My Situation

[jhysrrn20]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey Guys,
Good news: I got invited to 3 interviews!!! WHOO!!! I'm very surprised and extremely happy considering my MCAT score (23R 6V 7PS 10BS). I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I signed up for the Jan MCAT and I've been contemplating whether I should cancel my retake and hope that I get accepted into one of these 3 schools. (LECOM, TOURO NV, TOUR CA) I turned in 10 supplemental applications and I'm still waiting for my application file to be complete, so I may have more interviews... I think deep down I should just prepare like hell for the January MCAT and hope for an acceptance in the meantime...but I dont know if the retake is worth the effort IF I DO WELL in these interviews.....

My interview dates are DEC 2,9,19.
What should I do? What would you do?

 

[DrMidlife]

An improved MCAT score is the most beautiful and powerful thing to include in an update letter to a school that waitlists you.

If you can do the work to ensure a better score, then go ahead with the retake. Don't bother to retake if you're not putting in a HUGE amount of effort to get a better score. Take a look at the retake stats on aamc.org: lots of people do WORSE on a retake; very few improve.

 

[umean2tellme]

I think you should just go to those interviews but still study and take the mcat in January. You may get into one of those three schools and be fine, but if you get waitlisted or something then maybe a higher MCAT score can get you pushed over the edge. If you already have three interviews retaking the MCAT can't hurt you. Good luck.

 

[jhysrrn20]

thanks for the advice! I know I should do the retake, and I've started studying. I think the lazy me got too excited about the interviews...

I'm scared that I'll do worse the second time around, so I'll be sure that I'm hitting at least 5 points above my target before I take the real test.

 

[psy]

An advice from me who went from verbal 8 to 11 with just changing the way he reads. When you read those passages, look for why the author is writing what he/she writes and WHO he/she is. MCAT wants you to know the person behind the passages. Instead of focusing on the facts, pay attention to how he's writing it. After all, you'll be a doctor, and docs have to know their patients through the short conversations they have at the office. The topics don't matter. Every sentence and how they chose to word it will give you some insight into their personality, interests, and habits.

 

[koojo]

Whats your GPA and extra curricular's look like?

 

[dozitgetchahi]

I personally found it fairly easy to pump up my BS and PS scores simply by repeatedly reviewing the "study cards" Kaplan includes in their MCAT class materials. As far as I'm concerned, improving your score quickly with the Kaplan stuff means setting most of the books that came in their package aside and focusing on the "quick study" laminated guides, the "high-yield" problem guide and the flash cards. The rest of their material is too long, dense, and kludgy to be helpful in learning the high-yield material quickly, IMHO. And I didn't get much out of the classes either - the teaching was uninspired and often useless.

For your January MCAT, however, I'd first recommend simply becoming familiar with (or even memorizing) all of the material on the BS and PS flashcards and study guide pamphlets. Then, take some practice tests and look at some of the problem types in the high-yield guide. Kaplan really seems to be on the ball in terms of putting the most important MCAT material on the flash cards - I remember being pleasently surprised at seeing biology questions that came almost verbatim from the cards when I took the MCAT. In fact, I'd wager that if you know that material inside out you can get at least a 27-28, and perhaps even a 30 with some VR practice.

 

[davenp73]

Hey Guys,
Good news: I got invited to 3 interviews!!! WHOO!!! I'm very surprised and extremely happy considering my MCAT score (23R 6V 7PS 10BS). I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I signed up for the Jan MCAT and I've been contemplating whether I should cancel my retake and hope that I get accepted into one of these 3 schools. (LECOM, TOURO NV, TOUR CA) I turned in 10 supplemental applications and I'm still waiting for my application file to be complete, so I may have more interviews... I think deep down I should just prepare like hell for the January MCAT and hope for an acceptance in the meantime...but I dont know if the retake is worth the effort IF I DO WELL in these interviews.....

My interview dates are DEC 2,9,19.
What should I do? What would you do?

Hey, I'm glad to see you with interviews! Congrats! My application season is not going so well... Got my first rejection today and NOT ONE interview invite so far.

Anyway,
I am in a similar position (I am on hold at MSU for fall grades) and I think I have decided to just go with this cycle and retake in the spring if necessary! A January retake would not do me much good, since MSU doesn't accept it!

Anyway, GOOD LUCK on your interviews

 

[jhysrrn20]

Thanks again for everyone's support!!

A little background: I have a 3.86 cGPA, 3.79 sGPA. I have around 500 hours clinical experience being an EMT, birth assistant, pharm tech, and CNA. I've had 3 years of research (no publication) and right now I'm working at Indiana University medical school cancer research and volunteering at a disadvantaged "inner city" school and in the NICU of hospital. I have awesome letters of recommendation and I've shadowed 4MDs, 3 DOs, and 1 chiropractor.

I definetly need to work on my VR, but also need to review all my other stuff. I suck at physics and not so hot at Gen chem, but I'm pretty confident with bio and organic. I found the Kaplan course materials to be practically useless and I bought new set of EK books. Hopefully I'll get more out of it. If med schools ask me why i did so bad, could I tell them that I was extremely stressed out at the time? I won't make excuses but at that time, my fiance went overseas to the army, I became really sick with no health insurance coverage and my doctor found a tumor in my breast and I"M 23 YEARS OLD!!! (My mom had breast cancer.) I tried not to let all these things effect me, but I think it did. Anyways, I'm a lot more worry-free this time...but should I tell this to adcom if they ask?

 

[punkiedad]

OP--I am very sorry hear to hear of your diagnosis and you finacee leaving the country to serve.

In any event, the ADCOMs thought your app and stats were good enough to warrant an interview. I don't htink they owuld interview you if they didn't think you could be legit. candidate.

Tell your story and how you fought and thrived in the face of adversity. Everyone has a story. your experience shows you can deal with the pressure and not fold, but come out on top

Also, look at the MCAT retake stats. Unless you were really under diress, or did not study appropriately the first time, it is tough to raise your scores a large amount...plus you already have interviews!

Just my opinion.......

 

[JE1986]

To be honest, once you have your interview your MCAT doesn't matter anymore. The interview is ALL about showing them about you. Your gpa is crazy good and you have TONS of clinical experience. I would research on SNT to see what kind of interview questions your school asks and be well prepared. But I see no reason to retake your MCAT. I got into RVUCOM with a 24N. And my science gpa is 2.23 and cum gpa is 3.63. So even though these stats are important, they are not everything. Good luck on your interviews! I'm sure you will get in.

 

[koojo]

To be honest, once you have your interview your MCAT doesn't matter anymore. The interview is ALL about showing them about you. Your gpa is crazy good and you have TONS of clinical experience. I would research on SNT to see what kind of interview questions your school asks and be well prepared. But I see no reason to retake your MCAT. I got into RVUCOM with a 24N. And my science gpa is 2.23 and cum gpa is 3.63. So even though these stats are important, they are not everything. Good luck on your interviews! I'm sure you will get in.

You got in with a Science GPA of 2.23??? Did you mean 3.23? lol

 

[JE1986]

Haha...Ya I did. 2.23 would be a bit absurd. But 3.23 is still not stellar. I think my major asset was that I am a double major (biomedical sciences and german)