desperately in need of advice

[fleur64]

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Hi,
I am in need of some advice. I completely bombed my june 21st mcat. I got a 23. I was very disappointed since my aamc average was a 32. I am thinking the culprit here was sleep. I was sick before my exam and went into my exam with no sleep. But my question now is, if i do well on my retake how bad does the 23 look? Im sure i will be scoring higher in all the sections. Thank you in advance.

 

[lmn]

How does it look? Bad, of course. How much of a deal breaker is that on your application? It depends on what your next score is and how different schools consider multiple MCAT scores (as well as how strong the rest of your app is). I don't know why you would take the test after not sleeping at all the night before and while sick though... that doesn't really show the best judgement.

 

[godawg300]

Hi,
I am in need of some advice. I completely bombed my june 21st mcat. I got a 23. I was very disappointed since my aamc average was a 32. I am thinking the culprit here was sleep. I was sick before my exam and went into my exam with no sleep. But my question now is, if i do well on my retake how bad does the 23 look? Im sure i will be scoring higher in all the sections. Thank you in advance.

Why does it matter how bad It looks. You already got the 23. If you do much better the 23 will just look like a fluke or that u didn't prepare adequately.

 

[LizzyM]

If you manage of 33 or higher in the retake, any experienced adcom member is going to see that there was something going on and a curious interviewer in an open file interview will ask. I've been generous with applicants who had a reasonable story explaining a poor first MCAT followed by an exceptionally good (>90th percentile) 2nd score.

 

[fleur64]

I was trying to apply this cycle and I thought i would atleast score high 20s but I guess not. mhmm i guess i just have to do well on the next one.

 

[fleur64]

i am just upset that this might mean a bunch of closed doors for the next cycle.

 

[Taco Time]

Stop worrying, study hard, brush up weak areas, and retake this test--chances are you won't be ill and sleep deprived as you were with your first go-round. Like LizzyM said, you will have ample opportunity to explain yourself if you do well the second time. Just don't come across as whiny, and you should be fine. Good luck OP!

 

[fleur64]

thanks for the advice everyone! i started studying again so hopefully the next attempt is stronger.

 

[fleur64]

if my application has not been verified yet, would it be in my best interest to withdraw my application before schools receive my primary?

 

[gyngyn]

if my application has not been verified yet, would it be in my best interest to withdraw my application before schools receive my primary?

Probably. That way you can take your time on the re-take and you won't be a re-applicant.

 

[mednerd1234]

I feel like it would be impressive if you scored low and then retook the exam and scored really high. It would show you worked hard.

 

[zeppelinpage4]

Yeah sometimes **** happens. Really sorry to hear you got sick and it affected your score so drastically.

It sucks, but you can't change what happened. BUT, you most definitely can recover from this. If you were scoring 32 average, that means you should do quite well on the re-take. Schedule another test for when you feel you would be most ready, and put all efforts into doing your best on that, go back in with a vengeance.

I don't know how schools interpret retakes, but I imagine most would clearly see the 23 was a fluke if you do better on the re-take. You may even be able to explain that you were sick, if an interviewer brings it up.

2-cents-Keep looking ahead!

 

[fleur64]

this definitely made me feel a little better! thanks you guys!

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

I'm glad you've decided to pull this year's application. You definitely need to pull your MCAT score up, as you know you can do. There's no question. Hopefully next time around, you won't be sick AND get some good sleep.

 

[James1992]

Be mindful of which schools average your MCAT scores when you apply next cycle. I'm not saying don't apply to these schools but just be aware of the situation.

 

[fleur64]

yeah i found a list of schools that average the mcat, and those that look at the most recent scores. Thankfully the list of those that average isnt too long. but i still have to explain that 23 and hopefully admission committees are understanding after I have a more solid mcat score to compare this one to

 

[AliciaAccepted]

Hi,
I am in need of some advice. I completely bombed my june 21st mcat. I got a 23. I was very disappointed since my aamc average was a 32. I am thinking the culprit here was sleep. I was sick before my exam and went into my exam with no sleep. But my question now is, if i do well on my retake how bad does the 23 look? Im sure i will be scoring higher in all the sections. Thank you in advance.

As long as you retake the exam and improve your score, the first score will not hurt your application. In fact, retaking the exam demonstrates determination and will further support the strength of your application. That being said, I have helped students get accepted into medical school with MCAT scores of 23. It all depends on the strength of your activities, personal statement, and application strategy. The most important factor is where you decide to apply.

Withdrawing your application at this point will not matter since medical schools can see the previous application, regardless of whether you withdrew or not. It's only a click away. Make sure that you're applying to the right schools and see this application cycle through. There is a lot that you can learn from the process. You can always retake the exam ASAP.

I am hosting a webinar on applying to medical school with low scores on Wednesday, July 30 at 5 pm PT (8 pm ET), link attached here to register. Good luck!

 

[Aerus]

You made the right decision withdrawing. So many of my friends just decided to take the MCAT again last cycle after a low first take and weren't verified until later on. Guess what they're doing this cycle. Reapplying.