How you felt after the MCAT vs. how you truly did

[goldngrl1611]

Hey! So I know there has already been a thread on this but it didn't get too many responses. Having just took my MCAT on May 27th, I'm in that horrible waiting period where I fight the urge to run through the questions I was unsure of or know I got wrong. I know I didn't feel as confident coming out of that test as I did after my practices, so I thought for all of us currently in a similar boat it would be nice to get a good amount of responses on the subject. For those of you who are lucky enough to have put this exam behind you, explain how you felt walking out of that exam and then post your real score (or not explicitly, if you'd prefer). Also, it would be great to specifically say which sub-score you were most uncertain of so we can see how your feelings on that in particular compared to your performance. Thanks for any responses!

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[Geekchick921]

The general consensus here is that, barring a fluke, you will score within a few points of your AAMC practice test average. This includes those that felt very nervous after the test date.

Personally, I felt very, very good about both science sections, confident in verbal (that I got my typical score) and that I kinda choked in writing. Got my score back, 14/11/14/O. Pretty much right on the money. I never got a 39 on any of my AAMC practice tests, but I did get quite a few 35-38.

 

[apc]

The general consensus here is that, barring a fluke, you will score within a few points of your AAMC practice test average.

Personally, I felt very, very good about both science sections, confident in verbal (that I got my typical score) and that I kinda choked in writing. Got my score back, 14/11/14/O. Pretty much right on the money.

Is O really that bad?
Or is it b/c you think you could have scored higher?
I say this because I've read your 30+ post and know how you feel about it.

 

[Geekchick921]

Mostly, it's because I could have scored higher. I took the GRE last year (I was keeping my options open) and the writing grade I received on that would have been comparable to more like a Q on the MCAT. I knew I hadn't done all that well on that section pretty much immediately (gah! why did I write about X! I should have used Y as an example, that would have been so much better!). And O isn't really bad. Everything I've read here claims that schools truly don't care unless you get something like a J, K or L.

ETA: It also probably didn't help me that I spent probably 7 minutes staring at the first prompt thinking. WTF kind of statement is this to give to people about to go $200K in student loan debt?! I know that was the point, but it bothered me and I think it affected my mindset for the rest of that section, you know?

 

[apc]

Mostly, it's because I could have scored higher. I took the GRE last year (I was keeping my options open) and the writing grade I received on that would have been comparable to more like a Q on the MCAT. I knew I hadn't done all that well on that section pretty much immediately (gah! why did I write about X! I should have used Y as an example, that would have been so much better!). And O isn't really bad. Everything I've read here claims that schools truly don't care unless you get something like a J, K or L.

ETA: It also probably didn't help me that I spent probably 7 minutes staring at the first prompt thinking. WTF kind of statement is this to give to people about to go $200K in student loan debt?! I know that was the point, but it bothered me and I think it affected my mindset for the rest of that section, you know?

Gotchu
cuz I really don't c how bad an O can be
but congrats on ur overall score
crazy stuff
best of luck applying

 

[Geekchick921]

It's not, and I know that. I just know I was capable of a better score, but it won't matter. And thank you.

 

[NickNaylor]

Feels bad man.

 

[schlieren]

Yes, I agree with Geek that AAMC is the best predictor. My AAMC ranged 36 to 40, with 14-15 for PS and 13-14 for BS. I felt terrible after the real MCAT, because I purely guessed on an entire orgo passage. I thought that I would score 12 or lower for BS, and below 36 in total, but I actually scored 38 (14 PS, 13 BS).

It is very important that you take the AAMC practice tests under the same conditions as in real test. The real MCAT has exactly the same format and interface as the practice tests online. Practice tests predict your score well only if you allow yourself uninterrupted 5 hours for each test.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Hey! So I know there has already been a thread on this but it didn't get too many responses. Having just took my MCAT on May 27th, I'm in that horrible waiting period where I fight the urge to run through the questions I was unsure of or know I got wrong. I know I didn't feel as confident coming out of that test as I did after my practices, so I thought for all of us currently in a similar boat it would be nice to get a good amount of responses on the subject. For those of you who are lucky enough to have put this exam behind you, explain how you felt walking out of that exam and then post your real score (or not explicitly, if you'd prefer). Also, it would be great to specifically say which sub-score you were most uncertain of so we can see how your feelings on that in particular compared to your performance. Thanks for any responses!

I'm in the same boat and would love to hear more responses. Our B.S. section was killer, and the fact I can recount missing two EASY questions (overthinking), makes me feel like with such a bad section I couldn't afford to blank on these two questions.
Of course on practice tests I never sat around for a week remembering questions I got wrong before reviewing them.

