Need URGENT help deciding about the MCAT PLEASE!

[dataman]

Hi
Im registered for the mcat on Sunday. but Im sure I will retake it in august b/c I didnt review no physics and general chem and the only full length I got to take was Bio section of 3R.
okay okay I know that is nothing but I need to make a decision:


Should I keep my grade on this mcat or should I cancell it at the end of the test day?


why would I keep it?
because I want to start applying to schools earlier so I want to have at least something in my hand.. eventhough far from what I will get (hopefully) on my august test but my understanding is that some schools need you to have some sort of mcat grade before filling up their application..
am I wrong ? or do I need a grade to send the applications in?


I got a 9 on bio section of 3R and from before Im guessing around 6 in verbal and 7-8 in physics so I should expect a 22-23 on this mcat.. is that good for anything ...

agian I will mention in the application that Im retaking mcat.

please advise I only have till saturday night to decide.

Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Med Addict]

I'd definitely cancel the scores by the time you're done taking the test. A 22-23 is impossible to get into a medical school, unless you have multiple nobel prizes for consecutive years under your belt.

 

[MediMama23]

I thought we already had your situation figured out and that you were going to take this test. And I thought you WERE reviewing/practicing. Did I miss something?

Anyway, it's not 100% impossible to get in with a 22-23 (it's been done before), but you certainly aren't doing yourself any favors. What's your GPA like? What are your ECs like? All of these things factor in, and for adcoms to briefly overlook such a poor score, you would really have to have outdone yourself in those other areas. And even with stellar grades, it would raise a few eyebrows at the discrepancy between your score and your grades, so that would be something you would have to be prepared to explain. Even if you were to get in with a 22-23, I wouldn't be surprised if you were granted a conditional acceptance.

If you're doing okay in the other areas, I would say take it on Sunday, turn your app in on June 1st, and mark that you are re-taking, and REALLY study and take practice exams this time! But if you're struggling in the other areas, you will NEED a stronger MCAT than you're predicting at the moment, and you should probably hold off until the August exam, but still turn in your app ASAP.

 

[EMH]

Just ask youself what what Chuck Norris do?

 

[dataman]

I thought we already had your situation figured out and that you were going to take this test. And I thought you WERE reviewing/practicing. Did I miss something?

Anyway, it's not 100% impossible to get in with a 22-23 (it's been done before), but you certainly aren't doing yourself any favors. What's your GPA like? What are your ECs like? All of these things factor in, and for adcoms to briefly overlook such a poor score, you would really have to have outdone yourself in those other areas. And even with stellar grades, it would raise a few eyebrows at the discrepancy between your score and your grades, so that would be something you would have to be prepared to explain. Even if you were to get in with a 22-23, I wouldn't be surprised if you were granted a conditional acceptance.

If you're doing okay in the other areas, I would say take it on Sunday, turn your app in on June 1st, and mark that you are re-taking, and REALLY study and take practice exams this time! But if you're struggling in the other areas, you will NEED a stronger MCAT than you're predicting at the moment, and you should probably hold off until the August exam, but still turn in your app ASAP.

I have GPA of 3.86 in Sience

I didnt mean to get in to school with 23 or so I am just wondering if it helps to have such a grade on file or is it better not to have ANY mcat grade on the application that I will submit early.

I reviewed what I got wrong on the 3R Bio and I knew all of them but maybe 2 questions so I know all the content just have to be more critical on the test hopefully I will do better on the real thing.
My goal is over 30 around 33 on MCAT not 23-25 and my whole question again is... does it help at all to have a low MCAT grade on the application and mention that you are retaking it or is it better to just hand it in with no MCAT grade.

Hopefully some one will get back to me tonight please!!!

 

[kypdurron5]

I have GPA of 3.86 in Sience

I didnt mean to get in to school with 23 or so I am just wondering if it helps to have such a grade on file or is it better not to have ANY mcat grade on the application that I will submit early.

I reviewed what I got wrong on the 3R Bio and I knew all of them but maybe 2 questions so I know all the content just have to be more critical on the test hopefully I will do better on the real thing.
My goal is over 30 around 33 on MCAT not 23-25 and my whole question again is... does it help at all to have a low MCAT grade on the application and mention that you are retaking it or is it better to just hand it in with no MCAT grade.

Hopefully some one will get back to me tonight please!!!

Um....as far as I know all of the American medical schools require the MCAT, so you won't actually be able to submit your application without it. Here's what I would do in your place.... If it's too late to get a half refund then I would go tomorrow, take the full test. ONLY if I felt as though I did TERRIBLY on the physical sciences section would I void my score. I would at least go ahead and take it though, you've already paid for it! The first time I took the MCAT I wasn't really all that ready for it....I ran out of time on the PS section and ended guessing (not even an educated guess) on about 18 problems. I still got an 8. This time I feel a lot better, I think the PS section may have been the easiest section on the test! You just never know. Best of luck.

