Should I retake the MCAT?

[SkolVikes2024]

I’m in a bit of a tricky situation.

So far, I’ve had four interview invites: two recent ones where I’m still awaiting a decision, one deferral, and one waitlist at my state school. I have an MCAT seat reserved for late May but don’t expect to hear back from the recent interviews until at least late March. My current MCAT is around the 80th percentile. To see a meaningful improvement, I’d need to start studying ASAP—otherwise, retaking could hurt my application rather than help.

I’m also not sure that an MCAT retake is absolutely necessary for a competitive reapplication, though it would certainly help to have a 515+. If I do need to reapply, I would continue working full-time as a researcher, adding several thousand research hours and additional publications. I’d also strengthen my nonclinical volunteering and apply to DO programs next cycle in addition to MD schools.

I want to feel confident that at least one of these interviews will turn into an acceptance, but I also need to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Should I spend the next few months grinding to improve my MCAT? Or would that be overpreparing and adding unnecessary stress to a cycle that still has real promise?

Other application context:

* ORM
* 1000+ hours of clinical
* 4000+ hours research
* >5 middle-author publications
* cGPA > 3.6
* sGPA > 3.5
* 600+ hours of clinical volunteering
* 100+ nonclinical volunteering
* Solid ECs with leadership positions

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[eigen]

It would really help to know your current score if you want opinions on a re-take.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I’ve had four interview invites: two recent ones where I’m still awaiting a decision, one deferral, and one waitlist at my state school.

Your MCAT is not your problem. If you retake and don't significantly improve, you've wasted your money. If you significantly improved but you got in off the waitlist, you've wasted your money. If you don't get off the waitlist having had 4 interviews, your interview skills may be the more significant issue. Unless you are dissatisfied and just want to go fo Ivy+ or broke, you don't need to retake the test.

 

[westbill]

I’m in a bit of a tricky situation.

So far, I’ve had four interview invites: two recent ones where I’m still awaiting a decision, one deferral, and one waitlist at my state school. I have an MCAT seat reserved for late May but don’t expect to hear back from the recent interviews until at least late March. My current MCAT is around the 80th percentile. To see a meaningful improvement, I’d need to start studying ASAP—otherwise, retaking could hurt my application rather than help.

I’m also not sure that an MCAT retake is absolutely necessary for a competitive reapplication, though it would certainly help to have a 515+. If I do need to reapply, I would continue working full-time as a researcher, adding several thousand research hours and additional publications. I’d also strengthen my nonclinical volunteering and apply to DO programs next cycle in addition to MD schools.

I want to feel confident that at least one of these interviews will turn into an acceptance, but I also need to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Should I spend the next few months grinding to improve my MCAT? Or would that be overpreparing and adding unnecessary stress to a cycle that still has real promise?

Other application context:

* ORM
* 1000+ hours of clinical
* 4000+ hours research
* >5 middle-author publications
* cGPA > 3.6
* sGPA > 3.5
* 600+ hours of clinical volunteering
* 100+ nonclinical volunteering
* Solid ECs with leadership positions

You pose an interesting question. I'm assuming your MCAT score is somewhere in the vicinity of 510 based upon your stated percentile. You also indicate significant research hours which would put you into contention at a top-tier program (except your MCAT score would likely preclude that possibility). Further, by stating you would consider a DO route it suggests top-tier placement isn't a major concern, and your primary objective is acceptance somewhere.

So your question predominates around whether intensive MCAT prep will significantly raise your score; however, without knowing your previous level of prep it's difficult to predict the utility of such an approach but I would postulate thusly: you appear to be an individual who doesn't leave much to chance, therefore it's most likely you sat for the MCAT from a well-prepared position. Given that, I suspect additional intensive MCAT prep will not appreciably improve your score. Perhaps you might view the already-received invites as a signal you are quite viable right now, see what unfolds over the next few months and spare yourself added stress you can reasonably avoid...

 

[babySimba]

Do schools focus on individual section scores, or do they primarily consider the total MCAT score?