 

[ungu]

I'm in the same boat and would love to hear more responses. Our B.S. section was killer, and the fact I can recount missing two EASY questions (overthinking), makes me feel like with such a bad section I couldn't afford to blank on these two questions.
Of course on practice tests I never sat around for a week remembering questions I got wrong before reviewing them.

Yes, the May 27 biology section was terrible! Biology was always my best section, but now I don't know. I'm trying not to think about it since we have a few weeks of waiting left, but it's so hard not to!

 

[goldngrl1611]

Feels bad man.

Cole: are you saying after the MCAT felt bad, or what?

 

[Art Vandalais]

I felt pretty bad after the 5/27 BS section and was scoring between 32-36 on practice tests with BS being my strongest section. Just take solace in knowing you're not the only one!! I think our scores will be increased by a curve if the BS section was as hard as we all thought it was.

I also thought the PS section that day was pretty easy relative to AAMC practice tests, so I am really anxious to see my score.

 

[LostInStudy]

There has been a very long tradition on SDN of people thinking they got killed by the test and thinking it was extremely hard but ultimately getting within their AAMC range. Don't worry you won't be the exception here.

-LIS

 

[ThatDude]

My high score on AAMC practice tests was 38. I got a couple 37s and a couple 36s and some mid to low 30s. After taking the MCAT, I didn't feel terrible about it, but I didn't feel great about it either.

I thought I got a 35 (13PS, 11VR, 11BS)

Ended up getting a 39 (13PS, 12VR, 14BS)

I really didn't feel good about BS, I guess it was because I was doing more educated guessing than I was comfortable with. Also because there was a couple impossible orgo questions that were either experimental or I guessed right.

So I ended up doing way better than I expected, and actually the real deal was my best MCAT I have ever taken out of about 20 practice tests. CLUTCH! lol jk.

But this so doesn't mean that if you come out feeling bad, that this means that you did well haha.

 

[NickNaylor]

Cole: are you saying after the MCAT felt bad, or what?

Haha, I guess I should've elaborated a little more.

I felt pretty nervous after the test. I think that's just a normal phase of the post-MCAT experience. I was genuinely worried for a while that I had accidentally selected the "yes" option to the question asking if I wanted my score voided.

Eventually you'll get to the point where you just don't care anymore and you want your scores. Then as the day comes closer, nerves start to set again.

I ended up doing much better than I expected, so don't attempt to predict your score based on how you feel during/after the test. I don't think the two are correlated at all unless you know you did VERY well or VERY poorly.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

i was convinced i got a 15 on the verbal, and had no shot at 15 in bio. neither of these were the case. i was WAY off on the verbal too.

 

[NickNaylor]

i was convinced i got a 15 on the verbal, and had no shot at 15 in bio. neither of these were the case. i was WAY off on the verbal too.

Case and point for my last post.

 

[goldngrl1611]

it's the possibility of retaking the MCAT that makes me feel the most sick

 

[erskine]

How you feel after a test is not a reliable indicator of how well you did, assuming you're not nervous/anxious because you skipped a few passages (in that case you very likely have a legitimate feeling regarding your performance). One of the purposes of the MCAT is to see how you react to stressful situations, and this is why they throw in weird passages/questions on their test. Expect to be rattled walking out of the testing center. Also, it's somewhat pointless to go over and rehash all the questions and belabor the ones you got wrong- i know i got at least 3 questions wrong on BS, yet got a perfect score somehow. Have faith that the tricky questions are either experimental ones that don't count or the curve will adjust itself.

I felt utterly drained after my MCAT and wasn't sure at ALL how i would score. I ended up scoring better than any of my practice exams. I agree, though, the waiting part is freaking terrible and I can still recall the dry mouth, fluttery stomach in the moments before logging onto the AAMC THX site.

 

[goldngrl1611]

bump! It would be great to get as many responses on this subject as possible....I know it's on the minds of many who just took the MCAT and will be on the minds of those taking it in the future!

 

[Vertex]

I also felt really bad about my test. I wasn't sure if I had even gotten higher than my lowest practice test (which was a 33 that I scored a few days before the actual exam). I was scoring in the range of 36-38 consistently though. I ended with 14/10/15P. So like the many before myself have said, how you feel after the test isn't a good indicator. Goodluck!

 

[loua0731]

Whew, it's so nice to hear some of these responses. I took it on May 27 and left my test center feeling utterly beaten down. I had been doing well on all my AAMCs though, so hopefully my real score won't deviate much!!

