Frustration!

[CA med app]

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sorry if this may sound like another one of those "should i retake the MCAT" threads.....but I have to ask this if I want to keep my sanity.

So, as of this point, I have 2 rejections and 2 interview invites (both of which I'm very grateful for and both of which I'll be attending), but I'm still waiting to hear from about 19 schools.

I think the reason the schools are putting me off is due to my AUG mcat (most of my 2ndaries were completed by Oct) and my 7 in verbal. Overall I have a 31 (7, 12, 12) with a strong GPA, ECs, and some research. So, I just want some opinions as to whether or not I should start preparing for my April MCAT or just keep on playing the waiting game??

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

 

[ravi]

sorry if this may sound like another one of those "should i retake the MCAT" threads.....but I have to ask this if I want to keep my sanity.

So, as of this point, I have 2 rejections and 2 interview invites (both of which I'm very grateful for and both of which I'll be attending), but I'm still waiting to hear from about 19 schools.

I think the reason the schools are putting me off is due to my AUG mcat (most of my 2ndaries were completed by Oct) and my 7 in verbal. Overall I have a 31 (7, 12, 12) with a strong GPA, ECs, and some research. So, I just want some opinions as to whether or not I should start preparing for my April MCAT or just keep on playing the waiting game??

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

I would definitely advice you taking the MCAT and improve your VR score. I got a 6 in VR, but still made it (I have a very good valid reason for my VR score and most of the adcoms agreed with me when I gave the explanation.) ofcourse I couldn't make it at my first choice school, the cutoff is 8 at that school.

 

[Law2Doc]

sorry if this may sound like another one of those "should i retake the MCAT" threads.....but I have to ask this if I want to keep my sanity.

So, as of this point, I have 2 rejections and 2 interview invites (both of which I'm very grateful for and both of which I'll be attending), but I'm still waiting to hear from about 19 schools.

I think the reason the schools are putting me off is due to my AUG mcat (most of my 2ndaries were completed by Oct) and my 7 in verbal. Overall I have a 31 (7, 12, 12) with a strong GPA, ECs, and some research. So, I just want some opinions as to whether or not I should start preparing for my April MCAT or just keep on playing the waiting game??

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

With 2 interview invites you are still totally in the game for this year. I would focus on those and chill out for another month or so. But that's a tough break with your MCAT score -- my gut reaction is that you'd be better off with a 30 but evenly distributed rather than such a low verbal.

 

[GATORade]

I was able to bring my VR score up from a 6 to a 10 by using Examcrackers. However, my bio score fell from a 12 to a 9. I hate that damn test! Good luck with those two interviews. Hopefully your hard work will pay off and you will get in this year. And if not, I have an Examcrackers book right here that I will mail you for free as long as you pay for the shipping. Good luck. 😉

 

[Sarikate]

I'm interested in that book! I've been wanting to try them out since Kaplan failed me!

 

[CA med app]

I would definitely advice you taking the MCAT and improve your VR score. I got a 6 in VR, but still made it (I have a very good valid reason for my VR score and most of the adcoms agreed with me when I gave the explanation.) ofcourse I couldn't make it at my first choice school, the cutoff is 8 at that school.

What was your reason if you don't mind me asking? English isn't my first language and I usually have a hard time with some of the hum passages. I just hope that the adcoms can see past through that.

 

[faradayampere]

What was your reason if you don't mind me asking? English isn't my first language and I usually have a hard time with some of the hum passages. I just hope that the adcoms can see past through that.

hopefully you did say that in your personal statement or somewhere in your app ...

I got a 8 in verbal. I told them that I came to the US in 1996 w/o knowing an English word ... and they seem okay with my low score in verbal ...

 

[Shaz]

I'm still waiting to hear from about 19 schools.

I think the reason the schools are putting me off is due to my AUG mcat (most of my 2ndaries were completed by Oct) and my 7 in verbal. Overall I have a 31 (7, 12, 12) with a strong GPA, ECs, and some research. So, I just want some opinions as to whether or not I should start preparing for my April MCAT or just keep on playing the waiting game?

Yeah, it's the verbal man. English is not my strong point. I used EK and really learned to manage my time and not freak out in the middle of the test. That worked for me.

If I were you, I wouldn't sit on my thumbs for the next few months and then regret it when/if the bad news comes. I would say start studying now...you have three months; work on that english night/day. This is one of those times where YOUR EFFORT will decide if you're going to deserve being a doctor or not.

