Should I take the MCAT with these scores?

[premedprincess26]

I have taken 5 TPR practice and scored 493, 494, 496, 496, and 498. I have one week until the exam. Should I re-schedule? (I am scheduled to take it May 14th) And if I re-schedule, is it even worth applying this cycle? Also my GPA is around a 3.48 and I am hoping it will go up to 3.5 something by the end of the semester. I need a really good MCAT score and I feel like these are terrible. I took a TPR live online course and it was the biggest waste of my time. They expected you to do 10 hours of work for the class a day and attend the 3 hour lecture ( I did live online) and I just didn't have time for all of that during the semester. I think if I would have taken all that time to study on my own I would have gotten a lot more content done. But anyways, please help me out. I'm so stressed about what to do. I've already re-scheduled my date twice...

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[MilaKunisDoe]

Did you get a chance to purchase the AAMC material? I would definitely use those before taking the exam.

 

[Lost in Translation]

Never sit the MCAT unless you're practice-testing at a score you'd be okay with. If you're not okay with those scores, push the test date. I remember I pushed my MCAT test the week before because I was practice testing in the low 20's. I ate the cost of rescheduling, but it's invaluable to have a good score.

 

[AlphaBeta<3]

Don't take it.

 

[premedprincess26]

My princeton review course came with the AAMC material. I was planning on taking on tomorrow, but with these scores i don't feel confident enough to take it yet. I don't want to waste it. Also, i definitely feel like i haven't gotten enough studying done. It's not even like I feel like i've gone over everything. This will be my third time re-scheduling...i've had to take the costs of it twice already. ugh

 

[premedprincess26]

Never sit the MCAT unless you're practice-testing at a score you'd be okay with. If you're not okay with those scores, push the test date. I remember I pushed my MCAT test the week before because I was practice testing in the low 20's. I ate the cost of rescheduling, but it's invaluable to have a good score.

How much did you end up scoring on practice and actual? after re-scheduling i mean

 

[candbgirl]

Are you comfortable with scoring between a 21-24 on the old test.? That's about where your current pretests put you test wise. . I wouldn't take it. You aren't ready. You might want to start thinking about a Gap year since it seems you'll need quite a bit of time to get ready for the test. How are your ECs?


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[MilaKunisDoe]

My princeton review course came with the AAMC material. I was planning on taking on tomorrow, but with these scores i don't feel confident enough to take it yet. I don't want to waste it. Also, i definitely feel like i haven't gotten enough studying done. It's not even like I feel like i've gone over everything. This will be my third time re-scheduling...i've had to take the costs of it twice already. ugh

I took Kaplan and I was told to break a 500 before testing. If you're looking to score a 508+, then I would reschedule.

 

[Lost in Translation]

How much did you end up scoring on practice and actual? after re-scheduling i mean

I got at least 30, which was what was my aim. This was after 2 months of more or less dedicated studying (did not use the SDN method.)

 

[premedprincess26]

I got at least 30, which was what was my aim. This was after 2 months of more or less dedicated studying (did not use the SDN method.)

What do you mean the SDN method?

 

[premedprincess26]

Are you comfortable with scoring between a 21-24 on the old test.? That's about where your current pretests put you test wise. . I wouldn't take it. You aren't ready. You might want to start thinking about a Gap year since it seems you'll need quite a bit of time to get ready for the test. How are your ECs?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

I'm actually a senior right now, so I'm already taking a gap year. I'm doing an MPH. If I postponed applying I would be taking two years off after college. I would say EC's are not bad (I think) I've had five officer positions this year and a good amount the rest of the years also. These include two for pre Med groups and the others vary from a women's rights group to student council. I have been volunteering for all four years. Only three of which were in the hospital. My shadowing is weird becusse I Have shadowed about 4-5 doctors but only a few times each. I do research in a lab but no papers. Actually my lab only let me do menial tasks pretty much for all three years that I was there, but I did write a few reports because I took it for credit for two semesters. I have had a medical related internship one summer doing clinical research, but mid summer my mom got really sick and was on life support, so I had to abruptly leave the position, and won't be getting a Rec from the doctor I worked with.

 

[ChrisMack390]

Test prep company scores are always deflated. Take a real AAMC practice test.

 

[Lucca]

Take the official scored AAMC practice test. If you cannot break 510 on that exam, don't take the real thing. No joke. That's my advice. Postpone it, fix what you need to fix, break 510 next time. 3.5/31 is OK for some MD and DO but you really want be to scoring a little higher than that to be safe.

 

[premedprincess26]

Is it worth wasting an official AAMC if i'm scoring so low on the TPR ones though? It makes me think I should just re-schedule and then take the official once I get at least a little bit higher on the other companies?

