Full Lengths

[azor ahai]

I have Kaplan FL 1-10, TBR FL 1-5, and AAMC FL 3-11.

I'd like to do them all, but I just took Kaplan FL 7 and was literally dumbfounded by the PS section. Are these supposed to be this difficult?

Rankings for FL's?

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[TheRhymenocerous]

I really like TBR's so far. I feel like I'm learning a lot from my mistakes. They're challenging, but in a good way. AAMCs are obviously top priority though.

 

[Gauss44]

Only trust AAMC full lengths for estimating your score.

 

[azor ahai]

Only trust AAMC full lengths for estimating your score.

Of course, but there are so few of them.

 

[Gauss44]

Of course, but there are so few of them.

Have you taken an AAMC FL recently? How many AAMC FLs do you have left?

If you have not done any AAMC FLs, just do one and see how it goes. If the PS section is still awful on AAMC, then update us on that with what specifically was awful about it, and people on here will suggest what practice material is likely to help most.

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

Of course, but there are so few of them.

How many do you have left incomplete? Even if you're taking the last possible MCAT, then you're talking about ~5 weeks. You should be spacing your full lengths out to something like one every week(ish) so even if you only had 5 full lengths left, that's enough.

You're better off doing the AAMC self-assessment packages than doing full lengths from a test prep company, given how little time is left of the old MCAT.

 

[azor ahai]

Have you taken an AAMC FL recently? How many AAMC FLs do you have left?

If you have not done any AAMC FLs, just do one and see how it goes. If the PS section is still awful on AAMC, then update us on that with what specifically was awful about it, and people on here will suggest what practice material is likely to help most.

These are the AAMC's I've done in July. I was strapped for time so I took 3 & 7 two days before the exam, and 8,9, & 11 the day before the exam.

• AAMC FL 3: BS 10; V 12; PS 10; Total: 32
• AAMC FL 7: BS 11; V 10; PS 11; Total: 32
• AAMC FL 8: BS 10; V 11; PS 9; Total 30
• AAMC FL 9: BS 9; V 9; PS 10; Total: 28
• AAMC FL 11: BS 9; V 8; PS 10; Total 27

I did AAMC FL 10 in October, I don't remember my exact score breakdown because I have to log in to get it (it's the CBT practice test) but it was a 31.

My actual test score for October was 11 PS; 13 VR; 11 BS.

Time is an issue. But I wrote out a time grid to help me with that, doing discretes first then diving into the passages. Don't know if I should skip around passages though.

For the Kaplan FL 7, I only finished half of the material when time ran out. It was incredibly difficult. Can someone take a look and see if that stuff is fair game on the actual exam? Do I have to know about euler's number? Seriously, look at some of these questions:

How many do you have left incomplete? Even if you're taking the last possible MCAT, then you're talking about ~5 weeks. You should be spacing your full lengths out to something like one every week(ish) so even if you only had 5 full lengths left, that's enough.

You're better off doing the AAMC self-assessment packages than doing full lengths from a test prep company, given how little time is left of the old MCAT.

I love your posts btw! My exam date is on Jan. 13th. I learn a lot from practice tests so I want to take all of the ones I have, but timing is a major issue for PS. I am just too slow doing the math. I did the self-assessment packages this past summer so they're of no use to me now. I'm going to complete the TBR passages, as well as the TPRH Science workbook passages. I'm not sure about the discretes because there are just so many of them in that book.

 

[Cawolf]

Retaking a 35?!?

 

[petyr_baelish]

I can't believe nobody has asked why you are retaking an evenly-distributed 35!?

Also - you did three AAMC full-lengths in one day?! I didn't even think that was possible!

 

[Doug Underhill]

The Kaplan exams aren't exactly harder than the real AAMC material, but they require you to do more complex calculations. The real PS section on the MCAT is more conceptual than either Kaplan or the AAMC practice tests.

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

My actual test score for October was 11 PS; 13 VR; 11 BS.

This entire thread is moot.

Under no circumstances should you re-take the MCAT.

Congrats on the phenomenal score and good luck with your apps.

b.

 

[azor ahai]

This entire thread is moot.

Under no circumstances should you re-take the MCAT.

Congrats on the phenomenal score and good luck with your apps.

b.

You of all people should not be saying that.

Exhibit A:

I can't believe nobody has asked why you are retaking an evenly-distributed 35!?

Also - you did three AAMC full-lengths in one day?! I didn't even think that was possible!

