Is there really hope with a 20 on MCAT?

[Temperature101]

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Hey guys,

Thanks for the all the replies! I really appreciate all of the input. I love the honest opinons by many. I took a couple days to decide what I want to do and right now I submitted my applications for pod school (some advisors said they were seats still available) so I'm going to try my luck. Also, I am going to re-take the MCAT if I don't get into pod school. Here is my score breakdown:

PS: 7
VR:4
BS: 9

As you can see, I need to work on verbal A LOT and brush up on some PS concepts. In addition, I already started shadowing a podiatrist and currently building up my app for next cycle (whether it is pod or DO) if things do not work out. I am preparing for the worse and hoping for the best! Again, thanks for everyone that replied! Good luck on your future endeavors!

You are my MCAT twin. I had the same score last year (7/4/9) and retaking it this year. I am confident that I will have a better score this time since I change my study method and use different prep books. You should take it again and if you study the right way, you should be able to get 24+.

 

[akumar2013]

You are my MCAT twin. I have the same score last year (7/4/9) and retaking it this year. I am confident that I will have a better score this time since I change my study method and use different prep books. You should take it again and if you study the right way, you should be able to get 24+.

Do you mind sharing what you used? The poster above you said LSAT verbal is good and I probably will take a look at those.

 

[Temperature101]

Do you mind sharing what you used? The poster above you said LSAT verbal is good and I probably will take a look at those.

I am using TPRH-VW and EK 101 and some strategies that are posted on SDN. I was doing ok. I scored 9 and 8 on the first two EK 101 tests and I scored a 7 on the first TPRH-VW. But my first AAMC#3 VR score was bad (10PS/6VR/8BS = 24). I want to get at least 8 in VR since I am shooting for 28+ overall score. Check the MCAT forum for VR strategies because they are some good ones that are posted there and I think some of them are helping me a little bit...

 

[masinga6]

I scored poorly on the mcat. 23 to be exact. Got into DO school and killed step 1 and 2. What helped the most was taking med school type classes before I gained admission. I took anatomy, physiology, micro, histo/path, and immuno so I hit the ground in med school. Usmle taught me I am interested in the human body and how it functions. Mcat taught me that I hated and sucked at orgo, chemistry, and verbal. No correlation for me whatsoever. It's a weed out tool.

 

[deleted545787]

I know of people in Nsu smp with similar stats , it's tied to their d.o program. I believe you get accepted into their d.o school without having to retake your mcat if you are successful in their courses. It's worth a shot applying, otherwise I don't believe you have a shot.

 

[touchpause13]

No

 

[dermpathdoc]

Hey guys,

I took the MCAT for the third time (each time my score has increased). I am not satisfied with my score (20) and I really put all my effort on this third try. I was wondering if I would even have a shot at DO schools? I know most people will ask are you applying to DO because of your low MCAT and the answer is no! I've been intrigued with osteopathic and its approach ever since I started college. Here are my other stats/info:

GPA: 3.6 (Science gpa 3.3)
ECs: Volunteering at various hospitals, shadowing orthopedic surgeon (who is a DO), researching in two labs (got one publication), part of many organizations and hold leadership in some, tutoring elementary kids in reading/writing, and working as a peer mentor for an introductory biology class.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

even schools that are lenient won't go here...3.6 GPA is borderline..MCAT is too dismal and the fact it too you three tries to to get to 20? Nope

 

[GypsyHummus]

OP got into pod school.

I think pod school is a great alternative for people who can't seem to break the 23 MCAT mark. For anyone who is searching this site and found this thread, a word of advice:

I have a colleuge, a very bright individual colleague that had a 3.8 s and c GPA, accepted to medical school research fellowship with me, president of all sorts of clubs, but ended up with a 20 on his MCAT. He waited out a year and took the MCAT again: 22. He is going for his master in public health and is planning on taking the MCAT a third time next year. he currently works at the med school. He hopes to finally get in next year, but a third try seems like a long shot. I suggested that he thinks about pod school and he scoffed at me, as if to say he wasn't a bright individual.

