Please help, should I rewrite the MCAT?

[DrDD]

Hi, first of all thank you for taking the effort to help me out

I am an UofT student entering my fourth year UG. I have a 4.0 cGPA and have some research, work and volunteer experience. I wrote my MCAT last summer (did not prepare as I had hoped to ) and my score was 509 (CARS -129, PsychSoc - 125, Bio -127, PhyChem -128). I am an Ontario resident and I hope to apply to all Ontario med schools, UBC. I would really really like to study at UofT or Mac. Do you think I must retake the MCAT?

Once again, thanks for your help!!!!

[duckduckgoose18]

The only Ontario school you're out of the running for is UWO (not sure about Queen's). W/ that GPA and CARS, you're looking pretty good for the rest. 

[w8list]

you should definitely rewrite since the other sections are easy to improve!

[apple94]

thats a beautiful CARS score. If you're confident in your ability to score just as high if not higher in CARS then retake, otherwise leave it alone and go to MAC/calgary, etc.

[greensurR]

I would personally keep that score especially if Mac or U of T are your goal schools. You meet U of T's cutoffs and they only use the MCAT as a threshold so it doesn't matter, and that's a great CARS score for Mac. You also have a high GPA so as long as you do ok on CASPer I'm sure you'll get an interview there. Personal choice at the end of the day though! 

[pyridoxal-phosphate]

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[DrDD]

Thanks to everyone who replied. The reason I was a bit apprehensive about rewriting is because I wanted to use my time strengthening my ECs instead of studying for MCAT if my current mark would not pull me down. I think I might just apply this cycle with the current MCAT score and retry MCAT for next cycle if I am unsuccessful now. Also, thank you to those who suggested Calgary, I will look into that (I am new to Canada and hence, don't know much about schools outside Ontario). 

 

Thanks once again for setting aside your time to help me!!!!

[bruh]

On 5/26/2019 at 8:12 AM, duckduckgoose18 said:

The only Ontario school you're out of the running for is UWO (not sure about Queen's). W/ that GPA and CARS, you're looking pretty good for the rest. 

This is not true. OP is fine with a 129 in CARS for every school in Ontario. UWO no longer requires a 129 in CARS as they have lowered cut-offs and added an aABS section. Cut-off for this year was 128 CARS, 126 C/P, 126 B/B

OP, you also have above average stats for Mac with a cGPA of 4.0. Entering stats are around 3.85 and 129 CARS. 

You will not benefit from a higher MCAT score for UofT (Cut-off based), Western (Cut-off based), Queens (Cut-off based) or Ottawa (no MCAT required), Dal (Cut-off based), UBC (Cut-off based pre-interview). You are above Calgary's CARS cut-off of 128 and your MCAT makes up only 10% of your application, the rest is your GPA and EC's. 

Again, a higher MCAT will not help you at all in any of the above mentioned schools. Also, chances of you scoring below 129 in CARS on your retake are very high. A 130 in C/P, B/B, and P/S but a 127 in CARS would hurt you way more than your current score.

The ONLY schools that a higher MCAT will help with are possibly U of A as no one knows how they select applicants anymore, and Manitoba and Saskatchewan which require at least a 518+ to even get an interview.

I would not re-take the MCAT at all if I were in your situation.