i suck

DOC G. said:

12m on test

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Me too. I got an 11J. I hate standardized test.

15n so what are you guys going to do? Retake?

I went from a 17 to a 29. You absolutely retake and bust your ass.

Breakfast909 said:

I went from a 17 to a 29. You absolutely retake and bust your ass.

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How do you pick yourself up that quickly? August MCAT is in 2 months and I am still recovering from the semester while studying for school and the mcat. How do you make that kind of a turn around in such a short time, and ....what do you do about submitting applications? what did you guys do?? Also, i think i had a bubbling error on verbal, because I scored lower on that than on the diagnostic, like, i could have just guessed to get that score. Hope all of you are doing alright, my heart is with you!

No, you do not suck! Don't let this test make you feel like crop. As the Godfather would say," Fughet about eet!" After several days of mourning, you will regroup!!!

most definately. weep for about a day and use that as a stimulus to study your butt off this summer. I was in the same position last year and went up 5 points over the summer. It can happen, and if you scored in the teens, that jump will look tremendous to medical schools, i promise!

You do not suck. Be kind to yourself; you're disappointed, discouraged, demoralized. But you do not suck.

I talked to a student last week who scored a 12 on her first MCAT. The first thing I ask about, in that situation, is test anxiety. Which leads to freakout, bubbling errors, and performing way below your potential. Unfortunately, a regrade will not help; don't waste your money there.

My suggestion is to take a little time off and really get clear about how much you want to go to medical school and be a doctor. And, to know that lots of people do get low scores the first time around, and pull them up to a range where they do get into medical school. You will need this motivation as you approach studying the second (or third) time around.

Next, really look at your study strategy. There is a huge variation here, so it's hard to give general advice. If you didn't study much, then that's easy, study more next time. If you studied hard, then you need to start analyzing your performance. Some common problem areas include math mistakes on PS, and language difficulties on VR for non-native English speakers. Timing is another huge problem area.

Whatever you do, do not blindly go back and take the same Kaplan or TPR course over. Consider using other materials; find out what other people did (lots of good advice on SDN) to raise their scores. Get help from experienced MCAT instructors. If you have issues with test anxiety, this is something you must deal with before med school, so find a learning center or service at your school and start working on this.

I'd also recommend getting off SDN for a week or so, so that you don't feel perpetually homicidal about the people with 35L posting and agonizing about their WS score. This can be a bizarre and one-sided community, so do not let yourself get caught up in thinking that over-30 is the norm. It isn't.

Good luck.

Breakfast909 said:

I went from a 17 to a 29. You absolutely retake and bust your ass.

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Wow- nice job. What did you eat for breakfast?

Ok, ok (ducks and runs) that was terrible but I couldn't resist.

Take it easy...you don't suck...the exam does.

DOC G. said:

12m on test

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I got the same score actually, but I have been kicking my but this summer and studying everyday. All you have to say to yourslef is, "I am a doctor, I just need to try harder to actually start my occupation." I do that and I realized after spending hours and hours studying, that I didn't know squat when I took it last August. Never give up and try harder, it'll get better. When I got my score, I was devistated, but my friend who just graduated from medical school this past May told me to not give up and that she knows that I am a future doctor. So I am telling you the same. You are a future doctor, so make sure you get there.

blaque1703 said:

I got the same score actually, but I have been kicking my but this summer and studying everyday. All you have to say to yourslef is, "I am a doctor, I just need to try harder to actually start my occupation." I do that and I realized after spending hours and hours studying, that I didn't know squat when I took it last August. Never give up and try harder, it'll get better. When I got my score, I was devistated, but my friend who just graduated from medical school this past May told me to not give up and that she knows that I am a future doctor. So I am telling you the same. You are a future doctor, so make sure you get there.

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I can't agree more!!! I studied my butt off as well but I need to take the exam again. I felt even worse as people bragged about their score on this site and when some even complained a 33 isn't enough!! The exam might be just a big piece of balogna...but don't let that put you down. Just stay focused and believe in yourself. If you want something, your just going to have to work for it harder!!

MeowMix said:

You do not suck. Be kind to yourself; you're disappointed, discouraged, demoralized. But you do not suck.

I talked to a student last week who scored a 12 on her first MCAT. The first thing I ask about, in that situation, is test anxiety. Which leads to freakout, bubbling errors, and performing way below your potential. Unfortunately, a regrade will not help; don't waste your money there.