 

[premedprincess26]

Also, today is the last day to re-schedule so I would have to decide today

 

[el_duderino]

Is it worth wasting an official AAMC if i'm scoring so low on the TPR ones though? It makes me think I should just re-schedule and then take the official once I get at least a little bit higher on the other companies?

I think the TPR practice tests are awful, with terrible questions that do not reflect the actual MCAT.

Take an AAMC practice, in real conditions (go to a library or something for the day).

 

[el_duderino]

Also, today is the last day to re-schedule so I would have to decide today

In that case, reschedule.

 

[Lucca]

Also, today is the last day to re-schedule so I would have to decide today

Reschedule if you are unsure. The MCAT should be a one-time, home-run thing if for no other reason than prepping for it and taking the exam both suck.

That being said, I do not believe that the TPR exams are at all representative of the real thing. Seriously. They are good at identifying content deficits because they ask insanely specific questions and focus less on information found only in the passage. Practice the real thing.

 

[navigator]

No!!

 

[premedprincess26]

Reschedule if you are unsure. The MCAT should be a one-time, home-run thing if for no other reason than prepping for it and taking the exam both suck.

That being said, I do not believe that the TPR exams are at all representative of the real thing. Seriously. They are good at identifying content deficits because they ask insanely specific questions and focus less on information found only in the passage. Practice the real thing.

How do i practice the real thing? You mean do the official material? But I just don't want to waste that until I think I have studied everything enough and am doing kind of ok on it...or should I just go for it?

 

[premedprincess26]

No!!

No to taking it or rescheduling?

 

[Lucca]

How do i practice the real thing? You mean do the official material? But I just don't want to waste that until I think I have studied everything enough and am doing kind of ok on it...or should I just go for it?

Official material is the best. Check out the MCAT forum on SDN for more advice on more "realistic" prep company exams.

If you are not breaking 500 on TPR there is most likely still content you need to study that you have forgotten or not fully grasped. However, without official material to evaluate your performance against, I have no idea where your test taking skills actually are from those TPR scores. Only you know that.

Bottom line: not prepared? Don't take the exam.

 

[el_duderino]

How do i practice the real thing? You mean do the official material? But I just don't want to waste that until I think I have studied everything enough and am doing kind of ok on it...or should I just go for it?

You have one week until your exam, and you don't think you've studied everything, and you haven't taken any official practice tests?

Then you absolutely are in no position to take the exam. Postpone it. Finish up your studying in the next few days, then take a day off then take a full-length practice.

Then reevaluate.

 

[Goro]

Do NOT take the MCAT. You're in crash and burn territory.

I have taken 5 TPR practice and scored 493, 494, 496, 496, and 498. I have one week until the exam. Should I re-schedule? (I am scheduled to take it May 14th) And if I re-schedule, is it even worth applying this cycle? Also my GPA is around a 3.48 and I am hoping it will go up to 3.5 something by the end of the semester. I need a really good MCAT score and I feel like these are terrible. I took a TPR live online course and it was the biggest waste of my time. They expected you to do 10 hours of work for the class a day and attend the 3 hour lecture ( I did live online) and I just didn't have time for all of that during the semester. I think if I would have taken all that time to study on my own I would have gotten a lot more content done. But anyways, please help me out. I'm so stressed about what to do. I've already re-scheduled my date twice...

 

[ready2go2]

I didn't take TPR test but Kaplan, and I never got above 498, and ended up with a 514. Have you checked the predicted score excel sheet that's floating around? That could probably inform you about where you stand.

 

[ready2go2]

This is what I am referring to:

 

[----x----]

Reschedule.

You can do the June 18 or July 8 and still apply if you want.

Last year I postponed my application because my MCAT was 498 on a practice test (and i was going to be late in the cycle regardless). Now I'll do it right, good score, submit day 1. I really don't think I'll regret taking an extra year to do it right and score well, to make sure I am competitive for MD schools instead of being only competitive at DO. It's your whole career ahead of you - 1 year to give yourself the best launch point is nothing.

EDIT -

It's possible you're prepared enough, but you honestly just don't have the information to know whether you are or not because you haven't taken the AAMC full length practice test which is a better predictor.

If I were you I would postpone to June 18 and use your time after spring semester to just do practice tests.

Again, if you took the AAMC full length tomorrow and got a 520 - it wouldn't mean your decision to postpone today was wrong, because you don't know where you're really at today except that you're scoring below goal on prep company tests (which may not be super reliable). Since you have to decide in the next few hours it sounds like, I would just postpone.

 

[premedprincess26]

Reschedule.

You can do the June 18 or July 8 and still apply if you want.

