what should i do... have everything but low mcat

[koala37]

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Hi everyone.

I am really getting discouraged 🙁
I have everything ready on my resume...cept a good mcat score. i have a 3.75 science gpa, 3.7 regular gpa, 3.86 all other gpa, all outstanding recs from my health science committee from my school, am emt certified, president of a fitness club, got co-authored for a research article in the the journal of Botany, have 76 hrs of shadowing, and other volunteering experiences, have two research profs willing to write letters of recs for me, i also did resaecrh at the UIC college of medicine and have a solid reason to go into the field of medicine: i was born three months premature.

the only problem is my mcat score is really really low: i took it first in july 2010: got a 22 Q (9 PS, 9BS, 4 VR). I just took the mcat yesterday and am really scared that I didnt improve or perhaps even did worse on it than the one in july. I would really be willing to get into a D.O. school. I really thik its better than the Caribbean, right? Should I take the MCAT a third time, if necessary or should I just go to Ross Univ i the Caribbean. Sucks when you have everything except a number ruins everything 🙁

 

[2050vlsb]

I think you're already answering your own question ... if you're application is excellent except for the MCAT, you really need to focus on what you might be doing wrong in your prep and fixing it. Are you having trouble with the material itself? If so, is it a particular area? Are you having problems with the test format/passages? Or is it just test anxiety? Once you figure out where that disconnect is occurring, you can best move forward .. maybe taking a prep class, getting more review materials or studying with a friend.

Regardless of whether you're shooting for an MD or DO, you'll need a decent MCAT score, definitely higher than a 22. Beyond the fact that a lot of schools may screen lower MCAT scores out, the test is a normalizing factor ... having a very low score will definitely put your GPA into context and leave med schools asking why you were able to do so well with classes, but not repeat that performance on the MCAT.

I personally feel going to the Caribbean is quite risky and at the end of the day may not get you to where you want to go. Given that you're only real detriment is the MCAT, I would see how you do on this latest test (it's possible you did much better .. as one of my instructors said, "No one comes out of this test going 'I nailed that s***!' ") and if its still too low, really spend some time reevaluating your study strategy.

PS - JW, how exactly are you planning to link being born three months prematurely with your motivation to pursue medicine?

 

[Catalystik]

How did you study for the MCAT the first time, and what did you do differently this time?

Is English your first language?

Don't get down on yorself about the test just yet. Everyone feels like they did a horrible job when thay walk out. If it was hard for you, it was hard for others as well. Understand that some of the questions that too many people got wrong will be thrown out when they "norm" the test (so that a score on this test means the same as the score on another) and also, some of the questions are included as a trial run to see if they should be rewritten before they count.

 

[enTropeeeeeeeee]

Hi everyone.

I am really getting discouraged 🙁
I have everything ready on my resume...cept a good mcat score. i have a 3.75 science gpa, 3.7 regular gpa, 3.86 all other gpa, all outstanding recs from my health science committee from my school, am emt certified, president of a fitness club, got co-authored for a research article in the the journal of Botany, have 76 hrs of shadowing, and other volunteering experiences, have two research profs willing to write letters of recs for me, i also did resaecrh at the UIC college of medicine and have a solid reason to go into the field of medicine: i was born three months premature.

the only problem is my mcat score is really really low: i took it first in july 2010: got a 22 Q (9 PS, 9BS, 4 VR). I just took the mcat yesterday and am really scared that I didnt improve or perhaps even did worse on it than the one in july. I would really be willing to get into a D.O. school. I really thik its better than the Caribbean, right? Should I take the MCAT a third time, if necessary or should I just go to Ross Univ i the Caribbean. Sucks when you have everything except a number ruins everything 🙁

What?

If you can improve that verbal score, you seem to have a fairly solid app.

 

[raltima07]

What?

If you can improve that verbal score, you seem to have a fairly solid app.

Haha, I LOL'd at that

 

[koala37]

Thanks for the advice. I know. i will just wait and watch how i do on this exam.
BTW, 2050vlsb, where did you get accepted to?

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully, med schools wont frown if I have tot ake the mcat three times

 

[koala37]

Thats a big IF....VERBAL SUCKS.

sucks when you have everything and are so close yet still have a long way to go

 

[Pons Asinorum]

I actually had newborn respiratory distress syndrome when I was born and was also born cross-eyed. Hence, many doctors saved my life and this is what ultimately led me to pursue a career in medicine.

What everyone else said.

And for the sake of adcom members around the world, and as a favor to yourself, please don't write your PS as an extension of the comment above.

