-
The 2026-2027 DO School Specific Threads are now available in the School Specific Discussions forum. The 2025-2026 discussions are now available in the prior year discussions forum.
MCAT 4 times???
Started by corrections
4 times I think is too much. Your stats are not bad and your MCAT score is decent. You have alot of things going for your app, so I would say forgo the 4th try and give it a go. Apply early and broadly and look into DO schools as well. I don't think it's pathetic to take the test 4 times, it sounds more like torture. Also, your scores are all within a few points of each other. Even if you take it a 4th time and score a 45, I really think Med schools will look at the trend that you set the first 3 times and think the 4th is an anomally. Unless you really think that you can knock it out then move on.
I have known people who got into MD schools with numbers like that, although you keep getting lower on your MCAT. Quit wasting time with the stupid MCAT and apply to some DO schools. When did you first take the MCAT? If you had thought to go DO in the first place, you'd probably be a doctor already.
And to answer your specific question, no, I have never heard of anyone who has taken the MCAT four times. I would have killed myself if I had to take that thing again. Of course, I took it when it was 8+ hours.
Plus, really I think the MCAT is losing some weight with MED schools across the country, at least this cycle. Students with plus 3.5 GPAs and average to below average MCAT scores (26-30) are getting in while students with sub 3.5 GPAs and high MCAT scores (30 - infinity) are having hard time being accepted. Although it pains me to say with my mediocre GPA I think that clearly GPA is more important, at least this cycle. Yes I know that it is never just one thing, and yes I know there are low stat success stories, but I really think the MCAT is like the interview, it can break you, but it won't make you.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzOBlPKZjxE[/youtube]
I think it's more of the whole picture than just mainly the GPA.
You need BOTH. The MCAT has not and likely will not lose importance among adcoms. I've said it before and I'll say it again. The MCAT is the only truly objective measure on an application. Grades are subjective and vary amongst universities. Interviews are obviously subjective. Being published could mean you brought real researchers coffee while they worked, so they threw your name on the pub. Shadowing and volunteer hours can be (are often?) beefed up. Even if they're not, the experience of the applicants would vary widely. Adcoms are aware of all of these things. The MCAT is (basically) the same for everybody. It's a direct measuring stick. It matters. A lot.
Well, Texas, you can add me to that known list. I've taken it 4 times.
Although I was planning DO for awhile, I didn't think 26 was enough. I don't know what the OPs stats are since they're deleted, but I hope he/she comes back and reads this.
I don't know if it was good or bad but I don't think that raising my score to a 29 was bad in any case, even if I had to sit in for a 5th time. Back when we made a little friendly thread about my aversion to checking it, yeah, it sucks big time to take it over and over. Just thinking about a possible 5th time makes me choke.
But, sometimes it has to be done. I don't regret that 4th run because it finally gave me a score I can live with. This thing is, what can you live with?
Although I was planning DO for awhile, I didn't think 26 was enough. I don't know what the OPs stats are since they're deleted, but I hope he/she comes back and reads this.
I don't know if it was good or bad but I don't think that raising my score to a 29 was bad in any case, even if I had to sit in for a 5th time. Back when we made a little friendly thread about my aversion to checking it, yeah, it sucks big time to take it over and over. Just thinking about a possible 5th time makes me choke.
But, sometimes it has to be done. I don't regret that 4th run because it finally gave me a score I can live with. This thing is, what can you live with?
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Yeah, but taking the mcat now, is kind of like taking your boards in a few years. Are you going to take your board four or five times to get the scores you need? I'm planning on doing it right the first time.
I also took the 8 hour MCAT, and when I took mine, I met someone who was taking theirs for the 7th....
I took that 8 hour test too, but I'm glad I did. I heard that the new one can be worse because of all the typing sounds since its done on the computer now.
C
CommanderRiker
Riker here. William T. Riker.
I'm at an osteopathic institution and can tell you that an M.D. school will not matriculate someone with more than two M.C.A.T. attempts. If you are applying to D.O. school, however, the standards are lower and many people in my class took the M.C.A.T. three times. Basically it's a question of intelligence between M.D. and D.O. applicants, no matter how unsavory a fact. 😎
Riker-Gamma out.
I'm at an osteopathic institution and can tell you that an M.D. school will not matriculate someone with more than two M.C.A.T. attempts. If you are applying to D.O. school, however, the standards are lower and many people in my class took the M.C.A.T. three times. Basically it's a question of intelligence between M.D. and D.O. applicants, no matter how unsavory a fact. 😎
Riker-Gamma out.
Of course I go in with the intention of getting it right the first time. But, am I ashamed of the past? Not at all; you do what you have to do. And as nice as the 90%+ pass rate for the boards sounds, that also means there's a few that have to run it again. Does that mean it's over for them? I hope not.
And Riker is actually being quite hard on D.O.s, making the assumption there is a gap in intelligence. I don't know if the allo thing is true and it may be for the top tiers, but the fact that the process is so secretive, you have no evidence for such, unless you would do us the favor of posting the stats. I believe that perseverance is important and I know I will be asked about the 4th run. I'll tell them what I told you all here: you do what you have to do and fortunately, what I have to do also is what I want to do.
I can understand both sides of the argument, but I do believe that you can take the test 4 times and still get in. It should be noted that you may have a more difficult time but it is by no means impossible. You will need to be prepared to supplement your application to make-up for the multiple tests (i.e. strong gpa, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, research, strong letters of recommendation). Although you may believe that it looks bad to have taken the test 4 times, you can justify why you did it in your interview, especially if you show continued improvement in scores. It can show important qualities that are necessary for medical school: perseverance/stick-to-it-ivness and a continued desire/commitment to becoming a physician. In some way, I'd like to believe the adcoms see it as either the applicant is a glutton for punishment or they really want to become a physician.
I'd like to think anyone who has undergone the application process has a little bit of masochism in them. It's not a fun ride, multiple MCATs or not.
As someone who has taken it 4 times, I know it'll be an issue (assuming I get anyone interviews 😳 ) but I addressed it with a positive spin on my PS. I really wanted to emphasize that each time I took it, it was a significant event. Nowhere did I think of the test as trivial or that if it didn't go well, there was always 'next time'. I never wanted a next time. If the first was the best, I'd leave it.
What makes me wonder is if people believe this is more of a hinderance than a low gpa or low MCAT. If you have a reasonable MCAT, I don't think they'll look at it twice over some of the other numbers.
As someone who has taken it 4 times, I know it'll be an issue (assuming I get anyone interviews 😳 ) but I addressed it with a positive spin on my PS. I really wanted to emphasize that each time I took it, it was a significant event. Nowhere did I think of the test as trivial or that if it didn't go well, there was always 'next time'. I never wanted a next time. If the first was the best, I'd leave it.
What makes me wonder is if people believe this is more of a hinderance than a low gpa or low MCAT. If you have a reasonable MCAT, I don't think they'll look at it twice over some of the other numbers.
Not true. My sister just got into an MD school and she took the MCAT 3 times.
C
CommanderRiker
This is very rare.
You can't retake the boards unless you fail. If you get a crappy (but passing) score the first time you are stuck with it for the rest of your life.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
No, it's not. 20 to 25% of the people who matriculate at my home state's MD schools have taken the MCAT twice. Many have taken it 3 times, or more. I would doubt that it varies a whole lot with other states.
Well, there you go 🙂 What I really want is a shot and a clean slate. Once people get into medical school, it's a new game and for those that had to push their 4th or 5th MCAT, you can bet they'll love every minute of it because of the pain it took to get in.
Similar threads
