any advice

[supernareg]

i took AMCAS practice test 3 got 20 (P8 V6 B6)
i took practice test 4, got 21 (P8 V6 B7)

test day = may 16

i dont know what to do any help / tips?

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[Wanna_B_Scutty]

Honestly... at this point? I'd do one of two things:

1) Don't take it- cancel
2) Take it for practice knowing that you will void at the end.

This might sound harsh, but AAMC #3 is known as one of the easiest practice tests available. It was published quite awhile ago when the MCAT wasn't quite so rigorous. If you're scoring low on that... well... you're going to need more time to study.

Good luck to you. I don't mean to be such a downer. But a score in the low 20s is going to really, really hurt you, even if you manage to score higher on a subsequent test.

 

[Soggun]

Honestly... at this point? I'd do one of two things:

1) Don't take it- cancel
2) Take it for practice knowing that you will void at the end.

This might sound harsh, but AAMC #3 is known as one of the easiest practice tests available. It was published quite awhile ago when the MCAT wasn't quite so rigorous. If you're scoring low on that... well... you're going to need more time to study.

Good luck to you. I don't mean to be such a downer. But a score in the low 20s is going to really, really hurt you, even if you manage to score higher on a subsequent test.

Definately agreed. I think when you get into the application cycle you'll realize just how much even a 25 (assuming an improvement - which is certainly not guarenteed) can hurt your chances, even with an improvement after the fact. If you are planning to apply this coming winter, wait til august to take the test and study your tail off til then. You can still submit primaries (and in some cases secondaries) with a pending MCAT score, so as long as you do that, taking an august MCAT shouldnt really cause you to apply too late and thus hurt your chances. Of course, if you still aren't ready just take a year off. Much better to do that and apply with a strong MCAT score than rush it, get a weak score, and have that hanging over your head.

 

[soeagerun2or]

You won't get in to an allopathic medical school with a 20.

 

[degoo_]

AAMC practice test 3 was an overestimation of my actual score and the scores of all those I studied with.
I'd spend one week reviewing + doing individual passages, then write another AAMC one. If the scores persist, consider not writing. good luck.

 

[gary5]

Give yourself another year. Study constantly. You've got a lot of work to do. You need to be scoring over 30 before you take the actual exam.

 

[Steve203]

AAMC practice test 3 was an overestimation of my actual score and the scores of all those I studied with.
I'd spend one week reviewing + doing individual passages, then write another AAMC one. If the scores persist, consider not writing. good luck.

same here...AAMC practice test 3 is way too easy....it was about 4 points too high from my actual score

 

[spicedmanna]

Honestly... at this point? I'd do one of two things:

1) Don't take it- cancel
2) Take it for practice knowing that you will void at the end.

Agreed.

 

[supernareg]

i dont want to waste another year... i want to start asap. thats why i'll goto carib if i dont get in allo

 

[Cirrus83]

lol, don't take it, don't take it, don't take it, don't take it.
Go take one of those prep courses if you haven't already, and if you can still take it later this year take it after you've prepped better.

Applying late with a 32 is still going to be better than taking it now and getting a 23 and applying super early.

And seriously, getting into the carribean is going to cost you more than a year in the long run...the extra complications of having gone to the carribean are going to have you wishing you had taken that extra year.

But do what you will, it's your life lol.

 

[Bond8204]

i dont want to waste another year... i want to start asap. thats why i'll goto carib if i dont get in allo

Supernareg, you need a little tough love here.

What the hell did you post those scores here expecting people to say!?!?

Those scores CLEARLY indicate that there is either something severely wrong with (HOPEFULLY) your preparation or (UNFORTUNATELY) your basic science education.

You'd be a FOOL to take the test this May. I can't emphasize that enough. Medical schools will receive this score if you complete the test. If you have the money, sign up for a Kaplan (or other) course or spend this summer studying your ass off. If you don't have the money do the same with as many books as you can afford (this solves the "preparation" aspect).

If you're scoring the same after this, you're going to want to do a post-bacc program. Showing you can do well in a medical curriculum and raising your MCAT score (as these programs have proven to do) would be beneficial for you.

Having posted as many times as you have, I suspect you should have known this, so I hope you're not baiting newb's here

 

[moto_za]

as someone mentioned earlier study what you got wrong on the practce test and other weaknesses that you have as much as possible for the next two weeks and then take another practice test (aamc 8,9 or 10) and see where you stand.. And decide from their...

 

[moto_za]

So I had a question.. If one takes the mcat and scores low and then takes it again and improves will actually have the potential of hurting him b/c of the first low score? I would think that adcomms wouldn't mind seeing a low score that is backed up with an improvement?? any advice/thoughts? thanks

 

[moto_za]

bump

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

it can still hurt because you don't know how schools factor in multiple MCAT grades. some might look at the highest, some might average, you never know.

 

[TheAmazingGOB]

Supernareg, you need a little tough love here.

What the hell did you post those scores here expecting people to say!?!?

Those scores CLEARLY indicate that there is either something severely wrong with (HOPEFULLY) your preparation or (UNFORTUNATELY) your basic science education.

