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)​

 

[ijaz94]

Hey I'm currently a junior biology major.
Just received my score of 28 (9 PS, 9 VR, 10 BS)
science gpa of 3.8 and non science 3.9.
My goal is to get into a NY MD school. Thanks!

 

[centillion]

xxxxxxx

 

[gaomusic]

Lol at all these 30+ scores looking to retake. Just keep your score guys unless you are really confident you want a 35+ or whatever like wanting to get into a big name school that needs 34-35+. And if you're worried about up/down section scores, the interviewer might ask what happened with that one low section score.

Now those 28-29, that's a bit trickier. If you have good gpa and extracurriculars, I'd apply for MD and some DO schools. You could gamble on retaking the MCAT but depends how you felt when you took it the first time. If you felt that you screwed up big time with lots of regret and know you can do better, go for it!

 

[Chocolatepumpkinpie]

PS: 10
VR: 9
BS: 10
Took the MCAT on 9/4/14 and got a 29. I want to retake, but the problem is that I've pretty much used up a lot of my resources to study, hoping that I would get the score I want the first time around. I've done all the passages in the TBR books, EK101 Verbal, TPR Hyperlearning Verbal, and AAMC 3-11. Does anyone know anything that is helpful to use to prepare for a retake? 🙁 Thank you!

I'm in a similar situation! I'm planning to purchase GS tests and practice! Let's hope we will score much better next time!

 

[Cyborg]

MCAT 31 (12Bio, 9 V, 11PS). GPA 3.5 from Ivy school. Great ECs and strong LORs. Published research. Retake?

 

[gaomusic]

MCAT 31 (12Bio, 9 V, 11PS). GPA 3.5 from Ivy school. Great ECs and strong LORs. Published research. Retake?

No. Relax.

 

[Oceans04]

No one replied, so I figured I'd repost:

I took the MCAT 08/15 and got a 27- PS 9, VR 8, BS 10. I studied all summer for the test, took a course, etc., and felt I knew the material, but I could not manage to do very well on the practice tests. The MCAT was a hard test for me. I'm a CA resident, senior at UC Berkeley. I'll probably finish with a 3.7 GPA. I don't have many ECs BUT that's in part because I've had major health problems (including two major surgeries) while I've been in college. I do plan to take a gap year and do something interesting and relevant to medical school applications, especially because I am lacking experience. Should I retake? I've always been aiming for MD, not DO. I don't know that my odds are great of doing better if I retook the test, and I don't know how the change would affect things.

 

[gaomusic]

No one replied, so I figured I'd repost:

I took the MCAT 08/15 and got a 27- PS 9, VR 8, BS 10. I studied all summer for the test, took a course, etc., and felt I knew the material, but I could not manage to do very well on the practice tests. The MCAT was a hard test for me. I'm a CA resident, senior at UC Berkeley. I'll probably finish with a 3.7 GPA. I don't have many ECs BUT that's in part because I've had major health problems (including two major surgeries) while I've been in college. I do plan to take a gap year and do something interesting and relevant to medical school applications, especially because I am lacking experience. Should I retake? I've always been aiming for MD, not DO. I don't know that my odds are great of doing better if I retook the test, and I don't know how the change would affect things.

If you're going to take a gap year, then study like crazy and bring those science scores up. You can do better especially with a whole year. That being said, they're changing the MCAT so there's new sections to study for. I'd retake it in your position.

 

[Drvictoriafrankenstein]

I'm planning on applying to med school this summer and got a 31 (9/11/11).
While PS is always my worst section, I did panic slightly during my exam and had to randomly guess on the last 3 questions for time reasons. My FL AAMC average was a 32 (with improvement in later practice, from a 26 on AAMC 3 --> 33 on AAMC 9 and 10).
I did tell myself that I wouldn't retake if I got above a 30, but knowing I might go up 2 or 3 points overall is tempting.
Thoughts? I am a NJ resident and going to a state school would be nice, but I know it's getting more and more competitive. Retake or no? 🙂

 

[gaomusic]

I'm planning on applying to med school this summer and got a 31 (9/11/11).
While PS is always my worst section, I did panic slightly during my exam and had to randomly guess on the last 3 questions for time reasons. My FL AAMC average was a 32 (with improvement in later practice, from a 26 on AAMC 3 --> 33 on AAMC 9 and 10).
I did tell myself that I wouldn't retake if I got above a 30, but knowing I might go up 2 or 3 points overall is tempting.
Thoughts? I am a NJ resident and going to a state school would be nice, but I know it's getting more and more competitive. Retake or no? 🙂

I'd say no, don't retake. Yes you can go up 2 points but would you take the chance it could go down as well? I'm at NJMS right now. Got a 32 and someone else I know got a 31.