 

[dadoc90210]

Usually when I do poorly on a test my mind tends to drift and I begin to daydream or visualize something irrelevant. Even though I have mixed feelings about the test, particularly the damn BS section, I had no reveries at all. It's one of the weirdest things I can think of now. I just wish I could have some closure now and not have to wait several weeks for our scores. Cheers everyone who has taken it, including my fellow 5/27 comrades! Perhaps this our St. Crispin's day?

[SIZE=+1]We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1] For he to-day that sheds his blood with me[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1] Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1] This day shall gentle his condition;[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1] And gentlemen in England now-a-bed[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1] Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1] And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1] That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.[/SIZE]

 

[The quiet one.]

Bump...

 

[RC4L]

I think it depends why you felt bad. If you had to guess a lot or didn't finish you probably have good reason to feel unseasy but if you finished everything and your practice test scores were consistently where they needed to be, I wouldn't worry too much. The real test tends to be harder for a multitude of reasons and I believe most testers find that to be the case so the curve likely covers that gap.

 

[Person0715]

Zombie bump~

I think it depends why you felt bad. If you had to guess a lot or didn't finish you probably have good reason to feel unseasy but if you finished everything and your practice test scores were consistently where they needed to be, I wouldn't worry too much. The real test tends to be harder for a multitude of reasons and I believe most testers find that to be the case so the curve likely covers that gap.

The MCAT is not graded on a curve. The scale is pre-set for each exam. But I agree on your first two points. Your score won't deviate much from your averages (+/- 2 points), regardless if you feel you did super awesome or super crap. The test does feel harder, I think, primarily because of test day nerves. For your reference, I felt I did okay and I scored 2 points above my average.

 

[RC4L]

Zombie bump~



The MCAT is not graded on a curve. The scale is pre-set for each exam. But I agree on your first two points. Your score won't deviate much from your averages (+/- 2 points), regardless if you feel you did super awesome or super crap. The test does feel harder, I think, primarily because of test day nerves. For your reference, I felt I did okay and I scored 2 points above my average.

I stand corrected I always thought it was curved! You learn something new everyday. AAMC says that the raw to scaled score varies depending on the questions they use-I'm guessing that means depending on difficulty? I know the scales are set a little differently between the practice exams but not much. I wonder if a test that they feel is much more difficult has a much more lenient raw to scale conversion. I felt that the real MCAT had longer passages throughout the exam which made it seem more difficult. Especially in PS and BS it seemed that every passage was like an essay and that created a timing issue for me. I didn't think the content was better or worse really.

 

[Person0715]

I wonder if a test that they feel is much more difficult has a much more lenient raw to scale conversion. I felt that the real MCAT had longer passages throughout the exam which made it seem more difficult. Especially in PS and BS it seemed that every passage was like an essay and that created a timing issue for me. I didn't think the content was better or worse really.

I think this is most likely the case, although I would imagine the difference is not too drastic.

 

[See Sea]

Hey! So I know there has already been a thread on this but it didn't get too many responses. Having just took my MCAT on May 27th, I'm in that horrible waiting period where I fight the urge to run through the questions I was unsure of or know I got wrong. I know I didn't feel as confident coming out of that test as I did after my practices, so I thought for all of us currently in a similar boat it would be nice to get a good amount of responses on the subject. For those of you who are lucky enough to have put this exam behind you, explain how you felt walking out of that exam and then post your real score (or not explicitly, if you'd prefer). Also, it would be great to specifically say which sub-score you were most uncertain of so we can see how your feelings on that in particular compared to your performance. Thanks for any responses!

Hi, I just recently took my August MCAT (looking to apply upcoming cycle if all goes well) and am feeling exactly as you are, as mentioned. I was wondering if you received your scores back, and if you didn't mind sharing, how did you do? Was it what you expected or not.. or did you do really well or completely off...?

 

[theparty]

@See Sea lol look at how many years old that post was...

 

[khronos]

This seems like a worthwhile discussion, though. Would it be better to make a new thread about the same topic? I'm genuinely curious to hear from people who posted about their immediate post-MCAT expectations and compared it to their actual scores.

 

[jmpatt29]

Here is my perspective: my aamc average was a 30.. it ranged from 27-32.
I left the test center sobbing. I genuinely thought I BOMBED PS and I couldn't even remember verbal. Bio I knew I did well in.

my expected score was 27-29. was praying for a 30!
I got a 32. with an 11 in PS, which I never saw in my practices, it was always a 10.

My advice is DO NOT listen to your post test feelings.

Good luck to you all~ I hope you have the same experience!