Discouraged

[Wahooali]

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I am a pseudo-reapplicant. I have started the application process twice now, but withdrawn after submitting my AMCAS due to a lousy MCAT score obtained after submitting my application. Contemplating if I still want to go to med school, and whether or not I can muster up the motivation to tackle the beast (the MCAT) a third time next April if it is still what I want. My Stats: GPA 3.35, Science 3.2 (so not great, but not out of the question) from a good school, excellent ECs and LORs. Most recent MCAT 26Q (10PS, 7VR, 9BS)...scored 28-31 on practice tests...could bring up that VR score by working at it over the next 10 months (plus I scored a 9 on verbal the first time I took it.

So, now I am frustrated, discouraged, dejected, but most of all I am confused. I have to figure out for myself if all of this is worth it, and that is only something I can do. But I wanted to ask if there are any of you out there that have had to take the MCAT 3 times (and DID pull off a solid score in the end), or had another hindrance on your application (GPA, or whatever) that you were able to overcome and eventually get into an allopathic school. Because at this point I do not think it will ever happen, or if it might if it is worth the struggle to get there. You can just PM me if you have any thoughts or helpful stories, tips, etc. Thank you so much.

 

[Robz]

I have had a lot to overcome in my life...GPA and MCAT wise. I did and I even got in with the same MCAT score of 26 as you. I had 4 allopathic interviews this year with 1 acceptance and 2 waitlists. So, it can be done. Though, I chose not to go to the allopathic school I was accepted to make sure you check out all your options before you chalk up a year to take next years MCAT. Apply...live the dream!

 

[Wahooali]

I have had a lot to overcome in my life...GPA and MCAT wise. I did and I even got in with the same MCAT score of 26 as you. I had 4 allopathic interviews this year with 1 acceptance and 2 waitlists. So, it can be done. Though, I chose not to go to the allopathic school I was accepted to make sure you check out all your options before you chalk up a year to take next years MCAT. Apply...live the dream!

Oooh, my RENT buddy! 🙂 Thanks for the input. That is the kind of stuff I really needed to hear.

 

[sistahnik]

you better keep the process going, you never know what may come out of it. ppl are always giving up so easily, come on ppl go take on the day!!! 😀

 

[momof2]

This was my third attempt at the MCAT - I have gotten the same subpar score each time and each time I have studied harder than I did the previous time. I am also frustrated. I will even have to get permission to take it a fourth time if I choose to do so. Like you, my gpa is below the applicant average (lower than yours) and I have excellent EC's and LOR's. Wish there was a good alternative for us...in between MD and PA programs. I haven't lost hope but I have been knocked backwards several steps. I almost wonder if it is a door closing on me.

Let's try together (along with others like us) and hope we are awarded a chance to compete at the interview level where the playing field becomes level at some schools.

 

[aquaboy]

Wahooali,

I have a good friend that took the MCAT 3 times. His scores were 27 the first time, 26 the second time. He took it a 3rd and final time a year later and scored a 30. He is now in med school. I took it twice and improved and got into UVA after reapplying. Good luck, you can do it.

 

[Wahooali]

Wahooali,

I have a good friend that took the MCAT 3 times. His scores were 27 the first time, 26 the second time. He took it a 3rd and final time a year later and scored a 30. He is now in med school. I took it twice and improved and got into UVA after reapplying. Good luck, you can do it.

Hey Aquaboy - thanks for the encouragment and congrats on UVA. Welcome to Charlottesville (even though you've been here a year)...wahoowa!!! 😀

 

[Loula]

How do you calculate your GPA without acually applying. It seems that you all already know your GPA before hitting the AMCAS application. My undergrad GPA is 2.98 from my school. I did a calculation for AMCAS and it's 2.7 now. I don't know if I am making any mistakes.

Help!

 

[redstar18]

I took the mcat 3 times: 25->28->33

I was as discouraged as you this time last year. My advice is try to figure out what is wrong with your studying strategy and work on that, rather than just studying harder. You've gotten this far, getting good grades and spending immense time on your ec's, why not go all the way? Good luck to ya

 

[oldtimer]

Wahooali,

Have you considered DO schools? You should be competitive there. If you want to boost your GPA, do a post-bac. But you probably already know these things... I feel for you.

Taking some time off to get some work experience or pursue a grad degree might also be a good idea. A lot of people seem to boost their MCAT scores after some time away from it.

 

[stinkycheese]

This might make me sound like a shmuck, but I really think that if you want to be a doctor, you need to think long ad hard about your response to your struggle. Applying is only the beginning- getting in, tackling your first and second years, passing Step 1, doing your clerkships with difficult residents and attendings... it is only the beginning. If you are willing to give up after only taking the MCAT twice, how do you feel you might respond after getting your first series of poor evaluations in med school? Would you give up then, too?

If your answer is no, then use that same motivation to tackle the test again. If your answer is yes, then think long and hard about whether medicine is for you.

 

[pyra]

Wahooali,

I had to take the MCAT 3 times, first time 20, second 23, third 30. It just takes a lot of hard work, motivation, and dedication to raise that score. I think you should honestly analyze how much studying did you do the first two times? What did you not do enough of? Did you do a lot of practice exams? What were you getting on your practice tests? Change your studying tactics, just don't repeat the same mistakes you have made.

 

[bio06]

Hey Everyone,

I just got scores back from my second mcat and got the same score of 25 that I got a whole year ago. I studied more and was waaay more prepared for this second one. My practice test scores were 29-33. The section I bombed on the real thing was PS.
My plan as of right now is :
Sign up for a Sept exam
Submit my applications now so I can focus on the current semester, work on secondaries and graduate.
Spend the money and get a PS tutor.


Any thoughts/ advice? I'm feeling pretty beat up. Thanks.

