MCAT- low scores

[labrat10]

Hello everyone. I took the mcat on 8/22 and did not score as well as i hoped (29). I was averaging 33-40 on the AAMC practice tests, so this score came as a huge shock for me. I hope to retake in the spring. I know there has been much debate as to which score medical schools consider. I have a good GPA at a very tough school and very good extracurriculars. So for those who have interviewed at top schools (Harvard, Columbia, Duke, Brown, BU, Tufts, etc), do you know if they take the higher MCAT score or both?

gah i am so mad at myself!

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[labrat10]

Anyone, please help!

For those who have interviewed, did interviewers tell you which scores mean more to them (the lower, higher, or both)?

 

[DrMattOglesby]

I'm sorry, I didn't apply to any of those schools...
I bet you could probably give them an anonymous phone call though to get all the information you need

 

[BloodySurgeon]

I do not know how accurate this is as an anonymous SDN user posted this a while ago, but this is his post: (The best thing to do, however, is what matt suggested. Contact the schools you are interested in and hear it from the horses mouth.)

Albany: the best set of scores
Arizona: the best scores
Baylor: most recent scores weighed heavily
Boston: the best set of scores
Buffalo: the best set of scores
Case: most recent set of scores
Colorado: the best scores
Columbia: most recent scores weighed most heavily
Cornell: the best score
Creighton: the best set of scores
Downstate: each scores looked at individually from all tests
Drexel: the most recent set of scores weighed most heavily
Duke: the most recent set of scores generally considered
E. Carolina: the most recent set of scores generally considered
Emory: the best set of scores typically weighed most heavily
EVMS: the best set of scores weighed most heavily
Finch: the most recent set of scores
Galveston: the most recent set of scores
George Washington: all sets of scores
Georgetown: all sets of scores
Hawaii: the most recent set of scores
Indiana: the most recent scores
Iowa: all sets of scores
Jefferson: the most recent score
Kansas: the two most recent sets of scores
Kentucky: the most recent set of scores weighed heavily
Loma Linda: all sets of scores
Louisiana at New Orleans: the most recent set of scores weighed most heavily
Louisiana at Shreveport: the most recent set of scores weighed most heavily
Loyola: the most recent set of scores weighed most heavily
Marshall: the most recent set of scores weighed most heavily
Medical College of Ohio: the best set of scores weighed most heavily Medical College of Wisconsin: the best score in each section from last 2 tests
Meharry: all sets of scores
Minnesota at Minneapolis: the highest set of scores
Morehouse: the most recent set of scores weighed most heavily
MSU: the most recent set of scores
NEOUCOM: the most recent set of scores
NJMS: all sets of scores
NYMC: the most recent set of scores weighed most heavily
NYU: the best set of scores
PSU: all sets of scores
Rochester: the best set of scores
Rush: the most recent set of scores weighed heavily
RWJ: all sets of scores with heavy consideration on the most recent scores San Antonio: the best set of scores weighed heavily
South Alabama: the most recent scores
South Carolina: the best set of scores
South Carolina: the most recent set of scores weighed heavily
South Dakota: the most recent set of scores compared to other scores South Florida: the best set of scores weighed heavily
Southern Illinois: the most recent set of scores
Southwestern: the best set of scores
St. Louis: the best set of scores
Stanford: the most recent set of scores
Stony Brook: the best set of scores
Texas A&M: the most recent set of scores
Texas Tech: the most recent set of scores weighed most heavily
Tufts: the best scores
Tulane: the best set of scores
U Florida: the best set of scores considered heavily
U Louisville: the most recent set of scores
U Maryland: the best scores
U Mass: the best scores weighed heavily
U Miami: the best set of scores weighed heavily
U Missouri at Columbia: the highest total set of scores
U Nevada: the most recent scores
U North Dakota: the most recent set of scores
U Oklahoma: the most recent set of scores
U Tennessee at Memphis: all sets of scores
U Vermont: all sets of scores
U Virginia: the best scores
U Wisconsin: the higher scores from the two most recent scores
UC Davis: the best scores
UC Irvine: the most recent set of scores
UCSF: the most recent scores
USUHS: the best set of scores
Vanderbilt: the most recent set of scores weighed heavily
VCU: the best set of scores
Wayne State: the most recent set of scores weighed heavily
West Virginia: all scores
Wright State: all scores
Yale: the best set of scores
Yeshiva: the best set of scores

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

tough to say if most of these are accurate, a few discrepancies to the list above per my conversations with these schools -

