16 on the MCAT, should I submit AMCAS or not yet

[Dov]

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Assuming this isn't a troll - why did you get the 16? If there was no extrinsic reason (eg you lost consciousness mid MCAT) I would strongly consider NOT retaking the test. Raising the MCAT score 5-7 points with a lot of studying is possible, but raising it 15 points is just not realistic.

You may need to explore other health care professions as options.

HEY HEY HEY, be nice!.... OP did you study or did you just walk in and take it? I remember my first princeton review dianostic MCAT wasnt much better. It wasnt the material; it was the test. I didnt know timing, tactics, etc. Anyway from that initial practive I raised my score 16 points. Hang in there.

 

[austinap]

HEY HEY HEY, be nice!.... OP did you study or did you just walk in and take it? I remember my first princeton review dianostic MCAT wasnt much better. It wasnt the material; it was the test. I didnt know timing, tactics, etc. Anyway from that initial practive I raised my score 16 points. Hang in there.

The op stated that he studied quite a bit. It doesn't sound like a case of someone that was just unprepared, it sounds like there's some remedial problem that needs to be addressed. It's possible to increase your score, but doubling it seems insanely unlikely to me. Since he stated that english comprehension hurt him on every section, I'd recommend spending another year gaining a better hold on the language.

Anothing thing: pointing out that his chances of med school aren't great and asking him to consider other possibilities isn't being mean. It's being realistic. Maybe it was just a bad test and he can get his score up as much as he needs, but in the likely case that that isn't possible, the reality is that he stands little or no chance at a US med school. That isn't to say that other careers in the field aren't worthwhile, and we're just pointing out that he should consider that contingency.

 

[Flopotomist]

HEY HEY HEY, be nice!.... OP did you study or did you just walk in and take it? I remember my first princeton review dianostic MCAT wasnt much better. It wasnt the material; it was the test. I didnt know timing, tactics, etc. Anyway from that initial practive I raised my score 16 points. Hang in there.

I AM BEING NICE!!! Grrr.. I think it is mean to NOT bring up the obvious point that a SIXTEEN on the MCAT just might suggest that this path is not the right one for this poster. There may be some very rewarding careers (such as NP, CRNA, PA etc) where the OP will have just as much patient contact, can help people, and can make a decent wage WITHOUT the burden of the MCAT.

If you think I am being unnecessarily cruel, at what point is it OK to bring up the option of withdrawing from the pre-med track? If a person has a 1.2 GPA and a 9 on the MCAT and is a quadriplegic, should we on SDN still shake our pom-poms and say go for it? There has to be a point where we give realistic advice and say "NO, it is not likely that you have a chance, so here are some other options"

Face it - the process is expensive, emotionally draining, and time consuming. There is no reason to encourage somebody to endure it if they stand virtually no chance. This is why I asked if the OP had any reason to believe they could score higher (Note, when I posted the thread you quoted, an explanation had not yet been provided).

 

[notdeadyet]

You really need to buckle down and increase your English reading comprehension/speed.

Agreed. OP- you do need to work on your English, for the sake of the MCAT. If you pulled the grades you're talking about at a decent University, then you obviously understand the material to some degree. But I can't see how your English can improve enough by August to allow you to get the MCAT score you're capable of.

Otherwise it will be impossible for you to pass the test let alone become a practicing physician in this country.

If the OP can speak as well as he writes, his English is fine to practice as a physician. If you have much interaction with doctors in a metropolitan area, you've probably run into physicians with worse. It's the MCAT that'll be the challenge.

As for folks who are puzzled about the score and figure he's not cut out for medicine, imagine trying to take the MCAT in Spanish or whatever language you took a year of in college. Imagine your result.

 

[Flopotomist]

As for folks who are puzzled about the score and figure he's not cut out for medicine, imagine trying to take the MCAT in Spanish or whatever language you took a year of in college. Imagine your result.

I agree that it would be near impossible for me to do well on a Spanish MCAT. My poor score on this hypothetical test would accurately reflect my poor performance in a hypothetical Spanish medical school where my classes were taught in Spanish. I would also fail my hypothetical Spanish USMLE, and therefore the hypothetical Spanish schools should reject my application. I like your metaphor, and it proves my point.

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

Yes, there is a difference between being realistic and being mean.

Being mean would be actually encouraging him/her to apply with a 16, a score that is very likely too low for almost all schools. Being realistic is saying that if you think you can improve by at least 10-12 points by august, then take it again and submit amcas.

If you can't improve that much, it doesn't mean you won't or shouldn't be a doctor, it just means you need to take a little time to re-evaluate things: why are you having a difficult time with the mcat?, aside from the fact that it is a very hard test. are you sure that you will be able to handle the rigors of a medical curriculum?

good luck, and if it's what you really want, don't give up just yet!

