Should I Retake the MCAT?

[ClemsonTiger91]

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Pretty simple, 31 S on my first MCAT: 12 V, 10 PS, 9 BS. I have a 3.96 cGPA 4.00 sGPA. I'm finishing up my BS in Biomedical Engineering from a top 25 BioE program. I have a lot of EC's I'm president of several of my organizations (including one with about 3,000 members). I didn't do that well on the MCAT because I spent the summer doing an REU (Stem Cell Engineering at Rice). I definitely didn't study even half as much as I was originally planning to.

Should I spend the next summer just focusing on MCAT to try for a huge score? Or should I take an opportunity to work for a Professor at my one of my state med schools doing paid research (clinical trials relating to my research from the previous summer). What will help me more, the research or the number? Thanks!

 

[CopaceticOne]

Do you feel that the MCAT score is representative of your abilities on a knowledge based standardized test? If yes, don't retake. If no, then retake. It's as simple as that.

 

[theseeker4]

Pretty simple, 31 S on my first MCAT: 12 V, 10 PS, 9 BS. I have a 3.96 cGPA 4.00 sGPA. I'm finishing up my BS in Biomedical Engineering from a top 25 BioE program. I have a lot of EC's I'm president of several of my organizations (including one with about 3,000 members). I didn't do that well on the MCAT because I spent the summer doing an REU (Stem Cell Engineering at Rice). I definitely didn't study even half as much as I was originally planning to.

Should I spend the next summer just focusing on MCAT to try for a huge score? Or should I take an opportunity to work for a Professor at my one of my state med schools doing paid research (clinical trials relating to my research from the previous summer). What will help me more, the research or the number? Thanks!

Depends on where you want to go. How high are your sights set? If you are looking for admission to a top med school or an MD/PhD program, or any other program your MCAT is below average at, retake. If you want more of a certainty of getting into any particular school, regardless of rank or name, retake. If the opportunity to research with your professor is more important than getting into a top program, your numbers are plenty to get in somewhere.

 

[YSPharm12]

Pretty simple, 31 S on my first MCAT: 12 V, 10 PS, 9 BS. I have a 3.96 cGPA 4.00 sGPA. I'm finishing up my BS in Biomedical Engineering from a top 25 BioE program. I have a lot of EC's I'm president of several of my organizations (including one with about 3,000 members). I didn't do that well on the MCAT because I spent the summer doing an REU (Stem Cell Engineering at Rice). I definitely didn't study even half as much as I was originally planning to.

Should I spend the next summer just focusing on MCAT to try for a huge score? Or should I take an opportunity to work for a Professor at my one of my state med schools doing paid research (clinical trials relating to my research from the previous summer). What will help me more, the research or the number? Thanks!

Retake. If you want the research experience though, maybe you could talk to your professor and see if you can still help with the clinical trials, but get a more flexible schedule. You probably would not get paid then, but you'd be able to do both and hopefully still have time to focus on MCATs.

 

[asrikrishnan]

Only in SDN do you see people suggesting to retake solid MCATs and GPAs. But I assume OP wants top 25 or MD/PhD so yeah you should retake. Also, what is your state of residence? If it's Texas (since you mentioned a research summer in Rice) you'll probably want to retake if you want some interest from Baylor and UTSW.

 

[ClemsonTiger91]

@asrikrishnan, I'm an SC resident. Baylor would be a great fit, but I realize that I'm gonna need to step it up if I want to get Baylor out of state.

 

[alexandertg6]

Take a look at this if you want to know your statistical chance of improvement. Of course this is for "typical test takers"... but I think everyone thinks they are atypical test takers.

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/admissionsadvisors/mcat_stats

For the record, I completely ignored this chart and retook my 9/10/13 score because I hadnt taken physics II or Organic II the first time around and got a 10/11/14 the second time around. But clearly my n=1 does not make the rule.

 

[Noah Capurso]

Ok, I'm going to contradict what every one has been saying. DO NOT RETAKE IF YOU GET ABOVE 30! This is especially true if you have a solid GPA and lots of EC's. Most importantly, if you say that you studied much less than you intended, why do you think this time is going to be any different? More than likely you will start your studying and soon realize what a miserable waste of time studying for the MCAT is. You'll get burned out, not study very hard, and end up with a similar score that is maybe a few points higher. Let me tell you, a 31 looks good. A 31 and a 32 or 33 does not look good. Do yourself a favor and use your time more productively than studying for the mcat when you've already gotten a good score. You will help your chances much more by devoting that studying time to another EC.

Finally, even if you score lets say 5 points higher, you won't improve your chances very much. Sure, people with 36 statistically do better when applying than those who get 31, but applicants with 36 also have stronger EC's and LOR's and GPA's. Think of the MCAT like a high jump. You have to jump over a certain bar and that's it. Going way above the bar isn't going to help you much and that bar is, pretty much everywhere, 30. Even at the very best schools. I know applicants at top 10 medical schools who got in with scores less than 30. You can too if the rest of your application is as good as you say it is.

