How did you react to seeing your MCAT score?

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Ursa

Ursa

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The good, the bad, and the ugly. We started talking about this in another thread, and I thought it would be an interesting topic to discuss separately.

Share your story of the day(s) you saw that fateful number on your computer screen.
 
1) shocked that the score actually loaded
2) read the score, double checked
3) considered retaking, realized i was crazy
4) watched some TV
 
It was the best day ever. I went to visit a friend to take my mind off getting my scores that day, and while he was out volunteering since my BF and I couldn't join him, we went to check out a posh (!) hotel for information about having our wedding/housing guests there and ended up having a drink at the bar while we waited. I got my scores while we were there and was so excited - nearly knocked the BF off his stool hugging him - they comped us a plate full of the most delicious desserts known to man!
 
1. Was studying with friends the day it posted. I kept checking, and all of a sudden it was up - my friend jumped over the table to look at it. I saw the score and had to read it 3 times.
2. I was disappointed because it was like 3 points lower than my practice tests. Considered retaking for about 0.02 secs before realizing it was still a good score.
3. Suddenly got so excited that I ran out of the room and started dialing my mom on the phone. She actually died two months earlier and I was dialing her out of habit. Realized my mistake and suddenly got sad.
4. Called my sister and was combined happy/sad
5. Went out with friends to drink and celebrate

Emotional day.
 
I gasped loud enough for nearly everyone in my office to come and see what was up (though they knew I was waiting for my MCAT score), then I bounced up and down like a hyperactive kid for a few minutes while I called my husband, my mom, and in-laws to spill. I had the biggest stupid cheeser grin on my face for the rest of the day, and I'm pretty sure my husband took me out to dinner.
 
rafflecopter said:
3. Suddenly got so excited that I ran out of the room and started dialing my mom on the phone. She actually died two months earlier and I was dialing her out of habit. Realized my mistake and suddenly got sad.
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🙁!!!!!!!!!
 
bleargh said:
🙁!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

+1. so sorry, raffle :cry:


I was at work, ON EDGE the whole day because it was score day (so who wouldn't be). Pretty much refused to leave my computer (SDN and AAMC always up on the screen, hah). Eventually, scores showed. I was momentarily disappointed with not meeting my goal of 30+, but then I remembered how terrible I thought I had done and was pleasantly surprised! My boss was in the office so I went up to him and told him the news. He hugged me after I explained that it was a decent score. Then, I texted bf since he was in class so I couldn't call. 👍
 
I don't really remember what I did when I saw my score (probably went "oh, that's nice" *shrug* or something) ...but I do remember the minute I finished the exam. I left the building, got in my car, sped home on the freeway blasting extremely fratty music with my windows down, hung out at my sorority's flag football tournament, and got mega-sunburned. Life was good.
 
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Freaked out all day. No scores before dinner. Went to dinner. Came home. Still no scores. Obsessively refreshed SDN. Scores are up! Looked at my score. My first reaction was to be disappointed because I sucked at the writing section and did worse than I expected on the PS. Then I actually used my mad addition skillz to figure out the total score.....EXCITED
 
After I took the MCAT: *facepalm* for 3 hours back to my hometown.

When I got the scores: fell out of my chair b/c I thought I scored about a 12 the day I took it...21st birthday was the next day. Life was good.
 
Saw my score and felt utterly defeated because I did not break a 30 (I got a 29) and it was my second attempt (first was a 24). Horrendously disappointed in myself. Sat down and cried for most of the evening and wasn't even going to apply but my boyfriend and mom pushed me to apply. Didn't get in anywhere because I applied super late but got three interviews and WLs. Applied early this year and have two acceptances now. Guess it was okay in the end but it felt like my whole world came crashing down on me at the time.
 
First attempt: Got scores and super excited because I did great in everything... except physics. I had gone from a 4 on my first practice test to a 7 on the real thing... but didn't break 30 (@ the time, was pretty happy with my 28). I knew another second attempt score was coming in three weeks, due to family pressure to retake (we put my dog to sleep the same day I took my first MCAT and the Chicago airshow was practicing throughout the biology section. ughhhh)

Second attempt: Sat on couch to check score and cried for awhile. 2 points lower. 7 on the physics section still.

Third attempt: After studying my ass off all summer, freaked out during the physics section and withdrew from the exam. Freaked out over canceling the test- as I am not one to give up on anything. Never saw that score but rescheduled for 2 weeks later, at a different testing center.

Fourth attempt (day I got the score back): Happiest day ever!! 11 on the physics section! and 10+ on everything else. wo0t. Still jumping for job over that. 🙂

(don't really recall what I did the rest of that day... probably called my mom and went out for a beer).