 

[HemaOncoDoc]

I AM BEING NICE!!! Grrr.. I think it is mean to NOT bring up the obvious point that a SIXTEEN on the MCAT just might suggest that this path is not the right one for this poster. There may be some very rewarding careers (such as NP, CRNA, PA etc) where the OP will have just as much patient contact, can help people, and can make a decent wage WITHOUT the burden of the MCAT.

If you think I am being unnecessarily cruel, at what point is it OK to bring up the option of withdrawing from the pre-med track? If a person has a 1.2 GPA and a 9 on the MCAT and is a quadriplegic, should we on SDN still shake our pom-poms and say go for it? There has to be a point where we give realistic advice and say "NO, it is not likely that you have a chance, so here are some other options"

Face it - the process is expensive, emotionally draining, and time consuming. There is no reason to encourage somebody to endure it if they stand virtually no chance. This is why I asked if the OP had any reason to believe they could score higher (Note, when I posted the thread you quoted, an explanation had not yet been provided).

Simply put, its all subjective. Its not too much to encourage him to take the August MCAT and decide at that point. Taking practice tests and doing the real thing can be two very different things. However, if the scores are not significantly better, he should reevaluate his candidacy and look towards some alternatives.

 

[simpleman]

Yes, there is a difference between being realistic and being mean.

Being mean would be actually encouraging him/her to apply with a 16, a score that is very likely too low for almost all schools. Being realistic is saying that if you think you can improve by at least 10-12 points by august, then take it again and submit amcas.

If you can't improve that much, it doesn't mean you won't or shouldn't be a doctor, it just means you need to take a little time to re-evaluate things: why are you having a difficult time with the mcat?, aside from the fact that it is a very hard test. are you sure that you will be able to handle the rigors of a medical curriculum?

good luck, and if it's what you really want, don't give up just yet!

As I said before, my practice tests were ok, but not this low. And yes, I can handle medical curriculum. Last semester, I had 22 credits and got a 4.0. Currently, I am an undergard and I already took graduate courses such as Medical Pharmacology, introduction to Pathology, and Medical anatomy and physiology( not the regular A&P for most nursing students)

I just dont know what happened the day of the exam. I had a good sleep, i thought i was fully prepared. I didnt have anxiety. I just think it was too much stress. I had 22 credits, working in a research lab, working for PR as a SAT Math instructor, and took TPR course which pretty much took all my time (T and R 6-9 and sundays from 2-9 plus the designated Test practices on saturdays.) I thought I could do it all, but I am mistaken.

What my main question for the forum is: should I submit AMCAS and will I be able to get secondaries from school in order to fill them out and get them ready or not? Most people said no; thus, I won't submit anything and I will take your words for it. I guess I will have to wait till October and see my results and THEN submit them.

A 16 is pathetic and I know it wont get me anywhere and I understand what everyone is stating from your POV. If I were in your place, I would have said the same exact things (change your career aspirations, dont think about medicine.) I am sure I will raise my points a lot higher and I actually like studying for the MCAT. The stuff that I read is interesting and everytime I read it again, I understand it from a different angle.

Let me reiterate that I am much obliged for all your inputs and concerns regarding my situation. God bless you all.

 

[notdeadyet]

I agree that it would be near impossible for me to do well on a Spanish MCAT. My poor score on this hypothetical test would accurately reflect my poor performance in a hypothetical Spanish medical school where my classes were taught in Spanish. I would also fail my hypothetical Spanish USMLE, and therefore the hypothetical Spanish schools should reject my application. I like your metaphor, and it proves my point.

And if your dream is to go to a Spanish-language medical school, I would tell you to bone up on your Spanish, not to switch careers. Your poor performance is a reflection on your Spanish, not your ability to be a doctor.

Same for the OP. He can either improve his English and do well on the MCAT or decide to go into another field. You recommend the OP going into another field. I recommend improving his English. Different strokes.

I agree with you about the tendency for folks on SDN to blow sunshine out of their a$$ when it runs counter to logic. If the OP couldn't get above a 16 consistently and were a native speaker, I'd agree with you. But I think the guy has a chance if he gets over (or around) the language barrier.

 

[HemaOncoDoc]

As I said before, my practice tests were ok, but not this low. And yes, I can handle medical curriculum. Last semester, I had 22 credits and got a 4.0. Currently, I am an undergard and I already took graduate courses such as Medical Pharmacology, introduction to Pathology, and Medical anatomy and physiology( not the regular A&P for most nursing students)

I just dont know what happened the day of the exam. I had a good sleep, i thought i was fully prepared. I didnt have anxiety. I just think it was too much stress. I had 22 credits, working in a research lab, working for PR as a SAT Math instructor, and took TPR course which pretty much took all my time (T and R 6-9 and sundays from 2-9 plus the designated Test practices on saturdays.) I thought I could do it all, but I am mistaken.

