Should I retake MCAT with a 35R and 3.98 GPA if wanting to go out of state?

[med355618]

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Just joined the network. Here is my little story:

I am just entering my junior year of biochem at a small, liberal arts school in Iowa. Currently, I hold a 3.98 cGPA with a 4.0 in the sciences. My extracurriculars are decent with many leadership positions, but I am lacking in research (I hope to change this soon). I took the MCAT a year early to see where I stand, and my scores from the 7/2/09 test date are 13 PS, 11 VR, 11 BS, and an R on the writing section for a grand total of a 35R.

Should I retake the MCAT if I am looking at mostly out-of-state and private medical schools across the country? Would you expect my scores to increase with another year of college under my belt? Any schools (besides Iowa- long story on my distaste for the institution) that my application would be well suited for?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[RogueUnicorn]

your score is very unlikely to go up, strictly statistically speaking. you will have a WIDE selection of schools to choose from.

 

[redlight]

no need to retake... at all.. your gpa will be in the top half of any med school.. same as your PS... VR will be in the top half of most schools. you're fine, you dont NEED to retake.

 

[oaklandguy]

You will get in somewhere good. You definitely should get involved in research because a lot of the top-tiered schools are really big into research. But your statistics are right up there as long as your EC's stack up then you'll get in somewhere good.

 

[med355618]

Thanks for the advice. I would really like to get into a top-tier program. Do you think that graduating from a college that has a history of turning out mostly osteopathic med. students will hurt my m.d. chances at all?

 

[LXS17]

Thanks for the advice. I would really like to get into a top-tier program. Do you think that graduating from a college that has a history of turning out mostly osteopathic med. students will hurt my m.d. chances at all?

I dont think so. Calm down! Your stats are amazing!
But yeah, do research.

 

[schrizto]

a 35 and a near perfect gpa can take you out of state for sure.

What schools do you have in mind, since the schools you say you are applying to is very broadly defined. If you're really aiming for the top, TOP schools and you felt like you didn't prepare much for the MCAT and was taking it for kicks, then I would say you could try a retake. But that is already an excellent score, and you'd be taking a risk.

 

[med355618]

Well, that's the thing. I was mainly taking the MCAT after my sophmore year just to see where I was standing. Realistically, it would be great to get into Mayo, U of C Pritzker, Northwestern, or Colorado. I realize for this to happen I will have to kick the research into high gear (which is a requirement for my degree in biochemistry). Does anyone have any suggestions for schools to look into? If you retake and your MCAT scores go down will schools look negatively on this? I feel I could bring my biology score up because I'll be taking physiology this next semester.

Thanks to everyone for the replies! This sight is great for worriers like myself.

 

[honker]

Frankly, you would look like a numbers- oriented applicant if you took the MCAT again. Do not take it again. It will not help you.

 

[Stratego]

If you aspire to a "top" school, keep in mind that they are all research giants, and you won't stand out much with only one year of research if you apply a year from now, despite your terrific stats. You'll also want to beef up your leadership and humanitarian work, in addition to the usual clinical experience and shadowing. There are a lot of great schools out there that won't require such a prodigious effort if you don't feel you're quite that ambitious.

Your BS score might rise a bit after you take Physiology, if your test version emphasizes that discipline, but the further you get from Physics, the more likely that score will slip. I agree, you should not retake.