Should I retake my MCAT 512,3.93

[Vsr]

Hi all,

Just got my MCAT score back
128-125-129-130. My last two AAMC were 519 and 520---quite a drop.Never scored below 127 in my CARS. I got 3 hours of sleep, which I suspect dropped my score.I studied for 4 months. I was aiming for 515. I feel like I scored so much lower than my FLs predicted,but am wondering if it matters enough that I should retake and take a gap year, if I want to get into schools like Emory, Miami, tufts, UNC, schools with strong public health programs? Please advise if I should wait and retake or apply this year?
Rising Senior, Large public university in GA 3.87 science, 3.93 cumulative GPA, ORM
Premier scholarship -full free ride
Leadership award
phi-beta-kappa
blue key honor society

Clinical experience:
-Volunteered at free clinic as spanish interepretor-150 hours+
-Medical volunteering abroad
Shadowing experience:
-As interpretor 150 hours
- abroad in primary care and opthalmology 60 hours

ECs:
TA
Cello player
Severe leadership positions
Executive Leadership position in a major student organisation in the campus
Research:
Research fellow grant x2
Summer research fellow in a top university leading to a publication- pending
Published in inter college journal
Basic science research leading to a poster presentation/abstract in a major university
Research internship abroad leading to Best paper award
Multiple poster and oral presentations in USA and Abroad
Current research project in campus - 2nd author publication pending
Volunteer: 300+ hours
Service trips
Inner city schools mentoring/coaching
If I should where should I apply ?
Thanks

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[Faha]

Where is your state of residence ?

 

[Vsr]

GA

 

[bigstygg]

Hi all,

Just got my MCAT score back
128-125-129-130. My last two AAMC were 519 and 520---quite a drop.Never scored below 127 in my CARS. I got 3 hours of sleep, which I suspect dropped my score.I studied for 4 months. I was aiming for 515. I feel like I scored so much lower than my FLs predicted,but am wondering if it matters enough that I should retake and take a gap year, if I want to get into schools like Emory, Miami, tufts, UNC, schools with strong public health programs? Please advise if I should wait and retake or apply this year?
Rising Senior, Large public university in GA 3.87 science, 3.93 cumulative GPA, ORM
Premier scholarship -full free ride
Leadership award
phi-beta-kappa
blue key honor society

Clinical experience:
-Volunteered at free clinic as spanish interepretor-150 hours+
-Medical volunteering abroad
Shadowing experience:
-As interpretor 150 hours
- abroad in primary care and opthalmology 60 hours

ECs:
TA
Cello player
Severe leadership positions
Executive Leadership position in a major student organisation in the campus
Research:
Research fellow grant x2
Summer research fellow in a top university leading to a publication- pending
Published in inter college journal
Basic science research leading to a poster presentation/abstract in a major university
Research internship abroad leading to Best paper award
Multiple poster and oral presentations in USA and Abroad
Current research project in campus - 2nd author publication pending
Volunteer: 300+ hours
Service trips
Inner city schools mentoring/coaching
If I should where should I apply ?
Thanks

I may be saying something that is obvious to you, but everything on your app is outstanding except for the MCAT. That being said, your MCAT is still good and you probably should not retake based on the schools you mentioned. The exception is maybe UNC since out of state they are very challenging, but with your interest in public health they could still be worth the reach this cycle. So from me retaking is going to be a No. Definitely apply this year.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

GA

Lol you’ll be more than fine! Georgia loves their own, and I suspect Mercer would salivate for an applicant such as yourself

 

[Faha]

GA

I suggest these schools:
Medical College Georgia
Mercer
Emory
Wake Forest
Miami
NOVA MD
Tulane
Creighton
St. Louis
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
Oakland Beaumont
Tufts
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Wake Forest

 

[Vsr]

Thanks Faha
@Goro @LizzyM?

 

[Goro]

My list is very similar to Faha's.
UCF (maybe)
Hofstra
U Toledo
Wayne State
U VM
Pitt
Miami
St. Louis
Albany
Albert Einstein
Rochester
Rush
Rosy Franklin
MCW
NYMC
VCU
EVMS
Wake Forest
Jefferson
Temple
Tufts
Drexel
Creighton
George Washington
Georgetown
Emory
Tulane
Dartmouth
Loyola
Netter
Oakland-B
Western MI
Seton Hall
MCG
Mercer
Nova MD
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Any DO program. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide.

 

[Vsr]

My list is very similar to Faha's.
UCF (maybe)
Hofstra
U Toledo
Wayne State
U VM
Pitt
Miami
St. Louis
Albany
Albert Einstein
Rochester
Rush
Rosy Franklin
MCW
NYMC
VCU
EVMS
Wake Forest
Jefferson
Temple
Tufts
Drexel
Creighton
George Washington
Georgetown
Emory
Tulane
Dartmouth
Loyola
Netter
Oakland-B
Western MI
Seton Hall
MCG
Mercer
Nova MD
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Any DO program. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide.

 

[Vsr]

My list is very similar to Faha's.
UCF (maybe)
Hofstra
U Toledo
Wayne State
U VM
Pitt
Miami
St. Louis
Albany
Albert Einstein
Rochester
Rush
Rosy Franklin
MCW
NYMC
VCU
EVMS
Wake Forest
Jefferson
Temple
Tufts
Drexel
Creighton
George Washington
Georgetown
Emory
Tulane
Dartmouth
Loyola
Netter
Oakland-B
Western MI
Seton Hall
MCG
Mercer
Nova MD
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Any DO program. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide.

Thanks

 

[Vsr]

WARS VS MSAR
My WARS is 85+. But the A and B category schools are above my mcat, should I consider a few ?
@Goro

 

[Walter Raleigh]

As an MCAT tutor: IF you retook, you'd have a good shot at significant improvement. 3 hours of sleep + consistent 518+ practice test performance means you've got a good shot at a 518+ score on the real thing. Retaking a 512 is borderline perfectionism...and you've got to show significant improvement, around 5 points or better, in order to not get seen as a neurotic perfectionist. How much are you gunning for those top 20s, and how much of a gambler are you?

 

[Vsr]

As an MCAT tutor: IF you retook, you'd have a good shot at significant improvement. 3 hours of sleep + consistent 518+ practice test performance means you've got a good shot at a 518+ score on the real thing. Retaking a 512 is borderline perfectionism...and you've got to show significant improvement, around 5 points or better, in order to not get seen as a neurotic perfectionist. How much are you gunning for those top 20s, and how much of a gambler are you?

I was gunning for Top 20 until I got the score, I will try this cycle and if it doesn't go well, will retake. My main target is Emory.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I was gunning for Top 20 until I got the score, I will try this cycle and if it doesn't go well, will retake. My main target is Emory.

Be cautious. I advise you to only apply to schools you would 100% attend if accepted. Someone with your app has an excellent chance at acceptance, and if you start applying to places that you don’t really want to go to but “they have lower averages” then you will probably get accepted to one. You plan is good, just make sure you have a smart list.

TLDR, just be careful you aren’t in a situation where you are creating a thread next spring, “got accepted but really don’t want to attend, should I reapply?”