 

[blueeyedprincess]

.

 

[Drvictoriafrankenstein]

I'd say no, don't retake. Yes you can go up 2 points but would you take the chance it could go down as well? I'm at NJMS right now. Got a 32 and someone else I know got a 31.

Thanks for the reply, it's encouraging. You're right, going down two points (or even staying the same) would be really disappointing. I will probably just spend the time improving other aspects of my application. Hopefully NJMS is in my future! 😛

 

[dandanMD]

Took the September 6th test after spending the summer studying for the exam (approximately 2 months) and received a 33 (PS:12/VR:7/BS:14). Naturally you can guess why I am a bit concerned and why this score just dug straight into my heart. Gah! Honestly though verbal was my hardest section and I was averaging 7-9 the entire summer. I am just not compatible with this section~

Im a CA resident
UC Berkeley senior
GPA 3.91(overall)
GPAs 4.0
Major: Biochemistry Molecular Bio
Minor(s): Classics & French
Extensive research background with awards & scholarships.

I honestly do not want to stay in california and would love to go to an east coast school (Northwestern, NY Med, Georgetown, ect...) I am also planning on taking 1-2 years off before applying to do some international humanitarian work.

Any advice prrease?
Not sure what to do and don't really want to take it again unless I have to...

Thanks in advance 😉

 

[haleyjay]

Planning to retake in January, but wanted to get advice anyways.
Score: 26 9/7/10 (Test date:09/12/2014)
I was very disappointed because this way way off from my last few practice scores, which were 30-31. I don't know what went wrong. VR was always my weakest (ranged from 7-10). Not sure if I will be able to improve VR before January (planning on practicing almost every day though).
GPA and sGPA are both 3.8. Great EC's (hospital volunteering, clinical research, and genetics research). English is my third language (moved to US 10 years ago). I'm European though, so can't apply under URM. I will be applying with a statement of disadvantage.
Definitely retaking, but I wanted to ask what are my chances of doing better? Looking to get a 30 or above to be competitive for CA schools. Considering a DO, but prefer MD.

I think you have plenty of time to improve your verbal score. And I think you have a good application. Although from what I've heard CA schools are pretty tough to get in. Have you considered applying to other schools outside of CA? If you can bump your score up to a 30, you'll be competitive at plenty of places. Trilingual and European is unique and will make you stand out!

My advice for verbal is find what strategy works best for you and stick with it, and then, like you said, practice. Spend a little time analyzing why you missed questions so you can start to see trends and how the MCAT tests verbal. I spend about 3 minutes reading the passage and 5 minutes answering the questions. Active reading is a helpful skill to have and is something you can learn and get better at by practicing. Read with purpose. Keep working hard between now and January and you should have no problem bringing your score up. Good luck!

 

[organesha]

Hey everyone, just got my score back from the 9/18 MCAT and scored a 31 (11/10/10). A little crestfallen since my average for FL 8-11 was 34.5.
GPA: 3.73
Bio major, German minor
Extensive research, including some internationally
Lots of clinical volunteering
Currently a medical scribe

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[MedicineMan94]

.

 

[sc_stanford]

Hi everyone! Just hoping to get some advice as I've been frantically reading everything I can online.

I got a 31 (12/7/12) and am worried about my VR score. It ranged anywhere from 7-10 on practice exams and I'm just worried if I retake, it won't go up much. I could study for a January test date over winter break, if I can even get a seat. I'm happy scoring 30+, especially since my PS and BS are at the high end of what I reached in practice exams...but I'm just worried about VR.

