FAQ: Should I Rewrite the MCAT (And other MCAT Score related Questions)

[drrd]

Hey all, just curious if I should re-write, I wrote on july 14th and got a 34Q, (VR13, PS 11, BS 10) I'm unsure what to think of this as I didn't study more than a day, so if I actually prepared I feel as if I could do better. The score is also unbalanced which makes me a little worried. Is it worth rewriting or would it be best to keep the scores and see (gpa is 3.95 if that means anything)?, thanks for any and all help in advance

 

I would definitely not rewrite. With your GPA and your verbal score, you have a great shot at McMaster (assuming you do well on CASPER). Presuming the cutoffs don't change, you have a guaranteed interview at Western. With those marks you should be competitive at other schools as well.

[ArchEnemy]

Hey all, just curious if I should re-write, I wrote on july 14th and got a 34Q, (VR13, PS 11, BS 10) I'm unsure what to think of this as I didn't study more than a day, so if I actually prepared I feel as if I could do better. The score is also unbalanced which makes me a little worried. Is it worth rewriting or would it be best to keep the scores and see (gpa is 3.95 if that means anything)?, thanks for any and all help in advance

 

Hope you're not trolling. Like what drrd said, you're in excellent shape for Canadian Med schools (though slightly below average for States side). I would not recommend a rewrite.

[bigphish]

Just thought I would clear up that I'm not trolling, I realize that my scores are by most measures quite good, especially considering the time I put into studying, however my primary concern was that the BS section was quite low, and the overall score was unbalanced, and that I most likely can obtain a higher score with studying. However after reading some additional forums it seems that a VR 13 is like gold and I'm best to hold onto it and at the very least apply to McMaster, thank you for the quick and helpful replies.

[medhopeful64]

Hey all, just curious if I should re-write, I wrote on july 14th and got a 34Q, (VR13, PS 11, BS 10) I'm unsure what to think of this as I didn't study more than a day, so if I actually prepared I feel as if I could do better. The score is also unbalanced which makes me a little worried. Is it worth rewriting or would it be best to keep the scores and see (gpa is 3.95 if that means anything)?, thanks for any and all help in advance

 

Dude...are you nuts? lol well I think you know by now that a 34Q (especially a 13 in VR) is a very solid score. Congrats on it! And btw, may I ask...did you even prepare for Verbal? And how so? how do you answer the questions? Please let me know, I'm desperate for Verbal help haha

[medhopeful64]

Ok guys, its my turn...

 

Here's the deal: I have written my MCAT 3 times now. Yes three times. It's pretty pathetic I know, but the first attempt was a total crapshoot, and I should have voided it (wrote it after 2nd year). I was totally unprepared and naive and silly and wrote it anyways. Got a 6 in Verbal, and not too great on the science sections. Next summer, I did much better on the science/writing sections, and my verbal improved but only to an 8. I just rewrote on the 14th of July this year, and I got a 9/6/13/R... (My PS score was low because I ran out of time and happened to get many chemistry topics I was weakest in, bad luck for me).

 

I obviously can't do anything with a 6 in Verbal...but the real question is, whether there is any point in me doing a 4th try, when perhaps Verbal is simply not something I can overcome. I feel incredibly frustrated, as I have busted my brains out for the past few years and have gotten nothing out of it. My family has sacrificed much for me so I could focus on the MCAT and I feel like I have let them down. And let myself down. I was so pumped for it, I actually felt good about verbal this year. On test day, I felt like the questions weren't THAT bad, but then again, I always feel like that on Verbal. I feel like I did okay, and then see my mark and another little part of me just dies.

 

Seriously guys, I am just contemplating on giving up, and just stop wasting my time/effort/money. Not sure what I can even accomplish in terms of Verbal in 3 weeks for another rewrite. Not to mention having to review the science sections again. I feel so lost...

[bigphish]

Hey medhopeful64, I did spend some time preparing for it, by writing AAMC practice tests, I wrote 3 and 5 for practice and scored an 11 and 13 on each. I never thought verbal reasoning was that difficult, perhaps because it relies on no previous knowledge,unlike the PS and BS where there were questions without passages that required previous knowledge (and where I definitely lost points). I will give you some practice tips if you PM me.

 

Have you tried MCAT study guides? they may have some good advice.

 

Just PM me it will be easiest that way to explain how I did it.

[anj88]

Hey folks,

This will be my second application round. I have a BSc in Health Science and an MA, with an ok GPA but a pretty low MCAT (low 20s). Despite this,

last year I was interviewed and waitlisted at Mac so I feel pretty good about that. I'm applying again this year but just for Mac to hope that lightening will strike twice. At the same time, I realize that my MCAT is very low, so I was thinking about re-taking the MCAT, but during this application round. I'm thinking about studying for the April 2013 dates, but also if I do happen to get in this year it would be a big time/money suck. Thoughts about hoping for the best but preparing for the worst?

[thehumanmacbook]

Please don't double post.

[EnigmatiK]

Overall MCAT- 36R

PS: 14

VR: 8

BS: 14

 

GPA: 3.7

 

I have such bittersweet feelings about the score. I know that 8 will really hurt me, especially at McMaster and Queen's. Hopefully I can get an interview at Calgary and Alberta at the least.

 

Is it worth it to take it again? I really don't want to since I'd have to invest next summer into it and I'm in my 4th year so that means wasting a year before the next cycle. Gah... so many choices.

[NeuroPreMed]

Overall MCAT- 36R

PS: 14

VR: 8

BS: 14

 

GPA: 3.7

 

I have such bittersweet feelings about the score. I know that 8 will really hurt me, especially at McMaster and Queen's. Hopefully I can get an interview at Calgary and Alberta at the least.

