MCAT SCORES-Below 20

[Ausmil]

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Hey there, I have a 3.46 overall and a 3.24 science GPA. However, I recieved a horrible score on the MCAT. It was less than a 20, Ok it was more like a few below 20. I am wondering of I misbubbled!!! I never scored that low on one section. Anyway, Is there even a chance at a Caribean with that score? I plan on retaking it in January, but is there even a chance right now?

 

[Shah_Patel_PT]

Hey there, I have a 3.46 overall and a 3.24 science GPA. However, I recieved a horrible score on the MCAT. It was less than a 20, Ok it was more like a few below 20. I am wondering of I misbubbled!!! I never scored that low on one section. Anyway, Is there even a chance at a Caribean with that score? I plan on retaking it in January, but is there even a chance right now?

Retake the test....the test is far below the average at the top caribbean schools. Ross/St George

 

[ezal36]

Try wsvcom,pscom,vcom,lecom,decom. good luck1

 

[oldpro]

Try wsvcom,pscom,vcom,lecom,decom. good luck1

You must be kidding? Right ? DO doesn't mean "DO" Admit anyone with a pulse.

Sorry but really a MCAT below 20 with that GPA will not get you anywhere in the US it would have to be Caribbean. ANd it may not be one of the big 4 either? You can try though. AUA might take you.😱

 

[blueoval]

retake the MCAT, cause maybe something went wrong. But if that doesnt work there is always down here. Besides they let me in. And I had a great GPA but not so MCAT.

 

[McGillGrad]

Apply and see what happens.

 

[streetlights]

i went to the Ross University seminar this weekend and the admission of directors said someone got in with an MCAT score of 11...he later told me that the girl that got an 11 had a 4.0 or something and attended UC Berkeley

 

[ScootDoc]

Hey there, I have a 3.46 overall and a 3.24 science GPA. However, I recieved a horrible score on the MCAT. It was less than a 20, Ok it was more like a few below 20. I am wondering of I misbubbled!!! I never scored that low on one section. Anyway, Is there even a chance at a Caribean with that score? I plan on retaking it in January, but is there even a chance right now?

If you can't even get 20 on the MCAT you don't even deserve to go into medicine. I don't know about anybody else, but I would prefer that my physician actually know a thing or two about what he is actully doing. It would really suck if my doctor misbubbled during my surgery. Know what I'm saying? Maybe you should consider becoming a high school biology teacher. To get into a Carribean school you still have at least above a twenty. If you do get in, then I feel bad for your future patients. Sorry, I know it isn't as nice as some, but I believe in brutal honesty. I don't blow smoke!

 

[Taurus]

girl that got an 11 had a 4.0 or something and attended UC Berkeley

That defies logic. Don't you get an 11 just for showing up?

 

[Scottish Chap]

You must be kidding? Right ? DO doesn't mean "DO" Admit anyone with a pulse.

Sorry but really a MCAT below 20 with that GPA will not get you anywhere in the US it would have to be Caribbean. ANd it may not be one of the big 4 either? You can try though. AUA might take you.😱

I know a few who have been accepted with MCATs in the teens (Caribbean and osteopathic schools), so it definitely happens. For better or worse, they place less emphasis on the MCAT. However, I agree the OP must retake the test to maximize his/her options. It's the easiest part of an application to fix.

 

[IMbound]

If you can't even get 20 on the MCAT you don't even deserve to go into medicine. I don't know about anybody else, but I would prefer that my physician actually know a thing or two about what he is actully doing. It would really suck if my doctor misbubbled during my surgery. Know what I'm saying? Maybe you should consider becoming a high school biology teacher. To get into a Carribean school you still have at least above a twenty. If you do get in, then I feel bad for your future patients. Sorry, I know it isn't as nice as some, but I believe in brutal honesty. I don't blow smoke!

I don't really agree with that statement. It has been proven time and again that MCAT scores really don't correlate with how well you will do in Med school or especially how good a doctor you will be. What more relates is your GPA in undergrad to how you will do in med school. As his GPA is reasonable, a Carribean school will definetely consider him. I would apply to the big 4 carribean schools and see what happens. You can always apply again after taking the MCAT again if necessary.