It isn't evenly-distributed. I just scored really well on verbal. My science scores are somewhere in the 75th percentile I think.

It honestly does not matter, like nextsteptutor above, I would retake even if I had scored a 41.

Now can we get back to topic? Do I have to know euler's number? Can you guys take a look at those problems I posted.

 

[Mavs88]

What in the world is your rationale for trying to get higher than a 35? Ivy League? Hate yourself? Self validation of IQ?

 

[TheRhymenocerous]

Retaking a 35 is silly no matter what, but especially when that's significantly better than you've done on any practice tests.

 

[azor ahai]

What in the world is your rationale for trying to get higher than a 35? Ivy League? Hate yourself? Self validation of IQ?

What is your rationale for trying to be a doctor? Your parents must not have hugged you enough.

Retaking a 35 is silly no matter what, but especially when that's significantly better than you've done on any practice tests.

That's fair. But like I said, I did take those practice tests one after the other.

--

Is this thread derailed? Is a forum composed of people who want to be doctors that irked that somebody wants to retake a test? Especially when you have a frequent poster who retook a 41 three times. I see that as inspiration, but it seems like I'm alone in here.

No matter. I'm getting back to work.

 

[TheRhymenocerous]

I get it – the test is super important and it's frustrating not to do as well as you think you can. Hey, when I was in high school I retook a 2250 SAT because I was pissed I didn't break 2300. (What'd I get? 2290. Serves me right.) I just think the risk of having your score drop is significant and that would look really bad, so if you're not consistently scoring ~40 by the time you're scheduled to take the test, I'd bail.

 

[Mavs88]

What is your rationale for trying to be a doctor? Your parents must not have hugged you enough.



That's fair. But like I said, I did take those practice tests one after the other.

--

Is this thread derailed? Is a forum composed of people who want to be doctors that irked that somebody wants to retake a test? Especially when you have a frequent poster who retook a 41 three times. I see that as inspiration, but it seems like I'm alone in here.

No matter. I'm getting back to work.

Nothing personal against you...but you sound like a gunner. A doc I was shadowing recently told me that the most terrifying thought for a premed/med student is.... no matter how much you study, you can literally always study more. That was the mindset of the ultra gunners he saw in med school. Top 5 or so in his class all ended up getting divorces/major break ups.

Point is, it's your life and you can do whatever you please....but when so many rationale people are telling you you're going overboard and just adding stress for no gain, maybe they have a point?

 

[petyr_baelish]

What is your rationale for trying to be a doctor? Your parents must not have hugged you enough.



That's fair. But like I said, I did take those practice tests one after the other.

--

Is this thread derailed? Is a forum composed of people who want to be doctors that irked that somebody wants to retake a test? Especially when you have a frequent poster who retook a 41 three times. I see that as inspiration, but it seems like I'm alone in here.

No matter. I'm getting back to work.

Sorry for derailing your thread. I knew it was irrelevant to your question. However, most people's goal here is to become a doctor. You can get into Harvard with that score. You can be an MCAT tutor at Kaplan with that score. Also, it's worth mentioning that scoring lower can hurt an application. The only logical reason I can fathom retaking is if you want to start a tutoring business. Then getting over 40 is worthwhile. The person you are referencing as "exhibit A" did just that.

 

[petyr_baelish]

It honestly does not matter, like nextsteptutor above, I would retake even if I had scored a 41.

Wow.

 

[azor ahai]

I get it – the test is super important and it's frustrating not to do as well as you think you can. Hey, when I was in high school I retook a 2250 SAT because I was pissed I didn't break 2300. (What'd I get? 2290. Serves me right.) I just think the risk of having your score drop is significant and that would look really bad, so if you're not consistently scoring ~40 by the time you're scheduled to take the test, I'd bail.

Serves you right? Why? You improved your SAT score by 40 points. I did the same thing in HS, except I went from a 2160 to a 2350.

There's an episode of the West Wing where they're grilling President Bartlett on why he retook his SAT when he already got like a 1550 or something. I don't understand why you wouldn't do it - unless you were significantly strapped for time or something.

I could certainly risk my score dropping, especially considering the mercurial nature of the verbal section. But I can't live in fear of that, and I regret things I don't do far more than things that I do do.

I am not frustrated. Why is everyone making presumptions about my emotional state?

Nothing personal against you...but you sound like a gunner. A doc I was shadowing recently told me that the most terrifying thought for a premed/med student is.... no matter how much you study, you can literally always study more. That was the mindset of the ultra gunners he saw in med school. Top 5 or so in his class all ended up getting divorces/major break ups.

