How many times should you take the mcat

[soccerpie]

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I was wondering if someone could give me some advice on how many times its ok to take the mcat. my first time taking the mcat i had to void, and i just took my second mcat in recently and still waiting for the score, but i didnt feel good at all about it. And now i really wanna take a lot of time off to study and prepare myself again to take a 3rd mcat.

If my mcat score score is bad that im waiting for, is that going to hurt me a lot as far as applying to schools in california, or most schools in the US, when i take it a third time and do better?

if i could get any advice it would truly make my day, i have no idea wat to expect. and a little worried now that im going to take the mcat for the third time 🙁

thanks!

 

[apumic]

 

[Bernoull]

Void is well, null and void, so it doesn't count. For admissions purposes, u've taken the MCAT once. Retakes are not anything to worry about AS LONG AS UR SCORE IMPROVES (preferably across the board).

FYI: Most people feel railroaded after the MCAT only to be surprised (usually positively) when scores come out. Just drink and relax for now, work on other aspects of ur application.

GL

 

[foofish]

Ideally, the MCAT should only be taken once. That said, if you did not do well on your first attempt the next best answer is the MCAT should be taken as few times as possible. Part of why med schools care about the number of attempts is that MCAT scores correlate to USMLE scores. On the USMLE, once you get a passing score you cannot retake the exam...and a passing score is about 40 points below the national average, meaning applying to residency with a barely passing score is an absolute disaster.

If it makes you feel better, very few people feel good about their performance immediately after the exam. So try not to completely despair until you get your score back, you might be pleasantly surprised.

If your score isn't what you're hoping for, I would really buckle down and study to make this your last time taking it. Make sure you're consistently scoring well on AAMC practice tests taken in realistic testing conditions. Also work on your nerves and confidence...don't let the exam psych out you out (as it likely did when you felt you needed to void). E.g. if you feel a section did not go well, use that as inspiration to do better on the next portion rather than letting it weaken your focus. If you do need to retake, try to make this the final time you apply.

 

[Justforfun]

I took it thrice, and I'm going to a top10 (per UsNews) 🙂, and got accepted into numerous top25. Most schools focus on your most recent score. By the way, I didn't have any special ECs, and am not a URM either. I think people wildly exaggerate the negative consequences of taking MCAT too many times.

 

[NotAsking4Much]

The general rule of thumb is no more than 3.

 

[mvenus929]

If it makes you feel better... I felt absolutely horrid coming out of the MCAT. My practice exam scores were in the high-20's (and I needed at least a 30 to get a LOR from one of my professors). I ended up getting a 35.

Wait til your score comes out before you decide to take it again.

 

[psss]

If it makes you feel better... I felt absolutely horrid coming out of the MCAT. My practice exam scores were in the high-20's (and I needed at least a 30 to get a LOR from one of my professors). I ended up getting a 35.

Wait til your score comes out before you decide to take it again.

I second this!

I was so depressed after taking the MCAT. It felt so much worse than any practice test. My timing felt off. In the end, all of the worrying was for nothing; I got the same score as my highest practice test. Wait till you see the results.