I am a junior at Stanford with a 3.95 GPA. Asian and Pacific Islander background, first gen college student. Lots of clinical, research, and non-medical experiences. Any advice/thoughts would be very appreciated! 🙂

 

[Chocolatepumpkinpie]

Hey everyone, just got my score back from the 9/18 MCAT and scored a 31 (11/10/10). A little crestfallen since my average for FL 8-11 was 34.5.
GPA: 3.73
Bio major, German minor
Extensive research, including some internationally
Lots of clinical volunteering
Currently a medical scribe

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Organesha, I have the exact same score as you! (12/8/11) My FL average was about 33. Personally, if I had your distribution, I probably wouldn't retake. I'm going to study for the January test, but am unsure whether I will take it (bc I know I can kill BS), since my VR is weak. My EC is similar to yours as well. Where do you plan to apply? I think it really depends on which schools you would like to attend.

 

[MaybeDr]

April 5th test: 12/5/12 29
September 18th test: 11/7/13 31

Little background: 3.71 GPA, all A's in pre-reqs, 400 hours clinical research, 500 hours of organic chemistry research, 100+ hours of volunteering in a hospital, 100+ hours of mentoring, president of a club, I'm a genetics instructor for a supplemental course at my university, and I was employed at a real person's job for about 2 years. That 7 is killing me I think I'd be prescreened for most schools. Additionally I am a California resident.
I think I have a decent shot at DO but I want MD. My verbal has always been a variable but christ I scored a 14/11/15 on AAMC 11.....

EDIT: I should also say I started at community college screwed around for a year and half got serious and I've had a 4.0 since then. This is going on my 5th year in college because I've had to make up my absence in high school (graduated with a 2.2 gpa)

 

[futuredr2kids]

Hey everyone!

I got a 31 on 9/18 with distribution - physics: 10, verbal: 10, and bio: 11
I have a 3.1 undergrad gpa from a top 25 school (with upward trend from freshman year first sem 2.8 gpa to senior year 2nd sem 3.8 gpa) and a 3.6 post bacc gpa from an Ivy.
I have a lot of ECs and shadowing. I am going to be working until I apply next cycle so I will have that experience as well. Also, I'm not a minority and am a CA resident but don't need to go to school in CA. I am interested in both M.D. and D.O.

Should I retake?

 

[TxC]

Hey everyone!

I got a 31 on 9/18 with distribution - physics: 10, verbal: 10, and bio: 11
I have a 3.1 undergrad gpa from a top 25 school (with upward trend from freshman year first sem 2.8 gpa to senior year 2nd sem 3.8 gpa) and a 3.6 post bacc gpa from an Ivy.
I have a lot of ECs and shadowing. I am going to be working until I apply next cycle so I will have that experience as well. Also, I'm not a minority and am a CA resident but don't need to go to school in CA. I am interested in both M.D. and D.O.

Should I retake?

Your MCAT score is not what will keep you out of D.O. schools. Focus on the other things.

Apply to some M.D. schools too if you want. Use the MSAR to come up with a good list.

 

[Docta Dre]

Hello,

I was unsuccessful when I applied in 2013-2014 (almost 40 schools applied). My 2nd MCAT score was a 33 (PS: 13, VR: 8, BS: 12) taken in January 2013 and my first MCAT score was 30 (12/9/9) taken in May 2012. Also, I have a 3.5 GPA, Biology Major.

I applied broadly and nothing, aside from a few of my resident state schools in California, were well beyond my reach. Also, I only received one interview throughout that process.

Now, I'm sure that my MCAT score wasn't the only reason that I did not get in, but it has been bothering me that my Verbal score dropped from a 9 to an 8 and I feel that might give me reason to retake this exam for a third time. I've read through many posts, and I know that I am considered above the cusp and should not consider retaking. But I did want to know if any of you guys would retake again. Thanks.

 

[godawg300]

Hello,

I was unsuccessful when I applied in 2013-2014 (almost 40 schools applied). My 2nd MCAT score was a 33 (PS: 13, VR: 8, BS: 12) taken in January 2013 and my first MCAT score was 30 (12/9/9) taken in May 2012. Also, I have a 3.5 GPA, Biology Major.

I applied broadly and nothing, aside from a few of my resident state schools in California, were well beyond my reach. Also, I only received one interview throughout that process.

Now, I'm sure that my MCAT score wasn't the only reason that I did not get in, but it has been bothering me that my Verbal score dropped from a 9 to an 8 and I feel that might give me reason to retake this exam for a third time. I've read through many posts, and I know that I am considered above the cusp and should not consider retaking. But I did want to know if any of you guys would retake again. Thanks.

I think this probably had to do with something other than your Mcat. Seriously, what are the odds of your verbal going up when you got an 8 and a 9!

