Is one bad MCAT going to mess up my chances?

[newenglandlobster508]

Hi guys, I had a 26 (10 P, 9 P, 7 V) back in 2014. Got a 502 or so in Jan 2016, I took the May MCAT and tanked it, 489. I honestly have no flipping clue what happened on this exam. My exam scores during prep were never lower than 496, and I never took psychology or sociology.

Anyway I have about a 3.3 + CGPA in bioengineering and around a 3.1'ish science GPA with engineering physics accounted for.

Lots of patents and stuff.
Ive already had a what are my chances post answered Im mainly wondering if this MCAT is going to hurt me, do I even have to report my mcat score?

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[CardsFan92]

As far as I know, all of your MCAT scores will be reported. Admissions will see that you've taken the MCAT four times (assuming you do the retake). It's not the individual scores that will hurt you so much as it's the fact that you've had to take the test multiple times without showing much improvement.

 

[AznSpartan117]

Hi guys, I had a 26 (10 P, 9 P, 7 V) back in 2014. Got a 502 or so in Jan 2016, I took the May MCAT and tanked it, 489. I honestly have no flipping clue what happened on this exam. My exam scores during prep were never lower than 496, and I never took psychology or sociology.

Anyway I have about a 3.3 + CGPA in bioengineering and around a 3.1'ish science GPA with engineering physics accounted for.

Lots of patents and stuff.
Ive already had a what are my chances post answered Im mainly wondering if this MCAT is going to hurt me, do I even have to report my mcat score?

I don't think it's a deal breaker since your first 2 MCATs are solid but you for sure are going to have to address in interview on why such a big downward trend on the last exam. Find a very creative way to let them know how you grown from that experience. I had one bad MCAT too but I backed it up well in interview bc of the big upward trend on my retake and a high science and cumulative gpa helpee to back it up.

 

[Weirdy]

Trend makes a bigger impact than 1 bad score.

Find a way to explain to them what happened on the last one and point to how you consistently scored in the 26 (old)/ 502 range when you took it previously.

I personally would love to have a 502 right now.

 

[ArchiePod]

Most admissions will just take your high score, I really wouldn't worry too much about it. If you wanna have an explanation in your back pocket it probably wouldn't hurt but I think you'd be fine.

 

[PodasaurusRex]

This could be anecdotal but I had a buddy get accepted this year that tanked his last MCAT (even lower than yours) and he still got accepted. They just take your highest one, but like others have said you'll have to explain it.