Should I Retake The Mcat

If you are still unsure whether retaking the MCAT is right for you, use the Jack Westin MCAT Retake Calculator . This free tool can help you determine if your score is good enough to get into medical school and if not, which sections you should focus on to improve.

Should I Retake the MCAT: 4 Ways to Improve Your MCAT Score in a Month

After months of studying and preparing, you finally get your MCAT score. You scroll through your results only to find yourself disheartened by the number on your screen. While your score is not bad, it is not necessarily good either. You think to yourself, Should I retake the MCAT? If I decide to retake it, how do I improve my MCAT score in a month? Where should I get help to retake the MCAT?

Retaking the MCAT is a difficult choice. Are your extracurriculars, GPA, and average score enough to warrant an interview from medical schools across the country?

While there are many factors in choosing if you should retake the MCAT, there are numerous factors in approaching a study plan to improve your MCAT score in a month.

Let us dive into the first part of the equation.

Should I Retake the MCAT?

On average, 38 percent of all MCAT test takers retake the MCAT. It should be noted that there is no shame in retaking the MCAT. There are thousands of doctors who took the MCAT two and even three times.

Here are a few factors you should consider if you are thinking about retaking the exam:

1. Is your score good enough? Universities are transparent with their GPA and MCAT score cut off. It’s important to do your research and consider which universities would accept your current MCAT score and which universities will not. The AAMC provides students with their Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR), which can help you decide which universities you should consider with your current MCAT score.
2. Can you improve your score? Each student has their schedule, personal background, and struggles. While some students are considered “traditional,” studying and preparing for medical school during their undergraduate years, other students follow a “non-traditional” path. As you consider your options, it is important to note your current schedule. If you were to retake the exam, how would you prepare, and would a lower score hurt your chances?

Use Jack Westin’s MCAT Retake Calculator

If you are still unsure whether retaking the MCAT is right for you, use the Jack Westin MCAT Retake Calculator . This free tool can help you determine if your score is good enough to get into medical school and if not, which sections you should focus on to improve.

How to Improve Your Score in One Month

Let us say you do decide to retake the MCAT. Here are a few strategies you can use to improve your MCAT score in one month of studying.

AAMC recommends the average MCAT student spend 300-350 hours preparing for the MCAT in a few months. In reality, though, you may not have that much time. In that case, you may be able to gain the points you need by following a strict weekly plan that is optimized for your best performance.

MCAT TIP: Get Help! You may think it is beneficial to study for the MCAT alone, but is it worth it? The most useful way to improve your MCAT score in one month is to partner with a well-qualified tutor. CLICK HERE to work with a Jack Westin Tutor today.

Diagnose Your Problem Areas

It us easy to know your problem areas from an overarching perspective. You may have struggled with the science section of the MCAT. However, it is much more difficult to understand your weak areas on a granular level.

Because of this difficulty, it is important to understand your weaknesses. Your true weaknesses.

To understand your weak areas, we recommend taking the Jack Westin MCAT Diagnostic Test . This one exam will help you understand your specific weaknesses, from Fluid Dynamics to DNA replication. The results of the Jack Westin MCAT Diagnostic Exam connect to your MCAT analytics, which will track your overall performance and improvement over time.

Practice with AAMC Materials

Before your new test date, it is important to familiarize yourself with AAMC material, specifically the four AAMC full-length practice exams. Each test should be taken simulating a test day environment, meaning you do not want any distractions.

While taking the AAMC full-length exams are meaningful, reviewing your answers yields the greatest impact on your MCAT score.

MCAT TIP: The AAMC’s solutions are notoriously confusing, which is why we at Jack Westin developed our own AAMC Solutions Chrome Extension . This extension will review all of the AAMC solutions and provide in-depth answers to the practice exam’s most complex problems. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE EXTENSION

Taking Breaks Help Learning

It is natural to feel anxious about the MCAT and feel overwhelmed about not having enough time. If you feel anxious, take a break to avoid burnout. On the test day, you might feel like you haven’t done enough. Pause, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you have done everything you could. This is a familiar feeling for everyone, and you will gradually feel calmer when you start the test and focus.

Improving your MCAT score in a month requires an intensive, well-structured study guide to help you focus on the important parts of a study plan without losing precious time. Let’s review the most critical aspects of a practical study guide.

A Sample One Month Study Guide

Start by taking a practice test or set of questions covering all the topics from the MCAT to familiarize yourself with the exam. It is a good idea to assess your primary performance using tools like Jack Westin’s Diagnostic Tool to identify your areas of weakness and strength.

Use your first test results to determine which content areas you need to work on. For example, suppose you have done well in all aspects of molecular biology. If so, you may have to read those articles briefly and then spend more time on topics you did not do well on.

