Forum Members Official "Should I Retake?" Thread

[QofQuimica]

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EDIT 12/21/18: This thread is being retired, as the majority of posts (>80 pages) pertain to the old MCAT that is no longer relevant to current applicants. You can find the current "Should I Retake" thread here: Forum Members - Should I Retake the MCAT?

For those of you who are trying to figure out whether you should re-take, this is the thread for you. Post your dilemma here if you want advice from other SDN folks. Please note that you should take the opinions you get from SDN as one source of advice; you would be wise to also consult your premed advisor before making this decision. Here is my personal advice for those considering whether to re-take:

Definitely DO retake:

-if you scored below a 24. Some allopathic schools will screen out students with scores lower than 24, which is about the mean score for all test-takers.
-if you had some kind of major problem during the test that affected your performance (ex. you started puking or running a 102 degree temperature)
-if you took the test without completing the four pre-reqs (one year each of biology, chemistry, physics, and organic) and/or without studying for it
-if you left large numbers of questions blank​

Definitely do NOT retake:

-if you scored a 30 or better, especially if all of your individual section scores were an 8 or better
-if your section subscores (the numerical ones) are all good, but you didn't perform well on the writing section (the letter score)

​

Gray area-it's not obvious what to do:

-if you scored 30+ but with one section below an 8
-if you had some minor nuisances (ex. a noisy test room) during the test and you're not sure if it affected your performance
-if you studied thoroughly for the test and you scored within the range of your practice exams, but your score is in the middle range (24-29)​

 

[Topo]

Hey guys,

I took the 1/29 MCAT and scored a 31R ( Vb 9, Phy 12, Bio 10), and my undergrad GPA is 3.7. I am Canadian but with US residency (so I believe that gives me a better shot at US schools...?). Anyway, although my top priority is the University of British Columbia in Canada (awesome location and cheaper tuition), most of the schools I'm thinking of applying to are in the States. The problem is, I am quite picky about the schools and am set on only the top to middle-tier schools (e.g. Columbia, BU, Northwestern, etc.) Of course, this score isn't stellar by any margin, and I've been scoring around high 20s to low 30s on all my practice exams. I was thinking of re-taking with less focus on trying to cram material in and more on practice tests (I feel that my biggest error was stopping the practice tests as the MCAT neared as I started panicking about how much material I can still potentially cram in but wasn't - but I really should have just been tackling the passages.)

My question is this:
What are my chances of getting in the good schools? If they are below average, I really don't want to waste all my time and effort when I can be studying for a re-take.

 

[PlatinumRatio]

deleted.

 

[thecoolchica]

.

 

[tttgo]

from what I've read, writing score shouldn't be an issue.

 

[FrisbeeDoc]

Hi,
So I took my mcats in Jan 28, and got them back this week: 28M (11P,10B,7V)
I was pretty shocked, because on all the AAMC FL I took (and I took all of them) I got between a 31-37. I took a Kaplan course in the fall and studied pretty diligently. I'm not sure what went wrong, other than just not going fast enough on verbal...

I think I need to retake them, and I was wondering if it is absolutely crazy to try and take them in May. I wanted to apply this cycle. Should I forget about it and wait another year? Is it possible to re-study in 2 months? I feel like I still have a lot of the material still in my head from all the previous studying, so it's not like I'm starting over.

Thoughts?

 

[tttgo]

I would try to find out what you did wrong. Was it test anxiety, timing or just not knowing the material well enough? If you need to study more and are too busy with school, I would choose a date like August so you can devote an entire summer. If it's just timing or just a bad day, as long as you stay in peak mcat shape, you should be ok in May. The problem is that you've used up all your aamc's. You could do more tests like from BR or GS, but it might mess up your timing. passages are a must though. maybe do the official mcat guide? I wouldn't wait a year because you would forget too much. Is verbal always your weakest? You could try alternative strategies in EK 101 and TPRH verbal.

 

[pre1973]

VR-11 PS-12 BIO-10 WRITING-M. GPA: 3.69. I am getting rejected left and right with this, should I retake? I applied really late, is applying late that big of a problem?

 

[Evangelene]

FYI This is for MD/PhD applications for a top-10 school

34S: PS-12 VR-8 BS-14 [retake, 1st time: 34O: 12-9-13]
GPA 3.2, ScGPA 3.0

I went to a top-5 school and double majored in Math and Bioengineering, graduated in 2010, have 3 years of undergrad research (1 co-authored pub) + this year of post-bacc research.

