Taking the MCAT 4x

[WonderCole]

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OK. Now, if anyone reading this is basically going to tell me I'm a gump, DON'T WRITE ****.
I am in April taking the MCAT for the 4th time. Why you might ask? Well, since my scores are Methusalian, I have no choice but to take it for the 4th time.
I realize that I will have to send a rejection letter. Yeah me. I need to know if it is even worth it or should I start climbing the corporate ladder of the Golden Arches? My highest scores are V-8, B-7, P-7, and WS-S.
The schools I want to go to are: Einstein*, Boston U, Howard*, MCP*#, Michigan State, SUNY Brooklyn*, SUNY Buffalo, U of Cincinnati, UMDNJ* (either campus-native of NJ), U of Illinois @ Chicago, U of Pittsburgh*, Rush, Morehouse*, and for the dream schools; Emory, Yale, Vanderbilt.
How? Well, I am in graduate school trying to get my act together. As much as I would love to volunteer all day long and do the ER thing, some of us really don't want to be evicted.
If anyone, not a smart ass med student (med student yes, smart ass NO) or smart ass pre-med with 15 acceptances; can help me I would really appreciate it.
Thank you in advance.
Cole
Schools with an asterik are ones that give me walking papers. Schools with a # at least gave me an interview, and then gave me walking papers.
Oh, the first time I applied was to 16 schools, got one interview, then got rejected. One school mailed the rejection to the wrong home. Imagine your neighbor handing you a rejection letter. My undergrad institution isn't much help either, due to my stubborn habit of not helping non ass-kissers.

 

[Djanaba]

I think you need to reconsider what sorts of schools you are willing to attend and what your overall goals are. Some will "give you walking papers" unless you improve those numbers substantially. Would you consider DO? Schools with lower average MCAT scores? If so, you stand a better chance. If not, I hope that you have done something radically different this time around to improve those scores, whether it be Kaplan or a leave from work or another intense regimen. (Your S is fine -- keep up the good work there!)

If the MD is what you want, you've got work to do. If it's medically helping folks, go ahead and take the MCAT, but also seriously explore other similar professional routes (pharm, phys rehab, PA, NP) if they interest you.

 

[galadriel]

WonderCole, the advice I gave to ojey applies in your case too.

 

[Mango]

Hey, I'mm gonna agree with what the others above have told you. I have a question though. Any particular reason why you applied to Cincy? I'm a UC student, and I just wondered, because we're like 90% in state residents. Good luck, Mango

 

[12R34Y]

Unfortunately, PA school is just as hard if not harder to get into. NP requires a Bachelor's in nursing and then a master's level training to become a NP. Pharm also requires much training in very tough classess and is also competitive.

 

[Bruinboy]

First off, I admire your determination. The MCAT is not a small exam and just the determination to sit through it 4x is commendable. That said, I agree with the otehr posts on most of their advice. I think that the first thing you should do is widen the base of schools you're seeking admission to. Most people suggest a list that varies from "dream schools" to schools that you have a pretty good chance of getting into.

About the MCAT....this IS a test which tests your ability to take exams. I work for one of the major commercial MCAT prep companies as an instructor and through all of my training we learned just how important it is to understand how the test is constructed, rather than just memorize random scientific facts. Its not a test which you can study for as you would a midterm. The MCAT is all about integrating all of those scientific principles together...Anyways, bottom line, you should spend some time not studying the material, but studying your own test-taking strategies, and what you're doing in error. Good luck.

 

[omores]

Originally posted by WonderCole:
As much as I would love to volunteer all day long and do the ER thing, some of us really don't want to be evicted.

Cole:

Clinical experience is absolutely critical to getting accepted to medical school -- all the more so if you have less-than-ideal MCAT scores. I hope the above statement doesn't mean that you're avoiding clinical work altogether. Granted,it's not possible to go to school full-time, volunteer all day long, and still pay the rent. But how about a few hours each week at a local doctor's office? That wouldn't cut into your time too much, and would help your application immeasurably.

 

[Mango]

Originally posted by 12R34Y:
Unfortunately, PA school is just as hard if not harder to get into.

I'm gonna have to disgree with you there. Having seriously looked into PA school, I can tell you that it's not as competitive as med school admissions. I am basing that statement on several things:

1. Ave GPA's at PA schools are not as high as MD schools (that's why I was considering going the PA route, my GPA was below ave)

2. Some PA schools accept MCAT scores, but all of them want GRE scores. I don't know if any of you have taken the GRE, but I have, and compaired to the MCAT, its like a nice stroll in the park! I studied for the GRE for approximately 2 hours, while on a beach on spring break. I scored in the 89th, 90th, and 97th percentiles on the three sections! Now tell me that compairs with studying for 3 solid MONTHS for the MCAT, and only getting 60-80th percentile! (ie 10's)

And ave GRE's for PA school are usually "above 500" on each section. My scores added up to 2100. I'm not trying to brag, only to point out that with my less than average GPA, and those GRE scores (plus the requisit hours of Pt care experience), I most likely could have been accepted to Duke, Yale, Iowa, and many other top PA schools. BUT, at the same time, I had to FIGHT to get into med school by spending almost a year and a half working as a nurses aid to boost my resume!

