What are my chances and what should I do now?

[thorinoakenshield]

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Hey guys, I have taken my MCAT 3 times. Got a 19,25,22 in that order. I studied for the second and third exams. I was averaging in the low 30's on the practice tests before taking the third exam. I was expecting a score higher than my second take, but it didn't happen and I got pretty disappointed in myself. I want to apply to DO schools. I have a 3.81 GPA with 3.7 GPA in science. I have research experience (no publications), and hundreds of volunteering hours. I'm not expecting to get into any schools with such a drop, but I was wondering if anyone could offer me any suggestions? My plan this year is to work in a research lab and study for a few months before taking the new mcat around September. I'm not too excited for this one, but I will bust my ass for a better score. I'm just worried that I might hurt myself more in the long term, and the 3rd take didn't exactly boost my confidence.

 

[AlteredScale]

Hey guys, I have taken my MCAT 3 times. Got a 19,25,22 in that order. I studied for the second and third exams. I was averaging in the low 30's on the practice tests before taking the third exam. I was expecting a score higher than my second take, but it didn't happen and I got pretty disappointed in myself. I want to apply to DO schools. I have a 3.81 GPA with 3.7 GPA in science. I have research experience (no publications), and hundreds of volunteering hours. I'm not expecting to get into any schools with such a drop, but I was wondering if anyone could offer me any suggestions? My plan this year is to work in a research lab and study for a few months before taking the new mcat around September. I'm not too excited for this one, but I will bust my ass for a better score. I'm just worried that I might hurt myself more in the long term, and the 3rd take didn't exactly boost my confidence.

What is the break down of each of your MCAT scores.

 

[thorinoakenshield]

overall-VR-PS-BS
19-7-7-5
25-8-9-8
22-7-6-9

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

You're either going to have to retake* or you're going to have to consider an alternative career such as podiatry. '


* Screw me for saying this, but if I was an adcom and you applied with 3 low scores and then a good new score on the new mcat idk what to think. So even if you do score well it will always be a red flag and may lose you some interview invites. ( Please note that I may be full of poop right here and that adcoms know how to expect or grade the new mcat and compare it to old scores without any issue)

 

[chizledfrmstone]

The most worrying thing is that your score went back down. It makes your 25 look like a fluke and unless you can get a 30 on the retake I don't think it looks favorable.

You can either apply to schools that look at the highest score or drastically improve your score in a retake and explain how you improved your score.

 

[evooo8]

Have you ever applied yet?

 

[IslandStyle808]

You need to retake. You are pretty much cutting your school choices in half with that 22. If you can get that score higher, around a 25 again, you will be fine for interviews.

 

[user3]

what changed between the practice tests and the real test where you scored a 22? I can understand going down a few points, but low 30's to 22...something doesn't add up.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

The most worrying thing is that your score went back down. It makes your 25 look like a fluke and unless you can get a 30 on the retake I don't think it looks favorable.

You can either apply to schools that look at the highest score or drastically improve your score in a retake and explain how you improved your score.

You need to retake. You are pretty much cutting your school choices in half with that 22. If you can get that score higher, around a 25 again, you will be fine for interviews.

How do you think the new mcat can play into this? Will it truly not draw attention? Idk, for me the first year of a student getting 3 lows on the old and then a good on the new is disconcerting and stuff.

 

[IslandStyle808]

How do you think the new mcat can play into this? Will it truly not draw attention? Idk, for me the first year of a student getting 3 lows on the old and then a good on the new is disconcerting and stuff.

I agree. I would hate to take a new exam, when an old one is showing a bad score. It would make for an extremely difficult comparison and contrast. However, pre-interview it will be so hard for adcoms to look at each applicant with a fine tooth comb. It will probably have more of an effect post-interview when they are deciding on applicants. However, it gives the applicant a chance to explain themselves during the interview. There was one person that a friend of mine told me about a friend of his several years back who had taken the MCAT 6 times, but still did fine in medical school and matched EM. I have no idea what his final scores were for his 6th attempt, but I believe that sometimes it comes down to revamping one's study techniques. If that cannot be done, then I agree the applicant has no right to be in medical school.

From the journal articles I have read on retakes, the most important thing is to look at the average score of those retakes rather than focus on the lower scores. This would mean scoring a 28-30 on the MCAT to show the ability to tackle the boards, in OPs case that is. I still believe reinvention is possible.