P.S. Everyone's goal is over 30, but if you're not seriously ready to master all the material I wouldn't expect a 30 or over. My first score was a 27 and I prepared, just not as well prepared as I was this time.

 

[dataman]

yeah for sure I will take it

I paid 270$ for it ...damn
200 + 20 sunday fee + 50 $ late registration oops!


but agian.. the low grade has no bad effect if I do over 30 in the august test??

 

[NapeSpikes]

Don't waste a whole Sunday to take it just to void it. Get a partial refund and study hardcore for August.

You do NOT need an mcat score to submit your amcas--or most secondaries, for that matter.

 

[dataman]

P.S. I heared people go in for OD school with MCAT of 17 ... not that Im going for 17 but you know that is an open door if I keep my grade maybe.

 

[dataman]

Don't waste a whole Sunday to take it just to void it. Get a partial refund and study hardcore for August.

You do NOT need an mcat score to submit your amcas--or most secondaries, for that matter.

You sure I dont need NO MCAT grade?

I cant get a refund due to the new policy.. it is too late I will take the test anyways..

now the question is if it hurts me in any ways or not.. I actually like to know how I do in a real mcat you know?

 

[kypdurron5]

You sure I dont need NO MCAT grade?

I cant get a refund due to the new policy.. it is too late I will take the test anyways..

now the question is if it hurts me in any ways or not.. I actually like to know how I do in a real mcat you know?

What you do with your time is up to you.....you should check the rules about refunds, but I doubt if you can get a partial refund bailing on the day of the test, although I could be wrong. Still, it would give you an introduction to the test even though you won't have answers. As I said, if I were you the time doing it would be worth it. If Spike were you, it would not be. It just comes to down to personal preference there. BTW.....what on earth were you doing in the first place registering late knowing you hadn't prepared for the physics stuff?

 

[NapeSpikes]

You sure I dont need NO MCAT grade?

I cant get a refund due to the new policy.. it is too late I will take the test anyways..

now the question is if it hurts me in any ways or not.. I actually like to know how I do in a real mcat you know?

Yes, I'm sure about submitting amcas and the no grade thing. It's what I did last year. I postponed from April 2005, got $100 back, took it for the first time in August 05, submitted my amcas in June and secondaries by September, invited for my first interview one week after scores came out in October.

I wasn't aware of the new no refund policy. Are you sure? What a rip-off!

Yes, a low score will hurt you, even if followed by a good score, though none of us can say how much.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I bailed the day of the April test. The rule was you can request a refund up to like one month after the test date if you do not show up. You cannot do this if you void. Again, I'm not aware of any change to this policy, but I could be wrong. Look into it.

 

[kypdurron5]

Yes, I'm sure about submitting amcas and the no grade thing. It's what I did last year. I postponed from April 2005, got $100 back, took it for the first time in August 05, submitted my amcas in June and secondaries by September, invited for my first interview one week after scores came out in October.

I wasn't aware of the new no refund policy. Are you sure? What a rip-off!

Yes, a low score will hurt you, even if followed by a good score, though none of us can say how much.

True, true. I personally know of a guy who got into a decent school with a 23...but schools will almost always consider BOTH scores. Spike.....when you submitted your AMCAS application you would have checked "took August MCAT". THAT is what allowed you to submit your AMCAS even though the grade hadn't come in yet...it was on it's way. Even if you could submit your AMCAS without taking the test, schools would not consider your application until an MCAT score is received. Therefore, unless you DO take the August MCAT (which I assume you will - not Spike, the other guy) you can submit your application and just check that box. As soon as the score comes in the schools will have it.

 

[NapeSpikes]

Spike.....when you submitted your AMCAS application you would have checked "[will take] August MCAT".

Yes, good point. Someone with no score MUST check the box and take the August test of that year, or schools will toss your app.

 

[ChocolateKiss]

Definitely don't take the test now. It looks worse to have a bad score and good score or a bad score and a mediocre score than just a good or mediocre score. As others have said, apply in June, but check the "August MCAT" box. You'll be at a disadvantage because your app won't be considered till your scores come in, but you'd be at an even bigger disadvantage with a 22-24 attached to your name.

 

[75969]

Not that it will help now (hopefully u have made up ur mind by now!)

FYI, took the real deal tonight and it is a lot harder than 3R....if u had time, I would look at 7-9R and see how u feel then. The test today was more memorization intensive than before, I was asked to ID an equation by name!

 

[Sarg's kid]

P.S. I heared people go in for OD school with MCAT of 17 ... not that Im going for 17 but you know that is an open door if I keep my grade maybe.

