Hi all
first of sorry for my long absence. My wife kept having health issues. We spend quite sometime last month at the ER (but thank god is fine now). As if screwing up my MCAT prep had not been enough!. My job is crazy and my car broke down. It seems however that this bad period is ending that things are getting slowly better.
As many of you know, my dispointing MCAT score (30Q, with 6 in VR!!!) forced me to postpone my application one year, and I can live with it. So I will retake.
Yesterday, I received an email from a Top 30 Med School, inviting me to “apply”. I was a bit put off, because they don’t know me and all they probably had was my crappy MCAT score. The invitation was for an MSTP (which I though were more competitive than traditional MD only because you get a free ride).
I understand that such invitation is probably standard and that it is no guarantee of admission. I would like to know what you guys think of these. Anyway, I don’t plan to apply so. But I just wanted to get some feedback. I was just a bit surprised (and skeptical).
Thanx
PS: desert_shawn, congrats on the 34. Very nice!!!
Ok, I’m not sure what an MSTP is. So can’t respond to that part of it. But a 30Q is not really a crappy MCAT. It’s unbalanced, and I understand you felt it wasn’t competetive for the school you are targetting.
I got several solicitations to apply from schools I hadn’t contacted, based on the MCAT. I hypothesize some schools are recruiting for some age diversity and contact people with a decent MCAT and older age?? or just anyone with a decent MCAT …hard to know what is going on without a phone call to the school.
Kate
Hi Kate
it is true that the unbalance is more the concern really. I think a 10,10,10 is not bad but a 12,12,6 is.
Anyway, the MSTP (Medical Scientist Training Program) is an MD/PhD program. My apologies for not being clearer.
Thanks for the feedback.
Hey redo, thanks! If you take the MCAT again I want to see you beat my score.
I’m with Kate, it can’t hurt to get more info about why they contacted you. Try to find out as much as you can before you reject it.
Hi Desert
well let’s say that I’d be happy to equal your score, or at the very least get my VR in the range of 9-10 and I would be a very happy man (I doubt I can do that bad on the sciences so I am confident I can maintain or approach the 12s, but when it comes the MCAT, nothing can be taken for granted!). Anyway, congrats to you and I hope that your applications are on the way.
As for the program, it is not a bad one (University of Alabama). So I wonder if they made a mistake or something. I emailed the contacts that were sent and will see if anything comes back, but frankly I doubt it will.
Anyway, I keep you posted.
redo-it-all,
I think the University of Alabama sends those generic MSTP invitations out to everyone who scores 30+ on the MCAT. They sent me one shortly after I got my MCAT scores back in 2008. I wouldn’t read too much into it.
MSTPs are indeed very competitive. From talking with the admissions person at the university where I am doing my research, she told me the average MCAT score for admitted students at their MSTP is a 35. That’s only an average of course, but I thought I’d put that out there.
As everyone else has said, a 30 is not crappy, not at all.
A 6 VR is disappointing, but not unheard of. If I remember correctly, English is your second language, so it shouldn’t count against you as much as you think.
I go to school with many people who have English as a second (or even 3rd) language. It sometimes makes standardized exams a little more difficult, but it doesn’t change how good of doctors they will be. The exams are just temporary pain.
Your scores show you know the material. Your application will show your quality and commitment to medicine. I say apply this cycle, even while you are studying to re-take the MCAT.
What could it hurt? (Besides your wallet 
)
Well thanks all for the input. Actually english is my 3rd language and not my second language (I had never even thought about that). However I scored Q in writing, so I am not sure how I can play the “not my first language card”. Oh We’ll see.
Right now, I just don’t feel like applying. Due to my target schools, and since it is very important to stay in Texas (family and tuition cost) I want to apply with the strongest possible application. We are lucky in Texas because we have many schools, tuition fees are low and as residents we are given preference. Yet the competition for state schools is very fierce.
Anyway thank you all for the feedback. I do appreciate it.
I got a 12 VR and an M on the writing.
It doesn’t test the same skills. My grammar is crap, and I could never think of any examples when it came to their bland and generic topics.
The Verbal test I feel is more art, and trying to figure out how the test writer is trying to trick you into picking the wrong choice than about picking the right. Exam krackers I feel have a better take on how to tackle the verbal than other test prep companies.
The verbal section is about making a guess based on subtle differences of the writers words. Not saying that people who are not Native English speakers can’t pull out those differences, but they are buried in a huge mound of text, and anything that slows down reading makes the verbal harder.
