systematicX
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My first MCAT was a 501, when I averaged 515~520 in my practice tests, so I know how you feel at the moment. I attribute my failure to not taking the full-length tests in the testing conditions, and I honestly think the actual MCAT is harder than the AAMC FL tests. I studied much more content based the second time around and scored a 513, so focus more on the content than the questions of the FL tests. Since you aren't applying this cycle, you should probably aim to take it next January, and in the meantime, I would look for clinical or research experiences to fill your gap in.
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Sorry this happened to you.
Most important thing--do NOT rush to retake. So many people "hurry up" to retake and wind up compounding a bad situation by getting another subpar score. I do agree that it is going to be too late to apply this year, pretty much regardless. So take the next couple of weeks to just grieve and don't make a plan (and become anchored to it) while you're still on tilt.
When to retake really depends on what you were planning to do this year and what your other plans are going to be.
Most important thing--do NOT rush to retake. So many people "hurry up" to retake and wind up compounding a bad situation by getting another subpar score. I do agree that it is going to be too late to apply this year, pretty much regardless. So take the next couple of weeks to just grieve and don't make a plan (and become anchored to it) while you're still on tilt.
When to retake really depends on what you were planning to do this year and what your other plans are going to be.
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I am so sorry you went through that, I know how frustrating it is to make less than you have expected. However, take your time and for this week, just dedicate to the things you enjoy!
I also agree with this. I recently saw a quote that said that "through pain and grieving is when we truly learn our most valuable lessons." Also remember that Med School isn't going anywhere for the next cycle. In fact, you can take this time to become much more competitive than before! For the meantime, I know it sucks but you aren't alone and you've got this.
Thank you for sharing your experiences through your process
frogjumper27
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Hi! The same thing happened to me on the real MCAT. I was averaging right around my goal score on the FL's, and then I scored way lower on the real thing. I was devastated. I let myself be sad for about a week, and then I made a plan to take it again and crush it.
I only took about a month to re-study and prep for my retake. I spent this time doing 75+ UWorld questions a day and practice tests on the weekend. I retook it, and scored my highest score ever. I know it sucks right now, but this is not the end. Whenever you're ready, pull yourself together and retake the test. You 100% got this!
I only took about a month to re-study and prep for my retake. I spent this time doing 75+ UWorld questions a day and practice tests on the weekend. I retook it, and scored my highest score ever. I know it sucks right now, but this is not the end. Whenever you're ready, pull yourself together and retake the test. You 100% got this!
D
deleted1153195
This is more than good enough to get into a medical school. Many DO programs would take this in a heartbeat granted you have good experiences
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Please apply. Just apply broadly. You've worked sooo hard. Keep going!
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Don't be! 504 is an above average score to be realistic. Learn from it, study based on what you learned and come back ready to achieve. There are also programs that will take that score. The MCAT is not everything. One of the smartest docs that I have worked with said that he retook the MCAT 3 times. Not suggesting that you take it 3 times, but the MCAT doesn't make great docs. It's the resiliency of continuing to move forward through bad news, that makes great docs.
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Don’t apply with a 504
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A recent publication form the AAMC indicates the following:
"Data suggest that average score gains on the second attempt are greater when the time between the first and second attempt is greater."
www.aamc.org
Don't let the pressure for an immediate application cause you to dig a deeper hole!
"Data suggest that average score gains on the second attempt are greater when the time between the first and second attempt is greater."
Tools and Resources for Using MCAT® Scores in Medical School Admissions
The resources on this page are designed to help you prepare and orient your committee members on how to use the new scores in your admissions process.
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There are tons of DO schools that will give the OP his/her dream to be a doctor with a 504. And the attending salary will be the same as an MD.
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I wanted to wait a while before responding, because advice in the heat of the moment (right after you got your score back) can be irrational and based too much on emotions. Hopefully you've had enough time to cool down.
Thankfully there were some amazing replies from multiple posters (Goro, Go Wemby Go, and gyngyn are guaranteed to give you gold). I'm hopeful that you took some time to regroup and evaluate everything, especially your timeline. The biggest thing that happened with your score was a shift in your timeline for applying to medical school. That's huge in the short term, but in the big picture is a blip on your life's path.
Before you do anything else, write down everything you recall from your exam. I don't mean questions and passages, but the little things. How was your focus, your stress, your anxiety level, and your immediate response to weird questions? What surprised you on the exam and about the exam? How much of a factor did you not being the best test-taking version of yourself that day affect your score? After you assess that, ask yourself if there were subjects you didn't know, questions that made no sense, or tables/graphs/charts that overwhelmed you. This is essential, because it will dictate whether you focus on content (content is very rarely the issue when someone scores >500 but more than 10 points below what they expected) or on test taking.
I have seen many (and by many, I mean a few hundred) people raise their score from around 500 (24 back in the day) to 510 or higher (31 back in the day). In nearly every instance, it came down to looking at AAMC questions differently. It came down to worrying less about the content of a passage and more about the trends and the fundamental information buried in their tables and figures. It came down to learning the art of taking an AAMC exam. I found that when a student discovered a new way to solve a problem, they were less susceptible to making a careless mistake. When they developed confidence in their revised approach, they were able to work through material more quickly and without wasting time second-guessing themselves. You need to get to that point mentally.
This next time preparing, you need to focus on test skills and how to approach AAMC materials. Try questions from multiple resources and see if your techniques work on all of them. If they work on everything you try, then you will walk in more prepared.