Designate one full day for Biochemistry, Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, and Behavioral Science. Make sure to cover the following subjects:

• Biochemistry: amino acids: proteins; enzymes and lipids
• Biology: biology; reproduction; embryogenesis and development; genetics and evolution
• General Chemistry: atomic and molecular structure; periodic table and time styles; interaction and chemical interactions; stoichiometry
• Organic Chemistry: nomenclature; stereochemistry; to combine
• Physics: basic mathematics and dimensional analysis; kinematics; power, power, and function
• Behavioral Science: the basis of ethical biology; hearing and sight; reading and memory; comprehension, knowledge, and language

To familiarize yourself with the test, use the AAMC Sample Questions and Categories and select the subjects based on the content areas you have reviewed.

In addition, read the critical analysis and consultation section (CARS) daily. Use the AAMC Sample Questionnaire and Paragraphs to read the passages and work on the role-related questions.

Take a full-length test at the end of the week. Consider simulating the actual conditions of the test day.

The Easiest Way to Improve Your Score

Improving your MCAT score in one month is certainly a tall order. But it can be done. The key to improvement is sticking to a quality plan, focusing on your weaknesses, and reviewing AAMC material.

However, if you are looking to improve your MCAT score in one month, partnering with the right tutor is the easiest way to improve. At Jack Westin, our tutors not only understand the MCAT, they understand how to improve your score quickly. To partner with a Jack Westin MCAT tutor today, CLICK HERE .

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Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Retake the MCAT

The average MCAT score of all MCAT test takers is 500.9. According to the AAMC, 53,371 students applied to medical school in the 2019-2020 application cycle. The average MCAT score of these applicants was 506.1 but the average MCAT score of matriculants was 511.5. Considering that a 511 is an 83rd percentile MCAT score and a 512 is an 85th percentile, this means that the average matriculant to medical school received an MCAT in the top 15% of all MCAT test takers. It is no wonder that now, more than ever, there is enormous pressure on potential applicants to score well on the MCAT.

The best scenario for anyone is to only take the MCAT once. 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. In the event of retaking the MCAT, it is best to retake the MCAT no more than three times. If you are one of those people who have already taken the MCAT and weren’t satisfied with your score, here are some questions you need to ask yourself before you decide to take the test again.

1. Was your actual MCAT score reflective of your ability?

If you were averaging 510-512s on your practice AAMC exam but scored much lower on test day, this is a good reason to retake the MCAT. The lower score is more likely due to nerves, pressure, lack of sleep, or sickness than lack of knowledge and ability. If you are confident that you could score at least 4-5 points better you should definitely retake.

2. What schools are you aiming for?

Before you retake the MCAT, it is essential to know what kind of schools you are reaching for. For example, if you scored a 512 and the schools you want to apply to are top tier schools, you will most likely need to retake. However, if your goal is to get into any medical school, then there are many MD schools average MCAT score of matriculants is 512. You must understand your limitations. If you already tried your best and got a 512, then unfortunately you will have to let go of your dreams of Harvard Medical School. Be realistic about your goals and try to meet them to the best of your abilities.

3. What would you do differently to perform better?

If you are going to retake the MCAT, you need to use a different strategy. Obviously, the strategy you used before did not work and a change needs to be made. The change could be as simple as giving yourself more time to prepare for the exam (in the case that you were burnt out before your test) or as difficult and complex as completely changing your study schedule and working with an MCAT tutor. Don’t expect to magically improve your score without making any proper adjustments.

4. Are you an underrepresented minority?
Ethnicity does matter for admissions. It’s an effort to bring more underrepresented minorities into medicine. If you wrote a 510 and are an African-American, your score is competitive for many MD school in the nation because the average MCAT of an African-American matriculant is 505.7. However, if you are Asian, the average MCAT of a MD matriculant is a 513.9, meaning you will most likely have to retake the MCAT if you want to be a competitive applicant.

5. Do you have a balanced sub score?

Not all MCAT scores are created equal. If you get a 131 Chem/Phys 123 CARS, 129 Bio/Biochem, and 130 Psych/Soc, that is very different from a 128 Chem/Phys 128 CARS, 129 Bio/Biochem, and 128 Psych/Soc. While both scores are a 513, the applicant with the second score has an advantage in admissions. Medical schools could screen out the applicant with the first score due to a poor CARS score. Many schools even have cut offs for their applicants. Even though schools make exceptions, often times, a low sub score in any section can lead to an automatic rejection. So, if any of your sub scores are below 124, especially CARS, you should heavily reconsider retaking the MCAT.

6. How badly do you want to become a doctor?

In a sense, the MCAT is a weeder. The test is supposed to be hard to “weed out” less committed applicants. Thus, the MCAT works to not only challenge your scientific knowledge, but also your drive to become a doctor. Are you willing to go the extra mile in order to improve your score? Are you ready to make the necessary sacrifices to overcome the MCAT hurdle? If you are honest with yourself and you know that you’re not, the post MCAT time might be a good time to re-evaluate your future.

Retaking the MCAT is a big commitment. Therefore, before making the decision to it, do your research and be well informed. You don’t want to retake the MCAT if you don’t have to.