Retaking MCAT in September after an initial attempt on 8/9 worth it? just wait?

[DrBTS]

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I know the DO application cycle is usually longer, but I'm a really borderline applicant that will be taking the 8/9 and I'm hovering ~30. I love hearing encouragement from fellow DO and the optimism, but realistically would it be worth it to strive for that one or two point increase I expect I will get in September, being that I wont get my scores in till October? Would there be a significant boost in my app that would change any considerations that late in the game? Anything I'm overlooking? I say this because there is the alternative of taking a bit of a breather the month after and solidifying a 33+ for January if the next cycle seems like a necessity.

Thank you for your realistic and logical responses.

 

[whatever5]

You have 2 weeks left to study! I say, if you can afford to, put everything you're doing on hold and then just study non stop all day for 2 weeks. Take a day or two off before your MCAT. Don't plan a retake before you've even taken it though, because that's planning to fail.
Also, practice test scores mean nothing. I was pulling 35s and 36s the weeks before my test and got a 29. I know people who were pulling 28s and 29s and got 34s. So just do your best and don't count your eggs until they hatch.

 

[Goro]

It's foolish to re-take when you don't even know the score of your first exam. You could easily get the same score or even go down.

Even with all the numbers and ECs we look at, poor choice making can get get factored into acceptances or rejections.

Whether you get a 28 or a 30 isn't going to get you rejected from a DO school. Some of my DO collagues would say that you're just trying to get into MD schools instead.

Strongly suggest going to chat with your school's counseling service about this.

I know the DO application cycle is usually longer, but I'm a really borderline applicant that will be taking the 8/9 and I'm hovering ~30.




I love hearing encouragement from fellow DO and the optimism, but realistically would it be worth it to strive for that one or two point increase I expect I will get in September, being that I wont get my scores in till October? Would there be a significant boost in my app that would change any considerations that late in the game? Anything I'm overlooking? I say this because there is the alternative of taking a bit of a breather the month after and solidifying a 33+ for January if the next cycle seems like a necessity.

Thank you for your realistic and logical responses.

 

[DrBTS]

It's foolish to re-take when you don't even know the score of your first exam.

Since we're given the opportunity to take the MCAT two and maybe three times and because the MCAT can have such a large influence on acceptance, it can be easy to fall into that mindset of trying pushing yourself to maximize a score with retakes. But yeah, I can see how sinking such a large chunk of time with disregard to the outcome of prior events is rather foolish. Truth. Maybe i'm having too much fun with this I just need more hobbies 😎

That being said, I'm having a hard time understanding how schools could pass judgment on our lack of interest in DO by striving for a higher score, especially due to the MCAT being the only standardized test for admission. Having to tip-toeing around MD-applicant-like behavior must suck.


Good Luck Whatever5! And thanks for the positive vibes. Every passage we complete in the next two weeks is one more passage that will go towards solidifying a high score.

 

[hallowmann]

Get your score back before you even think of retaking. Like Goro (an adcom member) says, your score could very well stay the same or even drop in such a short period of time. If you genuinely think you will benefit from a little more time, delay your MCAT to the end of August or something.

Sure you could take it 2 or 3 or even 6 times, but taking it once and doing well always looks better. The last thing you want is to retake it and score the same or lower, and then just confirm that you hit your plateau. I knew a girl that really wanted a 35. Her first score was a 32. She then took it 5 more times until she got a 35 (increasing by 1 or staying the same each time). She was crazy. Don't be her. That one time 32 would probably have had the same (if not better) effect application-wise as those 6 32-35 scores.

As far as the MD tiptoeing thing goes, what Goro means is that with a 28, your MCAT will not be the thing holding you back from DO schools. Because of that, gunning for a 30 (a mere 2 point jump that is essentially in the same margin of error as the previous score) might look like you are aiming for an MD acceptance to some adcom members. Now if you get a 26 and retake and get 28, I doubt some adcoms will think you were going for MD (even if you had that intention all along).

You should aim to get your highest score in the most reasonable amount of time, but if you get a 29 and your goal was a 30, I wouldn't take it again. I scored a couple points below my target goal (and multiple points below my average practice test scores), but I just made my "not going to retake" cutoff, so I said forget it.

 

[spidey1588]

I am applying DO and MD. I got a 27 in my springtime exam and am trying to boost it higher. I would like to go to an MD school or maybe MSU, Touro, or NOVA for DO. Never told my schools about my first score but have sent in all my secondaries and letters. How much a disadvantage will I be at taking the MCAT in mid-September, whether my score goes higher or not? I have roughly a 3.65c and 3.35 s.

 

[Columbia09]

If you think you're going to score 30 + why not just go to an MD school ?