The Official October 25th, 2014 MCAT Thread

[Violagirl]

Hey all! Just thought I'd get a thread out there for those of us taking the MCAT on October 25th! Feel free to post how you plan to study, any study tips/tricks you might have or other resources you found helpful that might benefit others. I originally planned on taking the MCAT on July 12th but ended up having to reschedule with the hassle of job hunting. Now that I have a new job lined up, I ended up rescheduling to take it in October instead in getting back on track with studying. Best of luck to everyone taking it!

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[daf2]

You're fine with a 4.0

For MD maybe, but not MD/PhD . . . It also depends on what institution they're currently at, but 29 is pretty grim for MD/PhD regardless of GPA.

 

[TriageNinja154]

Also a long-time lurker, finally have something to contribute:

This was my third attempt, first one I self-studied and got a 26, which was actually pretty much what I expected. Then I took a course the following summer, was very well prepared and had practice scores up in the low and mid-30s. On the real thing I somehow managed to get a 23, so for all intents and purposes I did better without studying! Wasn't really nervous and even thought that test wasn't too bad (except PS which was a killer and ultimately did prove to be my worst section)
Anyway, this was almost three months after the debacle of a 23:

Test Date: 10/25/14
Time: 1:00 pm
FL AAMC Average: Difficult to say, used them all on previous two attempts
FL Test Prep Company: 30.75 (High of 36, low 21 but that was Kaplan FL 11 which is a brutal predictor) 8 tests total
Post-test expected score: No idea, thought last time I did well when I did horribly so I had no idea what to expect. Hoped for a 27 or 28 but feared the worst

Actual Score (PS/VR/BS): 31 (10/11/10)
78.2-83.0 percentile

Certainly will live with it, beats a 23 or 26 any day, but I kind of needed a 33 or better to really feel good about my chances (GPA 3.5). Thought I did better on Verbal (my practice average was 12, hit 14 and 15 multiple times), PS was not terrible and that's saying something since it's my weakness. Thought BS was tough but manageable, kind of figured I would get 10 or 11 so I'm ok with that result. In the end, I'm really only disappointed in the Verbal score and even that is mild disappointment since I know Verbal is usually what kills people, not what brings people's scores up.

 

[smackthatbird]

Anyone looking for a retake date in January, go now! So many dates/locations just opened up. Not sure why. Hope this helps some people! I got to move mine back 2 weeks and it made it way more convenient.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Test Date: 10/25/14
Time: 1:00 pm
FL AAMC Average: 32
AAMC 10-11 Avg.: 32
Post-test expected score: No idea
Actual Score (PS/VR/BS): 30 (13/06/11)

Coming out of the test, I felt like I failed verbal, and it looks like I did. I've signed up for a retake on Dec 6, but I'm at a loss on what to do for VR. After seeing so many people here receive 10s and 11s, I'm beginning to think that I may have a more serious underlying problem. That, or I'm just a complete idiot. Whichever the case, if I can't raise this section, I may sadly have to switch career choices .

 

[kaitlynrae]

I'm not saying I don't believe you, but that could be photoshopped so easily, just sayin'. Congrats on your score!

At this point, my score is more real than yours...I don't see any screenshots from you. Just sayin'.

 

[TriageNinja154]

Test Date: 10/25/14
Time: 1:00 pm
FL AAMC Average: 32
AAMC 10-11 Avg.: 32
Post-test expected score: No idea
Actual Score (PS/VR/BS): 30 (13/06/11)

Coming out of the test, I felt like I failed verbal, and it looks like I did. I've signed up for a retake on Dec 6, but I'm at a loss on what to do for VR. After seeing so many people here receive 10s and 11s, I'm beginning to think that I may have a more serious underlying problem. That, or I'm just a complete idiot. Whichever the case, if I can't raise this section, I may sadly have to switch career choices .