Clinical: 3 days of shadowing a pediatrician in West Africa, 1 month of hospital volunteering. Pretty pathetic, I know. I haven't been able to volunteer lately because I tested positively for TB and the hospital here was so backed up for the chest xray appointments. Going to start volunteering and getting some shadowing experience now that my xrays are done, and planning on getting a medical translation certification in Russian this summer.

Volunteering: 1 year of biweekly middle school tutoring, plus recently started volunteering with a girls-only science club.

This fall I'm going to a 2-year master's program in bioinformatics with potential to do directly clinically relevant research, and and hoping to raise my GPA (though only a bit since undergrad was a lot of credits), TA some classes (I didn't in undergrad) and apply to scholarships.

I applied this cycle and didn't get any interviews. I'll be applying again for 2013. I know my GPA is low so I was thinking about retaking the MCAT so I can bump up at least one of my stats. Do you think it'd be worth it?

 

[dnaman88]

Evangelene, it seems that you are a competitive applicant. Although, I think your graduate GPA will be separate from your undergraduate GPA on your AMCAS, I would double check to be sure!
But I would just try to make straight A’s or close to it in the master’s program and you should be fine!

 

[FrisbeeDoc]

I would try to find out what you did wrong. Was it test anxiety, timing or just not knowing the material well enough? If you need to study more and are too busy with school, I would choose a date like August so you can devote an entire summer. If it's just timing or just a bad day, as long as you stay in peak mcat shape, you should be ok in May. The problem is that you've used up all your aamc's. You could do more tests like from BR or GS, but it might mess up your timing. passages are a must though. maybe do the official mcat guide? I wouldn't wait a year because you would forget too much. Is verbal always your weakest? You could try alternative strategies in EK 101 and TPRH verbal.

Thanks!
Yeah, I think I didn't perform as I had practiced on my verbal. I'm ordering EK Verb 101, and regular EK, just to switch up my study material. I'm usually pretty good with verbal, I just froze a bit on test day. Do you know the best place to look tips on the writing sample? Kaplan f'ed me over there- they were scoring all my practice essays really high, and I know the ones I wrote on the test were par with my practice essays.

I appreciate the response!

 

[tttgo]

hey, I don't think the writing score matters too much if you're applying in the US. You would probably be better off improving your other sections.

 

[lucky220]

s

 

[ToolHead]

31M
13VR
11BS
7PS....
I not too concerned about the overall score but would a seven be an automatic disqualifier?

 

[canadanon]

I am a Canadian citizen applying to American schools. My GPA is 3.86 by US standards.
If my goal is to get into an American school , should I retake the MCAT this summer?

 

[tttgo]

those stats are really good. I wouldn't retake unless you screwed up really badly on the first one or you can somehow get your practice test average to like 40+. You wouldn't want to risk doing worse the second time. You should focus your energy on improving other parts of your app.

 

[soeulmate]

x

 

[premedstudentt]

GPA: 3.33

MCAT: 10 Physical, 10 verbal, 11 Biological (Total 31).

I clearly was not ready when I took the MCAT the first time, but ended up doing average. I wanted to take it again in order to get a high score and try to compensate for my low GPA, but I feel like my maximum score would be around a 34. Should I retake? Could I even get into allopathic medical schools with these stats?

I'm scheduled to take the MCAT this Saturday! (3/26)

Thank you!

 

[tttgo]

I don't think a 31 will hold you back. However, if you've studied and you're ready, then take it on Saturday. It'll look bad if you did worse though. any chance you can improve that gpa? Good luck!

 

[w1k1]

-3.8 sGPA, 3.9cGPA

-PS:10, BS:10, VB:12

-2 years undergrad research

-plenty of volunteering, and solid recs.

-White, upper-middle class (not applicable for any financial aid), male

I plan on having my application in by May, for the first cycle. I realize my scores + EC and everything will get me in to med school, however I want to be a competitive applicant for top tier med schools, and I feel like I am not right now. I studied for the MCAT for ~a month during a somewhat heavy course load semester. I feel that if I spent a solid month this summer I could score in the mid to upper 30's.

So my question is would it be a bad idea to get my application in with my current scores in that first cycle, and then spend summer studying, retake in Aug, and then resubmit MCAT scores?

 

[tttgo]

not sure about the application time frame, but a month to study isn't that long. what if your score goes down? or it might go up even without studying. Is waiting until next cycle an option? After you've mastered content, I think the key is to get as many passages and practices in as possible, while taking just as long to review them. You won't be able to do that many in only 1 month.

