Retaking a high expired MCAT score for DO schools

[Sparkle dust]

Hi everyone! I am applying MD only in the 2017-2018 cycle. If I fail to get in I want to see where I went wrong and try to improve it before I apply MD/DO one last time.

I took the MCAT last fall so by the time I am ready to apply MD/DO I realized I would likely have to retake my current MCAT score (522) as it would be expired by then. I might also do an SMP before I apply MD/DO my 2nd cycle (unsure, but possible). My DO GPAs for undergraduate grades only would likely be around 3.6/3.5s (it’s a little lower for allo).

I would hope I can score close to my last MCAT and not try to go significantly lower. Assuming I stay around the same, would it be a red flag to DO schools that I retook a good expired MCAT score? I feel like it makes it seem like they were not my original first choice (as I would be an MD reject and applying to DO schools after getting rejected).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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[PatchAdams25]

Hi everyone! I am applying MD only in the 2017-2018 cycle. If I fail to get in I want to see where I went wrong and try to improve it before I apply MD/DO one last time.

I took the MCAT last fall so by the time I am ready to apply MD/DO I realized I would likely have to retake my current MCAT score (522) as it would be expired by then. I might also do an SMP before I apply MD/DO my 2nd cycle (unsure, but possible). My DO GPAs for undergraduate grades only would likely be around 3.6/3.5s (it’s a little lower for allo).

I would hope I can score close to my last MCAT and not try to go significantly lower. Assuming I stay around the same, would it be a red flag to DO schools that I retook a good expired MCAT score? I feel like it makes it seem like they were not my original first choice (as I would be an MD reject and applying to DO schools after getting rejected).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Naw you would be good. They know you weren't there first choice anyways

 

[eteshoe]

What are your stats (other than the MCAT)?

 

[Sparkle dust]

@Goro any insight on this?

 

[Sparkle dust]

Scores are good for 3 yrs

I was looking this up and some schools say scores have to be 3 years old by the time of matriculation which I think means I have to retake my score . I definitely have to retake if I do an SMP because it would be 4 years old or something by that point.

 

[eteshoe]

I was looking this up and some schools say scores have to be 3 years old by the time of matriculation which I think means I have to retake my score . I definitely have to retake if I do an SMP because it would be 4 years old or something by that point.

Edited my original question after re-reading your OP

 

[summergirl]

I asked this exact question in this post and got some adcom's responses: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...rom-my-app-that-do-was-my-2nd-choice.1208823/

They were cool with it

 

[GrapesofRath]

I was looking this up and some schools say scores have to be 3 years old by the time of matriculation which I think means I have to retake my score . I definitely have to retake if I do an SMP because it would be 4 years old or something by that point.

There's a chart made by the AAMC floating around somewhere of each school's MCAT expiration policy. A number of them will still accept the 2014 MCAT score for the 2017-18 cycle. If they are accepting old 2014 MCAT's for that cycle, you can definitely use your 2015 new score. You just have to find out which ones.

Back for the old MCAT I definitely know of people who had no problems using a score from say May 2008 when applying in fall 2010 for August 2011 matriculation. A number of those schools that said "3 years or less" let them use their scores no problem. I have no idea if that's still the case with the new MCAT or if they just happened to apply to schools more lax on that rule but the point is dont just assume anything directly call/email schools.

 

[tjo422]

Same thing happened to me. I scored well the first time, ended up not applying for three years (for good reason, nothing related to my app), and had to retake.

For what it's worth, I emailed my top choices to see if they would take my score. All but one would, so I decided to retake.


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[Goro]

Retaking an expired score is 100% understandable. However, I do have Adcom colleagues who are unaware that these scores expire!

Hi everyone! I am applying MD only in the 2017-2018 cycle. If I fail to get in I want to see where I went wrong and try to improve it before I apply MD/DO one last time.

I took the MCAT last fall so by the time I am ready to apply MD/DO I realized I would likely have to retake my current MCAT score (522) as it would be expired by then. I might also do an SMP before I apply MD/DO my 2nd cycle (unsure, but possible). My DO GPAs for undergraduate grades only would likely be around 3.6/3.5s (it’s a little lower for allo).

I would hope I can score close to my last MCAT and not try to go significantly lower. Assuming I stay around the same, would it be a red flag to DO schools that I retook a good expired MCAT score? I feel like it makes it seem like they were not my original first choice (as I would be an MD reject and applying to DO schools after getting rejected).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mansamusa]

Is this a humblebrag post? You'll probably get in MD (at least based on stats)

 

[AlteredScale]

Hi everyone! I am applying MD only in the 2017-2018 cycle. If I fail to get in I want to see where I went wrong and try to improve it before I apply MD/DO one last time.

I took the MCAT last fall so by the time I am ready to apply MD/DO I realized I would likely have to retake my current MCAT score (522) as it would be expired by then. I might also do an SMP before I apply MD/DO my 2nd cycle (unsure, but possible). My DO GPAs for undergraduate grades only would likely be around 3.6/3.5s (it’s a little lower for allo).

I would hope I can score close to my last MCAT and not try to go significantly lower. Assuming I stay around the same, would it be a red flag to DO schools that I retook a good expired MCAT score? I feel like it makes it seem like they were not my original first choice (as I would be an MD reject and applying to DO schools after getting rejected).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Why don't you just apply to both this year so you don't have to retake your MCAT? If MD doesn't work out at least you'll have a handful of DO acceptances you can come through with.

 

[Pusheen]

What makes you think you won't get accepted? It seems odd to be planning on retaking and reapplying at the beginning of the cycle. Do you have problems with other parts of your app?