MCAT Retake Advice

[stickgirl390]

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I'm still waiting to hear back from one MD interview this cycle, currently holding one MD waitlist spot. I'm trying to plan out the next half year assuming I will be a reapplicant.

Question: I'd like to submit my AMCAS application the day it opens. I truly feel my application is very strong, with my MCAT score and school list being my only downfall. Is it a wise decision to apply the first week of June, retake MCAT in July and my new score will auto fill into my app in August? Or is that waiting too long?

Current app Year stats:
-cGPA 3.81
-sGPA 3.88 (B in Astronomy, As in the rest)
-MCAT 505
-Applied to 4 instate schools, and 9 schools OOS that have very few OOS seats. (I live in GA but teach in FL so I thought FL schools would show me more love.)
-4000+ hours in veterinary medicine
-25 Hours shadowing a cardiologist
-5 Hours shadowing a CardioThoracic Surgeon
-Currently in my gap year working full time as a high school chemistry teacher

EDIT:

I'm not looking for a "what are my chances" response. I already have a lot of people in my corner helping with more shadowing, etc. I'm just looking for advice on applying first, taking the MCAT second, vs waiting to apply until I see my new score.


Thanks for your advice!

 

[deleted781806]

Your MCAT score was definitely sub-par, and re-taking the exam might be in your best interest if you are *confident* you will improve by a sizeable margin. Although there could have been a couple other problems that have lead to the lack of interviews, I'd also recommend:

More shadowing hours, especially in a primary care setting (30hrs is on the low end of applicants)
Maybe some more clinical experience in a human setting, rather than veterinary (?)
Definitely fix your school list, apply to more private programs that do not have residency preferences,

OOS to a public institution is being unnecessarily hard on yourself and your application chances
​

Hopefully you will hear good news back from those two schools, and this conversation will be irrelevant! Good luck through the cycle!

 

[Lawpy]

why do you want to apply to med school rather than vet school?

@Goro and @gyngyn could give a more comprehensive evaluation of your application. but honestly i'm not seeing why you want to pursue medicine.

 

[stickgirl390]

why do you want to apply to med school rather than vet school?

@Goro and @gyngyn could give a more comprehensive evaluation of your application. but honestly i'm not seeing why you want to pursue medicine.

I moved from NY to GA about 4 years ago, and didn't know anyone in GA. I ended up sort of "falling into a job" at the local animal hospital, and that is what got me interested in medicine in the first place. Prior to that opportunity I was a web designer. I never really wanted to do veterinary medicine per say, but the job opened my eyes to other career options.

I also purposely left off all of my ECs outside of shadowing, because I know my ECs are great and show a strong interest in medicine and dedication to the community, etc. I wanted my post to highlight the weaknesses.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

I'm still waiting to hear back from one MD interview this cycle, currently holding one MD waitlist spot. I'm trying to plan out the next half year assuming I will be a reapplicant.

Question: I'd like to submit my AMCAS application the day it opens. I truly feel my application is very strong, with my MCAT score and school list being my only downfall. Is it a wise decision to apply the first week of June, retake MCAT in July and my new score will auto fill into my app in August? Or is that waiting too long?

Current app Year stats:
-cGPA 3.81
-sGPA 3.88 (B in Astronomy, As in the rest)
-MCAT 505
-Applied to 4 instate schools, and 9 schools OOS that have very few OOS seats. (I live in GA but teach in FL so I thought FL schools would show me more love.)
-4000+ hours in veterinary medicine
-25 Hours shadowing a cardiologist
-5 Hours shadowing a CardioThoracic Surgeon
-Currently in my gap year working full time as a high school chemistry teacher


Thanks for your advice!

I realize you are working full time but try to get some more volunteer hours. You can do these on Saturdays or Sundays. Do you have any non-medical volunteer hours? Get more more shadowing as well. You can shadow the late shift one night a week. Whatever it takes. And yeah definitely retake the MCAT. And if you apply more broadly. Many private schools take lots of OOS. More tuition but better than not getting in. Apply to all state schools if there are more than 4.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

why do you want to apply to med school rather than vet school?

@Goro and @gyngyn could give a more comprehensive evaluation of your application. but honestly i'm not seeing why you want to pursue medicine.

This is true. ADCOMS might be thinking this. You have little shadowing and no medical volunteering with people but a lot in another field. You need to show them you are set on medicine. Shadow and get some clinical experience with people.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

I moved from NY to GA about 4 years ago, and didn't know anyone in GA. I ended up sort of "falling into a job" at the local animal hospital, and that is what got me interested in medicine in the first place. Prior to that opportunity I was a web designer. I never really wanted to do veterinary medicine per say, but the job opened my eyes to other career options.

I also purposely left off all of my ECs outside of shadowing, because I know my ECs are great and show a strong interest in medicine and dedication to the community, etc. I wanted my post to highlight the weaknesses.

What are your ECs? People here can't help you unless if they know your full application.

 

[BombsAway]

Did you apply to any DO schools?

 

[779163]

I think the answer to "Is it a wise decision to apply the first week of June, retake MCAT in July and my new score will auto fill into my app in August?" is probably No, it's not "wise."

Whether you should do it or not, you need to consider the following.

1) It's difficult to create a good school list without knowing your final MCAT.
2) You will indicate that you will be taking the MCAT in the future, and many schools will not review your application until your new MCAT score is in. The benefits of applying early in that scenario may be negligible.
3) You are also betting an application cycle on the fact that you will do substantially better on the MCAT.
4) Your application will be complete pretty late.

You will have to decide whether to take the gamble based on your practice tests leading up to June, but the safest thing to do would probably be to skip an application cycle. The most common mistake for reapplicants is reapplying too early; it sounds like you've worked towards this goal for a very long time, and I think waiting one more year would help you create the strongest application you can.

Edit: You should add "I also purposely left off all of my ECs outside of shadowing, because I know my ECs are great and show a strong interest in medicine and dedication to the community, etc. I wanted my post to highlight the weaknesses" to your OP so that people don't give you redundant advice.

 

[stickgirl390]

I think the answer to "Is it a wise decision to apply the first week of June, retake MCAT in July and my new score will auto fill into my app in August?" is probably No, it's not "wise.

Thank you for your response! I'm not looking for a "what are my chances" response. I already have a lot of people in my corner helping with more shadowing, etc. I'm just looking for advice on applying first, taking the MCAT second, vs waiting to apply until I see my new score.

Your response helped, thanks!

 

[stickgirl390]

Did you apply to any DO schools?

Not this cycle but I will next cycle. I was very uninformed of what schools should be on my list when I applied last June.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

You knew going into the cycle that your MCAT was very weak. At the very least, you should have planned in a way that would allow you to get your retake score back by the opening of the upcoming cycle.

What's done is done. Just remember to have better judgment next time. As far as the advice on your situation, the advice on this thread so far is pretty good.

 

[pseud0]

If you don't mind DO you don't have to retake that. You'd have your pick of the DO schools, pretty much (as long as you shadow more, especially a DO and get a letter)

But MD, yeah I'd retake it.