 

[tea guzzling traveler]

April 5th test: 12/5/12 29
September 18th test: 11/7/13 31

Little background: 3.71 GPA, all A's in pre-reqs, 400 hours clinical research, 500 hours of organic chemistry research, 100+ hours of volunteering in a hospital, 100+ hours of mentoring, president of a club, I'm a genetics instructor for a supplemental course at my university, and I was employed at a real person's job for about 2 years. That 7 is killing me I think I'd be prescreened for most schools. Additionally I am a California resident.
I think I have a decent shot at DO but I want MD. My verbal has always been a variable but christ I scored a 14/11/15 on AAMC 11.....

EDIT: I should also say I started at community college screwed around for a year and half got serious and I've had a 4.0 since then. This is going on my 5th year in college because I've had to make up my absence in high school (graduated with a 2.2 gpa)

I would say your scores and EC's in general sound pretty good. If you have exhausted most of the available VR material, then don't retake. If on the otherhand, you feel that there is a lot more that you could do for VR, then consider retaking, as the MCAT is probably the only thing holding you from the upper tier schools.

 

[DrDreams]

Really starting to wonder if I should retake. Applied D.O. only
How bad would it look if I retook it and did worse than before?

3.35cgpa 3.45 Sgpa
100 hours rural volunteering
320 hours rural shadowing
120 hours ER shadowing
100 hours D.O. shadowing
Descent ECs, and non-traditional student

PS 11 VR 6 BS 9

Have no idea why i got a 6, was scoring 9/11 on the AAMC exams and on practice.

 

[HGS24]

Hi all,
Just scored a 11V, 8PS, 11BS. Not sure if I should retake due to the 8 in PS, but I'm signed up for the Dec 6 date. MCAT changes after that so don't know if I should take this chance, but am afraid of one of my other sections dropping a point if I retake next month, which would also be bad.

My GPA is 3.55, sGPA is 3.38. Graduated from UVa with high distinction from a competitive, interdisciplinary major (bio + public health + ethics), wrote a hefty (70+ page) thesis on my research and should be published by the time I apply. Also was president of a non-profit for 2 years, was a bioethics intern, and will have scribed for 2 years at a trauma 1 center by the time I apply, so I think my ECs are good.

Also have good recs from credible people. I'm a Virginia resident and aiming for VCU, would love to know if I'm competitive.

 

[bbils]

MCAT: 29 (9 PS, 9 VR, 11 BS)
cGPA: 3.71 sGPA: 3.54
Did a full summer as a volunteer/shadow (every day, more or less full time) at a local hospital in different departments
Did 4 months in a research lab (no publications)
Have other volunteer experience (both clinically and non-clinical) and have been a TA once
NY resident and will be applying in June for the next cycle and will likely be getting a job in field during my gap year with plans to get more volunteer hours both during the gap year and before my application goes out in June

 

[TxC]

MCAT: 29 (9 PS, 9 VR, 11 BS)
cGPA: 3.71 sGPA: 3.54
Did a full summer as a volunteer/shadow (every day, more or less full time) at a local hospital in different departments
Did 4 months in a research lab (no publications)
Have other volunteer experience (both clinically and non-clinical) and have been a TA once
NY resident and will be applying in June for the next cycle and will likely be getting a job in field during my gap year with plans to get more volunteer hours both during the gap year and before my application goes out in June

I think you'll be fine for DO schools.

Apply to some MD schools as long as you can choose wisely.

 

[leahprice10]

Hey all,

Trying to figure out whether or not to retake my MCAT-- 10VR, 9BS, 9PS, 28 overall. 3.45 undergrad GPA at a competitive school with varsity athletics and a hefty amount of volunteer work. I'm currently getting a Master's in Public Health and doing academic work/grant-writing. I was initially planning on retaking it in January to improve my chances until seats filled up so quickly for the final "old" MCAT.

I'm following the twitter feed in hopes of snagging a seat, but am realizing I very may well need to take the new exam if I am going to retake.

Is it worth restudying/prepping for the new exam or keeping my score?

 

[AbdulAhad]

So, I scored a 30 last summer (12 PS, 8 VR, 10 BS)
This last September I scored a 30 again (9 PS, 9 VR, 12 BS) because of a super bad migraine in the beginning that slowed me down. Also, I felt that I could of covered a few topics better such as solution chemistry.