 

[user3]

in all fairness, most schools will look at the highest score. If you apply broadly and interview well, you will likely receive multiple interviews and acceptances-- although plenty of rejections and waitlists as well. Apply broadly to 15-20 schools and you should be good to go.

Do not apply to Touro-CA, Touro-NY, CCOM, or AZCOM.

Hey guys, I have taken my MCAT 3 times. Got a 19,25,22 in that order. I studied for the second and third exams. I was averaging in the low 30's on the practice tests before taking the third exam. I was expecting a score higher than my second take, but it didn't happen and I got pretty disappointed in myself. I want to apply to DO schools. I have a 3.81 GPA with 3.7 GPA in science. I have research experience (no publications), and hundreds of volunteering hours. I'm not expecting to get into any schools with such a drop, but I was wondering if anyone could offer me any suggestions? My plan this year is to work in a research lab and study for a few months before taking the new mcat around September. I'm not too excited for this one, but I will bust my ass for a better score. I'm just worried that I might hurt myself more in the long term, and the 3rd take didn't exactly boost my confidence.

 

[AlteredScale]

in all fairness, most schools will look at the highest score. If you apply broadly and interview well, you will likely receive multiple interviews and acceptances-- although plenty of rejections and waitlists as well. Apply broadly to 15-20 schools and you should be good to go.

Do not apply to Touro-CA, Touro-NY, CCOM, or AZCOM.

Would add WesternU-COMP to this as well.

 

[YankeeCandle1141]

in all fairness, most schools will look at the highest score. If you apply broadly and interview well, you will likely receive multiple interviews and acceptances-- although plenty of rejections and waitlists as well. Apply broadly to 15-20 schools and you should be good to go.

Do not apply to Touro-CA, Touro-NY, CCOM, or AZCOM.

....... Definitely apply to those schools. Dont limit your chances im amy way. Apply to every DO school that you would want to go to.

 

[Goro]

What's your Plan B? You're DOA at my school and a number of others.

Your best chances will be at the newest schools.

Having a low MCAT score is a risk factor for failing out of med school or failing Boards.

Hey guys, I have taken my MCAT 3 times. Got a 19,25,22 in that order. I studied for the second and third exams. I was averaging in the low 30's on the practice tests before taking the third exam. I was expecting a score higher than my second take, but it didn't happen and I got pretty disappointed in myself. I want to apply to DO schools. I have a 3.81 GPA with 3.7 GPA in science. I have research experience (no publications), and hundreds of volunteering hours. I'm not expecting to get into any schools with such a drop, but I was wondering if anyone could offer me any suggestions? My plan this year is to work in a research lab and study for a few months before taking the new mcat around September. I'm not too excited for this one, but I will bust my ass for a better score. I'm just worried that I might hurt myself more in the long term, and the 3rd take didn't exactly boost my confidence.

 

[GypsyHummus]

What's your Plan B? You're DOA at my school and a number of others.

Your best chances will be at the newest schools.

Having a low MCAT score is a risk factor for failing out of med school or failing Boards.

if the OP would have cut his losses at the 2nd MCAT attempt , would he have gotten looked at/interviewed, everything else being ok?

a 19 to 25 jump is pretty neat, but nothing super special

 

[evooo8]

I would still take one shot at applying if I were op.

 

[Goro]

Not at my school, but the new schools, PCOM, AT Still, Nova, TUNCOM, and possibly the regional ones (depending upon where OP lives) would be amenable to him/her.

if the OP would have cut his losses at the 2nd MCAT attempt , would he have gotten looked at/interviewed, everything else being ok?

a 19 to 25 jump is pretty neat, but nothing super special

 

[Doctor Bob]

* Screw me for saying this, but if I was an adcom and you applied with 3 low scores and then a good new score on the new mcat idk what to think. So even if you do score well it will always be a red flag and may lose you some interview invites.

It makes your 25 look like a fluke and unless you can get a 30 on the retake I don't think it looks favorable.

Yes. With 3 takes, there's a pattern now. So a really good score would be an outlier. And if I have to decide if the 30 is a fluke or the 19/25/22 is a fluke... I'm thinking the higher score is the one that doesn't belong. So you're starting from a disadvantage.

It's a possibility that a 30 is an improvement over time, but the 19->25->22 belies that.