Getting ready to reapply... MCAT question

[ABRuniverse]

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I know this question has been debated on this forum recently but I need a little more input. I'm getting ready to reapply, but I am also going to retake the MCAT. I will be submitting my AMCAS this week, but I am still deciding if I should indicate that I am retaking the test. I am planning on Aug 25th, although it appears that most schools will consider a Sept. MCAT. I know that If I indicate my plans to retake, I will not be considered until the score is released, which pushes me back to the end of September. If I don't indicate my plans to retake, I could get my app thrown out before the new scores come out. However, last cycle I did get three interviews with a 28P (all resulting in waitlists). So, If I reapply to my waitlist schools and also some new schools with lower MCAT standards, perhaps I can stay in the running until I see how I do on the new exam.

Just to point out, I do have other improvements in my app that the schools I've already applied to will notice. I have a new PS, new and improved GPA, have added some more non-medical volunteering and shadowing to my ECs, and am now employed full-time by my research lab @ a top 10 med school.

Any advice??

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

How confident are you that you can significantly increase your MCAT?

My personal experience has been that the August MCAT totally f-ed me over. All of my interviews were very late (Jan, Feb, March) and I was waitlisted at every school, some of which told me that they are no longer offering acceptances and in essence, we were interviewing for waitlist positions. In addition, everyone I met on the interview trail had also taken the August MCAT and also overwhelmingly agreed that compared to their friends with similar stats who applied earlier, they were doing much, much worse.

My interviewer at UCSD asked me outright why I "applied so late," as if I had intentionally sabotaged my application or something...and continued to look at my app saying, "everything is good, just apply earlier next year." Ouch. Oh, and I got a 36. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it unless you are absolutely positive that the 28 will prevent you from getting in and you have no other options. My view is that the adcomms are pretty much completely overwhelmed with applications and are really unable to fairly review anything that comes in after July.

 

[witness23]

take a year off and then apply?

 

[ABRuniverse]

How confident are you that you can significantly increase your MCAT?

My personal experience has been that the August MCAT totally f-ed me over. All of my interviews were very late (Jan, Feb, March) and I was waitlisted at every school, some of which told me that they are no longer offering acceptances and in essence, we were interviewing for waitlist positions. In addition, everyone I met on the interview trail had also taken the August MCAT and also overwhelmingly agreed that compared to their friends with similar stats who applied earlier, they were doing much, much worse.

My interviewer at UCSD asked me outright why I "applied so late," as if I had intentionally sabotaged my application or something...and continued to look at my app saying, "everything is good, just apply earlier next year." Ouch. Oh, and I got a 36. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it unless you are absolutely positive that the 28 will prevent you from getting in and you have no other options. My view is that the adcomms are pretty much completely overwhelmed with applications and are really unable to fairly review anything that comes in after July.

So are you saying you think it would be in my best interest to not indicate my plans to retake? That way my application will still be considered "early" and then when I get my new score, it will be considered as an update?

 

[mdeast]

So are you saying you think it would be in my best interest to not indicate my plans to retake? That way my application will still be considered "early" and then when I get my new score, it will be considered as an update?

When did you apply last year? Did anything in your application/activities change? It'd be silly to just re-apply with the same MCAT/GPA if it didn't get you in the first time.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

So are you saying you think it would be in my best interest to not indicate my plans to retake? That way my application will still be considered "early" and then when I get my new score, it will be considered as an update?

Yeah that's what I'd do (as long as you can do that...i think you can). The apps are reviewed by the schools in the order that they are received, and it's likely that they won't get around to reviewing your stuff until September anyway. In addition, the name of the game is to send out as many secondaries as possible to applicants so as to generate as much cash inflow as possible. While it's possible you won't receive 2nd'ys from some schools because of the 28, I doubt it'll make much of a difference for you.

Oh...and I got a 29 the first time around...so stay optimistic 😀