Should I retake? Assuming I can get a reservation...

 

[godawg300]

So, I scored a 30 last summer (12 PS, 8 VR, 10 BS)
This last September I scored a 30 again (9 PS, 9 VR, 12 BS) because of a super bad migraine in the beginning that slowed me down. Also, I felt that I could of covered a few topics better such as solution chemistry.

Should I retake? Assuming I can get a reservation...

Nope. 2 30s in a row is def a reason to not retake. If you had a migraine you should have voided your scores. That shows poor judgement.

 

[theparty]

Nope. 2 30s in a row is def a reason to not retake. If you had a migraine you should have voided your scores. That shows poor judgement.

i wouldn't say that shows "poor-judgement", but unless you were averaging like a 35+ on the AAMC FLs i personally wouldn't - getting a 32 wouldn't be that much of an improvement...

 

[DannySCR]

Hey Guys, I really hope you all can help me!!!
cGPA: 3.415 ( Hopefully I'll be able to hit the 3.5 mark by the time I graduate)
MCAT: 11/11/8= 30 ( I'm really mad at that 8 in BS...)
ECs:
Social Fraternity for 1 year ( I doubt I'm even gonna include this in my application)
National Society of Collegiate Scholars
President of a "Nationality's" Student Association
Some Shadowing : about 20-30 hours
Undergraduate Research: Been at it for 6 months already and will complete an year by graduation, should be published in 2-3 papers
I haven't done much Clinical Volunteering but I hope to do a fair amount my last semester, hopefully totalling over 50 hours

Should I retake?

 

[realba11]

Hey Guys, I really hope you all can help me!!!
cGPA: 3.415 ( Hopefully I'll be able to hit the 3.5 mark by the time I graduate)
MCAT: 11/11/8= 30 ( I'm really mad at that 8 in BS...)
ECs:
Social Fraternity for 1 year ( I doubt I'm even gonna include this in my application)
National Society of Collegiate Scholars
President of a "Nationality's" Student Association
Some Shadowing : about 20-30 hours
Undergraduate Research: Been at it for 6 months already and will complete an year by graduation, should be published in 2-3 papers
I haven't done much Clinical Volunteering but I hope to do a fair amount my last semester, hopefully totalling over 50 hours

Should I retake?

Don't retake. I think your verbal score evens out your bio. That's a good score, don't overthink it. If you retake, you may increase bio, but another section may drop equally or you may get a lower overall score.

 

[realba11]

Really starting to wonder if I should retake. Applied D.O. only
How bad would it look if I retook it and did worse than before?

3.35cgpa 3.45 Sgpa
100 hours rural volunteering
320 hours rural shadowing
120 hours ER shadowing
100 hours D.O. shadowing
Descent ECs, and non-traditional student

PS 11 VR 6 BS 9

Have no idea why i got a 6, was scoring 9/11 on the AAMC exams and on practice.

I would retake. A lot of schools screen out applicants with subscores below 8. Focus on your verbal, it will help you in your other sections. I was in your shoes with a low verbal score and retook it.

 

[californiaMD19]

Hi everyone,

I took the MCAT back in September and I was originally very happy with my score but after talking to my pre-med advisors and pre-med friends, it seems that my score wasn't competitive enough to be happy about. They said that a 30 would make it difficult for me to get into a US MD program. Most of my pre-med colleagues (6 or 7) scored at least 32, with most of them scoring in the 35-38 range; one person even got a 40.

I scored a 30 (10/10/10) on my first try. I was averaging 32-33 on my practice exams but I went in expecting that I wouldn't exceed my average and fully accepted that I could score 2 or 3 points below my average.

My GPA's are around 3.75-3.80.

I'm wondering if it'll be in my best interest to re-study and sit for the 2015 exam? Even if I'm only applying to low and mid tier MD schools and I'm all set up to submit my app on the first day next cycle (LOR's, PS, experience descriptions, etc. are all ready)?

Thanks in advance!

 

[wuhsabee]

Hi everyone,

I took the MCAT back in September and I was originally very happy with my score but after talking to my pre-med advisors and pre-med friends, it seems that my score wasn't competitive enough to be happy about. They said that a 30 would make it difficult for me to get into a US MD program. Most of my pre-med colleagues (6 or 7) scored at least 32, with most of them scoring in the 35-38 range; one person even got a 40.