Loyola - they actually consider the average of MCAT exams rather than weighing the most recent scores most heavily

George Washington - they create a "synthetic" mcat score by summing the highest section scores of exams taken, (medical college of wisconsin does the same thing, there may be others who do this as well)

If you're shooting for a top school, you'd realistically need top MCAT scores to be competitive. A 29 is a good score & provided it's weighted evenly should be good for acceptance at a US Allo school, it's nowhere near what the top echelon is looking for, need to retake the MCAT to be competitive there if you feel it's worth spending another few months studying (or reviewing). Take a look at MSAR midrange scores to see what's competitive;

(midrange scores within the 10th-90th percentiles published in MSAR)
Harvard 11/12/12
Columbia 11/12/12
Duke 11/12/12
Brown 11/12/12
BU 10/11.5/11.5
Tufts 11/11.5/11.5

So pretty much mid 30's is what they're looking for on average.

 

[labrat10]

So who exactly receive a copy of your MCAT scores?

Medical schools, premed advisor, and who else? Do they send a copy of your scores home? Or do you only view your scores online?

 

[ChairmanMao]

Even though some of the schools say that they take the highest set of scores. Most look at your most recent scores or they look at your MCAT trend. So if took the MCAT before and scored 34 and then took it again and it dropped to 29, it would almost certainly count against you and the medical schools would probably question whether that 34 was a "fluke".

If this is the first time you took the MCAT, as long as you score a substantial improvement the next time you take it (35+), you should still be in the running for one of the top 20 (Stanford, Columbia, JHU, Duke) schools. You may have to take a year off and retake it again next spring. However, your current MCAT score probably would not make the cut since it's less than the 10% percentile for those schools. If you really have no choice and need to get into a school by 2009, you may have to add more lower-tier schools to your AMCAS application or submit an application for DO school.

 

[ChairmanMao]

So who exactly receive a copy of your MCAT scores?

Medical schools, premed advisor, and who else? Do they send a copy of your scores home? Or do you only view your scores online?

Only the medical schools that you designate on your AMCAS primary appliction will receive your score. You're premed advisor will probably not receive it. You will not receive a paper copy of your score. If you took the 8/22 exam, you can only view it online now.

 

[labrat10]

thanks everyone!

I am only a junior so I will definitely be retaking this annoying exam in the Spring. Hopefully, I will do much better this time.

I probably took this exam too prematurely anyway since I only have an AP bio background. lol

 

[kmus86]

Need advice!

So, I took the MCAT in June and did HORRIBLE. I was completely stressed about the whole thing and distracted throughout the entire test. I got a 19. But...retook one month later and got a 32. The 32 is more reflective of how I was doing on my practice tests. Am I screwed for medical school because of that first score or do you think that because I took them about a month apart, that they will see it must have just been an off day for me? Please help, especially those that may have done horrible the first time on their MCAT. Give me some hope.

 

[Vihsadas]

Need advice!

So, I took the MCAT in June and did HORRIBLE. I was completely stressed about the whole thing and distracted throughout the entire test. I got a 19. But...retook one month later and got a 32. The 32 is more reflective of how I was doing on my practice tests. Am I screwed for medical school because of that first score or do you think that because I took them about a month apart, that they will see it must have just been an off day for me? Please help, especially those that may have done horrible the first time on their MCAT. Give me some hope.

You're not screwed. That recovery on the MCAT is huge and most medical schools will take that into account! You will have to have some sort of an explanation for the first score during your interviews. The best way to approach that is to be honest, don't make excuses for it and focus on the fact that you were able to totally and completely overcome that obstacle.

One suggestion is to look at the list above that BS posted and maybe avoid the schools that will take an average of your MCAT scores. At the other schools, you should be okay. GL.

 

[kmus86]

Thanks everyone. I have literally been ripping my hair out I am so worried about that score. Fortunately, my top schools take the most recent. Wheew.

 

[gbu730]

took the mcat in sep and got a very disappointing score:
PS 14
VR 5
BS 9
WS R

planning on a retake in jan or april, but don't know how much room there is for improvement, and how much the first score is gonna hurt my chance of getting in.....
also, can anyone refer me to posts for verbal study advice? thanks!

 

[silverlion]

took the mcat in sep and got a very disappointing score:
PS 14
VR 5
BS 9
WS R

planning on a retake in jan or april, but don't know how much room there is for improvement, and how much the first score is gonna hurt my chance of getting in.....
also, can anyone refer me to posts for verbal study advice? thanks!

