MD/PhD Wannabe, but low Verbal

[yakattack145]

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Hi All,

I'm an MD/PhD hopeful planning on applying this summer for the 2009-2010 admissions cycle. I received my MCAT scores a few days ago, and I've been pondering a retake. My overall score is respectable (35R), but the distribution is wack (14PS, 12BS, 9V!). My question is, how would MD/PhD programs view that 9 in Verbal? Is it worth the retake?

For those still reading and interested, the rest of the package looks decent. GPA is 3.9ish from a top public, 2 years of clinical research, 2 years in a science lab, and 2 summers of research programs in the same lab. But I'm afraid that some MD/PhD programs will throw my app away immediately due to that poor verbal score. I'm thinking about programs in structural biology or biochemistry. What do you all think?

 

[tiamat360]

I think your score is fine. I'd be more worried about having appropriate clinical experience, and trying to get some kind of publication or poster (NOT a requirement, but it would look a lot nicer than retaking the MCAT to get a 10+ in VR). And of course the rest of the package - good reasons for wanting to enter an MD/PhD program, good essays, good interviewing skills, yada yada...

Need further proof? I found this guy on MDApps. Pretty sure a 9 in VR isn't going to be the thing that holds you back, if anything. 😉

 

[dmblue]

4.00 at MIT...kid is a genius. It's likely that none of us compare to him/her

 

[Neuronix]

Shrug, it probably won't matter to anyone. I wouldn't retake with a 35 total score.

 

[dmblue]

Depending on if i get in, i'll be retaking with a 36.

 

[Neuronix]

dmargul, you'll probably get in. If you don't I wouldn't retake... Your MCAT score is not what's holding you back. Reapply to more schools and keep doing research. Also check your essays and letters. Next time don't not complete secondaries.

 

[yakattack145]

Wow I really appreciate all of the comments! But the guy at MIT is probably not a fair comparison. Regarding the research, I do have two pubs (1st and 3rd author), but they're clinical research so they may not count for much. However, I have presented a poster of my actual research at a conference and won some sort of prize.

I'm looking at the MSTP programs in the Midwest, such as Case, Mayo, or Northwestern. Does anyone have any advice with these schools?

 

[dmblue]

dmargul, you'll probably get in. If you don't I wouldn't retake... Your MCAT score is not what's holding you back. Reapply to more schools and keep doing research. Also check your essays and letters. Next time don't not complete secondaries.

I didn't finish mayo because i didnt' want to be stuck in minnesota. I didn't finish pitt because I hate Carnegie Mellon, and I didn't finish UCLA because of time constraints. My advisors thought my essays were very good. Maybe my letters aren't? I have no idea. It's not like i can look them up. I'm guessing that finishing my apps late didn't help me at all. Next time around I wont break my arm in august. 🙂

 

[yuc]

I totally also made a 9 in verbal and turned out okay in the application cycle. At the time, I was also banging my head against the wall for that score, but decided to spend the time doing more meaningful things than studying for a retake.