 

[dragon mouse]

hey guys, i scored 10/10/10.

should i wait to apply next cycle and retake the MCAT within the next year? or just apply now and retake only if i don't get interviews/acceptances?

 

[tttgo]

I don't think your mcat will hold you back. It should be easier to apply in state, but I'm not sure how much that helps. Isn't it risky to apply to to few schools (<10)? If you're not in a hurry, you could spend the extra year improving your app and saving up.

 

[masterwolfie]

Not QUITE sure if this is the place for this, but I didn't want to add to the clutter by creating a new thread...so apologies if this is out of place:

So I took the MCAT a year ago and got 32, but I do have a single-digit score in verbal. Due to a number of factors (ORM + Cali resident + not a top tier undergrad), I'm definitely on the lower end of the competitiveness spectrum, so I probably do need a higher score...

As of right now, I'm tentatively planning on retaking (depending on how practice tests go), and I'm signed up for a mid-June test date. However, I'm not sure how I should my AMCAS. Should I:

1) Submit AMCAS with my current MCAT score, and update schools with my new MCAT score (if it's better) to avoid delays in my app?

2) Mark on AMCAS that I'm retaking the MCAT and just wait for the new score? What if I do this, but at the last minute, decide not to retake?

Thanks!

 

[WashMe]

Not QUITE sure if this is the place for this, but I didn't want to add to the clutter by creating a new thread...so apologies if this is out of place:

So I took the MCAT a year ago and got 32, but I do have a single-digit score in verbal. Due to a number of factors (ORM + Cali resident + not a top tier undergrad), I'm definitely on the lower end of the competitiveness spectrum, so I probably do need a higher score...

As of right now, I'm tentatively planning on retaking (depending on how practice tests go), and I'm signed up for a mid-June test date. However, I'm not sure how I should my AMCAS. Should I:

1) Submit AMCAS with my current MCAT score, and update schools with my new MCAT score (if it's better) to avoid delays in my app?

2) Mark on AMCAS that I'm retaking the MCAT and just wait for the new score? What if I do this, but at the last minute, decide not to retake?

Thanks!

#1

And you're not on the lower end of competitiveness unless your GPA sucks. Which UG you attend is of less importance than you think it is.

 

[masterwolfie]

#1

And you're not on the lower end of competitiveness unless your GPA sucks. Which UG you attend is of less importance than you think it is.

My gpa isn't bad (3.8+), but ultimately, it may well be that I'm not competitive enough this cycle. I guess it's a mix of a whole bunch of other factors, too (interview skills, etc)

A follow-up question: if I do retake and get a higher score, will that score hold as much weight as my first one (which is the official amcas one)? And, if I happen to crash and burn and get a lower score, would I also have to update schools with that? : \

Thanks!

 

[WashMe]

My gpa isn't bad (3.8+), but ultimately, it may well be that I'm not competitive enough this cycle. I guess it's a mix of a whole bunch of other factors, too (interview skills, etc)

A follow-up question: if I do retake and get a higher score, will that score hold as much weight as my first one (which is the official amcas one)? And, if I happen to crash and burn and get a lower score, would I also have to update schools with that? : \

Thanks!

I think whenever you take the MCAT multiple times, schools will look at your overall performance. For instance, if you retake and get a 36 then they'll look at that score independently and in relation to your initial score. As far as being "required" to submit the new score, I don't know what the policy is...

 

[masterwolfie]

I think whenever you take the MCAT multiple times, schools will look at your overall performance. For instance, if you retake and get a 36 then they'll look at that score independently and in relation to your initial score. As far as being "required" to submit the new score, I don't know what the policy is...

I guess I'll call AMCAS and ask! Thanks so much for your help! 🙂

 

[lowdy100]

I posted this on another thread but i wanted to get some more advice.

I am a 23yr male canadian resident I am a fairly non trad bc i started in a religious seminary full time and took premed courses part time in NJ. i have a 3.9 gpa and a 3.8 science gpa. i took the mcat in jan and got a 28m(10ps/9v/9bs). i was scoring between a 27 and 30 on all my practice test.for ecs i have some doctor shadowing, and hospital volunteering, but no research but i have teaching and leadership experience. I have also raised $75000 for charities and have worked with funeral homes(dont ask). i am also a NY state emt, and have been volunteering for that for about a year.

any help on my options would be great.

