VERY Low MCAT..Do I Send in AMCAS or Wait For Retake?

[HopefulDocToBe]

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I had an extremely unbalanced and HORRIBLE MCAT score from June 18th of 9/3/9 O for P/V/B. The ironic part about this is that I consistently score 10 or above on each section of the AAMC practice tests and I have absolutely no idea how this verbal score happened. I understand that my score is horrendous but I don't know whether to send in my AMCAS application and possibly get rejections from schools or wait until I get my scores from the August 14th test I am retaking. I am one hundred percent positive I will not only increase my score by a few points, but hit 30. I don't want to get screened out by schools that I have a chance. What do I do?!

BTW: 3.8 GPA (science and overall approximately), good ecs including shadowing physicians, volunteering in a hospital, raising $5000+ for the LiveSTRONG Organization and extremely good LORs. I need advice!!! Please 🙁

 

[miffy810]

I think if you submit your application but indicate that you are retaking your mcat this year, med schools actually won't look at your application until that most recent score becomes available. so if you are dead set on applying this year (taking a year off is always another option), then you should submit your app so it can be verified in the next 4-6 weeks. then you can work on secondaries/LORs, so that everything else in your file will be complete already by the time you get your new mcat score back.

but also aug.14th is a pretty late date.. so you should consider how much your score will increase vs. how much time you would lose.

and your gpa is pretty competitive so that's good.

 

[SN2ed]

You should secure a good MCAT score before worrying about applying. Once you get your score, if it's too late, simply apply next year.

 

[HopefulDocToBe]

Is it too late to submit my AMCAS following the August 14th MCAT date? I would receive my scores mid-September and I am just so unsure of what to do right now. I just cannot believe my MCAT score because I was consistently scoring in the 30+ and I was absolutely shocked to receive my score yesterday.

 

[HopefulDocToBe]

Oh and Also, if I do check the 'retake' box on the AMCAS application and submit it for verification, is my score too low for schools to even want to see my secondaries? It would be pointless to send in my AMCAS with such a low score if I was just going to get rejected on my fluke MCAT score. Ideas?

 

[Spiker]

3 on verbal will screen you out

 

[AspiringDOC2010]

Hey OP, what do you think happened on your test day that accounts for the large deviation in the verbal score from your practice exams? Did it have to do with difficulty? Did you complete the section? Or were you just having an off day?

 

[Longshanks]

Is it too late to submit my AMCAS following the August 14th MCAT date? I would receive my scores mid-September and I am just so unsure of what to do right now. I just cannot believe my MCAT score because I was consistently scoring in the 30+ and I was absolutely shocked to receive my score yesterday.

It's not 'too late', its before the deadline, but its absolutely late in the game. As SN2d said, secure a score and then apply. Those who apply late and get in are stellar candidates. Many schools are rolling so by not being complete until so late if you did get an interview invite, it'd be very late in the cycle and seats had been disappearing already, and the pool has narrowed so those last dozen seats that need to be filled will be filled by individuals with superior numbers and ECs.

On a personal note, I'm retaking after just missing the 30 mark and will be applying next year, so I pushed my retake date back into September. That way hopefully I will have finally conquered this thing, and be set to apply first week of next year's cycle as I had essentially everything ready at my advisor's office. Just some food for thought.

I just noticed this, since you just received your score, chill out for a day or two, cool off, get the emotions out of this and then carefully assess your previous preparation and what happened on test day. Was your sitting full of material you didn't know or were your weaker sections? Did you come in later and have keyboards clanking during your VR? Did you just freak out? Anything else going on in life? Really try to break down how did you study, and what can you do to maximize your potential and strengthen your weaknesses. Remember too, I would suggest starting over again for your retake yet the latest test date 9/10(or 12??) is only about 6 or 7 weeks away. That really isn't sufficient time to prep for the MCAT. Would you be better off taking this month off to reboot and then dive in for prepping for the January examination?