Now if I could coast into PA school, and had to fight to get into a state med school, which do you think is the tougher school to get into? Granted, I'm just one person, but I gaurentee I'm not the only one, I could site at least three others that I know of.

I hope that didn't come off as bitchy, I'm just not sure that people should consider PA school as "harder" to get into than med school, because it provides such an excellent option for people like the original poster, who have tried and failed to be accepted to med schools.

 

[omores]

Mango,

Yes, it's true that PA school is easier to get into than med school from a purely numerical standpoint. But as you point out on the PA thread in the "Everyone" section, PA schools are often looking for intense clinical exposure. A friend of mine is in the application process for PA school even as we speak; he was told that the two years he spent as a part-time EMT constituted far less experience than that of accepted students. PA schools seem to have a high propotion of students who have been working full time as EMTs, paramedics, and the like.

I'm pointing this out not to bicker with you, Mango, since your point was quite valid. PA school is indeed a good alternative for the MCAT-challenged. But it still may not be a viable option for WonderCole, given his/her lack of clinical experience (see quotation in my previous post.)

 

[Mango]

Yeah, you're right. PA schools make it tougher in the realm of experience. Like you mentioned, I said in my other post that my friend was told she was not accepted due to a lack of several years of experience. However, if you put the total packages side by side, ie everything needed to get into med and PA school, I still think med is MUCH tougher.

That's just my opinion after going through both processes.

Incidentally, I still advocate that ALL premeds should have some hands on Pt care experience. Maybe not as much as PA schools require, but at least some. There are too many med students who realize halfway through thier four years that they have no idea what they're doing in this profession. Experiencing Pt care from the "front lines" of health care, is the only way you can be sure medicine is what you want to do for the rest of your life. It also shows adcomms that you're serious.

Go get that PCT job everybody, you won't regret it!

 

[WonderCole]

OK. I just got a chance to read the comments. First, I am NOT giving up on clinical experience. I am a study coordinator at U Maryland Hospital as part of a cancer study. Second, between work school and the MCAT, the only way I could really (honesty) get some time to be a volunteer is if I won the Lotto. Third, I appreciate the comments of the first person to respond. This has not been easy, and I DO understand that this is an uphill battle. I wouldn't go through this humilitation (Try having your Dean after getting your name wrong tell you I TOLD YOU SO) if I didn't want to be an MD. I realize I may have to leave the US and stock up on bug repellent, but it's what I want. There isn't one person out there who hasn't been told, "It won't happen." I know I have work to do, that's why I wrote onto this website. For a little advice.

 

[Katie]

I am also a U Maryland grad student who can totally relate to your experience! I have taken the MCAT 3X, and I think you can bring your score up with some hard work and a good prep cours.. I got a 7 on the VR section the first 2 times and was rejected everywhere I applied for the entering class of '99 (in spite of decent scores on the other sections, good undergrad GPA, lots of volunteer and research exp., and some shadowing of docs). But on the April 2000 MCAT I finally brought my VR up to a 9 with a 29 composite (10's on sciences). I am still waiting to hear on interviews for this application cycle, but you just have to keep hoping and trying if this is what you really want.. It is hard not to get discouraged, but hang in there. BTW, where did you get an interview the first time applying if you don't mind my asking? good luck..

 

[Dave2K]

Cole-

You have some tough choices to face here. Since I don't have enough information, I'll have to make some assumptions. How much time did you spend on your MCAT prep? Specifically, how much MORE time did you spend on subsequent re-takes? If you have been putting in roughly the same amount of time, that explains why you have been getting roughly the same scores. If you have been putting in more and more time studying each time, to no avail in your results, you may not be able to improve much.

My suggestion is that you must devote your life to the MCAT, especially since you have taken it so many times. If you are taking it in April (I'm assuming 2001) then you should clean out your calendar from January 2001 to April 2001. I'm not kidding. Take a semester off of school, cut back on your job to the bare minimum of hours possible. If you can live on nothing, DO IT! Move back in with your parents, or patient friends. Then, the hard work begins. The MCAT must become your life. It is your job, your hobbies, your significant other, and your only friend. Wake up and study like it was your job, 8am to 5pm. Practice exams like it was your hobby, evenings and weekends. Take every practice MCAT you can find. Do EVERY sample question from your old college textbooks, or prep books, or whatever source you have.

Basically, you must improve your preparation methods in order to improve you scores. If you want drastic results, you must take drastic measures. 3 or 4 months may seem like an agonizingly long time to drop off the face of the earth, but isn't much in relation to the rest of your life, and a small price to pay for your dreams. Good luck!