You aren't an idiot, VR is the hardest section for most people. You are obviously all set on the more labor-intensive PS and BS sections, so you can really focus on Verbal, which is 100% practice. Remember you don't need any outside info, and that for each question, generally there are two answers that are definitely false, one that is incredibly attractive but just barely false, and the correct answer. I found it was easiest to read the passage quickly, read over all the questions, answer what I could remember off the top of my head, and then go back to the passage for the more challenging questions. Leaves no time for distractions, but I ended with 2 minutes to spare using that strategy. But you definitely aren't stupid, it's just a challenging section on a really challenging test.

 

[wanted101]

gpa: 3.9 mcat: 28 (10/07/11) I am just wondering how much/if the 7 VR will hurt for D.O. schools (i know theres no hope of M.D. schools now). Congrats to you all

 

[Gordhan]

Test Date: 10/25/14
Time: 1:00 pm
FL AAMC Average: 33
AAMC 10-11 Avg.: 34
Post-test expected score: 31
Actual Score (PS/VR/BS):33 (11/10/12)

Satsified, can finally move on with my life.

 

[somedudehere]

gpa: 3.9 mcat: 28 (10/07/11) I am just wondering how much/if the 7 VR will hurt for D.O. schools (i know theres no hope of M.D. schools now). Congrats to you all

lol ok

 

[Chickenmaster]

Wow. 10/6/11.

Am I done?

 

[frochocinco]

Wow. 10/6/11.

Am I done?

For MD they will screen you out unfortunately. Were you doing this poorly on VR on your FL's? Definitely consider retaking.

 

[BurntFlower]

Wow. 10/6/11.

Am I done?

I don't think you're done. That score is competitive for DO schools.

 

[futurehousemd]

PS-15
V-15
BS-15...

jk lol...I actually did quite bad...really bad...but after my third time taking it It really doesn't hit me as bad anymore. I realized I did bad not because of my intelligence or my test taking skills. its simply because the structure of the MCAT does not suit to my abilities. I'm really good at memorizing. I can memorize all the equations and mechanisms of Nucleoplihic acyl substitution etc..but the way this MCAT was...it was different. So im still gonna try to get into med school and survive...and hopefully destroy the steps which ultimately what really matters

 

[prettyNURSEtoMD]

I did bad too. I retake on the 6th I gotta figure something out in 10 days... Can't reschedule its too late but ice been studying since the 25th

 

[yane4000]

gpa: 3.9 mcat: 28 (10/07/11) I am just wondering how much/if the 7 VR will hurt for D.O. schools (i know theres no hope of M.D. schools now). Congrats to you all

I don't think MD schools are out of the question for you. I got 27 (8/8/11) so we're pretty much the same on Verbal. I'm most likely going to retake it. I'm planning on taking at least 2 upper division English courses to show my strengths in that category, and I'm sure a very well written personal statement will also help compensate that score. Besides 3.9 GPA? Pshh are you kidding? I'm sure there are MD schools out there that will take you.

Good luck!

 

[wanted101]

a

 

[wanted101]

I don't think MD schools are out of the question for you. I got 27 (8/8/11) so we're pretty much the same on Verbal. I'm most likely going to retake it. I'm planning on taking at least 2 upper division English courses to show my strengths in that category, and I'm sure a very well written personal statement will also help compensate that score. Besides 3.9 GPA? Pshh are you kidding? I'm sure there are MD schools out there that will take you.

Good luck!

Thank you for the feedback yane! The English classes are a good idea.. best of luck to you too!

 

[BurntFlower]

I improved my score! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

 

[daf2]

At this point, my score is more real than yours...I don't see any screenshots from you. Just sayin'.

Well, I'm not the one who never posted on SDN except to announce my 40. That's naturally a bit suspect, I'm sure you realize. My point was that a screenshot can easily be edited and doesn't really prove anything. I believe you, but not because of the screenshot.

 

[CancerCureAdmit]

3:13 is verbal reasoning

 

[MD909]

Dying a little on the inside....did sooooo bad. Worse than the practice tests. I studied so much, all summer just to get a ****ty ass score. My verbal score was a joke and for some reason I did best in PS...weird. I feel just as stupid as I did when I walked out of that exam.

PS: If anyone still has to drop their seat and its in California and the vicinity, please message me

 

[torontopharm]

if you want results like mine, take 80% of your practice tests before seriously studying, then freak out the last week before the test and study like a maniac.

