Bad MCAT or Late Application?

[EasternMer]

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Confused, and turned to SDN for advice. I'm currently sitting on 2 poor MCAT scores (below 30). I just started preparing for my third. I don't want to get into the specifics of my first bad attempts, it was poor judgement, I didn't prepare much at all, but I don't think I deserve for the final nail in my MD coffin to be pounded in for it. Tentatively, I'll be done with studying at the end of April. I'm doing my internship right now, which is teaching full time at a Middle School, so I thought I'd sign up after classes ended but all the May spots were licked up.

So I have two options.

- Take the April 18th MCAT and expedite my studying. I would still be OK but not totally comfortable, and would have to fly into another City and stay there a night.

- Take the June MCAT and apply late. I'd be about 3 weeks behind the first applicants. BUT my main concern in that I'll be screened out of many schools because they'll see my previous MCAT attempts. Also, I have a low-ish sGPA, so I think an early application is my best bet. I am not sure HOW late a late July completion would be.

- Also, if I do decide to do June, I'll have my scores July 21, I'll be verified by AMCAS by then, but does it take longer to be complete at specific schools? How long?


Any advice would be very much appreciated, esp from adcoms! @gyngyn @LizzyM @Goro

Meredith

 

[soccerman93]

A third bad mcat and your application is dead on arrival. Take it when you're ready, and not a moment sooner. If that is in June so be it

 

[meupatdoes]

Personally, I think all of your options are not ideal. I would not apply this upcoming cycle.

I would look at your calendar and your schedule. Pick a date that gives you ample time to study. Don't rush yourself. Take your time. Keep studying until you are ready. With two low MCATs, you really need to do well and show that you are capable of medical school. Examine your study skills.. Why were you scoring so low. Take practice tests till you are scoring where you want to.

After you are prepared and take the MCAT when you are ready, apply the following cycle. Applying late is making a decision to hurt your application before you even start.

It is easy to want to rush things. But, it is better to take your time and set yourself up for success.

 

[EasternMer]

A third bad mcat and your application is dead on arrival. Take it when you're ready, and not a moment sooner. If that is in June so be it

By "ready" I mean I'll have finished 2 months of prep -- what I planned on originally. Believe me, if my Full-Lengths are not near 30 I wouldn't even think about it, but the ones I'm taking right now are 32+.

Honestly the only reason I hesitate is because my last day of prep will be 2 days before the MCAT. I'd always planned to have about a week of no prep before the exam and that's what's getting to me.

 

[EasternMer]

Personally, I think all of your options are not ideal. I would not apply this upcoming cycle.

I would look at your calendar and your schedule. Pick a date that gives you ample time to study. Don't rush yourself. Take your time. Keep studying until you are ready. With two low MCATs, you really need to do well and show that you are capable of medical school. Examine your study skills.. Why were you scoring so low. Take practice tests till you are scoring where you want to.

After you are prepared and take the MCAT when you are ready, apply the following cycle. Applying late is making a decision to hurt your application before you even start.

It is easy to want to rush things. But, it is better to take your time and set yourself up for success.

I believe my current MCAT/GPAs are good for DO Schools (25 - highest MCAT, 3.65 cGPA). And, I will be applying to 5 DO schools. I am really not in favor of delaying two years post-grad for obvious reasons -- I want to start working towards my medical degree as soon as is possible.

I think it's natural to want to prefer an MD, and I do. But I have considered what you'd advised many times over, and I think I'd much rather stick with whatever's equivalent to a 32 than do a post-bacc, try to raise my cGPA, and then go through an app process. I feel like I'm getting hives just thinking about it to be honest lol

 

[TxC]

Being "complete" on 7/21 isn't bad at all. I didn't get my committee letter until around 7/24 last year and I have gotten 9 II's.

 

[EasternMer]

Being "complete" on 7/21 isn't bad at all. I didn't get my committee letter until around 7/24 last year and I have gotten 9 II's.

If you don't mind me asking, what were your stats? And when did you submit your application?

And I hope you'll be able to answer this question for me...if I'm verified by AMCAS and considered complete, am I automatically complete at all schools or does that take additional weeks?

Thanks!

 

[soccerman93]

Have you considered starting a primary app with one school selected, submitting that in early June, then adding schools after your mcat? Seems a good way to apply without taking an additional gap year. Plus schools will see your new and hopefully improved mcat score and screen based in part on that

 

[EasternMer]

Have you considered starting a primary app with one school selected, submitting that in early June, then adding schools after your mcat? Seems a good way to apply without taking an additional gap year. Plus schools will see your new and hopefully improved mcat score and screen based in part on that

I hadn't thought of doing that -- smart idea for sure!

I hope my old MCAT scores don't screen me out. Anyways, they're expired, they will be around 3 years old at time of app.

