So, I know most people like to go through the MCAT only once, but I was lucky enough to have gone through it three times -__-
I had a lot of personal issues (death in the family), was pushed through a BS/MD program when I really wasn't in the right mind to do anything, and I ended up getting two low 20 scores. I got kicked out of said BS/MD (life goes on....), and after re-evaluating my life, kicking butt and taking names senior year, I ended up with a decent enough GPA (3.75, 3.64), and retook the MCAT, and managed to squeeze out a 36 (11/11/14). Whoop Whoop.
But I've been reading some MDapplicants pages, and find that a lot of people who've taken the MCAT 3 times aren't getting many interviews. Does anyone have experience with this? Am I doomed?
#1 Logically, people who need to take the MCAT multiple times are in a more at risk group of applicants for future academic struggles. First, some of them are simply academically behind, ill equipped, don't have the background or are otherwise academically incapable. Second, the rest typically have extenuating circumstances that have caused them to need to take it multiple times. These extenuating circumstances often do NOT disappear quickly. Health problems, family problems, financial problems, psych problems, the list goes on. Note, I said, 'often'. This is certainly not always the case. For example, deaths in the family can be life and psychological makeup altering events for people. For others, it will impact for several months and then cease to be a problem. Multiple re-takes is a red-flag because it means that the applicant is at higher risk for future issues.
#2 Remember the purpose of the MCAT. The MCAT is a single academic metric. There is a very big difference between 22, 22, 36 and 20, 24, 29. You did it. You have a 36 on your record and nobody can take that away from you. That is an academic achievement in and of itself. In combination with a good GPA (which you have), it very much negates any concerns about whether you have the academic chops to deal with medical school. I would NOT be concerned about you being unable to get through classes, do well on step 1, etc.
#3 Nobody gets rejected because they took the MCAT 3 times. It is illogical, why would we let an otherwise strong applicant go just because they went through unusual circumstances? They are less likely to get in because taking the MCAT 3 times is a symptom of a lot of other MAJOR issues, some of which are very much unlikely to be resolved before the student starts medical school.
#4 Many schools like applicants that re-invent themselves or struggle and come out of it intact. Yes, it is a feel good story, but it is so much more than that. People grow when they go through tough times. They also learn things about themselves as well as coping mechanisms and real life skills that have to be in a good physician's armament. That isn't to say that you MUST struggle or you are an inferior applicant. But, people that have real experiences to draw on tend to be more focused, know themselves and what they want than your typical traditional naive, 21 year old pre-med.