I hope to heaven that this isn't true. I wouldn't want someone who only got a 17 anywhere near a patient. Maybe as a phlebotomist. Seriously though, I think even DO school has higher standards than that.

Average DO scores for Matriculants that I read was around 24-27 with a GPA around the neighborhood of 3.2. (I guess a 17 with a million dollar grant might get you in, or an olympic medal, or a sign from God such as the admissions staff suffering plagues and boils and their first born children being stricken down while a bearded man stands at their door proclaiming "Let my people be a DO!")

Take the test tomorrow. The practice won't hurt. Void it if you like, but you might as well sit for it now. Take it again in August and do better.

For real, good luck and best wishes.

 

[dataman]

ok I should have been in bed 30 min ago but I slept a bit today so I can make it tomorrow.

Conclusion: A bad privious grade hurts my application?!

by this second I dont wanna just take the test for nothing at least I wanna know how I do.. UNLESS it is bad for my application.

 

[dataman]

I will check again tomorrow morning and will see what I do.. keep your advices comming...

thank you all!

 

[kdburton]

I will check again tomorrow morning and will see what I do.. keep your advices comming...

thank you all!

If you take the test and do well the first time then you are at an advantage because you can apply early. If you take the test and do alright, but not as good as you probably need to, then it won't look horrible on your application because lots of people take it more than once. If you take it and get a horrible score the first time and then turn around and get a good score in August, then the admissions comittee will think that you didnt give a **** about it the first time around and won't take you seriously. Based on your initial post it doesn't seem like you've prepared for much of anything other than the BIO section and you've only taken that section on the easiest AAMC practice test. You dont really have an any basis for predicting your score on the test, and your gut feeling after taking it tomorrow probably wont be a good judgement of how well you actually did either. If I was in your situation I would decide not to have my test scored tomorrow, but I would probably go and take it to get the "feel" for what it will be like when you actually go in there. Void the test so it doesn't count against you and then prep for August.

 

[medschool22]

Definitely Take the Exam Sunday!

A 22-23 will get you into to DO Schools and Caribbean medical schools. Anyone who knocks DO schools in general doesn't know what they're talking about. Seriously. I could go on and on about this (now, there is definitely a crappy DO school....cough....LECOM....cough....but this is the exception, definitely not the rule).

Take the exam. Some medical schools (emphasis on some) will only look at your highest score.

 

[medschool22]

Unless you want to go to Harvard, a med school is not going to "pre-judge" you and say "oh, this person didn't care about the MCAT...etc" Obviously you cared about, if you didn't, you wouldn't have taken the exam to study for it. That's like arguing unless you get an A in a course, you obviously didn't care about the course.

No one MCAT can predict your scores. If you're confident, which is a big component, go take a crack at it.

It's better to take it, and at least get a score that is OK. You can get into a DO school with an MCAT btw 20-23 (24 is the average). It'll will also help if you have a high gpa (avg. 3.4).

Just FYI (to recap, someone gave a range for an avg?)
DO School
avg. gpa = 3.4
avg. mcat = 24

Now, of course some schools are higher/lower than this, but that of course would be taken into account by the average.

 

[dataman]

you are right KDBurton, Im not prepared the best but Im not sure based on what you say that the bad grade will make me look not serious? I mean cant they imagine that I got sick on the test day or something?

medschool22: Im not planning to go for DO in Caribean but thanks for that.

I wish I knew more about the people who are giving me advice too...
till now we have 2 people saying it will be bad for my application to have a low grade...

I will go grab a bagel on the way to the big day and hope for the best... I guess I will make up my mind the last second then if I feel I did okay I will keep it.

wish me gluck in doing the right thing

 

[notdeadyet]

I wasn't aware of the new no refund policy. Are you sure? What a rip-off!

I decided weeks ago to postpone my MCAT until August and according to the fine print, you need to mail in your voided admissions ticket to AMCAS postmarked two weeks before the test date in order to get a partial refund (half, I think).

Not sure what the old policy was, but this one seemed pretty tough...

 

[32yoPremed]

...

 

[NapeSpikes]

I decided weeks ago to postpone my MCAT until August and according to the fine print, you need to mail in your voided admissions ticket to AMCAS postmarked two weeks before the test date in order to get a partial refund (half, I think).

Not sure what the old policy was, but this one seemed pretty tough...

No kidding? It must've changed then because I remember I just didn't show up the day of and mailed my stuff afterwards. I got $100 back.

 

[MediMama23]

No kidding? It must've changed then because I remember I just didn't show up the day of and mailed my stuff afterwards. I got $100 back.

Yeah, this went into effect for the April 2006 MCAT.

 

[dataman]

Okay Im back took it...

actually the PS wasnt bad at all.. the verbal seemed okay too bio was a bit hard actually but I feel okay about this test...