What my main question for the forum is: should I submit AMCAS and will I be able to get secondaries from school in order to fill them out and get them ready or not? Most people said no; thus, I won't submit anything and I will take your words for it. I guess I will have to wait till October and see my results and THEN submit them.

A 16 is pathetic and I know it wont get me anywhere and I understand what everyone is stating from your POV. If I were in your place, I would have said the same exact things (change your career aspirations, dont think about medicine.) I am sure I will raise my points a lot higher and I actually like studying for the MCAT. The stuff that I read is interesting and everytime I read it again, I understand it from a different angle.

Let me reiterate that I am much obliged for all your inputs and concerns regarding my situation. God bless you all.

From other threads, it indicates that you should apply now and risk the chance that you'll be rejected before your August MCATs. Most schools will wait for the new MCAT scores before rendering any decision. If you're serious about applying this application year, you want your AMCAS or AACOMAS verified and all set by the time your scores come out. You don't want to wait another week or so to get verified and to get secondaries. Many medical schools send secondaries automatically. My advice, don't wait and take the risk. Of course, rock the MCAT. God bless you too.

 

[jeanneson]

I wouldn't submit AMCAS yet or even take the MCAT again in August, since unless you improve the underlying problem your score is unlikely to improve. I agree with the other posters who advised focusing on your English. Maybe get an English tutor if that's possible?

If you improve your English ability I think you could expect much larger gains than the average MCAT improvement. There's a world of difference between a low score due to language issues versus one caused by an insufficient grasp of the material or poor-test taking ability. I say don't give up yet! 🙂

 

[silkworm]

I agree that it would be near impossible for me to do well on a Spanish MCAT. My poor score on this hypothetical test would accurately reflect my poor performance in a hypothetical Spanish medical school where my classes were taught in Spanish. I would also fail my hypothetical Spanish USMLE, and therefore the hypothetical Spanish schools should reject my application. I like your metaphor, and it proves my point.

Procifiency with language can improved by hard work and time. Spend a couple of years studying Spanish intensively in a Spanish-speaking setting, you could go from "hola" to reading Cervantes. If the non-English speaking immigrants follow some of the advices offered here, we might as well just all give up our American dreams and go find menial jobs.

To the OP: your practice MCAT scores were pretty good, that and you stellar GPA tell me you have a good chance to improve on the actual score. But you probably need to take significant amount of time to improve English. Take writing-intensive English classes, critical reading/writing workshops, get a tutor, whatever it takes. It maybe helpful to limit your exposure to your own native language (TV, books ,etc) so you will be forced to use and think in English. In my experience in learning English, all of the above helped.

 

[simpleman]

Procifiency with language can improved by hard work and time. Spend a couple of years studying Spanish intensively in a Spanish-speaking setting, you could go from "hola" to reading Cervantes. If the non-English speaking immigrants follow some of the advices offered here, we might as well just all give up our American dreams and go find menial jobs.

To the OP: your practice MCAT scores were pretty good, that and you stellar GPA tell me you have a good chance to improve on the actual score. But you probably need to take significant amount of time to improve English. Take writing-intensive English classes, critical reading/writing workshops, get a tutor, whatever it takes. It maybe helpful to limit your exposure to your own native language (TV, books ,etc) so you will be forced to use and think in English. In my experience in learning English, all of the above helped.

hey silkworm, I checked out ur mcat score and it is really awesome. congrats. I will take your advice. I am looking for a tutor who can help me.

 

[YML]

I have everything ready for the AMCAS. Should I submit although I got a 16 on my april MCAT exam? Will I get secondaries or not at all. Should I wait till I retake it in August and then submit. Thank you guys

.

 

[latinfridley]

I am not doing it for my parents. I love Medicine and I will do anything I can do to get there. They are going to pay for my tuition for a MD title in the US only. They wont pay if I went outside the US or if i got a DO title. I know it is stupid, but that is their deal with me.

For the record, I have no idea what happened the day of the exam, I used to score on practice tests for PS14s and 11s and BS 10s and 11s. I was so shocked when I saw this 16 score. The VR was around 5s and 6s.

Also, thank you for all your encouragements. I really appreciate them. I am going to retake in August and see what the Lord offers this time.

Definitely work on the English. If you do, your score will increase significantly, probably in all 3 subjects. I would say work on the English comprehension and get that down pat before attempting another retake. Its a necessary skill for practicing medicine in the US. Your life will be that much better if you can fluently speak english in the US.

 

[Randomperson]

There is one more thing - not sure if it was mentioned earlier:

Many people with excellent GPA, MCAT, etc. apply each year and have the misfortune of being rejected everywhere. This actually happens quite often - I'm sure SDN'ers would reiterate this. Many medical programs also "strongly discourage" a third application.

Here's my point: if you waste this application cycle with a low MCAT score and happen to get unlucky the second time, then you've already excluded yourself from applying to MANY medical programs when you should otherwise have a good shot at getting in.

