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


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Hey guys, 

 

So the new cutoffs for UofT is 125 for each section I believe - and my MCAT2015 score is: 513 (89%) - 129(93%)/124(44%)/129(93%)/131(98%). 

 

I guess I am one of those unbalanced and unfortunate Canadian school appliers but I was wondering if UofT would automatically reject my application due to my CARS score...

 

Also I am a Master's student and was wondering if they lowered the cutoff for those with a Masters degree - I think I heard that somewhere. 

 

I am now looking towards applying to the states and if anyone knows of any schools that places more emphasis on overall and not so much on verbal I would very much appreciate the heads up. 

 

Thank you, 

Hi topomax! I called admissions yesterday to ask about applicants applying below cutoffs (didn't specify if undergrad or Masters) and they said they would advise rewriting if you are below cutoffs; they said having a better GPA/strong essay would not help ameliorate your score and that since most applicants will be applying with scores above the cutoff, applying below cutoffs greatly reduces your chances.  

 

Nevertheless, great effort on writing the MCAT - your other scores are SUPERB, and only one section you really have to work on. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I wrote the MCAT on august 5 and rewrote on the 23rd.

 

Old mcat was between 127-129 CP / 123-125 VB/ 125-127 BB/ 126-128 psychology

 

My current GPA is 3.98.

 

I hope I improved on the 23rd mcat. Extracurricular activities are diverse and relate to my interests. Do I have a shot this year?

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I wrote the MCAT on august 5 and rewrote on the 23rd.

 

Old mcat was between 127-129 CP / 123-125 VB/ 125-127 BB/ 126-128 psychology

 

My current GPA is 3.92.

 

I hope I improved on the 23rd mcat. Extracurricular activities are diverse and relate to my interests. Do I have a shot this year?

I'm not really sure what to say since you have such large intervals there instead of an actual score?

It appears you might meet the UofT cutoff of 125

But what schools did you apply to? I mean Ottawa or Mcgill are always options

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  • 4 months later...

Hey guys

 

My MCAT score was 516 with a 131/127/130/128 (Chem/CARS/Bio/Psych)

My cGPA is 3.8.

 

Should I rewrite the MCAT? Test dates are out and I really want to be able to get a seat in time in case I do rewrite.

 

Why exactly do you feel like you should rewrite?

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Hey guys, 

 

I scored:

  • Total = 512 (87%)
  • Chem = 129 (93%)
  • CARS = 125 (58%)  :(
  • Bio = 130 (97%)
  • Psych = 128 (86%)

My cGPA is 3.91. So, should I rewrite the MCAT if I am planning to apply in Canada? 

 

Thank you

I would consider it, but depending on your weighted GPA at different schools you might be fine regardless. I guess it would also depend on your ECs and province of residence. You might be fine without re-writing, your GPA is certainly great, but it might help to get a bit higher CARS. 

So maybe not necessary, but could be helpful if you did

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  • 2 weeks later...

To improve my CARS score. This year Western's cutoff was pretty high, and my cGPA isn't stellar so I'm not sure if I would have good chances at any of the Canadian/Ontario schools. 

I wouldn't rewrite if I were you. Pretty much you're rewriting just for Western and even then rewriting has the risk of lowering your score. Even if your score does not decrease, it's pretty difficult to get a 130 in CARS. Additionally getting that 130 in CARS probably won't help you at any other school other than Mac (still no guarantee of an interview here) and Western and that's assuming you get that 130. You've got a good score. I wish I had your score.  

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  • 4 weeks later...

GPA

1st degree: 3.14 ish

2nd degree (3 years): 3.94

cGPA: 3.5 ish by the end of this year

 

MCAT: 128/128/128/130

 

Applied to Queens and Western for the first time this cycle, no interviews. ECs are decent/average. Next cycle I can add Ottawa; will also try Dal and Mac.

 

Should I rewrite? (I'm leaning towards yes but then meeting Western's cut-off is such a crap-shot anyways that I feel hopeless)

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GPA

1st degree: 3.14 ish

2nd degree (3 years): 3.94

cGPA: 3.5 ish by the end of this year

 

MCAT: 128/128/128/130

 

Applied to Queens and Western for the first time this cycle, no interviews. ECs are decent/average. Next cycle I can add Ottawa; will also try Dal and Mac.