 

[CorneliaSt]

I have almost the exact same MCAT score: 31 including the ugly 9 bio. I too was thinking about retaking after my score came in because I was doing better on practice tests. I also have a very high GPA like you (3.9+ both bcpm and overall). I am currently applying this cycle with the 31. I applied to 17 schools and have received 6 interviews and 2 acceptances to solid schools so far. None of them have been top 25, however. Just thought I would throw that out there.

 

[saveourpens]

Honestly, it's not bad but that score will close doors for you at some schools. If it were me, I'd retake...that is assuming you think you can do better.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Do you feel that the MCAT score is representative of your abilities on a knowledge based standardized test? If yes, don't retake. If no, then retake. It's as simple as that.

👍👍👍

 

[jcruiser]

The advice given in this thread is silly. You have a 4.0 and a slightly above average MCAT. You want to retake and get a better score but have you considered what made you get your initial score in the first place? If your only goal is to get into medical school, you will get in with your stats for sure. Otherwise if you retake the MCAT, having a general idea of what is already on the test, and get almost the same score (1-2 points/higher-lower), a flag will raise.

My adviser has always told me that unless you're going for the 98th percentile in every section, don't take the MCAT. This should be especially true when you're retaking. Personally, I say don't waste your time and take the paid research job at that IS med school. You're good to go.

 

[FattySlug]

PS and BS are the easier sections to improve on so if you think you can do that go right ahead. Don't leave anything up to chances. You can still get in with your stats but you will probably spend some time being neurotic asking yourself "what if" while waiting for interviews.

If this is the best score you ever get in practice then don't retake. Pretty obvious answer but I have been in the same situation so just want to help you out.

 

[MD Odyssey]

Yawn.

Only on SDN do you find people with top 10% scores and GPA freaking out about whether they are competitive enough.

 

[WorldChanger36]

You have a good score. Keep it and move on with life. Try to improve your application in other areas besides scores and gpa. You can still get into those top schools as every single one of those schools is a major dice roll even if you do have top MCAT scores. If you keep the attention of those top schools while you are applying by updating them with activities and new grades you could be rewarded with an interview.
It is possible for you to do worse on the MCAT, don't chance it, your playing with stats if you retake any thing over a 30 unless you have a section under a 9. Show these schools what you got with research, interesting ECs and powerful leadership activities. Don't let people fool you in to thinking you have to be perfect to get into top programs. Be humble and show off just how hard you can work in summer research internships and other opportunities. I don't know when you are graduating but if you time consider a masters program where you can gain some valuable time doing research in some of the schools you maybe interested in. In the end the choice is up to you but if I where you I wouldn't retake and would work hard to pad my app in other areas.

 

[cheekiemunky]

I have a 30 and never even considered retaking. I couldn't imagine studying for that test again. Besides, what if you retake and do worse? That would suck. People are crazy.

 

[coyotelime]

I have a 30 and never even considered retaking. I couldn't imagine studying for that test again. Besides, what if you retake and do worse? That would suck. People are crazy.

👍, except I've considered retaking many times but conveniently gave myself 18 hrs for next semester so I wouldn't have time to restudy.

Though EK would be amazing compared to the **** TBR put me through...

 

[eHombre]

Look everyone, OP is a biomedical engineering major with a near 4.0 at a good school. Clearly, s/he's capable of doing better on the science sections. If OP wants to have a good shot at a top 20 med school or an MD/PhD program, a higher MCAT score will help to ensure that OP's application is competitive.

OP, here's what I'll say. Do some preliminary studying (~2 weeks), hitting your weak sections, then take a timed AAMC practice test or two and see where you stand. Have you improved significantly? If that 35+ score is inside of you, you should be able to see intermediate gains from focused study. If you're still stuck around 30, just take your score and move on to improving other aspects of your application. If you decide to retake, make sure you put in a full effort to make it worth your while.

 

[liveoak]

make sure you improve 3-4+. Improving to a 32 doesn't make you very different from a candidate getting a 30 on the first shot. (per my schools pre-medicine advisor)

 

[elderjack21]

make sure you improve 3-4+. Improving to a 32 doesn't make you very different from a candidate getting a 30 on the first shot. (per my schools pre-medicine advisor)

Absolutely true. If you stay the same or only minimally improve, it is like saying you are maxed out on your bench press weight or something.

30 is solid. Try to make the rest of your application strong and that will more than suffice. You can't change your socioeconomic class or racial background, but those things factor in as well for admission. So take that into consideration as well when you look at your total application and your scores and such. But there are plenty of other things that you can do to make yourself a stronger applicant than "just" having an average MCAT score (for admitted students).