Hello Mandy!
Thanks for all the info. I am planning to submit my application by the end of this week. But i have question on mcat. I took mcat on sept and didn't do well. I need to retake it. I am thinking of taking either Jan 30 or March 27 (if i need more time to study). So my question is, is the march 27th mcat too late? and Scholl won't review my file till i get my scores?
Thanks
Hi Nanu,
Sorry to hear about the rough MCAT score; keep working hard while you are studying for the re-take. Depending on what the first score is, bringing up your lowest section by just a few points may make all the difference in the world. So, start by not thinking of the exam as a whole, but rather 4 sections. Slight changes in section scores effect the whole score!
Okay, so let's talk strategy... you are not the first applicant who had a rough go around the first time with the MCAT. A few things you need to know:
You absolutely HAVE to let us know that you are planning a re-take. If you (or anyone else reading) fail to tell us this, we ASSUME you are not going to re-take the exam and will read your application accordingly.
Next, take the winter exam if at all possible. As I have stated before, April exam takers are not always able to get seated in our class. Start preparing now for the re-take by
studying what you don't already know. Don't waste time studying the Krebs Cycle if you already KNOW that... go after material you haven't mastered.
Now, you need to know that, depending on just how rough the first score is, you may still be denied in the first review of your application. Scholl gets over 500 applications each year and we have to make decisions along the way to keep our process moving -- BUT HERE IS WHAT YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE NEEDS TO KNOW: I am always willing to re-look at an application we have denied when there is NEW information. So, if you are denied this fall and you do retake the spring exam and get a great score, call me! I'll absolutely re-open your file with the committee!
This works for anyone who is ultimately denied at Scholl, as well. If you aren't sure why we denied you, call me. I am more than happy to go over your file with you and give you ideas for how to be a successful candidate in a future admissions cycle. Trust me, there are a lot of strategies we can pass along to you for how to strengthen your application.
Good luck studying and I look forward to reviewing your application in a few weeks!
Oh, and just a note... technically, I am off vacation today, but I'll be at the Bradley University fair all day (noon to 3 if you are at BU!), so I'll be back in the office on Friday!
My fall travels will also take me to:
BYU-Idaho (next week)
Christian Bros and Vanderbilt (last week of Oct)
Stanford (first week of Nov)
BYU and UVU (second week of Nov)
Hope to see you and your friends at the events on campus, or if I am in your area, but you won't be at the school's fair, let me know.. we can meet up at a local coffee place to chat about Scholl in person!
Good luck to those who are interviewing today at Scholl!