How does retaking MCAT affect your application process?

[DOwnage]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

OK I'm having trouble finding a clear answer on this so I wanna ask everybody here:

If I take the MCAT in May but don't score as well as I wanted, how does marking my application as "retaking the MCAT" affect my overall application process?

Situation: If I take the MCAT in April and end up unhappy with my score, then mark my app as "retaking the MCAT" in July or August or something, does that mean that I shouldn't have even applied early at all, since I'll get a glance, then they'll put my application on hold until my score comes in August or September (test date + 1 month)? Will they not make a decision to invite me for interviews or not or not if my new score isn't in? What if I end up changing my mind and I don't want to retake anymore...is my app still on hold and won't be looked at?

 

[cabinbuilder]

OK I'm having trouble finding a clear answer on this so I wanna ask everybody here:

If I take the MCAT in May but don't score as well as I wanted, how does marking my application as "retaking the MCAT" affect my overall application process?

Situation: If I take the MCAT in April and end up unhappy with my score, then mark my app as "retaking the MCAT" in July or August or something, does that mean that I shouldn't have even applied early at all, since I'll get a glance, then they'll put my application on hold until my score comes in August or September (test date + 1 month)? Will they not make a decision to invite me for interviews or not or not if my new score isn't in? What if I end up changing my mind and I don't want to retake anymore...is my app still on hold and won't be looked at?

It's very easy. Take the MCAT before you worry about what the score may or may not be. GET THE SCORE. Decided then if you will be taking it again. no one can answer your theoretical question. Apply accordingly.

 

[HockeyDr09]

OK I'm having trouble finding a clear answer on this so I wanna ask everybody here:

If I take the MCAT in May but don't score as well as I wanted, how does marking my application as "retaking the MCAT" affect my overall application process?

Situation: If I take the MCAT in April and end up unhappy with my score, then mark my app as "retaking the MCAT" in July or August or something, does that mean that I shouldn't have even applied early at all, since I'll get a glance, then they'll put my application on hold until my score comes in August or September (test date + 1 month)? Will they not make a decision to invite me for interviews or not or not if my new score isn't in? What if I end up changing my mind and I don't want to retake anymore...is my app still on hold and won't be looked at?

I agree with what cabinbuilder is saying, and think that it's the best advice.

I can somewhat answer your question with my experience. I had a similar problem. The difference being I had already taken the MCAT the year before without studying at all. Seriously (absolutely *****ic I know, but I had things going on that sucked up any potential study time). I applied June 2010, sent my original MCAT score, and listed that I would be retaking in July. I bought test prep books and started studying hardcore in June. I received the LECOM supplemental app in June and then was lucky enough to get an interview invite for July. I was in shock that they didn't even wait for my new MCAT score. I decided to hold off on the MCAT until after the interview, and I was fortunate enough to be accepted without ever having to retake the test. On the complete flip side, the only other school I applied to (I didn't submit secondaries anywhere after LECOM) WVSOM, still has me deferred since last August.

I guess my advice is, some schools may not wait for a new MCAT score if they are happy enough, but you really, really should just focus on taking the exam once. Having a solid MCAT score in hand and applying in June can do WONDERS for your application. Forget about taking it twice, just kill it the first time.

 

[Goro]

If we see that you have a decent score, then knowing you're retaking it isn't going to make a difference.
Having multiple re-takes soesn't hurt you either from our standpoint, except if we see two things: a decline the further you move away from graduation; never getting higher than the low 20s. Let's say we see someone with 19 -> 22 -> 21. That shows us where your upper level of acheivement is.

The total avg is important too. There's good data to show, at least for USMLE, that scorers in the low 20s end up failing USMLE, and have a greater chance of not finishing medical school.. We don't have good data for COMLEX though.