What should I do?

[uvrsol]

I took my first mcat in may 2013 and scored very bad. 8/2/9 =19

I studied really hard since then and retook the mcat last month and scored 11/4/11 =26 even though my aamc scores were way higher with average around 32-33.

I really don't know what to do. I know my weakness is verbal and really tried very hard this time trying different techniques and settled with EK method. I have read everyday for the last 7 months. My aamc practice verbal scores were around 7-8.

My GPA (from top 20 school) is around 3.75 and sGPA is 3.74. I majored in Molecular Biology. I've great ECs and good LORs.

I really don't know what to do here. Should I give up on MD or should I retake? Right now, I feel like I've little appetite for another retake. I also know that most of MD schools would outright reject me with that verbal score.

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[Beth_W737]

Apply broadly to DO and you should get in somewhere. Good luck

 

[Oso]

The general consensus around here is that for MD, no section score should be below 8, so you would have to retake and you would have to improve verbal. That may be possible, since you say you were scoring around 7 and 8 in your practice tests. What do you think happened on test day? Did you get nervous? Did you feel like the passages were exceptionally difficult? But yes, I do not think you have a chance at MD with that overall score and especially the verbal score.

My advice, should you choose not to retake, is to apply to DO programs.

 

[Mad Jack]

Do what they said. But if you really want to improve your verbal and you don't get in this year, please, just read more. Lots more. I've said it before and I'll say it again- reading is not something you can cheat at or learn to do in a few months. People who score well in verbal tend to read challenging material on a fairly regular basis. Hopefully you get in somewhere. But if not, just hit the books. You WILL get better at it with time if you read some NYT, Atlantic, WSJ, Slate, and a novel or nonfiction book here and there. Maybe even audit a lit class or something if you have the time. Take whatever route you like, but just get to reading!