Feeling Left Behind

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Merissa87

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I feel like all of my friends are improving on their MCAT scores but me; does anyone feel like this??

One of my friends took the semester off just to study MCAT and she is improving so well and another one of my friends works full time but studies MCAT in all of her spare time. She just hit the 30 mark on practice tests. I'm going to school full time and I still work part time, and I put absolutely as much time in to TPR and MCAT as I can but I'm not seeing the improvement that they are.

I'm just so scared that they both get their 30+ scores and get into med school and I'm left behing sitting another year out. Does anyone feel like this????:(

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well since it seems to be working quite well for one of your friends, do you think you would be able to take a summer off to study too? I realize it might not be possible, but if it is, I think it would be worth it.
 
I think one problem people have with MCAT studying and life in general is comparing themselves to others. You friends are improving because they're spending more time on it, but that aside maybe they're just better equipped for this kind of test. You can only do what you can do. If you think the MCAT is more important than your part time job and that you'd really be doing a lot better if you didn't have that job, then quit the job. We all have different things on our plate and different knowledge bases, it would be silly to think that if you study just as much as someone else you should be doing just as well. This is simply not the case. I know a friend who has been studying for months now, studies a lot more than me, is taking the MCAT in late may, and quite honestly I feel knows a lot more than me. For whatever reason though he's been struggling with getting "the same scores" as me. It is not a matter of knowledge, nor is it a matter of time spent, I'm simply better equipped for this kind of test than he is.

Point is you can't worry about what other people are doing because their scores/envying their scores isn't what's going to get YOU into med school. Do what you can, don't get discouraged, and if it's not enough then get left behind, study more, and take it again. Other than that what more can you do?
 
I studied with a friend for several months before I took the MCAT for the first time and failed miserably. We were both always comparing ourselves. I was always ahead on the sciences, she was always ahead on the verbal reasoning. It sucked having to worry about THAT on top of worrying about the MCAT in general. She ended up kicking my *** in the real thing.

I would say to sort of isolate yourself in the study process more. I've done that this time, and it has helped me. I mean, it's awesome having a study partner as a treat once in awhile. But testing together then sharing your scores??? Ugh, that brings back bad memories. Focus on yourself improving. It will happen.
 
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I also want to say that I find it hard to believe that anyone can muster up the guts to studied for a good 3 hours after a 10 or 12 hour work day, 5 days per week. I have tried and ended up having to tell my boss (who is a physician and luckily understood) that I could only work one day per week. You can't improve on the MCAT if you don't know the content, and learning the content takes major TIME.
 
don't worry you are not alone.
I keep comparing myself to the 30+ thread and get even more depressed. My practice scores are no where I want them to be, the best I have got is 26 on a kaplan, then I took aamc #7 last week (one that is supposed to be on the easy side) and getting the same percentages as I usually get, I got a 19!
I am going to see how I feel towards the middle of May, but if I am not ready I am going to drop biochem over summer and just study my a** off, I suggest you do the same.
Problem is I don't really want to take a year off because I'm old as it is, but I just might have to.
 
don't worry you are not alone.
I keep comparing myself to the 30+ thread and get even more depressed. My practice scores are no where I want them to be, the best I have got is 26 on a kaplan, then I took aamc #7 last week (one that is supposed to be on the easy side) and getting the same percentages as I usually get, I got a 19!
I am going to see how I feel towards the middle of May, but if I am not ready I am going to drop biochem over summer and just study my a** off, I suggest you do the same.
Problem is I don't really want to take a year off because I'm old as it is, but I just might have to.

oh clearly, at the feeble age of 23, grim death is just around the bend.
 
oh clearly, at the feeble age of 23, grim death is just around the bend.
*snort* :laugh:

OK seriously though- as someone who tried to do way too much while studying for the MCAT and has the very average score to show for it (twice), I would strongly advise you guys to cut back on other things and give attention to this test. Yes, your score is that important.
 
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