Never rule anything out. If you really want to be a "Medical Doctor" who has "autonomy" that does clinical work and or surgery, podiatry and to a lesser extent optometry, fit that bill. Be smart, and always have a backup plan.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Agreed, podiatry is a solid alternative and a solid career.

 

[Mad Jack]

If you just brought up your verbal you'd be fine. I mean, that is a horrible score. Like, randomly picking answers is the sort of thing that nets you a 4. You need to read, a lot. Practice VR erryday and get yourself a subscription to the WSJ or NYT and read that **** religiously and critically. Poor VR is generally just a sign of someone that doesn't read a whole hell of a lot- everyone I know that regularly reads nonfiction performed very well in VR.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

OP got into pod school.

I think pod school is a great alternative for people who can't seem to break the 23 MCAT mark. For anyone who is searching this site and found this thread, a word of advice:

I have a colleuge, a very bright individual colleague that had a 3.8 s and c GPA, accepted to medical school research fellowship with me, president of all sorts of clubs, but ended up with a 20 on his MCAT. He waited out a year and took the MCAT again: 22. He is going for his master in public health and is planning on taking the MCAT a third time next year. he currently works at the med school. He hopes to finally get in next year, but a third try seems like a long shot. I suggested that he thinks about pod school and he scoffed at me, as if to say he wasn't a bright individual.

Never rule anything out. If you really want to be a "Medical Doctor" who has "autonomy" that does clinical work and or surgery, podiatry and to a lesser extent optometry, fit that bill. Be smart, and always have a backup plan.

Agreed, podiatry is a solid alternative and a solid career.

OP is attending pod school... Great advice though!

 

[DreamingDoc]

Good that the OP is attending podiatry school, but I really wonder where half of the posters get their info from. I made a 20 on my third attempt (21 on my final), and I have an acceptance right now. Nothing is impossible, but it is good to know all your options.

 

[whatwhy]

I don't believe that the best you can do is a 20, given your GPA. My GPA is way ****tier than yours and I didn't study and got over a 20. So, you can do better. Maybe try a course.

 

[user3]

Good that the OP is attending podiatry school, but I really wonder where half of the posters get their info from. I made a 20 on my third attempt (21 on my final), and I have an acceptance right now. Nothing is impossible, but it is good to know all your options.

You are AA URM and not representative of most applicants. There are even a good # of people of your demographic attending MD schools like Howard and meharry with 20-21 scores.

 

[DreamingDoc]

You are AA URM and not representative of most applicants. There are even a good # of people of your demographic attending MD schools like Howard and meharry with 20-21 scores.

Eh, maybe so, but I have known non-urms to get in with lower or similar scores. Check out the matriculation data that is posted by both aacom and the aamc and you'll see what I mean. The MCAT score is just one aspect of an application.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

You are AA URM and not representative of most applicants. There are even a good # of people of your demographic attending MD schools like Howard and meharry with 20-21 scores.

NO... Meharry has an unofficial 24 cutoff. I don't know about Howard though, but since their average is 27, it is unlikely that someone with 20-21 will get in.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

NO... Meharry has an unofficial 24 cutoff. I don't know about Howard though, but since their average is 27, it is unlikely that someone with 20-21 will get in.

20-21 is the score for DO AAs. And even then that's an absurd score that puts a person at high risk for deceleration or failing out.

 

[Donkk]

NO... Meharry has an unofficial 24 cutoff. I don't know about Howard though, but since their average is 27, it is unlikely that someone with 20-21 will get in.

I doubt this for Meharry, seeing as their website reported average for the 2012 entering class is 24.51. For your comment to be true they would have to have most people in that class having exactly 24 with a few high end outliers

 

[DreamingDoc]

NO... Meharry has an unofficial 24 cutoff. I don't know about Howard though, but since their average is 27, it is unlikely that someone with 20-21 will get in.

The minimum MCAT score for Howard is a 22, as listed on their website. http://healthsciences.howard.edu/education/schools-and-academics/medicine/admissions/faqs Not sure if they average the highest scores or not.

 

[medickdb]

OP got into pod school.