I found there was a lot of information I could pull from the question stems and answer choices, and used that in combination with skimming the passages to get my score.
Hope this helps, and apply when you feel ready. Good luck!
If UAB does really want you for their MSTP, go for it! It is a great program and I know of quite a few people who got awesome residencies, top schools, competitive programs.
- terra_incognita Said:
For comparison, what is the average MCAT score for admitted students that are NOT in their MSTP?
- TicDocDoh Said:
- terra_incognita Said:
For comparison, what is the average MCAT score for admitted students that are NOT in their MSTP?
I checked the med school's Web site; the mean MCAT score for admitted students in 2006 (that's the only year they list, and I don't have the MSAR on hand) was a 30.
Well
I wouldn’t do an SMTP because I already have a PhD and I don’t think that getting another one would be of any benefit. It is true that financially it is a plus, but there is the extra time and I am not 20 anymore.
UAB med school is very expensive so i wouldn’t apply to the MD program either (as I doubt I could secure a scolarship) because as an OOS it is 58K per year which is as expensive as it can get.
I know that while texas is a competitive state, they often reward high MCAT/GPA (37/3.7) students with generous packages. So that’s definitely a plus.
- redo-it-all Said:
While I understand the desire to retake, I would say that 12 in both sciences is GREAT and postponing may not be needed. So I would ask if that 6 in verbal is odd compared to your practice tests - what range of scores were you getting? If it was 6-8 then your score is within range and you would need to work differently to prep for next time, or accept that score as is.
However, if your practice scores were highre something went wrong on test day and re-taking it soon makes more sense.
Anyways, if you're going to try again I'd suggest Examkrackers Verbal 101 to improve that section. If you've already used this it may be a good idea to go ahead and apply...
Hi Pixie
well I believe I have posted my scores on practice tests on AAMC tests and I averaged 35 I think… My average on VR was 9 (the lowest I ever did was 7 and the best was 10). So I was truly expecting something between 8-10.
My very first MCAT diagnostic test (before I prepared) was 31 (a Kaplan one if I remember), scoring 10 on VR.
I did the 101 from EK and averaged 9 as well on VR and 13 in each science section if I recall.
So I was truly, but truly disappointed as I scored well below in each of the sections in the real thing. My target was a 35 and hopefully a balanced one with at least a 8 in VR. Hence my desire to retake as I truly believe I can do better. I must also say that the conditions in which I had to take the MCAT were very difficult and couldn’t cancel as the deadline had past.
Besides, I will have more courses under my belt. I have maintained a 4.0 thus far and hope to continue (although English scares me a bit, but in GChem,Stats,OChem, Calc Phys II, thus far I have maintained a clean GPA).
I am trying to use different types of material from GRE to GMAT and so on and do more MCAT VR related stuff. It is kind of hard because I kind of maintain the 9-10range without really improving. Yet I scored 6 on the real thing, so I am at a loss on how to do better. Well we’ll see.
Just a gander, but med schools may put more weight into the 12, 12 portion of your score as more indicative of your ability to do the work as well as the Q to your ability to write notes. Your personal statement will also atest to your ability to write. I’d think about applying with that score.
Just my 2 cents.
Hi Tara
if that’s the case, then that is reassuring. However I also know that many schools have a cutoff at 7 for any portion of the MCAT. If that’s the case, then my chances are greatly decreased since the cutoff is automatic and my application wouldn’t even be considered.
All in all, it seems I may stand a better chance if I retake and do well even if my plans are delayed. It makes me mad, sure, but it seems the safest route.
Thank you for the input.
See, that’s an example of why those of us years out from our application process should tred lightly. I probably would have known that 8 years ago. If that’s the case, then use this year to strengthen your application and study. To quote Rich, it’s a marathon, not a sprint!!
- redo-it-all Said:
I did the 101 from EK and averaged 9 as well on VR and 13 in each science section if I recall...I must also say that the conditions in which I had to take the MCAT were very difficult and couldn't cancel as the deadline had past.
Knowing that, yes, I'd re-take too. Sounds like you're doing a good method to stay on top of verbal, and you just had a bad test day.
My only other suggestion is to see if schools do arbitrarily cut off at the 7 like you think - call some of the ones you want to apply to. The worst that happens is that they say 'yep, gotta retake' - but there's always the possibility that those 12s and essay score will make them not care, like Tara suggested. If you've already done this ignore me.
