Feelings after taking the MCAT?

[LauraJo08]

Hey guys, I just took the MCAT yesterday, and came out feeling quite disappointed. I took a Princeton Review Course, and took 8 different AAMC tests, scoring in the 32-34 range. I felt like the MCAT test was much harder, and that for certain sections, the emphasized material didn't match the stuff that I studied.

My question is, for those of you that have taken the MCAT, did you come out confident/excited or exhausted/down? Did your scores reflect those feelings?

Thanks for the input.....

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[PeterPesto]

I feel terrible after taking that exam. I stared at the void screen for 5 minutes but declined to void.

I thought the BS was highly unreasonable. And yes, I took a Kaplan course and did my bio at Northwestern, and still came out shocked. They should really delineate what they deem testable because clearly, it is beyond the scope of introductory bio. Oh, I love Organic and got destroyed on a passage. Way, way harder than AAMC and Kaplan orgo.

I pray that the BS curve is extremely forgiving. That section seemed like a blur, which is never a good thing.

 

[indygobu]

I took a TPR class as well, and I thought the exact same thing you did: much harder and the material was kind've weird compared to the practice tests I took. I got 3 straight 31's on my practice tests prior to the exam, although I admit that might be falsely depressed because I used TPR verbal method and was scoring 6's. The day before the exam I made a bold move and said I'm not going to map, I'm going to go in order, I'm going to attack each passage and not leave the hardest one for last.

After finishing the exam I felt I would have to retake. I figured I would get around a 26-28, somewhere around there from previous practice FLs I've taken. But, I ended up with a 35. So, you never really know until you get your scores back. However, I would say if you consistently scored 32-34 on AAMCs, then you will most likely see that when you get your scores back.

 

[LauraJo08]

thanks indygobu, that makes me feel a little better.

PeterPesto: yes. my god was BS killer. There was one orgo passage (i think that we both know which one), where I literally had to pretty much guess for three questions in a row)....let's hope that it was experimental.

I'm just worried because my confidence level after taking the practice tests pretty much indicated my scores....but looking at the forum of people taking it yesterday...most people came out feeling raw, so maybe the curve will be forgiving.

 

[PiBond]

Hey guys, I just took the MCAT yesterday, and came out feeling quite disappointed. I took a Princeton Review Course, and took 8 different AAMC tests, scoring in the 32-34 range. I felt like the MCAT test was much harder, and that for certain sections, the emphasized material didn't match the stuff that I studied.

My question is, for those of you that have taken the MCAT, did you come out confident/excited or exhausted/down? Did your scores reflect those feelings?

Thanks for the input.....

I think it's completely natural to feel this way. When I walked out of mine, I felt as though I didn't break 10 on any section and would need to start studying again for the re-take; I was extremely disappointed. And yet, I ended up scoring where I had been all along, just as my AAMCs had predicted.

Don't beat yourself up and I'll think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[indygobu]

It sounds like you are in a similar situation that I was in. I honestly thought that BS KILLED me. I figured I would log into THx and see an 8 or 9, whereas I thought I did relatively well on VR and PS. Here's how my breakdown went: 12 - PS, 9 - VR (really wish I had practiced this more now with EK method), 14 - BS. I think the curve really helped me because, like you, I was guessing sporadically on the orgo passages, and on 1 bio passage that I literally had to re-read 6 times before I figured out what was going on. One of the orgo passages dealt with radical hydroxylation for the enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase, and I thought to myself: "Well, this sucks. Gonna have to retake I guess," because I literally was trying to keep my head above water.

Anyways, I know it's hard, but just relax. There is nothing you can do now, so you just have to sit back and wait for the fireworks.

 

[enTropeeeeeeeee]

It seems that many ppl agree that "feeling bad" after the exam does not necessarily correlate to a poor score. Just out of curiousity, does anyone actually feel great, and pull a respective score?

Since I'm in the MCAT part of my life, so I occasionally wonder about my post-test experience in May. Must be agonizing....

 

[GetitRight]

I took in the mcat in august 2009. I felt pretty lousy afterwards, particularly about the physical science section. I turned out doing fine (30R at the end). I would encourage you guys to relax and not beat yourself up after the mcat. If you feel a major lack of confidence, sign up for another test date and cancel if you are satisfied with your score. But the bottom line is, there is no reason to panic while you wait for your score.