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)​

 

[mshagan09]

I'm stuck on the fence about whether or not I need to take the MCAT again. Here's my info:

29Q- 10/9/10 (I was pretty disappointed since I was scoring 32-35 on the practice exams.)
Non-science GPA: 3.89
Science GPA: 3.92
EC: 2 Yrs volunteering at hospitals
Numerous shadowships
Employed as a medical assistant for the past 2 yrs at a pediatricians
Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honorary-Regional Director
Varsity Swim Team Captain
Student Orientation Leader for 2 yrs-Current Co-Coordinator
Biology/Chemistry Tutor
Independent Research for 1 semester-am continuing next fall
Lots more leadership/campus service/volunteering
State of Residence: Kentucky
My school's pre-health committee has voted to highly/outstandingly recommend me for admission.

Based on this information, do I have a shot at getting accepted to any out of state middle-tier schools without retaking the MCAT? I'm just overly concerned because I'm worried that I might do worse if I took it again. Thanks so much for any help you can give me!

 

[nickie]

Hi,
My first MCAT 2 yrs ago was 27 O (11 PS, 6 VR, and 10 BS). I retook it just recently and winded up with the same score 27 P (9 PS, 6 VR, and 12 BS).

English is my second language and I don't hope much to improve VR section (after numerous practices). I was hoping to get 12 or 13 on both science sections to pull above 30. On AAMC practice tests, I was ranging from 28-35. During the test, I panicked in PS and it affected my score. I never got below 11/12 in PS in Princeton and AAMC tests. I signed up for a July test, but I'm still not sure if i have a chance to improve. I'm afraid my PS will improve while BS will drop.

I have a masters degree, undergrad GPA 3.7 in both science and non-science. Plenty of clinical and research experiences (with accompanying LOR) (although i doubt they play a role as big as MCAT and GPA).

Do some schools look at best score for each section?

Do you think I have a chance in improving my score? Is it just a gamble?

 

[SN2ed]

First and foremost, do NOT, under any circumstances, retake if your practice scores are not where you want them. Remember there is also a variance of +/- ~2 points for any given MCAT. Additionally, if you reuse an old practice test, assume your score is slightly inflated because you've seen the test once already. Before you begin studying for a retake, you must sit down and analyze why your previous study method did not work. Lastly, this is my opinion on what might help. I don't claim to be an adcom or know what will get you in for sure. Neither am I infallible, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

poteat86: I suggest you retake if you have no intention of applying DO.



tassadar723: The idea of not retaking with a 30+ score is based on most people scoring worse on a retake. Also, at/above a 30, the MCAT doesn't seem to be the thing that holds most people back. However, there are some cases where I think someone with a ~30 score should retake. For instance, if they have a poor GPA (below 3.5), a higher MCAT may help them.



mshagan09: I think you might want to consider retaking based solely on your higher practice score average before the test. What may have happened is that you were too stressed when you took the MCAT your first time. However, if your practice scores aren't there, don't worry too much. Your strong ECs will probably help alleviate the 29. Now about the getting into a mid-tier school with a 29, that largely depends on what you consider a mid-tier school. Post up if you have specific schools in mind. Overall, you might want to apply early and see what happens.



nickie: Yes, some schools take the best score in each section. I'd check with the schools you're looking at to make sure. I'm really not sure if you can get in with a 6 in VR regardless of your other scores. I knew someone in my Kaplan class that got 15 PS & BS, but a 5/6 in VR and didn't get in anywhere. One of my friends is also in a similar situation and I don't think he got in anywhere (12/13 on both sciences, low in VR, English 2nd language). That said, I think you could probably improve your VR score. Have you checked out the threads on here for help? Unfortunately, I don't think most schools care that much if English is your 2nd language in regards to your VR score. It seems like they still want you to get a 9+. Hopefully others who were in your situation can provide better advice. If you want verbal advice from me, feel free to pm.

 

[XRanger]

Should I retake??

MCAT score 30Q (10V, 9PS, 11BS)
30 is my average MCAT practice test, but then I only had 1 month to study

my other stats:
3.79 overall GPA (3.85 BCPM)
good ECs (medical mission to vietnam and mexico, officer position in a premed club, research, hospital volunteer)

I'm happy with verbal because I usually gets 8-9s on verbal, i've only gotten 10 few times and 11 once (english is my 2nd language). Bio is where my average is, but PS i usually get 10-11, so i'm disspoainted with 9. Overall, my MCAT score is the average of my practice tests, but i only had a month to study and feel like I could've done better with more practice, but then again, but i dont know because my verbal might go down.

