Dropped 6 points on MCAT

[HamsterHuey]

Just got my MCAT scores back and am really disappointed. I took over TEN practice exams, all of them above 35, with the average at 37. My MCAT score was 31, 6 points below my average.

What the hell?! Are the kaplan and amcas practice MCATs bogus? How could I drop 6 points? That's like 2 different people taking the test.

So if I retake the MCAT, how will I know when I'm ready? Clearly averaging 37 on practice exams isn't enough. Also, there's no time for me to take it this cycle. I'd need to wait until next year (if I don't get in).

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[TxResident]

Those are practice tests, conditions are different.

Edit: Feel free to ask for a regrade (well not free...)

 

[HamsterHuey]

Yes, I understand they are practice tests, however my friends scored within 2 points of their practice tests. I was told that the practice tests are pretty accurate as well.

 

[Barcu]

A lot of people score lower on the real thing. Granted, 6 is quite a bit, but it's not unheard of.

As long as the rest of your app is good, and you aren't gunning for top tier, a 31 will be perfectly adequate.

If you decide to wait a year and take it again, there is a pretty good chance you will do better. You clearly are capable, and now you have one MCAT under your belt so you know what the real test day is like. But again, waiting a year to retake a 31 is not really necessary.

 

[HamsterHuey]

Also, people who I was scoring above on the practice tests outscored me on the MCAT. Maybe I have higher test anxiety?

 

[HamsterHuey]

Hey Barcu - Yeah, maybe I should retake in the winter if I'm not getting interview, huh?

 

[NeuroSpeare]

Also, people who I was scoring above on the practice tests outscored me on the MCAT. Maybe I have higher test anxiety?

Did you take all of your practice FLs under real test conditions? (i.e. timed)

 

[HamsterHuey]

Yep, all of them timed. I tried to make it exactly like text conditions.

 

[HamsterHuey]

As long as the rest of your app is good, and you aren't gunning for top tier, a 31 will be perfectly adequate.

Therein lies the problem: since I was scoring fairly high on the MCAT, I had delusions of grandeur and applied to some top-notch schools. I thought I would bring it on test-day. Instead, I laid an egg.

 

[MedPR]

Just got my MCAT scores back and am really disappointed. I took over TEN practice exams, all of them above 35, with the average at 37. My MCAT score was 31, 6 points below my average.

What the hell?! Are the kaplan and amcas practice MCATs bogus? How could I drop 6 points? That's like 2 different people taking the test.

So if I retake the MCAT, how will I know when I'm ready? Clearly averaging 37 on practice exams isn't enough. Also, there's no time for me to take it this cycle. I'd need to wait until next year (if I don't get in).

It's because you suck. Jk

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[NeuroSpeare]

Yep, all of them timed. I tried to make it exactly like text conditions.

Well, as others have pointed out, your situation is a bizzare one, though not unheard of. Usually the AMCAS FLs are good indicators of score...for example, my actual test score was right on the nose of my AMCAS FL average.

As for a diagnosis, I'd try and think about the test and what might have been different compared to your practice FLs. Was a certain section more difficult than usual? Did you get caught with less time than you were used to?

What were your section averages for practice tests, BS/PS/VR? Is it significantly off from your actual test breakdown?

 

[HamsterHuey]

As for a diagnosis, I'd try and think about the test and what might have been different compared to your practice FLs. Was a certain section more difficult than usual? Did you get caught with less time than you were used to?

What were your section averages for practice tests, BS/PS/VR? Is it significantly off from your actual test breakdown?

I bombed the VR, usually I do well on it. I didn't seem any more difficult, but when I started the VR section the proctor was standing behind me and that made me really anxious. I found that my anxiety was keeping me from reading and I had to keep going back to reread sections.

In the practice BS sections, I was getting 13s and 14s, but got an 11 on the actual. I got what I usually do with PS, a 12. It felt like the PS section went badly though.

So, from that you can figure, my VR score was 8! That's like a brain tumor diagnosis. I was getting scoring between 10 and 12 on practice exams, never ONCE scored an 8. My very first diagnostic test was a 9, but that instantly went up and all of my tests after studying were in the 10 to 12 range.

 

[Barcu]

Hey Barcu - Yeah, maybe I should retake in the winter if I'm not getting interview, huh?

Probably a good idea.

Again, the practice tests are usually pretty good indicators, so you may have just had an off day. It happens. No matter how hard you try and replicate real testing conditions, it's impossible to do.

And the 8 isn't doing you any favors. Score is a bit unbalance, which looks worse than a breakdown of 11/10/10 would.

Especially because it is later in the app cycle, you may be faced with the possibility of applying again. And if you do, re-taking the MCAT seems like a good thing to do.

 

[NeuroSpeare]

but when I started the VR section the proctor was standing behind me and that made me really anxious. I found that my anxiety was keeping me from reading and I had to keep going back to reread sections.

