Official "Please Help" Thread

mcatisthedevil · Jun 5, 2008

Hey Ya'll,
Does anyone have advice for me to bring up my score? I am currently making scores between 21-23 on practice tests and I am studying a lot ( 8 hours a day)! There is not trend to my scores in each section because they all fluctuate. I have a good GPA and good EC so the only thing holding me back right now is my MCAT score. I refuse to let this one test hold me back!! I have already taken the Kaplan class this semester. Has anyone in here really struggled with the MCAT and knows some tricks? These scores are really starting to discourage me..Should I stop taking practice tests for a while? I take the test Aug 5th.. This is a cry for help! Anyone?

BluePhoenix · Jun 5, 2008

A few questions....

What MCAT practice tests are you taking? Are you retaking the same ones?

Do you go over the tests to see what you're getting wrong and why? Is it random or are there certain areas or types of problems you don't get?

If there's wild fluctuations between several tests, I'm inclined to think that you either tend to get lucky or unlucky to a high degree or there's lots of gaps in your knowledge and thus your score is highly dependent on which areas the test seems to focus on.

8 hours a day seems like an insane amount of time to be studying, especially everyday. Be careful of burnout. Are you studying in an organized fashion? Or just reading through test prep books?

deleted74029 · Jun 5, 2008

BluePhoenix said:
Do you go over the tests to see what you're getting wrong and why? Is it random or are there certain areas or types of problems you don't get?

This was a biggie for me....if your scores are fluctuating you're probably guessing alot. So just cause you get a certain number correct doesn't indicate that you understood the question. You can guess on a section and get 15-20 right......

...and another thing, judging by your S/n you have a negative connotation of this whole MCAT experience. Even though its hard you must keep a positive attitude.

mcatisthedevil · Jun 5, 2008

Here are some answers to those questions:

I have been taking the Kaplan tests as well as a few AAMC test.
The reason I am studying this much is because I do not want to look back and think that I could have done more, but I will be careful about burnout.
I do not retake the same tests.

I go over each test after I take it for an extensive amount of time and I make note cards with information that I still need to learn.
The only trend I have seen in my tests are that I tend to do worse on passages that have a lot of data analysis. I think that I convince myself that I do not have enough time to spend on staring at charts. I do think you are right that I do better or worse depending on what that particular test covers. Do you think this means that I need to take time off from test taking and just study information to try and fill in the gaps?

As for verbal reasoning, I think I read too slow so I need to figure out a way to read faster.

How I am studying:
I have been going over information that I have missed on all my practice tests, I do quizzes and topical test on Kaplan website, then I go over missed information from those, I have also studied the notecards. I do not read through prep books at all. I have all of the Kaplan prep books but I do not open them too much. Also, I have been taking one practice test a week.
It seems that my method of studying is not really working..so I am open to trying any suggestions.
Thank you for your time and assistance!

nontrdgsbuiucmd · Jun 5, 2008

mcatisthedevil said:
Here are some answers to those questions:

It seems that my method of studying is not really working..so I am open to trying any suggestions.
Thank you for your time and assistance!

Hi,

I took Kaplan last year & did pretty well (upper 20's) but sub-par in one area and am redoing the test next month (yikes). I suggest you look into an alternate book, ExamKrackers has really worked well for me. When I look at the two in comparison, EK is way more interesting and to my reading is more detailed in the nuances, particularly in bio, than Kaplan was. I'm still using both, but am using EK as the primary source. Seems to me that EK focuses more on learning the material, Kaplan was more about test strategy, timing, 'triaging' and the like. I don't want to triage, I want to get most of the answers right! I've read about other sources (Princeton?) that may also be good.

Regarding verbal - I disagree with the Kaplan "take a bunch of notes" strategy; I tried it for a number of tests and sections, ditched it, and have been at a consistent 11 on VR without it. Reason for my suggestion is that it takes more time than you've got; try counting the words on a Kaplan "answer" for a VR section if you write the main idea, submain idea, summary phrase for each section. I can't write that much info quickly enough to also fully comprehend & answer all sections. What I've started doing instead is reading a passage in VR after taking a 5 second or so "close your eyes, take deep breaths, refocus" break, this approach (basically taking no notes on VR) has worked well for me.

I'd fully agree on checking the reasons for missing questions to see if errors are due to lack of knowledge, incorrect logic, misinterpretation of diagrams, bad math, etc. There are quite a few areas (math formulas using exponents, lewis acids, and parabolic motion come to mind) where the questions can go quicker if you're really familiar with the material. Kaplan's subject tests I think are really good here. Also, in reviewing completed aamc tests/kaplan full lengths, it helped me to understand that those really tough passages were possible to complete, but that I'd psyched myself out over them. You can do anything on the MCAT, it just seems really difficult at the time, partially due to stress & timing.

Absent that if you can't bring the score up to closer to where you want it, you may want to think about auditing classes or taking advanced bio courses to more thoroughly understand some of the material, this helped me a lot with biology, after completing cell & molecular, I could handle passages on intracellular functions much more easily.

justapremed · Jun 5, 2008

My MCAT score won't come out till the end of this month... but here's how I prepped, and I consistently scored 30s on the practice AAMC's. I, too, btw, studied/practiced from the moment I opened my eyes in the morning till before I went to bed (minus meal times, etc of course

) with some breaks, though I'm not sure that I recommend this.

Overall, I feel like this test needs a lot of practice.

For me, the PS started to ask the same question after a while. After taking a practice AAMC, I made sure that I went through the whole section (even the ones I got right, because sometimes I got them right by chance/guessing...) and understood what concepts they were asking. EK was right (I don't know about Kaplan; didn't use it), there isn't very much to memorize, but to understand them is important. And I felt like AAMC 7-10 in particular tested on the same topic over and over again. (Too bad I didn't feel this way on the real deal!) So this is the section where I felt like I got the "hang of it."

