Retake MCAT?

[OSU2022]

Hello all,

I took the MCAT in January and got a 502. I decided to retake and have signed up for June 17. I have done content for the past month or so and have started practice passages again. I am doing poorly on the practice passages and I am worried that I will do worse. I prepared a TON for the first exam.

How bad does it look to have a lower score on the second take? Even if schools say they take the highest, I feel like they can find a way to boot me out if I get a lower second score since they see both scores. Do you think this is a possibility? What are my chances at D.O. vs M.D.?

My stats:
GPA 3.85 Biochemistry
Research 3 yrs, no publications
Volunteer- 264 hours hospital, 45 mission trip
Shadowing- 85 hours

and more...


Thank you for the advice

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[gyngyn]

Don't take the exam unless you are going to dramatically improve your score.
You are already a good candidate for many DO schools.

 

[Goro]

Chances lethal for M, fine for DO if you apply broadly. Skip CCOM, AZCOM and the coastal Touros.

Hello all,

I took the MCAT in January and got a 502. I decided to retake and have signed up for June 17. I have done content for the past month or so and have started practice passages again. I am doing poorly on the practice passages and I am worried that I will do worse. I prepared a TON for the first exam.

How bad does it look to have a lower score on the second take? Even if schools say they take the highest, I feel like they can find a way to boot me out if I get a lower second score since they see both scores. Do you think this is a possibility? What are my chances at D.O. vs M.D.?

My stats:
GPA 3.85 Biochemistry
Research 3 yrs, no publications
Volunteer- 264 hours hospital, 45 mission trip
Shadowing- 85 hours

and more...


Thank you for the advice

 

[lajessmess]

What have your practice scores been? I find it strange that you can have a 3.85 but still be doing poorly. I understand the test and your undergrad classes are "graded" differently, but it's just strange to see a 502.

What are you study habits?
How much are you studying a day?
What tools are you using to study?

 

[BombsAway]

What have your practice scores been? I find it strange that you can have a 3.85 but still be doing poorly. I understand the test and your undergrad classes are "graded" differently, but it's just strange to see a 502.

I have a 4.0 and am hovering in the low 500's. I have friends smarter than me in the mid 490's. There's like, variables and stuff.

 

[OSU2022]

What have your practice scores been? I find it strange that you can have a 3.85 but still be doing poorly. I understand the test and your undergrad classes are "graded" differently, but it's just strange to see a 502.

What are you study habits?
How much are you studying a day?
What tools are you using to study?

I've studied over the summers between my freshman and sophomore and sophomore and junior years about 5 hrs a day. I took a Princeton Review class in the fall of 2015. I studied over Christmas break about 6-7 hours per day.

Scores
TPR 10/13 496
TPR 11/20 500
TPR 12/26 497
TPR 12/29 501
TPR 1/3 502
AAMC FL 1 1/14 506
AAMC FL 2 1/21 504
Real 1/28 502
C/P- 128
CARS- 125
BIO/BIOCHEM- 124
Psych Soc- 125

 

[lajessmess]

I've studied over the summers between my freshman and sophomore and sophomore and junior years about 5 hrs a day. I took a Princeton Review class in the fall of 2015. I studied over Christmas break about 6-7 hours per day.

I also have a similar background to you. 3.8 Biochem, a bit or research, a bit of clinical.. anyways...

Here's my take on it...

I took my first diagnostic with Kaplan and I kid you not I scored a 492. I was devastated, but realized I had ALOT of catching up do. (I had been away from school for a while, but still very unsettling) After a month I pulled the score up to a 504 (Kaplan) through simple content review. What I would recommend if you have caught up with content is making sure you're taking the exam "efficiently". after you finish your exams, write down exactly why you missed that problem or if it was content you were missing. I've since been able to pull my scores even higher through light review and HEAVY post-exam answer reviews. i've filled out two notebooks completely from just looking at why I answered questions wrong.

IMO, TPR is absolutely terrible. Invest in the Next Step practice bundles. They are cheaper than most and also very good for practicing passage based questions. TPR is mostly content review. If you have more money, shell out for EK.

Also, I would recommend taking at least 10 FLs before you take the real test. Don't be afraid to reschedule if you aren't confident that you will do well.

 

[futureDocDD]

I also suggest using NextStep practice tests(go for 15 tests bundle). Not quite understand why your Chem/Biochem score is so low with your 3.85 Biochem GPA, passage comprehension issue?