My suggestion is to take a little time off and really get clear about how much you want to go to medical school and be a doctor. And, to know that lots of people do get low scores the first time around, and pull them up to a range where they do get into medical school. You will need this motivation as you approach studying the second (or third) time around.

Next, really look at your study strategy. There is a huge variation here, so it's hard to give general advice. If you didn't study much, then that's easy, study more next time. If you studied hard, then you need to start analyzing your performance. Some common problem areas include math mistakes on PS, and language difficulties on VR for non-native English speakers. Timing is another huge problem area.

Whatever you do, do not blindly go back and take the same Kaplan or TPR course over. Consider using other materials; find out what other people did (lots of good advice on SDN) to raise their scores. Get help from experienced MCAT instructors. If you have issues with test anxiety, this is something you must deal with before med school, so find a learning center or service at your school and start working on this.

I'd also recommend getting off SDN for a week or so, so that you don't feel perpetually homicidal about the people with 35L posting and agonizing about their WS score. This can be a bizarre and one-sided community, so do not let yourself get caught up in thinking that over-30 is the norm. It isn't.

Good luck.

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what an absolutely WONDEFUL post. thank you SOOOOOOOO much for the exceptional words of encouragement. you rock!

Meow mix did deliver

Thank you for this thread!!! I was tired of reading "I have a 34T, should I retake??" what about us with real problems, my scores went down from the practice test and I have a 17R. I will focus on the sections I did not do well on but I am trying to think of what I can do differently this time around

Breakfast909 said:

I went from a 17 to a 29. You absolutely retake and bust your ass.

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Did you take it the first time in April and retake in Aug?? I feel there is not a lot of time and how did you improve, what should I change?? Thank you

first of all, thank you for this thread. sick and tired of people whining, moaning, and b$#ching about their 35P score and podering suicide becuase it is 2 points lower than their practice tests. i got a 21O and went up from the 18M i got last august. my gpa is nowhere near stellar and will be starting a masters this fall. unfortunately i'll have to retake the dumb mcat again next year. i dotn know if all those people with scores in the high 30s and even 40 or more are actually real. it may just be people posting those scores to make themselves feel better and degrade others. members of some admissions committees as well as advisors have told me never to believe any other pre-med student because most likely they are lying about their stats in order to instill intimidation in others. never thought it was true till i actually saw it first-hand.

future doc??? said:

first of all, thank you for this thread. sick and tired of people whining, moaning, and b$#ching about their 35P score and podering suicide becuase it is 2 points lower than their practice tests. i got a 21O and went up from the 18M i got last august. my gpa is nowhere near stellar and will be starting a masters this fall. unfortunately i'll have to retake the dumb mcat again next year. i dotn know if all those people with scores in the high 30s and even 40 or more are actually real. it may just be people posting those scores to make themselves feel better and degrade others. members of some admissions committees as well as advisors have told me never to believe any other pre-med student because most likely they are lying about their stats in order to instill intimidation in others. never thought it was true till i actually saw it first-hand.

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No matter what you have, you're always going to want more... That's how people are... I don't think people are lying here, I think that people are mature enough here.

I know you guys are down trodden and I know that it is hard to look at your scores. Give yourself the pitty party you deserve and get it out of your system.

When I took the MCAT in August, I scored a 22. With a crappy UG but a good grad, I was counting on the MCAT to show that I can do it. Needless to say this year was a bust. But I had my party and when it was done I hunkered down and worked and practiced. I went to a 29.

Take some time to breath. Do not think about the MCAT for a little while. Take a vacation, relax. You have studied hard and waited 2 agonizing months. Regroup, set some goals, focus, and study. There is nothing more anyone can say. Only you know what may have gone wrong. Replay the day in your head and see what you can come up with. Then you will know what you can change.

I feel your pain. I got a 19R. I was planning on applying early decision since I have no money, but I guess that's not an option now. I was sick for the 11th day in a row on the day of the MCAT so I know that was a lot to do with my score. I think I may have misbubbled on the BS- I got a 4. I had a fever off and on all that day that finally broke that night. It really sucks that I suffered through all that to get a crappy score. I may still try EDP just for giggles. But, I will definately be retaking in August with you guys. We just have to remember that these tests are not indicative of ability-no standardized test is. If you can't afford all the prep material and courses, you will have a difficult time competing with those that can. I'm hoping an average GPA will help me.

we will all be fine!! dont give up, I will see everyone in August, the second time is the charm i'm convinced. I just need to find extra practice tests and hope for the best!!

bubabugster said:

No, you do not suck! Don't let this test make you feel like crop. As the Godfather would say," Fughet about eet!" After several days of mourning, you will regroup!!!