The VS was definitely my weakest to begin with. I solely used EK and their advice. That is to say, read through the whole passage (not paragraphs) - no note-taking, highlighting, no distraction, no re-reading, no "concentrating too hard on the fact that you're trying to concentrate." And read with interest, like you're really learning something fascinating... (though they're usually not true

). I really say that this also is just a lot of practice. practice focusing and reading with interest.

The BS, not as many tips as I wish I could offer. This was the section that I thought was based more on knowledge than practice, just imo.

And yes, as one of the previous posters already said, I would say approach the MCAT with confidence. Think of it as a fun 4-5 hour period to show off what you know :luck:

(haha this might be a bit weird, but I love math puzzles like Cross Sums - or "kakuros" as they now call it - and I thought of MCAT as a gigantic kakuro where the whole test was just a big puzzle - read the passage and figure it out!)

mcatisthedevil · Jun 6, 2008

I think I am going to not do Kaplan's method and try EK for a while. Does anyone have any opinion about if I should take some time off from test taking and just learn material? I have 11 tests left and I have to use them all by July 19th.

rowerlauren · Jun 6, 2008

My philosophy is you are studying too much. If you approaching the MCAT as something to fear, as your name "mcatisthedevil" would suggest you are doing the wrong thing.
The MCAT is a test, but it's not something that you should fear. You can learn all that you can for it without worrying about not knowing everything. The only way I got through last summer (when I took the MCAT) without studying much was because I realized that I don't have to know everything for the MCAT. I can get a good score (check my MDapps if you don't think I scored acceptably), without feeing the need to learn EVERYTHING as long as I approach every question with a clear head and just think about what I know in order to answer my question most effectively. Use what you know to do your best on the MCAT, don't overthink, don't be fearful, just think.

Taking practice tests is a good idea, but if you are stressing too much about them that is not going to help you either.

PsychEpathic · Jun 6, 2008

rowerlauren said:
My philosophy is you are studying too much. If you approaching the MCAT as something to fear, as your name "mcatisthedevil" would suggest you are doing the wrong thing.
The MCAT is a test, but it's not something that you should fear. You can learn all that you can for it without worrying about not knowing everything. The only way I got through last summer (when I took the MCAT) without studying much was because I realized that I don't have to know everything for the MCAT. I can get a good score (check my MDapps if you don't think I scored acceptably), without feeing the need to learn EVERYTHING as long as I approach every question with a clear head and just think about what I know in order to answer my question most effectively. Use what you know to do your best on the MCAT, don't overthink, don't be fearful, just think.

Taking practice tests is a good idea, but if you are stressing too much about them that is not going to help you either.

Your advice is really good...I agree that stressing over the test is a HUGE hindrance. You seem to be one of those really smart statistical outliers, though, so I don't if your method will work for everyone

.

I am trying my best to study and to reduce my anxiety about this test. I too have worked way too much to be stymied by one test.

BloodySurgeon · Jun 6, 2008

Here are some advice from various SDN posters in the past:

Rofeh20 said:
Repetition increases understanding. I'm not suggesting you take it over immediately. But revisit it again after a few days and see if you still get it.

For example, I recall when I was first starting out as an instructor how nervous I was about teaching a particular passage or concept. I prepared by repetition. I would pass through the lesson material once as a student...I would not look at any teacher notes and see how I would approach each problem. That allowed me to gain the perspective of the student, which is vital for effective instruction. I then read over the teacher notes, and then went back to the review notes & my own textbooks to supplement my understanding of the material. Then I went back and reviewed the lesson one more time, then put it aside for a few days, and then revisited it again. You would think that I wouldn't need to revisit the passage again, but that last revisit was CRITICAL! There were connections I made then that I didn't quite see as clearly as before.

In short, greater understanding comes from repetition. I took the same tack when I was an MCAT student. I repeated every exam until I was able to score 100%. Obsessive? Yes, I am a bit on the obsessive side! However, it is in your best interest to reach the level where you could explain without hesitation and/or without consultation of any notes exactly what is going on in each passage.

You are only scoring an 8 or 9 in the PS section. This indicates a gap in comprehension of some basic science material. If you go over the exam and then set it aside for a week or two and re-take it will you score a 14 or 15? Or will you only score an 11?

Let me be clear here that I am not speaking on behalf of Kaplan. This is not a Kaplan strategy. It is merely my own opinion based on my past experiences as a student. My philosophy was to make sure that I could explain every single question the AAMC tested on each one of their full lengths to any one of my pre-med friends.

Do you need to take that approach? Heavens no! Most students don't go this crazy, but ultimately that's what popular posters like Visahdas are getting at when they suggest creating a log of questions. They are cherry-picking questions to revisit, and that's essentially the same idea I am expressing. Too many students get caught up with trying to find new questions -- I think the AAMC has everyone covered. I would repeat those over and over and over and over and OVER. Do it enough times, and you'll really get the exam and how they will challenge you on Test Day.

Vihsadas said:
He speaks truth. If you have thoroughly reviewed your past exams, and gained understanding of the concepts and material you found difficult, you should not make the same mistakes twice. By re-taking past exams after sufficient time has passed so that the questions are not blatantly familiar, you are essentially testing how well you've learned from your mistakes.

I did end up using this tactic to an extent toward the latter part of my preparation. I would sometimes take a section from an old exam and sit down and try to do it (untimed). Surprisingly, If it was a section I didn't originally get a 14 or 15 on, I'd find myself still missing one or two questions.

Repeating the exams, or at least reviewing them will ensure that you have learned what you were supposed to have learned from your thorough dissection of the first time you took the exam timed.

