MCAT score release and secondaries...need help

[cateyezz]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I have just taken my mcat on june 13 and patiently waiting for my scores...i just put in my primaries....however, i was told by someone that i needed to release my new scores already. Do i release my scores even tho i havent gotten my second set of scores already? do med schools look at ur mcat scores before you send in ur secondaries? please explain ...

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

I'm a bit confused about your reference to releasing scores.. If you complete a primary, the MCAT scores will be sent to the schools that you've indicated (and paid for) on the primary, as soon as the scores become avaialble. There's not "releasing" of scores, or at least no action needed on your part.

If you chose, say, 10 schools, killed the MCAT, and then decide to apply to 10 more schools, as soon as you add those schools to your amcas primary, they'll see your MCAT score too. May take a day or two, but it's pretty immediate.

Yes, schools see your MCAT before sending out secondaries, some schools screen before sending out secondaries and only send them out if MCAT score is at or above their cutoff.

I'm not understanding your reference to a "second set of scores". If you took the MCAT before and just retook it 6/13, hopefully you indicated this on the Amcas primary. If this is the case and you did NOT indicate on the primary that you are retaking the MCAT, I'd get on the phone immediately to the schools you'd selected on the primary, tell them you just sat for the MCAT. This is to prevent being screened out based on an old MCAT score. Or did I misunderstand what happenned?

 

[cateyezz]

well see my confusion is this...when i log on to the mcat testing history on aamc, it tells me to add places where i would like to have my scores sent...so it would have to be something like adding amcas or aacoms etc....Now i dont know if that action is necessary or not, or just the indication on my primary application is sufficient enough for amcas to access my scores...
As for my second set of scores...well yea i definitely indicated on amcas primaries that i was retaking them july 13th.
So what I would like to know is this, before i send in my secondaries, do i need to send my mcat scores by submitting them to amcas? so should i wait for my june 13th scores to be released first? Or does it not matter if i do or do not submitt anything through the mcat testing histrory page?
Also, do schools see all of your scores?

 

[Chuck's Right Foot]

well see my confusion is this...when i log on to the mcat testing history on aamc, it tells me to add places where i would like to have my scores sent...so it would have to be something like adding amcas or aacoms etc....Now i dont know if that action is necessary or not, or just the indication on my primary application is sufficient enough for amcas to access my scores...
As for my second set of scores...well yea i definitely indicated on amcas primaries that i was retaking them july 13th.
So what I would like to know is this, before i send in my secondaries, do i need to send my mcat scores by submitting them to amcas? so should i wait for my june 13th scores to be released first? Or does it not matter if i do or do not submitt anything through the mcat testing histrory page?
Also, do schools see all of your scores?

AMCAS auto-gets, they will be updated automatically to your primary application. AACOMAS you would need to release.

 

[Mobius1985]

before i send in my secondaries, should i wait for my june 13th scores to be released first? Or does it not matter if i do or do not submitt anything through the mcat testing histrory page?

It doesn't matter when you submit the Secondaries. Schools will hold them until the second MCAT score is automatically transmitted by AMCAS-you don't need to do anything for them to get sent. The only reason to wait on the Secondary is if you are not confident of an improved MCAT score. A lower-than-expected score might cause you not to continue with a given school so you can save the additional application fee.

Also, do schools see all of your scores?

Yes, AMCAS schools receive all your scores. You are not able to selectively withhold them.

 

[Jape]

so if you have old scores, is it best to submit amcas and aamcomas before u get your new scores back.

 

[Mobius1985]

so if you have old scores, is it best to submit amcas and aamcomas before u get your new scores back.

I'd think it would depend on the old score, whether it was at least modestly competitive, and how confident you are that the new score will be much better. If both scores are poor, why uselessly enrich schools with your application dollars?

A good way to hedge your bets is to go ahead and submit to AMCAS (I know nothing about AACOMAS) listing only one school, get your transcript verified, and when the second MCAT score comes back improved, add your other schools on-line (and pay for them). Everything will be sent out to your new additions by one business day later. If the score doesn't look competitive for allopathic schools, you can make a new plan without spending any more money and maybe concentrate your efforts more on DO schools.

 

[cateyezz]

hey thanks guys...that cleared up alot...yea i m definitely gona wait for my new scores to come in...keeping fingers crossed they would be muchh better than last time and hoping to hit a 30...lets see....thanks once again everyone