I'm a CA resident, and plannign to apply to all CA schools and some OOS schools. I really want to stay in CA though. Should I take a year off and retake it or apply this summer?

 

[Post Hill]

Alright, so I got my scores in, and I ended up with a 29R (10V, 9PS, 10BS). I'm really not sure what happened with my physical sciences, as I've done well in all my chemistry and physics courses (I'm a chem major with a physics minor and up through higher-level courses there haven't been any problems). My GPA is 3.93 and I've got a variety of EC's. On the practice tests I took, I was scoring consistently between 30 and 33.

I've been saying from the beginning that I would retake with anything less than a 30, but a 29 is so close I'm not sure if retaking would be a good choice. There are some state schools in WV I'm looking at, but I was hoping to do well enough for schools like Wake or Albert Einstein.

With what I'm looking at, should I retake?

 

[Poiu86]

alright,

~3.6cum/3.3ish bcpm from a large state school

32M 11PS 11VR 10 BS

I'm happy with the balance although I had been consitently scoring 34-37 on AAMCs. No idea what happened with writing. It is the one score that I HAVEN'T been worried about this past month. I'm not shooting for research/top10s, but it would be nice to have some options. I'm only considering a retake because of: a)writing sample is terrible b)I had been doing so much better on the practice tests.

Let me know what you guys think.

 

[David Rigert]

POIU86: I'm in the same boat.
3.8-3.9 GPA with 3.8-3.9 bcpm from semi-large state school. Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology triple major (Bachelor of science in all) with 2.5+ years research experience in all three fields. AAMC practice test scores range 36-42. Actual score received today 31R (12/9/10 - PS/VR/BS). Retake or not? All three scores are on the lowest end of the practice test score range spectrum.

I am considering the following schools:

Stanford
UConn
Florida State
UPenn
Pitt
Columbia
Washington
Ohio State
UMBC
JHU

any and all advice appreciated...

 

[COdoubleMO2theN]

hey need a little help here...
9/07: 23P 8PS 8VR P 7BS
4/18/08: 29Q 11PS 6VR Q 12BS

i am pretty much certain i should retake and signed up for june 13th, but wanted anyone's opinion. I never dropped under an 8 in VR during practice and was up to 9 and 10 on the last practice exams; also, my sciences were 12-14 so would you consider this as a definite retake?
-- if not retake, which schools take the highest from each section??

 

[AbujaMan]

Hey guys I really need your help"

CUNY College in NY. science gpa-4.0, total gpa- 3.94

above average ec's (considering its a cuny but nothing crazy):
community service, leadership, tutoring, volunteering, premed internships, research yada yada
Normal personal statement and letter of rec

mcat: vr-8 ps-12 bs-11 =31R
on practices ive averaged around 33-34. If i retake I will likely pull a 33 since i dont think there is much more i could do.

I want to apply to:
SUNY schools in new york
low/mid tier private (best ones being maybe einstein or something)

Is it worth retaking and applying a bit later? I really hate that 8 but realistically would push it to a nine.. maayyybe ten

Thanks!!

 

[Sam212]

Hey guys I really need your help"

CUNY College in NY. science gpa-4.0, total gpa- 3.94

above average ec's (considering its a cuny but nothing crazy):
community service, leadership, tutoring, volunteering, premed internships, research yada yada
Normal personal statement and letter of rec

mcat: vr-8 ps-12 bs-11 =31R
on practices ive averaged around 33-34. If i retake I will likely pull a 33 since i dont think there is much more i could do.

I want to apply to:
SUNY schools in new york
low/mid tier private (best ones being maybe einstein or something)

Is it worth retaking and applying a bit later? I really hate that 8 but realistically would push it to a nine.. maayyybe ten

Thanks!!

DON'T retake it, you will definitely get into one of the SUNYs, might even have a chance at Rochester and NYU with your GPA and ECs.

 

[ppunjabiMD]

.

 

[Chowdder]

is there any advice you would like from us?