Last year I postponed my application because my MCAT was 498 on a practice test (and i was going to be late in the cycle regardless). Now I'll do it right, good score, submit day 1. I really don't think I'll regret taking an extra year to do it right and score well, to make sure I am competitive for MD schools instead of being only competitive at DO. It's your whole career ahead of you - 1 year to give yourself the best launch point is nothing.

EDIT -

It's possible you're prepared enough, but you honestly just don't have the information to know whether you are or not because you haven't taken the AAMC full length practice test which is a better predictor.

If I were you I would postpone to June 18 and use your time after spring semester to just do practice tests.

Again, if you took the AAMC full length tomorrow and got a 520 - it wouldn't mean your decision to postpone today was wrong, because you don't know where you're really at today except that you're scoring below goal on prep company tests (which may not be super reliable). Since you have to decide in the next few hours it sounds like, I would just postpone.

Did you end up having to take two years off then? Or were you applying as a junior the first time? i have plans for next year, but i'm also worried about taking another year because I will have to find something significant to do. Also, would my recommendations be ok to use even if it's a year later?

 

[premedprincess26]

This is what I am referring to:

Thanks! I did see this, and that's actually why I partially freaked out. Almost everyone on there was getting above 500 on TPR. There weren't too many people who took TPR on that sheet, so not sure how reliable it was, but after I saw that I thought I should definitely study more.

 

[----x----]

Did you end up having to take two years off then? Or were you applying as a junior the first time? i have plans for next year, but i'm also worried about taking another year because I will have to find something significant to do. Also, would my recommendations be ok to use even if it's a year later?

I graduated spring 2013 - after scribing in an ER for a year I started down the path of PA school since it makes the most financial sense - but focused on meeting with many more PAs and talking with mentors and was recommended against it, and to go to med school. I took a professional personality/career choice test (frequently given to CEO applicants for big companies) to learn about my motivations, goals, perceived strengths/weaknesses, and needs for a career. PA wouldn't meet them while MD fit perfectly.

So last summer I switched back to MD path, but decided not to apply since I would be applying mid/late cycle with what would be a rushed - so average/mediocre MCAT. This was 2 years out of school.

I'm now 3 years out from graduation but have really grown a lot, made a lot of personal and professional relationships, and learned a lot about medicine (clinical and administrative) in the process. Now I'm applying while turning 25 this summer.

Your time after school can be useless if you let it. I worked hard to make sure it wasn't, and will be a better med student, resident, fellow, and physician because of this time I've taken for personal and professional growth. A couple year gap can be a gift if you choose to receive it, or a curse if you reject or resent it.


I am still using my letters from faculty (2 science 1 non science). In addition I'll have 3 letters from my work and volunteer experience since graduation. I'm still going through my school's pre-health committee

 

[premedprincess26]

so, i ended up not re-scheduling my MCAT because it was too late to receive a refund. In the past I have heard about people taking the exam just for practice at that point and then canceling scores. I thought that would be a good idea since I wasn't going to get the money back anyways. Was this the right choice? I guess the only problem is that I won't be able to signup for a new date until I take this one...

 

[premedprincess26]

I graduated spring 2013 - after scribing in an ER for a year I started down the path of PA school since it makes the most financial sense - but focused on meeting with many more PAs and talking with mentors and was recommended against it, and to go to med school. I took a professional personality/career choice test (frequently given to CEO applicants for big companies) to learn about my motivations, goals, perceived strengths/weaknesses, and needs for a career. PA wouldn't meet them while MD fit perfectly.

So last summer I switched back to MD path, but decided not to apply since I would be applying mid/late cycle with what would be a rushed - so average/mediocre MCAT. This was 2 years out of school.

I'm now 3 years out from graduation but have really grown a lot, made a lot of personal and professional relationships, and learned a lot about medicine (clinical and administrative) in the process. Now I'm applying while turning 25 this summer.

Your time after school can be useless if you let it. I worked hard to make sure it wasn't, and will be a better med student, resident, fellow, and physician because of this time I've taken for personal and professional growth. A couple year gap can be a gift if you choose to receive it, or a curse if you reject or resent it.


I am still using my letters from faculty (2 science 1 non science). In addition I'll have 3 letters from my work and volunteer experience since graduation. I'm still going through my school's pre-health committee

I see! thanks for letting me know! I hope it works out for me. I am definitely ready to start and know what I want to do. it just depends on me being able to get this test done in time. I guess we will see what happens. Thanks for your advice and story!

 

[Kelly11]

IMO opinion don't cancel it. I took the old MCAT and got a 32. On TPR tests the highest I ever got was a 26....on the AAMC practice tests they ranged from 29-34.