As far as what to study, I have my strong opinions of what is the most helpful and what is ineffective. I refrain from sharing my exact thoughts, because they go against the grain for the most part. I will say generically, a different resource is best for each of the four subtests on the MCAT. To be best prepared, you will will find company X is best for CARS, company Y is best for PS, company Z is best for CP, and company Q is best for BB. Some of these items are even free.
Most importantly, do AAMC materials again. Do them more than once. Take FLs a second time. Do their SBs a second and third time. The score is so unimportant; it's about exposure to the style and recognizing their nuances. It's like watching a movie a few times, where you see something you didn't notice before and you ultimately get a better understanding of the movie.
You will be fine in time. Getting that score back no doubt sucked and left a cerebral scar for life. Guess what... you'll meet several people in medical school with the same scar. One night after power studying, you'll compare battle scars and laugh about them.
Good luck!
Thankfully there were some amazing replies from multiple posters (Goro, Go Wemby Go, and gyngyn are guaranteed to give you gold). I'm hopeful that you took some time to regroup and evaluate everything, especially your timeline. The biggest thing that happened with your score was a shift in your timeline for applying to medical school. That's huge in the short term, but in the big picture is a blip on your life's path.
Before you do anything else, write down everything you recall from your exam. I don't mean questions and passages, but the little things. How was your focus, your stress, your anxiety level, and your immediate response to weird questions? What surprised you on the exam and about the exam? How much of a factor did you not being the best test-taking version of yourself that day affect your score? After you assess that, ask yourself if there were subjects you didn't know, questions that made no sense, or tables/graphs/charts that overwhelmed you. This is essential, because it will dictate whether you focus on content (content is very rarely the issue when someone scores >500 but more than 10 points below what they expected) or on test taking.
I have seen many (and by many, I mean a few hundred) people raise their score from around 500 (24 back in the day) to 510 or higher (31 back in the day). In nearly every instance, it came down to looking at AAMC questions differently. It came down to worrying less about the content of a passage and more about the trends and the fundamental information buried in their tables and figures. It came down to learning the art of taking an AAMC exam. I found that when a student discovered a new way to solve a problem, they were less susceptible to making a careless mistake. When they developed confidence in their revised approach, they were able to work through material more quickly and without wasting time second-guessing themselves. You need to get to that point mentally.
This next time preparing, you need to focus on test skills and how to approach AAMC materials. Try questions from multiple resources and see if your techniques work on all of them. If they work on everything you try, then you will walk in more prepared.
As far as what to study, I have my strong opinions of what is the most helpful and what is ineffective. I refrain from sharing my exact thoughts, because they go against the grain for the most part. I will say generically, a different resource is best for each of the four subtests on the MCAT. To be best prepared, you will will find company X is best for CARS, company Y is best for PS, company Z is best for CP, and company Q is best for BB. Some of these items are even free.
Most importantly, do AAMC materials again. Do them more than once. Take FLs a second time. Do their SBs a second and third time. The score is so unimportant; it's about exposure to the style and recognizing their nuances. It's like watching a movie a few times, where you see something you didn't notice before and you ultimately get a better understanding of the movie.
You will be fine in time. Getting that score back no doubt sucked and left a cerebral scar for life. Guess what... you'll meet several people in medical school with the same scar. One night after power studying, you'll compare battle scars and laugh about them.
Good luck!
systematicX
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Congrats! That must have been an amazing feeling. I truly believe if this is something you want you will find a way to get it! This is exactly what I am currently doing. I also took about a month to re-study. How many months after you initial mcat did you retake? Did you feel like you forgot a lot or was it easier studying second time around?
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I can offer one suggestion. You get nervous, anxious etc only when you aim for a specific target score. Please avoid it. Your aim should only be on how to get every possible question correct, be it in practice test or real test. Do your best and tell yourself “I have given my best, there is nothing I could have possibly done more. So, I will accept whatever the final score I get “.
systematicX
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Question (not sure if I should continue posting in the same thread)- I am 2 weeks out from my 2nd MCAT attempt. I have used up all my AAMC practice exams 4 months ago. Should I retake those (which ones are best to retake?) or should I do a combination of retakes and other FLE’s? I’ve already taken 3 non AAMC FLE‘s so far and I keep scoring roughly the same score (510-512) 😭 I don’t know what else to do from now til exam time other then anki and uworld. Please help! Looking forward to suggestions
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Yes, keep following up in the same thread, so people can see the progress & previous comments.
I don't have recommendations for more studying but take some days off and/or review topics you often get wrong
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Which non-AAMC tests have you taken? I personally am a big fan of Blueprint but have heard decent things about other 3rd party tests as well.
If you've already taken all the AAMC FLs, go ahead and use Blueprint/other 3rd party exams.
However, I would consider retaking AAMC's FL4 and FL5 (the free scored test). Your score won't be predictive, but those two are the closest in difficulty to the real thing, so I still think it would be very valuable.
I would also practice with the AAMC Section Banks and CARS Question Packs. You need to get used to the "AAMC logic," and these questions will help you with that.
As you're going through FLs, Section Banks, and QPacks, make notes in a spreadsheet about each question you get wrong, why you got it wrong, and any "lessons learned." Review this sheet regularly to make sure the lessons stay in your mind.
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People typically score better, assuming you've been taking your practice tests in simulated exam conditions. When's your retake scheduled?