Nothing personal against you, but you sound like an dingus. The way you presume my psychological insecurities simply because I mentioned my score. I don't care about what a "doc that you were recently shadowing" told you. This is a thread asking a simple question about full length tests, not you projecting your fears of "getting divorced".

The only logical reason I can fathom retaking is if you want to start a tutoring business. Then getting over 40 is worthwhile. The person you are referencing as "exhibit A" did just that.

I am a tutor, and would like to add that to my repertoire. I was initially excited to have nextsteptutor respond to my thread. Now, I find his advice to be hypocritical and defeatist. The latter being a bad quality to have as a tutor.

This is primarily the reason why I don't lurk SDN or even have pre-med friends. It's just a beehive of type-A cynics who believe every task necessitates a payload of stress and misery.

 

[ayocaptain628]

I have Kaplan FL 1-10, TBR FL 1-5, and AAMC FL 3-11.

I'd like to do them all, but I just took Kaplan FL 7 and was literally dumbfounded by the PS section. Are these supposed to be this difficult?

Rankings for FL's?

hi azor
yes kaplans fls apparently have very hard PS/BS sections but that helps with anticipating really hard sections on the real test.

according to the expert sn2d, he says the rankings are:

"How would you rank the FLs?In terms of easily accessible tests (tests that are available to non-class MCAT studiers), BR is your best bet.

When considering all four, unlike MCAT prep books, I don't think the agreement on practice test ranking is that strong. Most tend to agree that the later AAMC tests are the best, but beyond that, there isn't much of a consensus. There's even an argument to be made that the AAMCs are only really good for verbal since there are more accurate CBTs in regards to the sciences. Despite this, your first priority should be to take all of the AAMC FLs in order from 3 to 11.

1. AAMC #7-11
2. BR #1-7
3. Kaplan #1-6
4. AAMC #3-5
5. TPR
6. Kaplan #7-10/GS"

 

[azor ahai]

hi azor
yes kaplans fls apparently have very hard PS/BS sections but that helps with anticipating really hard sections on the real test.

according to the expert sn2d, he says the rankings are:

"How would you rank the FLs?In terms of easily accessible tests (tests that are available to non-class MCAT studiers), BR is your best bet.

When considering all four, unlike MCAT prep books, I don't think the agreement on practice test ranking is that strong. Most tend to agree that the later AAMC tests are the best, but beyond that, there isn't much of a consensus. There's even an argument to be made that the AAMCs are only really good for verbal since there are more accurate CBTs in regards to the sciences. Despite this, your first priority should be to take all of the AAMC FLs in order from 3 to 11.

1. AAMC #7-11
2. BR #1-7
3. Kaplan #1-6
4. AAMC #3-5
5. TPR
6. Kaplan #7-10/GS"

Awesome. I think I will take them in ascending order. The ones I have anyway.

I don't have TPR FL's. Glad to see they're ranked low.

 

[erythrocyte666]

These are the AAMC's I've done in July. I was strapped for time so I took 3 & 7 two days before the exam, and 8,9, & 11 the day before the exam.

• AAMC FL 3: BS 10; V 12; PS 10; Total: 32
• AAMC FL 7: BS 11; V 10; PS 11; Total: 32
• AAMC FL 8: BS 10; V 11; PS 9; Total 30
• AAMC FL 9: BS 9; V 9; PS 10; Total: 28
• AAMC FL 11: BS 9; V 8; PS 10; Total 27

I did AAMC FL 10 in October, I don't remember my exact score breakdown because I have to log in to get it (it's the CBT practice test) but it was a 31.

My actual test score for October was 11 PS; 13 VR; 11 BS.

Time is an issue. But I wrote out a time grid to help me with that, doing discretes first then diving into the passages. Don't know if I should skip around passages though.

For the Kaplan FL 7, I only finished half of the material when time ran out. It was incredibly difficult. Can someone take a look and see if that stuff is fair game on the actual exam? Do I have to know about euler's number? Seriously, look at some of these questions:
View attachment 187805View attachment 187806



I love your posts btw! My exam date is on Jan. 13th. I learn a lot from practice tests so I want to take all of the ones I have, but timing is a major issue for PS. I am just too slow doing the math. I did the self-assessment packages this past summer so they're of no use to me now. I'm going to complete the TBR passages, as well as the TPRH Science workbook passages. I'm not sure about the discretes because there are just so many of them in that book.

