MCAT - Retake for 3rd time

[applesauce68]

Hey all,

I'm having a major dilemma here. I just graduated from one of the top universities in this country (with a 3.85 GPA - in a competitive major in a school with no inflation). I've wanted to be a doctor from as long as I can remember, and have done plenty of volunteering / EC activities / research (all of which are passions of mine). Basically, my AMCAS would be wonderful minus my horrendous MCAT scores. My first attempt was an 8 BS, 10 PS, and 9 V (S on writing). I was young and naive, and did not take a prep course.

So, I decide to take Kaplan, work my tail off, and end up with an even worse score (11 BS, 10 PS, R - writing, but a 5 in Verbal)! I knew the test was a confidence issue - I even went to counseling for 6 months to build up my confidence and work my problems before the test. My practice tests were all between a 30 - 33, so i assumed the real test would be close. I knew I should have cancelled my score as soon as I finished the test because I had a terrible feeling about the verbal, but I got nervous and did not click no within the five minutes they give you to cancel your score. My mind had just blanked during that section and I froze. I know I'm not illiterate, and have never had any problems with verbal before in my life (720 verbal on the SATs, 790 on the writing SAT II, a 4 and 5 on the two AP English exams).

This happened last year, and I have just ignored the fact since. I don't know what to do. I feel like I've ruined my chances completely and will never get into a medical school.

I want to take the exam a 3rd time, but is it even worth my while? Will they understand that for some reason, I froze and completely messed up? Will they even give me a chance, or will my application be thrown in the trash?

I'm mortified and embarrassed by myself. Its even worse when professors joke about how I should be applying to Harvard and Penn and all of these amazing med schools because they think I'm smart, when in actuality, I can't even pass a standardized test.

Sorry for the verbal diarrhea, but this has been sitting inside my chest for a long time, and while I don't want to give up on my dream. However, those who know me keep saying it would be better for me to just go and get a PhD at a "top" university rather than beg every med school to not shred my application. I don't know what to do. There is so much pressure on me from my family, friends, and everyone else, plus the pressure I'm putting on myself.

Please help!! Thank you so much for your comments in advance and for taking time out to help me.

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[engineeredout]

Your first score, a 27, is pretty decent for osteopathic schools, especially with that high GPA. Are you set on MD and MD only?

 

[applesauce68]

i'm pretty stuck on md only. i know i should be more open minded about this, but it's pretty hard to do that.

p.s. if this helps, i'm a hopkins student, my bcpm is around a 3.75.

still, i know this is hopeless.

 

[BlueElmo]

Man, I feel for you. But you did decently well on the verbal on that first one. It obviously means you have the potential to score 9 or above again. I think you should analyze what went wrong on the verbal for that second sitting? Did you just get really tired, were there distractions, etc?
I mean, you have amazing GPA, and I think you should try for a third time. Just try to relax and take it as it comes. I'm sure you can pull at least a 30 and that combined with your GPA and other stuff should make you really competitive for most MD schools.

 

[DrMattOglesby]

well, i'm sorry to hear your story.
im even more sorry to learn how bad you want to be a doctor but won't consider DO schools.
don't let your professor's expectations dictate your own. you're old enough to know that, so i'm not gonna harp on you any.
in reality though, if you dig down deep into your reasons for becoming a physician, you'll hopefully find that US MD isn't the only road to that goal.
i know you'll choose wisely, just get away from all those pressures as much as you can.
good luck buddy

PS: sit for the retake!

 

[BlueElmo]

well, i'm sorry to hear your story.
im even more sorry to learn how bad you want to be a doctor but won't consider DO schools.
don't let your professor's expectations dictate your own. you're old enough to know that, so i'm not gonna harp on you any.
in reality though, if you dig down deep into your reasons for becoming a physician, you'll hopefully find that US MD isn't the only road to that goal.
i know you'll choose wisely, just get away from all those pressures as much as you can.
good luck buddy

PS: sit for the retake!

The OP's GPA (at Hopkins too!) seems just way too good for DO schools. Just try to get that 30+, applesauce.

 

[DrMattOglesby]

The OP's GPA (at Hopkins too!) seems just way too good for DO schools. Just try to get that 30+, applesauce.

ummm, ok??
more opportunities for me, i guess

 

[RySerr21]

The OP's GPA (at Hopkins too!) seems just way too good for DO schools. Just try to get that 30+, applesauce.