So -- should you apply this year? I would not in your shoes. Prepare well and score better.

You seem like a good man. I hope things work out for you.

 

[vmc303]

You need to reevaluate your career goals. A 16 is horrid, and won't get you in anywhere at all. It's not just a "poor score for medical school" -- it's indicative of intelligence that's simply below the threshold needed to be a competent doctor. Even if you do somehow manage to raise it 10 points and squeak in somewhere next year, you'll be facing an uphill struggle throughout your entire career. Tests are a regular part of medicine; if you can't study effectively for them and do well enough just to pass, things are going to be tough for you. Sorry, it's the truth. At a certain point, chasing dreams that are manifestly unattainable for you just becomes ridiculous.

 

[DrBowtie]

I am not doing it for my parents. I love Medicine and I will do anything I can do to get there. They are going to pay for my tuition for a MD title in the US only. They wont pay if I went outside the US or if i got a DO title. I know it is stupid, but that is their deal with me.

For the record, I have no idea what happened the day of the exam, I used to score on practice tests for PS14s and 11s and BS 10s and 11s. I was so shocked when I saw this 16 score. The VR was around 5s and 6s.

So you are saying that you got half of what you were scoring on practice tests in each section?
I don't think this was a fluke. A fluke would be botching 1 section but not all three. Someone or yourself did you wrong on practice tests. Were you grading as you were reviewing and changing your score as you go?

I'd definitely get your TPR money back pronto.

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

As I said before, my practice tests were ok, but not this low. And yes, I can handle medical curriculum. Last semester, I had 22 credits and got a 4.0. Currently, I am an undergard and I already took graduate courses such as Medical Pharmacology, introduction to Pathology, and Medical anatomy and physiology( not the regular A&P for most nursing students)

I just dont know what happened the day of the exam. I had a good sleep, i thought i was fully prepared. I didnt have anxiety. I just think it was too much stress. I had 22 credits, working in a research lab, working for PR as a SAT Math instructor, and took TPR course which pretty much took all my time (T and R 6-9 and sundays from 2-9 plus the designated Test practices on saturdays.) I thought I could do it all, but I am mistaken.

What my main question for the forum is: should I submit AMCAS and will I be able to get secondaries from school in order to fill them out and get them ready or not? Most people said no; thus, I won't submit anything and I will take your words for it. I guess I will have to wait till October and see my results and THEN submit them.

A 16 is pathetic and I know it wont get me anywhere and I understand what everyone is stating from your POV. If I were in your place, I would have said the same exact things (change your career aspirations, dont think about medicine.) I am sure I will raise my points a lot higher and I actually like studying for the MCAT. The stuff that I read is interesting and everytime I read it again, I understand it from a different angle.

Let me reiterate that I am much obliged for all your inputs and concerns regarding my situation. God bless you all.

If you are positive that it was more or less a fluke and you think you get get it somewhere close to a 30 in august, I would suggest clicking the august option on AMCAS and submitting it.

I would never come on here and try to tell someone not to follow his/her dreams of going into medicine, sorry if I came across as doing that. I was only suggesting that if you think you have put in 100% and maxed out at that score of 16, then you might have a hard time dealing with the med school curriculum compared to most people (according to what the AAMC thinks anyway) This doesn't sound like your case though

Stress did get to me on test day also. I had a brief period in PS of thinking "Holy ****, I have to do well on this or else I will have to wait another 4 months and possible a year to apply!" You just have to try to fight those thoughts and keep moving in the section.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I would never come on here and try to tell someone not to follow his/her dreams of going into medicine

I would. Don't follow your dreams of going into medicine. There I said it.

There are two options for why you scored so low, 1 good 1 bad. If you were honestly scoring around 10+ for PS and BS you might want to get your test rescored by the MCAT administrators. It sounds like you may have bubbled in the wrong test number at the very beginning of the exam. When I took it, there were 10 different tests in the same room. If you bubbled in 'CK' for the test edition and you took the 'DK' test edition your score would be really low. This may be the problem. Look into it.

If you did, however actually score a 16 without messing up the bubbling/test edition, sorry champ but it looks like medicine in the US is nor for you. Not only will you not get in, but I am confident that you would be unable to pass med school. I am not trying to be mean but rather realistic. Its just a bit competitive to get into med school; GW received over 11,000 applicants this year. Having an MCAT score in the 7-9th percentile is not going to cut it when others are getting rejected for their C in orgo second semester.

In terms of passing, the volume of info in med school has been so compressed many have compared it to trying to putting your mouth over a firehydrant and turning it on. If you are having trouble synthisizing the info for the MCATs in a year, there is no way you will be able to synthisize the info for you first anatomy exam in the week and a half that they give you.

Look, I still think you should retake the MCAT but if you do not score above a 20 you might want to give it up and look into getting an RN, NP, or DNR (ha a little medical humor).