#66 is a bit of a trick question: if the orbital is at the Fermi energy, that means E = EF which gives you a 0 in the exponent; this means the population P is 0.5.
#22 is a far too math intensive, but just requires you to realize H2O2 decomposition to be first order, which has constant half-life: t = ln 2/k; you can just memorize it (or actually do the calculus to derive the integrated rate law for better understanding).
In other words, these are still plug-and-chug questions that don't require high-level math (e.g. Euler's number, etc.)
And damn, 3 in a day and right before test day?! Did that actually help; weren't you burnt out on test day?

 

[azor ahai]

#66 is a bit of a trick question: if the orbital is at the Fermi energy, that means E = EF which gives you a 0 in the exponent; this means the population P is 0.5.
#22 is a far too math intensive, but just requires you to realize H2O2 decomposition to be first order, which has constant half-life: t = ln 2/k; you can just memorize it (or actually do the calculus to derive the integrated rate law for better understanding).
In other words, these are still plug-and-chug questions that don't require high-level math (e.g. Euler's number, etc.)
And damn, 3 in a day and right before test day?! Did that actually help; weren't you burnt out on test day?

Argh, now I am remembering that kinetics chapter where they used all of those different graphs with strange x- and y- axis terms side-by-side. I never understood why they used [A] vs. time, then ln[A] vs. time, then 1/[A] vs. time.

The Arrhenius equation is probably where it all comes from, and even that confuses me. We have k= Ae^-Ea/RT which is just k= A/e^Ea/RT. So if temperature is the only thing that can change k, and we increase temperature, we make e^x with 0 < x < 1, and I don't know where to go from there. I don't know what e^something looks like really.

The only thing I know how to do with e is take the natural log, so I can arrange it as k/A = 1/e^Ea/RT. Then take the natural log to get lnk - ln A = ln1 - Ea/RT. ln1 is just 0, so I get: lnk - lnA = Ea/RT and oh hell I don't know.

 

[erythrocyte666]

Argh, now I am remembering that kinetics chapter where they used all of those different graphs with strange x- and y- axis terms side-by-side. I never understood why they used [A] vs. time, then ln[A] vs. time, then 1/[A] vs. time.

The Arrhenius equation is probably where it all comes from, and even that confuses me. We have k= Ae^-Ea/RT which is just k= A/e^Ea/RT. So if temperature is the only thing that can change k, and we increase temperature, we make e^x with 0 < x < 1, and I don't know where to go from there. I don't know what e^something looks like really.

The only thing I know how to do with e is take the natural log, so I can arrange it as k/A = 1/e^Ea/RT. Then take the natural log to get lnk - ln A = ln1 - Ea/RT. ln1 is just 0, so I get: lnk - lnA = Ea/RT and oh hell I don't know.

Nope, don't need Arrhenius eqn. I think Kaplan just wants you to know that half-life is constant for 1st-order reactions, specifically the eqn I mentioned above.
As for deriving the integrated rate law, you just need to solve the simple differential equation: d[A]/dt = k[A] to obtain integrated rate law [A] = [A0]e^(-kt)
For half-life calculation [A] = 0.5[A0], so ln (1/2) = -kt, which can be simplified to t = (ln 2)/k.

As I mentioned above, it would suffice to know that 1st order reactions have constant half-lives, but I find understanding the derivation makes me much more comfortable with PS topics rather than just memorizing some rules of thumb.

 

[azor ahai]

Nope, don't need Arrhenius eqn. I think Kaplan just wants you to know that half-life is constant for 1st-order reactions, specifically the eqn I mentioned above.
As for deriving the integrated rate law, you just need to solve the simple differential equation: d[A]/dt = k[A] to obtain integrated rate law [A] = [A0]e^(-kt)
For half-life calculation [A] = 0.5[A0], so ln (1/2) = -kt, which can be simplified to t = (ln 2)/k.

As I mentioned above, it would suffice to know that 1st order reactions have constant half-lives, but I find understanding the derivation makes me much more comfortable with PS topics rather than just memorizing some rules of thumb.

Differential equation?

Mind explaining to me how the arrhenius equation works? I'd really like to know.

 

[ayocaptain628]

.

hey btw what was your strategy for verbal?

 

[azor ahai]

hey btw what was your strategy for verbal?

I didn't really have any. I didn't do any verbal prep. I feel I should because everyone here seems to be focusing on verbal, but I need a lot more work in the sciences which I often can't even finish on time. I often finish verbal with ~6min. remaining.