 

[jogaboy10]

My goal is to be accepted to several top tier schools. Although I went to an elite undergraduate institution, my cum GPA is 3.66. My MCAT is 32Q (11/10/11). I have high quality research, clinical, and leadership experiences. I also have excellent letters of recommendation.

Thoughts?

 

[WashMe]

My goal is to be accepted to several top tier schools. Although I went to an elite undergraduate institution, my cum GPA is 3.66. My MCAT is 32Q (11/10/11). I have high quality research, clinical, and leadership experiences. I also have excellent letters of recommendation.

Thoughts?

I mean, if you're really looking to be accepted to SEVERAL top tiers (although you only need ONE), I'd say you need to do some GPA boosting as well as retake the MCAT. The average student at "top tier" schools lands at around 3.8 GPA and 35-36 MCAT, so you'd be at the bottom of the class. I don't mean to sound too negative though -- I hope you get everything you want. Keep putting in the work

 

[docjack]

My goal is to be accepted to several top tier schools. Although I went to an elite undergraduate institution, my cum GPA is 3.66. My MCAT is 32Q (11/10/11). I have high quality research, clinical, and leadership experiences. I also have excellent letters of recommendation.

Thoughts?

I came from top tier undergrad as well. From what I've seen, GPA becomes less important as undergrad is more elite. Your MCAT, however, is a bit low for the top tier Med Schools. Our pre-health advisor recommended a 35 or higher for guaranteed top tier interviews. 33-34 would get MAYBE one or two interviews. Below 33 was less hopeful. Obviously there are exceptions.

 

[skiing]

I took my MCAT on 4/9... and it was not good. I was averaging a 38 on my practice tests, but on 4/9 I happened to have a bad night's sleep and was in another state (my state was full when I signed up), exhausted tired and groggy, I was half asleep in PS and although I usually finish with 20 minutes to spare, I was so tired that I rechecked my answers 3 times each befor emoving on and only had 3 minutes left and had to guess on 2 which I know I got wrong. Essentially it was a disaster. BS and VR felt fine, although I have confirmed that I missed at least 2 on BS.

In any case... I know I could have done SO much better, so I'd like to retake. My question is:

1. how do schools look at retakes? Do they take the most recent score, or average, etc?

2. I am planning to submit my primary 6/1 regardless. How will my second score be processed?

3. How late is too late to retake? As a California resident, the earliest California test available is 7/6. I could however get an Arizona test for pretty much any date I want, including the later 1 pm administrations.

Thanks!

 

[kcin]

I took my MCAT on 4/9... and it was not good. I was averaging a 38 on my practice tests, but on 4/9 I happened to have a bad night's sleep and was in another state (my state was full when I signed up), exhausted tired and groggy, I was half asleep in PS and although I usually finish with 20 minutes to spare, I was so tired that I rechecked my answers 3 times each befor emoving on and only had 3 minutes left and had to guess on 2 which I know I got wrong. Essentially it was a disaster. BS and VR felt fine, although I have confirmed that I missed at least 2 on BS.

In any case... I know I could have done SO much better, so I'd like to retake. My question is:

1. how do schools look at retakes? Do they take the most recent score, or average, etc?

2. I am planning to submit my primary 6/1 regardless. How will my second score be processed?

3. How late is too late to retake? As a California resident, the earliest California test available is 7/6. I could however get an Arizona test for pretty much any date I want, including the later 1 pm administrations.

Thanks!

wait for score like epsilon said, i misread the date

ps. stop making so many excuses

 

[epsilonprodigy]

I would recommend waiting to see your score before you start raising the roof. C'mon, you were averaging 38....don't sell yourself short, nearly all test takers think they did much worse than they did.

 

[NickNaylor]

1) Depends on the school. I know a couple of the Texas state schools take your best composite score, but I think most schools view them as separate scores.

2) You can still complete and submit your primary and get it verified, but schools won't consider your application complete until they receive your second MCAT score (assuming you tell them you're waiting on another score).

3) Early July still isn't THAT late, as you'd be complete by early August (assuming the rest of your app is finished). I'd say taking the test anytime after early August is a no-no.

I agree with the above in that you should wait to get your scores first. How you think you did really has no bearing on what your actually score will be. You'll probably surprise yourself.

 

[Sammich117]

Moving to MCAT discussions

 

[skiing]

Thanks all! I really appreciate the advice.

I'm not trying to make up excuses, but my initial panic/grogginess made me decide to change my timing strategy (rechecking easy questions repeatedly and not having time to meditate on harder problems, rather than just moving on like I usually do) which threw me off a lot.