I think pod school is a great alternative for people who can't seem to break the 23 MCAT mark. For anyone who is searching this site and found this thread, a word of advice:

I have a colleuge, a very bright individual colleague that had a 3.8 s and c GPA, accepted to medical school research fellowship with me, president of all sorts of clubs, but ended up with a 20 on his MCAT. He waited out a year and took the MCAT again: 22. He is going for his master in public health and is planning on taking the MCAT a third time next year. he currently works at the med school. He hopes to finally get in next year, but a third try seems like a long shot. I suggested that he thinks about pod school and he scoffed at me, as if to say he wasn't a bright individual.

Never rule anything out. If you really want to be a "Medical Doctor" who has "autonomy" that does clinical work and or surgery, podiatry and to a lesser extent optometry, fit that bill. Be smart, and always have a backup plan.

The MCAT is such a silly test. I never viewed how well I did on it as a mark of my intelligence. I think it's funny when people do. Heck, I took the test once and my troll brain started to play something to the effect of The Star Stangled Banner halfway through VR. I felt like it was guessing after that point.

 

[happypremed1]

The MCAT is such a silly test. I never viewed how well I did on it as a mark of my intelligence. I think it's funny when people do. Heck, I took the test once, and my troll brain started to play something to the effect of The Star Stangled Banner halfway through VR. I felt like it was guessing after that point.

I too couldn't hack the verbal. I went through all the practice materials and still couldn't raise my score above 6. Of course, I got a 6 on the real test. Up until this point in my life, I have aced everything along the way from bio, orgo, math to physics. VR was the first failure of my life and it derailed my medical school plan.

Luckily, DO schools will give me a chance to become a physician and I'm thankful that I discovered the DO option via SDN! I was fixated on MD schools and thought that my dream of being a doctor was shattered. I agree with all the posters above that it's very important to have alternatives and consider all the possibilities thoroughly when plan A fails.

 

[818DOctor2B]

I'm sure people have mentioned this already, but I would sit yourself down, ask yourself why you got a 20, and be honest with yourself. If it is that you really tried your damndest, then I would consider looking into other programs. IF however, you realize that you could have worked a bit harder, know what mistakes you made and how to address them, then I would sign up for the MCAT one last time and work like hell.

If medicine truly is your dream, you'll find a way. Best of luck.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

The MCAT is such a silly test. I never viewed how well I did on it as a mark of my intelligence. I think it's funny when people do. Heck, I took the test once and my troll brain started to play something to the effect of The Star Stangled Banner halfway through VR. I felt like it was guessing after that point.

The mcat is a silly test and their method of 'improving' it is to make it an even more silly test. The whole thing needs to switch over to being a P/F exam.

 

[medickdb]

I too couldn't hack the verbal. I went through all the practice materials and still couldn't raise my score above 6. Of course, I got a 6 on the real test. Up until this point in my life, I have aced everything along the way from bio, orgo, math to physics. VR was the first failure of my life and it derailed my medical school plan.

Luckily, DO schools will give me a chance to become a physician and I'm thankful that I discovered the DO option via SDN! I was fixated on MD schools and thought that my dream of being a doctor was shattered. I agree with all the posters above that it's very important to have alternatives and consider all the possibilities thoroughly when plan A fails.

No, I did fine on VR. I got an 11. What I'm saying is, even though I felt like I was guessing after a point, I did alright. I didn't consider it to be a measure of intelligence as some do.

 

[user3]

The mcat is a silly test and their method of 'improving' it is to make it an even more silly test. The whole thing needs to switch over to being a P/F exam.

what they need are more and better practice tests. They should start releasing recent MCAT's or something. The real MCAT is a fair bit more intense than the AAMC's. At least on mine, PS was longer and more detailed, VR was longer (but easier passages), while BS was comparable.

 

[IslandStyle808]

what they need are more and better practice tests. They should start releasing recent MCAT's or something. The real MCAT is a fair bit more intense than the AAMC's. At least on mine, PS was longer and more detailed, VR was longer (but easier passages), while BS was comparable.

They should have done this a long time ago.