If I could sum up what I do, or rather what you shouldn't do, is to not subvocalize. This may seem obvious already since you probably learned that in high school. This will take care of the timing issue if that's a problem. Your mileage may vary with this, but I read extremely fast especially when I don't aim to retain it. I don't know what is recommended, but I usually finish a verbal passage in <2m. Aside from that, I just treat it as I treat an SAT CR passage. I should also mention that I tutor SAT, and got an 800 for CR. If that helps?

 

[erythrocyte666]

Differential equation?

Mind explaining to me how the arrhenius equation works? I'd really like to know.

The derivation of Arrhenius eqn from more fundamental eqns is pretty complex (the pre exponential constant A is a product of collision frequency and collision orientation, which are themselves combinations of various other parameters), but you could prob find it somewhere online. It's use is primarily experimental - you linearize it the way you did above and do a bunch of experiments at different temperatures to determine A, Ea, and k (though now the even better Eyring eqn is more popular in such mechanistic studies).
I don't think you need to know it specifically for the MCAT, but it's still a good visual summary of the main factors that affect reaction rates (activation energy, temperature, collision frequency/orientation, etc.). The absence of equilibrium constant is also a good reminder of independence of kinetics and equilibrium. Also a good reminder that rate constant is independent of substrate concentrations. The more you associate with it, the better this rxn kinetics stuff goes to your long-term memory IMO.

 

[azor ahai]

The derivation of Arrhenius eqn from more fundamental eqns is pretty complex (the pre exponential constant A is a product of collision frequency and collision orientation, which are themselves combinations of various other parameters), but you could prob find it somewhere online. It's use is primarily experimental - you linearize it the way you did above and do a bunch of experiments at different temperatures to determine A, Ea, and k (though now the even better Eyring eqn is more popular in such mechanistic studies).
I don't think you need to know it specifically for the MCAT, but it's still a good visual summary of the main factors that affect reaction rates (activation energy, temperature, collision frequency/orientation, etc.). The absence of equilibrium constant is also a good reminder of independence of kinetics and equilibrium. Also a good reminder that rate constant is independent of substrate concentrations. The more you associate with it, the better this rxn kinetics stuff goes to your long-term memory IMO.

"linearize it" - I am just realizing that that is what I was doing. I had no idea what I was doing, but now that you use that word I certainly see that it is simply putting in y = mx+b form.

It's been 4 years since I took p. chem, and I remember none of the math around it, but I think we went over this in the second semester. I'm going to look into it later today. Thank you so much for your responses.

 

[ReggieNoble22]

Just FYI Next Step Tutor retook those scores because he is a TUTOR trying to SELL his services.

Him retaking those tests isn't him trying to get a high score to get into medical school, it's to prove that he knows his stuff well enough for you to pay for him for tutoring services.

Retaking a 35... lol check your ego at the door homie

 

[ubiqituos_suffering]

Serves you right? Why? You improved your SAT score by 40 points. I did the same thing in HS, except I went from a 2160 to a 2350.

There's an episode of the West Wing where they're grilling President Bartlett on why he retook his SAT when he already got like a 1550 or something. I don't understand why you wouldn't do it - unless you were significantly strapped for time or something.

I could certainly risk my score dropping, especially considering the mercurial nature of the verbal section. But I can't live in fear of that, and I regret things I don't do far more than things that I do do.

I am not frustrated. Why is everyone making presumptions about my emotional state?



Nothing personal against you, but you sound like an dingus. The way you presume my psychological insecurities simply because I mentioned my score. I don't care about what a "doc that you were recently shadowing" told you. This is a thread asking a simple question about full length tests, not you projecting your fears of "getting divorced".



I am a tutor, and would like to add that to my repertoire. I was initially excited to have nextsteptutor respond to my thread. Now, I find his advice to be hypocritical and defeatist. The latter being a bad quality to have as a tutor.

This is primarily the reason why I don't lurk SDN or even have pre-med friends. It's just a beehive of type-A cynics who believe every task necessitates a payload of stress and misery.