Yes, I'm running out of practice books for VR. I did VR books from EK last year and some of TPR. What other books should I use to practice for VR? My VR score is the only reason I'm retaking it and I want to ensure that I can get higher.

 

[bel]

Hey all, just got my scores today.. and have been kicking myself all day until I now decided to see what advice is out there for me. :/

9P 10V 12B - 31

I had been scoring 34-35 AAMC in my last month of practice before the actual test, so this is really upsetting. Especially since PS is usually my best section and I had been getting solid 12/13's..... I just still can't believe how hard that section was that day I took it, it seemed like every minute detail I hadn't gone over was on it. Science GPA is 3.63 and overall 3.71, at a top 15 school. Like I said, PS has been my strongest subject both on the practice tests and in school (3.71 when I just count the physical sciences), and as a NY resident I am really aiming for those three top NY schools (you know what they are..) and similar schools. Frankly, I was hoping for quite a high score to extend my options to some more top tier ones, and now I feel like a 9 on PS is going to hurt a lot for those 🙁. Oh, and there was something of a natural disaster occurring during my PS section. This could be an excuse, but it's sorta true, lol. The midwest earthquake aftershock went down.. "shook me up", to say the least. 😉 EC's are okay, LOR's are great.

What do you think? I guess it also begs the question of which is worse: lower score or later application? :/

 

[AbujaMan]

Hey guys I really need your help"

CUNY College in NY. science gpa-4.0, total gpa- 3.94

above average ec's (considering its a cuny but nothing crazy):
community service, leadership, tutoring, volunteering, premed internships, research yada yada
Normal personal statement and letter of rec

mcat: vr-8 ps-12 bs-11 =31R
on practices ive averaged around 33-34. If i retake I will likely pull a 33 since i dont think there is much more i could do.

I want to apply to:
SUNY schools in new york
low/mid tier private (best ones being maybe einstein or something)

Is it worth retaking and applying a bit later? I really hate that 8 but realistically would push it to a nine.. maayyybe ten

Thanks!!

DON'T retake it, you will definitely get into one of the SUNYs, might even have a chance at Rochester and NYU with your GPA and ECs.

How exactly does it work though? When people score below their aamc practice average, it seems that if you retake it, the statistics are in favor of you scoring higher. In that case why not take it again? If its because its too annoying to do over, then that isnt so great.. fear shouldnt prevent me from doing it again.. though of course if i score below my practice average once more I may kill myself(figuratively of course). Im just majorly bummed since my average verbal is a point higher and my average bio is 2 points higher than what i got.. you still think its not worth retaking?

Thanks

 

[Sam212]

How exactly does it work though? When people score below their aamc practice average, it seems that if you retake it, the statistics are in favor of you scoring higher. In that case why not take it again? If its because its too annoying to do over, then that isnt so great.. fear shouldnt prevent me from doing it again.. though of course if i score below my practice average once more I may kill myself(figuratively of course). Im just majorly bummed since my average verbal is a point higher and my average bio is 2 points higher than what i got.. you still think its not worth retaking?

Thanks

You mentioned you wanted to get into one of the SUNYs. Well, with your GPA and MCAT combination, you should have no problems. Other than that, if you are certain (which you can almost never be with the MCAT) that you really underachieved and can do atleast 3-4 points better, then go ahead and retake it. That's just my advice though, ask others what they have to say. I have heard of people getting into NYU and AECOM with similar stats as well.

 

[tlquest7762]

So.... I am having a hard time deciding how to look at this. My score was a 30P, but the breakdown was (13VR/7PS/10BS). I have a 3.7 GPA and a 4.0 in all my chemistry and physics classes, but mostly I really don't want to take the test again! Any advice?

 

[disorder]

i've posted this elsewhere, but....

california resident and went to a UC

32P 8VR 12PS 12BS (34 AVG on practice 10-11VR)
BCPM 3.94
CUM. 3.90

2 summer research at a small biotech company
1 summer research in a academic lab with foundation work to a paper (didn't finish)
2 years post college working at a large biotech in oncology research
100 hours emergency room clinical research
100 hours pediatric patient care
4 years campus ministry (leader 3 years, president 1 year)
7 letters of rec (3 bosses, 2 science prof's, 1 science prof/major advisor, 1 social science prof)
various awards/academic achievements blah blah blah


question being, do i have a chance at certain top tiers still with a freakin 8 in VR?