You had proctors in the testing room with you? That sounds terrible. The place where I took my test just had this secure room that you checked in and out of...no random proctors to look over your shoulder

Besides being the most hated section, it seems like Verbal is the most variable of the sections, too - in that, even a strong trend of scores can be broken by an odd test. Ignoring the drop in your BS score, it seems like you just got caught with a whacky verbal section + your nerves got the best of you.

I woudn't let your score get you down, though. A 31 isn't bad at all

 

[HamsterHuey]

Thanks for the feedback all. It was a bad day at the races for me. I'll just need to reevaluate and see what happens this cycle. Where before I felt like I could be selective, I'll be happy to interview anywhere now!

What really scares me about applying again is the cost. Yikes, I don't know how I could afford it.

 

[chillaxbro]

My test score was way higher than my average
Maybe our scores got mixed up

 

[SoulinNeed]

I know plenty of people who averaged high but got much lower than their average on the real thing. It happens.

 

[Nandrolone]

It can go both ways on the real thing. For instance, I averaged 31.5 on my AAMC practices, but got a 36 on the real thing.

 

[Cinclus]

It unfortunately happens that way sometimes. A 31 is nothing to sneeze at, however, so try not to get too worked up about it.

 

[Supisak]

+1 to a blatant opportunity to drop a 96th percentile MCAT score - solid.....

 

[Dires]

Kaplan's curve is egregiously kind.

 

[HamsterHuey]

It unfortunately happens that way sometimes. A 31 is nothing to sneeze at, however, so try not to get too worked up about it.

Yeah, I might sound entitled by complaining about it. It's tough to change expectations, though. I think I'm coming to terms. I feel like I could do a lot better, but I'll just have to wait and see where this score gets me. If I don't get in, then I'm going for 2014

 

[HamsterHuey]

Kaplan's curve is egregiously kind.

Yeah, I don't know. I found I was scoring the same on the Kaplan and the AAMC tests. I think the Kaplan tests were harder, so you could miss more and still end up with the same score after the curve.

 

[gyngyn]

Just got my MCAT scores back and am really disappointed. I took over TEN practice exams, all of them above 35, with the average at 37. My MCAT score was 31, 6 points below my average.

What the hell?! Are the kaplan and amcas practice MCATs bogus? How could I drop 6 points? That's like 2 different people taking the test.

So if I retake the MCAT, how will I know when I'm ready? Clearly averaging 37 on practice exams isn't enough. Also, there's no time for me to take it this cycle. I'd need to wait until next year (if I don't get in).

You can get in this cycle. Go to the MSAR and identify enough schools to give you a total of twenty with MCAT's and gpa's in your range. There is no reason not to give this cycle your best shot, you are already committed.

 

[Dires]

Yeah, I don't know. I found I was scoring the same on the Kaplan and the AAMC tests. I think the Kaplan tests were harder, so you could miss more and still end up with the same score after the curve.

Yeah everyone is different. I was just pointing out that the curve is more forgiving on the Kaplan tests. You are right though, it is due to the increase in difficulty.

 

[kpcrew]

Kaplan's curve is egregiously kind.

They gave me the same grades as the AAMC tests. I got the impression that Kaplan asked more difficult questions but compensated for it with the curve.

 

[mcworbust]

Same thing happened to me when I took it a while back - was scoring 35s on AAMCs and dropped to 30 on test day. I think anxiety was an issue, but my bigger problem was that I took a practice test the night before test day (I took 24 total, including all AAMCs). Did you happen to do anything dumb (like I did) the night before to throw you off or tire you out mentally? I applied late in the cycle too with a depressed score and luckily got in, so you definately have a shot but I'd prepare as if you are reapplying starting soon and take it again before re-applying (if needed). best of luck!

 

[HamsterHuey]

Same thing happened to me when I took it a while back - was scoring 35s on AAMCs and dropped to 30 on test day. I think anxiety was an issue, but my bigger problem was that I took a practice test the night before test day (I took 24 total, including all AAMCs). Did you happen to do anything dumb (like I did) the night before to throw you off or tire you out mentally? I applied late in the cycle too with a depressed score and luckily got in, so you definately have a shot but I'd prepare as if you are reapplying starting soon and take it again before re-applying (if needed). best of luck!

Hey, thank you for sharing this story. I tried to take it easy the day before test day, but it was clear to me when I started taking the test that anxiety had gotten the better of me. It wasn't like being a little jittery, it was freezing, staring at the screen, and panicking because I knew I was wasting time. That happened to me the first time I took a practice MCAT, but I thought that I'd shaken it. Not so!

Thanks for your advice and giving some hope!

 

[HamsterHuey]

You can get in this cycle. Go to the MSAR and identify enough schools to give you a total of twenty with MCAT's and and gpa's in your range. There is no reason not to give this cycle your best shot, you are already committed.