Click to expand...

u do if u get 11 or 12... score like that should've been seen during practice test. The score that low means three things: 1) did not study 2) did not do practice test or 3) frame shift mutation during bubbling process.

We're all going to make it. Thanks OP (and everyone else) for being honest and posting your score...you don't suck! You're awesome for creating this outlet for your fellow peers who were feeling crappy about their scores!

My story: I scored below average on my 1st MCAT. Sadly, I'd been scoring in this range on practice tests, but I went on and took the exam partly because my parents said "you have no way of knowing where you really stand unless you take the real thing." I should have known better, but why cry over spilt milk. I'm upset, but I know what went wrong, and that's the KEY step for all of us who didn't score well. To deal with the suckiness of this situation, I've been reminding myself that I didn't put 100% into studying for this April. Thus, this score is nowhere near my full potential. We are capable of much more...we can only go up from here!

Also, no doubt: MCAT is a tough test. But all the drama and hype around it contributes to the hardness too! Being around nervous people or arrogant braggers = crappy feeling self. If I could distance myself from all those people asking about my score and how studying was going and blah blah blah I'd be more focused and less stressed. But I'm taking responsibilty for my score...that's that.

Best wishes to all the future retakers!

Hey guys.....do not feel bad. I have been in your shoes!!!! The first time i took the MCAT (aug. 2005) i scored a 15L. A few days ago I recieved a 21K and am realizing my goal of being a DO (because I believe they are so much better than MD)! ANyways, I was a Kaplan student the entire time. they did no help. sorry guys but you guys suck! I was scoring a 17 on my first diag. So, my score went down and I recieved a REFUND from that money hungry organization. What I did next was remarkable....I took all the AAMC practice tests online (3-9) and purchased those to study from. I also used the examkrackers study guide as a source that i borrowed from a friend. My total cost for studying and registering for the mcat was appx. less than $500 for the examkrackers, AAMC tests, and registering along with a Kaplan MCAT practice tests book and TPR MCAT practice test book that you can get from barnes and noble. Coupled with PRACTICE and SELF-DISCIPLINE you can succeed in whatever you put your mind to. Don't pay a prep course and buy a false sense of security! YOU MUST EARN THAT AS I STATED ABOVE! I am a believe and living proof that this works! I feel you guys and believe you have the ability to become whatever you guys desire or want to become (whether you want to be a DO or an MD) if you work hard, your dreams will be acheived. Have faith guys and hang in there! I BELIEVE IN YOU GUYS!!!!!

Peaches3 said:

We're all going to make it. Thanks OP (and everyone else) for being honest and posting your score...you don't suck! You're awesome for creating this outlet for your fellow peers who were feeling crappy about their scores!

My story: I got a 20 O (first time taker). Sadly, I'd been scoring in this range on practice tests, but I went on and took the exam partly because my parents said "you have no way of knowing where you really stand unless you take the real thing." I should have known better, but why cry over spilt milk. I'm upset, but I know what went wrong, and that's the KEY step for all of us who didn't score well. To deal with the suckiness of this situation, I've been reminding myself that I didn't put 100% into studying for this April. Thus, this score is nowhere near my full potential. We are capable of much more...we can only go up from here!

Also, no doubt: MCAT is a tough test. But all the drama and hype around it contributes to the hardness too! Being around nervous people or arrogant braggers = crappy feeling self. If I could distance myself from all those people asking about my score and how studying was going and blah blah blah I'd be more focused and less stressed. But I'm taking responsibilty for my score...that's that.

Best wishes to all the future retakers!

Click to expand...

did you take practice tests or something? what were you scoring?

Hey encouragers, here a breakdown of my scores,

April 2005

VR: 02
WS: L
PS:07
BS:08
17L

August 2005

VR: 06
WS: Q
PS:09
BS:08

23Q

April 2006

VR: 06
WS: N
PS: 13
BS:09
28N

Although my verbal is terrible, there is still hope for DO school, preservere Retakers!!!!

perhaps it might be a concentration problem. try getting some adderall or something....

