What do I do?

[hippie]

As someone with the US as a first choice I think I am in deep trouble.

 

I just wrote my MCAT and I don't think I did well. As a first step, I am removing half of the middle tier schools and all of the top tier schools from my AMCAS before submitting it.

 

If I register from now for a new MCAT (that's if I find a spot), my file will be delayed to be looked at, and also with no guarantee that I will do better anyways.

 

If I wait for the results and realize that I did too bad, finding a spot on the 18 of july will be too late and too little time to study.

 

Any Advice?

[Jochi1543]

Hmmmm.

 

 

First off, your feelings about how you did don't convey anything about how you will do. I mean, I thought I was gonna get like an 8 in bio, but got a 10. So no need to rush into deciding that you HAVE to retake.

 

If you really feel insecure about this, I think there's only one thing you can do - register for a retake now and start studying again, as if you never took this test...just pretend you won't have any scores coming on the 18th, so that you are not tempted to slack off with studying.

 

They did open some new seats, so you might be able to find a late July/early August spot right now. I don't know how it is with CBTs, but with the paper test, you could get a 50% refund ($105) if you cancelled up to a week prior to the test date. So I would schedule your next test at LEAST a week after your expected score release date. Then if you score well, you can cancel and at least get your $105 back. If you don't score well - well, you've been studying pretty hard and will probably improve on your rewrite.

 

However, at this point I would NOT check off the "will take another test" on your AMCAS, because it will make things more difficult for you if you decide not to rewrite in the end.

[hippie]

Thanks Jochi,

 

I think I will try to retake it and not mention it on my AMCAS.

I don't even care about the refund. Losing 200$ still beats losing a year.

Thinking about it, BS and PS shouldn't be a problem but I'm pretty sure I bombed VR....I don't know if the fact that it is my 2nd language will alleviate it somehow...but still..

[Jochi1543]

I'm pretty sure I bombed VR....I don't know if the fact that it is my 2nd language will alleviate it somehow...but still..

 

Not really....if you get a 9, yes, it'll cut you some slack compared to a native speaker's 10, but below 8 is out whether you are a native speaker or not, even for Americans...and there isn't much of a reason for them to take an intl w/ such low scores. Besides, a ton of non-native speakers score well on VR. If you read well enough to get a good score in the sciences section, you can't exactly claim ESL anymore.

[hippie]

Jochi,

 

R u sure I can check the retake option after the 18th? even that I am retaking on the 24th of July?

[Jochi1543]

Jochi,

 

R u sure I can check the retake option after the 18th? even that I am retaking on the 24th of July?

 

Well, it's up to you. Do you want the schools to hold your application until your scores from the 24th come in? Then yes, check the "I'm retaking" option. If not, don't check it.

[uofthopeful07]

while this is a difficult decision, and i can't tell you what to do, i can tell you verbal is not a *Feel good* section.

 

its not supposed to feel good! you aren't supposed to feel SURE of yourself.

 

i hope that you will be PLEASANTLY surprised

 

have you ever written a verbal section, felt it didnt go well, but then had the INSTANT satisfication of checking your answers? well unfortunately, you can't do that last part. but just cross your fingers. perhaps you had an 'iffy' form for verbal and others felt the same. the point is, you just can't be certain until those scores come out. so don't make rash decisions about cancelling x schools and adding y schools.