Does the number of times you write the MCAT matter?

[PhysioMD]

I know it Canada you can write it as much as you want until you get a number you're happy with.
Someone told me the US will look at the number of times you wrote it and it might be considered when juding one applicant who say wrote it twice and another who wrote it 6 times to get the same score. Is this true??

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[Officer Farva]

I know it Canada you can write it as much as you want until you get a number you're happy with.
Someone told me the US will look at the number of times you wrote it and it might be considered when juding one applicant who say wrote it twice and another who wrote it 6 times to get the same score. Is this true??

Everyone I know took the MCAT twice. I took the MCAT twice. I even took the SAT twice. Maybe taking it more than twice or three times would be pretty suspect in my opinion, but nothing wrong with taking it twice.

 

[Lawpy]

As @gyngyn would say, a single, strong MCAT score is the best approach. Subsequent MCAT scores might weaken the application due to increased ambiguity.

 

[whatever5]

Yes it matters - more than twice is usually frowned upon, though I think if you scored something like 25, 29, 36, its understandable to do so.

 

[whatever5]

As @gyngyn would say, a single, strong MCAT score is the best approach. Subsequent MCAT scores might weaken the application due to increased ambiguity.

Right, and the AAMC recommends schools average your MCATs, so you should never take it unless you are ready.

 

[Goro]

Depends upon the school. Some average scores, like mine, others take the most recent, others the best composite.

I know it Canada you can write it as much as you want until you get a number you're happy with.
Someone told me the US will look at the number of times you wrote it and it might be considered when juding one applicant who say wrote it twice and another who wrote it 6 times to get the same score. Is this true??

 

[Lawpy]

Everyone I know took the MCAT twice. I took the MCAT twice. I even took the SAT twice. Maybe taking it more than twice or three times would be pretty suspect in my opinion, but nothing wrong with taking it twice.

Yes it matters - more than twice is usually frowned upon, though I think if you scored something like 25, 29, 36, its understandable to do so.

Also the expectation of retaking the MCAT is significant improvement (>3+ points). Lack of improvement isn't good, and scoring worse in a retake is a red flag.

 

[eteshoe]

After two times one tends to reach the point of diminishing returns with most standardized exams

 

[justadream]

If you take the MCAT six times, you are in a bad place because:

A) If you needed to take the MCAT 6 times to get a decent score, then adcoms will question your intellectual abilities (they don't want you to need 6 attempts to pass step 1) and/or your judgment (for taking the exam when you were unprepared so many times).

OR

B) You got a good score on your first or second try but kept on retaking it trying to get a better score. Adcoms will question your judgement.

 

[Lucca]

I can imagine a world without the internet and tons of test-prep companies where students have few resources to properly prepare for the real exam that would lead to lots of re-takes being more reasonable. However, the reality is that there are ways to prepare now that can let you know, with some confidence, that you are ready to take it and get a competitive score.

 

[Promethean]

Once is definitely best. I took it twice. My first score was more than adequate for my school, but I knew that I could do better, so I took it again. I did improve by 5 points, so that was a good gamble. It didn't accomplish anything extra for me, though, other than satisfying my pride.

I would have been better off if I'd held my horses, not taken it until I was really ready, and had just one great score.

More is definitely not better.