I scored a 30 (10/10/10) on my first try. I was averaging 32-33 on my practice exams but I went in expecting that I wouldn't exceed my average and fully accepted that I could score 2 or 3 points below my average.

My GPA's are around 3.75-3.80.

I'm wondering if it'll be in my best interest to re-study and sit for the 2015 exam? Even if I'm only applying to low and mid tier MD schools and I'm all set up to submit my app on the first day next cycle (LOR's, PS, experience descriptions, etc. are all ready)?

Thanks in advance!

Dude, you are solid. What is your state of residence? You are definitely good for some allopathic med schools. Check the msar and apply for schools within your stats. Do you really wanna spend extra time (and money) gearing up for the change in MCAT 2015 and study for two new whole sections? (Psych and Biochem?) IMO, you landed on your average (within 2 points) and it is an extremely balanced score - all two digits. I would just leave it be since you aren't applying for high tier anyways. I think you will have much better responses from sdn adcoms if you post on WAMC thread. See what they say. Good luck, man!

 

[californiaMD19]

Dude, you are solid. What is your state of residence? You are definitely good for some allopathic med schools. Check the msar and apply for schools within your stats. Do you really wanna spend extra time (and money) gearing up for the change in MCAT 2015 and study for two new whole sections? (Psych and Biochem?) IMO, you landed on your average (within 2 points) and it is an extremely balanced score - all two digits. I would just leave it be since you aren't applying for high tier anyways. I think you will have much better responses from sdn adcoms if you post on WAMC thread. See what they say. Good luck, man!

Thanks for your response!!

I live in California. Would this make a difference? Cali schools give in-state pref. but the averages are higher than mine for sure.

I made a post in WAMC before I spoke to my pre-med advisors and many said that I was in decent shape. My pre-med advisors said the same thing, but they told me to consider retaking the MCAT.

 

[wuhsabee]

Thanks for your response!!

I live in California. Would this make a difference? Cali schools give in-state pref. but the averages are higher than mine for sure.

I made a post in WAMC before I spoke to my pre-med advisors and many said that I was in decent shape. My pre-med advisors said the same thing, but they told me to consider retaking the MCAT.

Oh yeah...Cali is a different story. Sorry, bro. 🙁 unless you are OK with applying out of state or have unique ECs. But I think there were two med schools in Cali that are more lenient with MCAT/GPA scores? Not saying your MCAT score isn't good - it totally is! Just Cali schools are terribly competitive.

 

[bionotes]

Hi Guys..I know many of you guys are thinking about retaking MCAT. But I am here to ask your opinion about the Biology question bank I have created and put it up on web for free. Please try www.megaqb.com and let me know what you guys think. There are few really hard questions there but I guess it is free so does not hurt to have some curb balls here and there.. try www.megaqb.com

 

[californiaMD19]

Oh yeah...Cali is a different story. Sorry, bro. 🙁 unless you are OK with applying out of state or have unique ECs. But I think there were two med schools in Cali that are more lenient with MCAT/GPA scores? Not saying your MCAT score isn't good - it totally is! Just Cali schools are terribly competitive.

Thanks for the input!

I'm definitely okay with applying OOS but would I be stuck applying to private schools since OOS public schools have pretty high stats for OOS students?

 

[chocolatecheese]

Hey everyone, I'm Canadian and I'm looking into American schools.

My stats are as follows:

Canadian GPA: 3.94
American GPA: 4.00

MCAT: 14/8/15 (my verbal actually disqualifies me from most Canadian schools and I was wondering if the same applies to the States)

Strong ECs (working with special needs children, French summer camp, mental health and elderly in-house visitations, provincial public health services)

Strong Research (wet laboratory work which will lead to publications eventually, systematic review submitted, working in pediatric plastic surgery)

Poor to Mediocre awards (only a research scholarship and a university entrance scholarship)

I'm considering if a rewrite is worth it to stay in Canada. I'm currently scheduled to write Jan 8th.

 

[belAiress]

2014 MCAT versus 2015 MCAT

I am retaking the MCAT, aiming for a date between now and April, but which one should it be?

What are the pros/cons to retaking the same test twice? Any advice on which one to take?

 

[realba11]

2014 pros... Have a comparable test score to your previous one... You have studied for this before... They have the test sorted out with experimental questions... cons... would be taking soon, not a lot of time to study/improve...

