Johnwicksdog
Full Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2023
- Messages
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Hello, So it is looking more and more like I will have to reapply this coming cycle (On 1 MD waitlist though) and was wondering if an MCAT retake would be worth it. I think my biggest issues this cycle was that I applied pretty late with all my secondaries submitted throughout september so obviously would change that this time. My clinical and non-clinical also will go from 600 and 550 to 1100 and 750 respectively so some improvement there but the big question I have is if retaking my mcat would be worth it.
My GPA/grades are very touchy because of some personal hardships in undergrad so I have about 7Ws on my transcript sophmore to junior year however I took a 3 semester senior year + a DIY postbacc semester to reinvent ending with a 3.6 c/s GPA (3.9->3.4->2.9->3.8->4.0) with a lot red flags in the middle like I mentioned. I was fully banking on the MCAT to put any academic doubt to rest and although I averaged a 521 on the full lengths, never dropping below a 128 on CARS (or 127 if including 6 Blueprint FLs), the score I was locked in with after taking it in July with my primary already submitted was a 515 (130/124/131/130). I 100% believe my CARS performance was a fluke and am confident I can repeat my perfomance on the science sections but the BIG question is is it worth the effort? I worked veryyy hard to get those other subsections consistently 130+ and I know I can do it again but it will be all-consuming until May so is a higher balanced score really that much of a game changer for my app (say 520 hypothetically)?
The alternative is I could continue building up my activities and spend much more time effectively crafting my narrative/essays and apply literally day one without the huge stress of a retake. Obviously, I would hate to study again but if it makes a big enough difference, Im ready to go. Any advice is greatly appreciated, thanks!
My GPA/grades are very touchy because of some personal hardships in undergrad so I have about 7Ws on my transcript sophmore to junior year however I took a 3 semester senior year + a DIY postbacc semester to reinvent ending with a 3.6 c/s GPA (3.9->3.4->2.9->3.8->4.0) with a lot red flags in the middle like I mentioned. I was fully banking on the MCAT to put any academic doubt to rest and although I averaged a 521 on the full lengths, never dropping below a 128 on CARS (or 127 if including 6 Blueprint FLs), the score I was locked in with after taking it in July with my primary already submitted was a 515 (130/124/131/130). I 100% believe my CARS performance was a fluke and am confident I can repeat my perfomance on the science sections but the BIG question is is it worth the effort? I worked veryyy hard to get those other subsections consistently 130+ and I know I can do it again but it will be all-consuming until May so is a higher balanced score really that much of a game changer for my app (say 520 hypothetically)?
The alternative is I could continue building up my activities and spend much more time effectively crafting my narrative/essays and apply literally day one without the huge stress of a retake. Obviously, I would hate to study again but if it makes a big enough difference, Im ready to go. Any advice is greatly appreciated, thanks!