You cant assume that others in this forum have delved in to your post history and figured out the convoluted rationale for retaking a 35. If your primary goal is to become a doctor, the MCAT is a very arbitrary representation of that. Therefore barking at everyone that questions your motif is a bit immature and imbecilic. You scored lower than your actual in your FL's, whether they were in a series or not is not a valid peripheral in context of drawing trends. That was your baseline, you superseded it. The advice given resonated that fact, if you scored close to the 40s, no one would be on your ass but alas you didnt. You wish to retake a score that is considered the 90th percentile overall. If you are re-taking it because you know you can do better and want to do better, awesome but dont be offended if people are dissuading you or questioning the retake. It is out of concern not envy or spite. Just my $0.02

 

[azor ahai]

Just FYI Next Step Tutor retook those scores because he is a TUTOR trying to SELL his services.

Unless I'm mistaken, I don't think he was a tutor before he got his scores. As I've stated, I'd like to tutor this test as well.

You cant assume that others in this forum have delved in to your post history and figured out the convoluted rationale for retaking a 35. If your primary goal is to become a doctor, the MCAT is a very arbitrary representation of that. Therefore barking at everyone that questions your motif is a bit immature and imbecilic. You scored lower than your actual in your FL's, whether they were in a series or not is not a valid peripheral in context of drawing trends. That was your baseline, you superseded it. The advice given resonated that fact, if you scored close to the 40s, no one would be on your ass but alas you didnt. You wish to retake a score that is considered the 90th percentile overall. If you are re-taking it because you know you can do better and want to do better, awesome but dont be offended if people are dissuading you or questioning the retake. It is out of concern not envy or spite. Just my $0.02

"barking" at everyone who questions my "motif" - you mean motive, is a perfectly rational response to thread derailing. My decision to retake an exam is my decision, and has nothing to do with this thread. This isn't a "Should I retake?" thread.

It's "immature and imbecilic" to bark at someone who wants to retake an exam.

I scored higher than I did in my FL's, and "whether they were in a series or not" is not as invalid as drawing trends from a few practice tests. Why don't you try taking 2-3 tests in a row (which even the 41-scorer "didn't think was possible") and expect that to be your baseline, and then study for 6mo. and expect the same score you got half a year ago. If you believe this, then I feel bad for you.

My score is 95.5th percentile, not 90th.

People aren't "dissuading" me or even "questioning" my retake. No one inquired or gave me the benefit of the doubt they give other re-takers like nextsteptutor. People were just being dicks calling me inane pre-med buzzwords like "gunner". Even the post above yours told me to "check my ego at my door." This type of sh1t is entirely uncalled for and offensive. It is out of "envy" and "spite" - these are visceral responses not rational ones. If you don't see the blatant vitriol, then I feel bad for you.

I know you won't listen to anything I've written down - this is aporia - there's no purpose to this anymore. I'm going to delete this thread (if I could) because there doesn't seem to be any active moderator here to delete off-topic posts, and I'm sick of getting alerts of people being dicks to me while I'm trying to study and stay motivated.

This entire thread has given me a terrible impression on the community here. I'd like to thank @erythrocyte666 for being the only person who stayed on topic and actually helped me. The rest of you seem like miserable people only interested in the minimum effective dose to become a doctor rather than learning. I feel bad for your future patients when you diagnose them with NPD because they want to get in shape.

 

[ubiqituos_suffering]

Unless I'm mistaken, I don't think he was a tutor before he got his scores. As I've stated, I'd like to tutor this test as well.



"barking" at everyone who questions my "motif" - you mean motive, is a perfectly rational response to thread derailing. My decision to retake an exam is my decision, and has nothing to do with this thread. This isn't a "Should I retake?" thread.

It's "immature and imbecilic" to bark at someone who wants to retake an exam.

I scored higher than I did in my FL's, and "whether they were in a series or not" is not as invalid as drawing trends from a few practice tests. Why don't you try taking 2-3 tests in a row (which even the 41-scorer "didn't think was possible") and expect that to be your baseline, and then study for 6mo. and expect the same score you got half a year ago. If you believe this, then I feel bad for you.

My score is 95.5th percentile, not 90th.

People aren't "dissuading" me or even "questioning" my retake. No one inquired or gave me the benefit of the doubt they give other re-takers like nextsteptutor. People were just being dicks calling me inane pre-med buzzwords like "gunner". Even the post above yours told me to "check my ego at my door." This type of sh1t is entirely uncalled for and offensive. It is out of "envy" and "spite" - these are visceral responses not rational ones. If you don't see the blatant vitriol, then I feel bad for you.

I know you won't listen to anything I've written down - this is aporia - there's no purpose to this anymore. I'm going to delete this thread (if I could) because there doesn't seem to be any active moderator here to delete off-topic posts, and I'm sick of getting alerts of people being dicks to me while I'm trying to study and stay motivated.