Here is the crux of it:

My philosophy was to make sure that I could explain every single question the AAMC tested on each one of their full lengths to any one of my pre-med friends.

Click to expand...

Re-written in 'Vihsadas' form, Rofeh is essentially saying the same thing that me, BerkTeach, and others have been preaching all this time.
You MUST know the logic, thought-process and concepts behind every question!
If you can't explain the question to another person with the highest level of confidence in your own understanding, then you probably don't understand the subtleties of the concepts well enough!

Rofeh20 said:
I would like to take the time here to share some simple advice from the AAMC with respect to how to prepare for the Verbal Reasoning section of the MCAT:

Read extensively to develop a broad, solid knowledgeable base that can equip you to understand a variety of types of texts and topics.

Learn the purpose, content, and structure of argument by taking courses that require you to analyze text materials; read and analyze essays and editorials in newspapers, magazines and journals.

Practice for the Verbal Reasoning section.

These recommendations were published by the AAMC over ten years ago, and there isn't a test prep company out there that doesn't mimic this advice.

It doesn't surprise me that students who have taken a course load that is extremely light in the humanities struggle mightily in the VR section of the MCAT. After all, reading comprehension is an acquired skill. Developing good test-taking habits and diligently completing practice passages help, but if one's baseline reading comprehension ability is insufficiently developed the improvement will be limited. As noted above, the best way to develop one's reading comprehension ability is via outside reading and college courses that require literary analysis.

A study of the data backs this point up: Take a look at the "examinee data" released by the AAMC in any given year (link to 2005: http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/examineedata/sum2005.pdf) and you will notice that humanities majors significantly outperform most science majors on the Verbal Reasoning section. In fact, humanities majors score quite well in all sections. Those of you who have studied for the MCAT are probably not surprised by these results because the MCAT is not a spit-back test. It is a critical thinking exam.

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

So I took my MCAT on may 10th and I thought i voided but i accidentally didn't. So i got my scores yesterday and I got a 20R. on the practice tests i kept getting from 32 to 37, and i guess i got nervous with the difficulty of the test and messed it up. But my writing was awesome, which i don't understand. I signed up for the Aug 22nd MCAT and I am aiming for a 35, but what should I do? I emailed AAMC to see if I could still cancel since i wanted to void the test. i am also planning on applying to DO and through the Texas Medical School System. Is there a way I can only forward my latests scores to those 2 systems? Because I know that with AAMC I am SOL already. Please guys, help me. I know i messed it up but i don;t know what to do. I really thought i had voided, and besides that, among all the practice tests i took, my lowest score was a 29. I really don't understand. My science GPA is a 3.98 and my overall is a 3.89. I have excellent LORs, great EC, research experience, played sport in college, volunteered, shadowed, etc. This is really a nightmare for me. PLEASE HELP. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

a817 · Jun 10, 2008

retake, i guess September or next year. A 20 is too low for DO schools, and many schools have mcat cutoffs which you are below. DO schools do look at Sept mcat. If you want to do allopathic, you have to apply again next year.

If you want to apply to DO schools now, inform your schools that you are taking the sept mcat. I would apply now, and get verified so all you have to do is wait for tour new mcat scores. apply more broadly not just one DO school.

I dont think the aamc will cancel it, but hey its a shot

RySerr21 · Jun 10, 2008

Tgi87 said:
So I took my MCAT on may 10th and I thought i voided but i accidentally didn't. So i got my scores yesterday and I got a 20R. on the practice tests i kept getting from 32 to 37, and i guess i got nervous with the difficulty of the test and messed it up. But my writing was awesome, which i don't understand. I signed up for the Aug 22nd MCAT and I am aiming for a 35, but what should I do? I emailed AAMC to see if I could still cancel since i wanted to void the test. i am also planning on applying to DO and through the Texas Medical School System. Is there a way I can only forward my latests scores to those 2 systems? Because I know that with AAMC I am SOL already. Please guys, help me. I know i messed it up but i don;t know what to do. I really thought i had voided, and besides that, among all the practice tests i took, my lowest score was a 29. I really don't understand. My science GPA is a 3.98 and my overall is a 3.89. I have excellent LORs, great EC, research experience, played sport in college, volunteered, shadowed, etc. This is really a nightmare for me. PLEASE HELP. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

you dont need to panic. it was one test day. you were unprepared for the nerves you would feel, but now that you know, when you take it again you will be fine.

there is nothing you can do about "wanting to void." AAMC won't change anything. your test was graded and you have a score, they wont care that you tried to void. its an unfortunate mistake.

that being said, you aren't SOL. all you have to do is notify AMCAS, AACOMAS, and the texas one, that you will be retaking the MCAT in august. they will put your application on hold and will not make any final decisions until your latest MCAT is in. its not the end of the world, and you can fix it. just take a deep breath, fill out your primaries so that they are verified, let them know you will be taking it again, and then kick ass in august.

pianola · Jun 10, 2008

I'm guessing the only entity that can actually help you is the AAMC and I know you're trying them.

I guess you contact the schools you're applying to directly -- tell them that there was an error the day you tested. But tell them about as soon as you can otherwise you might just get screened out!

Good luck. :luck:

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

a817 said:
retake, i guess September or next year. A 20 is too low for DO schools, and many schools have mcat cutoffs which you are below. DO schools do look at Sept mcat. If you want to do allopathic, you have to apply again next year.

If you want to apply to DO schools now, inform your schools that you are taking the sept mcat. I would apply now, and get verified so all you have to do is wait for tour new mcat scores

I dont think the aamc will cancel it, but hey its a shot

Thank you for your reply. Yes, i have my applications filled out and i signed up for the MCAT for Aug 22. But if I apply to DO now, will this horrible score show up or they will only know that i will be taking it on aug? And if i do apply for allopathic, do you think i will have a chance if i get a 35? should i explain on my personal statement the reason for the 20? would it be too late for allopathic to apply in sept?

