Re-Applicant with Expired MCAT

[eliz220]

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Hello!

I originally applied in 2008 and was waitlisted. Attended a SMP, worked a job in London for 6 months (unrelated to medicine, but a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity), and am now working as a medical assistant and shadowing while I reapply for 2012.

My MCAT (V:9, P:9, B:10) from '08 is now expired. I would like to retake sooner, but with a full-time job I doubt that I will be ready until August. 🙁

A 1st year friend of mine told me to get my applications in as early as possible, regardless of my testing date; something about how they will still look favorably on me for getting my app in early. Will schools see my old score? If so, will this (a) prevent them from delaying evaluation of my application until the release of my new score (since they have a ballpark idea of my retake score) or (b) cause them to judge me prematurely (since a 28 isn't too hot)?

Finally, will I be able to go ahead and fill out secondaries without an MCAT score?

Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[gl0baltrader]

Most school will wait for the latest MCAT score.

and yes they will see your old score but they would not make any decision until your new / valid MCAT score comes out since your old score is expired.

 

[eliz220]

Thanks! I should have noticed that my expired MCAT shows up on my AMCAS...whoops.

I completely get that I will get no interview invitations without a current MCAT, but what about secondaries? Sorry to be a pain, but just trying to figure out what my best plan of action should be...

I'm a bit worried that taking the August 23rd MCAT is going to put me at a disadvantage. Hmmmm.

 

[gl0baltrader]

Thanks! I should have noticed that my expired MCAT shows up on my AMCAS...whoops.

I completely get that I will get no interview invitations without a current MCAT, but what about secondaries? Sorry to be a pain, but just trying to figure out what my best plan of action should be...

I'm a bit worried that taking the August 23rd MCAT is going to put me at a disadvantage. Hmmmm.

Yes it will put you at a disadvantage unless you have stellar stats. In addition, there is no guarantee that you will score 30++ on the MCAT (sorry for being pessimistic). You don't want to waste a bunch of $$$ before being ready to apply for med school.

I would wait next year to apply to med school. this way you are better prepared and can apply to schools accordingly as oppose of doing in on-the-go.

What you don't want to happen is having to apply the third time to med schools.

Getting into medical school is a marathon, not a sprint.

Good Luck, let me know if you have more specific question.

 

[soccrwon]

Hello!
Finally, will I be able to go ahead and fill out secondaries without an MCAT score?
Thanks!

I am in a similar boat with an expired MCAT score.

I have been told to indicate you plan to re-take the MCAT on your primary and submit your primary application as soon as possible to verify transcript grades.

Then, work on secondaries for schools you think you will receive secondaries from (prompts are available on SDN). Work on secondaries with the goal to turn in secondaries the moment you get a secondary application.

That way, you turn in your MCAT scores (Sept), your primary is sent complete to medical schools (Sept), they send you secondaries (Sept/Oct) and you can immediately return the secondaries to be considered for an interview (Sept/Oct)

It is my understanding that most people return secondaries in August, so Sept is not too horribly late. It's definitely not early, but it's not terribly late.

On the other hand, if you wait to start on secondaries until you receive them, it is my understanding that returning secondaries in Oct/Nov is considered late and will put you at a severe disadvantage.

 

[Alyla]

There are schools that will accept your 2008 score.

I am reapplying this year with my MCAT from July 2008. I am not retaking the MCAT. Full stop. I don't have time to retake, and I don't want to risk my score going down.

I scoured the MSAR and pulled out all of the schools that will accept scores as old as mine, and narrowed down the results based on my GPA. I think the final list has about 15 schools.

 

[eliz220]

Thanks, everyone! I have decided to do exactly what you did, Alyla, and I am going to go ahead and apply to MD and DO schools that will take my '08 MCAT. Luckily, my favorite school in the state I have residency will take my MCAT and so will the school that wait-listed me last time I applied. I'm waiting for my last letter of rec to be turned in and then I'll be set to turn in my application!

I was a Human Nutrition major and am using a letter from my senior-level Nutrition and Metabolism class' professor (got an A) for one of my science letters. Should I email each school to make sure that will count as a science? Or should I be ok?

 

[BrightandClear]

There are schools that will accept your 2008 score.

I am reapplying this year with my MCAT from July 2008. I am not retaking the MCAT. Full stop. I don't have time to retake, and I don't want to risk my score going down.

I scoured the MSAR and pulled out all of the schools that will accept scores as old as mine, and narrowed down the results based on my GPA. I think the final list has about 15 schools.

Would you be willing to share your list of schools that take a 2008 MCAT? I took mine in September 2008, and was under the impression it was invalid everywhere. I'm looking into getting a current MSAR, but I'd like to look into this ASAP if I'm going to apply this year.

 

[BrightandClear]

Would you be willing to share your list of schools that take a 2008 MCAT? I took mine in September 2008, and was under the impression it was invalid everywhere. I'm looking into getting a current MSAR, but I'd like to look into this ASAP if I'm going to apply this year.

Go ahead and just ignore this, as I found you can now access the MSAR online. It's amazing how much things have changed since I last applied. Turns out there are ~60 schools which will take a September 2008 MCAT...