taking mcat a 3rd time????

[Dr.Jenni]

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hey all - i wanted to know what the medical schools think about 3rd time test takers. I dont know if it'll really count as my third attempt since the first time i took it was back 3 yrs ago and i didnt release those scores because i didnt study at all for that one. My second time was just a horrible testing experience. What do you guys think? thanks.

 

[isidella]

I know a girl who just entered MUSC med and she took it four times. She never broke a 24, but they finally gave her an interview her third application cycle. I guess her persistance was important to the adcom

 

[FLY]

^^ guess taking the MCAT four times makes you a better person somehow.

 

[poloace]

that's cool. people that take the mcat that many times should be allowed to do whatever the hell they want.
p

 

[gower]

MUSC has a class of 135; being a SC resident is a big plus. According to the 2001 MSAR, the class of 141 was picked from 406 in-state applicants, plus 1,332 out-of state applicants. 238 (more than half of SC applicants) were interviwed and more than half of those were in the first-year class. More may have been offered places, but that number is not given. 36 non-SC residents were interviewed, 6 were in the first-year class, five of them MD/PhD students.

Without specific knowledge of the circumstances--including that of your friend--one should not jump to conclusions about admission to MUSC--or, for that matter, to any medical school. Drawing conclusions from insufficent evidence is a bad sign for potential MDs. Maybe that ought to become part of the MCAT, or a routine part of interviews.

 

[praying4MD]

Originally posted by gower
MUSC has a class of 135; being a SC resident is a big plus. According to the 2001 MSAR, the class of 141 was picked from 406 in-state applicants, plus 1,332 out-of state applicants. 238 (more than half of SC applicants) were interviwed and more than half of those were in the first-year class. More may have been offered places, but that number is not given. 36 non-SC residents were interviewed, 6 were in the first-year class, five of them MD/PhD students.

Without specific knowledge of the circumstances--including that of your friend--one should not jump to conclusions about admission to MUSC--or, for that matter, to any medical school. Drawing conclusions from insufficent evidence is a bad sign for potential MDs. Maybe that ought to become part of the MCAT, or a routine part of interviews.

Gower! You still around? I remember how much you helped me oh so long ago. Good to see quality people are still perusing the boards. I'm in med school now, but having difficulty adjusting to my cookie cutter premed classmates here. Anyway, thanks a million for all your help in the application process-- you rock. Hope all is well with you.

Take care,
Praying2Pass

 

[isidella]

Originally posted by gower
Drawing conclusions from insufficent evidence is a bad sign for potential MDs. Maybe that ought to become part of the MCAT, or a routine part of interviews.

Whoops. . . I forgot to post her stats/biography and the minutes for the MUSC adcom meeting. . .

My point was that applicants have been successful taking the MCAT more than three times. As you stated with the numbers, MUSC has more than enough people to choose from, and they chose her. And I know it is coming, she is not a URM. . .

As a "potential MD," I realize that "drawing conclusions from insufficent evidence" is bad. But so is killing someone's hope. . .

 

[Amy B]

I thought that a MCAT score expires after 3 years. If so, then doesn't that mean your first one will be expired?

 

[Sweet Tea]

I have a friend (geez, I hate these "I have a friend stories, but nevertheless I'm telling this one) who took the April MCAT in 2000, got a 28, applied, and didn't get in. She retook in April 2001 and got a 27, then took it again in August 2001 and got a 29 and was accepted. I don't know if any schools or interviewers made comments about it, but taking the test 3 times worked for her.

 

[Random Access]

Aren't you supposedly allowed to take it a max of three times?

 

[Sweet Tea]

I don't think it's a max of 3 times, but I think you have to provide a damn good explanation before you can take it that 4th time.

 

[Amy B]

You can take the MCAT three times. After that you must be able to prove that you have been turned down for acceptance into a medical school. I'm sure a rejection letter is enough to prove that. I'm not sure how expired test scores factor into this. If they are expired I wonder if they count?

 

[chem01]

I think if they are expired --> they don't count.

I know a girl w ho was planning on re-taking the August MCAT because her MCAT scores were going to expire; however, she was on the waitlist at SLU all summer while re-studying.

About July...she hears she got in with her ALMOST expired score. Needless to say, she in St. Louis now.