Official MCAT 'Should I Retake' Thread

[Chouster]

Since there are a lot of people who are in this situation, I thought it would be nice to conglomerate all the individual "Should I retake with score X" posts into one. If you respond, please remember to quote who you're responding to. Thanks! I'll get the party started in here:

Should I retake the MCAT? My sciences are fine but the VR managed to infiltrate my anal cavity once again and that's what incited this post. Here's the breakdown of my two examinations:

August 2004 (33R)
PS: 13 BS: 13 VR: 7 WS: R

April 2003 (25R)
PS: 10 BS: 10 VR: 5 WS: R

I have a 3.2 GPA from Berkeley in bioengineering and a ton of ECs. Im currently at UMich Ann Arbor in biomedical sciences graduate program. Tons of research ECs (one co-authored publication), semi-strong in clinical but I'll get it up by next application cycle. Please help! THanks

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[bella_dottoressa]

since all the other 30 folks are asking, i'll throw mine out there to see if anyone says "yes"

30R...8 PS, 10 VR, 12 BS
---bearing in mind I will never get a 12 in bio again

 

[bella_dottoressa]

when are you applying? i would say apply (early and wide!) and if the interviews ain't rolling in by january/febuary maybe go at it again in april just in case?

 

[Elastase]

Chouster: THis ain't so official.

I think ppl with anything below an 8 in each section, and below a 30 are generally the ones that are considering retaking.

Considering that I have a 29Q, and Verbal was an 8, I am most fcuked. I want to re-take it but seriously I side more with no-retaking it. Its not that I am lazy, its just that the time consumed could be used other places instead (community service, research, and tv).

I personally think I am a strong applicant. BUT I am worried, and pretty much sure that I will get weeded out during the first run by UC's and other Cali schools etc after primary apps. Does anyone know how low they go as far as gpa/mcat combined?

Being an URM doesn't help you for shiet, and I hate verbal.

 

[Chouster]

when are you applying? i would say apply (early and wide!) and if the interviews ain't rolling in by january/febuary maybe go at it again in april just in case?

Hey bella, Im applying for 2006 and yes I will be submitting my application come June 1st FO SHO. I just wanted to get this overwith before i began grad school. U got any input for me?? =)

edit: MIKE G - 7 is still low enough to at least propose the question of retaking

 

[bella_dottoressa]

For one I gotta say your mcat is amazing, amazing. And what an improvement. That's gonna look so nice. I would say in your situation not to retake because the chances are realllllllllllllly good you're going to do worse; I don't care how smart you are - 13s in both sciences = hard to do! So no, don't retake. Apply early and to a range of schools...way too many people apply to ten top 10's and wonder why they didn't get in anywhere. Get an MSAR to advise you on school choice...and I really think you'll be GOLDEN.

 

[roadrunnersb2]

Here's my story: I'm a NJ resident, and I'm a junior at Muhlenberg College with a cumulative GPA of 3.821 and a science GPA of 3.8. My activities and experiences are as follows: peer tutor, transition mentor, president of Students in Newman, Hospice volunteer, co-chair of Dress Upon a Star. I have had lots of physician shadowing through my own doctors and through an internship. I am currently doing research and I was awarded a summer research grant for it. My personal statement is pretty good. I feel good as an applicant as far as my GPA and activities, but I just got my MCAT score back and I don't know what to think:

verbal reasoning- 8
physical sciences- 9
biological sciences- 10
overall score: 27M

I was shooting for a 30, but I am not devastated with a 27...the thing is, I studied REALLY hard for the MCAT. I started studying lightly almost a year ago, then over winter break I studied intensely. I took a Kaplan course and I took 10 full-length practice tests before I took the real thing. I'm not sure if I would do better if I were to take it again, because my scores on the practice tests were all over the place: one day a 25, then a 30, then a 27, then a 31, then back to a 26, etc.
I don't really care where I go to medical school...I'm not shooting for a top school or anything, and I would be happy being either a D.O. or an M.D.
So...what do you guys think? Am I still a competitive applicant for osteopathic schools with that score? Do I stand a chance for allopathic?