 

Should I rewrite? (I'm leaning towards yes but then meeting Western's cut-off is such a crap-shot anyways that I feel hopeless)

 

that MCAT is pretty balanced, and other than western, I'd say pretty good. cGPA could be higher but you gotta work with what you got. At least you get things like best two years, last 3 years, etc to help out. I would just focus on having some good ECs under your belt and being able to have a very well written ABS/essays. I don't know if you want to take a year off the cycle to do that, or only do a few months before the applications are due. I for one am taking the year off other than for Dal cause much cheaper than OMSAS and might as well give it a shot. Good luck.

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  • 2 months later...

Should I rewrite?

 

Total: 507 (76%)

Chem/Physics: 125 (57%)

Bio: 128 (87%)

Psych: 126 (67%)

CARS: 128 (90%)

 

GPA: 3.7, hoping to increase it in my fourth year. 

 

Have SWOMEN status, but don't make the 384 cutoff for bio+chem+CARS

 

I'm thinking of keeping my CARS score and trying for Mac, and other schools which don't look at the MCAT, but I do feel that I need to ramp up my below average/just average scores if my CARS score doesn't get me in. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Should I rewrite?

 

Total: 507 (76%)

Chem/Physics: 125 (57%)

Bio: 128 (87%)

Psych: 126 (67%)

CARS: 128 (90%)

 

GPA: 3.7, hoping to increase it in my fourth year. 

 

Have SWOMEN status, but don't make the 384 cutoff for bio+chem+CARS

 

I'm thinking of keeping my CARS score and trying for Mac, and other schools which don't look at the MCAT, but I do feel that I need to ramp up my below average/just average scores if my CARS score doesn't get me in. 

Yes. Without a doubt. 

 

Your GPA means that Mac will be a long shot, regardless. SWOMEN status will be a much, much better chance and you should do whatever you can to meet those criteria. You can and should apply to Mac and Queen's(maybe?) this year, regardless, but if you can re-write for Western that would significantly increase your chances

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  • 2 months later...

Total: 516 (95%)


Chem/Physics: 129 (93%)


Bio: 128 (87%)


Psych: 130 (97%)


CARS: 129 (95%)


 


GPA: 3.9-4.0, depending on the weighting


No SWOMEN


Applying to (in ON): UofT, Queens, Ottawa, Mac, Western


 


I'm really only considering the re-write for Western. Last year their cutoff was 130 for CARS, and 127 for bio/psych, so I feel like I'm so close with my CARS score. Is that a bad idea? Any idea what their cutoffs might be like this year? I'm not SWOMEN, but my GPA is a 4.0 for Western. 


 


Other info: wrote once last summer, got a 516 also (127 CARS, 129 Bio), also applying to UBC, Calgary, Alberta, maybe McGill, considering US schools in the future, if I don't rewrite I can spend more time preparing for my varsity sport tryouts and on my applications themselves

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  • 2 weeks later...

Total: 516 (95%)

Chem/Physics: 129 (93%)

Bio: 128 (87%)

Psych: 130 (97%)

CARS: 129 (95%)

GPA: 3.9-4.0, depending on the weighting

No SWOMEN

Applying to (in ON): UofT, Queens, Ottawa, Mac, Western

I'm really only considering the re-write for Western. Last year their cutoff was 130 for CARS, and 127 for bio/psych, so I feel like I'm so close with my CARS score. Is that a bad idea? Any idea what their cutoffs might be like this year? I'm not SWOMEN, but my GPA is a 4.0 for Western.

Other info: wrote once last summer, got a 516 also (127 CARS, 129 Bio), also applying to UBC, Calgary, Alberta, maybe McGill, considering US schools in the future, if I don't rewrite I can spend more time preparing for my varsity sport tryouts and on my applications themselves

Don't rewrite. CARS is so volatile, that you may end up just wasting time for a lower score. Plus, UWO probably has a lot of pressure to drop their CARS cutoff.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Re-write?

 

cGPA: 3.95

UofT: 3.97

UBC: 91.3%

 

Score: 128/125/129/125 (507)

 

ECs - very very good

 

I retook this from last year to improve CARS - 124 last year. Don't think I'll be able to improve CARS much, I really thought I had a 127 going in/after the test. 