Hey did you do your tests under timed conditions?
I thought about doing what you're suggesting, but i'm scared i'll just be "wasting" FL's without knowing the content.

 

[Catman21]

Hey did you do your tests under timed conditions?
I thought about doing what you're suggesting, but i'm scared i'll just be "wasting" FL's without knowing the content.

I never didnt finish a practice, i usually had leftover time with verbal and bio (like alot), PS was always my weakness due to the physics. (physics is my WEAKEST section by far, i generally get like 90-95% of the chem right, and miss like 50-75% of the physics) but on the real thing I didnt have to rush on the PS, but i didnt finish the VR by one or two questions, which really rattled me during the test. Yeah i felt the same way about burning FLs, but most of the content i was fairly familiar with. I used to privately tutor gchem, ochem, and bio. I really just had to completely go over the physics.

 

[LiverOverEverything]

Finally mustered up the courage to check my score. All i can say is, i'm ecstatic to finally find contentment in that two digit score. Good luck to everyone, don't let down, fight for your dream!

 

[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

I have to retake and I got a seat in MD. I have a 9BS, 8PS, and 5VR
I don't know how I got an 9 in BS if I did not even answer 6 questions, and I guessed on one orgo passage. Which means I didn't even answer 10 to 11 questions. I felt the most confident in PS section, and my avg in VR was a 5.9 to 6.3, so I am not surprise. Anyone knows how to increase VR. I am almost finish with EK VR, but I find out that when I time myself I always screw up and get frazzled when reading.

 

[yuppp]

I have to retake and I got a seat in MD. I have a 9BS, 8PS, and 5VR
I don't know how I got an 9 in BS if I did not even answer 6 questions, and I guessed on one orgo passage. Which means I didn't even answer 10 to 11 questions. I felt the most confident in PS section, and my avg in VR was a 5.9 to 6.3, so I am not surprise. Anyone knows how to increase VR. I am almost finish with EK VR, but I find out that when I time myself I always screw up and get frazzled when reading.

I'm in the same boat, I averaged a 7.4 on my FLs and received a 6 in VR. Does anyone have any advice for those who are retaking solely because of VR? I practiced verbal pretty much everyday for my 5 month study, saw improvement after the first three months then happened to get my starting score on my actual exam

 

[The Boatox]

I'm in the same boat, I averaged a 7.4 on my FLs and received a 6 in VR. Does anyone have any advice for those who are retaking solely because of VR? I practiced verbal pretty much everyday for my 5 month study, saw improvement after the first three months then happened to get my starting score on my actual exam

I finally hit the double digits on verbal when I stopped reading the passages like I was going to get tested on them. Instead, I read them with interest. I made myself believe that I was an expert on whatever subject the passage was based on(one was on tying different knots lol) and that the author was simply attempting to persuade me otherwise. Additionally, the one tip I can give you when answering questions, one that I always remember when reading the answer choices, is that it is not about picking the right answer, rather it is about picking the 'least wrong' answer.

 

[change4med]

I'm in the same boat, I averaged a 7.4 on my FLs and received a 6 in VR. Does anyone have any advice for those who are retaking solely because of VR? I practiced verbal pretty much everyday for my 5 month study, saw improvement after the first three months then happened to get my starting score on my actual exam

Have you ever tried that "Skip a passage" strategy?

I think the idea was you spend more time on 6 of the passages, and skip the "killer" passage.
So skim through the 7 passages right at the beginning, and read the first sentence or two (Also skim the questions). If it sounds like a super boring passage and the questions are all long or seem complicated, just randomly select the same letter answer for all the questions as a placeholder, and save that passage for last.

Then spend more time on the other six passages (~9-10 minutes a passage) and do your best to get those right. I've always tried to fake my enthusiasm for the topic I'm reading. If you end up with 33-35/40 correct I think that's good enough for a ~10+ right?

It might take some practicing, cause I know I was reluctant to do so, and kept ploughing away at the passages in the order that they came. I was averaging an 11 on the verbal in FL's though, and ended up with a 9 on the real thing, so maybe the skip a passage strat would have worked for me too.