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

ryserr21 said:
you dont need to panic. it was one test day. you were unprepared for the nerves you would feel, but now that you know, when you take it again you will be fine.

there is nothing you can do about "wanting to void." AAMC won't change anything. your test was graded and you have a score, they wont care that you tried to void. its an unfortunate mistake.

that being said, you aren't SOL. all you have to do is notify AMCAS, AACOMAS, and the texas one, that you will be retaking the MCAT in august. they will put your application on hold and will not make any final decisions until your latest MCAT is in. its not the end of the world, and you can fix it. just take a deep breath, fill out your primaries so that they are verified, let them know you will be taking it again, and then kick ass in august.

Thank you very much for your advice. But..should i submit all my applications now? also...is there a way that the AMCOS and TMDSAS will know my first MCAT score? or can I just submit my latest ones (aug)?

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

pianola said:
I'm guessing the only entity that can actually help you is the AAMC and I know you're trying them.

I guess you contact the schools you're applying to directly -- tell them that there was an error the day you tested. But tell them about as soon as you can otherwise you might just get screened out!

Good luck.

Thanks! I haven't applied yet, but as soon as I do i will contact the schools to let them know. Thanks again

RySerr21 · Jun 10, 2008

Tgi87 said:
Thank you very much for your advice. But..should i submit all my applications now? also...is there a way that the AMCOS and TMDSAS will know my first MCAT score? or can I just submit my latest ones (aug)?

i dont know the fine details about whether or not you have to report every MCAT you had scored. I would call AMCAS and TMDSAS and ask them "do i have to report every MCAT I have taken"

i would submit application now to get verified, find out if you can withhold your scores, and retake in august. even if you have to report your score, you let them know you are retaking and they will wait to see how you do the 2nd time around, especially since everything on your app is so stellar, your first score was more than likely a fluke and they will definitely see that.

a817 · Jun 10, 2008

Tgi87 said:
Thank you for your reply. Yes, i have my applications filled out and i signed up for the MCAT for Aug 22. But if I apply to DO now, will this horrible score show up or they will only know that i will be taking it on aug? And if i do apply for allopathic, do you think i will have a chance if i get a 35? should i explain on my personal statement the reason for the 20? would it be too late for allopathic to apply in sept?

every school will see your first score. They will see it, but they will also see a retake and they will put your app to the side, If you get a 35 or 36 you have shot to get into an allopathic school. You wont be a lock, but if you apply wisely and target schools that do take "latter applicants". One school comes to mind is NYMC which still accepts people in april and may. You could get in.

Many people on the forum stress the importance of applying early, It is very important. If you do not want to go the DO route, it would not be the worst thing to wait a year.

Personally i would wait until a week and a half before my august test. If you not hitting the 30's and have no intention of going to a DO school, i would just take it in January, and study like hell for it so you will get a 30+.

That is just my opinion.

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

a817 said:
every school will see your first score. They will see it, but they will also see a retake and they will put your app to the side, If you get a 35 or 36 you have shot to get into an allopathic school. You wont be a lock, but if you apply wisely and target schools that do take "latter applicants". One school comes to mind is NYMC which still accepts people in april and may. You could get in.

Many people on the forum stress the importance of applying early, It is very important. If you do not want to go the DO route, it would not be the worst thing to wait a year.

Personally i would wait until a week and a half before my august test. If you not hitting the 30's and have no intention of going to a DO school, i would just take it in January, and study like hell for it so you will get a 30+.

That is just my opinion.

Thanks, i really appreciate. I will probably apply for DO and TMDSAS now and wait until a week before my MCAT to apply for the MDs. And if I feel that i'm not ready, i will probably just wait until January, like you said. And I will definitely look into NYMC. Thanks again.

a817 · Jun 10, 2008

Tgi87 said:
Thanks, i really appreciate. I will probably apply for DO and TMDSAS now and wait until a week before my MCAT to apply for the MDs. And if I feel that i'm not ready, i will probably just wait until January, like you said. And I will definitely look into NYMC. Thanks again.

That is probably the best thing you can do. Worry about the mcat first, then getting in.

korndoctor · Jun 10, 2008

i am in same situation as you..also have 20R...weird coincidence huh?

I know i was stressed out and didnt function at full capacity during exam, and know i will improve so i WILL definately apply this cycle. I will take it in july 18th. Now my question is which is best scenario to approach:

1) have transcripts/ps all filled out and submit primary early july to ONE all schools i plan on applying to with my low 20R score and LET THEM KNOW i will have july 18th mcat scores sent later.

2) Submit amcas to 1 school so that evrything is set and then once i have my new mcat score, i resubmit amcas to all my other schools. One drawback to this approach is that I will be filling out secondaries much later than normal...late august

If i do approach number 1, WILL every school hold off on looking at my application until my new score arrives...or will they start screening, and in that case i will do approach 2. I want to be sure so that I dont waste time/money.....please any advice is appreciated. thanks

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

korndoctor said:
i am in same situation as you..also have 20R...weird coincidence huh?

I know i was stressed out and didnt function at full capacity during exam, and know i will improve so i WILL definately apply this cycle. I will take it in july 18th. Now my question is which is best scenario to approach:

1) have transcripts/ps all filled out and submit primary early july to ONE all schools i plan on applying to with my low 20R score and LET THEM KNOW i will have july 18th mcat scores sent later.