 

[Ismet]

Here's my story: I'm a NJ resident, and I'm a junior at Muhlenberg College with a cumulative GPA of 3.821 and a science GPA of 3.8. My activities and experiences are as follows: peer tutor, transition mentor, president of Students in Newman, Hospice volunteer, co-chair of Dress Upon a Star. I have had lots of physician shadowing through my own doctors and through an internship. I am currently doing research and I was awarded a summer research grant for it. My personal statement is pretty good. I feel good as an applicant as far as my GPA and activities, but I just got my MCAT score back and I don't know what to think:

verbal reasoning- 8
physical sciences- 9
biological sciences- 10
overall score: 27M

I was shooting for a 30, but I am not devastated with a 27...the thing is, I studied REALLY hard for the MCAT. I started studying lightly almost a year ago, then over winter break I studied intensely. I took a Kaplan course and I took 10 full-length practice tests before I took the real thing. I'm not sure if I would do better if I were to take it again, because my scores on the practice tests were all over the place: one day a 25, then a 30, then a 27, then a 31, then back to a 26, etc.
I don't really care where I go to medical school...I'm not shooting for a top school or anything, and I would be happy being either a D.O. or an M.D.
So...what do you guys think? Am I still a competitive applicant for osteopathic schools with that score? Do I stand a chance for allopathic?

This is a 7-year-old thread, dear.

Here is the thread you should post in: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=412739

 

[Snackish]

First time poster. I was wondering if I should take the MCAT a third time next April.

1st MCAT in 2010: 31M ( 6 VR, 14 PS, 11 BS)
2nd MCAT in 2011: 30M (11 VR, 10 PS, 9 BS)

The second time I took the MCAT, I focused on my verbal score more. I think I would have gotten a better score if I had spent more time on my sciences. The question I have is with a 3.7 gpa (Tulane) and 30 mcat it seems like a long shot to get into medical school as an out of state student, so if I could increase it to to say a 33 would it be worth the risk? My thinking is if I get a 30 again, it won't hurt my chances for osteopath school, but if I don't take the MCAT again the 30 MCAT may not be enough. There are no medical schools in Alaska and University of Washington just rejected me preinterview (Only school that considers me in state). Average ecs and shadowing. No research. Graduated this May from Tulane: major in cell and minor in math. Thanks.

 

[Snackish]

First time poster. I was wondering if I should take the MCAT a third time next April.

1st MCAT in 2010: 31M ( 6 VR, 14 PS, 11 BS)
2nd MCAT in 2011: 30M (11 VR, 10 PS, 9 BS)

The second time I took the MCAT, I focused on my verbal score more. I think I would have gotten a better score if I had spent more time on my sciences. The question I have is with a 3.7 gpa (Tulane) and 30 mcat it seems like a long shot to get into medical school as an out of state student, so if I could increase it to to say a 33 would it be worth the risk? My thinking is if I get a 30 again, it won't hurt my chances for osteopath school, but if I don't take the MCAT again the 30 MCAT may not be enough. There are no medical schools in Alaska and University of Washington just rejected me preinterview (Only school that considers me in state). Average ecs and shadowing. No research. Graduated this May from Tulane: major in cell and minor in math. Thanks.

Clarify my own post: I applied allopathic this year only and plan to apply allopathic and osteopathic next year. Figure if get 30 again on third try it won't hurt my chances for osteopathic school but if i dont take it a 3rd time, my current 30 score is not good enough for allopathic since I am out of state so why not take it a 3rd time and see if I get a 33 since I did well on the sciences before? On my second test I was very focused on verbal because of my 6 and didn't spend enough time on the sciences, which was my mistake.

 

[eggs13]

Clarify my own post: I applied allopathic this year only and plan to apply allopathic and osteopathic next year. Figure if get 30 again on third try it won't hurt my chances for osteopathic school but if i dont take it a 3rd time, my current 30 score is not good enough for allopathic since I am out of state so why not take it a 3rd time and see if I get a 33 since I did well on the sciences before? On my second test I was very focused on verbal because of my 6 and didn't spend enough time on the sciences, which was my mistake.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=412739

 

[SN2ed]

Thread closed. Please use the sticky thread.