Low Verbal MCAT-Chances?

[cgator15]

I just graduated with a BS in biochemistry and have a cGPA of 3.85 and a sGPA of 3.76, but my MCAT was P 12/ B 11/ V 7. I have 2 semesters research in peptide synthesis, and am starting a gap year job as a research assistant in a hepatology unit at the university hospital. I also have volunteering in the hospital's ER/OR/Neurology clinic and in a mentoring program, and have shadowing hours. My LOCs are half pretty good, and half decent.

I'm deciding how crucial it would be to retake the MCAT with that verbal score. I thought I should, but a friend at another good university with the same score did retake, got about the same score, and was told, after emailing his university's medical advisor, he was a much more undesirable candidate and would've have likely gotten an interview with his original scores alone. Any advice on my current chances/ if I should retake?

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[skargylejohn]

I just graduated with a BS in biochemistry and have a cGPA of 3.85 and a sGPA of 3.76, but my MCAT was P 12/ B 11/ V 7. I have 2 semesters research in peptide synthesis, and am starting a gap year job as a research assistant in a hepatology unit at the university hospital. I also have volunteering in the hospital's ER/OR/Neurology clinic and in a mentoring program, and have shadowing hours. My LOCs are half pretty good, and half decent.

I'm deciding how crucial it would be to retake the MCAT with that verbal score. I thought I should, but a friend at another good university with the same score did retake, got about the same score, and was told, after emailing his university's medical advisor, he was a much more undesirable candidate and would've have likely gotten an interview with his original scores alone. Any advice on my current chances/ if I should retake?

A 7 is very very low for all US Med schools, DO schools on the other hand wouldn't see that as a huge hurdle especially if you have LORs and experience that shows it was a fluke (e.g. accomplishments in religion/literature/philosophy, professors that can advocate for your VR abilities etc...). If you are a URM that may not be as much of an issue, but I'm not even sure if that's true or if it's widely applicable.

If you don't mind putting off your application for another year I would say retake it. But only if you are putting in the hard work to VR prep, consistently scoring around a 10 on practice exams, and maintaining the scores of your other sections. It's risky business but will give you a better shot. I'm in the same boat as you but since I'm interested in the DO route a retake isn't quite necessary. I am prepared to retake though, a 7 is pretty dang low , if I don't get in anywhere. But I'm confident I'll get an acceptance from somewhere.

Check out bloody surgeons VR study guide, it's awesome. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=509702

 

[432921]

I just graduated with a BS in biochemistry and have a cGPA of 3.85 and a sGPA of 3.76, but my MCAT was P 12/ B 11/ V 7. I have 2 semesters research in peptide synthesis, and am starting a gap year job as a research assistant in a hepatology unit at the university hospital. I also have volunteering in the hospital's ER/OR/Neurology clinic and in a mentoring program, and have shadowing hours. My LOCs are half pretty good, and half decent.

I'm deciding how crucial it would be to retake the MCAT with that verbal score. I thought I should, but a friend at another good university with the same score did retake, got about the same score, and was told, after emailing his university's medical advisor, he was a much more undesirable candidate and would've have likely gotten an interview with his original scores alone. Any advice on my current chances/ if I should retake?

Apply and possibly retake it if you don't get in is what I'd suggest, a 30 is a good score (who cares if you got a 7 in verbal???). Good GPAs, good experiences, and a solid mcat score put you ahead in the game, forget about a stupid number like seven in VR and try getting in now.

 

[Mountaineer12]

Apply and possibly retake it if you don't get in is what I'd suggest, a 30 is a good score (who cares if you got a 7 in verbal???). Good GPAs, good experiences, and a solid mcat score put you ahead in the game, forget about a stupid number like seven in VR and try getting in now.

The problem is that a lot of schools screen for scores below 8 in any of the subsections. If you want to apply now, find the list of schools that only look at composite scores and apply to all of them (there's only a few if I remember correctly) and then maybe some DOs for back up. A retake would help you out a lot, but I understand not wanting to so I do think you have some options.