5/20 MCAT Horror Story

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Skydive Fox

Head Pilot, Star Fox Command
7+ Year Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
274
Reaction score
376
Halfway through my MCAT today the F**KING CONNECTION WENT OUT! We sat there for over 1 hour staring at a dead screen while Prometric stopped in occasionally to say, "we're working on it." Eventually we were released and told that AMCAS would be calling within 48 hours to reschedule.

I spent hundreds of dollars in accomodations and travel just to get to my test center, and I've scheduled all my professional commitments around this day! The next day I will be able to test is so late that I won't even be able to apply this cycle... forced to take a gap year because of AT&T's crap internet service and Prometric's lack of contingency connections...

I'm a very calm and put-together person, but to say that I'm infuriated right now is an understatement.

If you were among my fellow test-takers, please feel free to vent and/or share how this impacts you...
 
Wow. Someone posted a "what if..." topic about this yesterday and I thought they were being neurotic.
 
Also, the hotel stay the night before... A barking dog in the room next door, a middle school field trip on my floor, and someone attempting to force entry into my room in the middle of the night with a master key! God forbid I hadn't had a random urge to set the deadbolt before I went to bed and I'd woken up to a random person in my room in the dark. I sleep with a weapon by my side and 99% sure would've used it.
 
Halfway through my MCAT today the F**KING CONNECTION WENT OUT! We sat there for over 1 hour staring at a dead screen while Prometric stopped in occasionally to say, "we're working on it." Eventually we were released and told that AMCAS would be calling within 48 hours to reschedule.

I spent hundreds of dollars in accomodations and travel just to get to my test center, and I've scheduled all my professional commitments around this day! The next day I will be able to test is so late that I won't even be able to apply this cycle... forced to take a gap year because of AT&T's crap internet service and Prometric's lack of contingency connections...

I'm a very calm and put-together person, but to say that I'm infuriated right now is an understatement.

If you were among my fellow test-takers, please feel free to vent and/or share how this impacts you...

Can't you take a few more days off work and take a few hundred dollars more of credit card debt and then take this test? It still sounds better than taking a gap year.
 
I got a partial refund on the hotel room and a formal apology, but God damn this luck I'm having... When being checked into Prometric, they tried to swipe my ID and it came out blurry and I had jokingly said, "this must be bad juju." Joke's on me.
 
That really ****ing sucks. I had a similar thing happen during my test day but nowhere near as bad. The connection went down in the middle of my psych section but luckily came back on after 40(!!) minutes. If I had to reschedule my test after getting through the middle of my psych section I would have been sooo pissed off. Not to mention the air conditioner wasn't working so it was like 80 degrees in the room. You'd think Prometric would get it together holy ****.
 
Can't you take a few more days off work and take a few hundred dollars more of credit card debt and then take this test? It still sounds better than taking a gap year.
It's just not possible with my commitment and situation. I'd gladly drop even $10,000 (no joke) to retake now and be done with it...
 
Dude.... weak. When is your new exam date? They should be doing all they can to accommodate you ASAP.
 
Dude.... weak. When is your new exam date? They should be doing all they can to accommodate you ASAP.
No idea. AMCAS will call "within 48 hours" to reschedule. I had a random urge to just knock out the GRE and apply to PA school instead but have since calmed down after visiting my bakery, lmao.
 
No idea. AMCAS will call "within 48 hours" to reschedule. I had a random urge to just knock out the GRE and apply to PA school instead but have since calmed down after visiting my bakery, lmao.

Haha glad to hear you haven't given up! If your date isn't significantly pushed back I would still apply late and maybe explain what happened. It's worth the risk and who knows? You might get in! In my opinion, better to at least try than wait another year.
 
Lowkey had to postpone a major procedure for this but I just got off the phone with Prometric and I've been rescheduled for June 2nd AT THE SAME LOCATION... So help me God if my computer screen lags for even a fraction of a millisecond on 6/2...

How *late* will my application be considered? I have all my LoR's and everything lined up and can have my application verified beforehand, but if I send it in the day I get my score (*fingers crossed* if scores are acceptable), is first week of July too late for most schools? I've been led on to believe that anything past early-mid June is considered late...
 
@Goro @gyngyn If either of you have a minute to weigh in on the underlined portion of my previous comment, I would very much appreciate your thoughts. Are Prometric shenanigans taken into consideration if an application rolls in late?

EDIT: IGNORE THIS. I failed to use Search feature amid my frustration and chaos. Just noticed the recent thread regarding this very question!
 
Last edited:
Lowkey had to postpone a major procedure for this but I just got off the phone with Prometric and I've been rescheduled for June 2nd AT THE SAME LOCATION... So help me God if my computer screen lags for even a fraction of a millisecond on 6/2...

How *late* will my application be considered? I have all my LoR's and everything lined up and can have my application verified beforehand, but if I send it in the day I get my score (*fingers crossed* if scores are acceptable), is first week of July too late for most schools? I've been led on to believe that anything past early-mid June is considered late...

Do you mean you are planning on submitting AMCAS first week of July after receiving your score? I don't think that would be super late or anything, considering you are still complete by early August
 
It started thundering so loud in my third section it was disturbing me through foam ear plugs + headphones .....such that I was getting nervous the thunderstorm would cause an interruption in my exam through power outage, internet outage, etc. Luckily though, that didn't happen. I kept thinking "if the test was going to malfunction it should have done it in the first not the third or fourth sections." I feel for you.
 
Also, the hotel stay the night before... A barking dog in the room next door, a middle school field trip on my floor, and someone attempting to force entry into my room in the middle of the night with a master key! God forbid I hadn't had a random urge to set the deadbolt before I went to bed and I'd woken up to a random person in my room in the dark. I sleep with a weapon by my side and 99% sure would've used it.
This is a real horror story. Not an MCAT horror story, but legitimately horror lol
 
Top