**Official: July 25, 2013 MCAT**

[BeachBlondie]

Guess we should go ahead and start this up!

T-minus: 110 days...

Happy studying, my fellow hopeless souls.

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[Tuor]

Longtime reader but I have never posted. You guys wanted someone to post scores that weren't SDN impressive... Well here it is. I have taken the MCAT twice before each time I scored in the low twenties. This time around I got a 25 (which I'm actually happy about). Taking the MCAT has been one of the worst, but now that it's over, I consider it one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Even though my score is not the best (horrendous in terms of SDN standards), I earned that score and I could not be more happy about it. For all of those who keep scoring in the low twenties, keep pushing! I can't tell you how many times I considered giving up. But my drive to become a physician would not let this happen. If you want it. You can have it. I am currently applying to osteopathic medical schools and I hope that with my most recent MCAT score, stellar extracurriculars, and above average GPA that my dream of becoming a physician will come true.

Also, I wanted to say that you to all of the SDN community. The advice, knowledge, and tips I've gained from reading this forum have been invaluable. Good luck to everyone applying this cycle and I wish you all the best of luck!

You seem to be pretty driven about becoming a physician. More than the MCAT or whatever else is on paper, once you get into an interview, they will see your desire and commitment, and you will do great.

 

[inycepoo]

I almost feel like I should rescore or something, I've never done that bad on any VR section, ever. Since my app is still being verified, it shouldn't take long. How does one go about getting a rescore?

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/scores/

MCAT Essentials has the procedure and address.

 

[dkay11]

To all the crazy smart kids getting 35s and 38s. What the heck are your secrets?!? I've never scored a 38 ever! I'm also not a science major so that kinda puts me at a disadvantage eek. But if you guys have anything that would help it would be much appreciated. I'm a good baker I will send cupcakes lol

 

[inycepoo]

To all the crazy smart kids getting 35s and 38s. What the heck are your secrets?!? I've never scored a 38 ever! I'm also not a science major so that kinda puts me at a disadvantage eek. But if you guys have anything that would help it would be much appreciated. I'm a good baker I will send cupcakes lol

True mastery of the topics through paying attention and learning the material well instead of getting it over with when taking the courses (either in HS or college).

e.g., I learned gen chem really well in high school. Never took it in college. I probably spent around 5% of my studying looking over gen chem things I got wrong on FLs. It comes back naturally to you if you learned it truly well the first time around.

Granted, I didn't get my score back yet, but I'd be shocked with anything less than a 14 on PS.

 

[The Kraken]

To all the crazy smart kids getting 35s and 38s. What the heck are your secrets?!? I've never scored a 38 ever! I'm also not a science major so that kinda puts me at a disadvantage eek. But if you guys have anything that would help it would be much appreciated. I'm a good baker I will send cupcakes lol

The difference between the low mid 30s and higher is about 2 questions each point above 35ish. It's never missing a question and not messing up, ever. True mastery of every single topic forward and back.

 

[inycepoo]

The difference between the low mid 30s and higher is about 2 questions each point above 35ish. It's never missing a question and not messing up, ever. True mastery of every single topic forward and back.

We're "true mastery" phrase usage buddies! Yay!

(I need more hobbies........)

 

[494110]

The MCAT is tricky. I thought I aced PS and ended up with an 11 and I know I missed at least 4 super easy questions I shouldn't have missed on BS and got an 11 for a composite 33.

For me the biggest thing is confidence. If you feel bad about one section during the actual you have to have the confidence to say: "I feel bad but I probably aced it; now I'm going to ace the next section". Lack of confidence was my downfall the first time I took it (I took it twice).

 

[skippysuperstar]

I don't think that people should stress out about "true mastery," whatever that means. You are never going to master every single topic, and even if you do, you probably are to going to be able to translate that mastery perfectly to the exam. I know of at least six questions (three PS and thee BS) that I completely missed on the MCAT--after acing graduate classes in those exact topics. My mind just went blank on the test in the moment. It happens, and it is OK. I still got 13s in both PS and BS (38 total).

 

[inycepoo]

I don't think that people should stress out about "true mastery," whatever that means. You are never going to master every single topic, and even if you do, you probably are to going to be able to translate that mastery perfectly to the exam. I know of at least six questions (three PS and thee BS) that I completely missed on the MCAT--after acing graduate classes in those exact topics. My mind just went blank on the test in the moment. It happens, and it is OK. I still got 13s in both PS and BS (38 total).

And I bet that for everything else you got right, you knew the material really well on a conceptual level because you really internalized the content when you were learning it instead of doing it mindlessly.

Just because your mind "went blank" on those questions (meaning you still knew it well but just couldn't pull it up for the test) doesn't mean that it's not a good strategy to aim for a deep understanding of the content covered so that most of one's prep time can be spent working on strategies and critical thinking for the MCAT, instead of going over content.

Refer to Spinach method.

 

[acemcatthissummer]

AAMC Average: 31.5
AAMC 9-12: 32.5
Prediction: Kind of worthless to guess what you received, stick with your average.
Actual: 11PS/11VR/10BS, 32. Fatigue was a huge factor in bio. I finished bio with 10 minutes left and I just ended the test because I was fried. Had I used the full time, my score probably would have been a point higher.

you maybe the first person who ended their real mcat exam early!
but congrats on your score - i wud die for your score!