2) Submit amcas to 1 school so that evrything is set and then once i have my new mcat score, i resubmit amcas to all my other schools. One drawback to this approach is that I will be filling out secondaries much later than normal...late august

If i do approach number 1, WILL every school hold off on looking at my application until my new score arrives...or will they start screening, and in that case i will do approach 2. I want to be sure so that I dont waste time/money.....please any advice is appreciated. thanks

That is one sad coincidence! Let's hope we both will do very very very well next time! I think option one would be the best, i don't even know if it is possible for you to go with option 2. Also, which schools are you applying to? Are you going for MD or DO or both??? Just so i can have an idea of what to do as well. And...was that your first MCAT? How were you doing in your practice tests??

UseBandaids · Jun 10, 2008

I just wanted to drop a line and wish you guys good luck. Although it is an extremely sucky circumstance, dont lose hope! Look at the bright side that you guys have experienced the real MCAT now and hopefully next time it wont feel so foreign. As a result, you will definitely hit those great scores you were getting on practice tests because you will be a little bit more relaxed (not entirely 'cuz hey..it's still the MCAT!). Similarly, since 20 was an accidental scoring, you know that you can do better (especially with the scores you were getting on the practice tests) which basically would make your 20 look like a fluke anyway! I know my writing is really confusing right now, but basically what i am saying is, look at the 20 as an outlier in your "practice" AAMCS. It's not like you're in a postion where you got a 20 thinking you did fantastic: you accidently got it scored knowing full well that it was going to be bad. Take the MCAT again and kill it. Just make sure you are awake at the end of the test to say "YES, SCORE THIS BEAST!"

As for retaking the MCAT, why are you pushing it to late August? My advice would be to take is as soon as you can! The reason i say this is because according to your practice scores, you seem to really know all the information and how to approach the MCAT. If i were you, i would spend a couple weeks just brushing up on the materials and take it in July or EARLY August. You are bound to do well. Besides, with your G.P.A and all the other extra stuff you have, a good MCAT score would be really all you'd need to strengthen your application. However, you are pushing your strengths the farther you get into September with your application.

Ok, that is all i had to say. Life is unpredictable sometimes, but you just gotta go with the flow...Good Luck!

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

UseBandaids said:
I just wanted to drop a line and wish you guys good luck. Although it is an extremely sucky circumstance, dont lose hope! Look at the bright side that you guys have experienced the real MCAT now and hopefully next time it wont feel so foreign. As a result, you will definitely hit those great scores you were getting on practice tests because you will be a little bit more relaxed (not entirely 'cuz hey..it's still the MCAT!). Similarly, since 20 was an accidental scoring, you know that you can do better (especially with the scores you were getting on the practice tests) which basically would make your 20 look like a fluke anyway! I know my writing is really confusing right now, but basically what i am saying is, look at the 20 as an outlier in your "practice" AAMCS. It's not like you're in a postion where you got a 20 thinking you did fantastic: you accidently got it scored knowing full well that it was going to be bad. Take the MCAT again and kill it. Just make sure you are awake at the end of the test to say "YES, SCORE THIS BEAST!"

As for retaking the MCAT, why are you pushing it to late August? My advice would be to take is as soon as you can! The reason i say this is because according to your practice scores, you seem to really know all the information and how to approach the MCAT. If i were you, i would spend a couple weeks just brushing up on the materials and take it in July or EARLY August. You are bound to do well. Besides, with your G.P.A and all the other extra stuff you have, a good MCAT score would be really all you'd need to strengthen your application. However, you are pushing your strengths the farther you get into September with your application.

Ok, that is all i had to say. Life is unpredictable sometimes, but you just gotta go with the flow...Good Luck!

Thank you very much! It made me feel a lot better! The reason why I am taking it late aug is because i want to be MORE THAN READY to rock it and never have to take it again. I want to have time to review everything and take more practice tests to guarantee a good score. I thought about taking it sooner, but i think that date will be perfect. I am just wondering whether I should apply to MDs this cycle? and should I do it now or after my MCAT? Also, do you think I should apply to DOs now or wait as well??

bozz · Jun 10, 2008

Tgi87 said:
So I took my MCAT on may 10th and I thought i voided but i accidentally didn't. So i got my scores yesterday and I got a 20R. on the practice tests i kept getting from 32 to 37, and i guess i got nervous with the difficulty of the test and messed it up. But my writing was awesome, which i don't understand. I signed up for the Aug 22nd MCAT and I am aiming for a 35, but what should I do? I emailed AAMC to see if I could still cancel since i wanted to void the test. i am also planning on applying to DO and through the Texas Medical School System. Is there a way I can only forward my latests scores to those 2 systems? Because I know that with AAMC I am SOL already. Please guys, help me. I know i messed it up but i don;t know what to do. I really thought i had voided, and besides that, among all the practice tests i took, my lowest score was a 29. I really don't understand. My science GPA is a 3.98 and my overall is a 3.89. I have excellent LORs, great EC, research experience, played sport in college, volunteered, shadowed, etc. This is really a nightmare for me. PLEASE HELP. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You were getting some awesome scores on your practice tests. I know of many circumstances where people got in the 20s and thought it was the worst thing ever. However, after retaking the got a 35+. It might be a blessing in disguise (same thing happened to me.. I was utterly shocked when I took it the first time). If you had gotten a 30, the decision to retake might be a lot harder. But now, you know you have to retake... and I really hope you get that 35 or higher.

Stress is a big factor in the MCAT... and getting rid of it requires you to be completely comfortable with the AAMC format, having a set strategy before hand (for example, doing discreets first... then passages), and the right mindset. I'm confident that after your first experience, you will know what to expect.. and won't be as shocked on the real deal.

