Retake? Reapply? MD or DO or SMP?

[gsherm52]

Hello everyone, I graduated this past spring and I would like to go MD but I am also considering DO.
My stats are:
3.73 cGPA 3.65 BCPMGPA
MCAT(VR/PS/BS)
3/10/9
8/8/12
6/11/12
During undergraduate i did , a number of groups and clubs, fraternity, football
Research 2 years
Volunteer at the hospital 100 + hours
Volunteer as HS football Coach 100+ hours
Shadow general surgeon and plastic surgeon 50+ hours
Worked as a lab technician for CMEs at SLU for a summer
Worked in a lab another summer
Worked as a TA/ Lab assistant for a year
Work as medical scribe in the ER

I have been considering retaking my MCAT. I know I can do better on the Verbal I was averaging 9-10 going into the last test i just froze. Im not sure how taking the MCAT 4 times would look though. I am also considering going into a SMP but im not sure if that would be of great benefit for me because I have a decent GPA

Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
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[Goro]

If you're not an ESL, the near consistent poor VR score is of some concern. I don't think you'll magically do better, and it also seems like you're plateauing out in the high 20s anyway. Certainly, do NOT even think of retaking the MCAT until you fix your test taking deficits. You should not be freezing on exams, and in medical school, we're addicted to standardized exams.

As of right now, I think your best chances will be with some DO programs (not all, we average scores and my Dean would probably reject you.)

I think you should also take a crack at a few low-tier MD schools, and try your state school as well (if any).

Hello everyone, I graduated this past spring and I would like to go MD but I am also considering DO.
My stats are:
3.73 cGPA 3.65 BCPMGPA
MCAT(VR/PS/BS)
3/10/9
8/8/12
6/11/12
During undergraduate i did , a number of groups and clubs, fraternity, football
Research 2 years
Volunteer at the hospital 100 + hours
Volunteer as HS football Coach 100+ hours
Shadow general surgeon and plastic surgeon 50+ hours
Worked as a lab technician for CMEs at SLU for a summer
Worked in a lab another summer
Worked as a TA/ Lab assistant for a year
Work as medical scribe in the ER

I have been considering retaking my MCAT. I know I can do better on the Verbal I was averaging 9-10 going into the last test i just froze. Im not sure how taking the MCAT 4 times would look though. I am also considering going into a SMP but im not sure if that would be of great benefit for me because I have a decent GPA

Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
gsherm52 is online now Report Post

 

[312312312]

"If you're not an ESL, the near consistent poor VR score is of some concern. I don't think you'll magically do better"

I thought English was spoken all-over Pakistan and India LOL.

 

[Amygdarya]

gsherm52, are these your actual official MCAT scores? Taking MCAT multiple times looks bad, especially if there is no significant improvement (as is the case with your 2 last scores). If you're considering retaking MCAT once again, you should really do a lot of practice under the test conditions (timed full-size tests) and see if you can *consistently* get a higher score first. But even if you do better on your next MCAT, your previous attempts will hurt your application.

 

[darklabel]

Btw, in your situation a 30 won't cut it, you're going to have to get something closer to 35+. The reason why is because if you take it a 4th time and get a 30 - 31, Ad Coms will think you just kept taking the MCAT until you got the questions you were comfortable with or just happened to "stumble" upon a 30. I would cool off on retaking the MCAT until you feel comfortable and scoring quite highly or take some time off in between each MCAT test so that it doesn't look like you just kept taking it.

SMP is near worthless since you have a decent GPA (Right on the average for matriculants) and your MCAT is the issue, which SMPs don't really fix.

 

[DrMidlife]

Agree w/darklabel, but 35's don't come for the asking. To get a decent verbal score you're looking at a lot of work. This will sound crazy, but in your shoes I'd try to produce an impressive GRE and maybe an impressive LSAT score to back up a 30+ MCAT. Or go DO.

Best of luck to you.

 

[QofQuimica]

Agree w/darklabel, but 35's don't come for the asking. To get a decent verbal score you're looking at a lot of work. This will sound crazy, but in your shoes I'd try to produce an impressive GRE and maybe an impressive LSAT score to back up a 30+ MCAT. Or go DO.

Best of luck to you.

That does sound crazy. Med school adcoms don't care about those test scores. It would be a waste of the OP's time and money to take the GRE or LSAT.

OP, my philosophy is, three strikes and you're done with MCAT retakes. The rest of your app seems fine, and your overall MCAT score is now reasonable. Apply broadly (including to DO schools) in June and move on with your life.

 

[DrMidlife]

That does sound crazy. Med school adcoms don't care about those test scores. It would be a waste of the OP's time and money to take the GRE or LSAT.

OP, my philosophy is, three strikes and you're done with MCAT retakes. The rest of your app seems fine, and your overall MCAT score is now reasonable. Apply broadly (including to DO schools) in June and move on with your life.

My bad. I need to keep in mind that I come from a family that collects graduate degrees and takes entrance exams for fun.

 

[Member954786]

I wish you applied with the second score and didn't take it a third time cause even though it was technically higher - it was more evenly distributed on the second test. Most schools have either a 7 or 8 cut off for the verbal so you would have been right there! That being said congrats on the improvement ! Some will make exceptions and lower it to a 6 for really stellar applicants with an exceptionally high GPA plus all of the other usual stuff . I have at least 4 friends all with low verbals 3 of them with a 7 ( one with a 6) on the verbal in their first year of med school now so it is possible , but their GPA was 3.9+ And they all applied to a lot of schools . I'm worried you will get screened out with a 6 on the verbal. DO NOT take the test again unless you believe you will do significantly better ! But the verbal is the most unforgiving of the sections IMO , so if you really believe you can score higher as you did before at around 7 or 8 ( well really an 8 if possible) it might be worth it , just so you don't get screened out . I'm a re- applicant and My verbal jumped from a 7 to a 10 and you would be shocked at how many schools screened me out the first time from this subsection alone ! Good luck - you obviously have the will and as long as you have the drive you will get where you need to be ! Btw The three strikes and your out rule is NOT true it doesn't look as strong as a first timer or a one time repeater but as long as there is SIGNIFICANT improvement you are fine ( just try not to reapply three times because some schools have a max ).