Should I retake the MCAT

[BlueSlurpee]

Hey all, so I am in a situation where I need to decide whether or not I need to retake the MCAT. My first and second MCAT score were both 26. The first break down is 12/5/9 and the second break down was 9/7/10. My cGPA is 3.53, sGPA 3.53, nGPA is 3.53. I have some extracurricular activities but I want to get more non medical activities in during this time. I am planning to apply next application cycle early. Should I go in for the retake or is my score along with my stats decent enough? Thanks for the help!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DrKershaw]

Apply with that score and see how it goes. As long as you apply early you should get some love.

Post in the Pre-DO forum if you want more responses and opinions

 

[BlueSlurpee]

Apply with that score and see how it goes. As long as you apply early you should get some love.

Post in the Pre-DO forum if you want more responses and opinions

Alright thank you for the advise.

 

[Manny's Mangoes]

Hey all, so I am in a situation where I need to decide whether or not I need to retake the MCAT. My first and second MCAT score were both 26. The first break down is 12/5/9 and the second break down was 9/7/10. My cGPA is 3.53, sGPA 3.53, nGPA is 3.53. I have some extracurricular activities but I want to get more non medical activities in during this time. I am planning to apply next application cycle early. Should I go in for the retake or is my score along with my stats decent enough? Thanks for the help!

Some schools might take the highest in each section so you might want to find the ones that do.

 

[MetalloBetalactamase]

Hey all, so I am in a situation where I need to decide whether or not I need to retake the MCAT. My first and second MCAT score were both 26. The first break down is 12/5/9 and the second break down was 9/7/10. My cGPA is 3.53, sGPA 3.53, nGPA is 3.53. I have some extracurricular activities but I want to get more non medical activities in during this time. I am planning to apply next application cycle early. Should I go in for the retake or is my score along with my stats decent enough? Thanks for the help!

Yes. Take it again, but this time just for you. Just for fun!

 

[BlueSlurpee]

Yes. Take it again, but this time just for you. Just for fun!

hahaha

 

[AnonymousD.O.]

When did the MCAT change take effect or hasn't it yet. I would avoid that at all costs if possible probably

 

[hallowmann]

When did the MCAT change take effect or hasn't it yet. I would avoid that at all costs if possible probably

I think Jan. is the last date of the old MCAT. After that, the new 2015 MCAT will be out.

 

[JustPlainBill]

I wouldn't worry about a 26 on an MCAT -- there's a move now where people are realizing what a piss-poor predictor of how you're going to be as a physician that test is --- On any given day you can have a score variance of +/-2 --- heck, one of my colleagues who's now a program director at an MCAT in the low 20s -- graduated in the top 5 of her class and is board certified in IM..... I think you'll get some interviews with places you would want to go..not places that are impressed with themselves and there is a difference.....

 

[NOsaintsfan]

Yes retake the MCAT but not for the reasons you are thinking.

Retake the MCAT with the hopes of scoring high enough (30's) to get into your state school (probaby MD). This is because your instate school will almost certainly be cheeper than any DO school.

This is more imporant than you may realize.

It's easy to get cought up in comparing one scool to another but the reality is that if you go to medical school in the US (MD or DO) there is little difference in the education you will receive no matter what school you attend.

You will learn the same stuff at every school with a slight wrinkle here or there in how it's delivered.

There is however a VERY big difference in the cost of medical education depending on where you attend.

You will get to the finish line no matter where you go, the question is how big your loans will be.

 

[hallowmann]

Yes retake the MCAT but not for the reasons you are thinking.

Retake the MCAT with the hopes of scoring high enough (30's) to get into your state school (probaby MD). This is because your instate school will almost certainly be cheeper than any DO school.

This is more imporant than you may realize.

It's easy to get cought up in comparing one scool to another but the reality is that if you go to medical school in the US (MD or DO) there is little difference in the education you will receive no matter what school you attend.

You will learn the same stuff at every school with a slight wrinkle here or there in how it's delivered.

There is however a VERY big difference in the cost of medical education depending on where you attend.

You will get to the finish line no matter where you go, the question is how big your loans will be.

Not bad advice. That said, I'm going to the least expensive medical school in my state (a DO school), which is much cheaper than my "state school" (a MD school). Definitely varies.

 

[NOsaintsfan]

Not bad advice. That said, I'm going to the least expensive medical school in my state (a DO school), which is much cheaper than my "state school" (a MD school). Definitely varies.

That's why I used words like "probably" because I know that exceptions exist (ex. Texas), but that doesn't change the fact that most DO schools are private school expensive ~40k/year +. Many state funded scools are cheaper than this and most of those are MD schools.

Bottom line: go to the cheapest school you can MD or DO

The difference in educational quality isnt enough to justify added expense unless you have VERY specific career goals. If you want to be the chair of neuro surgery at mass general or something then maybe going to Harvard or somewhere similar is worth it.

I have friends at "top 10" medical schools and they are learning the same thing I am at my no name school.