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

bozz said:
You were getting some awesome scores on your practice tests. I know of many circumstances where people got in the 20s and thought it was the worst thing ever. However, after retaking the got a 35+. It might be a blessing in disguise (same thing happened to me.. I was utterly shocked when I took it the first time). If you had gotten a 30, the decision to retake might be a lot harder. But now, you know you have to retake... and I really hope you get that 35 or higher.

Stress is a big factor in the MCAT... and getting rid of it requires you to be completely comfortable with the AAMC format, having a set strategy before hand (for example, doing discreets first... then passages), and the right mindset. I'm confident that after your first experience, you will know what to expect.. and won't be as shocked on the real deal.

Thanks! But what do you think I should do about my applications?? Should I apply now just to get them verified or apply after i get my new scores?? Do you think it will be too late for MDs?

bozz · Jun 10, 2008

Tgi87 said:
Thanks! But what do you think I should do about my applications?? Should I apply now just to get them verified or apply after i get my new scores?? Do you think it will be too late for MDs?

I think you should make a thread in the pre-allo forums since it's a special circumstance. They'll prolly be able to help more.

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

bozz said:
I think you should make a thread in the pre-allo forums since it's a special circumstance. They'll prolly be able to help more.

Done!

But if you have any advice, it will be more than welcomed!

mdhopefully23 · Jun 10, 2008

Hey- I'm really sorry about what happened and I def think that you should mention this in your secondaries when you send those in

if you manage to pull off a 30+ on your next test then you are good to go and I don't think med schools will really put too much thought into your previous score

also about applying-- i dont think its a good idea to apply to DO schools this year because let's say you get into a DO school this year but you will be stuck--because either you'll have to go or if you want to do MD then youre just going to apply again next year and any admission into a DO school this year will not make a difference.

does this make any sense?lol

if you aren't too adamant about applying this year then I would just wait til next year to apply to DOs and MDs. If you do want to apply this year, then my suggestion would be to take your mcats in july (and i dont think that should be a problem by looking at ur practice test scores) and apply to MDs and DOs this summer.

hope this helps and i wish you all the luck in the world!!!

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

mdhopefully23 said:
Hey- I'm really sorry about what happened and I def think that you should mention this in your secondaries when you send those in

if you manage to pull off a 30+ on your next test then you are good to go and I don't think med schools will really put too much thought into your previous score

also about applying-- i dont think its a good idea to apply to DO schools this year because let's say you get into a DO school this year but you will be stuck--because either you'll have to go or if you want to do MD then youre just going to apply again next year and any admission into a DO school this year will not make a difference.

does this make any sense?lol

if you aren't too adamant about applying this year then I would just wait til next year to apply to DOs and MDs. If you do want to apply this year, then my suggestion would be to take your mcats in july (and i dont think that should be a problem by looking at ur practice test scores) and apply to MDs and DOs this summer.

hope this helps and i wish you all the luck in the world!!!

Thank you very much for your response! I already signed up for Aug 22 MCAT because i want to make sure i rock the next one. And yes, i really want to apply this year AS LONG AS IT WILL NOT BE A WASTE OF MONEY. My dream is get an MD, but a DO would be fine as well considering that I am an international student, so my chances are a little more steeper (specially now with this awful score). But anyways, do you think I should apply NOW (before have my new scores) for both MD and DO?

mdhopefully23 · Jun 10, 2008

Tgi87 said:
I already signed up for Aug 22 MCAT because i want to make sure i rock the next one. And yes, i really want to apply this year AS LONG AS IT WILL NOT BE A WASTE OF MONEY. My dream is get an MD, but a DO would be fine as well considering that I am an international student, so my chances are a little more steeper (specially now with this awful score). But anyways, do you think I should apply NOW (before have my new scores) for both MD and DO?

Yea I think you should apply now to DO and MD (and make sure you tell schools about your circumstance) and jalso make sure to tell schools that you are taking your MCAT in August because then they will probably leave it aside until they get your score--you will also probably start receiving secondaries even without your mcat score because a lot of schools do it blindly (since they just want your fee). That way your application also wont be that late.

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

mdhopefully23 said:
Yea I think you should apply now to DO and MD (and make sure you tell schools about your circumstance) and jalso make sure to tell schools that you are taking your MCAT in August because then they will probably leave it aside until they get your score--you will also probably start receiving secondaries even without your mcat score because a lot of schools do it blindly (since they just want your fee). That way your application also wont be that late.

Thanks again! I will definitely do that. Just another question...is there a space in the application in which i could mention that i wanted to void that score? because i know i can tell them that i will be retaking, but i was wondering if i could tell them in the application my reasons. Or should I just call the schools and let them know?

mdhopefully23 · Jun 10, 2008

Tgi87 said:
Thanks again! I will definitely do that. Just another question...is there a space in the application in which i could mention that i wanted to void that score? because i know i can tell them that i will be retaking, but i was wondering if i could tell them in the application my reasons. Or should I just call the schools and let them know?

I'm actually not too sure about that--I would look at the amcas application on their website (amcas.org) and see if there is some sort of section that says "If you would like to tell us anything else about yourself please use the space below..."

If there is no such thing, then I would call amcas and ask them what is the best way to go about doing it...otherwise you can just call each individual school and let them know altho I don't know if that will be efficient

feel free to send me a message if you have any more questions

Tgi87 · Jun 10, 2008

mdhopefully23 said:
I'm actually not too sure about that--I would look at the amcas application on their website (amcas.org) and see if there is some sort of section that says "If you would like to tell us anything else about yourself please use the space below..."

If there is no such thing, then I would call amcas and ask them what is the best way to go about doing it...otherwise you can just call each individual school and let them know altho I don't know if that will be efficient

feel free to send me a message if you have any more questions

Thank you very very very much!! I really appreciate! I will definitely do that! Good luck to you and thanks again!