It's probably not a viable strat if you're aiming for like 13-15 but I think to just get to 10, it makes sense to me. Fake your enthusiasm and take your time for 6 passages (and rush the 7th if you have time, but make sure there's already guesses bubbled in)

 

[wanted101]

PS = 13
VR = 7
BS = 11
composite = 31

Should I be considering a re-take? I can't imagine studying for this test again because I was working full time. My VR average on the FL's was 8.8, so I'm not entirely sure what happened on test day. Just wondering if a 7 in VR will cause my app to be discarded immediately before a good look. Is a re-take necessary if I'm shooting for mid to low tier MD schools?

I also got a 7 and people have been telling me that we barely make the cutoff for lower-mid teir schools. So you should not have to retake. If it was a 6, thatd be different

 

[wanted101]

UTMB=mid, Texas Tech=low? not sure though

 

[K1N6]

This one hurt me quite a bit, couldn't even come back to this thread for a bit after i saw my score.

AAMC FL average: 32
AAMC 10 and 11 avg: 31
MCAT Score: 27 (9/7/11)
Kaplan FL average: 32 (high of 39 on FL 10, low of 22 on FL11)
UG scGPA: 3.5
Really hurts, I've never even done that bad on a practice exam and my verbal was always fluctuating between an 8 and 10 but never dropped below that. My Sciences were almost always double digit 11+ and as much as I'd like to retake, there are no real exam openings around my area. I also feel extremely constricted with how much time I have left to take the old one and i'm seriously considering taking the new mcat. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[wanted101]

This one hurt me quite a bit, couldn't even come back to this thread for a bit after i saw my score.

AAMC FL average: 32
AAMC 10 and 11 avg: 31
MCAT Score: 27 (9/7/11)
Kaplan FL average: 32 (high of 39 on FL 10, low of 22 on FL11)
UG scGPA: 3.5
Really hurts, I've never even done that bad on a practice exam and my verbal was always fluctuating between an 8 and 10 but never dropped below that. My Sciences were almost always double digit 11+ and as much as I'd like to retake, there are no real exam openings around my area. I also feel extremely constricted with how much time I have left to take the old one and i'm seriously considering taking the new mcat. Any advice would be much appreciated.

you have a shot at low tier MD schools and are competitive for DO w your current stats IMO.

 

[Catman21]

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. Watch out MCAT!

Goal for today: Review all 10 TBR Physics chapters, and finish off remaining TPR SWB passages.

lol all ten physics chapters in one day, sounds like the worst day of my life

 

[determinedtobedr]

Hello everyone,
Been meaning to post here for quite a while. This was my second MCAT take.

I began studying again in August but only had nights and weekends due to work. I re-took AAMC FL's 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11 and Kaplan FL's 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 as I could not remember the passages (I did not do a very thorough job of post-test analysis the first time around). I also took GS 6, 8, and 10 as I had not taken these before.

AAMC FL average: 33
Total FL average (AAMC, Kaplan, GS): 32
AAMC 10 and 11: 34 and 33, respectively
UG non-scGPA: 4.0
UG scGPA: 3.8
October 25, 2014 MCAT: 34!!!

After the exam I felt like I did terribly and would have to re-take for a third time. As time went on, I really had no idea how I had performed. My thoughts were that it could have been anywhere from 28-34. I was ecstatic when scores came out!

Congrats to everyone who scored in their desired range. To those who did not: keep at it! Your hard work will pay off in the end and it will all be worth it!

On that note, I have study materials for sale if anyone is interested. Selling my Kaplan complete set, ExamKrackers study package (including a never used FL exam), ExamKrackers 1001 Question series with the 101 Verbal Passages book, and the official AAMC Complete Guide to the MCAT. I am hoping to sell them together but would be willing to reconsider. Please pm me if interested.

 

[Thoracic Bean]

I retook the test this past Saturday after horrendously bombing the 9/6 exam and all I can say is that I was floored by how different it was compared to September. It's odd how a "standardized" test could be THAT different between testing days. Like seriously, it was NOTHING like the September test for me at least.

Just thought I would share before going to sleep!