I signed up for a July MCAT just in case, so I'll get my results back in time to cancel. 🙂

 

[TTigers70]

Is it better to cancel what feels like a 30 if you have been scoring in the mid to high 30s or let it be graded and potentially retake? I know people may say you never know what the curve will be etc, but I guess I mean is it better to let an ehh performance ride or to cancel it to post only one solid score?

30, 36 worse than a 35 on its own? Thanks

 

[Etorphine]

I came from top tier undergrad as well. From what I've seen, GPA becomes less important as undergrad is more elite. Your MCAT, however, is a bit low for the top tier Med Schools. Our pre-health advisor recommended a 35 or higher for guaranteed top tier interviews. 33-34 would get MAYBE one or two interviews. Below 33 was less hopeful. Obviously there are exceptions.

🙄

 

[Juneilow]

Okay, this is my situation. I took the MCAT last July and got a 30Q. Got four interviews this year and got three wait lists, one hold list, so there's no guarantee I'm going to get in this year.

I think one of the things that held me back this year is that I applied relatively late. I got my primary in on the first day, but I was studying the MCAT until August 8th (when I got my scores back; I was preparing in case I had to take it again), and got my secondaries in between August-November.

I'm now in a Kaplan class that started about a month ago, but I'm now considering whether this is a wise choice. I got 10-10-10 last time, and was hoping to push it up to 11-12-11. It didn't seem impossible at the time, but I'm scheduled to take the test on June 16th and it still seems all too soon. It doesn't help that the Kaplan class rushes you from topic to topic with no time to review in-between.

So my question really boils down to this. Is a 30Q just fine to get into medical schools (if I apply early this year!)? It just seems like a better score would open more doors – it's not like I want to get into schools whose mean MCAT is a 34 because they're "better"; it's because with a higher MCAT, I thought I could broaden the list of schools who would even consider me as an applicant.

I realize that it's still a month until May 15th, but I'd like to know if I should be spending all my time (and I mean practically all my time) reviewing for the MCAT, or should I be looking for more meaningful things to do. I'm doing some shadowing/service on the side, but I even had to quit some things because I'm so pressed for time.

 

[SmurfinUSA]

Okay, this is my situation. I took the MCAT last July and got a 30Q. Got four interviews this year and got three wait lists, one hold list, so there's no guarantee I'm going to get in this year.

I think one of the things that held me back this year is that I applied relatively late. I got my primary in on the first day, but I was studying the MCAT until August 8th (when I got my scores back; I was preparing in case I had to take it again), and got my secondaries in between August-November.

I'm now in a Kaplan class that started about a month ago, but I'm now considering whether this is a wise choice. I got 10-10-10 last time, and was hoping to push it up to 11-12-11. It didn't seem impossible at the time, but I'm scheduled to take the test on June 16th and it still seems all too soon. It doesn't help that the Kaplan class rushes you from topic to topic with no time to review in-between.

So my question really boils down to this. Is a 30Q just fine to get into medical schools (if I apply early this year!)? It just seems like a better score would open more doors – it's not like I want to get into schools whose mean MCAT is a 34 because they're "better"; it's because with a higher MCAT, I thought I could broaden the list of schools who would even consider me as an applicant.

I realize that it's still a month until May 15th, but I'd like to know if I should be spending all my time (and I mean practically all my time) reviewing for the MCAT, or should I be looking for more meaningful things to do. I'm doing some shadowing/service on the side, but I even had to quit some things because I'm so pressed for time.

I think 10-10-10 is a solid score, I would take it and focus on a stellar rest of my app. Good luck~

 

[ridethecliche]

Okay, this is my situation. I took the MCAT last July and got a 30Q. Got four interviews this year and got three wait lists, one hold list, so there's no guarantee I'm going to get in this year.

I think one of the things that held me back this year is that I applied relatively late. I got my primary in on the first day, but I was studying the MCAT until August 8th (when I got my scores back; I was preparing in case I had to take it again), and got my secondaries in between August-November.

I'm now in a Kaplan class that started about a month ago, but I'm now considering whether this is a wise choice. I got 10-10-10 last time, and was hoping to push it up to 11-12-11. It didn't seem impossible at the time, but I'm scheduled to take the test on June 16th and it still seems all too soon. It doesn't help that the Kaplan class rushes you from topic to topic with no time to review in-between.

So my question really boils down to this. Is a 30Q just fine to get into medical schools (if I apply early this year!)? It just seems like a better score would open more doors – it's not like I want to get into schools whose mean MCAT is a 34 because they're "better"; it's because with a higher MCAT, I thought I could broaden the list of schools who would even consider me as an applicant.