DOC G. said:

Ya I took 8 practice test. My diag. was 17M and on my last 3 I would score around 28-30! Eh...I can only laugh about it now.

My break down for the test was:

PS : 4

VR: 2

BS: 6

Essay: M

12M

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I agree with the above comments! It is discouraging to see the people complaining about what most people consider decent MCAT scores! I am currently taking princeton review course, I got a 16 on my first practice test! my GPA is 3.0, so I'm counting on achieving a good MCAT score this Aug! I have been an RN for 5 years, so have at least this helping my app, but unless I can prove I can handle the academic portion, I won't be considered! I believe it takes many different qualities to become an accomplished doc! You can be the most intelligent person around, and have no common sense! Good luck to all taking Aug MCAT! Moe

DOC G. said:

Ya I took 8 practice test. My diag. was 17M and on my last 3 I would score around 28-30! Eh...I can only laugh about it now.

My break down for the test was:

PS : 4

VR: 2

BS: 6

Essay: M

12M

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how can you get a 2 in verbal? i thought the lowest score was a 3.

DOC G. said:

Ya I took 8 practice test. My diag. was 17M and on my last 3 I would score around 28-30! Eh...I can only laugh about it now.

My break down for the test was:

PS : 4

VR: 2

BS: 6

Essay: M

12M

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Hey DOC G. are you plannin to take AUG MCAT? jus curious i hope your score really improves. good luck to you. we just gotta study study and study and kick this Mcat out of the way by gettin more then 30.
good luck

I'm joining the club. First time around and couldn't even break a 20!

I've worked up a schedule to kick ass in August!
We can do it guys! Just turn off the blasted TV or go to the library

I'm joining this thread as an official cheerleader

Flushingfinest said:

Hey DOC G. are you plannin to take AUG MCAT? jus curious i hope your score really improves. good luck to you. we just gotta study study and study and kick this Mcat out of the way by gettin more then 30.
good luck

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Yeap I m sure you'll kick some MCAT A$$ this time around

STILL HERE, CHEERING US ON!

breakfast:
how long studying time did it take you to go from a 17 to a 29?

yamilet said:

breakfast:
how long studying time did it take you to go from a 17 to a 29?

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4 months studying allllllll the time

Wow I can't believe I missed this thread! I am so so so so glad you are all here to share.
My story: 1st. diagnostic no studying 15 (5 5 5) went on studying (apparently not much) got a 19O (7PS 7V 5B) for my 1st. MCAT in Aug05. I was scoring in the low 20s in the diagnostics but went ahead and hoped for the best (bad decision). So regrouped and took it again this April boy did I cry! 18N (5P 6V 7B). At least I went up in Bio . I decided to take a completely different approach this time around. I'll be taking it next year, and starting my studying next week...in detail! Once I have all that detail learned then I'll start TPR hyperlearning books/1001 EK and the AAMC tests towards the end.

I'll post later with updates, will be taking a diagnostic soon .

What's everyone else's plan?

How is everybodys practice scores coming along?? I got a 17R on the real thing. Ive taken 4 practice tests since and went up one point each test so hooooooopefully I'll be really good by time I take the real test. I still need to improve in verbal but I have like 17 practice tests so I'll do most of them. What is everybody else doing??

Natatiap said:

How is everybodys practice scores coming along?? I got a 17R on the real thing. Ive taken 4 practice tests since and went up one point each test so hooooooopefully I'll be really good by time I take the real test. I still need to improve in verbal but I have like 17 practice tests so I'll do most of them. What is everybody else doing??

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Went from 18 on diag (kaplan) to 20 (aamc 3r)... sitting in April and fighting for every point!!!

future doc??? said:

first of all, thank you for this thread. sick and tired of people whining, moaning, and b$#ching about their 35P score and podering suicide becuase it is 2 points lower than their practice tests. i got a 21O and went up from the 18M i got last august. my gpa is nowhere near stellar and will be starting a masters this fall. unfortunately i'll have to retake the dumb mcat again next year. i dotn know if all those people with scores in the high 30s and even 40 or more are actually real. it may just be people posting those scores to make themselves feel better and degrade others. members of some admissions committees as well as advisors have told me never to believe any other pre-med student because most likely they are lying about their stats in order to instill intimidation in others. never thought it was true till i actually saw it first-hand.

