Confused!

[kemisse]

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I have been studing for MCAT for the last two months side by side with a full time job and school. I took my first kaplan full length exam and score 22. Now I am afraid may be I am not ready for this April. But, since it is my first time I just want to take it and see what it looks like and take it in August again. How ever, I am confused if schools going to take the average or the higher score when I aply later? help me out here ..........April or August?

 

[oxeye]

Don't take the MCAT just to see how you will do! Medical schools will still see that score.

Study a bit more, take more practice tests - if you aren't scoring close to what you would like to score then put it off until August.

 

[Law2Doc]

I have been studing for MCAT for the last two months side by side with a full time job and school. I took my first kaplan full length exam and score 22. Now I am afraid may be I am not ready for this April. But, since it is my first time I just want to take it and see what it looks like and take it in August again. How ever, I am confused if schools going to take the average or the higher score when I aply later? help me out here ..........April or August?

If you are not ready to take the MCAT for real DO NOT TAKE IT. Your score will stick with you, be seen by schools, and taint your application. Even if you do great in August, your April score will still be there to make you appear weaker than others who get the same ultimate score as you. Kaplan has practice tests for you to see how you do -- do not do this through AMCAS where it actually counts. Bad idea.

 

[QofQuimica]

I have been studing for MCAT for the last two months side by side with a full time job and school. I took my first kaplan full length exam and score 22. Now I am afraid may be I am not ready for this April. But, since it is my first time I just want to take it and see what it looks like and take it in August again. How ever, I am confused if schools going to take the average or the higher score when I aply later? help me out here ..........April or August?

I want to emphasize what the other posters have said by telling you that the old scores NEVER go away. I took the MCAT for the first time in 1996, and that score is STILL on my record, and it STILL got transferred to the med schools by AMCAS when I applied in 2005. If you are not consistently hitting 8s or better on all of the sections of your practice tests, you are better off waiting until you are more prepared.

Edit: It's also a good idea to take one or two of the AAMC tests. These are available to you free of charge through your Kaplan center. The last two tests (AAMC tests 7 and 8) are the most recent, most representative ones.

 

[MediMama23]

I want to emphasize what the other posters have said by telling you that the old scores NEVER go away. I took the MCAT for the first time in 1996, and that score is STILL on my record, and it STILL got transferred to the med schools by AMCAS when I applied in 2005. If you are not consistently hitting 8s or better on all of the sections of your practice tests, you are better off waiting until you are more prepared.

Edit: It's also a good idea to take one or two of the AAMC tests. These are available to you free of charge through your Kaplan center. The last two tests (AAMC tests 7 and 8) are the most recent, most representative ones.

Q, how did the med schools handle the old scores? Did they factor them in, even though they're supposed to expire after 3 years?

 

[MochezzmO]

Is it possible to take the test, and then ask for it not to be graded?

Thanks

Peace

 

[QofQuimica]

Q, how did the med schools handle the old scores? Did they factor them in, even though they're supposed to expire after 3 years?

I don't know. Probably every school does something different. But they definitely see the old scores. I can see them myself when I log in to the MCAT website and also on my AMCAS. None of my interviewers ever brought up the old scores except in the context of wanting to know how I did so much better the second time. (My first score was nine points lower.) I'd guess that if the scores are old enough, and you did well on the test recently, the old scores probably won't hurt you that much. But the OP was talking April to August, so those first scores are still going to count at some schools.

Moch, even if you do that, the schools will still know that you attempted the test. The AAMC will put the attempt on your record. There isn't any loophole, unfortunately.

One other.thing to keep in mind is that once you've taken the test three times, you have to get their permission to take it again a fourth time. To do this, you have to promise that you're taking it for medical school admissions purposes and show them something like a rejection letter so that they know you're really applying. I've never heard of anyone being denied permission for a fourth take, but it could still be a hassle.

EDIT: Actually, the AAMC only keeps info on voids for its own administrative records, and does not release that info to the schools. See my other post further down. The void does count as one of your three tries though.

 

[MediMama23]

I don't know. Probably every school does something different. But they definitely see the old scores. I can see them myself when I log in to the MCAT website and also on my AMCAS. None of my interviewers ever brought up the old scores except in the context of wanting to know how I did so much better the second time. (My first score was nine points lower.) I'd guess that if the scores are old enough, and you did well on the test recently, the old scores probably won't hurt you that much. But the OP was talking April to August, so those first scores are still going to count at some schools.

Moch, even if you do that, the schools will still know that you attempted the test. The AAMC will put the attempt on your record. There isn't any loophole, unfortunately.

One other.thing to keep in mind is that once you've taken the test three times, you have to get their permission to take it again a fourth time. To do this, you have to promise that you're taking it for medical school admissions purposes and show them something like a rejection letter so that they know you're really applying. I've never heard of anyone being denied permission for a fourth take, but it could still be a hassle.

REALLY?!?!?! They'll know if you voided?

 

[QofQuimica]

REALLY?!?!?! They'll know if you voided?

Yes. They won't know the score, and neither will you, but they keep track of every time you attempt the test. You guys should really check out the AAMC MCAT manual: http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/studentmanual/start.htm Download it and read it. Seriously.

 

[MediMama23]

Yes. They won't know the score, and neither will you, but they keep track of every time you attempt the test. You guys should really check out the AAMC MCAT manual: http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/studentmanual/start.htm Download it and read it. Seriously.

Downloaded it. Read it. Didn't see the part about knowing you attempted it, but I'll take your word for it.

I wonder what the point is in saying that MCAT scores are "no good" after 3 years if they're still going to factor them in.

Ahhhh, well.

 

[QofQuimica]

Downloaded it. Read it. Didn't see the part about knowing you attempted it, but I'll take your word for it.

I wonder what the point is in saying that MCAT scores are "no good" after 3 years if they're still going to factor them in.

Ahhhh, well.

Hmm, maybe they aren't letting people void scores any more. Because I don't see ANYTHING about voiding scores at all. Here's the 2006 MCAT manual link: http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/mcatessentials2006.pdf

Nothing in there about voiding, either.

Edit: In fact, the paragraph titled Primary Release Information on p. 10 makes it sound like you MUST release your scores to the AAMC. Huh.

Edit: Ok, I found it. You CAN void. The void counts for AAMC administrative purposes only. (They won't give you a refund, and it still counts as one of your three tries.) But they don't tell the schools.