Any way to cancel old MCAT scores?

[tiagoe]

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Hi All,

This may be a stupid question but any suggestions would be appreciated...

I was dealing with a lot of medical issues - and went ahead and wrote the MCAT twice (did HORRIBLY highest score was a 15), but then I got myself fixed up and studied my ass off and scored a 38 my third time around. Does anyone know if there is any sort of appeal process for people who had medical reasons for their poor scores, to have those scores removed?

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

No way. If there were, things would get out of hand in a hurry.

 

[nabilesmail]

Dude you got a 38, if I was an adcom I would ASSUME you had some kind of huge issue that prevented you from your capability, I think you are fine

 

[tiagoe]

Dude you got a 38, if I was an adcom I would ASSUME you had some kind of huge issue that prevented you from your capability, I think you are fine

Okay, that makes me feel better. Thanks! 🙂

 

[deleted480308]

that's like kate upton suing her middle school yearbook now for a bad picture.....you are so fine now, the past doesn't matter

 

[xffan624]

Hi All,

This may be a stupid question but any suggestions would be appreciated...

I was dealing with a lot of medical issues - and went ahead and wrote the MCAT twice (did HORRIBLY highest score was a 15), but then I got myself fixed up and studied my ass off and scored a 38 my third time around. Does anyone know if there is any sort of appeal process for people who had medical reasons for their poor scores, to have those scores removed?

How old? Most schools don't take scores older than 3 years so if it's that old, it will show up on your AMCAS (mine from 2003 even showed up), but the schools probably won't put it in your MCAT calculation.

If it's more recent, it might limit you at some schools especially the ones that average out the scores. I would call some ADCOM's and get an idea of how they would perceive it.

 

[def1]

I hate to be this guy, but why do people say they "wrote the MCAT"? Is that the correct way to say it?

 

[xffan624]

I hate to be this guy, but why do people say they "wrote the MCAT"? Is that the correct way to say it?

It's apparently a canadian thing, eh?

 

[sinombre]

I hate to be this guy, but why do people say they "wrote the MCAT"? Is that the correct way to say it?

It's Canadian.

Also, am I the only one who reads these threads as if they were hypothetical?

 

[survivordo]

Can you imagine the posts on here if you could actually cancel MCAT scores with a significant enough reason "I had a hangnail that affected my mouse-clicking ability, do you think they will cancel?" "My girlfriend forgot to tell me good luck the night before throwing me into a state of depression, do you think they will cancel?"

To the OP, you rocked it on your third try, you will be good to go, I wouldn't sweat your previous performance the only thing they might question is your choice to take the test when you clearly should have known you were not going to perform up to your standards.

Survivor DO

 

[Pons Asinorum]

I will go ahead and be a little contrarian. That 38 is definitely nice, but it's a lot less nice coming after two prior attempts, both at <15 total. You don't get do-overs and multiple tries at tests post-MCAT, and some programs and adcomm members will worry that the 38 was a fluke or that there is some underlying risk. Apply broadly and you will do fine, but don't think that a third-try 38 has the same legs that a first-try 38 has. Just don't think that you can now apply only top tier because your MCAT is that high. I would imagine some of the grades from prior years would reflect the difficulties you were facing, and hence might also call into question the true "value" of that 38. I think you'll be fine and sitting on an acceptance one day, but no, those terrible scores don't just disappear. They still mean something.

 

[nabilesmail]

I will go ahead and be a little contrarian. That 38 is definitely nice, but it's a lot less nice coming after two prior attempts, both at <15 total. You don't get do-overs and multiple tries at tests post-MCAT, and some programs and adcomm members will worry that the 38 was a fluke or that there is some underlying risk. Apply broadly and you will do fine, but don't think that a third-try 38 has the same legs that a first-try 38 has. Just don't think that you can now apply only top tier because your MCAT is that high. I would imagine some of the grades from prior years would reflect the difficulties you were facing, and hence might also call into question the true "value" of that 38. I think you'll be fine and sitting on an acceptance one day, but no, those terrible scores don't just disappear. They still mean something.

Meh, I seriously don't think so, a 15 is too far away from a 38, it shows there was something preventing him earlier.

His 38 is not as pwoerful as a first time 38, BUT BARELY, it still trumps the 37's

 

[xffan624]

Meh, I seriously don't think so, a 15 is too far away from a 38, it shows there was something preventing him earlier.

Which would make some ADCOM's worry if that problem will happen again. OP, on your applications you definitely need to be specific and clear about the problems and that they are not part of a recurring illness.

Good job on the score, BTW!

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Which would make some ADCOM's worry if that problem will happen again. OP, on your applications you definitely need to be specific and clear about the problems and that they are not part of a recurring illness.

Good job on the score, BTW!

This too. Should have said congrats, explain it, life will go on.

 

[tiagoe]

Which would make some ADCOM's worry if that problem will happen again. OP, on your applications you definitely need to be specific and clear about the problems and that they are not part of a recurring illness.

Good job on the score, BTW!

Thanks for the positive posts guys! This is what I worry about xffan624 - if I explain/dwell on the illness to much I'm afraid they will see me as a liability and worry it will reoccur. I guess I need to be careful with how I write my personal statement

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks for the positive posts guys! This is what I worry about xffan624 - if I explain/dwell on the illness to much I'm afraid they will see me as a liability and worry it will reoccur. I guess I need to be careful with how I write my personal statement

You are right. You have demonstrated evidence of the devastating effect your condition can have on your performance. Everyone will weigh the risk of recurrence aganist the benefit of your contribution.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Some schools average your scores automatically, so 15 + 15 + 38 = 68 then /3 = 22.6 MCAT score. You should really research where you're applying before doing so.

 

[khrisskhoras]

If it was one 15 and then a 38, it wouldn't be as bad, but two consecutive 15's followed by a 38 is somewhat shaky. Nonetheless good job on the 38 and you should be accepted somewhere eventually.

 

[gyngyn]

Some schools average your scores automatically, so 15 + 15 + 38 = 68 then /3 = 22.6 MCAT score. You should really research where you're applying before doing so.

No one really does this in such a situation. You do realize this?