Should I apply?

[legacydoctor]

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I just got my MCAT score back today and I've been beating myself on whether I should retake in 11 days or continue ahead with a few select schools that won't mind such a low score.

cGPA: 3.40
sGPA: 3.51
MCAT: 6/6/8 --> 20

Should I retake the MCAT in 11 days (practically no preparation time) or early September (every other available time before September is really far away) or should I just apply now?

If I apply now then which schools should I apply to? Do I have any chance with any of them?

 

[99445]

Retake in September. Make sure you are scoring in the range you want. That 20 is a killer. Consider a year off, since a September MCAT is very late.

 

[legacydoctor]

Retake in September. Make sure you are scoring in the range you want. That 20 is a killer. Consider a year off, since a September MCAT is very late.

So with a 20 on the MCAT, there is absolutely no hope for even a single school?

 

[Elisabeth Kate]

I don't know if there's a shot or not. I think it would be a huge waste of money to sneak in somewhere if you're lucky. Why not take a few months to nail down that MCAT and apply with a decent shot of getting into a few different schools so that you have your pick? Remember, you will be attending this school for 4 years and 2 of those years (3rd and 4th) are very important to how you do in the match. You should be picky about where you attend, not be in a race to get into any school that will take you.

 

[legacydoctor]

I don't know if there's a shot or not. I think it would be a huge waste of money to sneak in somewhere if you're lucky. Why not take a few months to nail down that MCAT and apply with a decent shot of getting into a few different schools so that you have your pick? Remember, you will be attending this school for 4 years and 2 of those years (3rd and 4th) are very important to how you do in the match. You should be picky about where you attend, not be in a race to get into any school that will take you.

The earliest I'd be able to apply would be October if i retake it in September so wouldn't it hurt my chances even more if I apply that late in the cycle?

 

[Elisabeth Kate]

The earliest I'd be able to apply would be October if i retake it in September so wouldn't it hurt my chances even more if I apply that late in the cycle?

If you decide to retake, I don't think you should apply this year. What year are you in undergrad? Have you graduated already? Are you a traditional student?

 

[user3]

I just got my MCAT score back today and I've been beating myself on whether I should retake in 11 days or continue ahead with a few select schools that won't mind such a low score.

cGPA: 3.40
sGPA: 3.51
MCAT: 6/6/8 --> 20

Should I retake the MCAT in 11 days (practically no preparation time) or early September (every other available time before September is really far away) or should I just apply now?

If I apply now then which schools should I apply to? Do I have any chance with any of them?

maybe VCOM-Auburn, LUCOM, or WVSOM. Still would retake (even though I am usually optimistic).

If you can get it up to a 23, and apply to 15-20 schools you will probably get in somewhere.

 

[legacydoctor]

If you decide to retake, I don't think you should apply this year. What year are you in undergrad? Have you graduated already? Are you a traditional student?

I graduate in August and I'd prefer to not wait until 2016 to start med school..

 

[iWillOneDay]

I graduate in August and I'd prefer to not wait until 2016 to start med school..

August as in last year? because this year's august hasn't come yet....
Prefer doesn't matter if you can't get in anywhere (not saying I'm any better).

 

[legacydoctor]

August as in last year? because this year's august hasn't come yet....
Prefer doesn't matter if you can't get in anywhere (not saying I'm any better).

I graduate in the August of this year

 

[Elisabeth Kate]

I graduate in August and I'd prefer to not wait until 2016 to start med school..

Any particular reason or just because you want to start right away? If you apply this year, keep in mind you might not get in or if you do, you might not have a choice of where to go. I know you don't think that matters now so long as someone takes you, but it's always nice to have choices especially when you're talking about spending 200K.

 

[Struvite]

ABSOLUTELY DON'T TAKE IT IN 11 DAYS WITHOUT PREPARATION!!!

