The Official June 5, 2014 MCAT Thread

[Fight]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Let's go.

 

[Alucard6]

I would say absolutely do not retake, unless you just can't stand to become a doctor anywhere but a top 20 program. You will get accepted with those stats, and if you don't, it wouldn't be because of your mcat. Just my 2 cents. That's a good score!

I agree completely, do not retake. You have a solid MCAT (83 percentile) and well above GPA. As long as your ECs are solid, you should be good to go, especially for state schools.

 

[JustACavalier]

You scored relatively around your average so I would stick with it. You have 10s in all and a 32. You would need a 35+ for any significance on retake so you do not want to risk the chance.

What is your GPA? And what do you think about your work/activities?

I am taking a gap year, and I am pretty confident I can get a 35+ on a retake, As my practice test averages where weighed down with a few very low tests. I have a 3.8/3.65S from a top 25 school with a reputation for no grad inflation, have research grant awards, 40+ hours of shadowing, and will have TA experience when I graduate. Also very involved in a few interesting EC's, have done international research, and have a very focused path and ultimate goal in medicine. I do want to go to a top 25 school for medical school.

 

[Genore]

Test Date: 6/05/2014
AAMC test 3: (PS / V / BS) 34 12/9/13 (day before test)
Actual Score: (PS / V / BS) 36 12/11/13

I was shocked that I didn't get 28, since I felt horrible walking out of the test. I'm glad I never gave up and didn't think about how poorly I thought I did until after I left the test center. I studied 20 hours from January to April and then another 80 hours in the month directly before the test. At first I started out with 12/8/8, then I focused on improving the verbal and biology scores while largely ignoring physics and gen chem. I guess it worked.

Some background:
I have a 4.00 science GPA and 3.99 overall
My extracurriculars are probably on the lower end (150+ hours hospital volunteering, light involvement with student organizations, 2.5 years of research with 3 groups).
I also have yet to submit my application... When is the latest to submit while still having a good chance?

Those are not 'lower end' ECs lol. Good job on your MCAT! Earlier you apply, the better.

Those are good ECs as long as you've shadowed. Have you? You really need about 50 hours of it to be competitive.
Also, are you able to confidently express your role in the research project? If it was just cleaning glassware, it won't look as good, obviously. I'm a little concerned as a researcher myself that you jumped around to 3 different ones in 2.5 years in terms of your involvement in the projects. However if it was two summers at diff places and then 1.5-2 years at your home institution, you're solid.

 

[Alucard6]

I am taking a gap year, and I am pretty confident I can get a 35+ on a retake, As my practice test averages where weighed down with a few very low tests. I have a 3.8/3.65S from a top 25 school with a reputation for no grad inflation, have research grant awards, 40+ hours of shadowing, and will have TA experience when I graduate. Also very involved in a few interesting EC's, have done international research, and have a very focused path and ultimate goal in medicine. I do want to go to a top 25 school for medical school.

If you want to go to a top 25 medical school then you will probably have to retake for a 35+. Just make sure you understand it is risky, and only do so when you are very very confident you can score in that range. You would need at least a 3-4 point jump for it to look significant.

Also I suggest piling up a couple more shadowing hours and you should be good to go! Best of luck!

 

[JustACavalier]

If you want to go to a top 25 medical school then you will probably have to retake for a 35+. Just make sure you understand it is risky, and only do so when you are very very confident you can score in that range. You would need at least a 3-4 point jump for it to look significant.

Also I suggest piling up a couple more shadowing hours and you should be good to go! Best of luck!

Okay, thanks for the advice. I really think I can get up to a 35. Also, this may be off topic, but how do I verify my shadowing hours? Do I even need to, or is it on my honor? I have kept track on a file but don't have official paperwork

 

[pchitsaz]

Okay, thanks for the advice. I really think I can get up to a 35. Also, this may be off topic, but how do I verify my shadowing hours? Do I even need to, or is it on my honor? I have kept track on a file but don't have official paperwork

You just make your best estimate. Medical schools have the right reserved to contact the physicians you shadowed to ensure that you really did shadow them for however long -- but this is very very unlikely. Just be honest and estimate about how many hours you shadowed. What's more important is that you be able to talk about your shadowing experience in your interview/application.

Good luck!

 

[muslimforever]

Those are good ECs as long as you've shadowed. Have you? You really need about 50 hours of it to be competitive.
Also, are you able to confidently express your role in the research project? If it was just cleaning glassware, it won't look as good, obviously. I'm a little concerned as a researcher myself that you jumped around to 3 different ones in 2.5 years in terms of your involvement in the projects. However if it was two summers at diff places and then 1.5-2 years at your home institution, you're solid.

In terms of shadowing I have done about 15 hours as part of my volunteer experiences. As for research, my first research was creating simulations which wasn't too heavy on hypothesis testing and more engineering. Then I spent a year with one lab doing basic biology research. My third research lab was a summer with an REU and I intend to return to my second lab to finish a senior thesis.

 

[Genore]

In terms of shadowing I have done about 15 hours as part of my volunteer experiences. As for research, my first research was creating simulations which wasn't too heavy on hypothesis testing and more engineering. Then I spent a year with one lab doing basic biology research. My third research lab was a summer with an REU and I intend to return to my second lab to finish a senior thesis.

You should be fine for research then. You will need more shadowing, and the 15 hours will have to be subtracted from your volunteering. A minimum of 50 hours shadowing is recommended. Some people pick one doctor and stick with him/her, but I prefer shadowing different doctors unless you really connect with one/have a very very strong interest area. They want to see that you have an idea of what you're getting yourself into. Some secondaries will have you report almost minute by minute what you observed so be able to talk about it.

 

[anonymousnerd]

I seriously waited a whole week to check my score after they came out. I got a 28 and have a 3.85 gpa. what are my chances?

 

[Alucard6]

I seriously waited a whole week to check my score after they came out. I got a 28 and have a 3.85 gpa. what are my chances?

Post in the What are my Chances thread with all your info. Include your ECs, what you've done and everything else. You can probably work your way into a state school, but it would not be easy and you'd need other stellar stats.

 

[Oh_Gee]

Hi guys. I'm taking my test on Sep. 12. Any tips you guys could give me? Anything you wished you could've done now that you've taken it? Right now I am primarily doing content review(along with the passages after each chapter) off of TBR and EK101 for 2 months and then doing the AAMC self assessment problems, AAMC FL's, along with any other practice questions I could get my hands on.

 

[Eppur Si Muove]

Test Date: 6/05/2014
FL AAMC Average: 38.5 (Range: 32 (FL3) - 42 (FL9))
Post-test expected score: 33-36
Actual Score: ( PS / V / BS) 40 (13/13/14)

What a relief. If I got below 34 I was going to retake. That PS was brutal; typically I score 14-15 but overall I am extremely happy. I used Sn2'ed's 4 month self study schedule with TBR. FLs 10 and 11 seemed most accurate as I got 39's on both of them.

Holy ****