release mcat scores

[Guest bmw]

Hi, I just finished my first year of university an am planning to take the Aug MCAT, I am just wondering should I relase my scores to ouac or not. I don't need the scores this year, I am just thinking if I did bad I can rewrite the test, if the scores are okay, I can release it to ouac next year. Is it work? What do you guys think?

[Guest Ian Wong]

It may work. I don't know that them receiving that first set of MCAT scores is a really big deal, because a huge number of med school applicants have written the MCAT more than once. I don't think that having two scores itself will necessarily hurt you.

 

With that said, if you withhold your scores now, you will have to pay money to release them later on, and there may be some additional paperwork involved. At the end of the day, I think you won't really go wrong with either approach, and if you do great on the MCAT, then the whole discussion is moot anyway.

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

[Guest missing Manitoba]

Hi bmw,

 

I would release the scores if for no other reason than convenience. As Ian pointed out, releasing scores after the fact involves money and paperwork. Also, most schools (and OMSAS) only keep those scores released at the time of the test from year to year. So, if your scores were decent but you had to apply more than once, you would have to do the paperwork/money thing every time you applied -- but only if your scores were not released at test time. Scores released at the time of the test would still be on file. Also, depending on the school, either your best or your most recent results are considered; therefore, there is no danger (as far as I can see) in releasing your first set of scores regardless of how you do.

[Guest bmw]

Hi Ian and missing Manitoba,

Thank you for your input. Let say If I don't release the score this year, the scores are not satisfatory then I need to rewrite the test next year, I have to release the scores since I will be applying to all med schools, will they know I have two attempts or they will only get my next year's scores?

[Guest missing Manitoba]

Hi bmw,

 

I'm not absolutely sure, but the reading I just did at the MCAT website suggests that the schools ONLY receive the scores you release. I'm not sure if there is any indication with the scores that this was not your first writing.

 

I don't remember how the MCAT section of the OMSAS application worked (since I filled it in way back in September), but I do know that Manitoba has you include the dates of ALL your MCAT attempts and circle the one you'd like used. Saskatchewan requires that you include ALL results and have ALL results sent. Perhaps someone else can remember how OMSAS worked. If not, when the new OMSAS application becomes available in July, check out the MCAT section and see if including *all* scores is required. I do remember that there was a section in which I had to fill in my own scores, but I can't remember if the application gave the option of including some and excluding others.