If you take it in September, the earliest you'll receive the score is probably around October. By the time the new score is in, it will be considered "too late" (at least by SDN standards) and you probably won't get in too many places anyway. So as everyone as saying you can apply now, but you probably won't get into too many places (that's why a lot of people take the MCAT early in the year just in case they get a lower than expected score and can thus take it again quickly) unless you're shooting for the lower-tiered or carib schools. However, even the "lowered-tiered" have avg mcat scores around 25 or so. Thus, you should probably consider applying next year

 

[legacydoctor]

ABSOLUTELY DON'T TAKE IT IN 11 DAYS WITHOUT PREPARATION!!!

If you take it in September, the earliest you'll receive the score is probably around October. By the time the new score is in, it will be considered "too late" (at least by SDN standards) and you probably won't get in too many places anyway. So as everyone as saying you can apply now, but you probably won't get into too many places (that's why a lot of people take the MCAT early in the year just in case they get a lower than expected score and can thus take it again quickly) unless you're shooting for the lower-tiered or carib schools. However, even the "lowered-tiered" have avg mcat scores around 25 or so. Thus, you should probably consider applying next year

You guys are telling me not to rush things but what you're recommending is for me to wait almost 2 years until I start my med school. If I were to wait that long then wouldn't I be better off taking a year of post-bac courses so that I'd have a better chance in both DO & MD schools as well as keep medical knowledge refreshed throughout the year?

 

[LScribe]

Yes that is exactly what you should do, along with retaking the mcat. Unless you think this mcat score was a fluke and you were scoring in the 30s, I wouldn't rush taking the mcat so soon. Taking a year or two off is not the end of the world.

 

[Struvite]

You guys are telling me not to rush things but what you're recommending is for me to wait almost 2 years until I start my med school. If I were to wait that long then wouldn't I be better off taking a year of post-bac courses so that I'd have a better chance in both DO & MD schools as well as keep medical knowledge refreshed throughout the year?

You can take post-bacc courses if you want, but your GPA looks decent as it stands now. The problem is that your MCAT score is low, which makes your profile non-competitive at least from the perspective of scores. Then again, there may be other factors in your application that may appeal to the adcoms (e.g. ECs, research, volunteering, etc.), but you definitely want a higher MCAT score.

The most unfortunate part about it all, it appears, is the timing in when you took latest MCAT scores.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

The DO cycle is long. If you retake in September and get a decent score you'll be good for DO schools.

If you retake in 11 days chances are you'll almost certainly get another 20 and after that you may as well just kiss your dreams of getting into medical school goodbye.

 

[radkat101]

If you didn't want to wait, you should have made sure you didn't get a 20 the first time. You're obviously lacking heavily in content knowledge and should have no problem bumping that score up where it needs to be provided you put in the work. A 20 is below the minimum score of anyone in the entire class for many DO schools.

 

[CharmanderMD]

Can you elaborate on your study habits? Have you taken any practice tests? If so how did you do?

 

[Mad Jack]

With that MCAT NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO

Retake, do better, then apply. That MCAT will get you screened basically everywhere and you'll just be pissing away money.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

No school these days is going to take a 20 unless you have unbelievable ECs or something.

Retake in September and have your primary and secondaries written out as you wait for the scores to come in. Send everything in ASAP and with a bit of luck you might get in.

I graduate in August and I'd prefer to not wait until 2016 to start med school..

I'd prefer to drive a McLaren instead of a Honda but I need to earn that privilege first.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Not worth it to waste your money and time applying with a 20. These days the absolute minimum should be 23.

 

[jaguar33]

I don't think you have any chance without a retake. If you end up with a good score, I'm sure you will get interviews in October. A 20 MCAT is in the 23rd percentile of test takers...

 

[brew]

You guys are telling me not to rush things but what you're recommending is for me to wait almost 2 years until I start my med school. If I were to wait that long then wouldn't I be better off taking a year of post-bac courses so that I'd have a better chance in both DO & MD schools as well as keep medical knowledge refreshed throughout the year?

Actually, they are just telling you to wait an additional year, right? You were already going to have a gap year.

