Retake in August or Wait a Year?

[ghgi8]

Just wondering what you all think....I have 4 options I am considering....

1) If my score is below 25 I'm thinking about not applying this year and waiting until next April to retake. I figure that it would not be possible to raise my score at least 5 points given only 2 months to study (I am also taking summer classes).

2) If the above case holds true (I score below 25) then maybe only apply to my state schools (best chances of acceptance) to save money.

3) If I score 26<my score<30 then I send my AMCAS in and retake in August applying to a vast array of schools with my fingers crossed.

4) If I score above 30....

My GPA is 3.9. I honestly would not mind taking a year off of school lol. Nevertheless, are the above scenarios rational??

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[pyra]

Well what did you get on your practice tests? I say if it is within 3 points then do not retake. If it is more than 3 points below your practice scores (1 point on each section) then retake next year. Sound reasonable? This is assuming that you studied your best for the April test. did you?

 

[ghgi8]

didnt take any practice tests

 

[willthatsall]

Did you prepare at all?

 

[ghgi8]

Yes, I studied for approximately 4 months last June, July, August and December. I used this time brushing up on my science and never got around to taking an actual practice MCAT. During the spring I flirted with the idea of going to Vet school and thus neglected my MCAT studying. My ex's father (an MD) advised me to go ahead and take the test just for the heck of it because "you never know if youll want to switch back down the road, and its best to take the test while the material is still fresh." Well I'm glad I took his advice because I did switch back. As for the real MCAT, I found that some more studying surely would have helped but not a whole deal. I found that many of the answers to the test could be obtained through the test itself. Talking about all this really gets me anxious about my scores....

 

[Phil Anthropist]

I figure that it would not be possible to raise my score at least 5 points given only 2 months to study (I am also taking summer classes).

A guy from my school shot up 9 points from mid 20s on the April 2003 test to mid 30s on the August 2003 exam. As a (major) caveat he said he had a somewhat photographic memory and he was pretty smart to start with. He also said that for the August test he "actually studied." But then again you are taking summer classes.

are the above scenarios rational??

Sounds rational to me. By the way, if you do get accepted a lot of schools will allow you to defer your acceptance for a year. I've got friends who were accepted at Baylor and Rush that are doing exactly that...So you can take that year off that you mentioned. But I'll keep my fingers crossed that your score will be great and you won't have to worry about a retake