Should I retake the MCAT?

[deleted567285]

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Hi guys, I'm in kind of an annoying situation and I was hoping for some insight. I'm applying to both MD and DO schools currently, and I've taken the MCAT in April 2015. My percentiles and scores ended up being the following:

BIO: 129 -- 93% (Old 12)
CARS: 125 -- 58% (Old 9)
CHEM: 129 -- 93% (Old 12)
SOC: 124 -- 43% (Old 8)

As of now, I'm set to retake the MCAT on August 5th, but with school being so busy from April-June, I honestly hadn't gotten a lot of time to study for the retake. While I'm pretty satisfied with my total MCAT score, I'm worried about my CARS and SOC section.

I'm wondering if you guys think it would be worth it for me to retake the exam. I am, however, scared that because I haven't prepared as much this time around, my scores may drop a bit.

Do you think my CARS or SOC score would be a red flag to schools, even though my overall score is acceptable? Would any schools possibly screen me out based on my CARS and SOC? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Here are some more stats:

State of residence - Tulsa, Oklahoma

Cumulative GPA - 4.00
Science GPA - 4.00

Research – In process of publishing paper/ it has been submitted; research in two biology labs and have presented talks on my research at two conferences

Volunteering – by time I apply I will have about 300 hours volunteering in various projects. I have done about 200 at various hospitals. and about 100 at a local low cost clinic.

Physician shadowing – By time I apply I will have ~100 hrs of dedicated shadowing.

Extracurricular activities - I have done various campus projects, such as science outreach to local K-12 schools and held a president position at a student club on campus.

Employment history - I have worked at JCPenny and also worked as a research assistant in a lab for over a year.

I have all already applied and submitted the AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS applications.

This is my list of schools that I am applying too

AMCAS:

Baylor College of Medicine
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Regular
Creighton University School of Medicine Regular
Drexel University College of Medicine Regular
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medici Regular
Medical College of Wisconsin Regular
New York Medical College Regular
Quinnipiac University SOM Regular M.D. No Rush Medical College Regular
Saint Louis University School of Medicine Regular
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University Regular
Temple University School of Medicine Regular
The Commonwealth Medical College Regular
The University of Oklahoma Regular
Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center

AACOMAS:
Oklahoma State
CCOM
Kansas City
(Add more?)

TMDSAS -- all schools.

Thank you for any help!

 

[efle]

A 507 is almost identical to an old 29. A good number of your currently listed schools will take issue with that. I assume you have an MSAR; check stuff like Baylor, New York Medical, SLU and make sure you want to spend the app fees to places like that. Unless you are URM, retaking the MCAT and doing better would open up a much bigger set of schools to someone with your ECs and GPA.

 

[NeuResurgens]

A 507 is almost identical to an old 29. A good number of your currently listed schools will take issue with that. I assume you have an MSAR; check stuff like Baylor, New York Medical, SLU and make sure you want to spend the app fees to places like that. Unless you are URM, retaking the MCAT and doing better would open up a much bigger set of schools to someone with your ECs and GPA.

Where are you getting these correlates between old/new MCAT from? From the percentiles and correlates OP says he has, he should have more like a 31-32, so I'm genuinely confused.

 

[efle]

Where are you getting these correlates between old/new MCAT from? From the percentiles and correlates OP says he has, he should have more like a 31-32, so I'm genuinely confused.

507 is 74th percentile, closest to 29 at 73rd percentile. A 32 would be way out at 88th percentile!

see my tables here

 

[NeuResurgens]

507 is 74th percentile, closest to 29 at 73rd percentile. A 32 would be way out at 88th percentile!

see my tables here

I see, nice work. Did you just pull all these percentiles straight from AAMC stats then? If so, OP is probably overestimating his score..

 

[efle]

I see, nice work. Did you just pull all these percentiles straight from AAMC stats then? If so, OP is probably overestimating his score..

Yes, its all from the recently released 2012-2014 Final MCAT Percentiles and the April/May MCAT 2015 Percentiles

He probably is overestimating, if he wants to apply to places like Baylor, SLU, UT Southwest

 

[basophilic]

I wanted to add a question: wouldn't OP be too late in the cycle in taking the 08/05 exam?

 

[deleted567285]

I have been told my score is a 30. Because of the round up rule.

I know Baylor is a reach school and UTsouthwestern is also a reach but it is included in the price so I said why not.

I am really hoping for my state school. University of Oklahoma which takes 27-35

Should I retake for that school. I am applying to others but Oklahoma and Oklahoma State DO are my main schools because I want to stay in state

 

[efle]

I have been told my score is a 30. Because of the round up rule.

I know Baylor is a reach school and UTsouthwestern is also a reach but it is included in the price so I said why not.

I am really hoping for my state school. University of Oklahoma which takes 27-35

Should I retake for that school. I am applying to others but Oklahoma and Oklahoma State DO are my main schools because I want to stay in state

Technically, the way to say it is that the ceiling for 507 lies in the old 30 bin, one percentile above the 29 bin ceiling. If adcoms set up a table like mine and compare by percentile ceilings, what they'll see is that you're 74th percentile.

You do have a shot at Oklahoma being instate, and having such a strong GPA and all the EC boxes checked. Oklahoma DO for sure you should feel good about. Your odds at Oklahoma MD will go up considerably if you gained a few points on your MCAT though; how did your practice tests compare to the real thing? Do you think you'd improve substantially on a retake?

 

[deleted567285]

Technically, the way to say it is that the ceiling for 507 lies in the old 30 bin, one percentile above the 29 bin ceiling. If adcoms set up a table like mine and compare by percentile ceilings, what they'll see is that you're 74th percentile.

You do have a shot at Oklahoma being instate, and having such a strong GPA and all the EC boxes checked. Oklahoma DO for sure you should feel good about. Your odds at Oklahoma MD will go up considerably if you gained a few points on your MCAT though; how did your practice tests compare to the real thing? Do you think you'd improve substantially on a retake?

Oklahoma has a MCAT range from 27-35. So I feel good about easily getting an interview there as well as OKlahoma DO

However I have already committed time to summer classes and research and feel like I will not be prepared for an August MCAT.

I don't think my sciences can improve but I can on verbal. But is it worth to do all that studying all over again to gain a few points.

 

[whipcakes]

you could always do as much studying at you can fit into your schedule and do a practice exam before the Aug 2 date to see where you are. I've noticed it takes alot longer to raise a verbal score than anything else mostly because its a skill and not based on knowledge content at all. You could always take it in January and apply next cycle if you don't get in this cycle, but I think your overall score mixed with your GPA is competitive. I would be surprised if you didn't at least get one interview.

 

[GEToutLADYits6AM]

Did you indicate on your app. that you are retaking?