2015 pros... *supposed* to be an easier test... more sections to even out your overall score... cons... longer test... more sections... double the questions and time spent testing...

My tutor told me that the 2015 MCAT is supposed to be easier, at least with regards to the verbal/CARS section. Of course there is no way to know without actually taking it. If you have taken psych/socio, then go for 2015. You have more time to prepare.

Good luck!

 

[21341234]

Guys I need advice ! Just got MCAT scores back. 28 (VR 8, PS 11, BS 9). My goal is to apply in the upcoming 2015-16 cycle. My college GPA is 3.5 - 3.6. I went to a community college first and then a public university in California. I have pretty decent extracurricular activities (volunteering in hospitals, shadowing, etc). Should I retake the MCAT or just go for it and hope I will get in somewhere (MD schools) ? If I do retake it, should I try to get a spot in January 2015 or just wait a few more months to take the new one ? Thanks !

 

[HCHopeful]

Hey everyone, pretty sure I'm retaking, but just wanted to get some input. Here are my stats.

cGPA: 3.89
sGPA: 3.95

MCAT: 27 (9/9/9)

I live in Nebraska, so UNMC will be at the top of the list. MD is preferred, but DO is an option.

Some further info. My AAMC practice average was a 31 (30.88) with a 31.5 average on 10 & 11. Yes, I scored 4 points below average, so I am one of those people who don't exist that score outside of that +/- 2.

EC's go as follows:

• SMDEP at UNMC in Summer of 2013
• Volunteer at Red Cross for about 25 hours (probably get to 50 by time of application)
• Volunter peer educator on campus with two groups
  • PHIVE-O: 50 hours
  • BACCHUS: 50 hours
• Research: 520 hours at the United States Meat Animal Research Center
• Shadowing: 140 hours
• In a band that opened for Chiddy Bang: 150 hours
• Employment:
  • Self-Employed karaoke D.J. for three years
  • USMARC internship summer of 2014
• Member of BBB (Biology Honor Society)
• Member of ODK (National Leadership Honorary)

Should I definitely retake? Do I have a decent shot at MD as is? Thanks everyone.

 

[tmatern7]

So, I just got my MCAT scores back, and I am looking for a little advice. I took the October 21st exam and scored a 31 (11PS/9V/11BS). I am currently registered for the Dec 6th exam, so I do have a spot reserved. My GPA is ~3.60, but I have an extremely strong upward trend. I did my freshman year at a community college and was unsure what I wanted to do with my life, so I was majoring in business... this resulted in a 2.6 GPA during said period. I then went through a divorce and broke my arm due to a bone tumor (all in about a 4 month period), and these experiences really turned my life around. I have since completed 112 credits at a major university with a GPA of 3.99, and plan to graduate in the next year with a Biology BS and a triple minor in Chem, Psych, and Pediatrics.

Now, about my practice test scores. I was averaging above a 35 on my AAMC FL exams. My weak point was verbal, but I have really practiced over the last month while waiting for scores, and I am feeling quite a bit more confident (have been using the Princeton Review Hyper-learning Verbal). So I will post my practice test scores below.

Extracurriculars:
- Volunteer work in 3 hospitals with ~600 hrs (also have some time with the American Cancer Association)
- Research in a Medical Microbiology lab with ~250 hrs
Research in Clinical Pediatrics with ~120 hrs (will be continuing in the spring)
- Leadership as an Ochem I & II TA and taught Human Anatomy in the Cadaver lab for 2 years. Also have volunteered as a boy scout leader, and worked as a supervisor for discover financial services about 3 1/2 years ago.
(also have a fair amount of physician shadowing under my belt, but will be doing more in the coming months).

If there is any other info that I need to give that you feel is pertinent please let me know... otherwise, thanks for reading my long winded post, and I look forward to some input!

FL #3
34 (13PS/9V/12BS)
FL #4
35 (13PS/10V/12BS)
FL #5
35 (13PS/9V/13BS)
FL #7
33 (12PS/9V/12BS)
FL #8
39 (14PS/11V/14BS)
FL #9
36 (14PS/9V/13BS)
FL #10
35 (12PS/9V/14BS)
FL #11
36 (13PS/9V/14BS)

 

[Plasticbag80]

Hi guys,

So I'm new to posting on Student Doctor, but I've been a lurker on these threads ever since I was a freshman in college(now a junior) just looking at people's advice on MCAT,GPA and applying in general.

