MCAT Score is worse the second time!

[foodie96]

Hey y'all,

I am applying this cycle, and I just received my 2nd MCAT score, which is 2 points lower than my first. I initially got a 511, and now have a 509. I'm wondering how this will look to admissions committees, and if I should update my school list. My GPA isn't fantastic either (cGPA: 3.6, sGPA: 3.4). I retook the MCAT because I wanted to increase my chem/phys score. I'll list a breakdown below.

I'm a URM, I have 2 research experiences (1 year each, no publications), and LOTS of community service and leadership (with organizations that I was involved with for 2+ years). I did a year of AmeriCorps, I was a scribe, and have a decent amount of shadowing hours. LORs should be good.

1st MCAT: 511
C/P: 124
CARS: 128
B/B: 127
P/S: 132

2nd MCAT: 509
C/P: 127
CARS: 127
B/B: 128
P/S: 127

I mostly focused on C/P while studying the second time, so I'm glad that went up, but I'm frustrated because I was consistently scoring 514-516 during my last few practice tests, with P/S scores between 130-132.

I'm applying to 20 schools; 12 are 'target' for my GPAs and MCAT, 5 'undershoot' schools, and 3 'reach' schools. I just want to know how much my score decrease will affect my chances, and if I should adjust the schools I'm applying to. Thanks!

*I was told to tag @Goro lol

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[candbgirl]

What minority group do you represent? What state are you a resident of?

 

[907914]

P/S: 127

Ouch - that P/S crash has me hurtin'.

Overall, you improved your C/P enough to get past the 125 screen that many schools have. Although, with your stats the schools you be applying to are not likely the ones that have a screening. It will be looked down upon and you likely should not have retaken, but what is done is done.

As a URM, you statistically still have a 78% chance of acceptance based on stats alone

https://www.aamc.org/download/321520/data/factstablea24-5.pdf

Go make a WAMC thread, tag @Goro so that he/she may smack the back of your head through the screen for retaking a 511, and get a good school list.

 

[foodie96]

What minority group do you represent? What state are you a resident of?

Black (also 1st gen immigrant and 1st gen college student; don't know if that helps). Florida

 

[foodie96]

Ouch - that P/S crash has me hurtin'.

Haha it is painful *cries*

Go make a WAMC thread, tag @Goro so that he/she may smack the back of your head through the screen for retaking a 511, and get a good school list.

Will do. Thank you so much!

 

[JUNGLEKING]

Same P/S crash happened to me. Was scoring 130 on practice exams and got 127 on real, luckily I also outscored my C/P section by 2 points so it ended up about right.

 

[chlorocruorin]

I’m sorry but who told you to retake the MCAT?

 

[foodie96]

I’m sorry but who told you to retake the MCAT?

Ugh I listened to bad advice from friends who I thought knew more than me. They basically told me I was doomed by my C/P score, especially with my sGPA

 

[chlorocruorin]

Ugh I listened to bad advice from friends who I thought knew more than me. They basically told me I was doomed by my C/P score, especially with my sGPA

You had a 93+% chance according to aamc with your stats before retaking taking it. You still will get into medical school, but you really weren’t gaining anything from retaking it. I still don’t believe schools look at individual sections tbh

 

[chlorocruorin]

Apply to Vanderbilt and schools that do super scores. Your mcat would be a 515

 

[foodie96]

Apply to Vanderbilt and schools that do super scores. Your mcat would be a 515

Vanderbilt?! With my GPA? lololol

But thank you! I'll try to find other schools that superscore

 

[Faha]

I suggest all these schools with your stats:
All of your Florida schools (include NOVA MD)
Howard
Meharry
Morehouse
UCLA Drew
Quinnipiac
Tufts
New York Medical College
Seton Hall
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Georgetown
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
St.Louis
Creighton
Tulane
TCU-UNT
Eastern Virginia

 

[chlorocruorin]

Vanderbilt?! With my GPA? lololol

But thank you! I'll try to find other schools that superscore

I’m telling this to you as a fellow AA male. You need to apply to like 5 T20 schools. I had a 3.7 and mcat way lower and got shown love last cycle. Your gpa is very rare, trust me.

 

[foodie96]

I suggest all these schools with your stats:
All of your Florida schools (include NOVA MD)
Howard
Meharry
Morehouse
UCLA Drew
Quinnipiac
Tufts
New York Medical College
Seton Hall
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Georgetown
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
St.Louis
Creighton
Tulane
TCU-UNT
Eastern Virginia

Thank you! Many of these schools were on my list before. I just wasn't sure if I needed to aim lower with my new MCAT score

 

[foodie96]

I’m telling this to you as a fellow AA male. You need to apply to like 5 T20 schools. I had a 3.7 and mcat way lower and got shown love last cycle. Your gpa is very rare, trust me.

Really? I wasn't really sure how much it will be a factor, so I don't want to waste time applying to schools that I realistically have little to no chance of being accepted

 

[907914]

Really? I wasn't really sure how much it will be a factor, so I don't want to waste time applying to schools that I realistically have little to no chance of being accepted

Even NYU had a 504 last cycle.

 

[chlorocruorin]

It won’t be a significant factor. You could get interviews with schools like northwestern. Don’t apply to schools like Harvard, but I see no problem trying for schools like UPitt and Boston