the MCAT is the DEATH of me!!

[moro85]

So I decided later than most that I wanted to apply to medical school (the end of my junior year). I took the MCAT once without studying much and got a 26 (10V 8B 8P). I took it again this past summer and got a 29 (10V 9P 10B), but was disappointed because I was averaging a 34 on practice tests... so I decided to take it again in Sept.

Well... I did the same on my science sections (9P 10B) but I was totally distracted on my verbal because the person sitting next to me was taking an audio test!!! I could hear the voiceover through their headphones and then through my own headphones. I should have gotten up to tell the prompter, but I am always down to the wire on verbal so I didn't want to waste time. Well I ended up getting a 6 on verbal (yikes!!), and I am pretty ticked about it.

What do you guys think... do you think they will take that 25 into great consideration, or just see that something had to have gone wrong on my verbal? I am freaking out right now.

Here are my other credentials:

-NCAA student athelete for 4 years, team captain
-hospital volunteer
-sigma aldrich lab intern
-medical research at SLU (volunteer)
-100+ hours of shadowing
-student ambassador for my school
-3.65 cgpa, 3.7 sgpa

I have had one interview... does anyone think I will have a chance for any others?? Thanks for any input!

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[WinterLights]

So I decided later than most that I wanted to apply to medical school (the end of my junior year). I took the MCAT once without studying much and got a 26 (10V 8B 8P). I took it again this past summer and got a 29 (10V 9P 10B), but was disappointed because I was averaging a 34 on practice tests... so I decided to take it again in Sept.

Well... I did the same on my science sections (9P 10B) but I was totally distracted on my verbal because the person sitting next to me was taking an audio test!!! I could hear the voiceover through their headphones and then through my own headphones. I should have gotten up to tell the prompter, but I am always down to the wire on verbal so I didn't want to waste time. Well I ended up getting a 6 on verbal (yikes!!), and I am pretty ticked about it.

What do you guys think... do you think they will take that 25 into great consideration, or just see that something had to have gone wrong on my verbal? I am freaking out right now.

Here are my other credentials:

-NCAA student athelete for 4 years, team captain
-hospital volunteer
-sigma aldrich lab intern
-medical research at SLU (volunteer)
-100+ hours of shadowing
-student ambassador for my school
-3.65 cgpa, 3.7 sgpa

I have had one interview... does anyone think I will have a chance for any others?? Thanks for any input!

You've taken it three times. That is not good, especially when you did the worst the last time around. You are going to have a tough time explaining that.

 

[LossForWords]

I ended up getting a 6 on verbal (yikes!!), and I am pretty ticked about it.

What do you guys think... do you think they will take that 25 into great consideration, or just see that something had to have gone wrong on my verbal? I am freaking out right now.

I don't think adcoms are in the habit of "assuming the best" about poor MCAT scores. Unless your MCAT is one that has been flagged as being done in a non-standard environment (which it sounds like it wasn't) then they'll probably look at it as-is. Whether or not the schools look at only your most recent MCAT or the previous ones when deciding if you meet the 8 pt cut off is up to the individual schools.

 

[WinterLights]

I'll also add that some schools only take your highest sections, and some only consider the best score. If you applied to these schools, your chances are probably better than at other schools that consider all 3 or the most recent one.

 

[iA-MD2013]

Moving to What are my chances subforum.

 

[Mobius1985]

I think you are fortunate to have gotten one interview. I do think most schools will count the most recent MCAT score most heavily (just my opinion) and a six in verbal will hurt you. Perhaps a search will locate for you those schools that judge you by a composite MCAT score. I recall having recently seen something about that on the pre-allo forum.

Did you also apply to DO schools?

 

[moro85]

No, I didn't apply to DO schools... I was planning on it, but after I finished my AMCAS and 16 secondary apps I couldn't bring myself to fill out anymore. I am kind of banking on my schools looking at the highest score, or the highest score from each section. I wish I could somehow explain the situation but I am sure it will just be seen as BS. I should have voided the score when I had the chance, but I thought I had still done ok.

 

[DrMattOglesby]

well...that was the 3rd attempt. And i havent heard of anyone going more than 3 (myself included). I would do a thorough search of schools to find which take highest section scores. I know George Washington University does this...but they also get something like 13,000 applications a year
you really need to open up your options and at least consider DO schools. That is IMHO of course. It won't be like you're settling for anything, I know PLENTY of people with great stats who went the DO route.
BUT if thats just something you dont want to do, consider the Carib!
and if you went to SLU...consider Creighton as well since they are a Jesuit based institution.

 

[moro85]

I called my schools this morning, and several of them look either at the highest score or they take the highest from each section, so I am feeling a little better. Thanks for everyone's input

 

[Mobius1985]

Others would be interested in knowing which schools will do this, if you care to share the information.

 

[moro85]

SLU will look at the highest score... KU, MCW, Univ of South Carolina, and GW take the highest scores from each section. Louisville and Rosalind Franklin look at the most recent MCAT.

All of the other schools I applied to look at all of the scores together and note the trends within the sections, not looking more heavily on one score over another. Hope this helps anyone in a situation similar to mine.