Please offer some advice

[med_skool_fool]

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Hi everyone,

I recently received my MCAT scores and I think I want to cry. I did fine on the BS and PS sections but my verbal score was a 5! My GPA ios pretty good...but I 'm wondering if there is any possible was to get into medical school with a 5 on verbal? Will I even get called for interviews? pleasse respond..I'm kind of in the dumps...thanks

 

[andi11]

im not sure, if the rest of your record is solid, you may get called. sorry i cant be more of a help.

good luck

 

[tBw]

hey msf, really sorry to hear about the verbal. I would still apply to some schools if I were you. I do not know how importantly schools rate the verbal, but if you don't apply, you definitely *won't* get interviewed. At the very least you would stand a chance if you apply, could get some feedback from the schools if you don't get in, and they may view you as 'determined' if you re-apply next year and they can see you have been trying for two years (but I would check the indivdual schools we pages to make sure they are ones that allow successive year applications - some schools aren't so keen, some schools seem to think it shows genuine perseverance). Bear in mind that not applying this year probably won't stop the schools from seeing your scores in the long run anyway (unless you decide not to release these ones - which most med schools frown on anyway...) Either way, good luck, chin up, and keep us posted.

onwis

 

[sz]

Sorry to hear about your verbal ... I'd say retake the damned test. 5 is a little too low. I wish I knew if you'd get any interviews with your current score ... but the consensus seems to be against it.
I know of two guys who got in with a 7 in verbal last year (got pulled off the wait list).
Sorry I can't be of more help ... its such an unpredictable process.

 

[Drako]

I can't offer you advice but I will give you information on what I know. My cousin, who is a third year resident now, was in a similar situation a while back. He applied but did not received any interview invitation the first time. He retook the exam and brought VR score to an 8. The rest of it is history given the fact that he is 3rd year resident.

If you are going to retake the exam, there is one thing I would do if I were you. Read books whose content are highly abstract. For example, philosophy books; books about political topics, etc. I have been reading this book: "Art and Its Significance." You might look into that. It's quite interesting, but a bit difficult to read. If you keep reading it and with a dictionary, you will become very good.

I am sorry to hear about your verbal score. Wish you better luck the next time.

 

[ussdfiant]

Med-
Sorry about the Verbal score. I think that in order for anyone to advise you at all they would need to know more about your total score. You said you did fine on the other sections, but what does that mean? Double digits? If not, then I think you should take it again (assuming 9's and that 5 I don't think a 23 is competative). If you have high double digits in BS and PS and a strong record otherwise you might have a shot. I don't mean any offense, but is English your first language? If not, then the adcoms MIGHT take that into consideration. Also, are you a URM? That also might work in your favor. Otherwise, unfortunately, you're probably going to have to bring that 5 up.

Sorry

 

[aisha]

hey msf... dont worry at alll... do u have an exceptionally high gpa and other stuff? i say go ahead and apply... i am in the same position, the only difference is i didnt listen to anyone who told me not to apply. i already finished one early interview.. mcat drained the life out of me and i couldnt even think of taking it again. i am sure u feel the same way.. email me so we can talk about ur situation.

 

[The Fly]

MSF...
I am certainly no expert, but you need to ascertain what exactly you want. IF you have a high GPA (>3.7) and that your score is ~24, I'd say YES you can get into a medical school if you are persistant and if you are willing to wait through perhaps part of the summer.

But, you *could* retake the test. Granted, right now that sounds like the WORST idea ever (I totally understand!). BUT...if you could get that score up to an eight or nine (and thus your score to ~27) you could probably get into a far better school. Of course, the latter option requires more work. I'd suggest the following (if you haven't already done so): cough up the $1200+ for a course through Kaplan or PR, buy all of the MCAT tests (and extra VR) from the AAMC and work like a dog at the Verbal. Read the newspaper daily...especially the editorials at the end and read them rapidly, but for content too!

I know that sounds horrible right now, but wait a week or two and things *will* look better, I promise. I mean, having to delay applying a bit seems like the end of the world, but really, its no big deal. Although I only took the MCAT once, I decided to take a year off, which has been a total blessing. Things really will be okay and put it all in perspective.

I hope this helps and I am sorry but things will work out!

-Geoffrey

 

[rxfudd]

Tough call - I think we really need to know the breakdown of your scores and your GPA (and have you been doing extracurricular stuff? research? volunteering?).

I was disappointed to get a 7 9 10 Q for the April test, but I have a 3.80 GPA and have done LOTS of research and volunteering (about a thousand hours of each). So far, I've gotten an interview at George Washington University and at the University of Illinois (and I haven't even heard from the other 10 schools I applied to). Post your numbers and your state of residence. That might make it easier for everyone to speculate.