If you have money laying around, it might be worth it to submit your application to one school (you don't like) then submit to additional schools once you get a better score. With your stats, getting a 25+ should get you in somewhere. Apply to all the new schools and ones that accept lower stats. Good luck! If you don't get a 25+. I would delay 1 year (maybe still apply if you get a 24)

 

[Goro]

A 20 is lethal. Fix your deficits, and then reply. Do NOT retake until you are consistently scoring well in practice tests. Merely retaking and hoping things will magically get better isn't a good strategy.

I just got my MCAT score back today and I've been beating myself on whether I should retake in 11 days or continue ahead with a few select schools that won't mind such a low score.

cGPA: 3.40
sGPA: 3.51
MCAT: 6/6/8 --> 20

Should I retake the MCAT in 11 days (practically no preparation time) or early September (every other available time before September is really far away) or should I just apply now?

If I apply now then which schools should I apply to? Do I have any chance with any of them?

 

[legacydoctor]

Actually, they are just telling you to wait an additional year, right? You were already going to have a gap year.

If you have money laying around, it might be worth it to submit your application to one school (you don't like) then submit to additional schools once you get a better score. With your stats, getting a 25+ should get you in somewhere. Apply to all the new schools and ones that accept lower stats. Good luck! If you don't get a 25+. I would delay 1 year (maybe still apply if you get a 24)

What's the benefit of applying to one school that I don't want to go to? Does that simply make the process smoother when I decide to apply to other schools later?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

What's the benefit of applying to one school that I don't want to go to? Does that simply make the process smoother when I decide to apply to other schools later?

You get verified, so you don't have to wait 4-6 weeks starting in September. You don't need to complete the secondary if you don't want to.

 

[legacydoctor]

You get verified, so you don't have to wait 4-6 weeks starting in September. You don't need to complete the secondary if you don't want to.

I'm curious, does anyone have any data on how many seats are usually filled by October? Do they purposely leave out, say, half of the seats for people applying later?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

I'm curious, does anyone have any data on how many seats are usually filled by October? Do they purposely leave out, say, half of the seats for people applying later?

There's no data like that available and varies a lot by COM. I think it's safe to say that there is a chance to get into a class up to the end of March (assuming a February interview date). After that, you have to be hopeful on the waitlist.

 

[Struvite]

I'm curious, does anyone have any data on how many seats are usually filled by October? Do they purposely leave out, say, half of the seats for people applying later?

The adcoms will never for the most part admit how many seats are open. People still do get in if you apply later in the year, but their stats are usually a lot higher.

Although people having been suggesting to pretty much apply again next year, if you put the dedication and time into the September MCAT and really feel confident you can score at least 27+ by October to overcome the 20, then it will be worth applying. You have to really ask yourself if this is plausible, however.

 

[Elisabeth Kate]

You guys are telling me not to rush things but what you're recommending is for me to wait almost 2 years until I start my med school. If I were to wait that long then wouldn't I be better off taking a year of post-bac courses so that I'd have a better chance in both DO & MD schools as well as keep medical knowledge refreshed throughout the year?

You're a pre-med. You don't really have any medical knowledge. What you have is science knowledge and once the MCAT is out of the way, very little of that will be useful in med school. However, you do need to plan for the extra year, if you decide to wait and yes, I would recommend taking some post-bacc courses, such as upper level biochem, genetics, physiology, pharmacology, or anatomy. I would NOT do a formal post-bacc because your GPA is solid and I think it would be a waste of time unless it's an SMP, which is too risky in your case, in my opinion. An SMP is for those with a low GPA, not a low MCAT.

Also, how old are you? Even if you get in, the earliest you can start med school is a year from now in 2015. We're telling you to wait to apply in 2015, meaning you'd start in 2016. A year is not a big deal in your 20's (or any age really). There was a 40-something in my med school class and several 30-somethings. It's better to wait a year and get in to a GOOD school you want to attend than apply now and advocate a beggers can't be choosers philosophy.

