How beneficial is voiding?

[justalittlestar]

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So I need advice. I'm sitting for the August 7th MCAT. My average for practice tests for AAMC 9 and 11 is a 22 average (taken in order with 11 most recent). I haven't taken AAMC 5 and 10 but plan to in the next couple weeks. The breakdown for 9 and 11 respectively is a 7 and 8 in PS, 8 and 10 in VR, in and 7 and 4 🙁 in BS. My goal was a 33. I've now brought it down to a 30 or 31. My TBR CBT average for 4 tests has been similar, I took TBR CBT 4 today and scored a 24 (8/10/6)

I'm confident about my VR scores but, I've been averaging 10s-11s in TBR CBTs also so I'm guessing ill land somewhere between 8-11 on the real MCAT. I'm not even worried about my PS score as much anymore because it's gone up from a 6 when I initially started studying five months ago. However, BS has been consistently bad for me and total confidence killer.

So here's where I need advice, I want to try for a 30, my score at 22 is up from 18 a few months ago in March. I feel that I know most of the content but need work on understanding graphs in BS and correcting mistakes in PS. I'm thinking I definitely will void the exam even though I hate it and my family hates it, I've already pushed the test back about 3 times now (once because of a family emergency), I feel my best bet is to void and practice test taking with FLs so I can improve my score.

Does anyone else have any experience with voiding the exam? Was taking the exam at all beneficial for when you decided to take it again and have it score?

 

[toastytoes]

Are you applying this cycle, by chance? If so, I think you're going to need a score sooner rather than later, so voiding would just push things back further...
That being said, if you aren't applying this cycle, and your goal is a 30, I wouldn't take it as your scores are not close to your goal yet. Hate to say it, but consider the new MCAT next year?

 

[wegotthis14]

Congratulations on the improvement!

I haven't personally voided the exam, but I know quite a few people who have. They absolutely don't regret it, and they scored well when they actually took it! That being said, they were scoring the same on their practice tests right before the retake. If anything, this will give you the opportunity to practice taking the MCAT in a real testing environment. Also, the physics section on the newer MCAT is pretty different from what was on the AAMC's, so it will give you the chance to get a feel for it.

 

[justalittlestar]

Are you applying this cycle, by chance? If so, I think you're going to need a score sooner rather than later, so voiding would just push things back further...
That being said, if you aren't applying this cycle, and your goal is a 30, I wouldn't take it as your scores are not close to your goal yet. Hate to say it, but consider the new MCAT next year?

Not sure how to answer that question, I'm a non- traditional URM, I've been out of school for a while, done the pre-reqs and I'm now looking in to mostly DO master's programs I want to get my app in early nov/dec but really wanted to get a score above or at 30 before applying (now realizing after taking AAMC practice tests that it's not as easy).

 

[orangetea]

How have you been studying? Those scores show that your content is lacking a bit... I think heavy post game analysis to see where you are weak and easily raise those scores to a 10. Anything after that is getting used to the question types and the traps they use so you can avoid them which would bring you up to 13 imo. After THAT it's just luck because each question is the difference between a 14/15. Honestly you are actually in a good place because most people try to improve verbal which is so hard to improve but the sciences are just about learning content and answering test questions 🙂

 

[justalittlestar]

How have you been studying? Those scores show that your content is lacking a bit... I think heavy post game analysis to see where you are weak and easily raise those scores to a 10. Anything after that is getting used to the question types and the traps they use so you can avoid them which would bring you up to 13 imo. After THAT it's just luck because each question is the difference between a 14/15. Honestly you are actually in a good place because most people try to improve verbal which is so hard to improve but the sciences are just about learning content and answering test questions 🙂

Yeah I've heard verbal is tough to improve in but when I first started AAMC practice tests I had a 6 in VR as well. I really just learned how to highlight a lot more and use the passage to find the answers and somehow got up to a 10.

I've been using the famed TBR books for content and sometimes for practice but mostly TPR Science workbook for practice. I also did some Gold Standard CBTs and Kaplan FLs and got about the same 7/8 in PS, a 9 in PS on Kaplan (I hear their scores are inflated). I wanted to get the Kaplan Q Bank but invested in AAMC PS self-assessment instead. I'm thinking of buying the BS self-assessment as I've yet to see real improvement with my BS score and the graphs always seems to throw me off.

 

[GodComplex]

Like others have said before me, I feel that you are lacking in content knowledge if you are scoring so low. For bio, in my experience, TBR was way too detailed and was too time consuming. I would try looking at a separate source for your bio content review and see how that works out for you.

Also, it is easier said than done, but don't get discouraged when you get answers wrong. Look at them, analyze why you got them wrong, find out which area of content that question comes from and then use those incorrect answers as a guide to improve your weaknesses. For me, what really helped was making cards of the concepts for most of the questions that I got wrong or that I was unsure about. I would also write the question on the card or make my own question occasionally. You have to find a way to build upon your incorrect answers rather than glossing over them and becoming discouraged by them.