What to do if you did bad on the MCAT?

If your MCAT score is significantly below average for the schools you're applying to, you may need to reconsider when you apply to medical school. Retaking the MCAT will take time, as you must assess your situation, change your study tactics in order to improve, and find an available test date.

What to do if you fail the MCAT?

[10:55] Option #2: Retake the MCAT

If you're going to get the same score again, there's no point in retaking the MCAT. If you're scoring higher in your practice test and then you took the real MCAT and got lower, then something went wrong on test day. Go and retake the test as soon as possible.

What is the lowest acceptable MCAT score?

Medical institutions in the U.S. and Canada that necessitate the MCAT typically accept scores ranging from 490-495 at the minimum. Scores below 490 are rarely if ever, accepted. Interestingly, a vast majority of individuals score above this range. Recent data suggests that the average score hovers around 506.5.

Is it normal to feel bad after the MCAT?

It's a risky five minutes, as you won't be in a very good headspace to make this decision. We can tell you from experience that everyone feels terrible after taking the MCAT. It's a long, grueling process with a fairly large impact on your future medical education and career path.

What do you say to someone who did bad on the MCAT?

Tell them that this failure does not define them.

It doesn't mean that they are a failure at life, and it doesn't even mean they can't be successful in the rest of the course. You can say "I know it feels like you'll never get past this, but you will. Failing this one test doesn't mean that you're a failure.

You Got a Bad MCAT, Now What?

How do I recover from a bad MCAT score?

Why am I doing so bad on the MCAT?

This is often due to lack of time, dislike for a certain subject, or assumed mastery of a particular content area. I typically recommend that whatever resource a student chooses for the MCAT, they go through all sections of it, no matter how comfortable they feel with the material.

Does retaking the MCAT look bad?

Does retaking the MCAT look bad? Like reapplying to medical school, retaking the MCAT does not inherently look bad. That said, you should strive to take the MCAT as few times as possible.

Does a bad first MCAT affect chances?

No matter what, admissions committees will see all of your MCAT scores. While taking the test twice is unlikely to impact your admissions decision, if you end up taking the MCAT three or more times could make them question if you're prepared for the challenges of medical school.

Do most people fail the MCAT?

No one “fails” the MCAT. The MCAT score is an important part of a medical school application but there is no passing score.

Can I get into med-school with a bad MCAT?

Yes, even if you think your MCAT score is too low, chances are you still have a chance to get into medical school. There are options available to you, and remember that your MCAT score is only one small part of your overall application.

What is a bad first MCAT score?

A poor MCAT score is any score that doesn't get you into a medical school, but statistically this would be a score below the overall mean or average, so a score of 505 or less. A poor MCAT score could also be considered anything below the 50th percentile for recent test-takers, which is approximately 501.

Should I retake a 502 MCAT?

Should I Retake The MCAT If My Score Is 502? If you want to maximize your chances of achieving medical school acceptance, and if your overall application is not strong, we recommend you retake the MCAT if your score is 502.

How do you explain a low MCAT score?

Start by acknowledging the low score, then briefly discuss what you did to improve your score if you decided to retake the test or why you chose not to retake the MCAT. Provide an explanation if there were any extenuating circumstances which contributed to your low score.

Is retaking the MCAT a red flag?

Taking the MCAT more than once isn't necessarily a red flag for admissions committees. Many applicants opt for at least one retake to improve their scores. However, the impact of retakes on your application can vary between institutions.

Should I retake a 515 MCAT?

Should I Retake The MCAT If My Score Is 515? Generally, we recommend retaking the MCAT if the MCAT score is not balanced among the four sections of the MCAT or your target med-school has a higher cut-off. For example, if you scored 126/130/130/129, the 126 sticks out and can be a red flag to med-schools.

Should I retake MCAT if I got a 508?

If you want to maximize your chances of achieving medical school acceptance, and if your overall application is not strong, we recommend you retake the MCAT if your score is 508.

Should I retake the MCAT if I got a 500?

Unfortunately, the test is designed to have average MCAT score of about 500, which means at least half the test takers get 500 or below, a score too low to meet most medical school standards. This means that a large percentage of people will probably need to retake the test if they want to go to medical school.

Does taking the MCAT 3 times look bad?

The more attempts you have on your application, the worse it will look to admissions committees, especially if you are not making significant progress in increasing your score. Failing to achieve an adequate MCAT score after three attempts calls into question a potential applicant's test-taking abilities.

Should I retake a 500 MCAT?

Yes, if you want to maximize your chances of achieving medical school acceptance, we recommend you retake the MCAT if your score is 500.

What are the biggest MCAT mistakes?

1. Not building in enough time to study. Out of all the MCAT mistakes you can make, this is by far the one with the biggest impact. When I first have a free consultation with a student, I ask them how many points they want to improve by and when they want to take the MCAT.

Can an average person do well on the MCAT?

Adding to the pressure, the MCAT plays a huge role in what medical schools look for in an applicant. For the 2023–2024 academic year, the average MCAT score for medical school applicants was 506.3, whereas the average MCAT score for medical school matriculants was 511.7.

What is the hardest subject in MCAT?

The two sections that students typically have the most difficulty with on the exam is either Chem/Phys or CARS. This, of course, depends on the student.

Can I get into med school with a 502 MCAT?

Chances of Being Accepted to Med School by MCAT Score

510 to 513: About 65% of applicants admitted‍ 506 to 509: 50% of applicants admitted‍ 502 to 505: About 35% of applicants admitted‍ 498 to 501: Over 20% of applicants admitted‍