*shakes head dissapointingly*

 

[applesauce68]

both of you,

thanks for your comments. again, i know i should consider do schools (and just accept the fact that my parents may and probably will disown me - they are at that point anyway right about now). thanks blue elmo, i guess i just have to bite the bullet and not let this exam conquer me for a third time. clearly, standardized tests are not my forte (i'm one of those people that change their answers from right to wrong all the time). basically, this has been the biggest failure in my academic career.

per your question, during the verbal part, there was some really loud drilling in my test center. they were hammering away at walls during most of the test, but most intensely during the time i started verbal, so i put the huge headphones on and all i could hear was my heartbeat. that was certainly a distraction and not good at all. i also wrote all the answers on my sheet of scratch paper, and then filled them in on the computer as i went. my fear is that i skipped one question and put in the letters incorrectly, and i don't recall having very much time to check if i bubbled everything in correctly, and that the answer corresponded to the question. i was also a nervous wreck (just in that section), and started panicking near the end.

anyway, your words are encouraging. its just so difficult to get through this, especially while reading about people crying on sdn about their 35S or 40T. and trust me, being at hopkins amongst the crazies is probably not the best atmosphere either. there are too many pretentious snobs (there is a reason why i've barely told any of my classmates about this, they would laugh in my face). but i guess that's my problem - i just have to ignore them and give it another go.

thanks again for the comments and suggestions. i'd be happy to give any other info if it would help.

 

[applesauce68]

sorry i missed the newer posts.

there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with DO schools. they are amazing and i would be privileged to attend any one of them (ignore my comment about my parents, who are mental).

i personally am just not interested in OMT. sorry, that's really what i mean here.

 

[BlueElmo]

Sorry all I didn't meant to diss DO schools. It's just that if applesauce's MCAT was a tad bit higher, he could be considered at most MD schools. But yeah, if MCAT doesn't work out, applesauce, I'm sure you would be very competitive for DO schools. Good luck, buddy.

 

[DrMattOglesby]

Sorry all I didn't meant to diss DO schools. It's just that if applesauce's MCAT was a tad bit higher, he could be considered at most MD schools. But yeah, if MCAT doesn't work out, applesauce, I'm sure you would be very competitive for DO schools. Good luck, buddy.

no worries, the internet adds another 25 layers to my stratum corneum

 

[student1799]

Definitely take the MCAT again, but do yourself a favor: forget everything Kaplan taught you about the verbal section! (I just went through their online course and took my first MCAT on Tuesday, so I know how stupid their advice is.) Judging by your last score, verbal is your only problem; if you can manage a 10 there, and keep getting 10/11 in the other sections, you'll be fine. As other people have already said, this is well within reach for you, considering that you got a 9 in verbal the first time.

Kaplan's method of "mapping" the passages is extremely time-consuming and will hold you back if your reading comprehension is already decent. (It must be, given your first verbal score and the fact that you did very well at a tough school.) You might want to take a look at the ExamKrackers verbal book instead; they have a very refreshing approach to the section that might help you. (Basically, they admit that the test is BS, but you have to "psych out" the test writers by developing a stereotypical image of the passage author in your mind, such as wordy college professor, liberal activist, etc. Then, if you have trouble figuring out the answer to a question, you try to imagine which answer the stereotypical author would choose.)

In my own case, I made up my approach as I went along. While reading the passage, I highlighted key sentences on the screen so that I could easily find them later. I didn't highlight names and dates, but sentences that I felt expressed an important idea or opinion in the passage. (Just be careful not to highlight TOO much or it could cost you too much time.) And if all else fails (i.e. you can't find the answer in the passage, and you've ruled out all the choices that seem blatantly wrong or contain traps), use your common sense. Given the main idea in the passage, what sounds like a reasonable answer?

You're neever going to get all the questions right no matter what, because the people who write the MCAT verbal section aren't actually that smart. (I think I have a right to judge because I was a lit major at an Ivy school, had to write hundreds of papers, and did nothing but "critical reading" all day long.) Sometimes, what the MCAT people think is a "correct" answer is just out to lunch.

Good luck, and don't give up.

P.S. Don't let anyone talk you into DO school if that's not really what you want. With a background like yours, you should be able to get into MD school SOMEWHERE if you get your MCAT score up a bit.

 

[sunsfan]

A number of SDN regulars swear by Examkrackers' strategy for improving in Verbal. Why don't you try that? Couldn't hurt.

Congrats on that GPA. I'm sure you aced countless exams to get that. Now there's just one more exam to do well in. I'm rootin' for ya!

 

[masterMood]

magic number =

gpa * 4 + MCAT score - 1 >65

you'll get into an allopathic school statistically.

 

[BlueElmo]

magic number =

gpa * 4 + MCAT score - 1 >65

you'll get into an allopathic school statistically.

So even if I had 3.8 and a 35, I won't have a chance?

 

[Jonassen]

Take the MCAT again, but make sure to do so only when you are scoring above 35 (12-11-12) on the AAMC online practice tests. If you aren't hitting 35 on the AAMC practice test, I suggest you to reschedule the test.

If you get a 35+ on your third time, the score would be such a dramatic increase from your past two times that your old scores will have little impact (and you can explain your poor performances away as nerves that you've since conquered). Your GPA will then carry you to a good medical school.

If you still only get a 25-29 on your third try even after scoring 35s on your practice exams, then you have a REAL problem with passage-based test taking under pressure. You really then need to consider DO schools or another career, because you will be taking the boards for medical school too, and it'll make the MCAT look easy. At least with DO schools, they have DO residency spots for themselves, so the board scores competition is more restricted (unless you want to do something not primary care based).