 

Is it worth it to take it again? I really don't want to since I'd have to invest next summer into it and I'm in my 4th year so that means wasting a year before the next cycle. Gah... so many choices.

 

I don't know about Calgary, but I'd be very surprised if you got into U of A with an 8. Average is 10.88 across the board.

[Morzan]

I'm considering primarily ontario, maybe other canadian provinces.

Total: 30T

PS: 12

VR: 9

BS: 9

 

The VR scores effectively removes a 'good shot' at Western and Mac correct?

[MedSchoolAspirant81991]

I got a 33R,

 

PS 13

VR: 10

Writing R

BS: 10 (this section irked me out the most).

 

Would you rewrite if you were in my shoes?

[#YOLO]

I got a 33R,

 

PS 13

VR: 10

Writing R

BS: 10 (this section irked me out the most).

 

Would you rewrite if you were in my shoes?

 

Personally I wouldn't. Need more stats though about ur profile. ie gpa, geographical preferences/status. etc.

But a 33R is solid. CONGRATS!!

[Tacrolimus]

I don't know about Calgary, but I'd be very surprised if you got into U of A with an 8. Average is 10.88 across the board.

 

Shouldn't he be more competitive for U of A than Calgary?

 

Calgary only looks at Verbal, and the other two go into subjective category... they probably have a cut-off system so high score in BS and PS will not help there.

 

U of A takes your three marks and averages them out (as far as I know). The average mark would be a 12 which is higher than the 10.77 posted on their website. I guess where we differ is our understanding of the average MCAT score posted on their website.

 

Does someone know what they really do?

[Savac]

Shouldn't he be more competitive for U of A than Calgary?

 

Calgary only looks at Verbal, and the other two go into subjective category... they probably have a cut-off system so high score in BS and PS will not help there.

 

U of A takes your three marks and averages them out (as far as I know). The average mark would be a 12 which is higher than the 10.77 posted on their website. I guess where we differ is our understanding of the average MCAT score posted on their website.

 

Does someone know what they really do?

 

I don't know exactly what UofA is doing, but they averaged my sections together. My score is of the form "15 T", though that is obviously not my real score. This seems to suggest that they're definitely looking at the average score, but that does not necessarily mean that they're not looking at the individual scores as well. Beyond this, anything that I say will be pure conjecture.

[ondansetron]

they're definitely not looking at individual scores at U of A. My friend got in with a 7 in verbal 11 in BS and 12 in PS and with a 3.7 GPA last year. Plus an individual on the committee told me they pretty much plug the averages into a formula and go from there.

[Tacrolimus]

I don't know exactly what UofA is doing, but they averaged my sections together. My score is of the form "15 T", though that is obviously not my real score. This seems to suggest that they're definitely looking at the average score, but that does not necessarily mean that they're not looking at the individual scores as well. Beyond this, anything that I say will be pure conjecture.

 

they're definitely not looking at individual scores at U of A. My friend got in with a 7 in verbal 11 in BS and 12 in PS and with a 3.7 GPA last year. Plus an individual on the committee told me they pretty much plug the averages into a formula and go from there.

 

Ah, I see. I guess U of A is good for people with high overall score, but low Verbal score.

 

P.S. Is ondansetron your favorite drug or something? (It's expensive as hell... like $17 for one pill)

[ondansetron]

LOL! I chose this username while I was taking pharmacology and this was the first thing that came into my mind when I was making this account . It's an anti-emetic. I like to think that people don't throw up at the sight of me so it kinda suits I suppose...

[123izme]

3.93 (+/- a bit depending on the school)

 

9/11/11 R (PS/VR/BS) - Never got below 10 on PS practice... not sure if VR will remain 11 if I re-write

 

3rd Year

IP Ontario

 

Rewrite?

[Savac]

3.93 (+/- a bit depending on the school)

 

9/11/11 R (PS/VR/BS) - Never got below 10 on PS practice... not sure if VR will remain 11 if I re-write

 

3rd Year

IP Ontario

 

Rewrite?

 

I would keep this if I were you

[Jaybird]

How much can I expect a 42S (14/14/14) to compensate for a slightly below par (3.75) cGPA?

[Tacrolimus]

How much can I expect a 42S (14/14/14) to compensate for a slightly below par (3.75) cGPA?

 

Try Manitoba. They love the MCAT.

 

I think you should have a good shot at McMaster and Western (if you did an Honors degree) depending on your ECs, CASPer and interview.

 

U of T doesn't really care that much about MCAT so you will be below average in academic section... and I don't know much about Queen's.

 

BTW, that's just an amazing score.

[Savac]

How much can I expect a 42S (14/14/14) to compensate for a slightly below par (3.75) cGPA?

 

I find it somewhat funny that you posted this in this thread.

 

On topic, it really depends on the school. Most US schools will love you, so that's something that you should consider for next year.

 

In Canada, you're still in a good position. If your 2 most recent years are high, you've got a good chance at Queen's. As for Mac, you're in a very good position. Your GPA is just fine, and your VR is astronomical.

 

You'll also be set for an interview at Western next year.

[Crayola]

Most US schools will love you, so that's something that you should consider for next year.

 

If Canada doesn't take you, your monster of a score will serve you well for American schools.

[Jaybird]

In Canada, you're still in a good position. If your 2 most recent years are high, you've got a good chance at Queen's. As for Mac, you're in a very good position. Your GPA is just fine, and your VR is astronomical.

 

You'll also be set for an interview at Western next year.

 

So I've no chance at Queen's then 2nd year cGPA of somewhere around 3.4...T____T. Is Western best two years? That would be...incredible haha.

 

And thanks everyone - but really, it's all because of medhopeful64's help