Work your ass off.

 

[CA med app]

Thanks for all your suggestions, guys. It seems like most people think that I should retake the MCAT. Would it look bad to the adcoms if I take the MCAT again in April...it would be my 3rd time?

 

[BGGA]

Thanks for all your suggestions, guys. It seems like most people think that I should retake the MCAT. Would it look bad to the adcoms if I take the MCAT again in April...it would be my 3rd time?

As long as there is an improvement you will be fine. Best of luck with your uncoming interviews though, like someone else said you still have a good chance to get in this year.

 

[ravi]

Thanks for all your suggestions, guys. It seems like most people think that I should retake the MCAT. Would it look bad to the adcoms if I take the MCAT again in April...it would be my 3rd time?

Hey CA med app,
I totally forgot that you had 2 interviews, I was just thinking that you are going to apply next year (Ahh... my poor memory.. if I can't even remember yesterday's post....how can I study for med school? 😱 ). If you think I gave you some unsolicited advice in the PM, please pardon my poor memory. Good Luck with those interviews and remember it takes only one interview to get in, so you are in good shape. Be confident. Adcoms must have seen something beyond your VR score, They might ask "why such low score on verbal?" just for the formality(just like "why did you get below B in so and so subject), make it simple and smooth.

 

[scrappysurfer]

I'm a CA applicant too. The CA schools really lag in the apps process. I haven't heard from my alma mater and got rejected from Davis, where my Mom got her MD and MS, without a secondary. However, almost all UCSD Med Students got rejected from Davis w/o a secondary.

If you havent heard from the UCs, I know an MD/PhD applicant from previous years who didn't get contacted for a UCSD interview until April!!! I finished my secondaries in early October but I only got my interview invite to UCI MSTP yesterday. I still have a boatload of other schools to hear from as well so I think everyone lags. For MD/PhD, I haven't heard a peep from Penn, UCSD, Iowa, Vandy, Mayo. For MD, I haven't heard from Mich, Duke, Chapel Hill....On hold for interview at two places. Lots of rejections.

Every school is different: I know a Harvard student who almost didn't get a UCI secondary. I know an MS2 Iowa student who got a 6 on his MCAT Verbal, so you can get in with those scores, but it is much more difficult at the UC schools. I might consider studying again, even though it sucks. For me, so long as I am taking steps towards a solution, I feel better.
Try the Princeton Review Verbal accelerator.

Hang in there.

sorry if this may sound like another one of those "should i retake the MCAT" threads.....but I have to ask this if I want to keep my sanity.

So, as of this point, I have 2 rejections and 2 interview invites (both of which I'm very grateful for and both of which I'll be attending), but I'm still waiting to hear from about 19 schools.

I think the reason the schools are putting me off is due to my AUG mcat (most of my 2ndaries were completed by Oct) and my 7 in verbal. Overall I have a 31 (7, 12, 12) with a strong GPA, ECs, and some research. So, I just want some opinions as to whether or not I should start preparing for my April MCAT or just keep on playing the waiting game??

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

 

[Mistress S]

Hi CA med app,

I am in sort of a similar boat with an unbalanced MCAT score, although in reverse--I am great in VR (15) but lackluster in the sciences (8 PS, 9 BS, for a combined 32). I would have preferred a more balanced score, but this was my 2nd attempt (first time 12 VR, 7 PS, 10 BS, 29Q total) and I really don't want to take it again, and don't plan to. I also have 2 interviews and 2 rejections, waiting to hear form 10 schools. Since we took the Aug MCAT, I don't think we should worry yet--many schools are just now reviewing our apps. The only way I would retake is if I don't get in this year and was specifically told my MCAT was the reason, which I doubt would be the case. However, I retook the first time because I was told that some schools automatically screen you out if you have less than an 8 in any section, not sure how accurate this is. I would wait and see how you do this cycle, if you would definitely reapply in June if you don't get in then you should probably start studying for the April test, but otherwise why put yourself through that again? You have still have a shot this year, and if it doesn't work out then you know what to work on. Good luck!

 

[CA med app]

Thanks again for all your suggestions. I'll give it until the end of Jan to see where how many more interviews I will receive. But, in the mean time, I'll just buff up my reading comp skills by going through my subscription to The Economist.

👍