Questioning my MCAT retake

[ozzymaan]

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Hey everyone this is my first time posting. I'm going to get straight to it I have a retake coming up on the 21 of October and I was just wondering how determinately would a lower score be? I took the test in 2012 and got a 28 (8,8,12) and applied in 2013 with a 3.84 cGPA with over 70 hours of clinical volunteer and 2 years of research in two different labs (1 year each lab). I applied broadly for 25 schools and received 0 interviews. I am a CA resident. My recent practice tests have me at the same bio score but +3 PS , the only thing is I'm still averaging an 8 on verbal. Did EK101, took a TPR course the first time, now this time tried Kaplan. Im just wondering if i get a lower verbal will MD be out of the picture? I don't mind DO just wondering if i would be better off reapplying with the old score. I've added more clinical hours and lab time along with shadowing, SHOULD I RETAKE?

 

[Jay11jayjay]

Are you applying this cycle? Did you already submit your primary application?

 

[efle]

There are 32 medical schools with median MCAT scores of 27-30, if you applied to most of those and did not get a single interview it probably was not your score holding you back. If you are trying to go to a CA medical school it's a different story and yes you would need a higher MCAT to get a good shot at UCRiverside or Davis. What would you consider the next weakest part of your application besides your MCAT?

 

[ozzymaan]

I have not applied this cycle am looking towards summer 2015.

I don't care what school, honestly want to leave CA, see new places and meet new people. Next weakest i assume would be the fact I am a transfer student possibly? Also I turned in my app mid june rather than on that week, damn transcript approval took two weeks. I'm afraid if i don't retake and reapply with same portfolio I will not get another invite again.

 

[Afford]

There are 32 medical schools with median MCAT scores of 27-30, if you applied to most of those and did not get a single interview it probably was not your score holding you back. If you are trying to go to a CA medical school it's a different story and yes you would need a higher MCAT to get a good shot at UCRiverside or Davis. What would you consider the next weakest part of your application besides your MCAT?

How many of those accept OOS students? Most of those accept mainly in-state students or have a mission that precludes many applicants.

OP, I would retake it. The difference between 30+ and 30- is a big difference.

 

[efle]

I would take a few full-length practice exams, if your verbal score holds and your sciences consistently go up by 3 or more points then a retake would make sense. If your scores aren't consistently different than the 28 then look at reapplying to all of the schools which a) have a decent % of interviews offered to out of staters and b) have very wide or low MCAT ranges and more highly emphasize GPA.

A few examples:

Name MCAT range GPA range % OOS applicants receiving Interview Invites
Frank H. Netter at Quinnipiac University 27-34 3.28-3.86 19%
University of Utah School of Medicine 26-35 3.37-3.98 15%
The Commonwealth Medical College 26-34 3.19-3.91 8%
University of Kansas School of Medicine 24-35 3.42-3.98 7%
University of Tennessee Health Sci Center College of Med 26-36 3.28-3.97 7%
West Virginia University School of Medicine 25-34 3.52-4.00 25%
Sanford School of Medicine at Uni of South Dakota 26-34 3.50-3.99 15%
Meharry Medical College 24-30 3.20-3.88 9%

 

[ozzymaan]

I've taken three kaplan fl and aamc 9,10. averaged 32-33 on kaplan and 30 on the aamc. all five averaged 8 on verbal, high sciences. i uses my thought is that if verbal is going to keep me out of MD school than there is something seriously wrong with the app process don't yu think?

 

[Afford]

An 8 verbal won't keep you out of med school. A 28 MCAT will keep you out. You have to apply with good targets and you need to have a solid rest of app.

 

[ozzymaan]

what if by some crazy chance my verbal score drops to like 7 but still overall 30+?
also, is it me or does aamc 9,10 science not seem like the real thing (like its easier)?

 

[efle]

what if by some crazy chance my verbal score drops to like 7 but still overall 30+?
also, is it me or does aamc 9,10 science not seem like the real thing (like its easier)?

I think they build the practice exams from "representative" problems on prior exams, so really the science sections are just "more average" in difficulty. Less freebies, and less insanely hard out of the blue type questions. For someone well-studied, its the addition of a few of the latter which make the real thing seem tougher.

 

[ozzymaan]

hey all just took aamc11 and got 33. yessssssss lol just wondering if i should take the older than 8 aamc exams? i did all the verbals solo for practice already and averaged 8.5 (my scores were higher later but the early low ones messed up the average) Im just wondering if the sciences are worth doing I'm thinking of doing 8 as the final test before the real thing but not sure? btw my scores (order i took the tests):
AAMC 9: 29
Kaplan 1: 33
Kaplan 2: 32
Kaplan 3: 33
AAMC 10: 30
Kaplan 4: 35
Kaplan 5: 32
AAMC 11: 33

 

[efle]

The science sections are longer (70+ questions) which may mess up your timing/stamina but still very worthwhile in terms of content - not very much in the world of basic physics, chemistry and bio has changed since the 90's MCATs.