saltandpepper Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 hi there..... i am wondering how MCAT history will affect my application. It is my belief that Canadian schools do not pay attention to a number of MCAT written and as a matter of fact, assessors may not even know how many times applicants have taken it at all. however, I am just guessing that it may be a different scenario at US schools... does anyone know? and if they do look at a number mcat's been taken, how do they consider that in evaluating applicants? any guess? if anyone's curious... I was too arrogant and stupid to think that MCAT studying didn't deserve/worth my summer time. every summer, I did sick adventures including international volunteering in public health, military boot camp, research publication, etc. so now i have everything but MCAT..... i have superb extracurricular activities, great ref letters, and not bad GPA; cGPA of 3.84 (3.71~3.96) I am somewhat confident that I will pull off a decent MCAT this time, now that I am finally putting time studying for it... thanks!!! :'( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addy K Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 Seems like you have everything else, except the MCAT to be a solid applicant. Don't let that stop you from getting into a Canadian school, and in some cases (e.g., Ottawa) it won't even affect your application. Your wGPA might be high enough for Ottawa, depending on where you are located and how you did in the last 3 years of your undergrad. I wrote the MCAT multiple times, probably because of the same problem. I thought I didn't have to study much, so I just got lazy and did other stuff instead, studying only when there was nothing else to do. It sounds like you are focusing now, so I'm sure you will do fine, BUT from what I know it will significantly affect your US application. Based on what I have read and having applied to a couple US schools, it is tough for them to look past people who have written the MCAT 3 or more times. It doesn't mean you won't get in, it will just be harder. Even though the schools say they take the most recent or the best, I think there is a certain prejudice in the States towards people who have written it 3 or more times. Plus there are some schools that outright say they will just average your MCAT scores, in which case it's probably not worth applying to. You should also consider DO (Osteopathic Medicine) schools. They are pretty much the same thing, and aren't as keen on high MCAT scores as the allopathic schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charmer08 Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 . Plus there are some schools that outright say they will just average your MCAT scores, in which case it's probably not worth applying to. Which schools say that? I thought only the aamc said that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepontruckin Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 Plus there are some schools that outright say they will just average your MCAT scores, in which case it's probably not worth applying to. I'm interested in knowing this as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reflex Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 i'm pretty sure ZERO schools (MD anyways) do that in the usa, they take your MOST RECENT one..ALWAYS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltandpepper Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 thank you so much Addy! it is very important for me to find out and ur input is much appreciated....! i really don't have both the money or time to waste on American school application if I am looking at a low to zero shots or if what i have to do is look for a pure luck.... so, is it a consensed opinion that to american schools, 3 or more MCAT writing will be a red flag? and thus in my case that i should rather not apply? I wouldn't get an honest answer from schools, would I? as they want to have more applicants for money... thx a bunch pals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reflex Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 thank you so much Addy! it is very important for me to find out and ur input is much appreciated....! i really don't have both the money or time to waste on American school application if I am looking at a low to zero shots or if what i have to do is look for a pure luck.... so, is it a consensed opinion that to american schools, 3 or more MCAT writing will be a red flag? and thus in my case that i should rather not apply? I wouldn't get an honest answer from schools, would I? as they want to have more applicants for money... thx a bunch pals IMO, it will ONLY be a red flag if you don't kick the mcat's ass the 4th time around, and like 32+ or whatever, something significant. if you somehow miraculously get 35+ then i say the med schools will be very happy with your application (they will still have a bit of a frown for previous rewrites, but not enough to ruin your app) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addy K Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 I'm interested in knowing this as well... http://www.2shared.com/document/rN6jyY-L/US_med_school_MCAT_score.html I uploaded the document showing the various medical schools and how they look at multiple MCATs. I think I got it from someone at SDN - I can't say if it is completely accurate since it is 2 years old by now. Most schools say they look at your most recent MCAT score, but based on my experience and from what others have said on SDN, there is a prejudice towards applicants who have written it 3 or more times. Now, if you get >35 on your most recent MCAT, that may well impress the admissions committees enough to not really consider your previous scores. I scored a 31 on my most recent MCAT and had a 3.7 or so GPA for AMCAS and I did apply to a few low-mid tier US schools and got no interviews. I got 4 interviews in Canada & had 1 at a DO school so I don't know, I guess I am biased, but I felt like the schools in the States didn't really give me a chance because of my multiple MCAT writings. It worked out for the best though, I would have just wasted time/money traveling to US schools Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltandpepper Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 http://www.2shared.com/document/rN6jyY-L/US_med_school_MCAT_score.html I uploaded the document showing the various medical schools and how they look at multiple MCATs. I think I got it from someone at SDN - I can't say if it is completely accurate since it is 2 years old by now. Most schools say they look at your most recent MCAT score, but based on my experience and from what others have said on SDN, there is a prejudice towards applicants who have written it 3 or more times. Now, if you get >35 on your most recent MCAT, that may well impress the admissions committees enough to not really consider your previous scores. I scored a 31 on my most recent MCAT and had a 3.7 or so GPA for AMCAS and I did apply to a few low-mid tier US schools and got no interviews. I got 4 interviews in Canada & had 1 at a DO school so I don't know, I guess I am biased, but I felt like the schools in the States didn't really give me a chance because of my multiple MCAT writings. It worked out for the best though, I would have just wasted time/money traveling to US schools hey addy, so how many times did you write? 3? 4? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addy K Posted June 25, 2011 Report Share Posted June 25, 2011 I wrote it 3 times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted June 25, 2011 Report Share Posted June 25, 2011 I also wrote it 3 times, similar scores such as you. I managed to get 9 interviews this year and into a few schools. Don't worry about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey_whiz Posted June 25, 2011 Report Share Posted June 25, 2011 holy, thank goodness i found this thread! i was seriously thinking about cancelling my mcat (first time taking the MCAT, writing in september, but im a non traditional..finding some of the material difficult and so im overwhelmed right now !!!) because i thought most US schools take the AVERAGE of all your mcat scores, but i guess most schools either take your most recent or your best score.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey_whiz Posted June 25, 2011 Report Share Posted June 25, 2011 looking at the list... whats the difference between "the best set of scores" and "the highest total set of scores" ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathvvv Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Jefferson averages your MCAT i'm pretty sure ZERO schools (MD anyways) do that in the usa, they take your MOST RECENT one..ALWAYS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Jefferson averages your MCAT hehehe there is always an exception floating around Still I think for the most part it is safe to think that repeats are quite ok overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathvvv Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 As long as you dramatically improve with your most recent MCAT a 24 27 28 28 30 might still raise some eyebrows for American schools. On the other hand, if that 30 turned into a 34 I think you should be in the clear hehehe there is always an exception floating around Still I think for the most part it is safe to think that repeats are quite ok overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Last time I checked on this - and I am not an expert on US schools - there was some discussion that past 3 writings of the MCAT some schools would frown on future attempts. Any truth to this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reflex Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Last time I checked on this - and I am not an expert on US schools - there was some discussion that past 3 writings of the MCAT some schools would frown on future attempts. Any truth to this? Yes, they do frown upon it...but if you're gonna have one that is say..10 pts higher..then I think it'll be ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathvvv Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Also, there are circumstances. Let say if you wrote 3 times 10 years ago, and you rewrite and get like a 32, that should be okay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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