i guess sound advice would be not to fret over VR, and hope my personal statement explains it a little... (i'm not ESL)

 

[queenbee]

edit

 

[neutronick]

Hello fellow prospective retakers 🙁

Just as I was trying to get myself out of a pickle, I am yet again stuck in the gray area of retaking or not.
My first MCAT was Aug2005
(PS:8, VR:6, BS:9; 23N).
I then took Princeton Review spring of 2006, retook the MCAT Aug2006
(PS:11, VR:8, BS:10; 29Q).
I just took the April 19th exam and got
(PS:13, VR:7, BS:11; 31R).
It's awfully unbalanced. Well, everything improved except for verbal. Will I need to retake or are there a good number of MD schools out there that would take the VR 8 from 2006?

 

[MorieRo]

hey all,

i am an international student who graduated 4 days ago with a BA in biology from a top10 liberal arts institution. here is my mdapps profile: http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=9669

i applied last year with a 31S (12Phy 8V 11B) to 25 md/phd schools and 5 md schools. i sent my amcas mid-july and completed my secondaries between novermber-december. i was wondering if you guys thought studying for the whole year and trying to get my score up to a 35-36 would be worth it. i would study 3-4 hours a day after work and take the test on aug 7th. i am thinking about applying without telling them i'll be retaking the mcat so i can get considered right away and, if i do well enough, i can then supplement my application with my new mcat score.

i am doing research at a lab that is an international authority on the field of research and i will also be applying to graduate school. taken together, my dilemma is:

1) Retake the MCAT and spend 2 months studying for it without even touching the GRE or grad applications until mid-august
2) Go with my 31S and apply earler (next week) this time and apply only to MD programs

What would Jesus do?

Thanks a lot in advance for all your help, guys.

 

[Jolie South]

moving to MCAT discussions.

 

[mshagan09]

Thanks for your help. Currently, I'm looking at applying to the main three schools I am looking at are the University of Louisville, George Washington University, University of Toledo (Ohio). I am also looking at Georgetown U., U. of Maryland, Medical College of South Carolina, U. of South Carolina, U. of KY.

If I can avoid retaking the MCAT, I would like to as I work 40+ hours a week at a pediatrician's office during the summer and swim 10+. However, I am definitely open to any and all suggestions!

 

[iA-MD2013]

i've posted this elsewhere, but....

california resident and went to a UC

32P 8VR 12PS 12BS (34 AVG on practice 10-11VR)
BCPM 3.94
CUM. 3.90

2 summer research at a small biotech company
1 summer research in a academic lab with foundation work to a paper (didn't finish)
2 years post college working at a large biotech in oncology research
100 hours emergency room clinical research
100 hours pediatric patient care
4 years campus ministry (leader 3 years, president 1 year)
7 letters of rec (3 bosses, 2 science prof's, 1 science prof/major advisor, 1 social science prof)
various awards/academic achievements blah blah blah


question being, do i have a chance at certain top tiers still with a freakin 8 in VR?

i guess sound advice would be not to fret over VR, and hope my personal statement explains it a little... (i'm not ESL)

top tier? Probably not. But you have a great chance at some mid to low tier schools!

 

[iA-MD2013]

Hello fellow prospective retakers 🙁

Just as I was trying to get myself out of a pickle, I am yet again stuck in the gray area of retaking or not.
My first MCAT was Aug2005
(PS:8, VR:6, BS:9; 23N).
I then took Princeton Review spring of 2006, retook the MCAT Aug2006
(PS:11, VR:8, BS:10; 29Q).
I just took the April 19th exam and got
(PS:13, VR:7, BS:11; 31R).
It's awfully unbalanced. Well, everything improved except for verbal. Will I need to retake or are there a good number of MD schools out there that would take the VR 8 from 2006?

That is awfully unbalanced. But, the chances of you getting a significantly better score on verbal (10+) seems to be low. If you can get it up, great! Go ahead and retake. Otherwise, apply early and broadly and hope for the best.

