Just took Kaplan Diagnostic... but should I be retaking this 30?

[TheOneAndOnlyJamesFranco]

Hi all,

In January 2015 I took the last old MCAT and got a 11, 8, 11 (11s on sciences).

Then my life changed and got a fellowship upon graduation and will be applying to medical school next year, and so I have a full year before submitting my first AMCAS, so I thought, I should probably retake the MCAT because I feel that I could do better.

I have now graduated and plan to retake the new MCAT in January/February leaving me from now until then to study (~6months). I enrolled in a Kaplan course and I just finished the Kaplan diagnostic and got a

495 (125, 122, 125, 123)
***Ironic that my sciences still are the same and my verbal is 3 points under even on this scale!

Over the next 6 months I plan to study extensively with Kaplan and EK (and TPR when necessary) although I will be living in China and can only dedicate maybe 5hrs/day but over SIX months!

I have scanned the compilation of scores, and perused SDN/reddit extensively, and the general consensus seems that if you are shooting above 500 you should be fine, but I realize that since I am retaking a 30, I will really need at least a ~515 to have justified this retake...

What would you do???

Thanks!

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[Dr.TonySoprano]

I wouldn't retake buddy. a 30 is solid, just make sure the test can be used next cycle.

 

[Cotterpin]

Keep in mind that the Kaplan tests are notoriously difficult. A lot of people on SDN who were scoring in the 500 - 505 range on the Kaplan full lengths went on to score above 520 on the real thing.

 

[TheOneAndOnlyJamesFranco]

Keep in mind that the Kaplan tests are notoriously difficult. A lot of people on SDN who were scoring in the 500 - 505 range on the Kaplan full lengths went on to score above 520 on the real thing.

That is what I figured...

According to the compilation sheet, there were many that had Kaplan diagnostics around 495-500 that ended up improving throughout the FLs and doing 510+. I was just wondering if the 5 pt difference from 495 on a half length really matters!

And I think a part of me is just disappointed at not doing as well on it since I did get a 30 in January