 

[gyngyn]

I hadn't thought of doing that -- smart idea for sure!

I hope my old MCAT scores don't screen me out. Anyways, they're expired, they will be around 3 years old at time of app.

We always see the old scores. They only expire with regard to usefulness.

 

[TxC]

3.9/33 (pretty average EC's I think). If you submit your primary app early enough so that it is released to med schools as soon as it can be released (usually late June, so submit in early/mid June if you can), once you get your rec letters in and new MCAT in (since you said your old scores are probably expired), you should be complete. I think being complete includes: AMCAS, secondary app, rec letters, and MCAT score.

Edit: submitted around 6/10, AMCAS verified a few days later, and complete at most schools around 7/24 when my letters arrived.

 

[EasternMer]

We always see the old scores.

Right, but I wouldn't get screened out for an old score would I? I wonder if schools screen by most recent score or average

 

[Saxappeal1]

I'm going to echo what other people are saying: take the MCAT when you feel ready. If you have to wait another cycle so be it. The MCAT is a career investment, so taking it when you feel ready is the best way to go in my opinion OP

 

[gyngyn]

Right, but I wouldn't get screened out for an old score would I? I wonder if schools screen by most recent score or average

It will depend on their software (and their standards).

 

[candbgirl]

Although they are "expired" they are still visible on your app. I believe there is a place in the app that you can indicate an upcoming MCAT date so schools will know. What is your sGPA? How are your ECs? You really only want to apply once so if taking an extra gap year will make for a very strong app you should consider it. I understand you want to start med school ASAP but if your application isn't perfect or as strong as possible you might very well end up a reapp. And that wouldn't be good at all!

 

[EasternMer]

It will depend on their software.

Well, while I do think a good amount of people will average my scores, I don't think I'd get screened out, as many 3x'ers have gotten a good plenty of II's.

Well wishes to you all. I will have to mull this over but in the meantime, of course, will continue inhaling my MCAT materials in hopes for a good score.

 

[Goro]

A) Take the MCAT, when you are fully ready for it. That means apply once and early, with the best possible package, even if it means waiting a year. In the eyes of MD schools, (and some of my scolleagues, like my Dean), you're already damaged gfoods for the multiple retakes.

For all schools, do your homework and target schools that take the most recent or best score.

Teaching moment: why would you take a career-deciding, high stales exam when you're not at your best????? We want students who are good choice makers.
Take the April 18th MCAT and expedite my studying. I would still be OK but not totally comfortable, and would have to fly into another City and stay there a night.

Confused, and turned to SDN for advice. I'm currently sitting on 2 poor MCAT scores (below 30). I just started preparing for my third. I don't want to get into the specifics of my first bad attempts, it was poor judgement, I didn't prepare much at all, but I don't think I deserve for the final nail in my MD coffin to be pounded in for it. Tentatively, I'll be done with studying at the end of April. I'm doing my internship right now, which is teaching full time at a Middle School, so I thought I'd sign up after classes ended but all the May spots were licked up.

So I have two options.

- Take the April 18th MCAT and expedite my studying. I would still be OK but not totally comfortable, and would have to fly into another City and stay there a night.

- Take the June MCAT and apply late. I'd be about 3 weeks behind the first applicants. BUT my main concern in that I'll be screened out of many schools because they'll see my previous MCAT attempts. Also, I have a low-ish sGPA, so I think an early application is my best bet. I am not sure HOW late a late July completion would be.

- Also, if I do decide to do June, I'll have my scores July 21, I'll be verified by AMCAS by then, but does it take longer to be complete at specific schools? How long?


Any advice would be very much appreciated, esp from adcoms! @gyngyn @LizzyM @Goro

Meredith

 

[EasternMer]

A) Take the MCAT, when you are fully ready for it. That means apply once and early, with the best possible package, even if it means waiting a year. In the eyes of MD schools, (and some of my scolleagues, like my Dean), you're already damaged gfoods for the multiple retakes.

For all schools, do your homework and target schools that take the most recent or best score.

Teaching moment: why would you take a career-deciding, high stales exam when you're not at your best????? We want students who are good choice makers.
Take the April 18th MCAT and expedite my studying. I would still be OK but not totally comfortable, and would have to fly into another City and stay there a night.

It was complicated. I was a part of a BS/MD program, going through a hard time because my engagement broke off, and just under the pressure cooker.

2 years later, I'm a different person, and I hope adcoms see that.

 

[songl4a]

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[GCSDOC]

To the OP,

Submit your amcas on June 1st with it filled out and your personal statement. Take mcat in June, scores will automatically be updated when released on July 21st. If your LORs have also arrived by then, you will be complete by end of July which is still plenty early enough. Look through school-specific threads, many schools don't even begin reviewing apps until August anyway.