Apply this summer or wait/retake?

[XRanger]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I posted this somewhere and never got answered. I just got my mcat score and it was ok. Now i'm contemplating whether I should just apply anyway or take a year off and retake the mcat next year?

here's what I got,

MCAT score 30Q (10V, 9PS, 11BS)
30 is my average MCAT practice test, but then I only had 1 month to study

my other stats:
3.75 overall GPA (3.85 BCPM)
good ECs (medical mission to vietnam, monthly mission trip to mexico, officer position in a premed club, research, hospital volunteer, and other small volunteer stuffs, received $5000 scholarship <-- does this even help?)

I'm happy with verbal because I usually gets 8-9s on verbal, i've only gotten 10 few times and 11 once (english is my 2nd language). Bio is where my average is, but PS i usually get 11-12, so i'm disspoainted with 9. Overall, my MCAT score is the average of my practice tests, but i only had a month to study and feel like I could've done better with more practice, but then again, but i dont know because my verbal might go down.

I'm a CA resident, and plannign to apply to all CA schools and some OOS schools. I really want to stay in CA though. but I know my chances in CA schools are slim, so should I take a year off and retake it or apply this summer? and if apply what OOS schools should I apply to??

 

[SketchLazy]

It's usually not a good idea to retake if you are scoring within your averages. I think you should just apply this year and see how it goes. But if you do retake, you should probably put the whole application cycle off until next year so you have enough time to study and do at least a couple points better. When you're at 30, the amount that each extra point sets you further and further apart from the rest of the applicants is significant. This is true until you hit about a 37, then extra points don't matter so much. So even 2 points above 30 will put you in the 84th percentile as appose to the 74th. Three above 30, and you're sitting on the 90th percentile. Your score looks good though because you scored well in verbal and bio which are the sections that seem to matter most to medical schools. I've read somewhere that verbal scores correlate to board scores, and of course how well you do in bio is important.

It's getting more and more competitive, especially for California residents, so I would suggest that you apply to a lot of OOS schools. Find schools that are OOS friendly. You can start from the list that I put together for my application year because I had that in mind when I put it together. I didn't apply to Loma Linda or DO schools like Western. You should apply to those if you really want to stay in CA.

 

[chad5871]

I have nearly the same score (except for 12 in BS and a R in the WS). I would say go ahead and apply this year. A 30 is still a great score and should get you in somewhere as long as everything else with your application is in order. The average of matriculants is about 30-31.

As far as OOS schools, stick to private ones with less competitive stats that accept a fair number of OOS students, like NYMC, RFU, EVMS, VCU, and GWU. These are just a few suggestions to throw out there - take a look at the MSAR or US News & World Reports for a better idea of where you'd have the most success.

Good luck to you this cycle!

And by the way - with PS I was mad as well because I normally scored within 10-11 range on practice tests (my average was 10.2 for AAMC practice tests). 9 is what I scored on my diagnostic yet that's what I ended up getting on the real test after three months of studying! 😡 Good thing it's generally considered the least important score.

 

[BDNF]

you could consider applying and also retaking. there is an option that you can check in the primary.

but i'm not sure if california schools will send secondaries before the new scores come out.

 

[elderjack21]

I posted this somewhere and never got answered. I just got my mcat score and it was ok. Now i'm contemplating whether I should just apply anyway or take a year off and retake the mcat next year?

here's what I got,

MCAT score 30Q (10V, 9PS, 11BS)
30 is my average MCAT practice test, but then I only had 1 month to study

my other stats:
3.75 overall GPA (3.85 BCPM)
good ECs (medical mission to vietnam, monthly mission trip to mexico, officer position in a premed club, research, hospital volunteer, and other small volunteer stuffs, received $5000 scholarship <-- does this even help?)

I'm happy with verbal because I usually gets 8-9s on verbal, i've only gotten 10 few times and 11 once (english is my 2nd language). Bio is where my average is, but PS i usually get 11-12, so i'm disspoainted with 9. Overall, my MCAT score is the average of my practice tests, but i only had a month to study and feel like I could've done better with more practice, but then again, but i dont know because my verbal might go down.

I'm a CA resident, and plannign to apply to all CA schools and some OOS schools. I really want to stay in CA though. but I know my chances in CA schools are slim, so should I take a year off and retake it or apply this summer? and if apply what OOS schools should I apply to??

CA schools are tough to get into, do you count as a "disadvantaged student" at their schools? If so, I would say you have an excellent chance with your stats.

If not, as another poster said, look good and hard at some out of state private schools as well. You may as well apply and see what happens. It is a learning experience one way or another. If you wouldn't be happy leaving CA for medical school this year, then you may want to set a couple months aside and rock the MCAT. 30 is a pretty good score though and it should get you in someplace.

Make sure you have someone or a few people edit your PS too...little spelling mistakes would only show too clearly that English is your 2nd language, and you don't need any extra baggage.

Taking a year off to become engaged in some other good ECs isn't a bad thing either.