This entire thread has given me a terrible impression on the community here. I'd like to thank @erythrocyte666 for being the only person who stayed on topic and actually helped me. The rest of you seem like miserable people only interested in the minimum effective dose to become a doctor rather than learning. I feel bad for your future patients when you diagnose them with NPD because they want to get in shape.

You don't have to feel bad for me, I personally don't see the blatant vitriol. If that was your subtle way of insinuating that I lack intelligence, well my GPA does a pretty good job at that, lol. I will admit that I did not know that the scores were in July, I merely skimmed this thread and failed to notice that, that is my error; I do apologize if that is how my message came across, It wasn't the intent (even though I used quite harsh and derogatory vocabulary sorry ) Keep in mind though I didn't question your intent on the retake, just provided some perspective on why you might be getting negative responses. As I previously mentioned, your rationale for your retake is yours alone, it's no one else's business. Albeit, the most common bit of advice around the forums is "don't retake a 35".

Good luck on your exam.

 

[azor ahai]

There is no need for ad-hominens, it perpetuates an incredibly pessimistic perspective on your part. You don't have to feel bad for me, I personally don't see the blatant vitriol. If that was your subtle way of insinuating that I lack intelligence, well my GPA does a pretty good job at that, lol. I will admit that I did not know that the scores were in July, I merely skimmed this thread and failed to notice that, that is my error; I do apologize if that is how my message came across, It wasn't the intent. Keep in mind though I didn't question your intent on the retake, just provided some perspective on why you might be getting negative responses. As I previously mentioned, your rationale for your retake is yours alone, it's no one else's business. Albeit, the most common bit of advice around the forums is "don't retake a 35".

Good luck on your exam.

I don't understand how you are seeing this in the complete opposite way. I have the polar opposite of a pessimistic perspective and the ad-hominems are what everyone else is throwing at me. It makes sense that you didn't know my scores were in July, because instead of reading posts you hopped on the bandwagon. I am not insinuating that you lack intelligence, that is another thing that is the polar opposite of my ethos.

Let me go through this thread for you: I posted asking a simple question about FL's, and then when I posted my actual score it started a sh1tstorm. I was genuinely disheartened to see one poster whom I respect and with whom I talked about previously about being tutors, and scoring perfect scores on standardized tests like the LSAT, ACT, etc. - the one person I think would understand - virtually killing my thread by telling me the following:

This entire thread is moot.
Under no circumstances should you re-take the MCAT.
.

He's a respected member on the board, so when he declares my thread moot - in come the rest of the herd. Also, as a tutor, I find his advice to be toxic to the nth degree. There's a difference between being smart and scoring a 41 three times, and actually improving your score from something small to something big. The former means you're smart, the latter means you've learned.

What in the world is your rationale for trying to get higher than a 35? Ivy League? Hate yourself? Self validation of IQ?

This person is insinuating that I am doing this out of some deep-seated insecurity, and his mention of "IQ" made me roll my eyes backwards towards infinity. This is the type of person who projects more than an IMAX theater.

Retaking a 35 is silly no matter what, but especially when that's significantly better than you've done on any practice tests.

This person has the audacity to tell me that I shouldn't retake because my score is higher than my practice tests. I question not only what type of doctor this person will be but what type of human being this is. "You failed addition in second grade? Don't even TRY to add anything now. There's no way you could have learned anything."

Nothing personal against you...but you sound like a gunner. A doc I was shadowing recently told me that the most terrifying thought for a premed/med student is.... no matter how much you study, you can literally always study more. That was the mindset of the ultra gunners he saw in med school. Top 5 or so in his class all ended up getting divorces/major break ups.

Point is, it's your life and you can do whatever you please....but when so many rationale people are telling you you're going overboard and just adding stress for no gain, maybe they have a point?

This is more projection. I didn't even know what "gunner" meant, I had to look that up. Then the irrelevant addition of divorces/breakups makes me facepalm through the back of my skull. "Adding stress for no gain" - how's that for pessimistic?

Just FYI Next Step Tutor retook those scores because he is a TUTOR trying to SELL his services.

Him retaking those tests isn't him trying to get a high score to get into medical school, it's to prove that he knows his stuff well enough for you to pay for him for tutoring services.