 

[iA-MD2013]

hey all,

i am an international student who graduated 4 days ago with a BA in biology from a top10 liberal arts institution. here is my mdapps profile: http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=9669

i applied last year with a 31S (12Phy 8V 11B) to 25 md/phd schools and 5 md schools. i sent my amcas mid-july and completed my secondaries between novermber-december. i was wondering if you guys thought studying for the whole year and trying to get my score up to a 35-36 would be worth it. i would study 3-4 hours a day after work and take the test on aug 7th. i am thinking about applying without telling them i'll be retaking the mcat so i can get considered right away and, if i do well enough, i can then supplement my application with my new mcat score.

i am doing research at a lab that is an international authority on the field of research and i will also be applying to graduate school. taken together, my dilemma is:

1) Retake the MCAT and spend 2 months studying for it without even touching the GRE or grad applications until mid-august
2) Go with my 31S and apply earler (next week) this time and apply only to MD programs

What would Jesus do?

Thanks a lot in advance for all your help, guys.

I don't know much about md/phd schools, but I think your mcat is a little low for those schools. You have a good shot at some low tier md schools. Do you think your score (particularly verbal) will increase if you retake? If you think it will, then retake. But, either way, I think you should apply to MD programs. You don't know whether your retake will help, so don't take chances. Apply broadly to md schools.

 

[tncekm]

I don't know much about md/phd schools, but I think your mcat is a little low for those schools. You have a good shot at some low tier md schools. Do you think your score (particularly verbal) will increase if you retake? If you think it will, then retake. But, either way, I think you should apply to MD programs. You don't know whether your retake will help, so don't take chances. Apply broadly to md schools.

Yeah, MD/PhD schools are generally considered to be more competitive. For an international student, MorieRo is going to have a little difficulty with some of those schools b/c he's not quite competitive enough for most of them even if he were a US citizen.

MorieRo: jgberken's advice is very good, I'd suggest considering what she has to say!

 

[iA-MD2013]

Yeah, MD/PhD schools are generally considered to be more competitive. For an international student, MorieRo is going to have a little difficulty with some of those schools b/c he's not quite competitive enough for most of them even if he were a US citizen.

MorieRo: jgberken's advice is very good, I'd suggest considering what she has to say!

Thank you!

 

[queenbee]

edit

 

[tncekm]

bumping and quoting myself! any advice would be appreciated.

You've got a "chance", its not strong, but its worth applying to some state MD schools and maybe some low tier MD schools for sure!

 

[vapremed]

My first mcat was weak:

9PS, 8VR, 8BS Qws

I'm retaking it on Saturday so hopefully things will be better.

Although I only had a 25, does it help that nothing was lower than an 8? I'm averaging 10-11 in bs and 9-10 PS but still around an 8 in VR. Does a low score but "average" for all sections hurt me more than a good score in 1-2 sections and a horrific score in another?

 

[tncekm]

My first mcat was weak:

9PS, 8VR, 8BS Qws

I'm retaking it on Saturday so hopefully things will be better.

Although I only had a 25, does it help that nothing was lower than an 8? I'm averaging 10-11 in bs and 9-10 PS but still around an 8 in VR. Does a low score but "average" for all sections hurt me more than a good score in 1-2 sections and a horrific score in another?

Its probably better to be well rounded, according to what I've seen posted on the forums.

 

[SamuraiPanda]

My situation is a little different as I haven't yet taken the MCAT. The deal is that I intended on taking 5 years on college and taking the MCAT between my 4th and 5th years, but stuff happened and I had to try and shorten my plan to 4 years. The problem is that I don't know if I want to be a doctor or not yet, despite preparing for this my entire life and taking all the pre-reqs, and I was planning on using my current year to expand my horizons a bit to make sure I'm making the right decision. But when it shortened to 4, I had to cram all my studying into one year, and had no time for exploration and what not.

So my current predicament is that I found out I can again do the 5 year plan, and I'm going through with it. And I now have an MCAT to take in 2 weeks, but I don't need to take it until next summer (assuming I decide I want to go to medical school). I've talked to some people and many of them agree that I should just take the MCAT now and if I don't do good I should retake it next summer. But the problem I'm having is that I couldn't motivate myself to study while I'm still doubting my future, so I've barely studied at all. I know for sure that even if I get serious and take the MCAT in 2 weeks, my score will be lower than if I wait until next summer, but I can't be sure by how much. So I guess my question is: Should I just go through with it and retake it if I do too poorly or should I just wait and start studying for it again next summer?

