Retaking the MCAT

[lainey234]

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I took the MCAT earlier this year and scored well - 13 V, 9 PS, 10 BS (32). While I understand this is a very good score, my gpa is horrendous. As and UG I got a very unimpressive 2.6. I am in my second year of post bacc classes and have so far been able to get a solid 4.0 and will be able to raise my gpa to a 3.0 by the time I apply next year. As an older non-trad with two kids I have done the standard EC's - volunteering, shadowing, community service - but nothing amazingly spectacular.

My question is, I know a 3.0/32 is marginal at best for MD schools. Is it worth it to study for the next 6 months and retake the beast? I feel confident I could score a 34 and who knows, maybe even higher, but is it worth it? Because of the number of credits I have it will be virtually impossible to go much above a 3.0. Because of my family, I want to avoid having to do an SMP (don't want to move them twice).

I am applying both DO and MD, but my question is about making my MD application stronger. Thanks for the advice! to all my fellow nontrads!

 

[postbacker]

I took the MCAT earlier this year and scored well - 13 V, 9 PS, 10 BS (32). While I understand this is a very good score, my gpa is horrendous. As and UG I got a very unimpressive 2.6. I am in my second year of post bacc classes and have so far been able to get a solid 4.0 and will be able to raise my gpa to a 3.0 by the time I apply next year. As an older non-trad with two kids I have done the standard EC's - volunteering, shadowing, community service - but nothing amazingly spectacular.

My question is, I know a 3.0/32 is marginal at best for MD schools. Is it worth it to study for the next 6 months and retake the beast? I feel confident I could score a 34 and who knows, maybe even higher, but is it worth it? Because of the number of credits I have it will be virtually impossible to go much above a 3.0. Because of my family, I want to avoid having to do an SMP (don't want to move them twice).

I am applying both DO and MD, but my question is about making my MD application stronger. Thanks for the advice! to all my fellow nontrads!

With your situation I would NOT retake the MCAT - your MCAT is NOT what will keep you out of med school - your low GPA is killing your chances - but I suggest you go through a cycle and apply very broadly (30+ schools, stay out of the "top 20"), and if you get no love, consider an SMP...a retake is way too risky for your current score, and the odds are that a retake will result in a lower, not higher, MCAT (check the stats on this)...

 

[Gnugs2130]

I am in a similar situation; I have a really good MCAT (34) and low grades. What I have been told is that an MCAT isn't going to get you into medical school, it can only keep you out. I even had one school tell me they don't care what I got on the MCAT. With a 32 you are sitting at almost the 90th percentile so I don't think you should retake it. I would focus on your grades and apply to more schools. I didn't apply to top flight schools, so I don't have much experience with them but it looks like you may want to apply more broadly and look for schools that tend to be no-trad friendly. Some of the schools you applied to, GW, Temple, GT, all receive 13,000+ applications, it is really hard to get through the screens and checks with a lower than avg gpa, even with an upward trend. I applied to all these as well and this is what I was told by the adcoms – when I actually was able to talk to someone. Good luck, I am sure with your determination and scores you are going to get in.

 

[gman33]

Retaking the MCAT won't help much (if at all). You need to raise your GPA. I know you are looking for other options, but I think a SMP is your best bet. If that is out of the question, then maybe just try to retake as many classes you did poorly in and then apply mainly to DO schools. Wiping out a number of bad grades may be a quicker way to raise your GPA.

It looks like you only applied to around 10-15 schools. With your numbers, you need to apply to a lot more. Maybe 40-50. I don't mean to be harsh, but you need to give yourself as many chances as possible. Good luck.

 

[Vihsadas]

As others have stated, your GPA is your major sticking point. While I did slightly better in ugrad, I too have too many credits to dent my GPA. So just understand that your first priority should be to demonstrate in some way your ability to succeed in upper level science classes.

That being said, retaking the MCAT COULD help you...but you'd have to do better than 34. If you got into the 95th percentile (about a 36) then it would make your application much stronger. However, if you do decide to retake it, you need to be sure that you can score that high.

If you do not feel that you can make it to 36, I don't think the MCAT will help you. Again, focus on proving your academic worth before redoing the MCAT. GL.

 

[Maxprime]

You're in a tough spot to answer that question. Do you honestly believe that you could dramatically improve your score? If you worked your ass off for that 32, I would check that box off and just work on your GPA. You're the best one to gauge this - practice tests, how you felt it went, etc.

(BTW, GW & G-town were quick to dispense with me as well - you're not alone 🙁 )

 

[Law2Doc]

Retaking the MCAT won't help much (if at all). You need to raise your GPA.

Agreed. You have to fix what's broke. You don't get past a low GPA with a higher MCAT, the notion of a sliding scale of GPA vs MCAT where one can bail out the other is largely a myth, IMHO. Med schools simply expect you to do well in both. A 32 is plenty high, and most schools won't pay much attention to the MCAT after you reach that point. It is an adequate MCAT for any school, and so they will turn their attention to your GPA. So either fix the GPA, or show a solid track record in med school level sciences via an SMP. An MCAT retake is not a useful move here.

 

[J ROD]

Maybe look for a school that will replace some of your bad "prereq" grades for better new ones. I have heard there are some schools that do this.

I am in the opposite situation. I have a 3.79 GPA overall, and an average MCAT. I scored 30+ on all my practice tests.

I plan on retaking because I know can I at least get in the upper 20's!

Never give up!! You only need one!!