You'd be a FOOL to take the test this May. I can't emphasize that enough. Medical schools will receive this score if you complete the test. If you have the money, sign up for a Kaplan (or other) course or spend this summer studying your ass off. If you don't have the money do the same with as many books as you can afford (this solves the "preparation" aspect).

If you're scoring the same after this, you're going to want to do a post-bacc program. Showing you can do well in a medical curriculum and raising your MCAT score (as these programs have proven to do) would be beneficial for you.

Having posted as many times as you have, I suspect you should have known this, so I hope you're not baiting newb's here

In a society where people are now so afraid to be blunt, this post rules. There's really no way to sugar coat it. Your scores are very low, so you should be asking yourself why that is. Did your undergrad courses not prepare you enough? Have you not taken some of the classes yet? Do you take to long to answer the questions? Unless you shoot for an August test date, you are in for a rude awakening. Speaking from personal experience, you NEED to do well on the MCAT to have application success. Try a test prep course or something. Or study for 8 hours a day. Until your practice scores are in the low 30s, I wouldn't waste your money attempting the real thing.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

You are wasting your time and money to take the test with these practice scores. What's the point, and what's your rush?

 

[UVABranch]

i took AMCAS practice test 3 got 20 (P8 V6 B6)
i took practice test 4, got 21 (P8 V6 B7)

test day = may 16

i dont know what to do any help / tips?

It might sound like the end of the world, but it's better to postpone. I think you can reshedule up until 7 days before the test...although there may be some financial penalty. (they have to get u somehow). Anyway, you don't want to take it now just to take it. I did that in undergrad during 2-a-day football practices with very little studying. At that time it was only offeres 2x, but since there are several more chances to take the test and not delay your app I say study some more and take in july/august. Good luck!

 

[spicedmanna]

i dont want to waste another year... i want to start asap. thats why i'll goto carib if i dont get in allo

Supernareg, you need a little tough love here.

What the hell did you post those scores here expecting people to say!?!?

Those scores CLEARLY indicate that there is either something severely wrong with (HOPEFULLY) your preparation or (UNFORTUNATELY) your basic science education.

You'd be a FOOL to take the test this May. I can't emphasize that enough. Medical schools will receive this score if you complete the test. If you have the money, sign up for a Kaplan (or other) course or spend this summer studying your ass off. If you don't have the money do the same with as many books as you can afford (this solves the "preparation" aspect).

If you're scoring the same after this, you're going to want to do a post-bacc program. Showing you can do well in a medical curriculum and raising your MCAT score (as these programs have proven to do) would be beneficial for you.

Having posted as many times as you have, I suspect you should have known this, so I hope you're not baiting newb's here

In a society where people are now so afraid to be blunt, this post rules. There's really no way to sugar coat it. Your scores are very low, so you should be asking yourself why that is. Did your undergrad courses not prepare you enough? Have you not taken some of the classes yet? Do you take to long to answer the questions? Unless you shoot for an August test date, you are in for a rude awakening. Speaking from personal experience, you NEED to do well on the MCAT to have application success. Try a test prep course or something. Or study for 8 hours a day. Until your practice scores are in the low 30s, I wouldn't waste your money attempting the real thing.

You are wasting your time and money to take the test with these practice scores. What's the point, and what's your rush?

Exactly. I can't think of any compelling reason to rush into this knowing what you know about your practice scores only to shoot yourself in the foot. Don't be a fool.

[sarcasm]
On the other hand, if you are very intent on making this some sort of wicked and painful self-fulfilling prophesy where you end up going to a third-rate medical school in the Caribbean, then by all means go right ahead and take the test as you originally planned it. If you insist on making your life more difficult by performing poorly on the MCAT, then it's better to not waste time trying to improve further. However, keep in mind that the top Caribbean medical schools have standards, too, and even they will likely shudder at the sight of a 20 MCAT, or lower. Even if you did manage to get into a decent Caribbean medical school with a US clerkship, I doubt it will be the panacea you think it will be.
[/sarcasm]

Anyway, good luck.

 

[whatintheworld?]

i dont want to waste another year... i want to start asap. thats why i'll goto carib if i dont get in allo

Seriously... another year is NOTHING in the grand scheme of things. Think of how old you will be when you finish med school/residency-- being ONE year older will be no biggie if you make your goals and are doing what you want. However, rushing to the caribbean can make a world of difference and you may never reach your goals-- depending on what they are.

 

[Cirrus83]

So I had a question.. If one takes the mcat and scores low and then takes it again and improves will actually have the potential of hurting him b/c of the first low score? I would think that adcomms wouldn't mind seeing a low score that is backed up with an improvement?? any advice/thoughts? thanks

Yes it will hurt you compared to just doing well the first time around. And some schools even average your MCAT takes, which would really hurt you (although some schools will take the highest sections from each take, but obviously if you bomb the first one that isn't really helpful since most of the schools don't do this).

And anyways, if you score way higher the 2nd time all it shows is that you didn't prepare well enough the first time.

 

[moto_za]

i contacted my state school about this and they said that they would look at the improved score..but I still get the point and thanks for advice