 

[tncekm]

If its too late to cancel, take it for kicks to see what you're in for and void. If its not too late to cancel, cancel. Not much of a predicament 🙂

 

[da8s0859q]

So my current predicament is that I found out I can again do the 5 year plan, and I'm going through with it. And I now have an MCAT to take in 2 weeks, but I don't need to take it until next summer (assuming I decide I want to go to medical school). I've talked to some people and many of them agree that I should just take the MCAT now and if I don't do good I should retake it next summer. But the problem I'm having is that I couldn't motivate myself to study while I'm still doubting my future, so I've barely studied at all. I know for sure that even if I get serious and take the MCAT in 2 weeks, my score will be lower than if I wait until next summer, but I can't be sure by how much. So I guess my question is: Should I just go through with it and retake it if I do too poorly or should I just wait and start studying for it again next summer?

Have you taken many diagnostics? How did you do? Have you seen the sorts of questions you'll have to deal with on the MCAT?

I agree with "some people" - if you're already registered, then take it. No sense wasting $210 instead of $105. Just take it, see how you do, and go from there. If it was that bad, then void your results. If you think it might be doable, then get it scored and (hopefully) live happily ever after.

But do figure out the med school thing. I mean, I'm being a bit of a hypocrite because I second-guess myself all the time - as I suspect many SDNers do, whether or not they post about it - but it does take some sort of blend of "knowing," calculated risk, and a leap of faith.

 

[pingouin]

bumping and quoting myself! any advice would be appreciated.

You've got a "chance", its not strong, but its worth applying to some state MD schools and maybe some low tier MD schools for sure!

QueenBee- I agree with tncekm. You will definitely be competitive at DO schools, and try your state MDs. the 28 is not the kiss of death. If you want to be more competitive at more schools, you could retake.. But if everything else in your application is pretty strong, I'd think you'll at least get some interviews.

 

[pingouin]

My situation is a little different as I haven't yet taken the MCAT. The deal is that I intended on taking 5 years on college and taking the MCAT between my 4th and 5th years, but stuff happened and I had to try and shorten my plan to 4 years. The problem is that I don't know if I want to be a doctor or not yet, despite preparing for this my entire life and taking all the pre-reqs, and I was planning on using my current year to expand my horizons a bit to make sure I'm making the right decision. But when it shortened to 4, I had to cram all my studying into one year, and had no time for exploration and what not.

So my current predicament is that I found out I can again do the 5 year plan, and I'm going through with it. And I now have an MCAT to take in 2 weeks, but I don't need to take it until next summer (assuming I decide I want to go to medical school). I've talked to some people and many of them agree that I should just take the MCAT now and if I don't do good I should retake it next summer. But the problem I'm having is that I couldn't motivate myself to study while I'm still doubting my future, so I've barely studied at all. I know for sure that even if I get serious and take the MCAT in 2 weeks, my score will be lower than if I wait until next summer, but I can't be sure by how much. So I guess my question is: Should I just go through with it and retake it if I do too poorly or should I just wait and start studying for it again next summer?

Take it when you know that you're prepared and that you will do as well as you can do. Medical schools will see every MCAT score you've ever received, so if you blow off studying for one, take it, and don't void your scores.. they will see that.

My other question would be why you'd want to put yourself through the MCAT if you may not go to medical school, but that's for another thread..

 

[queenbee]

thank you for the advice, pingouin and tncekm. i think i'm goign to retake. 😳 i'd rather apply once and do it with confidence then play my chance at low odds.

thanks!!

 

[da8s0859q]

thank you for the advice, pingouin and tncekm. i think i'm goign to retake. 😳 i'd rather apply once and do it with confidence then play my chance at low odds.

thanks!!

A wise decision. Good luck to you 🙂

 

[MGLombardi]

I am hoping to find some advice regarding my decision to apply for the beginning of 2009. I just took the MCAT a few days ago. I graduated from Villanova University after majoring in Chemical Engineering with an overall GPA of 3.4. My senior year GPA was 3.75.

If I score a 30+ about evenly on the exam should I go ahead and apply? My resume includes volunteered clinical work, biotechnology research, and community service.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[tncekm]

I am hoping to find some advice regarding my decision to apply for the beginning of 2009. I just took the MCAT a few days ago. I graduated from Villanova University after majoring in Chemical Engineering with an overall GPA of 3.4. My senior year GPA was 3.75.

