mcat: to retake or not to retake

[long_john_silver]

I am a re-applicant. My last mcat was in 2022 (score: 522). However, I did not get in last year after four interviews and four WLs (clinical hours were on the low side). I will reapply this cycle. But, the problem is my mcat scores have expired for some of schools (some 25% of the MD schools -- mostly schools in California and some in the midwest), while they are fine for other schools (Ivy leagues, Stanford, Hopkins etc).

My initial thought:
It's better to retake the mcat and have a larger choice of schools available to me, since the process is unpredictable. I can still get dates in end-June and in July, where I live.

My questions:
(1) Is it a good idea to retake at all? Or just work with a 25% smaller school choice? (there may also be a prejudice against using older valid scores?)

(2) When: Is it okay to retake in July? I will submit the primary in June.

@LizzyM

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[pleasehelpme12]

Following, exact same problem

 

[Lakers$]

Dang I’ll pay you 1mil for that mcat score. In my opinion retake your mcat score to expand your school choices options. You don’t want to just apply to top tier schools and not get in. It sucks bc your score is amazing, they should at least give us 5 years before expiring

 

[wysdoc]

A better question is: Have you rectified the issue of low clinical and/or low community service hours?
Those can keep out even the highest scoring applicants

 

[long_john_silver]

A better question is: Have you rectified the issue of low clinical and/or low community service hours?
Those can keep out even the highest scoring applicants

Yes, volunteered and worked on that this past year.

 

[long_john_silver]

Dang I’ll pay you 1mil for that mcat score. In my opinion retake your mcat score to expand your school choices options. You don’t want to just apply to top tier schools and not get in. It sucks bc your score is amazing, they should at least give us 5 years before expiring

Wonder if adcoms look at 3 year old scores, from a non-trad, and go "hmm... are they still this good or are they rusty by now? Was it just a stroke of luck?"

 

[Goro]

Wonder if adcoms look at 3 year old scores, from a non-trad, and go "hmm... are they still this good or are they rusty by now? Was it just a stroke of luck?"

It's an old GPA rather than an old MCAT that makes some Adcom members worry about knowledge decay.

 

[long_john_silver]

It's an old GPA rather than an old MCAT that makes some Adcom members worry about knowledge decay.

So retaking an old 522, from 2022, and getting another good score is not going to help impress the adcoms at "T20s" significantly? Guess that means the decision is purely whether I want to apply to those 25% extra schools in this cycle or not.

Also, does a mid-July mcat date sound late (for my case)? I can apply in June with old scores to some schools, but I guess the evaluation everywhere will be delayed till Aug?

 

[wysdoc]

Schools will not think your non-expired 522 is “too old” or “stale” or anything like that.
There are a large number of schools where your score is not expired for this cycle so I think you should focus on those.

 

[Goro]

Schools will not think your non-expired 522 is “too old” or “stale” or anything like that.
There are a large number of schools where your score is not expired for this cycle so I think you should focus on those.

Agree 1000%

Why make life more difficult for yourself?

 

[LunaOri]

Apply to those schools that will accept your current MCAT score—that still gives you quite a lot of schools to consider.

 

[LizzyM]

Apply to those schools that will accept your current MCAT score—that still gives you quite a lot of schools to consider.

Concur! Good luck. Here's hoping that the increased clinical hours do the trick. Let us know this time next year how things went for you.