+1...I mean, isn't the point of you voiding for the med schools not to know what may have been a potentially poor score?
NoIn Cinci's interview invite essays, they say:
Discuss how you prepared for your first MCAT exam. If you have taken the MCAT multiple times, provide a preparation outline for each attempt. If you are planning to take the MCAT again after submitting the UC On-Line Secondary Application, outline how you will prepare.
I took the MCAT in January (voided) and again in May (did well). Should I mention the Jan date since they won't know that I took it then, as far as I can tell?
By the simple fact that you took theses actions (ie prepped and took a test then voided it) and are being asked a question about it on a secondary. If you dont reveal it, that is you are intentionally leaving information off that you know to be true, that would be an unethical act. Now, I do not know what the agreement between a test taker and MCAT says about voiding nor do I know what the agreement between MCAT and the schools. This may in fact be an illegal question and I can pose this to the AMCAS people on the regulations. But without those specifics, this would be an intentional act of omission and, therefore, unethical behavior.@gonnif The whole reason a void exists is so that the test never occurred in the first place. I can't find anything unethical about not revealing this.
I think it would be relatively easy to frame the void in a positive light. Emphasize that you had never taken a similar test and wanted to practice, etc. They shouldn't fault you for having the good judgment to void since voiding is a totally legitimate option available to all applicants.I will play devil's advocate that a medical school has the right to ask anything that is factual. While it is extremely remote, by not claiming the void, and you get accepted, and at some point they find out you withheld information, it could be construed as a ethical violation and grounds for withdrawing your acceptance up until you have been awarded the degree. Yes, they can kick you out of medical school over an ethical violation from before acceptance. It also matters greatly on how the void clause is written in the MCAT agreement
By the simple fact that you took theses actions (ie prepped and took a test then voided it) and are being asked a question about it on a secondary. If you dont reveal it, that is you are intentionally leaving information off that you know to be true, that would be an unethical act. Now, I do not know what the agreement between a test taker and MCAT says about voiding nor do I know what the agreement between MCAT and the schools. This may in fact be an illegal question and I can pose this to the AMCAS people on the regulations. But without those specifics, this would be an intentional act of omission and, therefore, unethical behavior.
While true, it doesn't pertain to what the school is asking. They are looking for information about exam preparation and multiple attempts. By not divulging the attempt, OP is technically witholding information. We all signed wavers regarding this at some point in the application cycle....I mean, isn't the point of you voiding for the med schools not to know what may have been a potentially poor score?
I don't think the school is trying to be malicious with their influence (see my above point about data gathering)What is the unethical, not telling the school when they asked about it, or the school deliberately asking about something that should be private? Using their influence to negate what little competitive advantages an applicant has.
I would imagine that he agreement that the student has with MCAT and MCAT has with the school states something along the lines that MCAT will not release voided info. However, that says nothing, nor could it, in any direct agreement with a student and a school. In that case, the school can ask anything. Since there is no inherent "right" to attend medical school and school sets their standards as backedup by state charters and LCME accreditation, they can ask almost anything. You, of course have the absolute right not to apply and therefore not divulge any information. However, that is about where the legal protection ends.What is the unethical, not telling the school when they asked about it, or the school deliberately asking about something that should be private? Using their influence to negate what little competitive advantages an applicant has.
Cincinnati has a secondary, but then if you get an II there are a few more essay questions you have to answer. This is one of the questions between secondary and interview.Wait is this for the interviews or secondary?
...I mean, isn't the point of you voiding for the med schools not to know what may have been a potentially poor score?
Embellishing, emphasizing, enhancing, etc is all fine as you would on a resume. However, when asked a direct question that you intentionally mislead by omission is another matter entirely. The risk of that, while extremely remote, is sanctioned for unethical behavior and loss of admission, likely never to be able to reapply to any medical school. The impact of the risk is great even though the potential of the risk is exceeding small. Therefore, it should be mentioned, even as single line that score was voidedOh.
My.
God.