If I score a 30+ about evenly on the exam should I go ahead and apply? My resume includes volunteered clinical work, biotechnology research, and community service.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Apply very broadly, and maybe consider DO schools. 👍

 

[Sabi3786]

i know i have to retake. my problem is how do i improve PS. i've consistently gotten 7's, and im losing hope. i cant afford Berkeley Review or i would turn to it. I've used EK and Kaplan, now i'm on to TPR. I've already taken ALL AAMC tests multiple times. My friend just gave me Kaplan FL's so I'll do those, but not sure wat else. i think i might have test anxiety for the MCAT, is there any way around it? I know my content, so im not sure wats stopping me from better scores 😕

***i just realized that this post doesnt really fit in this section. i was gonna talk about retaking but got off topic! sry bout that***

 

[majik1213]

i know i have to retake. my problem is how do i improve PS. i've consistently gotten 7's, and im losing hope. i cant afford Berkeley Review or i would turn to it. I've used EK and Kaplan, now i'm on to TPR. I've already taken ALL AAMC tests multiple times. My friend just gave me Kaplan FL's so I'll do those, but not sure wat else. i think i might have test anxiety for the MCAT, is there any way around it? I know my content, so im not sure wats stopping me from better scores 😕

***i just realized that this post doesnt really fit in this section. i was gonna talk about retaking but got off topic! sry bout that***

it's okay that you posted here .. i do well on PS. The key is to refrain from memorization and to use reasoning to arrive at your answers. You can simply memorize V = Ed, but the likelihood of the question being a straightforward regurgitation of that formula is low. Instead, check your understanding of that formula. It was derived my moving an imaginary point charge in a straight line in the presence of a electric field of constant magnitude. Does it work for capacitors as well? Questions like that are the ones you should focus on.

In short, memorization = death on PS. No matter how high a person scores due to a memory-based approach, s/he likely tests inconsistently and likely got lucky. In addition, s/he also possesses excellent reasoning skills, which are developed through intellectual curiosity.

 

[Hoya05]

I took the MCAT on May 31st...so now I'm playing the waiting game. I walked out of the test not feeling so hot about it....not feeling like I did too well, how did people's gut feelings relate to their actual scores? I'm trying to figure out now if I should start studying for a retake, or just waiting and hoping?

 

[iA-MD2013]

I took the MCAT on May 31st...so now I'm playing the waiting game. I walked out of the test not feeling so hot about it....not feeling like I did too well, how did people's gut feelings relate to their actual scores? I'm trying to figure out now if I should start studying for a retake, or just waiting and hoping?

What were your practice scores like?

 

[Hoya05]

They were ranged between 30 and 39, I usually did better on the PS and BS sections (11-13), worse on the verbal (7-10)

 

[iA-MD2013]

They were ranged between 30 and 39, I usually did better on the PS and BS sections (11-13), worse on the verbal (7-10)

If that's the case...than you probably did fine. There is a chance that you didn't do as well as your practice exams, but most people score in their practice test range. Why are you so concerned? Was it really hard or did you skip half of the exam? You should always remember that it's curved. If it's hard for you, it's hard for everyone else! A lot of people who scored 35+ thought they did horribly...so don't worry too much just yet.

 

[Hoya05]

I didn't skip anything, I just thought it was a really difficult version, much harder than any of the AAMC practice tests, and I took 5 of those. I guess I'll just have to wait (obviously) but its good to know that not everyone feels confident afterwords.

 

[iA-MD2013]

I didn't skip anything, I just thought it was a really difficult version, much harder than any of the AAMC practice tests, and I took 5 of those. I guess I'll just have to wait (obviously) but its good to know that not everyone feels confident afterwords.

Ok, if that's the case, don't worry! Someone on this thread (he knows who he is 😛) almost voided a 40. So, honestly, you will never know! Stop stressing about it till your scores come back! And, if you end up having to retake, you'll have time to register for a late july/early august test.
There's a thread floating around that discusses your real score in comparison to your practice test scores. 50% scored the same, 25 above, and 25 below...so you can assume a score similar to yours. I hope you're not worrying.

 

[Hoya05]

thank you! that makes me feel better......i can't believe someone almost voided a 40.....

 

[iA-MD2013]

thank you! that makes me feel better......i can't believe someone almost voided a 40.....

I'm glad that makes you feel better!