 

[Robinson Crusoe]

Is being a preemie really all that impactful in your life? Or is it just a story your parents tell you? I would think that most the health problems it caused would have been resolved in early childhood before you can remember. If it hasn't been impactful on your life, then is doesn't belong in your PS.

 

[koala37]

Hi everyone.

I am really getting discouraged 🙁
I have everything ready on my resume...cept a good mcat score. i have a 3.75 science gpa, 3.7 regular gpa, 3.86 all other gpa, all outstanding recs from my health science committee from my school, am emt certified, president of a fitness club, got co-authored for a research article in the the journal of Botany, have 76 hrs of shadowing, and other volunteering experiences, have two research profs willing to write letters of recs for me, i also did resaecrh at the UIC college of medicine and have a solid reason to go into the field of medicine: i was born three months premature.

the only problem is my mcat score is really really low: i took it first in july 2010: got a 22 Q (9 PS, 9BS, 4 VR). I just took the mcat yesterday and am really scared that I didnt improve or perhaps even did worse on it than the one in july. I would really be willing to get into a D.O. school. I really thik its better than the Caribbean, right? Should I take the MCAT a third time, if necessary or should I just go to Ross Univ i the Caribbean. Sucks when you have everything except a number ruins everything 🙁

So i rceived my second set of scores today. I received a 24O. ( 10 Ps, 8 BS, 6 BS)....do i stand a chance with the rest of my app to at least get into D.O. schools?

 

[koala37]

sorry, typo (10 PS, 8 Bs, 6 VS) I am really losing hope

 

[mhelp]

Its going to be difficult for you to go the US allopathic route with your current MCAT but you have a decent chance taking the osteopathic route. You should do some research on osteopathic medicine though and really convince yourself that going to a DO school is the right choice for you.

 

[Catalystik]

(10 PS, 8 Bs, 6 VS) I am really losing hope

do i stand a chance with the rest of my app to at least get into D.O. schools?

With your improved VS, higher overall score, and good GPA, I think that a DO acceptance is within your reach now if your nonspecified clinical experience is as good as the rest of your ECs.

 

[blackbird]

sorry, typo (10 PS, 8 Bs, 6 VS) I am really losing hope

I'm in a similar situation; although I am still working on getting more hours of shadowing in (hopefully during spring break). My GPA is not as high as your is and I am certified as a pharmacy technician. I scored a 20 (8 PS, 9BS, 3 VS) in April last year. Yesterday I got my scores back with a 23 (8, 10, 5). I was very discouraged. I can't seem to figure out what I am doing wrong!!!
Is English your first language? Do you think that you can take it again and improve?
The first time I took it with little preparation, while the second time I spent at least 8 hours a day for over a month studying. The 3 point improvement feels insignificant. Bottom line, I know that this is not my best. Your GPA tells me that you are a very good student, do you feel that you did your best on the MCAT?

 

[koala37]

Catalystik: I am a volunteer EMT for an unserved clinic, I have worked as a pharm tech for a year. I am doing 76 hrs of shadowing.

 

[koala37]

I'm in a similar situation; although I am still working on getting more hours of shadowing in (hopefully during spring break). My GPA is not as high as your is and I am certified as a pharmacy technician. I scored a 20 (8 PS, 9BS, 3 VS) in April last year. Yesterday I got my scores back with a 23 (8, 10, 5). I was very discouraged. I can't seem to figure out what I am doing wrong!!!
Is English your first language? Do you think that you can take it again and improve?
The first time I took it with little preparation, while the second time I spent at least 8 hours a day for over a month studying. The 3 point improvement feels insignificant. Bottom line, I know that this is not my best. Your GPA tells me that you are a very good student, do you feel that you did your best on the MCAT?

thanks Blackbird. I dunno English is not my second language. I was born here and everything but I took speech classes when I was young and I read books too, but not like lit books when i was young. I do know if verbal is something that you r naturally good at because I even got a Kaplan tutor and everything for this retake and even before the first time i took it i was getting 6s in verbal, its just that the first time i took it, i freaked out in verbal n got a 4. I dont even know if doing biomedical sciences for a yr will even help because my sciences sections are decent.

 

[Catalystik]

Catalystik: I am a volunteer EMT for an unserved clinic, I have worked as a pharm tech for a year. I am doing 76 hrs of shadowing.

How many hours will you have in the clinic by the time you apply, and what are your duties there? What speciaties have you shadowed?

 

[ksmi117]

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