MCAT retake

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lg123

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I received a 510 MCAT with a 128(chem/phys), 125(CARS), 131(bio) and 126(psych/soc). I'm debating re-taking because of my lower CARS section. This was my first time taking the test. My ethnicity is white. I'm applying to middle or lower tier medical schools. Should I retake or no?

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Don't re-take it. You have above a 125 in all sections and a 80th percentile score. Unless you can really knock it out of the park (520+) it's not worth re-taking it. You might gain some CARS points but might lose some Bio ones.
 
For a retake to be worth it, you need to score 5+ points higher. 50% of second attempts score the same or lower. Another 30% score 2 points higher or less. 1/5 second attempts results in 3+ point gains. OP your CARS and PS scores are weaker, arguably these are the two lowest priority sections of the exam. Your science section scores are 90th and 99th percentile scores. I would not attempt a retake at this point.
 
I received a 510 MCAT with a 128(chem/phys), 125(CARS), 131(bio) and 126(psych/soc). I'm debating re-taking because of my lower CARS section. This was my first time taking the test. My ethnicity is white. I'm applying to middle or lower tier medical schools. Should I retake or no?
Hey I think you're mcat is fine to apply as it's the average mcat score for MD schools and your CARs is not under 125. But if you think you can score higher on cars then go for a retake.

I'd like to ask you a question on how to best prepare for BB 3 weeks out. I am scoring 124-125s on the first two full lengths. Did you find the data analysis in BB to be simple on the real exam or hard like the section bank? I also have trouble with western blots and experimental data questions such as "what would be a good follow up experiment". Any tips?
 
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Hey I think you're mcat is fine to apply as it's the average mcat score for MD schools and your CARs is not under 125. But if you think you can score higher on cars then go for a retake.

I'd like to ask you a question on how to best prepare for BB 3 weeks out. I am scoring 124-125s on the first two full lengths. Did you find the data analysis in BB to be simple on the real exam or hard like the section bank? I also have trouble with western blots and experimental data questions such as "what would be a good follow up experiment". Any tips?
Hey, I did a lot of practice passages to prepare and also made flashcards for terms and such from my study book for repetition. I thought the data analysis was slightly easier on the real MCAT then the practice ones I took and section banks. One thing that I started doing with data analysis was I'd quickly make notes about trends on my scrap sheet so I didn't have to keep referring an re-analyzing the passage a bunch of times while answering the questions I just had it right in front of me. Hope that helps.
 
Hey, I did a lot of practice passages to prepare and also made flashcards for terms and such from my study book for repetition. I thought the data analysis was slightly easier on the real MCAT then the practice ones I took and section banks. One thing that I started doing with data analysis was I'd quickly make notes about trends on my scrap sheet so I didn't have to keep referring an re-analyzing the passage a bunch of times while answering the questions I just had it right in front of me. Hope that helps.
So the trends you jotted down were from the text or charts/graphs?
 
How were you doing on your practice tests? If you're confident you can score a 515+, then a retake is absolutely worth it, but if not, a retake could add a red flag to your application.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors
 
How were you doing on your practice tests? If you're confident you can score a 515+, then a retake is absolutely worth it, but if not, a retake could add a red flag to your application.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors
practice tests were like 506 range, I feel like I could get a 512 on a re-take but i doubt a 515
 
For a retake to be worth it, you need to score 5+ points higher. 50% of second attempts score the same or lower. Another 30% score 2 points higher or less. 1/5 second attempts results in 3+ point gains. OP your CARS and PS scores are weaker, arguably these are the two lowest priority sections of the exam. Your science section scores are 90th and 99th percentile scores. I would not attempt a retake at this point.
I love you man but CARS is most certainly not one of the lower priority sections of the exam. Its up there with Bio according to most adcoms
 
Wait you're considering a retake of a 510 when you were scoring in the 506 range? @KnightDoc and @GreenDuck12 get in here and talk some sense into this guy
I stayed out of this one last night for a reason! Plus, please note that @GreenDuck12 did already respond!!!! :cool:

All kidding aside, for me, this one is a closer call. 510 is below the median for a White matriculant. Of course, we can't all be above the median, but it helps!! In general, it's not a terrible idea to consider a retake if you are below the median for your group AND you have reason to believe you can significantly improve. The more below the median you are, the better the rest of your application has to be to be viable. Since we all suffer from imposter syndrome to a greater or lesser degree, it is understandable to want to be above the median in one of the few objective metrics if it is possible to do so.

Because OP later posted that he was averaging 506 in FLs, and thought maybe he could increase by 2 points but never by 5, I honestly thought he might be trolling since there would be no reason to post in that case. For anyone else reading this, there is absolutely no reason to put yourself through the test again to maybe pick up 2 points that nobody will care about, especially when you already scored 4 points above your FL average.
 
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CARS is given the most leeway for lower subsection scores.
Thats because people typically do worst on CARS (it has the lowest median compared to the other sections). From my understanding with a few adcoms P/S is weighed the least heavily
 
Kinda sucks for people who do bad on CP CARS and Bio/Biochem only to raise their score using P/S

It just depends on the priorities of the school and the scores in their applicant pool. My program has higher BB and PS averages than CP and CARS. Our dean of admissions talked about this on interview day and said that they more heavily weight BB and PS because of the skills they are looking for.
 
It just depends on the priorities of the school and the scores in their applicant pool. My program has higher BB and PS averages than CP and CARS. Our dean of admissions talked about this on interview day and said that they more heavily weight BB and PS because of the skills they are looking for.
Well as someone with a 128/128/132/128 I am thinking the only schools I am good for is the Caribbean. I failed across 3 sections
 
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I'll be the dissenting opinion, and tell you to retake. Your PS score can easily be improved by more studying/uworld, and so can your CARS. I dont think you necessarily need to though.
 
I'll be the dissenting opinion, and tell you to retake. Your PS score can easily be improved by more studying/uworld, and so can your CARS. I dont think you necessarily need to though.
He was scoring ~506 on his practice exams. He got a 510 on the real thing. A retake is VERY ill-advised.
 
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I'll be the dissenting opinion, and tell you to retake. Your PS score can easily be improved by more studying/uworld, and so can your CARS. I dont think you necessarily need to though.
I normally love your advice, but this is pretty ill advised!

Why do you think CARS can be "easily improved"? People who struggle with it CONSISTENTLY report it to be very difficult to improve. Moreover, you neglect to point out how easily a 131 in any section can go down on a retake. Advising anyone who scored 4 above their FL average to retake, unless that average is extremely low and, for whatever reason, the person took the test with so little preparation that a retake pretty much has nowhere to go but up, is, in my opinion, SDN malpractice. :cool:

In this case, where OP admits he's only looking for another 2 points, retaking makes even less sense than for the more typical person who, however unrealistically, thinks they can do much better.
 
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I normally love your advice, but this is pretty ill advised!

Why do you think CARS can be "easily improved"? People who struggle with it CONSISTENTLY report it to be very difficult to improve. Moreover, you neglect to point out how easily a 131 in any section can go down on a retake. Advising anyone who scored 4 above their FL average to retake, unless that average is extremely low and, for whatever reason, the person took the test with so little preparation that a retake pretty much has nowhere to go but up, is, in my opinion, SDN malpractice. :cool:

In this case, where OP admits he's only looking for another 2 points, retaking makes even less sense than for the more typical person who, however unrealistically, thinks they can do much better.
Yeah that's fair. I think the 126 PS next to 131 BB made me lose my mind for a sec. I wouldn't retake prior to January, without more studying etc.
Also heh, if only we could sue for bad SDN advice. I'd be a lot richer!
 
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