Should I retake?

[meridethgrey]

So I got my MCAT score yesterday and I got a 505.
Chem/physics 127
Verbal 127
Bio 127
Pysch 124 (yeah I don't know how that happened...)

I don't know if I should retake or not. Looking at online converters I got a 29/30. I am aware that the average MCAT to be "competitive" is a 31. What do you guys think? The only fear I have with retaking is possibly lowering my score in the sciences and verbal. Also, I'd be applying for the 2017 cycle.

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[femmegoblue]

I say retake to 510+ if you are going MD, and you're fine for DO as is.

 

[maydaymalone]

505-468 = 37. 37 * 0.75 = 27.75 which should be your score

 

[Fedekz]

I got a 504 on my MCAT and am fairing well this season so far - US MD only. The MCAT is one piece of your application, not the whole thing. I think a 505 is fine, don't stress about retaking it. Focus on other parts of your app. This is my opinion, and my anecdotal evidence of course.

 

[EverStriving]

505-468 = 37. 37 * 0.75 = 27.75 which should be your score

505 = 29

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...centile-comparison-conversion-tables.1143689/

 

[zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

505 = 29

A 505 is a 29?! Yesssss I'm so happy even if it's a "low" 29

I still can't believe it's a 29 wow.

 

[GrapesofRath]

505 is somewhere from 65th to 68th percentile.

28: 62nd to 67th percentile
29: 68th to 73rd percentile.

Hence, its fair to consider a 505 a 28, that's where the most overlap between the range of what constitutes a 505 belongs to.

In general a 28 is pretty low for MD standards. How much of a chance you have with it comes down to other factors about your app such as your GPA and factors you can't really control like state of residence. In general, the rule is if you have significant reason to believe you can do 3+ points better on a re-take(ie concrete evidence, not oh I just feel I know I can do better) it's a good idea to consider a re-take. Re-taking and not making a significant improvement will not help you, it is more likely to hurt if anything.

 

[zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

505 is somewhere from 65th to 68th percentile.

28: 62nd to 67th percentile
29: 68th to 73rd percentile.

Ah, makes sense. Not to hijack the thread or anything but I got a 505 and scored in the 68th percentile overall. Does that mean it's a 29 then?

EDIT: looked closely and found out a 505 is a high 28 or a low 29. Disregard my earlier comment.

 

[meridethgrey]

I got a 504 on my MCAT and am fairing well this season so far - US MD only. The MCAT is one piece of your application, not the whole thing. I think a 505 is fine, don't stress about retaking it. Focus on other parts of your app. This is my opinion, and my anecdotal evidence of course.

Yeah I want MD only as well. And thank youu I was kinda in a slump last week trying to figure out if it was worth retaking or not and I decided not to and just continue doing my research and what not

 

[meridethgrey]

Ah, makes sense. Not to hijack the thread or anything but I got a 505 and scored in the 68th percentile overall. Does that mean it's a 29 then?

EDIT: looked closely and found out a 505 is a high 28 or a low 29. Disregard my earlier comment.

Yeah I was 68 percentile overall as well

 

[Fedekz]

Yeah I want MD only as well. And thank youu I was kinda in a slump last week trying to figure out if it was worth retaking or not and I decided not to and just continue doing my research and what not

Yeah I imagine it all is relative to what your app is like, and what you truly want.

I had a 3.84c/3.94s GPA with lots of exciting EC's (Police Officer, Paramedic, worked for BP during oil spill doing rescues, etc), and a little research going into this application season with the MCAT being the last piece of my puzzle (tested in July, received scores in August). I was hoping for a 32+ and my dream school was Cornell back this July. I scored a 504, which is about a 28 - so it made me completely change up my school list, and what I was hoping to be my more "safety" schools are now the ones I'm hoping to receive II's from...

In the end, I'm okay with that. I just want to go somewhere - and I feel that my 504 will achieve that for me.

If you're dead set on going to a top 25, then you'll surely need to retake. There certainly are people who score in the 20's, and retake and score 34+, but they are few and far between. Especially on an online forum there is a selection bias, you will hear 100x more success stories than you will hear failing ones just because those who made such a drastic change as more likely to be ecstatic and share.

If the rest of your app is solid, I wouldn't stress it. A lot rides on what state your a resident of as well.

Now that it's been two years since I've taken biology, 8 months since organic/physics/biochemistry, and 3 years since general chemistry ... if I don't get in this cycle I'd rather establish residency in Texas or Louisiana and have a much better shot than to retake the MCAT. The MCAT wasn't too bad for me, I actually enjoyed taking it. But I'm thankful I took the exam directly after my pre-reqs when it was fresh in my mind.