Some people in earlier posts have said to apply already. DO NOT APPLY. You will be rejected flat out everywhere except those places that send out automatic secondaries. I would say the majority of the schools w/ automatic secondaries are harder to get into than those that make cuts. You'll just waste your money. Wait until you get the august scores back and if you score near a 30 then apply. I would say 27 should be your cut off. And hey man, if you do that, congrats. First though, see if your score was scored right.

 

[Law2Doc]

On another subject, like the above post, I have seen a lot of people with the idea that being a re-applicant carries with it some stigma.

The average entering medical student is over the age of 24. Since most people graduate college around 22, a very significant portion of each school will be comprised of reapplicants. The deans of admissions that I have talked to have given me the idea that is actually a good thing since it shows perserverance and drive. So becoming a re-applicant should be your last concern.

I sort of disagree with this part of your post. First, the average age of med schools is driven up by nontrads far more than by reapplicants. A couple of nontrads over 30 will drive up the average age as much as a horde of reapps, and the former is simply more likely in virtually any med school. Second, many adcoms will tell you that reapps get put in a different pile and need to show substantial improvement -- perserverence rarely gets you into med school, but an ability to remedy your shortcomings might. At any rate, it is usually to one's advantage to have all their ducks in a row before pulling the trigger. Don't apply as a hail mary and expect to fix any problems as a reapplicant. Fix the problem and then apply once, as a strong applicant. The odds are simply much better.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

Since some of you didn't read the entire thread before jumping on the negativity "you'll never make it in medicine" train, let me fill in the gaps. The OP's problem wasn't lack of studying or laziness. The OP speaks a different language and isn't yet comfortable enough with English to take a timed test. This can be overcome with a year or more of English classes that will help him/her with reading comprehension.

I hate when people jump in without considering all the information.

Also, to the person who said that most med schools don't want someone applying three times, who told you that? I've never heard that before.

 

[Andre04]

You need to reevaluate your career goals. A 16 is horrid, and won't get you in anywhere at all. It's not just a "poor score for medical school" -- it's indicative of intelligence that's simply below the threshold needed to be a competent doctor.

See, this is where one crosses the line between "realistic" and "jerk." Misinformed jerk, at that: the MCAT is not an intelligence test, and it does not play one on TV. I understand the temptation to conflate doctorhood with godlike intelligence, we've all been there, but this is just ridiculous. Idiots get into med school every day and intelligent people stumble at the MCAT and never make it there.

Even if you do somehow manage to raise it 10 points and squeak in somewhere next year, you'll be facing an uphill struggle throughout your entire career. Tests are a regular part of medicine; if you can't study effectively for them and do well enough just to pass, things are going to be tough for you. Sorry, it's the truth. At a certain point, chasing dreams that are manifestly unattainable for you just becomes ridiculous.

Unless the OP goes to one of 'em schools where they don't give tests, which also doesn't require ACT/SAT or a high school diploma, I'd wager that he's taken a few tests in his life and done well. The MCAT is just one test -- an important one, sure -- and it's really not fair to try to judge his intelligence or test-taking abilities on the basis of one stab at it.

 

[monami]

Maybe the graders made a mistake on your test. Or I could be wrong, and I suggest re take.

 

[The Revival]

Assuming this isn't a troll - why did you get the 16? If there was no extrinsic reason (eg you lost consciousness mid MCAT) I would strongly consider NOT retaking the test. Raising the MCAT score 5-7 points with a lot of studying is possible, but raising it 15 points is just not realistic.

You may need to explore other health care professions as options.

If you think I am being unnecessarily cruel, at what point is it OK to bring up the option of withdrawing from the pre-med track? If a person has a 1.2 GPA and a 9 on the MCAT and is a quadriplegic, should we on SDN still shake our pom-poms and say go for it? There has to be a point where we give realistic advice and say "NO, it is not likely that you have a chance, so here are some other options"

with that attitude, i think YOU should explore other health care professions as options. we don't want people like you in our field anyway - we already have a bunch of people who are in dire need of an attitude adjustment. Who gave you the right to turn anyone away from following their dream? Sure, a 16 is most likely not gonna get this person into med school - does that mean you tell them to give up? No, you tell them to study their butt off and take the MCAT again. If you take the test 4 times and don't beat 16, then its reasonable to tell someone to give up.

I had an undergrad GPA of 2.6 with a science GPA of 2.1. I'm at a top 20 medical school. What did I do after graduating? I didn't give up. I took more courses and demonstrated improvement. Thats what the OP needs to do, not give up or consider other health careers. Jesus, imagine if I had spoken to you after graduating....thank God that didn't happen.

I'm so pissed off at your first comment, its unbelievable. Its people like you who skew perceptions about the admissions process, crush people's hopes, and foul up the atmosphere at SDN. In short, you basically F it up for everyone else. Thanks buddy. /slap

 

[Punkn]

we don't want people like you in our field anyway - we already have a bunch of people who are in dire need of an attitude adjustment.

