Any downside to not checking "planned MCAT retake" box on AMCAS?

[corpus luteum]

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What is the tradeoff between checking the box on AMCAS that you plan to retake the MCAT and possibly just getting your app put into the school's "ignore for now" pile?

Is it okay to not check the box but then send in a new score in August? Any downside to that?

 

[flip26]

If your current MCAT score is not high enough, you could get your app effectively "rejected" or ignored by schools that screen.

The box is there to notify schools that another MCAT score is pending. Why wouldn't you do this if that is your goal?

 

[corpus luteum]

If your current MCAT score is not high enough, you could get your app effectively "rejected" or ignored by schools that screen.

The box is there to notify schools that another MCAT score is pending. Why wouldn't you do this if that is your goal?

Because I thought it might be more important to submit early (in June) with a lower score (31Q) than effectively submitting my app in August, because I'm assuming most schools probably wouldn't consider me until after seeing my new score.

 

[justinbaily]

This is actually an interesting dilema. Were you scoring 35+ on all of your full-length tests?

 

[corpus luteum]

This is actually an interesting dilema. Were you scoring 35+ on all of your full-length tests?

No, generally low- to mid-30s (32-35), with my last diag before MCAT being 41. The main issue is that I got a 9 on verbal which puts me at a big disadvantage for most schools, and I had been consistently scoring 10+ on my practice tests. However, I do believe I can score higher than 11's on the science sections as well.

 

[nonamesleft]

What is the tradeoff between checking the box on AMCAS that you plan to retake the MCAT and possibly just getting your app put into the school's "ignore for now" pile?

Is it okay to not check the box but then send in a new score in August? Any downside to that?

I'm also wondering about this...I have a 32Q (11PS, 11VR, 10BS)..I'm scheduled for a Aug 4th retake..which would put me significantly behind in the app cycle I think.

 

[gravitywave]

i don't feel that August is too late, although I'm in the minority on that. does it hurt, yes. does it hurt you more than that MCAT score you know you can improve 3 or more points? no way. Tick the box and submit AMCAS with one school no later than July 1. Retake MCAT no later than July 16th, use the forums to get all the secondary prompts, complete your essays before the secondaries arrive so you can turn them around the same day you get them. Add more schools to AMCAS the day you get your new scores. if your LORs are in order, you're complete everywhere by early September. not ideal, but better than submitting earlier with a lower MCAT.

of course, if you crash and burn on the July MCAT, you've really put yourself at a disadvantage. caveat emptor.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

if you know you're retaking but don't say you are, that's fraud dude

 

[catswym]

if you know you're retaking but don't say you are, that's fraud dude

what if you don't know though? I got a 31P and am applying first thing in june. Although I've been studying I haven't taken more practice exams to see if my scores have significantly improved and won't be able to until after I want to submit. I don't want to be in the "wait and see" pile if I ultimately decide that I can't improve my score significantly but I also don't want to be considered fraudulent, as you say above, by later submitting another MCAT score.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

why are you studying if you aren't going to retake? sounds backwards.

 

[Dianyla]

why are you studying if you aren't going to retake? sounds backwards.

Given that most medical schools use your newest score, you absolutely don't want the score to go down. You only want to be able to significantly improve it. One might spend significant effort studying and then decide at the last minute that they don't feel confident that their score will improve significantly. Or one might actually sit for the exam, and decide to void it if they went down in flames.

My question is whether marking the "planned retake" box really does keep your application in limbo. Searching past posts on this, some people have reported hearing back from schools based on their first score, before their retake score was available. Is it school specific?

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Given that most medical schools use your newest score, you absolutely don't want the score to go down. You only want to be able to significantly improve it. One might spend significant effort studying and then decide at the last minute that they don't feel confident that their score will improve significantly. Or one might actually sit for the exam, and decide to void it if they went down in flames.

My question is whether marking the "planned retake" box really does keep your application in limbo. Searching past posts on this, some people have reported hearing back from schools based on their first score, before their retake score was available. Is it school specific?

that to me all falls under "plan to retake." just because you decide not to at the last minute doesn't mean you weren't planning on it.

med schools won't read your file with a pending MCAT retake, but this is a much better fate than them finding out after the fact that you had planned on retaking all along..

 

[flip26]

Given that most medical schools use your newest score, you absolutely don't want the score to go down. You only want to be able to significantly improve it. One might spend significant effort studying and then decide at the last minute that they don't feel confident that their score will improve significantly. Or one might actually sit for the exam, and decide to void it if they went down in flames.

My question is whether marking the "planned retake" box really does keep your application in limbo. Searching past posts on this, some people have reported hearing back from schools based on their first score, before their retake score was available. Is it school specific?

Many schools do not screen for secondaries - they send them to everyone. So it is hard to know what you mean by people hearing back from schools - their score may have had nothing to do with what they heard.