 

[GS]

Listen med-skool, don't let this bog you down. Take it again and you will do better, and get into medical school. The first time I took it I got a 4 on verbal. So I took it again and got a 9. I just got an acceptance from Pritzker, so med schools don't care what you got the first time. But you may need to take a year off. Believe it may be the best decision to make. It was for me. Send me a private message for more advice. 🙂

 

[med_skool_fool]

hey there everyone...someone was asking for more information...here it is...florida resident...3.9 GPA...overall mcat score 23...

i just feel that these last four years i worked to damn hard are going to be overshadowed by one lousy score on the mcat....*sigh* 🙁

 

[jargon124]

My advice is to go ahead and apply to a few schools this year, but don't go overboard and waste a lot of money. It may sound harsh, but I wouldn't bother applying to any "top 50" type schools. You need to take the test again and show that the 23 was not indicative of your abilities. Take it again and score at 30 or above and you should be in decent shape for next year. It sucks, but that's what you gotta do. That's my opinion anyway.

 

[Chnobli]

Hi there,

I had a score like you the first time I took the MCAT (V5, B8, P8, Q), and I am a nonnative speaker. I applied, but unfortunately I did not get a single interview.

I retook the test, and got V7, B11, P11, Q the second time around. I have now reapplied, and I have received 3 interview invites so far (even though I am still the same person as I was before...).

If I were you, I would retake the MCAT. It will safe you money and time. I truly believe that none of the schools even looked at my application after seeing that 5 on the verbal. But maybe they may look at your application because your bio and physical scores were higher than mine...

Don't be discouraged, you'll do better next time! 🙂

 

[lady in red]

Med schools don't care if English is not your first language. If you spent your undergrad in US, they treat you the same as US students, and I think it is only fair to the US students, because I am sick of hearing the excuse "Enlglish is not my first language", so what?? Too many people scapegoat it to hide other mental weaknesses. I think English is not a problem, but logical/reasoning abiility is. If you are good in one language, you will be just as good in another. Besides, MCAT passages are not like GRE vocabulary, they are pretty clear in wording, BUT convoluted in logic. I think it would be tacky and inappropriate to make this as an excuse to the admissions committee--if you got so far in the game, and can handle college coursework in an American school, you should know English well by now.
This is not intended for anybody personally, just an opinion. Feel free to dispute it, I am ESL, but was never treated by anybody as a ESL, and my papers in high school and college were handed out as samples of how to write a paper (in Enlglish!) See the point--I can KNOW English, but that does not mean I can ace the verbal, the devil is in the logic and inference, and these things do not come naturally to most people. This is why verbal is so damn hard.

 

[mcnugz]

lady, i understand if you feel that since you are ESL and have done well in English, that noone else should use as an excuse...but others may not have the same background as you...English is one of the hardest, if not the hardest, language to learn in the world...either way, cut the guy some slack

 

[marbin]

I agree with mcnugz. Language is an aquired trait that takes years (maybe even a lifetime)to master. We are all on different boats, come from a variety of backgrounds and have different learning styles. I would not become discouraged med_skool_fool. I was also raised in the ESL program (which sucks by the way) in of all places LAUSD (probably the worst public school district in the nation). My advice to you is to get back up and try again, and again, and again... until your goal is met. good luck my friend and good luck to you all.

 

[Valeriya]

Cheer up, med_skool_fool ! First off, I love that latetly, a lot of Floridians showed up on this board, Go Florida. While I am personally not in your shoes, (got a decent score on MCAT, and will only apply next summer), my close friend is. She is also a Florida resident, non-native English speaker. Really smart(3.9 GPA) and goal-oriented girl. She got a 6 on Verbal, 10 BS, 10 PS. R in Writing Sample. So she is all distraught too, but I am telling her - she is not alone! Many people already applied to schools hoping for a decent MCAT, so now is too late to turn back, and you have to try to go through it with as much dignity as you can. If you do get that interview, be as charming and intelligent as possible, and present all the other great sides of your application such as extracurriculum or being a unique individual with plenty of life experience. Blame the low verbal on anything, as long as it's not consistent with the rest of your grades! They just might take you, it's worth the shot if you get to be a medstudent a year earlier!!!!
Sorry for the really long and confusing post, it is meant to support you and all others out there with low verbal score!!!! Good luck, Val. 😉

 

[Mary Jane Watson]

Hey,

I think it depends on where you're applying. I know someone who got a 5V, 8P, 11B and he got into UAB. I have to condition this with the fact that he was in the rural medicine program... so I guess it depends.