Speak for yourself. Flop is just as entitled as anyone else to give the OP his opinion. And for the record, he didn't say "definitely consider another career option, you have no choice, loser". He said the OP "may" need to consider other options. There's a difference. And, you have to admit, a 15 point jump on the MCAT is gigantic!! I'm not saying the OP shouldn't try again, but I think his/her strategies need to be seriously revamped before giving it another go. Obviously, his/her present strategies did not work. Some serious changes need to be made. I would love it if the OP became one of those great comeback stories; that'd be awesome. But I also think it's important to consider the reality of the sitution. Good luck, OP!!

 

[The Revival]

Speak for yourself. Flop is just as entitled as anyone else to give the OP his opinion. And for the record, he didn't say "definitely consider another career option, you have no choice, loser". He said the OP "may" need to consider other options. There's a difference. And, you have to admit, a 15 point jump on the MCAT is gigantic!! I'm not saying the OP shouldn't try again, but I think his/her strategies need to be seriously revamped before giving it another go. Obviously, his/her present strategies did not work. Some serious changes need to be made. I would love it if the OP became one of those great comeback stories; that'd be awesome. But I also think it's important to consider the reality of the sitution. Good luck, OP!!

entitled? What - are you gonna advocate the importance of freedom of speech to me? Please. Speak up when you've actually completed a year of medical school and understood the composition of your class. There are so many tools to endure, its really quite nauseating.

We're not talking about the choice of words Flop used. He basically encouraged the OP to give up. Of course the OP needs to revamp his or her strategies - isn't that obvious? Did I say to retake the MCAT with the same exact strategies? No, but perhaps you would like to dissect my choice of words too for your convenience.

Recognize that the OP may have just bombed that day. He did say he was pulling 28-29 on practice tests. As for improvements - my initial kaplan diagnostic was a 17. I ended up with a 34 on the MCAT. Anything is possible, especially when douches aren't trying to discourage you for baseless reasons.

I hate to say it Punkn, but I'm sincerely glad you're not applying to my medical school.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I have everything ready for the AMCAS. Should I submit although I got a 16 on my april MCAT exam? Will I get secondaries or not at all. Should I wait till I retake it in August and then submit. Thank you guys

No. You have no chance of getting into any MD or DO school. Study hard this summer and retake in August, but plan on reapplying next year.

 

[Punkn]

entitled? What - are you gonna advocate the importance of freedom of speech to me? Please. Speak up when you've actually completed a year of medical school and understood the composition of your class. There are so many tools to endure, its really quite nauseating.

We're not talking about the choice of words Flop used. He basically encouraged the OP to give up. Of course the OP needs to revamp his or her strategies - isn't that obvious? Did I say to retake the MCAT with the same exact strategies? No, but perhaps you would like to dissect my choice of words too for your convenience.

Recognize that the OP may have just bombed that day. He did say he was pulling 28-29 on practice tests. As for improvements - my initial kaplan diagnostic was a 17. I ended up with a 34 on the MCAT. Anything is possible, especially when douches aren't trying to discourage you for baseless reasons.

I hate to say it Punkn, but I'm sincerely glad you're not applying to my medical school.

No need to be so condesending. And, for the record, I'm glad I'm not applying to your school either. 🙄 👍

 

[mintendo]

Is it possible that you misbubbled? Unlikely, because ALL of your sectional scores dropped.

 

[simpleman]

entitled? What - are you gonna advocate the importance of freedom of speech to me? Please. Speak up when you've actually completed a year of medical school and understood the composition of your class. There are so many tools to endure, its really quite nauseating.

We're not talking about the choice of words Flop used. He basically encouraged the OP to give up. Of course the OP needs to revamp his or her strategies - isn't that obvious? Did I say to retake the MCAT with the same exact strategies? No, but perhaps you would like to dissect my choice of words too for your convenience.

Recognize that the OP may have just bombed that day. He did say he was pulling 28-29 on practice tests. As for improvements - my initial kaplan diagnostic was a 17. I ended up with a 34 on the MCAT. Anything is possible, especially when douches aren't trying to discourage you for baseless reasons.

I hate to say it Punkn, but I'm sincerely glad you're not applying to my medical school.

Thank you very much Dr. Revival. I really appreciate you standing up for me. I wont give up hope and I will continue to strive for a much better grade.
As a matter of fact, I am improving my skills very fast. I took a diagnostic kaplan test yesterday and I scored a 32 (14PS, 4VR, 14BS). I am not worried about it. I will do well. I really appreciate your kind and comforting words. Just pray for me to continue going up in my verbal. Thanks a million.

Also, as a side note, I dont want people to fight each other here on SDN, we are all colleagues and we give advice to each other. I know there are people who just put your hopes down, but do you think I will listen to their opinions much, I would be stupid. Off course, it puts a small crack in me emotionally, but hey, always look on the bright side.