If I were you, I would write the MCAT one more time, just because your GPA is too good to be wasted. But don't shrug off DO schools.

 

[Deepa100]

I had thought about this MD vs. DO thing.

I want to only do MD. I am not prepared for a life time of dissing by every one because my MCAT scores weren't good enough to be an MD. I know it will bother me.

But that's just me...

 

[EveeSTi]

magic number =

gpa * 4 + MCAT score - 1 >65

you'll get into an allopathic school statistically.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say you typed it in wrong and you should correct it.

Based upon this method, a person with a 4.0 would need an MCAT score of, 65 - 16 + 1 = 50, which isn't possible unless you sleep with someone at AAMC.

So I'll tell you the way I have heard it :

(GPA * 10) + MCAT Score > or = 70

 

[EveeSTi]

basically what this means to the OP is that with a 31-32, you should STATISTICALLY stand a darn good shot at getting into an MD program.

 

[DrMattOglesby]

I had thought about this MD vs. DO thing.

I want to only do MD. I am not prepared for a life time of dissing by every one because my MCAT scores weren't good enough to be an MD. I know it will bother me.

But that's just me...

Let me just ask you,
will you look down on a future colleague that happens to be a DO (instead of MD)? your post seems to suggest so. If you are willing to look down on yourself for having a different degree, what's to stop you from looking down on someone else? Please respect everyone's decisions for choosing what they chose.
At this point, I don't know where I'm going to med school. It's true that my first choice (right now) is a DO program but there are plenty of good MD programs I am interested in as well. I don't want to leave the impression that I am trying to turn everyone into a DO, clearly--it is not for everyone. Yet, it IS for many who "knew their whole life they wanted to be a physician."
I don't mean this message to be confrontational though, I'm only writing it to let you know that some of the ideas you express are quite insulting to a large group of people, and you might consider that avg MCAT/GPAs of matriculated students are just that; averages. There are always high/low scoring people in BOTH DO & MD programs. Suffice it to say, we should not judge people by the medical degree they obtained, but instead, by their ability to provide competent and compassionate health care to those in need.

amen.
matt.

 

[Jonassen]

Let me just ask you,
will you look down on a future colleague that happens to be a DO (instead of MD)? your post seems to suggest so. If you are willing to look down on yourself for having a different degree, what's to stop you from looking down on someone else? Please respect everyone's decisions for choosing what they chose.
At this point, I don't know where I'm going to med school. It's true that my first choice (right now) is a DO program but there are plenty of good MD programs I am interested in as well. I don't want to leave the impression that I am trying to turn everyone into a DO, clearly--it is not for everyone. Yet, it IS for many who "knew their whole life they wanted to be a physician."
I don't mean this message to be confrontational though, I'm only writing it to let you know that some of the ideas you express are quite insulting to a large group of people, and you might consider that avg MCAT/GPAs of matriculated students are just that; averages. There are always high/low scoring people in BOTH DO & MD programs. Suffice it to say, we should not judge people by the medical degree they obtained, but instead, by their ability to provide competent and compassionate health care to those in need.

amen.
matt.

I agree. Think of it this way: A DO orthopedic surgeon could just as easily look down at an MD internist. There's an infinite amount of things a person can use to look down at someone if they want, there's no way anyone is going to avoid that. Just ask President Bush, he's the president for crying out loud.

 

[Sandlot13]

my opinion..... you still get into MD school with what you got on the first MCAT score. Everyone is so stuck on MCAT scores of 30+, but with your GPA at hopkins and your EC's are as good as I assume, you should have a decent chance at getting in. The second MCAT is kinda a kink cause it has that 5 in there, which will automatically get you screened on some apps.

Stop stressing out bout it, either try applying to some schools with the first mcat score or take it a third time and kick its freakin butt. You are obviously an accomplished student, so dont let a stupid test like this dictate your life's choice.

oh, and for the record, I hope people dont degrade DO's just because the letters after their name are different. if the material is the same, and the resulting professionalism is the same, there is no reason to look down on one profession or another. Maybe you should go DO just to enlighten your parents a bit and shove it to those snobby hopkins people when you get a better residency then them.....

 

[Ido]

i'm pretty stuck on md only. i know i should be more open minded about this, but it's pretty hard to do that.

p.s. if this helps, i'm a hopkins student, my bcpm is around a 3.75.

still, i know this is hopeless.

Never apologize for not settling for DO/Caribbean. People want different, and sometimes better, things in life. That's what makes a life worth living.

 

[RySerr21]

I had thought about this MD vs. DO thing.

I want to only do MD. I am not prepared for a life time of dissing by every one because my MCAT scores weren't good enough to be an MD. I know it will bother me.

But that's just me...

+1 to what MrMatt said... another tidbit, you are overexaggerating in the bolded statement. i'm not sure if you did it purposely, or you actually believe you will live "a life time of dissing by every one."

1. once you get into med school. no one cares about your MCAT. and no one asks.

2. no one cares about your initials. You are a doctor. No patient will diss you after you save his/her life. And no colleague will diss you when they see your hard work and dedication to the field of medicine.