Need Advice

[peters14]

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Ok so here's the deal, I am a senior in college who just decided to pursue a career in medicine at the end of my junior year. By the time i graduate i will have ~3.5X GPA in molecular biology. I just got my MCAT scores back and got a 32M (11P,9V,12B). My EC's right now are kind of weak but i will be working on them this year and next as well (i am taking a year off after graduating, didn't apply for next year). Basically my question is whether i should retake the MCAT given my somewhat weak GPA. I feel like i can score higher because i did not study for 1 second for the VR part, I spent all my time on the science. Should I take my score as it is now and just continue to work on my ECs or do I need to retake and try to get a more impressive MCAT score to offset my GPA?!?!

 

[theseeker4]

Ok so here's the deal, I am a senior in college who just decided to pursue a career in medicine at the end of my junior year. By the time i graduate i will have ~3.5X GPA in molecular biology. I just got my MCAT scores back and got a 32M (11P,9V,12B). My EC's right now are kind of weak but i will be working on them this year and next as well (i am taking a year off after graduating, didn't apply for next year). Basically my question is whether i should retake the MCAT given my somewhat weak GPA. I feel like i can score higher because i did not study for 1 second for the VR part, I spent all my time on the science. Should I take my score as it is now and just continue to work on my ECs or do I need to retake and try to get a more impressive MCAT score to offset my GPA?!?!

If you apply broadly, there is no reason a 3.5 gpa and 32 MCAT should keep you out of medical school. However, as in anything else related to medical school admissions, it is a game of chance and you should do everything you can to increase your chances. If you believe you can improve your score, have the time to study enough to do so without neglecting the science sections (getting 2 points higher in VR is meaningless if you drop a point in each science section, for example) then go for it, retake. Just consider how much effort you will need to put in and whether that effort is worth it for the potential gains, AND considering the distinct possibility that you will get a section that screws you over and your overall MCAT may actually go down. This may not be likely, but it is a potential risk whenever retaking, and will do a lot more to hurt your application than not retaking at all.

 

[Catalystik]

Ok so here's the deal, I am a senior in college who just decided to pursue a career in medicine at the end of my junior year. By the time i graduate i will have ~3.5X GPA in molecular biology. I just got my MCAT scores back and got a 32M (11P,9V,12B). My EC's right now are kind of weak but i will be working on them this year and next as well (i am taking a year off after graduating, didn't apply for next year). Basically my question is whether i should retake the MCAT given my somewhat weak GPA. I feel like i can score higher because i did not study for 1 second for the VR part, I spent all my time on the science. Should I take my score as it is now and just continue to work on my ECs or do I need to retake and try to get a more impressive MCAT score to offset my GPA?!?!

I think that your MCAT score is fine. A blazing upward grade trend these next two semesters would be helpful, and possibly another semester or two after that if your junior year grades were lackluster. With that and 1 3/4 years of ECs before you apply, you would be in a much better position.

Looking at All Applicants past AAMC outcomes, those with a 3.5/32 had a ~61% chance of success. With a 3.6/32, they had ~68% odds.