Should I retake MCAT? 2014

[tpathiyil14]

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I was wondering if the official should I retake MCAT guidelines from 2007 are still applicable today. The original comment was:

"For those of you who are trying to figure out whether you should re-take, this is the thread for you. Post your dilemma here if you want advice from other SDN folks. Please note that you should take the opinions you get from SDN as one source of advice; you would be wise to also consult your premed advisor before making this decision. Here is my personal advice for those considering whether to re-take:

Definitely DO retake:
-if you scored below a 24. Some allopathic schools will screen out students with scores lower than 24, which is about the mean score for all test-takers.
-if you had some kind of major problem during the test that affected your performance (ex. you started puking or running a 102 degree temperature)
-if you took the test without completing the four pre-reqs (one year each of biology, chemistry, physics, and organic) and/or without studying for it
-if you left large numbers of questions blank

Definitely do NOT retake:
-if you scored a 30 or better, especially if all of your individual section scores were an 8 or better
-if your section subscores (the numerical ones) are all good, but you didn't perform well on the writing section (the letter score)


Gray area-it's not obvious what to do:
-if you scored 30+ but with one section below an 8
-if you had some minor nuisances (ex. a noisy test room) during the test and you're not sure if it affected your performance
-if you studied thoroughly for the test and you scored within the range of your practice exams, but your score is in the middle range (24-29)"



In my case I have a 32 overall: 11 Verbal, 10 Physical, 11 Biological. I have a 3.47 GPA, and I am kind of lacking in terms of volunteering and job shadowing, although I have scribed for quite some time. I was wondering if I should follow my dad's advice and take the MCAT again in August and study for the next 2.5 months? OR should I accept that grade, apply to easier schools and more DO school and instead spend the next months working as a scribe, job shadowing, and volunteering? Hopefully I get into a masters program.

 

[Cambover]

I don't think a 32 will keep you out of medical school by any means. Just be smart where you apply based on the rest of your application.

 

[baxt1412]

I don't think a 32 warrants a delay right now. Liek cambover said, be smart on who you apply to (USE MSAR.. IT'S AMAZING) and see where that gets you. Get good letters. Set up some ECs now that you can continue to do until you would matriculate if accepted and put that in your app. (then actually go do that EC!)

 

[tpathiyil14]

OH also I forgot to mention that I did double major in both Biology and Mathematics and minor in Health Care Ethics. So should I instead try to get more job shadowing and volunteering?

 

[theseeker4]

I was wondering if the official should I retake MCAT guidelines from 2007 are still applicable today. The original comment was:

"For those of you who are trying to figure out whether you should re-take, this is the thread for you. Post your dilemma here if you want advice from other SDN folks. Please note that you should take the opinions you get from SDN as one source of advice; you would be wise to also consult your premed advisor before making this decision. Here is my personal advice for those considering whether to re-take:

Definitely DO retake:
-if you scored below a 24. Some allopathic schools will screen out students with scores lower than 24, which is about the mean score for all test-takers.
-if you had some kind of major problem during the test that affected your performance (ex. you started puking or running a 102 degree temperature)
-if you took the test without completing the four pre-reqs (one year each of biology, chemistry, physics, and organic) and/or without studying for it
-if you left large numbers of questions blank

Definitely do NOT retake:
-if you scored a 30 or better, especially if all of your individual section scores were an 8 or better
-if your section subscores (the numerical ones) are all good, but you didn't perform well on the writing section (the letter score)

Gray area-it's not obvious what to do:
-if you scored 30+ but with one section below an 8
-if you had some minor nuisances (ex. a noisy test room) during the test and you're not sure if it affected your performance
-if you studied thoroughly for the test and you scored within the range of your practice exams, but your score is in the middle range (24-29)"



In my case I have a 32 overall: 11 Verbal, 10 Physical, 11 Biological. I have a 3.47 GPA, and I am kind of lacking in terms of volunteering and job shadowing, although I have scribed for quite some time. I was wondering if I should follow my dad's advice and take the MCAT again in August and study for the next 2.5 months? OR should I accept that grade, apply to easier schools and more DO school and instead spend the next months working as a scribe, job shadowing, and volunteering? Hopefully I get into a masters program.

No, don't retake that score. Your weak areas of your application are not your MCAT, so don't spend energy trying to improve that when you could be improving your ECs and GPA.

 

[DokterMom]

I'd suspect the original is a bit out of date, and would suggest the following revisions:

I was wondering if the official should I retake MCAT guidelines from 2007 are still applicable today. The original comment was:

Definitely DO retake:
-if you scored below a 24 28. Some allopathic schools will screen out students with scores lower than 24 28, which is about the mean score for all test-takers.

Definitely do NOT retake:
-if you scored a 30 33 or better, especially if all of your individual section scores were an 8 9 or better
-if your section subscores (the numerical ones) are all good, but you didn't perform well on the writing section (the letter score)

Gray area-it's not obvious what to do:
-if you scored 30+ but with one section below an 8