I just got my MCAT results back from the Oct. 21th sitting and unfortunately it wasn't the best of results for me and I was wondering what everyone's opinion was of me retaking the darn test. I ended up getting a 33 (11/11/11), but my FL AAMC practice tests were 35, 36, 36 and 37. On every practice test I had never scored lower than a 13 in BS or a 12 in PS and somehow I managed to do both on the real thing. I wasn't overly nervous or had any problems test day either.

Anyways, with that I have close to a 3.9 sGPA and around 3.83cGPA currently at Stanford. For shadowing, I participated in the SMDEP program at Columbia after my Freshman year and got about 30 hours of shadowing at New York Presbyterian Hospital there. Currently I'm shadowing a pretty well-known cardiologist at Stanford Hospital right now ~30 hours there. This is also my second year volunteering at a student-run free clinic with about ~70 hours total there. I've also been involved in an afternoon free tutoring service to the underprivileged elementary, middle and high school students around east palo alto since my Freshman year - something I've been doing since High School. Since my Sophomore year I've been doing research in a cardiology stem cell lab and this past summer I presented a poster on my research at an undergraduate research symposium thing. No publications yet though. I am a URM and financially disadvantaged and received the Gates Millennium Scholarship my senior year of high school.

My overall goal is to get into a CA medical school. I'm from CA and for family reasons really don't want to be away from my family for 4 years. Further, I just love living in CA and don't want to move away. My ultimate dream is going to UCLA Med School and now with the 33 MCAT it's looking like that might keep me from achieving that.

So with that big rant, do you guys thing I should retake my 33 (11/11/11) MCAT considering I did better on FL AAMC? Is it worth the risk of somehow getting a lower score(I think i will be extremely nervous retaking this time so it could happen). Finally, I would have to retake this thing 12/6 or else I'd retake the new test. Currently I can get a spot in 12/6 and could do like 30-40 hours of studying between now and then. Any thoughts?

 

[HCHopeful]

Hi guys,

So I'm new to posting on Student Doctor, but I've been a lurker on these threads ever since I was a freshman in college(now a junior) just looking at people's advice on MCAT,GPA and applying in general.

I just got my MCAT results back from the Oct. 21th sitting and unfortunately it wasn't the best of results for me and I was wondering what everyone's opinion was of me retaking the darn test. I ended up getting a 33 (11/11/11), but my FL AAMC practice tests were 35, 36, 36 and 37. On every practice test I had never scored lower than a 13 in BS or a 12 in PS and somehow I managed to do both on the real thing. I wasn't overly nervous or had any problems test day either.

Anyways, with that I have close to a 3.9 sGPA and around 3.83cGPA currently at Stanford. For shadowing, I participated in the SMDEP program at Columbia after my Freshman year and got about 30 hours of shadowing at New York Presbyterian Hospital there. Currently I'm shadowing a pretty well-known cardiologist at Stanford Hospital right now ~30 hours there. This is also my second year volunteering at a student-run free clinic with about ~70 hours total there. I've also been involved in an afternoon free tutoring service to the underprivileged elementary, middle and high school students around east palo alto since my Freshman year - something I've been doing since High School. Since my Sophomore year I've been doing research in a cardiology stem cell lab and this past summer I presented a poster on my research at an undergraduate research symposium thing. No publications yet though. I am a URM and financially disadvantaged and received the Gates Millennium Scholarship my senior year of high school.

My overall goal is to get into a CA medical school. I'm from CA and for family reasons really don't want to be away from my family for 4 years. Further, I just love living in CA and don't want to move away. My ultimate dream is going to UCLA Med School and now with the 33 MCAT it's looking like that might keep me from achieving that.

So with that big rant, do you guys thing I should retake my 33 (11/11/11) MCAT considering I did better on FL AAMC? Is it worth the risk of somehow getting a lower score(I think i will be extremely nervous retaking this time so it could happen). Finally, I would have to retake this thing 12/6 or else I'd retake the new test. Currently I can get a spot in 12/6 and could do like 30-40 hours of studying between now and then. Any thoughts?

Congrats on your score!

Most people would say never retake a 30+ (especially 32+). If you want to go to a school with higher standards, then you have to do better, unfortunately.

You can go MD with that score. Definitely.

 

[bunnyg]

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