MCAT Retake and Applying Help

[mwall003]

Hi All--

I plan on applying this application cycle. However, I am retaking the MCAT July 6th and have a few questions.

My first score was a 26, and there were some circumstances that went against me that date, however I anticipate scoring in the low 30s as I was averaging 33 on my practice tests. I am trying to figure out the best way to apply since I won't be getting my MCAT retake score back until early August. Here are the scenarios I've been thinking about:

1. Apply to one school that I'm not all that interested in this June to have my AMCAS all verified and in, then work on my secondary essays to schools I think I will be applying to using the released prompts on this website, then when I get my retake MCAT score back, applying to all the schools immediately that fit the range of scores.

2. Apply to all the schools my projected MCAT will be and just mark that I will be retaking the MCAT

I've been leaning back and forth between 1 and 2, and I would like some advice on what you all think would be the best. The thing I fear with doing 2 is that don't some schools screen your primary? Would mine get screened out without even waiting for my second MCAT score? Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

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[mwall003]

I was told if I did 2 I would be considered very late.

However, I was thinking if I had all my secondaries complete, I could just submit them ASAP as soon as I had my score back. How long would it take to complete a secondary? 3-4 weeks? At that point, I'd be complete by late August I would think.

 

[sector9]

I was told if I did 2 I would be considered very late.

However, I was thinking if I had all my secondaries complete, I could just submit them ASAP as soon as I had my score back. How long would it take to complete a secondary? 3-4 weeks? At that point, I'd be complete by late August I would think.

You would not be very late unless you take a long time with your secondaries. SDN posters like to say that you should aim for a 2-week turnaround on your secondaries.

Being complete by mid to late-August is not late. It's about average.

You can get a jump start by working on some secondary prompts from the school specific threads while you wait for your score

I agree with 'i will be an md' that #1 is your best choice

 

[mwall003]

Thank you so much for the responses, this really helps as others at my school have told me otherwise.

 

[sector9]

By the way, for #2, schools will wait for your MCAT score before they screen you out.

 

[suednym]

I'm curious...does option #1 work only for AMCAS? Can it also be done for TMDSAS? I don't even know if TMDSAS needs to be verified although that seems to be the most logical thing.

 

[kryptonian]

By the way, for #2, schools will wait for your MCAT score before they screen you out.

Sorry for jumping in and ask, but I have the same plan and questions as OP. For #2, say I submit the AMCAS app in early June and indicate a retake date. When I get back my new MCAT score in August, will schools immediately review my app (as I submitted early and in front of the queue) or will they come back to me later after they finish all the apps submitted in June and July (i.e. as if my app is just submitted in August) ?

So, am I understanding correctly that for schools which do not screen for secondaries, they will send me secondaries right after I have my primary app submitted and verified even though they don't have my new MCAT score yet. And for schools which screen for secondaries (such as CA schools), they will send me secondaries only after I get my new MCAT score back ? Is my understanding correct ?

Thank you.

 

[kryptonian]

So no one can clarify things above for me ?

 

[RedSox10]

Option #1. That's what I did and it worked out well. I applied to only my state school (since high MCAT or low MCAT I was going to apply either way), just to get my application verified in a timely manner. Then when my actual score can in, I added schools that were fitting with my MCAT score.