Need advice ASAP please...

[G1SG2]

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Hello,

Okay, so I took the MCAT before and really bombed the verbal. My plan was to get my M.S in my one year gap (its not an SMP, I can just finish the program in a year by taking Fall, Winter, and Spring classes). I retook the MCAT recently and my scores come out soon. Here's the thing-if I bomb the MCAT again, this program is pretty useless to me.

Taking the MCAT again is not an option for me, as I cannot risk another poor score.

So...poor MCAT scores tomorrow=apply to Caribbean schools, and work until January.

Good MCAT scores=stay in this program + apply

How does this plan sound?

Any comments/feedback would be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[DocBell]

Well it seems like you have already made up your mind so I don't know what you are looking for. With grades like that I personally wouldn't go to Caribbean school. Hopefully you did great and this is all worry for nothing 🙂

 

[G1SG2]

Well it seems like you have already made up your mind so I don't know what you are looking for. With grades like that I personally wouldn't go to Caribbean school. Hopefully you did great and this is all worry for nothing 🙂

Thanks for the response. Trust me, it is excruciating for me to consider going to a Caribbean school after working my butt off for the last 4 years. It really hurts, but I mean if no schools here are willing to give me a shot, then I guess I've got no other option but to go there...

 

[cho15]

It does seem like you've already made up your mind, but I agree with DocBell. With grades like that I feel like you're too good for the Carib. What MD schools are you applying to? Maybe you're being too ambitious with the choice of schools?

Also, I don't see why you wouldn't improve your verbal score if you grades are any testament to your ability to study and do well and it seems like you're more than just numbers, you have some pretty solid accomplishments. I hope you found a way to boost that verbal score. Good luck.

 

[G1SG2]

It does seem like you've already made up your mind, but I agree with DocBell. With grades like that I feel like you're too good for the Carib. What MD schools are you applying to? Maybe you're being too ambitious with the choice of schools?

Also, I don't see why you wouldn't improve your verbal score if you grades are any testament to your ability to study and do well and it seems like you're more than just numbers, you have some pretty solid accomplishments. I hope you found a way to boost that verbal score. Good luck.

Thanks for the response. I really don't feel like I belong in the Caribbean, but it's my only alternative.

I really believe that score is an anomaly. Nevertheless, I worked hard on verbal this past year and never scored below a 10 on practice exams/sections. However, I did have a crappy day when I took my MCAT recently I was sick and was coughing a lot during verbal, and that sort of ruined my focus (otherwise, I would be pretty confident about my scores). Not making excuses, but that's what happened and it's totally freaking me out. My luck sucks. A lot.

 

[Dookie2010]

Thanks for the response. Trust me, it is excruciating for me to consider going to a Caribbean school after working my butt off for the last 4 years. It really hurts, but I mean if no schools here are willing to give me a shot, then I guess I've got no other option but to go there...

Your stats seem really good, so I'm crossing my fingers for you that you get some good news tomorrow! Honestly, I would not go Caribbean. It's been said many times on here before, but Caribbean schools seem to be a last resort to turn to when you have poor stats, or no other options after many cycles of applying. Your chances of getting a good residency from Caribbean are significantly lower, so you may just end up wasting a lot of time, money, and energy. If you do happen to get a bad score tomorrow, I would strongly suggest mustering the strength to take the MCAT again. It may seem painful to have to study and relearn everything again, but imagine spending 4 years working just as hard, if not harder, in a Caribbean med school, only to learn 4 years later that you haven't been matched for a residency and won't be becoming a doctor any time soon. Besides, med schools will only see the two times you had graded, and taking the test 3 times is not a deal breaker, especially if you show good improvement on your latest score. Perhaps consider teaching yourself a different verbal strategy, or using the money you're paying for your program with now to get some one-on-one verbal tutoring? Haste makes waste - take the time now to make yourself as good a candidate as possible for US med schools, even if that means taking the MCAT again and possibly waiting another year to apply to medical schools and you won't regret it later. The only way I think Caribbean would be a good idea is if the country you want to study in accepts many students from Caribbean schools, and you are certain you want to practice there. But you should only structure your future plans as a physician around practicing in another country if you are absolutely sure you want to practice there.

Finally, it sounds like you really don't want to be in this program anyway, so I would drop it regardless of your MCAT outcome. Spend the year doing something you really want to be doing, whether it is a job, volunteering, traveling, etc. You'll enjoy yourself in the process, and you passion for your experiences in your year off will be reflected in your interviews. Don't just do a program because you feel like you have to, spend your money elsewhere, or save it for med school expenses.

Good luck, and i hope you get good news tomorrow!

 

[MCAT guy]

Thanks for the response. Trust me, it is excruciating for me to consider going to a Caribbean school after working my butt off for the last 4 years. It really hurts, but I mean if no schools here are willing to give me a shot, then I guess I've got no other option but to go there...

It's not ideal BUT you determine your fate bro.

There are good docs that come out of any school. The odds will be against you, but there is no reason you can't be as good as 90-99% of the people who come out of top 25 schools.

GOOD LUCK. Don't let that $h%tty VR section hold you down.

 

[MCAT guy]

Thanks, a very, very insightful response. I think you're right. If my scores aren't good, then I think I will withdraw from here and get a job and study for the January MCAT and give it another shot. Technically it would be my second time applying to most schools next year because I only submitted my AMCAS to one school this time...

