Explaining lower MCAT score with eating disorder?

[shadow12345]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I took the MCAT twice and got a 509 on the first, 510 on the second. Both summers I was struggling with binge eating disorder, which if you are not familiar with it, can be very consuming and wrecking, to say the least. The first time I took it, I definitely just did not study enough, especially with dealing with my disorder almost every day of the summer and wasting many days because I was too distracted by food or something along those lines. I definitely should have voided my score but of course I had the thought of oh what if I do fine, I won't have to take it again. The second time around I definitely studied a lot more and felt a lot more prepared but I think I just had gotten a particularly hard MCAT that date. And maybe I was burnt out from studying that much all over again. And I had been struggling with my disorder that summer again, although not as intense as the summer before.

My question is, for all the questions on secondaries that say "is there anything else you'd like to mention to the admissions committee", should I attribute the lower MCAT scores to my eating disorder? Or mention my eating disorder at all? My GPA is fine (3.8), but I'm worried admissions will look at my two MCAT scores and wonder why it is so low for someone with a higher GPA and why it barely increased the second summer. I don't want to like blame my lower score on my eating disorder but I have a strong belief that if I did not have my eating disorder I would have been much more productive and motivated. But at the same time, I do not want to mention the eating disorder and then have the admissions committees question why I could not move past the disorder or question if I am mentally stable to handle medical school. Or why I didn't take the MCAT one more time and study my ass off to show my commitment to medical school despite my eating disorder.

ALSO should I mention it and instead take the approach where I discuss how I overcame it (since I am recovered now)? Or is it just too touchy of a subject to delve into?

Any advice would be appreciated! I am really torn about this.

 

[ApplyingThisCycleBurner]

510 is a fine, if not great mcat score; above the average for matriculants! It really is up to you if you want to disclose this, but you are right that those on here have said that past admissions committees have shown pause at admitting people with untreated mental illness just due to how stressful medical school is, especially since this may show that you didn't fix your issue after your 509 (which they might assume, since a "hard" mcat is a horrible excuse) I personally (which probably means nothing since I have no idea what you're going through!) wouldn't mention it, just because a 510 is fine.

 

[WalSlave]

It sounds like you've been through a lot, and I'm very impressed you were able to pull a 510 while struggling with your mental health. I know it's not easy. You are resilient.

Unfortunately I don't think you have anything to gain from bringing up your disorder, but you certainly have everything to lose. Like the comment above said, your MCAT is good to go as long as you apply correctly. I think it could set off serious alarm bells if you spend a good portion of your app trying to convince admissions that a 510 is somehow a major weakness. Your application should be a giant glowing testament to why you would be a good doctor. It's not the time to make risky moves.

We like to think that everyone in medicine is kind and empathetic towards these issues, but sadly that is just not the case. This difficult, intimate experience will no doubt make you a better doctor someday, but now is not the time to share your story IMO.

 

[Tenk]

Absolutely do not mention this unless maybe for an adversity essay. Even then mental illness can be hit or miss depending on who is reading. I’d personally avoid it.

 

[Goro]

I took the MCAT twice and got a 509 on the first, 510 on the second. Both summers I was struggling with binge eating disorder, which if you are not familiar with it, can be very consuming and wrecking, to say the least. The first time I took it, I definitely just did not study enough, especially with dealing with my disorder almost every day of the summer and wasting many days because I was too distracted by food or something along those lines. I definitely should have voided my score but of course I had the thought of oh what if I do fine, I won't have to take it again. The second time around I definitely studied a lot more and felt a lot more prepared but I think I just had gotten a particularly hard MCAT that date. And maybe I was burnt out from studying that much all over again. And I had been struggling with my disorder that summer again, although not as intense as the summer before.

My question is, for all the questions on secondaries that say "is there anything else you'd like to mention to the admissions committee", should I attribute the lower MCAT scores to my eating disorder? Or mention my eating disorder at all? My GPA is fine (3.8), but I'm worried admissions will look at my two MCAT scores and wonder why it is so low for someone with a higher GPA and why it barely increased the second summer. I don't want to like blame my lower score on my eating disorder but I have a strong belief that if I did not have my eating disorder I would have been much more productive and motivated. But at the same time, I do not want to mention the eating disorder and then have the admissions committees question why I could not move past the disorder or question if I am mentally stable to handle medical school. Or why I didn't take the MCAT one more time and study my ass off to show my commitment to medical school despite my eating disorder.

ALSO should I mention it and instead take the approach where I discuss how I overcame it (since I am recovered now)? Or is it just too touchy of a subject to delve into?