 

[oldpro]

If you can't even get 20 on the MCAT you don't even deserve to go into medicine. I don't know about anybody else, but I would prefer that my physician actually know a thing or two about what he is actully doing. It would really suck if my doctor misbubbled during my surgery. Know what I'm saying? Maybe you should consider becoming a high school biology teacher. To get into a Carribean school you still have at least above a twenty. If you do get in, then I feel bad for your future patients. Sorry, I know it isn't as nice as some, but I believe in brutal honesty. I don't blow smoke!

Brutal Honesty? This is only your opinion, man wait till your in medschool, doing well on the MCAT means nothing, doing well in most of the undergrad means little, Doing well in Medschool is everything! The MCAT is only a test it's not a real life measure of how well someone can do, its a brief snapshot of one day and time some one triess to answer those questions that have little if anything to do with real medicine. SO in my opinion someone who has not gone through Basic Science yet and tries to tell us who should and should not go to to medschool IS blowing smoke.

BTW I'm a MS II

 

[ScootDoc]

Brutal Honesty? This is only your opinion, man wait till your in medschool, doing well on the MCAT means nothing, doing well in most of the undergrad means little, Doing well in Medschool is everything! The MCAT is only a test it's not a real life measure of how well someone can do, its a brief snapshot of one day and time some one triess to answer those questions that have little if anything to do with real medicine. SO in my opinion someone who has not gone through Basic Science yet and tries to tell us who should and should not go to to medschool IS blowing smoke.

BTW I'm a MS II

Did I stike a chord with oldpro? I think so. I guess we know what he/she got on the MCAT.....not such an oldpro after all huh? What did you get 15? 16? Got into a carribean school off a wait list for the january class through one of those trial run deals? When you take the USMLE and score <180 let me know. BTW MCAT does correlate very well with step 1 scores. Go to the USMLE/COMLEX threads and see what people post. MCAT vs. Step 1. I guarantee you that there aren't many students who score <20 and score above the avg. on the step. Give it try and tell us what you find.

BTW I'm an MS 0 !!!!! making your ass (Mr. MSII) look stupid!!!!!

 

[oldpro]

Did I stike a chord with oldpro? I think so. I guess we know what he/she got on the MCAT.....not such an oldpro after all huh? What did you get 15? 16? Got into a carribean school off a wait list for the january class through one of those trial run deals? When you take the USMLE and score <180 let me know. BTW MCAT does correlate very well with step 1 scores. Go to the USMLE/COMLEX threads and see what people post. MCAT vs. Step 1. I guarantee you that there aren't many students who score <20 and score above the avg. on the step. Give it try and tell us what you find.

BTW I'm an MS 0 !!!!! making your ass (Mr. MSII) look stupid!!!!!

Yeah you prove to all of us your just a snot nosed kid who knows nothing yet.

Sorry to see you have some acceptances, goes to prove you can fool most I guess. well you will learn soon enough that medschool is more than brains it takes character too which if this is any proof you have litttle of.👎

BTW I have seen many fail out with good MCAT scores you are nothing until you pass then nothing until you pass step one then nothing until you pass until you get a residency, trust me we all go through this the sooner you understand the better.
It's all about the next hurdle not putting people down.

 

[inshanesworld]

First, let me say to anyone who has decided to apply to a Caribbean get a dictionary and learn how to spell the word Caribbean. This advice actually carries over into all other possible locations for medical schools in the world.

like it is Colorado not Colarado...Emory is not Emourie...or Chicago is not Shikago (Nihonjin no tomodachi....honto ni gomen nasai!)

Second, to the OP...retake the MCAT. This is an unfortunate situation for you, I am sure. However, that score will be near impossible to ignore. Your grade point average is also not stellar, but even if it was--to use a term from a previous English prof--that score is a "mortal wound". I would seriously ignore the well intentioned advice that somehow the MCAT really does not matter or is just an objectively surerficial test that would not indicate what type of student you would really be. If this were true, believe me the AAMC would not require that the test be taken and medical schools would not care so much about it. With certainty, there are a few "legends" of some student with a 9 on the MCAT getting into Yale. Even if this is true, it is one person out of thousands of students who did not get accepted anywhere.