If I do well, I don't think it would be a good idea to withdraw from here because I already indicated on my AMCAS (in the schools section as well as my personal statement) that I am doing this program...won't they think I abandoned the program or didn't plan efficiently? I mean I like the program, I never took physiology before, and I think it'll be a good way to prepare for med school and will hopefully make me look good to the adcom at the med school here. Wouldn't withdrawing from here make things messy (if my scores are good, that is)?

withdrawing isn't poor planning. Just say you got new information that changed your decision, and you knew the best thing to do was withdraw. It is too early to be a flag.

DO schools no good or what? You're a smart dude, just probably not a reader which isn't a bad thing. Seems like 5 times is a lot for the MCAT though, I would attempt to work with what you got, but that's just me.

Can you really prep that much better than the first 5 times? Students seem to be getting better too, so the curves could be getting worse.

 

[Dookie2010]

Thanks, a very, very insightful response. I think you're right. If my scores aren't good, then I think I will withdraw from here and get a job and study for the January MCAT and give it another shot. Technically it would be my second time applying to most schools next year because I only submitted my AMCAS to one school this time...

If I do well, I don't think it would be a good idea to withdraw from here because I already indicated on my AMCAS (in the schools section as well as my personal statement) that I am doing this program...won't they think I abandoned the program or didn't plan efficiently? I mean I like the program, I never took physiology before, and I think it'll be a good way to prepare for med school and will hopefully make me look good to the adcom at the med school here. Wouldn't withdrawing from here make things messy (if my scores are good, that is)?

Sorry I was under the impression that you were just doing the program as something to do between graduation and school and weren't really interested. If you really like it and are interested in it, then by all means you should stay in it. Yes, it would be a little messy to have to explain why you're not actually doing the program to an adcom if you put it on your AMCAS, but if you came up with a compelling reason to switch out of it (finances, a much better opportunity, etc.) then I think you could just send an update letter to the schools you're applying to (I think most schools that send you secondaries/interview invites aren't doing so just based on the fact that you're in this program, so switching out shouldn't kill your application). However, if you do really enjoy it, you should stay in it, and it could potentially give you a leg up on physio in med school. I think it's great choice to retake the MCAT, but let's hope that isn't even an issue when you get your scores tomorrow! 🙂

 

[G1SG2]

It's not ideal BUT you determine your fate bro.

There are good docs that come out of any school. The odds will be against you, but there is no reason you can't be as good as 90-99% of the people who come out of top 25 schools.

GOOD LUCK. Don't let that $h%tty VR section hold you down.

withdrawing isn't poor planning. Just say you got new information that changed your decision, and you knew the best thing to do was withdraw. It is too early to be a flag.

DO schools no good or what? You're a smart dude, just probably not a reader which isn't a bad thing. Seems like 5 times is a lot for the MCAT though, I would attempt to work with what you got, but that's just me.

Can you really prep that much better than the first 5 times? Students seem to be getting better too, so the curves could be getting worse.

Thanks. DO schools are cool, but I want to be able to practice outside of the U.S, and I won't be able to do that with a DO degree.

I'm just afraid of taking the MCAT again time because that would be very risky. If I don't start med school in January and take the MCAT and, God forbid, bomb it again, then I would have wasted more time. I feel uneasy about taking such a big risk. Yeah, the idea sounds cool and all, to keep trying until I succeed, but there are limits and I'm not sure how I feel about taking such a risk. I'm sort of confused at this point...😕 Its certainly an option though; I'm thinking about it...

I will let you all know how I did soon.

 

[DocBell]

I'm rooting for you!!!

 

[Mbeas]

hey man, sorry to hear this...

i remember you from the 6/17 MCAT club and you talked about how killer that VR section was (i thought it was INSANE as well 😀)

anyways, just wanted to wish you some good luck for tomorrow!

and remember, "patience is a virtue", so really think about it before you rush off to the caribbean. you may want to check out valuemd.com to get some insight from actual carib med students.

 

[G1SG2]

Guys!!!!! I got a 31!!!!! PS 11, VR 10, BS 10!!!!!!!!!!!! Wooohoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CougarMD]

Guys!!!!! I got a 31!!!!! PS 11, VR 10, BS 10!!!!!!!!!!!! Wooohoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

Dude, I am so happy for you. Congrats🙂

 

[G1SG2]

Dude, I am so happy for you. Congrats🙂

Thanks!!

 

[SitraAchra]

Big congrats, celebrate tonight

 

[DocBell]

YAY!!!! Congrats. I'm excited for you. If you don't mind my asking what day did you take it? My best friend took it in July and it seems like her scores should be out any time (she is in Europe or I would just ask her lol). I wonder if she took it the same day you did.

 

[cho15]

Guys!!!!! I got a 31!!!!! PS 11, VR 10, BS 10!!!!!!!!!!!! Wooohoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats! I seriously doubted you would not significantly improve your verbal. Was that too many negatives? Lol

Good luck with applying 🙂

 

[StarryNights]

Hey G1SG2!! I remember you from the Jan 30 thread, but I think you voided that one time. Major congrats on doing well this time around! Your grades look really good too. Must be a huge relief to get that darn test over and done with, haha

 

[chiapet874]

Hey man! I'm proud of you! Congrats! 😀

 

[mzblue]

Congrats!!! I couldn't check this thread because i worked last night and slept all day today but i just thought a second ago: "i have to see G1SG2's score. i hope he doesn't have to take it again"

I'm soo happy for you and i don't even know you. You doubled your verbal score. HUGE improvement. You've shown the world that it can be done. Good luck with your application.

Guys!!!!! I got a 31!!!!! PS 11, VR 10, BS 10!!!!!!!!!!!! Wooohoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DocBell]

eek her scores are out! I hope she had the same success you did.