I don't usually get nervous about stuff, but...

[osli]

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After getting my MCAT score for this August's session, I think for the first time since deciding to go into medicine I'm a little nervous.

The score looks good, 30Q, but the breakdown is skewed... 13VR, 9PS, 8BS. I dunno... before the scores were released I was hoping for a solid 27 or 28 with at least a 9 on each section but I can't help but think a committee is going to think "weak sciences" when they see a high verbal against relatively average sciences scores.

Let me back up.... I'm currently 29, received my MS in Mechanical Engineering four years ago, and have been working since. My undergrad GPA was just under 3.8 and my graduate GPA ~ 3.85. But when I remove everything but the core BCMS (undergrad included general chem., lots of math and physics) I get something more like 3.55. I guess I was never that concerned with a B in trigonometry or chemistry affecting an engineering career.

I'm now enrolled in post-bacc classes to cover what pre-med pre-req's engineering did not... mainly biological sciences. It looks like I'll have no problems getting A's in all the classes I'm taking, at least for this semester - org. chem I, genetics, zoo, comparative anatomy.

I made the decision to enter medicine in May and started preparing for the MCAT in June. I've had a lot of physics, and think I did OK with those questions, but it has been nearly 10 years since I took any physics or chemistry courses. The biological sciences section of the MCAT obviously took a hit since at the time of the test I had never taken any biology, genetics, anatomy, or organic chemistry classes.

I dunno. I'm a laid back person and don't usually let stuff bother me too much. This summer my wife and I sold both of our houses, moved into an apartment in "college town," and I started classes this fall. I'm working nearly full time while taking 15hrs and keeping good grades, so I know my BCMS will come up and that looks good and all, but I can't help but be just a little concerned that an admissions committee is going to say "wait another year... try getting your MCAT science scores up..." I'm sure that today I could do a point or two better on both science sections, certainly by April, but I'd rather not have to prove that.

When my wife agreed to sell our home and move to a strange (little) town, I think it was understood that her sanity would stay intact if we moved on to medical school next fall. I have a great conviction that medicine is where I should be and I know I'll make a good doctor. I just hope admissions boards see things the same way.

 

[powerbooki]

osli,

Good to find some one with very similar experience. I got my MS in electrical engineering in 2000 and have been working since (still is). 3.78 My score this time is 26Q(7VR,11PS,8BS). You nearly doubled on me in VR! And we got the same on BS and writing! English is not my native language and when those readings turn into art/art history/humanity... it is just so hard for me on the language. In BS I feel the same as you do especially this time, the test form I had had a lot more bio stuff and almost no org chem and that threw me off. It's great that you have a supporting wife! I don't have choice but to keep working since my wife is in school now and we need the income. For my case it's much harder for admission to not to dwindle on my MCAT score, and I don't know how they will look at it either, 7 in VR, I hope they don't think that I can't read and therefore I have no way to make it through med school. I also started to prepare for the MCAT in June but I kept working and I did feel not putting enough into it. I am sure I will retake it April to prove that I can read, but I am still holding out for the very slight chance that I may get into some school, I'd rather prove I can read in med school instead of on MCAT. What's BCPM/AO in the AMCAS verified GPA summary table?

 

[osli]

3.61 BCMP undergrad with 38 hours completed, 3.78 AO undergrad, 3.88 AO grad. Looks like they counted something BCMP I had not considered to be. Probably thermodynamics as a physics course or something similar.

With this semesters biology/organic courses, if I keep the A's I have now, the BCMP comes up to 3.72. I might can get that near 3.8 by the end of the spring semester, but by that time I really hope I'm already accepted.

I wouldn't worry too much over your verbal score. As a non native English speaker you have a fairly solid explanation at least, and still scored near average (which says something about how well our "best and brightest" speak our own language 😉 ). Your writing sample proves you have good communication skills which is important for most doctors - I think it is understandable to do less than perfect on a fairly tough reading comprehension test in a second language.


I would have much preferred a 10/10/10, of course. Nice balanced score. I guess I have a decent explanation as well for the lower science grades, but it does worry me a little. Science has always been my strong suit, and that 8 concerns me.

I know I could get into some good DO programs, but I'm also interested in our state school.

 

[powerbooki]

Thanks for the nice words. What do BCMP and AO stand for? I think you did very well on the BS section considering you didn't take any org chem before the test! I am thinking subscribing to The New Yorker to improve my reading, do you know other good resources that are good readings with depth?

 

[blee]

BCMP = bio, chemistry, math, physics. Your BCMP GPA is calculated along with your AO (all others) and overall GPA on your AMCAS application.

 

[nontrad314]

The scores here look to me like ya'll still have good chances!

Nontraditionals typically score lower on the MCAT for reasons that aren't really clear. If you are interested in the data look at the 1997, 1998, 1999 summaries:

http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/examineedata/pubs.htm

If you compare your numbers to your nontraditional colleagues you'll get a sense of your score within the nontrad brackets.

In terms of retaking, while there is a potentially large benefit to retaking there is also significant risk. The ratio here is probably close to 1, which suggests thinking hard about this.

Percentilles for movements up and down are available in the August MCAT for nontraditional's thread in the nontrad forum. The bottom line is that something significantly different in preparation has to happen for the scores to move up. One thing that nontrad's tend to do (including myself) is they write the MCAT prior to completing the BCPM. A motivation for retaking would be completion of the BCPM. Other motivations would be Kaplan courses, or a significantly different approach to how you prepare for the exam or all of these combined.

In terms of the original scores and GPAs posted here, they seem to be scores with a good chance at any Allo or Osteo school in the country. For any school in the MSAR it seems that someone was accepted with scores like those posted here. In other words, there's still good chances.

My bottom line 2 cents would be to apply broadly.

HIH and Good Luck!

 

[osli]

OK, mission accomplished... I'm no longer second guessing everything. Now on to (hopefully) invites and interviews.

 

[osli]

I got an invite for interview at the school I'm most interested in, so everything is working out for the best so far.

 

[blee]

See?! That wasn't so bad. 🙂 Way to go!