Do not waste your money on anything else but solving your issues with this test. Get a tutor, take a class, or something.

 

[oldpro]

First, let me say to anyone who has decided to apply to a Caribbean get a dictionary and learn how to spell the word Caribbean. This advice actually carries over into all other possible locations for medical schools in the world.

like it is Colorado not Colarado...Emory is not Emourie...or Chicago is not Shikago (Nihonjin no tomodachi....honto ni gomen nasai!)

Second, to the OP...retake the MCAT. This is an unfortunate situation for you, I am sure. However, that score will be near impossible to ignore. Your grade point average is also not stellar, but even if it was--to use a term from a previous English prof--that score is a "mortal wound". I would seriously ignore the well intentioned advice that somehow the MCAT really does not matter or is just an objectively surerficial test that would not indicate what type of student you would really be. If this were true, believe me the AAMC would not require that the test be taken and medical schools would not care so much about it. With certainty, there are a few "legends" of some student with a 9 on the MCAT getting into Yale. Even if this is true, it is one person out of thousands of students who did not get accepted anywhere.

Do not waste your money on anything else but solving your issues with this test. Get a tutor, take a class, or something.

1st off thanks for the tip! I thought opening a book was too hard for us though?

2ND yes retaking the MCAT is a good idea, but that GPA will not get accepted, they should also spend another year in Post Bac so we are now telling them to forget the Caribbean and do another 2 to three years to get into medical school even though they could apply right now and may get accepted into a Caribbean medical school and wold have passed step one by the time they get accepted to a US school. Well it's advice I guess?
I really think at times we are a little overboard on the have to go to the USA thing. 😎

 

[inshanesworld]

1st off thanks for the tip! I thought opening a book was too hard for us though?

2ND yes retaking the MCAT is a good idea, but that GPA will not get accepted, they should also spend another year in Post Bac so we are now telling them to forget the Caribbean and do another 2 to three years to get into medical school even though they could apply right now and may get accepted into a Caribbean medical school and wold have passed step one by the time they get accepted to a US school. Well it's advice I guess?
I really think at times we are a little overboard on the have to go to the USA thing. 😎

Tis Tis Oldpro....I guess someone forgot to get that extra hour of sleep this morning...

Anyhow, I guess you assumed that I was only referring to US schools...but actually I made the obviously mistaken assumption that there are some Caribbean schools that actually have standards. Especially based on one of your earlier posts.

Sorry but really a MCAT below 20 with that GPA will not get you anywhere in the US it would have to be Caribbean. ANd it may not be one of the big 4 either? You can try though. AUA might take you.

But your latest response seems to indicate that I must be wrong. I stand corrected.

Thus to the OP...my apologies don't retake the MCAT apparently there are places that will take just about anyone.

Oh as for the spelling test I guess I was trying at least to defend the people who do attend Caribbean schools. I figured if you really have respect for a school you should at least be able to properly spell its location.

 

[eg77]

Wow!!!!! That was by far one of the most exciting/tense thread I've read!!!
I was just thinking about applying to SGU or Ross and just looking through this thread kinda amazed me.
Some serious hostile and defensive people here and I think we all need to chill. Not tryin to be a peace maker or anything but thought I'd throw that in there.

 

[ScootDoc]

Wow!!!!! That was by far one of the most exciting/tense thread I've read!!!
I was just thinking about applying to SGU or Ross and just looking through this thread kinda amazed me.
Some serious hostile and defensive people here and I think we all need to chill. Not tryin to be a peace maker or anything but thought I'd throw that in there.

Yeah, you will have to excuse us. We are a bunch of egotistical power tripping maniacs. Truthfully, I think my dong is much bigger than oldtimer's, I mean oldpro's, but whatever..... Thanks for trying to keep it real EG77!!!!

 

[erichaj]

1. Improve your test taking skills. Thats what standerdized tests are all about. (for the most part).

2. Apply to Offshore schools and study to take the MCAT again. If you do well on the MCAT, apply to US school if you want.

3. I can tell you this, Ross or Auc or SGU will not be easy. They are weed out schools. So, you will have to improve you test taking skills no matter what for the USMLE and offshore schools.