 

[legacydoctor]

You're a pre-med. You don't really have any medical knowledge. What you have is science knowledge and once the MCAT is out of the way, very little of that will be useful in med school. However, you do need to plan for the extra year, if you decide to wait and yes, I would recommend taking some post-bacc courses, such as upper level biochem, genetics, physiology, pharmacology, or anatomy. I would NOT do a formal post-bacc because your GPA is solid and I think it would be a waste of time unless it's an SMP, which is too risky in your case, in my opinion. An SMP is for those with a low GPA, not a low MCAT.

Also, how old are you? Even if you get in, the earliest you can start med school is a year from now in 2015. We're telling you to wait to apply in 2015, meaning you'd start in 2016. A year is not a big deal in your 20's (or any age really). There was a 40-something in my med school class and several 30-somethings. It's better to wait a year and get in to a GOOD school you want to attend than apply now and advocate a beggers can't be choosers philosophy.

I'm 22 years old and the thing is, in the last 2 years I've taken biochem/genetics/pharmacology/pathology/orgo 1 & 2/other high level courses and my GPA has been a steady 3.9 for those 2 years so would taking these classes in post-bac really add any benefit?

 

[Elisabeth Kate]

I'm 22 years old and the thing is, the last 2 years I've taken biochem/genetics/pharmacology/pathology/orgo 1 & 2/other high level courses and my GPA has been a steady 3.9 for those 2 years so would taking these classes in post-bac really add any benefit?

Not if you've already taken them. If you hadn't taken them, I would have said take them for the educational value as your GPA is fine. Nothing will benefit it at this point. Not sure what to tell you except that 22 is below the average med school age, so taking a year off is not a big deal and it's worth it to get into the school you actually want to go to. Right now, there's a huge disconnect between your GPA and your MCAT score, which brings into question your test taking skills on national exams. Schools want people they know will pass the boards.

 

[legacydoctor]

Not if you've already taken them. If you hadn't taken them, I would have said take them for the educational value as your GPA is fine. Nothing will benefit it at this point. Not sure what to tell you except that 22 is below the average med school age, so taking a year off is not a big deal and it's worth it to get into the school you actually want to go to. Right now, there's a huge disconnect between your GPA and your MCAT score, which brings into question your test taking skills on national exams. Schools want people they know will pass the boards.

Ohhhhhhh the pain of it all..............kidding aside, I've talked to a med school advisor and it was recommended that I should submit my app now along with all schools I have an intention to matriculate. I was also told to indicate that I will be retaking the MCAT in my application.

I've also created another thread in the MCAT forum of this site so I'd appreciate more of your advice over there: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/need-advice-for-retaking-mcat.1078018/

 

[shim0shim]

The DO cycle is long. If you retake in September and get a decent score you'll be good for DO schools.

If you retake in 11 days chances are you'll almost certainly get another 20 and after that you may as well just kiss your dreams of getting into medical school goodbye.

I agree with this. I believe that if you are not financially restricted, you should still apply this cycle and take the September MCAT. If you do well, you should be able to get a few interviews in October-December. There has been many past applicants who applied in December, and still managed to get in.

 

[legacydoctor]

I agree with this. I believe that if you are not financially restricted, you should still apply this cycle and take the September MCAT. If you do well, you should be able to get a few interviews in October-December. There has been many past applicants who applied in December, and still managed to get in.

Yeah but, what were the stats for those people that got in? I'm sure that they were above average..

 

[shim0shim]

Yeah but, what were the stats for those people that got in? I'm sure that they were above average..

I am not going to get too specific, but what I am going to say is that some were below your GPA, some were above your GPA.

 

[Struvite]

I am not going to get too specific, but what I am going to say is that some were below the OP and some above the OP.

"some below the OP and some above the OP" = everyone who ever applied lol

 

[legacydoctor]

"some below the OP and some above the OP" = everyone who ever applied lol

Haha I do appreciate his optimism on my behalf though!

 

[shim0shim]

"some below the OP and some above the OP" = everyone who ever applied lol

Sorry, but your post is not going to get you the exact numbers you are looking for as I do respect the confidentiality of my friends. What the OP needs to get out of my post is that others in the similar situation as you (GPA wise) took a later mcat and it worked out fine at the end.Good luck with whatever you choose at the end.

