Too late to apply?

[TinaK22]

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Hi everyone-

I have a 3.9 GPA, just got back my mcat results and am really disappointed (25Q). i have the excurr's,LoRs, research, lots of volunteer/clinical experience. obviously i am planning on retaking- either July 18th or August 5th. will either of these dates be too late? i don't know if i'll be prepared fully by july 18th, but aug. 5th means scores won't be until early sept. any advice would be very helpful. thanks.

 

[Phoenix.]

How were your practice scores? Were you consistently getting higher than a 25 but you were sick on test day or had extentuating circumstances that wouldn't apply on a retake? I would say that taking the July MCAT would significantly improve your chances over taking an August MCAT, but if you don't do well in July then it won't matter that you're taking it earlier. If you think you can pull your score up by July AND are consistently getting in the 30s, then go with July. If not, post-pone it to August. You're better off getting a 30 in August than a 28 in July.

But another large piece of this puzzle is your state of residence. If you're a CA resident you're in much deeper trouble by taking a late MCAT than if you're a resident of a state with much more accessible schools. Also, are your ECs good? LORs? Is your MCAT your only weakness?

And of course, if you'd rather go to DO school than reapply next year, I'd probably add a couple of DO applications in the event your second MCAT isn't what you're expecting either. Good luck!

 

[da8s0859q]

Hi everyone-

I have a 3.9 GPA, just got back my mcat results and am really disappointed (25Q). i have the excurr's,LoRs, research, lots of volunteer/clinical experience. obviously i am planning on retaking- either July 18th or August 5th. will either of these dates be too late? i don't know if i'll be prepared fully by july 18th, but aug. 5th means scores won't be until early sept. any advice would be very helpful. thanks.

I'm in the same exact position as you: 3.93 GPA, 25 on the MCAT. I guess we both just got our asses handed to us.

I agree with Phoenix in that if you think you can realistically bump that MCAT score several points within the next few weeks, then by all means, shoot for July 18th. Having your final MCAT results at your schools by late August is better than having them there by mid-September.

 

[AlbaMD]

You should definitely retake your MCAT. Applying late with good scores is much better than applying early with low scores. I finished primaries early last year, but because of some family issues and financial circumstances sent off most of my secondaries really late. My first interview was January 28th (LATE!!!). I still got interviews at 7/12 schools; got accepted into 4 (really good schools) and withdrew from waitlist for 3/7. So basically applying late is still ok despite what most people seem to think. Trust me, admissions committees do not stop giving out secondaries/interviews after they get a bunch of apps in August. Early secondary/interview does not meet much higher chances at acceptance - it just means shorter wait and less stress.

Anyway, good luck on your apps - and try to improve the MCAT score!