One month to go need to improve score by eight points....

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steelersfan1243

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Is this even plausible?

I am taking the MCAT January 2015. I have been on and off studying for the MCAT for almost three months now and I am just beginning to realize I was never retaining anything. I took Kaplan's diagnostic six days ago and got a 22 (9PS/5V/8BS). I then studied physics (to what I thought was a good amount) for a week and took another Kaplan full length and got a 25 (8PS/10V/7BS). As a senior applying this Spring I really feel like the MCAT is the last piece to the puzzle and thought I could get a 33, is this still doable? I was going to heavy content review the General Chemistry sections again, but for Bio I was guessing everything. I never took physiology, and I thought I went over it in its entirety when I first studied the MCAT, but everything was foreign to me on the test. With serious content review can this score increase be done? What would you do? Any help would be appreciated, please and thank you

Also my current study materials are Kaplan Online course, all TBR books, and EK 101 Verbal

Should I get the EK set for cramming? Can it be done with TBR?

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No, you need EK over TBR. TBR is really good, but quite dense and takes some time getting through them (~3 months). It can be done, but it's going to be very difficult to improve 8 pts in 1 month. Good luck.
 
if i had to guess, i definitely think you can score 10-11 on ps/bs since kaplan's ps/bs are usually harder and intense calcs.
your verbal is all over the place tho, and kaplan verbal isn't even a good predictor of how you'll do on the actual mcat.
so i can't comment if a 33 is possible without knowing a baseline for your verbal.

i think kaplan has more lenient scales since they're usually harder but you've got a month to study tho, so you can definitely bring ps/bs to a consistent 10-12 with practice.
i recommend you take an ACTUAL aamc mcat exam like #3 to get a better idea how you stand with the way the real mcat words their questions.
 
OP, if you want my advice, reschedule. It doesn't sound very plausible. Also, Kaplan FL's aren't representative of legit MCAT practice averages. Most people would probably say that AAMC 9, 10, and 11 are the best choice to represent a steady average.
 
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Reschedule

And if you don't, please come back and post your score so others can learn the lesson, an 8 pt jump in a month is not likely
 
OP, first take an AAMC test to see where exactly you're at. If you score similarly to your Kaplan FL scores, then you're seriously deficient in your content review for every subject (Phy,Ochem,Bio,Gchem).
While it's hard to review everything in a month to the point of fully grasping the different concepts, it's not entirely impossible. You just need the proper motivation, energy, and boat loads of free time during your day.
But if it's possible to reschedule, then reschedule.
 
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OP, first take an AAMC test to see where exactly you're at. If you score similarly to your Kaplan FL scores, then you're seriously deficient in your content review for every subject (Phy,Ochem,Bio,Gchem).
While it's hard to review everything in a month to the point of fully grasping the different concepts, it's not entirely impossible. You just need the proper motivation, energy, and boat loads of free time during your day.
But if it's possible to reschedule, then reschedule.

I agree with @NeuroMaster316 you need to take a AAMC test to really get a sense of where you are (Perhaps even AAMC 9-11 since those are most reflective). A month is not a long time to review and do well but it definitely can be done.
 
The previous 2 posts speak wisdom. Take an AAMC test now. And not AAMC 3 if you have a chose - simply because if the test is 6 weeks away, you need the most accurate gauge of where you are in comparison to the type of test you'll see. This means take a later AAMC practice test. I'd say if you're within 5 points of where you want to be, then it may be doable.
 
Hey guys, I appreciate all the responses

Unfortunately, I would really like to go against rescheduling as I want to avoid taking the new one if possible. I should also mention winter break is coming up so I should have nothing to do but the mcat for a month if that helps. I feel as if I have to study for it regardless so might as well see where I am a month from now then decide to reschedule if need be. As for the verbal, I think the 5 was a fluke, I went about verbal the completely wrong way, but after reading some threads on SDN I did an Examkrackers passage and got a 10. Then a 10 on Kaplan after so I feel like it can be potentially more consistent as I take more. Also, thats another thing I feel as if I havent hit the critical thinking stage for PS or BS, but as shown with verbal, once I hit that point I could make significant progress (again this might be trying to think positive despite all means). I will take a full length AAMC this Saturday after more reviewing, any suggestions which specific test to take? Thanks again for all the help
 
Like others have said, eight points is difficult to achieve in such a short period of time. However, if you're set on taking the MCAT before it changes, then telling you to reschedule it doesn't help your case. My advise would be to start taking practice AAMC FLs, heavily analyze your weaknesses, and work diligently on them. Good luck.
 
Hmmm well if you're gonna go through with it, then I recommend taking either AAMC 10 or 11. Update us on your score and we'll see where you should go from there.
 
I just took the full length AAMC 4 and got a 27 (10PS/9V/8BS). This was just after doing some passages in the BR General Chem passage books over a week. I feel like if I studied 12 hours a day for a month I should hopefully make my score increase, there were a lot of content gaps I noticed while going through the test. Unfortunately, I am going to have to wait another week and a half after finals week is over to get serious studying going....
 
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I find that kind of jump highly, highly unlikely. You need more practice before you sit down for the real deal. IMO, the kaplan diagnostics are not close to the real test. You need at least a few aamc practice tests before you have a relative idea what ballpark you will be in. This is not the kind of test you want to cram for and hope for the best.
 
If you had asked if you could improve 5 points in one week, everyone here would have said NO WAY. And yet, you did it. Just go for it and stay off SDN.
 
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Just have the mindset that you are taking it and giving it your best shot, that's my plan and I'm scoring right where you are but know with hardwork that improvement is possible in the next month for sure.
 
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Response to title only:

Get a tutor or tutors plural and work very hard on AAMC material primarily. Then trust your AAMC practice test scores.
 
Anything's possible. Huge jumps in a short time are highly unlikely, but anything's possible. Plus with the test change, you may as well go for it.

Ditch all of your test prep company material and do nothing but AAMC stuff for 10 hrs a day. Take all eight tests, do all five self-assessment packages, etc. Nothing but AAMC and review and AAMC and review and AAMC.

Good luck! :)

b.
 
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