 

[wuhantiyuyuan]

I'm retaking as well due to a low verbal score

PS- 14
VR- 8
BS- 11
W- O

I really hope my back up schools won't wait till my 2nd MCAT scores come in to consider me. Overall, I'm not worried about NOT getting into a medical school. I'm more worried about NOT getting into a desired medical school.

I also scored consistently 10-12 on AAMC practices, but fluked on exam day.

Let's work hard to raise our VR! I got roughly a month till my next exam.

 

[SN2ed]

wuhantiyuyuan: You shouldn't retake with that score.

 

[wuhantiyuyuan]

wuhantiyuyuan: You shouldn't retake with that score.

That's what I kept telling myself like 24 hours ago....

But I gotta face the facts. If I want to be considered as a well-rounded, competitive applicant, I'd better retake the test and do better on the verbal at the very least.

The schools I want to apply for all average 10-10.5 on every section

 

[cher25]

That's what I kept telling myself like 24 hours ago....

But I gotta face the facts. If I want to be considered as a well-rounded, competitive applicant, I'd better retake the test and do better on the verbal at the very least.

The schools I want to apply for all average 10-10.5 on every section

Yes, average... meaning some people get lower and some higher. Your score is stellar.

 

[SN2ed]

That's what I kept telling myself like 24 hours ago....

But I gotta face the facts. If I want to be considered as a well-rounded, competitive applicant, I'd better retake the test and do better on the verbal at the very least.

The schools I want to apply for all average 10-10.5 on every section

As my last warning, you are making a mistake. Should you still proceed, which it sounds like you will, you must score significantly better on your retake or else it looks bad. By significantly better, the improvement should be by 4 or more points. That is the general rule when retaking with a 30+ score, outside of your score expiring from age.

 

[wuhantiyuyuan]

As my last warning, you are making a mistake. Should you still proceed, which it sounds like you will, you must score significantly better on your retake or else it looks bad. By significantly better, the improvement should be by 4 or more points. That is the general rule when retaking with a 30+ score, outside of your score expiring from age.

Side note: This is only my first time taking it.

I appreciate the concern, but the schools I want to apply to will probably not consider me due to my low verbal reasoning.

I'm sure I can manage to maintain the PS and BS sections, but the problem is scoring higher on verbal.

8 is the lowest verbal score I've ever received. My AAMC average was roughly 11.

I'm talking to an pre-med adviser sometime this week.

 

[knivez]

Side note: This is only my first time taking it.

I appreciate the concern, but the schools I want to apply to will probably not consider me due to my low verbal reasoning.

I'm sure I can manage to maintain the PS and BS sections, but the problem is scoring higher on verbal.

8 is the lowest verbal score I've ever received. My AAMC average was roughly 11.

I'm talking to an pre-med adviser sometime this week.

8 is a solid VR score, and with a 14 on PS, you do have a very competitive score.

However, I, myself, had a very solid score during my first sitting (32T - 10VR, 11PS, 11BS). That puts me, as a Canadian, JUST above the borderline for Out-of-province applicants for schools like Queens and UToronto. I retook, and, as of this moment, do not regret it (easy to say now that my score is out, but coming out of the test I was scared ****less that I had scored lower). I scored a 36S (11VR, 12BS, 13PS), which gives me a nice buffer zone above the MCAT cutoff for interviews.

While I do think it's important to score a minimum of your previous score, do not worry about scoring >4pts more or anything. If I were in your boat, I would retake as well. Personally, I like breaking double-digits on each section, so I would be happier with an 11VR, 11BS, 11PS rather than a distribution of 11BS/8VR/14PS. It shows well-roundedness and a degree of consistency, which should not be underappreciated. Queens University has a cutoff of around 8-9 for VR (varies each year) from what I hear, so it's nice to break that 10 barrier.

Btw, I don't know if your username is derived from it or not, but I was born in Wuhan 😀.

 

[wuhantiyuyuan]

8 is a solid VR score, and with a 14 on PS, you do have a very competitive score.