Click to expand...

You know, I wonder the same thing.... I keep thinking, you know, given the national average score for this test is ~25-26, right? So there can't be that many freaking people who are scoring 38+. Then I remember that these people with the 35+ whining about their scores are probably trying to get into Harvard / John Hopkins / other hot shot schools. At this point, while I'm feeling bad about my 28 O from April 2005... obviously it could have been worse! It still wasn't good enough to get me in this year though... so try, try again. Good luck, all.

I agree....all i see on this forum is 30+ scores. WTF? I will be taking for the second time this august.

August 2005
PS-6
VR-5
BS-5
WS-O
=16O

I can still remember some of the questions and passages from the august 2005 test...like "what are the units of Planks Constant?". And a killer passage with illustrations of a frog disected laying in a tray of chemical solution with electrodes hooks to its' heart...the questions were like, " if you increase the voltage by 2V, and replace the solution with NaOH, by how many beats with the frogs heart increase per/second?." anyone remember that one?

Ive been studying since january for this august test and cant seem to make over 22 on practice test. I have over $700 worth of prep material. Would it be a good idea to use Adderall on the real thing?

World of advice to you first time takers....never believe them when they tell you, you dont have to know much about Organic Chem. 60% of my BS passages where straight up O-chem.

yikes are you saying that 60% of your passages in BS were orgo in the exam you took august of 2005? do you know what the breakdown was for the april 2006 exam?

yes, absolutely.....it sucked. Im a biology major so after the writing sample i was like, "ok, now im getting into the material i know", Wrong...the first passage i came to after i broke the seal on the test was O-chem. I think there was MAYBE one or 2 passages that dealt straight forward biology...the rest was O-chem and Biochemistry. I didnt take the April MCAT so im in no position to comment on that. I waited and decided to take the August 2006 version

ps....KNOW GLYCOLYSIS LIKE THE BACK OF YOUR HAND.
for O-chem, i would say know ALL the reactions...hydrogenations/halide formations/Substitution and Elimination...and much more. I found it dealt much more with mechanisms than simple concepts like stereochemistry. but that was a year ago...knowing them it will be just the opposite this year.

Guys, I just wanted to tell you to really hang in there if your heart is really into medicine for the right reasons. It's just a single test, and it doesn't give any kind of indication of what kind of physician you will be in the future.

That being said; for those of you who are retaking in August and had really low scores this past April, I would highly advise not taking the mcat until you're scoring at least in the high twenties. Doing poorly on one test is one thing, but doing poorly on it twice is another. Good luck to you all, see you in the future as colleagues!

Much love to all the MCAT sufferers out there. For all of you for whom this is a significant problem, I'd strongly advise taking a step back and avoiding taking the August MCAT. I rushed into the app cycle last year, got my app in late, got so-so letters of rec, wrote my PS the night before, etc. By the time the secondaries came in, I realized that I just wasn't ready to go forward with the process. I had no doubt that I wanted to be a doctor, but I hadn't even started my senior year of college. I pulled out of the cycle, and am sitting out this year's cycle, and it's the best decision I could have ever made. I think as pre-meds, especially surrounded by the gunners and hard-cores that are overrepresented on SDN, we feel like we have to do everything ASAP so that we can get in and get out of med school and start working/making money/helping people (whatever your chosen motivation may be). But realistically, 2 months is not enough time to adequately prepare yourself to retake the MCAT, especially since it might take some time to get yourself into the place where you're mentally ready to fight (and this time kill) the MCAT dragon once again. Even if you holed yourself away in the library all day every day (which you couldn't do if you were working on secondaries), you'd probably still have the lingering sting of April's negative experience in your mind. With the new CBT, the test is offered more often during the year, and you'll be giving yourself plenty of time to prepare a killer application, along with allowing yourself the time to pursue medical-related experience, volunteer work, and *gasp* maybe even a personal non-medical hobby. If anything, I think time out after college should be mandatory, like it is in business school. If anyone really wants to be inspired, check out the non-trad forum. Some of these ppl have taken 10 years or more off and they're going to be incredibly successful doctors because of many of the life experiences they've had. Thanks to anyone who read my long rant, it's just my 2 cents.