Retake MCAT?

[14kailee]

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Graduated from UCLA June 2017, majored in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics: Overall GPA: 3.475, science GPA: 3.448

Took MCAT April 2016, scored 505

Volunteered at Ronald Reagan hospital 250 hours, volunteered in cancer research lab 6 months/250 hours

Currently working full-time for Maxim Healthcare as healthcare recruiter, staffing nurses in schools to work with special needs children

I previously applied to MD schools in June 2016 but wasn't accepted anywhere (My GPA was lower at the time and I hadn't volunteered in the lab yet). I'm debating retaking the MCAT but I have very limited time to study as I am working full-time 8am-5pm and commuting about an hour each way, so 7am-6pm daily. Is it worth it to retake? I am worried that I'm rusty since I've been out of school for 3 months and am having trouble getting back into studying, I'm not sure if it's worth it to retake or if I should take my chances reapplying since I have added some new experience and increased my GPA. I am a white female.

Any help is appreciated, thank you! 🙂

 

[Foodology]

Unless you have time to properly study and ensure that you will do better, you shouldn't retake the exam. You can gauge your readiness based on how well you are performing on practice exams (AAMC, Princeton, Exam Krackers, Etc.). If you're going to take it again, you need to find a way to give yourself adequate time to prepare. Try your best to make the second time your last. Med school isn't going anywhere, so if you need to spend more time to study and take longer of a gap then that's okay. Also, if you're having trouble getting back into studying, spend a little time in re-motivating yourself. Why are you doing this? Why do you want to be a doctor?

 

[DokterMom]

How much studying went into your 505? And what do you think you're capable of scoring if you do retake? Factor in the amount of study time you have --

 

[fldoctorgirl]

Your lack of success is probably due to your below average GPA + below average MCAT, rather than just the MCAT.

You would definitely have luck in the DO cycle, so you can try that if you don't feel like you could do better on the MCAT and/or don't want to do an SMP or post-bacc to raise your GPA.

 

[workaholic181]

Graduated from UCLA June 2017, majored in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics: Overall GPA: 3.475, science GPA: 3.448

Took MCAT April 2016, scored 505

Volunteered at Ronald Reagan hospital 250 hours, volunteered in cancer research lab 6 months/250 hours

Currently working full-time for Maxim Healthcare as healthcare recruiter, staffing nurses in schools to work with special needs children

I previously applied to MD schools in June 2016 but wasn't accepted anywhere (My GPA was lower at the time and I hadn't volunteered in the lab yet). I'm debating retaking the MCAT but I have very limited time to study as I am working full-time 8am-5pm and commuting about an hour each way, so 7am-6pm daily. Is it worth it to retake? I am worried that I'm rusty since I've been out of school for 3 months and am having trouble getting back into studying, I'm not sure if it's worth it to retake or if I should take my chances reapplying since I have added some new experience and increased my GPA. I am a white female.

Any help is appreciated, thank you! 🙂

You're probably ok for DO schools as is. If you want to broaden an app to MD, I would retake that MCAT. Without a retake, both your GPAs and MCAT are significantly lower than the MD average, and that's gonna be hard to come back from.

 

[Goro]

Your lack of success is probably due to your below average GPA + below average MCAT, rather than just the MCAT.

You would definitely have luck in the DO cycle, so you can try that if you don't feel like you could do better on the MCAT and/or don't want to do an SMP or post-bacc to raise your GPA.

This!!!