 

[The Revival]

No need to be so condesending. And, for the record, I'm glad I'm not applying to your school either. 🙄 👍

Yea there is a need. I was trying to set Flop straight for being such a d*ck, and you flamed me for no reason. Thanks for sticking your nose in my business.

Also, why do you say 'for the record' so much? Do you like to set it straight a lot? Why? Who's keeping tabs? I assure you no one is that interested in what you have to say... 🙄

 

[Punkn]

Thank you very much Dr. Revival. I really appreciate you standing up for me. I wont give up hope and I will continue to strive for a much better grade.
As a matter of fact, I am improving my skills very fast. I took a diagnostic kaplan test yesterday and I scored a 32 (14PS, 4VR, 14BS). I am not worried about it. I will do well. I really appreciate your kind and comforting words. Just pray for me to continue going up in my verbal. Thanks a million.

Also, as a side note, I dont want people to fight each other here on SDN, we are all colleagues and we give advice to each other. I know there are people who just put your hopes down, but do you think I will listen to their opinions much, I would be stupid. Off course, it puts a small crack in me emotionally, but hey, always look on the bright side.

You have a really great attitude. 🙂 And that score is awesome! Best of luck!

 

[Punkn]

I assure you no one is that interested in what you have to say... 🙄

And you're calling someone else a d*ck? I don't understand why you insist on continuing to insult me. I hope it makes you feel better.

 

[The Revival]

Thank you very much Dr. Revival. I really appreciate you standing up for me. I wont give up hope and I will continue to strive for a much better grade.
As a matter of fact, I am improving my skills very fast. I took a diagnostic kaplan test yesterday and I scored a 32 (14PS, 4VR, 14BS). I am not worried about it. I will do well. I really appreciate your kind and comforting words. Just pray for me to continue going up in my verbal. Thanks a million.

Also, as a side note, I dont want people to fight each other here on SDN, we are all colleagues and we give advice to each other. I know there are people who just put your hopes down, but do you think I will listen to their opinions much, I would be stupid. Off course, it puts a small crack in me emotionally, but hey, always look on the bright side.

Simpleman, verbal is a b*tch. It was my weakest subject. I wish you the best of luck with that.

I know people shouldn't fight. The thing is - I went through a very similar situation with my lousy undergraduate GPA. Everyone was like 'you're so fcked. you don't stand a chance'. I know how damaging that can be to your self-esteem, and I know in your case you can use all the encouragement you can get.

On top of that, I imagine these discouraging people to be similar to people in my class with comparable attitudes. And its reallllly frustrating. After awhile, it makes one angry. I'll try not to be so rough, but still, its hard when some people (especially those who are PREMEDs and to a certain extent have no idea what they are talking about) ramble and give horrible advice, when they really should just keep their mouth shut.

This website is an incredibly valuable resource for pre-meds facing the admissions struggle, and they deserve reasonable and sound advice.

 

[The Revival]

And you're calling someone else a d*ck? I don't understand why you insist on continuing to insult me. I hope it makes you feel better.

If we took a poll to determine if flop was being a d*ck, i would bet a buncha cash that we'd see more yays than nays.

Insulting you doesn't make me feel better. But it hopefully discourages you from trying to downplay my comments. I really am trying to get through to simpleman, especially after Flop's horrible advice.

 

[simpleman]

Simpleman, verbal is a b*tch. It was my weakest subject. I wish you the best of luck with that.

I know people shouldn't fight. The thing is - I went through a very similar situation with my lousy undergraduate GPA. Everyone was like 'you're so fcked. you don't stand a chance'. I know how damaging that can be to your self-esteem, and I know in your case you can use all the encouragement you can get.

On top of that, I imagine these discouraging people to be similar to people in my class with comparable attitudes. And its reallllly frustrating. After awhile, it makes one angry. I'll try not to be so rough, but still, its hard when some people (especially those who are PREMEDs and to a certain extent have no idea what they are talking about) ramble and give horrible advice, when they really should just keep their mouth shut.

This website is an incredibly valuable resource for pre-meds facing the admissions struggle, and they deserve reasonable and sound advice.

Yes, thats true and it is really a good character of you to fight for people like me and comfort and encourage us. I came to this website to seek help and advice and I totally understanding what you are trying to say. Anyway, keep up the good work. God Bless you, my friend. Good luck in your remaining years in Med school. You are such a great success already and continue to be.

 

[mintendo]

Yes, thats true and it is really a good character of you to fight for people like me and comfort and encourage us. I came to this website to seek help and advice and I totally understanding what you are trying to say. Anyway, keep up the good work. God Bless you, my friend. Good luck in your remaining years in Med school. You are such a great success already and continue to be.