Any advice would be appreciated! I am really torn about this.

Scores of 509 and 510 are perfectly fine.

Mention of mental health issues that might affect your performance in med school gives Adcoms pause. This is something we do discuss in Adcom meetings.

I can't recommend medical school until you have your mental health issues firmly under control. Medical school is a furnace, and I've seen it break even healthy students. The #1 reason my school loses students to withdrawal, dismissal or LOA is to unresolved mental health issues.

 

[shadow12345]

Thank you for all the responses!

Do you think I even need to explain why I only increased by 1 point on the MCAT? For questions like "Do you have an issue with scores or grades that you want to clear up?" Or just leave it? What about during interviews, will they ask?

 

[lalalallala]

Thank you for all the responses!

Do you think I even need to explain why I only increased by 1 point on the MCAT? For questions like "Do you have an issue with scores or grades that you want to clear up?" Or just leave it? What about during interviews, will they ask?

I don't think you need to explain on your app why you only went up one point. Many people who retake only go up a point or 2 (or they go down). In an interview they might ask and you could say something along the lines of that you felt like you could do better than a 509 due to realizing when you took it that there was more content you could have studied but then when it came to the second test day you just didn't improve as much as you'd hoped to. I don't really think it'd be a big deal

 

[Goro]

Thank you for all the responses!

Do you think I even need to explain why I only increased by 1 point on the MCAT?



For questions like "Do you have an issue with scores or grades that you want to clear up?" Or just leave it? What about during interviews, will they ask?

On the bolded: No, this only makes you look needy.

Save explanations for interviews.

It's possible someone may ask you why you took the MCAT 2x, or what your MCAT prep was like, than asking why only a 1 point increase.

In general, do not draw attention to a negative.

 

[shadow12345]

On the bolded: No, this only makes you look needy.

Save explanations for interviews.

It's possible someone may ask you why you took the MCAT 2x, or what your MCAT prep was like, than asking why only a 1 point increase.

In general, do not draw attention to a negative.

What about talking about my eating disorder for the question about your greatest challenge and how you overcame it? Could I talk about my journey through struggling with it and eventually beating it? Or should I still stay away from the topic of mental illness?

 

[Osminog]

What about talking about my eating disorder for the question about your greatest challenge and how you overcame it? Could I talk about my journey through struggling with it and eventually beating it? Or should I still stay away from the topic of mental illness?

Due to the stigma that is unfortunately attached to mental illness, it’s best not to mention it. Adcoms may view some mentally ill applicants as high-risk, since mental illness is a major contributor to medical school attrition.

 

[Goro]

What about talking about my eating disorder for the question about your greatest challenge and how you overcame it? Could I talk about my journey through struggling with it and eventually beating it? Or should I still stay away from the topic of mental illness?

Might work, but might blow up in your face

 

[965978]

I think an efficient way of wording it would be to downplay the severity of the mental health issue but try to show your growth at the same time.

 

[nymd22]

I don't think you need to explain on your app why you only went up one point. Many people who retake only go up a point or 2 (or they go down). In an interview they might ask and you could say something along the lines of that you felt like you could do better than a 509 due to realizing when you took it that there was more content you could have studied but then when it came to the second test day you just didn't improve as much as you'd hoped to. I don't really think it'd be a big deal

M1 here. Anecdotal, but I retook the MCAT and my score didn’t improve at all. No one ever asked me about it and I had a pretty successful cycle.

 

[candbgirl]

What about talking about my eating disorder for the question about your greatest challenge and how you overcame it? Could I talk about my journey through struggling with it and eventually beating it? Or should I still stay away from the topic of mental illness?

Are you sure you have overcome your eating disorder? Why do you think that you have? Have you been in situations that could trigger it to surface again? I’d stay away from it.

 

[shadow12345]

M1 here. Anecdotal, but I retook the MCAT and my score didn’t improve at all. No one ever asked me about it and I had a pretty successful cycle.

That makes me feel so much better, thank you!! And congrats!

 

[shadow12345]

Are you sure you have overcome your eating disorder? Why do you think that you have? Have you been in situations that could trigger it to surface again? I’d stay away from it.

Thank you for these questions - I agree I am just not going to bring it up

 

[CaptainWEMT]

An adcom at one of the SUNY medical schools gave a presentation at my school, and when asked said that things like learning disabilities/mental health SHOULD NOT be brought up in the written portion of the application, but if asked about adversity while interviewing you should feel free to discuss it if comfortable.