Yes! Exactly this! I don't know why pre-meds feel the need to volunteer additional information that would do nothing more than hurt them. The whole point of voiding an MCAT is to give you another shot if you feel something went horribly wrong.
Well if it says the decision to void is not released to any medical school how will ADCOMs see it?This discussion just become moot as each school can easily see that you have voided an exam as below states
https://www.aamc.org/students/download/180052/data/guidebook_preview.pdf
Indication of a voided exam will be displayed in the MCAT Score Reporting
System after the scheduled score release date, but your decision
to void an exam is not released to any medical schools
So, a voided exam is simply never scored and therefore no scores are released. However the new MCAT Score Reporting System allows admission staff to see the attempt as void. Report this void else you would be in direct ethical violation.
No score is released to the schools, but it will show up in the reporting system which the schools can check.Well if it says the decision to void is not released to any medical school how will ADCOMs see it?
Do schools actively look to do this---look at reporting systems just to check for voiding of scores? Also is this a new thing schools being able to see that you voided?No score is released to the schools, but it will show up in the reporting system which the schools can check.
It is directional.
AMCAS will not send a report to a school that you have voided an exam
It will be noted in the MCAT score reporting system
Schools can actively look at the reporting system and see an attempt with no score.
Schools can make their own guess as to wh
I am trying to verify this but it appears that the attempt will show up saying not scored with no reason (ie it wont say voided)Do schools actively look to do this---look at reporting systems just to check for voiding of scores? Also is this a new thing schools being able to see that you voided?
In Cinci's interview invite essays, they say:
Discuss how you prepared for your first MCAT exam. If you have taken the MCAT multiple times, provide a preparation outline for each attempt. If you are planning to take the MCAT again after submitting the UC On-Line Secondary Application, outline how you will prepare.
I took the MCAT in January (voided) and again in May (did well). Should I mention the Jan date since they won't know that I took it then, as far as I can tell?
Voiding is the same as if you never took it.In Cinci's interview invite essays, they say:
Discuss how you prepared for your first MCAT exam. If you have taken the MCAT multiple times, provide a preparation outline for each attempt. If you are planning to take the MCAT again after submitting the UC On-Line Secondary Application, outline how you will prepare.
I took the MCAT in January (voided) and again in May (did well). Should I mention the Jan date since they won't know that I took it then, as far as I can tell?
Is this a new thing?AAMC shows ALL your scores on the transcript to AMCAS anyway, including voided ones. There's no option for choosing which score(s) to send.
I assumed once you void the test its as if you never took it.AAMC shows ALL your scores on the transcript to AMCAS anyway, including voided ones. There's no option for choosing which score(s) to send.
I guess things have changed since I last applied. I only took the MCAT once, but was aware that voiding only showed up as a potential test date, but nothing else. In that case, I didn't feel like not reporting it was unethical in any way. It's not like trying to cover up a score that was already taken. But yeah, since voided exams are now shown, there's no point in trying to avoid it!This discussion just become moot as each school can easily see that you have voided an exam as below states
https://www.aamc.org/students/download/180052/data/guidebook_preview.pdf
Indication of a voided exam will be displayed in the MCAT Score Reporting
System after the scheduled score release date, but your decision
to void an exam is not released to any medical schools
So, a voided exam is simply never scored and therefore no scores are released. However the new MCAT Score Reporting System allows admission staff to see the attempt as void. Report this void else you would be in direct ethical violation.
No that is not correct.Voiding is the same as if you never took it.
Did it actually say voided or simply an attempt with no scoreAAMC shows ALL your scores on the transcript to AMCAS anyway, including voided ones. There's no option for choosing which score(s) to send.
Thanks for checking this out! A lot of changes are taking place, some which help, and some which can harm the applicant. I wonder where everything will lead over the next few years.I went back on a few MCAT guidelines and apparently this is the way it has been done for some time. The difference is now, the MCAT reporting system, which only came on line this year, is becoming widely used and will likely have schools automatically "pull" your reports.