Are you following a certain strategy for verbal?? Because when I took TPR I tried their verbal strategy and it just didn't work for me. I think on the very last practice test I just decided "screw it, I'll just read the way I've been reading for the past 21 years" and got a score I was very happy with. I got the same score on the actual MCAT so go figure.

 

[saradoor]

FYI, I don't know if this is true but everyone has been telling me that a 7 or below in any section of the MCAT will get you an automatic rejection in any US/Canada med school. Some schools will send out secondary apps regardless because they charge a fee for processing the secondary apps.

 

[rgarrig]

Assuming this isn't a troll - why did you get the 16? If there was no extrinsic reason (eg you lost consciousness mid MCAT) I would strongly consider NOT retaking the test. Raising the MCAT score 5-7 points with a lot of studying is possible, but raising it 15 points is just not realistic.

You may need to explore other health care professions as options.

Someone I know very well raised his MCAT score 13 points in just a few months (studying about 10 -15 hours a week). He started in the 20's. Going from a 20 to a 33 is a LOT harder than going from a 16 to a 29 - IT CAN BE DONE. Seriously - don't give up yet. Take a prep course, study hard, and take the August MCAT. Focus all of your available energry between now and August on raising your score. If you still get a sub-20 score, re-evaulate your career goals.

Best of luck!
-B.

 

[durfen]

Speak for yourself. Flop is just as entitled as anyone else to give the OP his opinion. And for the record, he didn't say "definitely consider another career option, you have no choice, loser". He said the OP "may" need to consider other options. There's a difference. And, you have to admit, a 15 point jump on the MCAT is gigantic!! I'm not saying the OP shouldn't try again, but I think his/her strategies need to be seriously revamped before giving it another go. Obviously, his/her present strategies did not work. Some serious changes need to be made. I would love it if the OP became one of those great comeback stories; that'd be awesome. But I also think it's important to consider the reality of the sitution. Good luck, OP!!

A 15 point jump is not that bad, if you didn't study well beforehand. I got a 24 on the diagnostic then 39 on the actual test. I just spent all my time studying, didn't do much else except homework for 4 months.

 

[Schaden Freud]

Thank you very much Dr. Revival. I really appreciate you standing up for me. I wont give up hope and I will continue to strive for a much better grade.
As a matter of fact, I am improving my skills very fast. I took a diagnostic kaplan test yesterday and I scored a 32 (14PS, 4VR, 14BS). I am not worried about it. I will do well. I really appreciate your kind and comforting words. Just pray for me to continue going up in my verbal. Thanks a million.

Also, as a side note, I dont want people to fight each other here on SDN, we are all colleagues and we give advice to each other. I know there are people who just put your hopes down, but do you think I will listen to their opinions much, I would be stupid. Off course, it puts a small crack in me emotionally, but hey, always look on the bright side.

There is something really really odd going on in your testing, and you need to isolate this problem and deal with it. It is not normal to go from scoring in the 30's to scoring 16. Scoring (14PS, 4VR, 14BS) is also bizarre. The science sections have a strong verbal reasoning component; you should be able to get at least an 8 on VR with those science scores.
I would suggest you seek some professional advice for this issue.

 

[kevster2001]

I didn't read this entire thread but what were you getting on practice tests?

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

FYI, I don't know if this is true but everyone has been telling me that a 7 or below in any section of the MCAT will get you an automatic rejection in any US/Canada med school. Some schools will send out secondary apps regardless because they charge a fee for processing the secondary apps.

ummmm everyone you know is wrong

The only school that i know of that sets a floor on MCAT scores is Jefferson in philly (i think you need an 8 in each section or something like that) I am sure there are a few more.

The OVERWHELMING majority of schools take scores as low as 3 and 4........but these are obviously the minority.

Tell all your friends to check out the MSAR before making false claims

 

[saradoor]

ummmm everyone you know is wrong

The only school that i know of that sets a floor on MCAT scores is Jefferson in philly (i think you need an 8 in each section or something like that) I am sure there are a few more.

The OVERWHELMING majority of schools take scores as low as 3 and 4........but these are obviously the minority.

Tell all your friends to check out the MSAR before making false claims

Yeah, I suspected that the auto rejection claim was probably wrong since it was such a blanket statement anyway.

Looking at the AAMC site: http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2005/2005mcatgpa.htm

VR mean - 3 sd for 2005 is about 4.3
PS mean - 3 sd for 2005 is about 4.4
BS mean - 3 sd for 2005 is about 5.6

However, I wonder how much the URM factor affected the data.

 

[gujuDoc]

I have everything ready for the AMCAS. Should I submit although I got a 16 on my april MCAT exam? Will I get secondaries or not at all. Should I wait till I retake it in August and then submit. Thank you guys

Not to be rude, but I'd consider understanding to go from a 16 to a 26 in less then 2 months will require a miracle and you won't even qualify for secondaries at most places unless you have at least 24. You'd be wasting your money and your time.