4. I can also tell you that if you want it bad enough, and I mean BAD ENOUGH, you will be able to do what it take to get your MD. Thousands of people have proved that before you.
This is not an endorsement, it is just the facts that I know are true.

5. Also consider other healthcare options like dental school and pharmacy.
They make great salaries, have a great life without the headaches of medicine and the time it takes to finish.

Just remember this, just because you did not do well on the MCAT does not mean you are not bright. Many people who do well on the MCAT may do poorly in other things like computers or business.

Good Luck.

 

[oldpro]

Tis Tis Oldpro....I guess someone forgot to get that extra hour of sleep this morning...

Anyhow, I guess you assumed that I was only referring to US schools...but actually I made the obviously mistaken assumption that there are some Caribbean schools that actually have standards. Especially based on one of your earlier posts.



But your latest response seems to indicate that I must be wrong. I stand corrected.

Thus to the OP...my apologies don't retake the MCAT apparently there are places that will take just about anyone.

Oh as for the spelling test I guess I was trying at least to defend the people who do attend Caribbean schools. I figured if you really have respect for a school you should at least be able to properly spell its location.

Look SDN has been full of Kids that post bad advice all the time.

How much do you all really know about Caribbean schools? The Big 4 SGU, AUC ROSS and SABA have taken students with 2.6 GPA's and MCATs in the teens. I'm not just saying this these people are in clinicals and residencies right now.

I get hot over snot nosed US Premeds who thumb their nose at hard working Caribbean students who deserve a "good Luck" and a "way to go" because this is way harder than attending school in the US. Instead they make up things and believe the myths they tell each other and post them on here and other places as fact. I will always respond to such posts and try to encourage people who really want to study medicine.

The OP has a good enough GPA for any of the Big 4, yes they really could be accepted, it is no guarantee but I think the stand a decent chance.

I'm going to go and have some cofee, I expect no less than these kinda posts from SDN anyway, the most anti Caribbean place on the net.

 

[inshanesworld]

Look SDN has been full of Kids that post bad advice all the time.

How much do you all really know about Caribbean schools? The Big 4 SGU, AUC ROSS and SABA have taken students with 2.6 GPA's and MCATs in the teens. I'm not just saying this these people are in clinicals and residencies right now.

I get hot over snot nosed US Premeds who thumb their nose at hard working Caribbean students who deserve a "good Luck" and a "way to go" because this is way harder than attending school in the US. Instead they make up things and believe the myths they tell each other and post them on here and other places as fact. I will always respond to such posts and try to encourage people who really want to study medicine.

The OP has a good enough GPA for any of the Big 4, yes they really could be accepted, it is no guarantee but I think the stand a decent chance.

I'm going to go and have some cofee, I expect no less than these kinda posts from SDN anyway, the most anti Caribbean place on the net.

Understandable, I can realize some of your frustations and please know that I am not trying to add to them. I believe that objectivity means that you disclose the posititve and the negative. We do this in medicine before procedures all of the time. It is the basis of informed consent. Even if the procedure as a significant probability of helping, you still are responsible to outline the risks. The issue is that you sometimes, in the effort to zealously defend the Caribbean, there is a failure to completely outline the risks of that choice. Some people would benefit from immediately applying to a Caribbean school instead of waiting and others benefit greatly from waiting a year and improving their app. for a US school. That decision is up to them. In order to make it properly though, they need BOTH sides of the story.

Also, I am certainly not a premed (Long since passed that stage in my life), and in fact have worked with medical school admissions for several years. I have also worked with many students with less than stellar apps and have helped them to find better success in subsequent years. Needless to say don't assume everyone on this forum is somehow inferior or a novice. At the same time don't assume all the advice you receive on this forum is actually true.

 

[erichaj]

I wrote my post to point out that the offshore schools are not always the best idea.

But, when I went to my advisor during my undergrad training, she was a very negative person. She offered very little help in finding out what I really had to do to get to medical school. She gave a list of classes I should take and that was it.

Without going into it for too much, the point is that people don't get into medical school or get poor grades for many reasons.

There are FMGs were english was a second language for them and although they spoke conversational english well, when it came to reading fast (a skill needed in test taking) they could not do it as well. This reflect on their scores in all tests.

