*Multiple MCAT scores; what happens?

[Guest Ian Wong]

Author:*Jennifer

Date:***12/22/2000 2:04 am*PST

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I'm just wondering what happens when you write the MCAT more than once. Do they average the scores or look at the most recent one? Thank you for your help.

[Guest Ian Wong]

Author:*Ian Wong, MS2

Date:***12/23/2000 0:34 am*PST

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It depends on the medical school. I believe that most medical schools take the most recent score. Very few, if any, will use your highest score if it isn't also the most recent one. None of them will mix and match different sections from MCAT's of different years to get the highest score. As far as I know, when you request your MCAT scores to be forwarded to the medical schools, they will forward all of your attempted MCAT's and their associated scores, and not just your best/most recent score.

 

Because of this, it's really best to write the MCAT once and giving it your absolute best shot. Don't register for the MCAT if you don't have a plan that makes you comfortably prepared for it before you write it. About the only reason I think you should re-write an MCAT is if your scores in a section are low enough to disqualify you from the medical schools you are interested in attending.

 

Realistically, most medical schools expect some improvement on your second/third MCAT score anyway, because you are now familiar with the test, and have now studied the material repeatedly. Therefore, it's quite difficult to impress the admissions committee on an MCAT re-write. Still, with that said, we've got a guy in our med school class that wrote the MCAT *four* times before he finally got a 7 on the Reading Comprehension section (which he needed to apply to UBC Med).

 

Ian

Can, MS2