Anyways, I just wanted to share the not so happy moments of the MCAT... but how determination can make it a happy score/event.
 
Friend texted me saying scores were out, but I was at a research conference with my PI. Spent 20 minutes trying to get it to load on my phone. FINALLY got it to work and was ecstatic the rest of the day. Especially when PI said it was the highest score of anyone he's mentored 🙂
 
rafflecopter said:
3. Suddenly got so excited that I ran out of the room and started dialing my mom on the phone. She actually died two months earlier and I was dialing her out of habit. Realized my mistake and suddenly got sad.

Emotional day.
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🙁... Sorry to hear that dude..i think this is the first time i actually ever felt sad reading something someone posted on a forum. Good luck to you sir
 
I almost voided my score on test day. I didn't check my score until a week after it was released.

37

Pleasantly surprised. It was 3 points higher than my test averages.
 
rafflecopter said:
3. Suddenly got so excited that I ran out of the room and started dialing my mom on the phone. She actually died two months earlier and I was dialing her out of habit. Realized my mistake and suddenly got sad.
Click to expand...

Wow.. so incredibly sorry. 🙁 Says a lot about you that you were able to still take the test and carry on through this crazy process. Much respect to you. Good luck. :luck:
 
Kind of a mixed day. Up until I got my scores, I was feeling kind of sick with worry as I really thought I had botched the test. When I got my scores later that day, I just kind of stared at them for a minute and kept adding up the individual scores. I honestly must have done that 5 or more times :laugh: After, I called my parents, told them the news, they drove an hour to see me and take me/roommates out for dinner. Good night!
 
I saw a post (don't remember who or where) that said: "I looked at the screen and it said 45...I was kind of disappointed at first, but then I remembered that I have good EC's."

Troll
 
1. Was really nervous the whole day.
2. Kept obsessively checking until about 3PM.
3. Realized that obsessively checking would not help me. Went to go play my trombone and then to rehearsal.
4. Got back around 6.
5. Checked score; my score was almost exactly my AAMC average (which was high).
6. Yelped in excitement.
7. Profit.
 
I was so nervous on the score release date, I could barely focus. I went home that night and checked my score. I seriously thought I the score was wrong cause my actual score was 4 points lower than my average and 1 or 2 points lower than my lowest practice test. Needless to say, I was pretty bummed. I almost didn't apply but then I thought "well, I have the fee assistance so why not give it a shot." I'm glad I did too because I've gotten 9 interviews so far (4 DO, 5 MD). 🙂
 
I let off a huuuuuge sigh of relief. I scored almost exactly as I had been on my practice exams. And then I called my mom. And then took the weekend off to celebrate.
 
Wow. A lot of good stories. Hopefully mine ends up the same way. 🙂
 
I was extremely disappointed. I had some issues come up on test day (long story short: they said I could move my car, I moved it, and then they told me that they had to file a report and could invalidate my scores). I was scoring much higher on my practice tests. Called my dad, he did his google thing and told me that a 30 really isn't bad but I'm still annoyed cause it basically killed my chances for MD/PhD. 🙁

A part of me wishes I could just stop applying this cycle and retake my MCATs but it's a bit too late for that. now i just gotta wait and hope my life story, ECs and 3.9 gpa make up for my mediocre mcat.
 
I took the MCAT thinking that I would have to retake it, so I wasn't stressing too much about it. I went through the test, drove an hour across town, then immediately sat down to take a final. I went on a vacay the next day.

Result: a 34Q and an A on my final 🙂

I had it set in my mind that I'd retake if I got less than a 35, then my mom pulled up the percentiles and convinced me to stick with my score. Mom always knows best.
 
I didn't know how to feel. I'd done about the same as my AAMC FL average, which was well, and so should have been happy. I could have done better, though, and so part of me was a little disappointed. More than that, I felt a bit empty - unsure of what to do next. It's like when Inigo Montoya finally kills the 6 fingered man. He's finished his quest, and now he has no idea what the hell he's doing with himself.
 
phltz said:
I didn't know how to feel. I'd done about the same as my AAMC FL average, which was well, and so should have been happy. I could have done better, though, and so part of me was a little disappointed. More than that, I felt a bit empty - unsure of what to do next. It's like when Inigo Montoya finally kills the 6 fingered man. He's finished his quest, and now he has no idea what the hell he's doing with himself.
Click to expand...

