What is the most amount of app cycles you've heard of before an MD acceptance?

[redrosesfi]

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Just curious, maybe some of the moderatores can chime in. I've heard of someone getting into an MD school after 4 or 5 cycles.

Also what is the most amount of times you've seen the MCAT being taken before an acceptance?

 

[BurntFlower]

I got in on my fourth cycle.

The most I've heard is 6 cycles (someone here on SDN).

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

I know someone who took the MCAT 6 times before getting accepted.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I know someone who took the MCAT 6 times before getting accepted.

I hope they figure things out before they get to Step. Not taking that 6 times.

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

I hope they figure things out before they get to Step. Not taking that 6 times.

I hope they do too

 

[corgicuddler]

I heard from a professor that a student asked him to refresh his rec letter for 7 cycles (got in on the 7th cycle).

 

[mwsapphire]

I know someone who took the MCAT 6 times before getting accepted.

You're allowed a max 7 attempts...that is stressful. They only had 1 attempt left.
Where the hell did they get in?

 

[gyngyn]

I know someone who took the MCAT 6 times before getting accepted.

I know someone who took it 17 times and never got in.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I know someone who took it 17 times and never got in.

Was this a really long time ago or something? There's a 7-time limit IIRC.

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

I know someone who took it 17 times and never got in.

@gyngyn wins 🤣

 

[gyngyn]

Was this a really long time ago or something? There's a 7-time limit IIRC.

I just went back to look it up.
S/he actually took it more than 39 times.
...and yes the limit did not go into effect until they had taken it dozens of times.
The application was recent.
I wouldn't be surprised if cases like this one were the reason for the limit.

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

I just went back to look it up.
S/he actually took it more than 39 times.
...and yes the limit did not go into effect until they had taken it dozens of times.
The application was recent.
I wouldn't be surprised if cases like this one were the reason for the limit.

39 TIMES!!!!

That would be close to 12K dollars just in taking the MCAT.

 

[gyngyn]

39 TIMES!!!!

That would be close to 12K dollars just in taking the MCAT.

Let's just say, they could afford it...

 

[Goro]

I just went back to look it up.
S/he actually took it more than 39 times.
...and yes the limit did not go into effect until they had taken it dozens of times.
The application was recent.
I wouldn't be surprised if cases like this one were the reason for the limit.

Beats the record at my school of 7 tries.

I can't comment on the disaster gyngyn referred to, but what I see is people have a single bad score (usually CARS) and they just keep hammering away to raise that single subscore.

then there are people who raise one bad subscore, but them bomb a difference subscore. Almost like playing whack-a-mole.

 

[mwsapphire]

I just went back to look it up.
S/he actually took it more than 39 times.
...and yes the limit did not go into effect until they had taken it dozens of times.
The application was recent.
I wouldn't be surprised if cases like this one were the reason for the limit.

What
So what happened to them?

 

[gyngyn]

What
So what happened to them?

They have not been accepted to medical school.

 

[initialize]

They have not been accepted to medical school.

Did this person wait a month every time after taking to get the score back? Because if so, isn’t that like 39 months of straight MCAT taking (at a minimum). Or did he/she just void a lot?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[gyngyn]

Did this person wait a month every time after taking to get the score back? Because if so, that’s 39 months of straight MCAT taking (at a minimum) Or did he/she just void a lot?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

I don't know how many times they voided. These were graded and reported by AMCAS.
They seem to have been taking it about twice a year.

 

[BurntFlower]

I just went back to look it up.
S/he actually took it more than 39 times.
...and yes the limit did not go into effect until they had taken it dozens of times.
The application was recent.
I wouldn't be surprised if cases like this one were the reason for the limit.

Wow! Now that's determination (and bad exam studying strategy).

 

[OchemOficionado]

Let's just say, they could afford it...

Dang, you’d think they would spend that money on a private tutor before taking the exam multiple times!

 

[gyngyn]

Wow! Now that's determination (and bad exam studying strategy).

Dang, you’d think they would spend that money on a private tutor before taking the exam multiple times!

There appear to have been intervening variables...

 

[OchemOficionado]

There appear to have been intervening variables...

Go on . . . . Lol

Edit: I know you can’t say too much

 

[gyngyn]

Go on . . . . Lol

I'm not in the right specialty to do more than speculate, I'm afraid.

 

[Tenk]

I just went back to look it up.
S/he actually took it more than 39 times.
...and yes the limit did not go into effect until they had taken it dozens of times.
The application was recent.
I wouldn't be surprised if cases like this one were the reason for the limit.

And thus the 10th circle of hell was created.

 

[gyngyn]

And thus the 10th circle of hell was created.

To this, I can attest!

 

[Goro]

I'm not in the right specialty to do more than speculate, I'm afraid.

I'm getting a whiff of a mental health issue.

This isn't the same candidate who had single digit scores?

 

[gyngyn]

I'm getting a whiff of a mental health issue.

This isn't the same candidate who had single digit scores?

No, this one had double digits.

 

[Catalystik]

I'm not in the right specialty to do more than speculate, I'm afraid.

Might this not have been a test-prep company's spy harvesting questions for their use, and applying to schools only as a diversionary tactic?

 

[gyngyn]

Might this not have been a test-prep company's spy harvesting questions for their use, and applying to schools only as a diversionary tactic?

I'm completely sure it was not!
What a generous thought, though.

 

[Catalystik]

.

I'm completely sure it was not!
What a generous thought, though.

I'm not in the right specialty to speculate further, either.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

I don't know how many times they voided. These were graded and reported by AMCAS.
They seem to have been taking it about twice a year.

Would you mind giving us an inkling of how high/low these scores ranged between?

 

[bananafish94]

I only technically applied once but the amount of stress it generated actually caused profound time dilation so that by the time my cycle was complete 47 application cycles had occurred on Earth, and all of my would-be classmates had already retired.

 

[gyngyn]

Would you mind giving us an inkling of how high/low these scores ranged between?

I can tell you that the first and the last scores were identical (the 12th percentile). There was an insignificant amount of deviation in the interval.

 

[MareNostrummm]

I only technically applied once but the amount of stress it generated actually caused profound time dilation so that by the time my cycle was complete 47 application cycles had occurred on Earth, and all of my would-be classmates had already retired.

I'd imagine applying would be easy if you had a stand out application and interviewed early, then were subsequently accepted early. If you get interviewed late then only put on multiple waitlists that drag out till the bitter end it is just torture.

 

[redrosesfi]

I know someone who took the MCAT 6 times before getting accepted.

What school was this?

 

[MyOdyssey]

I can tell you that the first and the last scores were identical (the 12th percentile). There was an insignificant amount of deviation in the interval.

This reminds me of a gambling addiction where someone keeps pulling the handle on the slot machine in hopes of getting the big score.

The occasional score increases between the first and last attempts (like the occasional small scores experienced by the slot machine player) only fueled the perception that the big score was right around the corner.