However, I, myself, had a very solid score during my first sitting (32T - 10VR, 11PS, 11BS). That puts me, as a Canadian, JUST above the borderline for Out-of-province applicants for schools like Queens and UToronto. I retook, and, as of this moment, do not regret it (easy to say now that my score is out, but coming out of the test I was scared ****less that I had scored lower). I scored a 36S (11VR, 12BS, 13PS), which gives me a nice buffer zone above the MCAT cutoff for interviews.

While I do think it's important to score a minimum of your previous score, do not worry about scoring >4pts more or anything. If I were in your boat, I would retake as well. Personally, I like breaking double-digits on each section, so I would be happier with an 11VR, 11BS, 11PS rather than a distribution of 11BS/8VR/14PS. It shows well-roundedness and a degree of consistency, which should not be underappreciated. Queens University has a cutoff of around 8-9 for VR (varies each year) from what I hear, so it's nice to break that 10 barrier.

Btw, I don't know if your username is derived from it or not, but I was born in Wuhan 😀.

=D I was enrolled as a foreign student in Wuhan Institute of Physical Education for sometime.

If I could take a few points out of my PS and move it to my VR, I'd gladly do so.

 

[HopefulDocToBe]

I am pretty sure I am going to postpone my MCAT until January and focus on extra research and working in the hospital to reapply next cycle. I would rather apply early and have better chances. I do no mind taking a year off because I could gain could clinical experience and find an awesome internship to enhance my resume. I would rather enhance my odds of getting into medical school next year than fight the odds by pressing the medical school class for next year. Thanks for the advice everyone. I appreciate it! Any thoughts on other ideas for good resume builders on my year off?!?!

 

[richmond604]

I had an extremely unbalanced and HORRIBLE MCAT score from June 18th of 9/3/9 O for P/V/B. The ironic part about this is that I consistently score 10 or above on each section of the AAMC practice tests and I have absolutely no idea how this verbal score happened. I understand that my score is horrendous but I don't know whether to send in my AMCAS application and possibly get rejections from schools or wait until I get my scores from the August 14th test I am retaking. I am one hundred percent positive I will not only increase my score by a few points, but hit 30. I don't want to get screened out by schools that I have a chance. What do I do?!

BTW: 3.8 GPA (science and overall approximately), good ecs including shadowing physicians, volunteering in a hospital, raising $5000+ for the LiveSTRONG Organization and extremely good LORs. I need advice!!! Please 🙁

I took June 18th exam, morning section. I don't know about you. I think the verbal was messed up. I felt okay after writing it only to get it 4 in verbal. I have NEVER gotten a 4 during practice.

 

[Rexhina]

I took June 18th exam, morning section. I don't know about you. I think the verbal was messed up. I felt okay after writing it only to get it 4 in verbal. I have NEVER gotten a 4 during practice.

this is what happened to me 🙁 i never got a 4 on practice, i thought i was going to do much better, is a 4 unacceptable :/?

 

[cmb302]

I took the June 18th test and was consistently scoring 30-31 on the AAMC practice exams. I ended up with a 24 on the actual exam. WTF!!

My verbal was consistently around a 10-11, yet on the actual exam I got a 7. I have no idea what happened, and I don't want to give up on applying this cycle (09-10), yet I don't know whether to retake in late August versus September at this point, anyone else in this situation?

 

[SN2ed]

this is what happened to me 🙁 i never got a 4 on practice, i thought i was going to do much better, is a 4 unacceptable :/?

Unfortunately, a 4 in any section will get you rejected from every US medical school.

 

[bruceleehiiiyaa]

how does one get a 3 in verbal. there HAS to be a mistake dude. why dont you get your test regraded? you can probably get a higher score closing your eyes.

 

[DaTruMD]

how does one get a 3 in verbal. there HAS to be a mistake dude. why dont you get your test regraded? you can probably get a higher score closing your eyes.

Or putting all Bs.