If they took the same test in their primary language they would do well.

The argument would be that we speak english. But they could hold their own in conversational english and even in medical language, it came down to reading and writing faster. The MCAT and USMLE is a timed exam.

This is just one problem.

But either way, I met many truly smart people at Ross. I knew one person who was making a ton of cash on wallstreet and just did not need to be there any more. He wanted a career that was more than just about the money. I knew a couple MBAs and Computer scientist and a PHD in biochemistry. All of them were older and US programs have limitations for non-traditional students.

There are also people there who want the fast and easy way. They find out real fast that there is no fast and easy way. You have to learn the material no matter where you happen to be geographicaly.

 

[oldpro]

Understandable, I can realize some of your frustations and please know that I am not trying to add to them. I believe that objectivity means that you disclose the posititve and the negative. We do this in medicine before procedures all of the time. It is the basis of informed consent. Even if the procedure as a significant probability of helping, you still are responsible to outline the risks. The issue is that you sometimes, in the effort to zealously defend the Caribbean, there is a failure to completely outline the risks of that choice. Some people would benefit from immediately applying to a Caribbean school instead of waiting and others benefit greatly from waiting a year and improving their app. for a US school. That decision is up to them. In order to make it properly though, they need BOTH sides of the story.

Also, I am certainly not a premed (Long since passed that stage in my life), and in fact have worked with medical school admissions for several years. I have also worked with many students with less than stellar apps and have helped them to find better success in subsequent years. Needless to say don't assume everyone on this forum is somehow inferior or a novice. At the same time don't assume all the advice you receive on this forum is actually true.

Yes I understand it can look that way, it may because I trust few who post on SDN. I have seen outright immaturity from those who say they are in medical school. Since moderation is so loose here insults are easy to post.

Defend Caribbean schools? I have been threatened by some people for posting the truth about caribbean schools. But to tell some one there will be so much of a difference between a FP from the Caribbean and a FP in the USA medschool is really odd since there is none in residencies nor in career.

Specialties and competitive residencies? Sure I will always agree harder from the Caribbean but there are those of you that claim some residencies will never happen from the Caribbean and I can show you where a Caribbean grad has had just about any residency now and in the past it just may not be as likely for most though.

You have to realize one important thing here despite all the negatives there may be about going to a caribbean medical school, the biggest is not going to medical school at all, and some do not tell you the whole story in a post and even with better grades or MCAT they will never get into a US medical school due to other factors. Think on that one, there's a reason they ask about the Caribbean how can you assume all things are equal?

 

[Dr.Masamichi]

May I ask Ausmil how many times have you taken the MCAT? If this was your 1st time, I definitely suggest you retake the beast again. I know a guy that struggled with the test because English wasn't his native tongue took the test 10X, yes 10X before he got accepted into med. school. That truly brings out his determination for med. school. Also, it would be nice if you could take additional classes to boost up your GPA. I've read somewhere in the MCAT forum of this guy who scored 34T on the test but got no single interview because of his low GPA. In summary, if you're serious about med. school then don't give up because tests are mundane thing in med. school anyway. Good luck.

 

[1Path]

You have to realize one important thing here despite all the negatives there may be about going to a caribbean medical school, the biggest is not going to medical school at all, and some do not tell you the whole story in a post and even with better grades or MCAT they will never get into a US medical school due to other factors. Think on that one, there's a reason they ask about the Caribbean how can you assume all things are equal?

GREAT posts from one oldtimer to another!👍

 

[M3Nick]

Hey, I have a ~3.5 gpa and I'm wondering if i have a shot in any carribean schools, but I really don't know anything about how that whole process works. I'm wondering where I can get info about them, or any input. I'm a pre dent right now but i still always think about med idk any input would be great thanks

 

[SabaMed]

Hey, I have a ~3.5 gpa and I'm wondering if i have a shot in any carribean schools, but I really don't know anything about how that whole process works. I'm wondering where I can get info about them, or any input. I'm a pre dent right now but i still always think about med idk any input would be great thanks

You have no shot. Here's the number for a good truck driving school (800) 879-8870, I suggest you use it.