 

[emno]

I have had a lot to overcome in my life...GPA and MCAT wise. I did and I even got in with the same MCAT score of 26 as you. I had 4 allopathic interviews this year with 1 acceptance and 2 waitlists. So, it can be done. Though, I chose not to go to the allopathic school I was accepted to make sure you check out all your options before you chalk up a year to take next years MCAT. Apply...live the dream!

Just curious, why you did not go to allopathic school?

 

[anna01106]

hey wahooali,

i think that since you're doubting whether to pursue medicine, then it's something you still want to do. i've heard a lot of people contemplate medicine, then literally one day later claim that they had a moment of insanity and never thought about medicine again. since you're struggling about this decision, something is telling you that you want to become a doctor, but you're questioning your own ability, and not the career itself.

fwiw, i graduated with a 3.3cgpa and a 3.2sgpa. i had a HUGE dip in GPA my junior year and then presented an upward trend my senior year. i took the mcat three times, and scored a 29 every time. with my mcat and gpa stats, i had a ~26% chance of getting accepted to allopathic schools. i applied the first time in college, got nothing. i took the next year to get my MPH and spent the year after that working as a fellow in a clinical medicine setting and applying to medical school. i got two interviews - one DO school and one MD. i was accepted to the DO school and waitlisted at the MD. i was accepted to my state school off the waitlist in mid June. to me, it was really a miracle (and blessing) that this happened and i thank my lucky stars every day.

with stats like yours, it is extremely stressful and unpredicable about what will happen. i swear i had anxiety from june to december. i don't think it's a great idea for you to apply this year, but take some time to think about what you want. during this time off, could you consider an SMP to boost your GPA and maybe do some shadowing and/or volunteering?

if you don't want to wait, applying to DO school would be in your interest. i was going to matriculate at an osteopathic school before getting off a waitlist. if you want to get into allopathic school you have to get a higher MCAT score. consider taking a prep course or using exam krackers?

a lot of people here will tell you that if you really want it, then you will do what it takes. it's your choice but make sure you don't regret not going into medicine because it seemed too hard at the time. think about what you're willing to do. i wish you the best of luck, and i sincerely do think that you can get in with an improved mcat and well rounded set of ECs.

 

[ChE04]

hey wahooali,

i think that since you're doubting whether to pursue medicine, then it's something you still want to do. i've heard a lot of people contemplate medicine, then literally one day later claim that they had a moment of insanity and never thought about medicine again. since you're struggling about this decision, something is telling you that you want to become a doctor, but you're questioning your own ability, and not the career itself.

fwiw, i graduated with a 3.3cgpa and a 3.2sgpa. i had a HUGE dip in GPA my junior year and then presented an upward trend my senior year. i took the mcat three times, and scored a 29 every time. with my mcat and gpa stats, i had a ~26% chance of getting accepted to allopathic schools. i applied the first time in college, got nothing. i took the next year to get my MPH and spent the year after that working as a fellow in a clinical medicine setting and applying to medical school. i got two interviews - one DO school and one MD. i was accepted to the DO school and waitlisted at the MD. i was accepted to my state school off the waitlist in mid June. to me, it was really a miracle (and blessing) that this happened and i thank my lucky stars every day.

with stats like yours, it is extremely stressful and unpredicable about what will happen. i swear i had anxiety from june to december. i don't think it's a great idea for you to apply this year, but take some time to think about what you want. during this time off, could you consider an SMP to boost your GPA and maybe do some shadowing and/or volunteering?

if you don't want to wait, applying to DO school would be in your interest. i was going to matriculate at an osteopathic school before getting off a waitlist. if you want to get into allopathic school you have to get a higher MCAT score. consider taking a prep course or using exam krackers?

a lot of people here will tell you that if you really want it, then you will do what it takes. it's your choice but make sure you don't regret not going into medicine because it seemed too hard at the time. think about what you're willing to do. i wish you the best of luck, and i sincerely do think that you can get in with an improved mcat and well rounded set of ECs.

I think that the OP is probably over it by now...

 

[Warped Apostle]

I think that the OP is probably over it by now...

completely unrelated question. What does OP stand for?

 

[NontradatBeach]

completely unrelated question. What does OP stand for?

Original poster...

And to the OP, I took the MCAT 3 times - 23N, 25O and 30O. I also went to UVA undergrad (but was in the Comm School). I think a lot of the advice given to you above is solid. Make sure before you take it a 3rd time you have a solid plan for change. Mine was taking a very structured Kaplan classroom course.

It's such a hard road - but it feels that much better when you get in. 👍

 

[tartrate]

Original poster...

And to the OP, I took the MCAT 3 times - 23N, 25O and 30O. I also went to UVA undergrad (but was in the Comm School). I think a lot of the advice given to you above is solid. Make sure before you take it a 3rd time you have a solid plan for change. Mine was taking a very structured Kaplan classroom course.

It's such a hard road - but it feels that much better when you get in. 👍

It's been 6 years since OP posted this.

 

[candbgirl]

Thank you tartrate. I wonder how this got a six year bump. I wonder what the Op decided to do.

 

[AcclratngCharge]

Hey Everyone,

I just got scores back from my second mcat and got the same score of 25 that I got a whole year ago. I studied more and was waaay more prepared for this second one. My practice test scores were 29-33. The section I bombed on the real thing was PS.
My plan as of right now is :
Sign up for a Sept exam
Submit my applications now so I can focus on the current semester, work on secondaries and graduate.
Spend the money and get a PS tutor.


Any thoughts/ advice? I'm feeling pretty beat up. Thanks.

I wouldn't pay for a tutor until you check out these videos: http://www.freelance-teacher.com/videos.htm

I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but when ExamKracker's is skimpy on details I look up certain videos from that guy.