Should I re-take the MCAT?

If your MCAT scores were lower than you had hoped for, the following list of questions may help you to decide whether to re-take the MCAT:

• What is your score? If you achieved a 10 on each of the sub-sections, then you are well above the cut-offs for the medical schools that use them. Retaking the test to try to get an 11 or more will not necessarily add much to the strength of your application. And retaking the MCAT carries some risk. Research has shown that retest increases are more likely for those examinees initially scoring 9 or below than for those whose initial score is 10 or above. On the MCAT website, you can view data tables on other applicants who re-took the test with similar initial scores.
  
  
• Which medical schools are you applying to? The weight given to the MCAT scores varies by medical school. Some schools use a formula in assigning value to the MCAT or have established minimum scores for admissions. Most schools count either the best or most recent set of scores but many look at all the scores. Please see the Medical School Admissions Data for Harvard applicants available in the OCS library.
  
  
• Do you want to retake the test? How thoroughly would you prepare? Do you have enough time and energy to do the preparation and practice necessary to improve your scores? Most medical school admissions officers will expect your scores to significantly increase the second time you take the test simply because you now have familiarity with the test.
  
  
• Do you feel you were adequately prepared for the test in terms of studying and having the appropriate coursework? (Some students take the MCAT before they take physics at Harvard; this works for some but not all students.) If you feel you put maximum effort into studying for the test the first time, retaking it may not improve your score.
  
  
• What opportunities would you miss out on by re-taking the test? Would your time, effort and money be better spent strengthening other aspects of your candidacy, or do you really need an improved score to be competitive? How competitive are the other aspects of your candidacy, such as grades, activities, recommendations, etc.?
  
  
• Were you ill or very tired or distracted by conditions in the testing room? Did you realize at the last minute that you had incorrectly recorded answers on the test? These are unusual circumstances, so retaking the test may be a good idea.
  
  
• Were you very anxious during the test, such that you "blanked" at a number of points and couldn't focus on the test? Do you tend to have difficulty with standardized tests? If so, seeking help with test anxiety from counselors at the Bureau of Study Counsel may be particularly useful. They can help you develop test taking strategies that will address anxiety so that you are armed with tools before you take the test again.
  
  
• Did you run out of time on certain sections of the MCAT? Was this in part due to not taking multiple practice tests in preparation? We highly recommend that when studying for the MCAT, you take as many of the full-length MCAT Practice Tests as you can, under conditions that are as close as possible to the real test conditions.   In summary, you need to assess whether your score is fine as is, why you scored as you did, and whether you could realistically improve your score significantly if you retook the test.