would try again in a few months. It's not like we're talking about waiting another application cycle, just another miserable few months, which may be the difference between DO and MD school. So it depends on your priorities I suppose.

This being the nontraditional forum, everyone here took time off after college to do one thing or another, I don't think it's a disadvantage so long as you can explain yourself well.

My LOR's were kind of off too- I had one from an accounting professor from undergrad (my major), one from a physics professor from my post-bacc, one from a doctor I worked for and one from a partner at the accounting firm where I worked. If i remember correctly this combination only technically violated one or two schools requirements, and at least one had a section where I could explain why my combination was different. Caveat- I didn't get into those schools but I'd be surprised if that was the reason.

 

[JW2020]

26 would be competitive for many DO schools, especially given your other stats/ECs . Even at DO schools with higher MCAT averages (28-29 is the highest I've seen) you would possibly still have a shot.

 

[Shadowade]

Thanks for the tips so far. I may consider that option as well. I'm not a genius by any means but I think I could be capable of an 80th percentile score on the new test (whatever the new 30 is) but will have to balance with work. I believe I can get a strong MD letter and research letter, but may have to check boxes with some of the other letter requirements especially being so far out from school. Am I right in thinking that another degree wouldn't necessarily help me? I've been reading about SMPs but those seem really expensive, and I was lucky to graduate with zero undergrad debt with scholarships, grants, and working.