 

This puts me competitive for UBC and UofT with my high gpa, but puts me at disadvantage for Mac.

 

Western - I wasn't planning to apply to because I never expected to get 129+ in CARS, and Queen's, well they're a blackbox, but prob puts me at disadvantage there too since my composite is not high. Ottawa - should be okay, interviewed there last year

 

I have good experience with CASPER and I'm pretty sure I would be able to do really well on it for Mac.

 

?

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Unbalanced scores:

 

513: 129/127/126(!)/131

 

Applying U of A, 4.0 GPA, BUT I'm applying after my first year, which puts me in the 2/3 IP pool. ECs I think are above average, lots of activities with hundreds of hours over a few years. Apparently, previous stats put the 2/3 IP students with a mean 11.43 in their sections. Mine is 128.25. How does that stack up? I don't know how to convert the old score.

 

I really really really do not want to rewrite, as a 513 is still a 90th percentile. I think realistically, I could've gotten a 515 or 516 by bringing my B/B and CARS to 128. This was the lowest I've ever scored on B/B, even with all the practice tests I had taken I was scoring like 128(NS, EK and AAMC), and I really don't know what happened here to make it drop so much. CARS I do think I can raise it to 128, but I can't say that with as much confidence as I can with B/B.

 

Like I said, I really don't want to go through the hell of studying and writing the MCAT again. I don't think I can get a 131 in P/S again, but I think I can make a more balanced score the next time. Its just that its so finicky and volatile that so many things can go wrong. I understand though that I may have to rewrite in order to apply to other places other than the U of A. The 126 on B/B and 127 in CARS is really hurting me.

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Unbalanced scores:

 

513: 129/127/126(!)/131

 

Applying U of A, 4.0 GPA, BUT I'm applying after my first year, which puts me in the 2/3 IP pool. ECs I think are above average, lots of activities with hundreds of hours over a few years. Apparently, previous stats put the 2/3 IP students with a mean 11.43 in their sections. Mine is 128.25. How does that stack up? I don't know how to convert the old score.

 

I really really really do not want to rewrite, as a 513 is still a 90th percentile. I think realistically, I could've gotten a 515 or 516 by bringing my B/B and CARS to 128. This was the lowest I've ever scored on B/B, even with all the practice tests I had taken I was scoring like 128(NS, EK and AAMC), and I really don't know what happened here to make it drop so much. CARS I do think I can raise it to 128, but I can't say that with as much confidence as I can with B/B.

 

Like I said, I really don't want to go through the hell of studying and writing the MCAT again. I don't think I can get a 131 in P/S again, but I think I can make a more balanced score the next time. Its just that its so finicky and volatile that so many things can go wrong. I understand though that I may have to rewrite in order to apply to other places other than the U of A. The 126 on B/B and 127 in CARS is really hurting me.

U of A just looks at the average so the fact that you are "not balanced" is irrelevant there. I wouldn't rewrite until after this cycle until the summer if you are going to at all. It's too late to change anything for this cycle.

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U of A just looks at the average so the fact that you are "not balanced" is irrelevant there. I wouldn't rewrite until after this cycle until the summer if you are going to at all. It's too late to change anything for this cycle.

Yea I wasn't going to rewrite this cycle anyway, and would do it in the summer time if I really, really needed to. For the U of A I think it should be fine. Its just that if I want to apply OOP elsewhere I may have issues.

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cGPA: 3.87 (in my 3rd year right now)

MCAT: 127/126/127/131 - 511 overall

ECs: research, tutoring, club leadership, campus program leader, nursing home volunteer for the past 4 years, hospital, etc

 

Should I retake? I am not a fan of my CARS score but I feel like other than Western and Mac, its pretty good. What do you guys think?

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I probably know the unfortunate answer to this, but I'll ask anyways. 

 

Currently: Doing MSc. (just started this year)

2Yr GPA: 3.92

cGPA: 3.80

 

Total - 513 (130/123/132/128)

 

I am assuming as a Quebec Resident applying to most schools as OOP, I will have to rewrite my MCAT (for the 4th time..). I can't for the life of me get my CARS/Verbal score to a semi decent number.

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