DrJosephKim · Jun 11, 2008

Have you considered looking for a tutor? You may find some medical students or residents who are willing to tutor in your area.

Tgi87 · Jun 11, 2008

mdjkim said:
Have you considered looking for a tutor? You may find some medical students or residents who are willing to tutor in your area.

No, i think my problem was not lack of preparation, because i was doing great on the practice tests. What affected me was getting nervous by the hard passages, which i'm pretty sure i will be able to improve that by more and more practice. But i might consider it though. But what would you think I should do regarding applications considering that I am an international student?

UMFdoc · Jun 11, 2008

I took the MCAT May 10, 2008. Honestly, I left the test feeling horrible. I had been averaging between 28 and 32 on my kaplan practice testes and I thought that after that HORRIBLE my score would be around a 27.

I got my scores Monday and I got a 22!!! I am destroyed. I had all my papers and application ready to go, thinking that even a 27 wouldn't be so tragic...its better than taking he test again. So I registered to take it again and the best I could get was August 5.

Anyone else taking it that day? Is that date too late? I am freaking out here...I feel like I ruined my chances. My advisor said its my call whether or not to send my AMCAS now pending my new scores. I feel that they will be fine second time around, but my confidence is really down. Do most people bomb that badly and recover greatly?

iA-MD2013 · Jun 11, 2008

UMFdoc said:
I took the MCAT May 10, 2008. Honestly, I left the test feeling horrible. I had been averaging between 28 and 32 on my kaplan practice testes and I thought that after that HORRIBLE my score would be around a 27.

I got my scores Monday and I got a 22!!! I am destroyed. I had all my papers and application ready to go, thinking that even a 27 wouldn't be so tragic...its better than taking he test again. So I registered to take it again and the best I could get was August 5.

Anyone else taking it that day? Is that date too late? I am freaking out here...I feel like I ruined my chances. My advisor said its my call whether or not to send my AMCAS now pending my new scores. I feel that they will be fine second time around, but my confidence is really down. Do most people bomb that badly and recover greatly?

You can recover! Get ready to work hard and kick ass

It's good that you registered for one of the earlier aug dates. It's late...but not too late. You should go ahead and apply early (june or july) and get all the secondaries done so that you're only waiting for your scores. But it's really important that you get the 30+! A 27 wouldn't do it this time around. Aim higher!
I understand that you feel bad. But you really need to get back to work. With only one and a half months left, you should find motivation somewhere to keep going! :luck:

olemissbabydoc · Jun 11, 2008

UMFdoc said:
I took the MCAT May 10, 2008. Honestly, I left the test feeling horrible. I had been averaging between 28 and 32 on my kaplan practice testes and I thought that after that HORRIBLE my score would be around a 27.

I got my scores Monday and I got a 22!!! I am destroyed. I had all my papers and application ready to go, thinking that even a 27 wouldn't be so tragic...its better than taking he test again. So I registered to take it again and the best I could get was August 5.

Anyone else taking it that day? Is that date too late? I am freaking out here...I feel like I ruined my chances. My advisor said its my call whether or not to send my AMCAS now pending my new scores. I feel that they will be fine second time around, but my confidence is really down. Do most people bomb that badly and recover greatly?

Yes. You can recover. What was your breakdown?
I got a 22 (Apr 07), 21 (aug 07) and 29 (april 08). It can be done, and you can do it!

If you are set on applying this year, I'd go ahead with the AMCAS now and get verified. Turn your secondaries around asap.

Best of luck!!

UMFdoc · Jun 11, 2008

gradu8in2003 said:
Yes. You can recover. What was your breakdown?
I got a 22 (Apr 07), 21 (aug 07) and 29 (april 08). It can be done, and you can do it!

If you are set on applying this year, I'd go ahead with the AMCAS now and get verified. Turn your secondaries around asap.

Best of luck!!

PS 7 VR 7 BS 8

disaster!!!

what do i do about choosing schools? I live in Florida and already plan on applying to every Florida school, but the other 9-10 schools depend on my score. Do i send the AMCAS with just the Florida schools and then update it later. I think September (when my scores will be in) is too late to add the schools right?

I can send in secondaries even without my MCAT scores being in?

iA-MD2013 · Jun 11, 2008

This is a good post from pre-allo. Basically, go ahead and send your secondaries. Most schools will wait for your second score to come in (see below). While you wait, you will get some secondaries. But, sdn has a list of all the secondaries from all the schools...so you could go ahead and fill those out. Then when you get your scores in august, you'll be complete at all schools! It's not a bad situation. But really kick some MCAT butt in august!

for the most part, but it depends on the school. i called all the schools i'm applying to that screen. their answers were generally the same.

1) a few of them said they will put you on hold till 2nd MCAT comes in.

2) another said they will wait but be forewarned they average your two most recent scores. so in other words, don't do worse.

3) one said they will look at the rest of my application. if they are interested in the rest of my application, then they will wait for the 2nd MCAT to decide. if the rest of the application has problems, then...haha

4) one person was a little reluctant about holding till my 2nd MCAT. they then asked me what my first MCAT was. I said 26R and the guy on the phone said "okay, a 26 and a GPA of at least a B to B- should get a secondary."

hope that helps!
btw, while I thought most schools take your highest MCAT, most of them said they still look at your 2 most recent ones. most put emphasis on your most recent one, even if it's worse. a few said they only care about your highest one, one said they average your highest subscores (haha so cheap), one said they average 2 most recent ones, another said they only take your most recent one, etc. soo yea.

BruceBanner · Jun 11, 2008

UMFdoc said:
I took the MCAT May 10, 2008. Honestly, I left the test feeling horrible. I had been averaging between 28 and 32 on my kaplan practice testes and I thought that after that HORRIBLE my score would be around a 27.