 

[SabaMed]

😴

 

[SabaMed]

Hey, I have a ~3.5 gpa and I'm wondering if i have a shot in any carribean schools, but I really don't know anything about how that whole process works. I'm wondering where I can get info about them, or any input. I'm a pre dent right now but i still always think about med idk any input would be great thanks

If you have to ask then maybe you shouldn't go?

 

[sbturnisback]

Hi. Of course you have a shot, so take it. If you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. These folks who are telling you "no" are doing it themselves. If we can do it, so can you. Trust your heart, and follow it. My overall 2.5, science 2.5, MCAT 20, and I am currently a fourth semester student at a crappy carib med school. Thank God I am switching schools after this semester. Best wishes!🙂

 

[silas2642]

Hey there, I have a 3.46 overall and a 3.24 science GPA. However, I recieved a horrible score on the MCAT. It was less than a 20, Ok it was more like a few below 20. I am wondering of I misbubbled!!! I never scored that low on one section. Anyway, Is there even a chance at a Caribean with that score? I plan on retaking it in January, but is there even a chance right now?

Okay, so your mcat score is pretty bad. But your gpa is actually pretty decent, and I'm guessing that this was your first shot at the mcat. My advice to you would be to NOT retake that test until you are absolutely ready (i.e. scoring 30+ on the practice exams) and apply to US schools because as long as everything else is in place (lors, extracurriculars, etc.) I think that you have a chance. I would definitely apply broadly and include a lot of DO schools.

Don't listen to whatever the jerk is saying about mcat scores being correlated with becoming a good/bad doctor, or even being correlated with how well you do during your pre-clinical years. I can guarantee you that once you're actually at med school, none of those statistics matter, even a little bit.

 

[SabaMed]

Okay, so your mcat score is pretty bad. But your gpa is actually pretty decent, and I'm guessing that this was your first shot at the mcat. My advice to you would be to NOT retake that test until you are absolutely ready (i.e. scoring 30+ on the practice exams) and apply to US schools because as long as everything else is in place (lors, extracurriculars, etc.) I think that you have a chance. I would definitely apply broadly and include a lot of DO schools.

Don't listen to whatever the jerk is saying about mcat scores being correlated with becoming a good/bad doctor, or even being correlated with how well you do during your pre-clinical years. I can guarantee you that once you're actually at med school, none of those statistics matter, even a little bit.

And don't think that your just going to breeze into one of the top 4 Caribbean schools (SGU, Ross, Saba and AUC) with a Sub20 Mcat. Almost everyone I know in class has above a 29 on the Mcat but these are Canadians (spit) and pretty good GPA's. So below 20 shoot for All Saints School of medicine or Spartan where your chances are higher or go to nursing school.

 

[Bevo]

had a 21 on my mcat. GPA in college Sci 1.6, overalll 2.4. (only like 12? credit hours of science though). Post-Bacc (like 80-90? credits, primarly science) = 3.3 science and 3.4 overall.

Ross - GPA 3.8 Step 1/2 CK / 2 CS = 233/94, 228/92, Pass

a) its possible to get into one of the bigger schools. I think they are trying to force more into MED PREP?/MERP? They asked me on my interview day if I'd go if admitted and I said no. I said I'd rather spend the money on working towards a masters than waist money on that program.
b) mcat doesn't correlate with step 1 scores at all.

 

[oldpro]

had a 21 on my mcat. GPA in college Sci 1.6, overalll 2.4. (only like 12? credit hours of science though). Post-Bacc (like 80-90? credits, primarly science) = 3.3 science and 3.4 overall.

Ross - GPA 3.8 Step 1/2 CK / 2 CS = 233/94, 228/92, Pass

a) its possible to get into one of the bigger schools. I think they are trying to force more into MED PREP?/MERP? They asked me on my interview day if I'd go if admitted and I said no. I said I'd rather spend the money on working towards a masters than waist money on that program.
b) mcat doesn't correlate with step 1 scores at all.

WOW I just about choked on my spit at this! Good Job but man the trolls I have to read on VMD..CRAP Say you do not exsist, only people with 3.0 or better and 20 mcat ever sit in a class of one of the BIG 4. I know and you know $$$ talks at all these schools You apply you Pay You get in, it's up to you to pass then.