Thanks! I'll give it my best shot

 

[pasiley]

Yeah, I don't know. I found I was scoring the same on the Kaplan and the AAMC tests. I think the Kaplan tests were harder, so you could miss more and still end up with the same score after the curve.

I consistently scored much higher on the Kaplans than the AAMCs.

The harder the test, the better I did. I realized if I came out of a section and felt terrible, I scored high. If I came out and felt good, I scored lower. I knew my material well but tended to make stupid mistakes. The harder the material, the more opportunities I had to compensate for those stupid little mistakes most other people who didn't know their material as well didn't get but they were better at easy questions because they didn't "overthink" the question.

On my real test it was no different. The sections I thought were terrible i did the best. The easiest section, I did the worst (same score as my diagnostic months earlier ).

I lucked out, 2/3 of my sections were difficult on the real thing. When things are difficult "over thinking" is a good thing. If you get unlucky and get an easy test, you can get a 31

 

[EnergyDrink]

I think I averaged a 36, I scored >34 consistently, and had a high score of 39 on AAMC tests. I scored a 32 on the real one.

The test really played against me. I'm very good with math and numbers, and I didn't review organic much at all. Of course, my test was math light and organic heavy.

 

[deleted439911]

Just got my MCAT scores back and am really disappointed. I took over TEN practice exams, all of them above 35, with the average at 37. My MCAT score was 31, 6 points below my average.

stop bragging dude

 

[coquito]

OP, I feel your pain. I don't think you're bragging. It's a real drag to drop so far from what you expected. I was in a similar situation with about the same averages and my lowest practice score was one 35. (Real conditions, timed and everything.)

Real deal... I pulled a 33. After getting 12+ across the board in PS (and only one 11), I got slammed with a bunch of calculation-heavy physics passages on test day (I am a chemistry teacher, go figure). Got a 10 in PS. I also had prepared my list in anticipation of 35+, and I'm a Cali resident. Decided to give it my best shot this cycle because I thought schools might question my priorities retaking a 33.

But I'll start studying for a re-take in Jan if things don't work out. I only have one interview invite so far, and it's from a school I thought of as my super safety

Good luck and hope you still have some success this year!

 

[CoolWhipp]

OP, I feel your pain. I don't think you're bragging. It's a real drag to drop so far from what you expected. I was in a similar situation with about the same averages and my lowest practice score was one 35. (Real conditions, timed and everything.)

Real deal... I pulled a 33. After getting 12+ across the board in PS (and only one 11), I got slammed with a bunch of calculation-heavy physics passages on test day (I am a chemistry teacher, go figure). Got a 10 in PS. I also had prepared my list in anticipation of 35+, and I'm a Cali resident. Decided to give it my best shot this cycle because I thought schools might question my priorities retaking a 33.

But I'll start studying for a re-take in Jan if things don't work out. I only have one interview invite so far, and it's from a school I thought of as my super safety

Good luck and hope you still have some success this year!

If you don't get in, it's not going to be because of your 33.

 

[Eiot]

It unfortunately happens that way sometimes. A 31 is nothing to sneeze at, however, so try not to get too worked up about it.

Was my first thought.

 

[ilikevegetables]

Yeah, for sure, I definitely feel your pain. I had basically the exact same situation, actually, except I ended up with a 9P/12V/10B after running out of time on the physics section. Unfortunately, it happens, and with rolling admissions taking another test (especially if you allow yourself some time to study before said retake) is gonna put you so far back in the pile of applicants that it might end up hurting you even if you do get a better score. And it's not a guarantee that you will do better...

But yeah, in all honesty, I feel pretty confident that a 31, combined with an otherwise strong application, is good enough into a medical school, and that's good enough for me

 

[HamsterHuey]

Yeah, for sure, I definitely feel your pain. I had basically the exact same situation, actually, except I ended up with a 9P/12V/10B after running out of time on the physics section. Unfortunately, it happens, and with rolling admissions taking another test (especially if you allow yourself some time to study before said retake) is gonna put you so far back in the pile of applicants that it might end up hurting you even if you do get a better score. And it's not a guarantee that you will do better...

But yeah, in all honesty, I feel pretty confident that a 31, combined with an otherwise strong application, is good enough into a medical school, and that's good enough for me

Yeah, I feel like I have wrestled with it enough. I just found out this week, so it took some time for me to process it and get back on the horse.

Way to stay positive! Applying to medical school is draining (especially when something goes wrong). I'm glad that at least all the major pieces are done, even if they didn't go exactly as I wanted.

And to others: No, I'm certainly not bragging, and that wasn't my intention when I said that my average on practice tests was 37. I was providing that info to compare my actual score to. I totally understand though: a 31 is a decent score and I should move on with it! Also, I want to make it clear that I had to work hard to get my average up to a 37 average, so I'm not one of those gifted students who sits down and kills the MCAT on his first try!