I got my scores Monday and I got a 22!!! I am destroyed. I had all my papers and application ready to go, thinking that even a 27 wouldn't be so tragic...its better than taking he test again. So I registered to take it again and the best I could get was August 5.

Anyone else taking it that day? Is that date too late? I am freaking out here...I feel like I ruined my chances. My advisor said its my call whether or not to send my AMCAS now pending my new scores. I feel that they will be fine second time around, but my confidence is really down. Do most people bomb that badly and recover greatly?

I am in the same boat as you.

I got a 24p (!) and was pretty disappointed. I felt like I just got unexpectedly dumped. I knew as soon as I finished the test that I didnt do well, but like you I was optimistically hoping for a 27-29. It's not like we're off the map, but seeing scores this low is a kick in the balls.

I am going to register for the early aug or late july date. All I am going to do is problems, problems, problems...and do them as fast as possible! I really think what killed me on the real test was time. When i was studying I would often take lots of time on practice problems just to make sure I understood the material, but it didnt prepare me for the real TIMED exam. A few AAMC tests werent enough. That was a hard test, I dont care what anyone says. And to chug through material that dense in the alotted time was a task for only the most prepared.

But, it's not the end of the world. We can retake, and a lot of people retake. Unless you desperately need review in some area, do problems and do them quickly! That is the only way you will get better.

UMFdoc · Jun 11, 2008

Thank you for the advice.

I guess I should call the out of state schools I was interested in and find out their policies. My school also has a pre-med committee and they wont give me an interview to send the committee letter until my MCAT scores are in. This means I cant really send in my secondaries right? I think they want all letters in with the secondary application

pianola · Jun 11, 2008

OP, you're the only person who can really determine whether it's right for you to apply now or not. No one knows your circumstances as well as you do.

1. If you DO decide to apply now, taking the MCAT as soon as possible can only be to your benefit (assuming the 20 really *was* a fluke). It sounds like you're a strong applicant other than the 20 MCAT, so I could understand why you'd want to try this. If you do, just make every effort to let the schools understand that another MCAT is coming and that you are very interested in their program.

2. Personally I see no harm in waiting. If you're concerned about potentially wasting $$ this cycle, you will undoubtedly have options next year, following a better MCAT score. You'll be one year older out of med school, but really, one year isn't such a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

It just depends on what your priorities are. Try to make a list of your own priorities so that you can decide what YOU want. It'll be better advice than any you'll get from random posters on SDN.

Tgi87 · Jun 11, 2008

pianola said:
OP, you're the only person who can really determine whether it's right for you to apply now or not. No one knows your circumstances as well as you do.

1. If you DO decide to apply now, taking the MCAT as soon as possible can only be to your benefit (assuming the 20 really *was* a fluke). It sounds like you're a strong applicant other than the 20 MCAT, so I could understand why you'd want to try this. If you do, just make every effort to let the schools understand that another MCAT is coming and that you are very interested in their program.

2. Personally I see no harm in waiting. If you're concerned about potentially wasting $$ this cycle, you will undoubtedly have options next year, following a better MCAT score. You'll be one year older out of med school, but really, one year isn't such a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

It just depends on what your priorities are. Try to make a list of your own priorities so that you can decide what YOU want. It'll be better advice than any you'll get from random posters on SDN.

Thanks! I guess that is what i needed to hear! I probably will apply to a few schools this cycle and give my all on the next MCAT, and see what happens. Thanks again and good luck to you!

Mandy22 · Jun 11, 2008

I have taken the mcat 2x now, and have studied both times. I did Kaplan this past time and did every one of their verbal subject tests and full lengths (24 total) and it appeared that I was improving in verbal. However I got the same score an 8. I cannot improve and I don't know why. I really put in tons of effort. This actually happened with Bio as well. 8 again. I know I knew the outside info and was getting much higher on the practice tests (well anywhere from 10-13 prettey consistently with maybe one or two 9s). Does anyone have any advice on what to do, or how to imrpove these two sections? I am beginning to think I just cannot do better on the mcat no matter how much effort I put in. Thanks.

creekfreek24 · Jun 11, 2008

what he said. the 30+ guide has some good stuff but you gotta sort through it. I strongly recommend Exam Krackers VR. It's good stuff!!

physics junkie · Jun 11, 2008

This kind of thing really shocks me. How can an otherwise high functioning student who is very familiar with stress(I imagine maintaining a 3.8+ while being an athlete was stressful) manage to bomb out for the entire 5 hours. I could see one low section, recuperating during the break, and pulling it together. Something doesn't really make sense. Maybe you should ask AAMC for a re-score or to check your test again. A 20 would be shockingly low for someone scoring mid 30s in practice tests.

BloodySurgeon · Jun 11, 2008

The threads have been flustered with please help threads I thought it would be nice to condense them all into one offical "please help" thread. If you are having difficulty with the MCAT, let it be your first, second, or third time and need advice on how to improve and/or figure out what you've been doing wrong, this thread is for you. Also, if you have questions like "should I take the MCAT even though I haven't finished a pre-req," or "I scored very low on my diag/practice tests" it can be addressed here. You can vent, cry, or post whatever you like, but here are some guidelines you should be aware of:

No personal attacks to any of the posters.
No trolling
Keep the posts on topic. No thread high-jacking.

***Official "Please Help" Thread***

New Member

Full Member

deleted74029

New Member

Full Member

Full Member

New Member

Full Member

Senior Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

i aint kinda hot Im sauna

MS2

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

i aint kinda hot Im sauna

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Member

Full Member

New Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Advisor

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Baby Doctor

Full Member

Full Member

strongest one there is

Full Member

MS2

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Similar threads

Official "Please Help" Thread