nontrad student; jan 28th MCAT 504.. retake?? please help!

[kfox09]

I took the MCAT on Jan 28th 2017 for the first time and I got a 504. The breakdown was 130/124/126/124. I am worried about the 124s. My CARS 124 is pretty standard for me, I suck at CARS but I hate that I have 2 sections under the 50th percentile. I am a nontraditional student. I have been out of school since 2014. Overall GPA 3.66. Now a wife and mom - applying for 2018 and doing volunteer work. I have years of clinical experience but no research. I live in Louisiana, applying to both LSU schools and hoping to apply to some out of state schools to increase my chances and DO schools.

My question: Do I retake and take the chance of not getting a 130 in chem/physics again in order to balance out the sections? I know I can do better on the psy/soc section and should be able to score better in BIO. I just don't know if its worth the risk because I doubt I'll get a 130 in chem/physics again. Highest I scored on practice tests was a 127 consistently.

Any advice would help! Thank you!

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[RogueBanana]

Having one good section (130 in Chem) isn't going to be the factor that gets you in. An even distribution with 127 across the board would be a much more successful score of 508 than an uneven 504.

At higher scores, the evenness of the distribution matters less, (nobody is gonna balk at a 510+ with an uneven distribution unless there's a critical deficiency of <124 on a single section)

a 504 as far as i know would still be reasonably competitive for DO schools, the two 124's may raise some eyebrows, especially since they are both in sections that are less based on hard science and more on critical thought and human interaction. @Goro would be able to give you better advice.

 

[Goro]

You're circling the drain for MD schools. Your best chances will be with the LSUs.

I also suggest:

Oakland U Beaumont
WVU
Rosy Franklin
MCW
Creighton
NYMC
VCU
Rush (note: very service/experience oriented with a 150hr service requirement. Avg student has 800 hours of community service, and >1800 hours of health care exposure.)
Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
Albany
Netter
Any DO school. I can't recommend Touro-NY, or LUCOM, for different reasons

I took the MCAT on Jan 28th 2017 for the first time and I got a 504. The breakdown was 130/124/126/124. I am worried about the 124s. My CARS 124 is pretty standard for me, I suck at CARS but I hate that I have 2 sections under the 50th percentile. I am a nontraditional student. I have been out of school since 2014. Overall GPA 3.66. Now a wife and mom - applying for 2018 and doing volunteer work. I have years of clinical experience but no research. I live in Louisiana, applying to both LSU schools and hoping to apply to some out of state schools to increase my chances and DO schools.

My question: Do I retake and take the chance of not getting a 130 in chem/physics again in order to balance out the sections? I know I can do better on the psy/soc section and should be able to score better in BIO. I just don't know if its worth the risk because I doubt I'll get a 130 in chem/physics again. Highest I scored on practice tests was a 127 consistently.

Any advice would help! Thank you!

 

[libertyyne]

What is your gpa ? ORM /Urm? ECS?
LSUs median MCAT was about 504 so you might have a chance. I doubt you would be very competitive outside unless you have other things in your app that would make you a competitive applicant.

 

[RogueBanana]

I can't recommend Touro-NY, or LUCOM

I've been meaning to ask,
Since Touro bought NYMC, do you feel like your perception of NYMC has changed as a result?

 

[libertyyne]

I've been meaning to ask,
Since Touro bought NYMC, do you feel like your perception of NYMC has changed as a result?

Touro bought nymc?

 

[RogueBanana]

Touro bought nymc?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/05/n...cal-college-shifts-religious-affiliation.html

well, merger, but still. They are a Touro affiliate now

 

[libertyyne]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/05/n...cal-college-shifts-religious-affiliation.html

well, merger, but still. They are a Touro affiliate now

Crazy sauce. I wonder if it will be terribly run as well.

 

[RogueBanana]

Crazy sauce. I wonder if it will be terribly run as well.

Which is why I'm asking the almighty Goro.

Students there don't seem to mind the current administration from what I can tell, NYMC has always been a favorite for me (dat highest case index in the US doe). So it'd be a shame to see them go downhill because of poor management...

There are several news publications out on how the MD students actually protested the merger