Wait for New MCAT or Apply Now?

[sheqi]

Hi guys,

 

I'm kicking myself for not re-writing the MCAT earlier, I have booked a date for August 17, which would be quite late by the time the score is released and sent to the schools.

 

I have written the MCAT once before with a 30N. My overall GPA is 3.86 (3.86, 3.82, 3.91).

 

Would I have a better chance if I apply now with the old MCAT score or wait for the newer, potentially higher score since I only had about a couple of weeks to study last time?

 

Thanks for your feedback in advance! Cheers

[deathvvv]

apply to schools with ~30 mcat avg now. add elite schools later if u do better

[sheqi]

so on the application when they ask if you're going to retake the mcat, would i still be able to change that and add on more schools after I submit the primary to some schools then?

[Slashsev]

I think ur good

 

Apply everywhere n do

[lazyboy]

If I were you, I'll just wait. US is very MCAT heavy, and 30N may not be good enough, you don't want to be a reapplicant for next year.

 

If you do get an MCAT with 33 and a VR of 10, you will get interviews and may be acceptance in some of Canadian schools as well. Your GPA is solid and I would apply boardly to Canadian schools this year. If you don't get in this year, you can apply to USA as well next year.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[ConcernedP]

Hi guys,

 

I'm kicking myself for not re-writing the MCAT earlier, I have booked a date for August 17, which would be quite late by the time the score is released and sent to the schools.

 

I have written the MCAT once before with a 30N. My overall GPA is 3.86 (3.86, 3.82, 3.91).

 

Would I have a better chance if I apply now with the old MCAT score or wait for the newer, potentially higher score since I only had about a couple of weeks to study last time?

 

Thanks for your feedback in advance! Cheers

 

Do not apply with MCAT = 30 (even if it is 10,10,10) unless you have very compelling personal statement, extensive clinical exposure and extensive community exposure. Your MCAT is not high enough for mid to top tier schools, and you have to have strong match (shown through your ECs) for the low tier schools. With standard ECs (research, hospital volunteering, community volunteering, MCAT=10,10,10 and GPA=3.81), early application, resulted in one interview (GW) and subsequent waitlist with negative result. Very very few Canadians with MCAT <32 will make it to US

[justwanttobedoc]

I think your GPA is good for Canadian schools and your last MCAT score would probably fly too if it is a balanced one. However, as previous posters have pointed out, a 30N is considered low for non-US citizens applying to the States.

 

If you really want to give US schools a shot this year, one way around this would be to indicate on AMCAS that you are retaking your MCAT, and only apply to ONE school that you think you would have a good shot when you submit your AMCAS application. The reason being it takes a while for AMCAS applications to be verified and the general consensus is that, the earlier your application is reviewed by the schools the better. You can add more schools if you want once your new score is released. This way, you can minimize the turn around time for your application and evaluate more practically which other schools within your GPA/MCAT range based on your new MCAT score.

 

Just my two cents Good luck studying!

[Unknown786]

I think your GPA is good for Canadian schools and your last MCAT score would probably fly too if it is a balanced one. However, as previous posters have pointed out, a 30N is considered low for non-US citizens applying to the States.

 

If you really want to give US schools a shot this year, one way around this would be to indicate on AMCAS that you are retaking your MCAT, and only apply to ONE school that you think you would have a good shot when you submit your AMCAS application. The reason being it takes a while for AMCAS applications to be verified and the general consensus is that, the earlier your application is reviewed by the schools the better. You can add more schools if you want once your new score is released. This way, you can minimize the turn around time for your application and evaluate more practically which other schools within your GPA/MCAT range based on your new MCAT score.

 

Just my two cents Good luck studying!

 

I am in the same boat as OP and I actually like your suggestion of applying only to a couple of low-tiers and then wait for the MCAT results. However I have heard that some schools don't release their secondaries right away, so if I am already late (will have the scores by Aug 14), and then it takes time to release the secondaries, plus some time for me to do them will that affect my application significantly? (may be try having everything in by late Aug if I can)

[omz222]

As long as you complete in August you should be good. There's admissions data floating around the internet for UMich and WashU (MSTP) which show that, for those schools at least, you won't be in the danger zone as long as you complete everything before September (and UMich is considered to be the most rolling school in the US, so other schools are less rolling). September is really cutting it, and October or later is a no-no. I wouldn't worry much.

 

I personally completed everything by September and I think the only schools that I got hurt on by completing in September were Chicago and Case, both of which are fairly rolling.