I am in a similar situation

PS: 7
VR: 9
BS: 12
WS: S

I am planing to retake it as well and am hoping that the next time around I really ace the PS. I took it on sept. 3rd and I guess the deal for fall 2009 is off....I am starting work as a postbacc IRTA at NIH in November and am wondering how I should prepare. Any advice?

I'm also thinking of teaming up and form a study group...even one study partner would do....Is there anybody out there in the Washington D.C.-Maryland area who is considering the January-March MCAT?? pleasse PM me if you want to study together...

 

[AWM]

I did horribly on the 5th of Sept 08 MCAT!
i got a 24 overall (first time around):
PS: 9
BS: 9
VR: 6
WS: R

i did the kaplan course and everything in their books. i regret not finishing the entire book for VR like i did for the sciences. I got 3 points lower than the aamc's i practiced with so i was surprised.

please give me some advice on how to get 31 on the jan 09 mcat. im registering for the 31st. i guess kaplan was not such a good idea. :-(

 

[gizzer]

To AWM

Could you please let me know what persentage you were getting on the VR practice passages? Thanks

 

[silverlion]

If PS is your weakness my advice is to use Exam krakers all the way over TPR or Kaplan and use their 1001 questions books for practice. I found that to be the best resource for PS and wish I had done so n the previous years of studying. They are far mroe on target with the PS then any other source I've seen.

PS wasnt really a weakness...It looks so stupid coming from a guy who got a 7 but I was getting 10s on the few practice tests I took...I basically panicked a bit when the test started and ended up messing up the timing....I was so off on timing that I missed 5-6 (maybe more) questions...

I didnt get a lot of practice before the test though and think that would have made a difference....I studied from the EK books for the most part and feel theoretically sound with the concepts...

Do you think that taking a classroom course would be a good idea? I am trying to start a study group and am hoping that it would be a good substitute for the classroom experience...

 

[AWM]

on the aamc practice tests, VR used to vary widely. like id range from a 6 to a 9. but generally, i could scrape an 8 for like half of them.

 

[gizzer]

To AWM

Sorry, I forgot to specify. I was asking the persentage you were getting on the VR from the Kaplan verbal practice book.

 

[jenchill]

Hey,
I study wtih you. This my email: [email protected].

I am in a similar situation

PS: 7
VR: 9
BS: 12
WS: S

I am planing to retake it as well and am hoping that the next time around I really ace the PS. I took it on sept. 3rd and I guess the deal for fall 2009 is off....I am starting work as a postbacc IRTA at NIH in November and am wondering how I should prepare. Any advice?

I'm also thinking of teaming up and form a study group...even one study partner would do....Is there anybody out there in the Washington D.C.-Maryland area who is considering the January-March MCAT?? pleasse PM me if you want to study together...

 

[ssiding]

My advisor told me that LSU Shreveport takes the highest score from each section to compile the MCAT score.

 

[BlueElmo]

For all of you who posted looking for advice, why don't you search around this forum?
Look at the 30+ MCAT Study strategies thread. There are scores and scores of great advice from those who scored 30+. Look at Vihsada's and BloodySurgeon's guides. There are wealth of resources in this forum. Read them and choose what's best for you.

 

[no superman]

Just to clarify - when you say a school only looks at your best 'set' of scores that means they only take 1 test worth, right? i.e. you get 11P,4V,4B and then 10P,10V,10B they count your tens because 30>19 ??

Thanks!

 

[pandababy]

i took the PR mcat course over the summer and then again this winter. I admit I am not doing ALL of the practice problems but I have been doing them.

I'm taking 5 classes right now and I'm signed up for the JUNE MCAT.

Over the summer, my highest practice score was 21.

I just took AAMC #3 today and got a 16!!! I was a little distracted and took longer breaks and paused once or twice during the test, but I have less than a month left and I am totally sad.

I'm really aiming for 30+....sigh what should I do?

Is it possible to do a lot of practice passages/tests and get my score up by 15 pts in 3 weeks??? Do scores usually go up gradually or is there a sudden increase somewhere during studying?

 

[kehlsh]

i took the PR mcat course over the summer and then again this winter. I admit I am not doing ALL of the practice problems but I have been doing them.

I'm taking 5 classes right now and I'm signed up for the JUNE MCAT.

Over the summer, my highest practice score was 21.

I just took AAMC #3 today and got a 16!!! I was a little distracted and took longer breaks and paused once or twice during the test, but I have less than a month left and I am totally sad.