Retaking a 35... lol check your ego at the door homie

Here again is vitriol "check your ego at your door" which this person somehow thinks he can say after defending someone who retook a 41 twice. This person doesn't understand causation. He thinks that he became a tutor before he got good at the MCAT. He also is making presumptions - I guess I should have made my username "I AM A TUTOR!!" because that is the only condition that justifies ambition.

If this doesn't make it clear, then nothing will. As long as people believe "WELL EVERYONE SAID DON'T RETAKE A 35 SO I WON'T" then I am not going to change their minds. I try to offer advice and help in other threads, because that is what I believe in - I believe in learning. But as long as people think improvement is impossible, and that your lowest scores are the best indicators of your actual performance - in other words, that you cannot learn - then no one's mind will be changed.

Aporia.

I wish everyone luck on their exams. I think it's best I leave. This community is just toxic.

 

[Cawolf]

I need a dictionary to understand this thread!

 

[TheRhymenocerous]

This person has the audacity to tell me that I shouldn't retake because my score is higher than my practice tests. I question not only what type of doctor this person will be but what type of human being this is. "You failed addition in second grade? Don't even TRY to add anything now. There's no way you could have learned anything.

It's called evidence-based practice. I'm going to be a great doctor.

In all sincerity, good luck. I hope you beat the odds.

 

[azor ahai]

It's called evidence-based practice.

No, it's not. It's called "ignoring the fact that I studied for roughly 6mo. since those exams and unsurprisingly improved my score."

I'm going to be a great doctor.

No, you're not. You have a temporal misunderstanding of "evidence." You'll make your diagnoses based on phrenology, eugenics, and blood-letting through leeches.

 

[ksmi117]

Let's keep the discussion civil here, please.

 

[azor ahai]

Let's keep the discussion civil here, please.

How about "on topic"?

 

[ksmi117]

How about "on topic"?

Also reasonable.

 

[ayocaptain628]

How about "on topic"?

@beluga_whale @Cawolf

sry so many people were derailing your topic azor ahai; best of luck studying for your next mcat exam

 

[ubiqituos_suffering]

I don't understand how you are seeing this in the complete opposite way. I have the polar opposite of a pessimistic perspective and the ad-hominems are what everyone else is throwing at me. It makes sense that you didn't know my scores were in July, because instead of reading posts you hopped on the bandwagon. I am not insinuating that you lack intelligence, that is another thing that is the polar opposite of my ethos.

Let me go through this thread for you: I posted asking a simple question about FL's, and then when I posted my actual score it started a sh1tstorm. I was genuinely disheartened to see one poster whom I respect and with whom I talked about previously about being tutors, and scoring perfect scores on standardized tests like the LSAT, ACT, etc. - the one person I think would understand - virtually killing my thread by telling me the following:



He's a respected member on the board, so when he declares my thread moot - in come the rest of the herd. Also, as a tutor, I find his advice to be toxic to the nth degree. There's a difference between being smart and scoring a 41 three times, and actually improving your score from something small to something big. The former means you're smart, the latter means you've learned.



This person is insinuating that I am doing this out of some deep-seated insecurity, and his mention of "IQ" made me roll my eyes backwards towards infinity. This is the type of person who projects more than an IMAX theater.



This person has the audacity to tell me that I shouldn't retake because my score is higher than my practice tests. I question not only what type of doctor this person will be but what type of human being this is. "You failed addition in second grade? Don't even TRY to add anything now. There's no way you could have learned anything."



This is more projection. I didn't even know what "gunner" meant, I had to look that up. Then the irrelevant addition of divorces/breakups makes me facepalm through the back of my skull. "Adding stress for no gain" - how's that for pessimistic?



Here again is vitriol "check your ego at your door" which this person somehow thinks he can say after defending someone who retook a 41 twice. This person doesn't understand causation. He thinks that he became a tutor before he got good at the MCAT. He also is making presumptions - I guess I should have made my username "I AM A TUTOR!!" because that is the only condition that justifies ambition.

If this doesn't make it clear, then nothing will. As long as people believe "WELL EVERYONE SAID DON'T RETAKE A 35 SO I WON'T" then I am not going to change their minds. I try to offer advice and help in other threads, because that is what I believe in - I believe in learning. But as long as people think improvement is impossible, and that your lowest scores are the best indicators of your actual performance - in other words, that you cannot learn - then no one's mind will be changed.

Aporia.

I wish everyone luck on their exams. I think it's best I leave. This community is just toxic.

That makes sense. Sorry for not understanding earlier, Good luck on the exams and thanks for the help on my thread, highly appreciated.