Expired MCAT - Red Flag (521)?

[Voskei]

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[wysdoc]

@Voskei, your application will not be considered with an expired MCAT score, sorry to say.
Most of the AMCAS schools want it to be taken within 3 years of applying.
Some TMDSAS (Texas) schools take an MCAT up to 5 years old, but by the 2025-2026 cycle this score will be expired even for them.

I don't think you need to do a SMP to increase your GPA, but if you feel you are lacking enough Bio classes or haven't had a Statistics class, you could take just those & be sure you have the time to do them well. You could then work on your volunteering and research (or look for work as a clinical research coordinator) and study for your MCAT retake.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I am worried that my expired MCAT score will look bad to adcoms; specifically, I think the uncertainty it shows (along with my gap year) will bar my chances at many medical schools, especially prestigious ones. Does anybody know whether this is true of an expired MCAT score?

You are overthinking this. We just care about your valid score. We can't read into why you had such a great early score but didn't apply or get admitted. You have a chance to talk about anything extra about your circumstances in the application.

What you want to ask is how schools will consider your expired score. Will they average it with your new score, or will the expired score remain separate? This matters in what you need to do with MCAT prep.

 

[Goro]

Adcoms understand that life happens, an people can't apply when they want to apply, and thus we can understand why a score can expire. Hence, you don't get penalized for a retake.

 

[Voskei]

@Voskei, your application will not be considered with an expired MCAT score, sorry to say.
Most of the AMCAS schools want it to be taken within 3 years of applying.
Some TMDSAS (Texas) schools take an MCAT up to 5 years old, but by the 2025-2026 cycle this score will be expired even for them.

I don't think you need to do a SMP to increase your GPA, but if you feel you are lacking enough Bio classes or haven't had a Statistics class, you could take just those & be sure you have the time to do them well. You could then work on your volunteering and research (or look for work as a clinical research coordinator) and study for your MCAT retake.

I plan to retake the MCAT before I apply again. Are you saying that my application will not be considered because there will also be an expired score on it? Thx~

 

[Holland]

I plan to retake the MCAT before I apply again. Are you saying that my application will not be considered because there will also be an expired score on it? Thx~

Your application will be considered, it'll just use the new MCAT score from your retake. The old one will no longer be considered, so for all intents and purposes it'll be as if you never took it in the first place.

 

[wysdoc]

I plan to retake the MCAT before I apply again. Are you saying that my application will not be considered because there will also be an expired score on it? Thx~

I meant it won’t be considered complete without a fresh score. From your first post you didn’t mention retaking

 

[allseasons]

Aren't there some schools that have different expirations for MCAT than AAMC lists? TMDSAS accepts up to 5 years. The vast majority are three years tho. If you live in Texas OP, you may be in luck.

 

[wysdoc]

Aren't there some schools that have different expirations for MCAT than AAMC lists? TMDSAS accepts up to 5 years. The vast majority are three years tho. If you live in Texas OP, you may be in luck.

Yes but by 2025-26 that first score would be expired too. OP has now explained they intend to retest