Predicament- Admissions gurus, advice?

[JacqueCousteau]

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Alright...I took my MCAT 2.5 years ago (low 30s), and I am applying to medical school this year. Graduated last may, and now working a prestigious research job. I didn't know how long I would stay here (probably 2 years, planned to apply then defer for a year). Situation turned into a mess though- I applied to very few schools, and have interviewed at 2 that I am interested in and let people know in January. The problem is, many people apply to these schools, not good to count on admission there. If I dont get in, I will have to apply next year, but my MCAT will be too old-- I'll have to take it again. If thats the case, I need to start studying now-- big waste of time if I'm not sure that I'm not in (they might not let me know till the end of the month; probably at the very least could swing a waitlist-but obviously couldnt defer then). Any ideas--if I applied again I will be more marketable to more prestigious schools with the job I have now, and I could get a few points higher on my MCAT if I studied hard-- would it be better if I set my timetable for the August MCAT? Its a bind...Pretty nervous over the situation.
Thanks

 

[BaylorGuy]

Check out the MSAR....some places, I think, take MCATs that older than 3 years but no more than 5. If you feel somewhat hesistant about getting accepted, i see no reason to go ahead, spend the 200 some odd dollars, study, and retake the MCAT....hopefully it can't hurt and then you can apply to more schools the next year.

Hopefully this wont be the case and you get in this try. It sucks at times, but know that you'll get over the hump in the end. Goodluck

 

[finch]

you could always send an update letter to let the schools you have already interviewed at know about your prestigious job and improve your chances of getting in this year

 

[diosa428]

A lot of MCAT courses are about 10 weeks long. You have plenty of time to study for April, nevermind August! Especially since you took it once already - I bet more of the material will come back to you than you think. Don't worry about it yet - wait and see what you hear in January.

 

[crazy_cavalier]

A lot of MCAT courses are about 10 weeks long. You have plenty of time to study for April, nevermind August! Especially since you took it once already - I bet more of the material will come back to you than you think. Don't worry about it yet - wait and see what you hear in January.

Also to echo what Finch said, send some updates to the schools that you interviewed at. If one of them is your top choice, might as well send a letter of intent. Couldn't hurt.

 

[JacqueCousteau]

Thanks guys...I really appreciate the responses. Yeah, so I've definitely done everything in my power to show my interest in the schools-- sent letters, additional recs- even had a professor of one of the medical schools send a letter to the dean for me (he's a friend of a person I work with now). I guess there really is no easy solution to it, but I do like to hear votes of confidence for waiting till February to dive back into the MCAT.

 

[LizzyM]

If you are going to send a "letter of intent" don't even think of turning around and deferring for a year. That's just rude.

If you intend to start classes in Sept. '07, then taking the August '06 MCAT is cutting it close. Start preparing now for the April MCAT.

 

[LucidSplash]

To the OP:

I was in a very very similar situation last cycle. My MCATs were older than most schools would accept, but I applied to my state school since this is my top choice anyway since they would accept the scores. Meantime, I work in preclinical tox. The state school waitlisted me, but since I even found that out very late, I did not retake the MCAT until August. Because of that (and slow sending of my LOR by my advisor) my apps were not complete until late and I'm looking at only one interview at this point, one rejection, and hearing nothing from 8 other schools.

If I had it to do over, I would start studying for the MCAT now and plan to retake in April to give myself the best shot the second time around. You have plenty of time to study whether you take a review class or not so I say go for it. Worst case scenario you're out the money for the MCAT if you get accepted, but you'll be so delirously happy the $200 won't matter. $$ for a review course might be different (since it would be more) but depending on when you hear you can withdraw early and get some back.

Just my $0.02.

 

[Law2Doc]

If you intend to start classes in Sept. '07, then taking the August '06 MCAT is cutting it close. Start preparing now for the April MCAT.

This is generally good advice (and being complete early is always a benefit in a rolling admission process), but from what I've seen, the folks who score highly on the MCAT in August still do fine if they apply broadly (It's the more borderline applicants that need the benefit of early). Someone who has previously scored well on the MCAT will probably score in the similar range with adequate studying, so I wouldn't totally dismiss the possibility of an August MCAT. Especially since the only MCAT on record, albeit expired, will be a good one. But you want to have your AMCAS in at the earliest possible date in June.

 

[FictionalGirl]

I know how you feel... I hardly got ANY love from schools (i should have applied to more) I have 4 solid years of research and an almost 4.0 gpa ,BUT the mcat score was only a 28S. Sooo..... I didn't take the mcat again in august and applied to a bunch of places, because i thought i would be allright. I did get two interviews and then a slew of rejections, but I'm facing the mcat again. The schools i interviewed at with both tell me mid january (one of my birthday, oh my!), but if i don't get in i need to take the mcat's again. So i'm thinking, man, i should start studying now for the april mcats, but since there's a chance I may get in it's so hard to stomach the thought of doing it again if i don't have to!!! I think i'd just be miserable about it. So, I"m going to sit tight and wait and in a few weeks, if i'm sitting on two more rejections I"ll get started on studying for that mcat. Even though it may be risky to wait on it, i think it'll be allright. i'll really have the motivation to ramp it up and work hard if i don't get in anywhere. otherwise, i'll probably study a little and check my mailbox ten times. But if i were you i'd go fo rthe april! you'll remember the material. Good LUck
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