 

[legacydoctor]

Sorry, but your post is not going to get you the exact numbers you are looking for as I do respect the confidentiality of my friends. What the OP needs to get out of my post is that others in the similar situation as you (GPA wise) took a later mcat and it worked out fine at the end.Good luck with whatever you choose at the end.

Thanks and same to you.

 

[Stagg737]

I'm curious, does anyone have any data on how many seats are usually filled by October? Do they purposely leave out, say, half of the seats for people applying later?

Schools typically won't start interviewing until August or even September for some, so very few seats are actually filled by October. However, if you submit in September, you probably wouldn't interview until Nov/Dec at the earliest. That being said if you can hit a 25 on the September MCAT and apply broadly to 10-15 schools you still have a shot at getting in. Keep in mind that you now have a 20 on your applications though, so make sure that when you retake the test, you are absolutely ready to improve by a minimum of 5 points or you will be creating a trend that most med schools will not look at very kindly.

You guys are telling me not to rush things but what you're recommending is for me to wait almost 2 years until I start my med school. If I were to wait that long then wouldn't I be better off taking a year of post-bac courses so that I'd have a better chance in both DO & MD schools as well as keep medical knowledge refreshed throughout the year?

With your GPA and situation I don't think a post-bac will benefit you much at all. Those are mainly for people who need to complete pre-reqs or had disastrous undergrad GPAs (sub-3.2). I think your app will benefit far more by finding a medically-related job that will get you more clinical or research experience. This way you will be showing your dedication to the medical field while adding a new experience to your resume, not to mention you'll be able to make some money.

 

[keels99]

I disagree about the September MCAT being "too late." I didn't send out my secondaries until February and got accepted.

 

[darklordzzz]

I disagree about the September MCAT being "too late." I didn't send out my secondaries until February and got accepted.

if u dont mind, share ur stats. ur stats must be up the top then 🙂

 

[keels99]

if u dont mind, share ur stats. ur stats must be up the top then 🙂

Nope. 26 MCAT, 3.48 GPA. Nothing I would consider stellar. I had good LOR's and good work history, though. I applied to only 4 schools because I didn't want to waste money on such a late application.

 

[AlteredScale]

I think a retake is in order unfortunately. And I agree that an SMP wouldn't do too much. But you can rock this test 🙂

Good luck!

 

[Beth_W737]

Definitely retake, apply to one school not high on your wish list and get verified. Only take in Sept if consistently scoring over 27 on full length practice tests. Otherwise push back the test until you are ready and apply the following year. I second the suggestion to get a clinical or research job to help your app in case you apply the following year. Good luck!

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

If you get 26+ in September, I would agree you should apply broadly. Schools with 30+ average would likely be out of the running. If you get a 25, you could try your luck at the bottom tier schools (ACOM, VCOM-Auburn, LMU-DCOM) and perhaps a couple of mid-tier (ATSU-SOMA, Touro-NV and CUSOM).

 

[legacydoctor]

Definitely retake, apply to one school not high on your wish list and get verified. Only take in Sept if consistently scoring over 27 on full length practice tests. Otherwise push back the test until you are ready and apply the following year. I second the suggestion to get a clinical or research job to help your app in case you apply the following year. Good luck!

Would it be wrong to apply to 10-15 schools now but indicate that I'm retaking the MCAT? Is it possible that I wouldn't be given a second thought even If i make a 30+ on the retake due to the fact that I added those schools too early?

 

[legacydoctor]

If you get 26+ in September, I would agree you should apply broadly. Schools with 30+ average would likely be out of the running. If you get a 25, you could try your luck at the bottom tier schools (ACOM, VCOM-Auburn, LMU-DCOM) and perhaps a couple of mid-tier (ATSU-SOMA, Touro-NV and CUSOM).

Would I have a chance at MSUCOM if I score ~25 on the retake? That school is my first choice and really the only one that I'd like to go to..

 

[polylux]

Would I have a chance at MSUCOM if I score ~25 on the retake? That school is my first choice and really the only one that I'd like to go to..

MSUCOM wants a 26, at least.