I realize that it's still a month until May 15th, but I'd like to know if I should be spending all my time (and I mean practically all my time) reviewing for the MCAT, or should I be looking for more meaningful things to do. I'm doing some shadowing/service on the side, but I even had to quit some things because I'm so pressed for time.

Depends on your gpa, but the fact that you got interviews means that they thought you were a good candidate. Your GPA and mcat got you through the screen. So the deficits were probably elsewhere.

Lateness is probably a huge part of it.

 

[dandelion88]

deleted

 

[NeuroscEYEnce]

What's the best ideas for retaking the mcat?

 

[hiya20]

Hey everyone,
So i just got back my mcat scores and I have been deciding on whether or not to retake. I got a 36P on the mcat:
bio: 14 physics: 12 verbal: 10

I have a 3.75 gpa and i am looking at top tier schools. I was just wondering if it is highly likely that I will do worse if I retake.

Thanks!

 

[WashMe]

Hey everyone,
So i just got back my mcat scores and I have been deciding on whether or not to retake. I got a 36P on the mcat:
bio: 14 physics: 12 verbal: 10

I have a 3.75 gpa and i am looking at top tier schools. I was just wondering if it is highly likely that I will do worse if I retake.

Thanks!

The odds that you'll repeat the bio score are very low; you'd probably hit 12-13. The odds that you'll repeat the physics score are high, and it's not likely that you'll do better than a 12-13 on a retake. Verbal is a crap shoot, so you're probably looking at 9-13 on a retake. The way I see it, you'd hit a 33 on the low end and a 39 on the high end, with the most likely scenario being that you land from 35-37.

Not worth a retake in my opinion. Matriculants at top schools average about 36 on the MCAT, so your score is good enough. A 3.75 isn't great, but if you went to a tough UG or did an interesting major then you'll be fine. Also, if you're an athlete or a minority you'll have a leg up.

 

[nuitsansetoiles]

Hey everyone,

I just got my MCAT scores yesterday, and I don't know what I should do.

I scored a 33S.
PS: 12
VR: 11
BS: 10

I want to get into a top tier medical school, but I think my MCAT score is on the low side (especially with my BS score). I want to retake, but it seems like there won't be any seats available for me until at least mid-July, so I won't get new scores until August. Would this be too late? I plan on submitting my AMCAS in June, but I think med schools would be expecting my second MCAT scores, so my application won't be complete until late in August. Is this right?

By the way, my GPA is a 3.9 at a competitive Ivy, and my EC's are relatively solid (I think).

What do you guys think?

 

[ridethecliche]

What were your practice exam scores?

If they were much higher, then maybe it makes sense.

With your score, I'd think that the probability of doing worse the second time around is pretty high. That for you might not be worth taking.

With your GPA and MCAT score, you should be in good shape to get into most places. I'm not sure I'd retake if I was in your position.

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

The odds that you'll repeat the bio score are very low; you'd probably hit 12-13. The odds that you'll repeat the physics score are high, and it's not likely that you'll do better than a 12-13 on a retake. Verbal is a crap shoot, so you're probably looking at 9-13 on a retake. The way I see it, you'd hit a 33 on the low end and a 39 on the high end, with the most likely scenario being that you land from 35-37.

Not worth a retake in my opinion. Matriculants at top schools average about 36 on the MCAT, so your score is good enough. A 3.75 isn't great, but if you went to a tough UG or did an interesting major then you'll be fine. Also, if you're an athlete or a minority you'll have a leg up.

Good advice, but the bolded text is 😕

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

Hey everyone,

I just got my MCAT scores yesterday, and I don't know what I should do.

I scored a 33S.
PS: 12
VR: 11
BS: 10

I want to get into a top tier medical school, but I think my MCAT score is on the low side (especially with my BS score). I want to retake, but it seems like there won't be any seats available for me until at least mid-July, so I won't get new scores until August. Would this be too late? I plan on submitting my AMCAS in June, but I think med schools would be expecting my second MCAT scores, so my application won't be complete until late in August. Is this right?

By the way, my GPA is a 3.9 at a competitive Ivy, and my EC's are relatively solid (I think).

What do you guys think?

I understand wanting to retake bc of the bio score, but I wouldn't if I were you unless you have a significant amount of free time. A 3.9/33 from an Ivy is very competitive unless you have your heart set only on WUSTL or something.