Retaking the MCAT with a 30+

[MiracleforMD]

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Are those people using your identity and applying to medical for you? Are they going to be stuck with the consequences of a poor decision? No? Then their opinion matters absolutely not at all.

Why are you always so logical?

Edit: So we are clear. Is this a veiled vote for "don't retake" or just a life lesson in general?

 

[gtbROX]

1. I don't think you can say I was shooting myself in the foot by getting a 33. At the time I was planning to apply this cycle and so I was taking the Kaplan prep course along with a full course load, plus my usual research and volunteering. I studied but not in the way that I could now that I have chosen to take a year off before applying.

I think this is what the person meant.
If you got a <insert ##> without trying, you definitely could have gotten a higher score if you tried harder. This is why I, as well as many other premeds, emptied out a summer just to focus on mcats. In terms of whether or not it's necessary, different schools have different policies and you'll just have to research the retake policies of schools you're interested in. Some schools look at your most recent, some schools look at your avg scores, and some look for the improvement or lack thereof. That being said, I wish you the best of luck, but you seem smart so you won't need it.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

At what point would you say retaking the MCAT for a high score is not worth the effort if you are confident you can score higher?

I scored a 33 with little study outside of taking all the full lengths. If I am pretty darn sure I can get it up to 35 and retake it in a few months (taking a gap year anyway) is it worth it? I will be applying md/mph and a number of the schools that offer the dual degree are fairly competitive.

Thanks for your input

I think the standard deviation is 2 points so increasing your score to a 35 from a 33 really isn't impressive at all, and definitely not worth the risk. A 33 is a good score. Definitely a risk not worth taking unless you score 35+ on every practice test, but since you already took them all how will you really know?

 

[Tanstripe]

I'm retaking a 33 in... 2 days 😛 Because of an 8. Reason? I don't want to be in the bottom 10th percentile (or not considered) at schools to which I've applied simply because of a number.

 

[Doctor Strange]

10/12/10

There's no way I'm going through that hell again. If you're willing to go through with it, though, then go for it. Keep in mind, though, that a 33 is a pretty damn good score and, given the rest of your application is decent, you'll have a very good shot at getting in.

 

[5hch3ng]

I am reading this forum a few months away about after the post. Can I know what came out of your decision? Retake? Not retake? Acceptances?

I'm trying to decide whether or not to take it again myself. I took it summer 2012 and my stats are 30P - 8V, 11 BS, 11PS. GPA is 3.67, but go to a really competitive undergrad in California. I'm a California resident and mainly want to go to California schools, but would like a shot at Texas or NY schools.

My practice tests were pretty much around what I actually did receive, which made me decide not to retake it, but since time is coming closer to applications in the summer, I've been thinking about it more. The earliest I could retake (after a 2 month re-studying period) would be mid-July, then submit app mid-August. Is this too late?


What do you guys recommend?

 

[stargate16]

I am signed up for a retake after getting my scores for 3/23 (30,10/10/10), but reading this has me worried again. I keep going back for forth on trying to decide what to do. If I were to drop in any area, even if I gained in my composite, would this look worse being that I didn't score below 10 previously?

Few factors are pushing me to retake

1. I did not study to the best of my ability, this time I am studying a lot/practicing problems more and using BR materials.

2. My average was 35 although 30 (30-39) was in my range of scores. Basically my scores were all over the place on the AAMCs, I would swing from 30 to a 37, then 32 and back up to 39 which was weird. My verbal range was 9-14, PS 9-13 and BS 10-14. I did not have consistency in any area.

3. I am applying next cycle.

4. My age is against me, I am 17 and will be 18 when I apply and I wonder if having this borderline score will be questioned, as to why I didn't bother to retake being that I had age/time.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[Espadaleader]

If you retake a 35 you're nuts.

 

[stargate16]

I didn't have a 35, I had a 30..