I'm really aiming for 30+....sigh what should I do?

Is it possible to do a lot of practice passages/tests and get my score up by 15 pts in 3 weeks??? Do scores usually go up gradually or is there a sudden increase somewhere during studying?

I heard AAMC #3 is significantly easier than normal MCAT or any other AAMC practice exams. =X

 

[pandababy]

oh jk.

I took AAMC #4 (not #3) =P

 

[korn38]

ya it sucks, i cant get my score above a 25 for princetons tests

 

[Blue469]

How would a retake from 31-32 to 35-36 look like to upper tier schools? Would they treat the higher score as if it was the only one taken or take it as a fluke?

 

[Fivo]

How would a retake from 31-32 to 35-36 look like to upper tier schools? Would they treat the higher score as if it was the only one taken or take it as a fluke?

Strong wishful thinking. They'll think of it exactly as it happened. It was your second mcat taken and you improved.

 

[Blue469]

Exactly my point...so my second score is not equal to a first timers score, which means I should reconsider spending much money on secondaries and such....

 

[Fivo]

Exactly my point...so my second score is not equal to a first timers score, which means I should reconsider spending much money on secondaries and such....

nah, sound ridiculous. No one can really tell you definitively how adcoms look at mcat scores unless it's an actual adcom him/herself (a la LizzyM). And even then, what they say is specific to only their school. With that said, if your 2nd score is on par with the school's average, then you should consider yourself on just about equal footing.

 

[Blue469]

Thanks, I'll see just how true that is

 

[LizzyM]

Wow, necro-bumped twice... in 2010 and again this year.

If I'm looking at someone who scored 36 and someone who score 36 after scoring 31, what am I thinking about these two candidates? Are they identical? Why or why not?

 

[kasho11]

Wow, necro-bumped twice... in 2010 and again this year.

If I'm looking at someone who scored 36 and someone who score 36 after scoring 31, what am I thinking about these two candidates? Are they identical? Why or why not?

I can only think of the obvious and say would they be identical in the sense that it seems they are both capable of scoring that high but different because the first person only needed one attempt whereas the second person either didn't study enough the first time around and/or really pushed him/herself the second time?

I would think that they would be basically considered identical but some schools would favor the first person more and some schools the second.

On a related note, do you think there is any significant value in retaking a 35 if the outcome is "only" a 37? (Given a high practice test average to validate the retake)

 

[LizzyM]

I can only think of the obvious and say would they be identical in the sense that it seems they are both capable of scoring that high but different because the first person only needed one attempt whereas the second person either didn't study enough the first time around and/or really pushed him/herself the second time?

I would think that they would be basically considered identical but some schools would favor the first person more and some schools the second.

On a related note, do you think there is any significant value in retaking a 35 if the outcome is "only" a 37? (Given a high practice test average to validate the retake)

I would not consider the two the same as one scored 31 and 36 whereas the other scored 36 on the only attempt.

I have heard adcom members say, "Why did this guy retake a 35?" and my answer is, "Because he wanted to interview here." Then we all laugh and admit that the retake improved his chances of interview and admisison but was pretty ballsy because it could have just as easily been a 33 on retake rather than a 37. (Luck of the draw with the questions, being out of sorts on interview day, anything can happen).

 

[MedPR]

I would not consider the two the same as one scored 31 and 36 whereas the other scored 36 on the only attempt.

I have heard adcom members say, "Why did this guy retake a 35?" and my answer is, "Because he wanted to interview here." Then we all laugh and admit that the retake improved his chances of interview and admisison but was pretty ballsy because it could have just as easily been a 33 on retake rather than a 37. (Luck of the draw with the questions, being out of sorts on interview day, anything can happen).

So if the guy retaking a 35 gets a 37 he gets points for being ballsy (and for getting a 37). Does he get points for being ballsy even if he comes out with a <35?

 

[LizzyM]

So if the guy retaking a 35 gets a 37 he gets points for being ballsy (and for getting a 37). Does he get points for being ballsy even if he comes out with a <35?

No, he gets spiked for not leaving well enough alone.

 

[MedPR]

No, he gets spiked for not leaving well enough alone.

Haha, that's what I figured. Can't wait until this entire process is behind me. It's like starting from scratch once you get into medical school.

 

[kasho11]

No, he gets spiked for not leaving well enough alone.

An interesting dilemma, hopefully on Tuesday I will not need to think about it.