I like this analogy except for its missing one thing. What you do after your MCAT is ... [drumroll please] ... apply!! :idea:
 
1. Saw my verbal score, died a little.
2. Saw my physics score and thought "that was expected".
3. Glanced over my writing score, thought it was an O at first but it was really a Q. Didn't care much for it.
3. Saw my bio score and was shocked because I thought I did a lot worse.

Overall disappointed because I was getting high 30s, low 40s with no VR score below a 10 on any practice. I phoned my mom and phoned my brother and they were excited, then I told them the score was unbalanced and they said not to worry about it as long as I meet cut-offs. I spent the rest of the day playing Pokemon Firered.
 
It was my second time taking it since my score was close to expiring for some schools, so my main goal was just not scoring lower than my first attempt(31) since it had been years since my basic science courses. When I saw 35 I was pretty happy then went out and celebrated with friends. 🙂
 
At first I was disappointed, my score was 1-2 points lower than the AAMC average, way bellow the Kaplan averages. On closer inspection my and physical sciences dropped 3 and 2 points respectively, but my VR raised by 3 points! I got a good score, I debated taking it again, knowing I could do better, and decided the stress wasn't worth it. If I don't get in this cycle I'll retake it, but I really really hope that doesn't happen.
 
Mithril said:
1. Saw my verbal score, died a little.
2. Saw my physics score and thought "that was expected".
3. Glanced over my writing score, thought it was an O at first but it was really a Q. Didn't care much for it.
3. Saw my bio score and was shocked because I thought I did a lot worse.

Overall disappointed because I was getting high 30s, low 40s with no VR score below a 10 on any practice. I phoned my mom and phoned my brother and they were excited, then I told them the score was unbalanced and they said not to worry about it as long as I meet cut-offs. I spent the rest of the day playing Pokemon Firered.
Click to expand...
:laugh:

Show some self-restraint you party animal!!
 
I got nothing done all day at work between refreshing the scores page, and saying "Nope, not yet!" to people who kept dropping by my cube because they knew I was waiting for scores.Finally around 9pm my sister called to see if scores were up, and I was climbing the walls by then because they weren't yet. We were chatting and I kept idly hitting Refresh and suddenly Ack! There they are! 😱

So she's on the other end of the line going "what? what is it?!!?!" and I'm sputtering as I'm simultaneously reacting to each section score while trying to explain it to her. "Is that good?" "Um, hmm, the total score is 🙂 and that VR score is 😀 and PS is 😎 but, hmm, BS... 🙁 yeah that Bio score is not quite what I was expecting... well I don't know, I mean I guess it's OK but, hmm... Waitaminnit WTF writing score is Q?!?! 😕 "
 
dy7fpt.gif
 
rafflecopter said:
3. Suddenly got so excited that I ran out of the room and started dialing my mom on the phone. She actually died two months earlier and I was dialing her out of habit. Realized my mistake and suddenly got sad.


Emotional day.
Click to expand...


That just made me sad... I'm sorry about your loss...
 
Yeah, so I cried...in a good way. With a sub-3.0 gpa, I knew the MCAT could be a game changer for me. Ended up with a 36T. Only 1 interview thus far, but the cycles not over yet...right?
 
Depressed the whole day because I felt that there would be know way I scored over 27 on the MCAT. I was picking up a perscription with my girlfriend and thus decided to use her iphone to check my scores. They loaded up..


I saw my verbal score and was 😱...
saw my physics sciences score and shook my head 😳
saw my biological sciences score 👍 and did some mental math..

I was in utter shock I scored 30+! 😍
I called my family and a couple of friends. I was estatic!😀

My SATs' were dismal and I thought the odds were against me....but I guess I just dont follow trends. It was surreal.. I look up the significance of verbal score every time I get online. lol makes me feel like I am actually somewhat intelligent....eventhough I know one test does not mean anything.
 
Techmed07 said:
Depressed the whole day because I felt that there would be know way I scored over 27 on the MCAT. I was picking up a perscription with my girlfriend and thus decided to use her iphone to check my scores. They loaded up..


I saw my verbal score and was 😱...
saw my physics sciences score and shook my head 😳
saw my biological sciences score 👍 and did some mental math..

I was in utter shock I scored 30+! 😍
I called my family and a couple of friends. I was estatic!😀

My SATs' were dismal and I thought the odds were against me....but I guess I just dont follow trends. It was surreal.. I look up the significance of verbal score every time I get online. lol makes me feel like I am actually somewhat intelligent....eventhough I know one test does not mean anything.
Click to expand...

Similar thing spaced over two exams.

Score 1 - below 30 - "uh oh, this could get ugly, and expensive. What a bogus testing system! FML. I see a future in research. :scared:"

Score 2 - high 30's. 6 point magical boost in verbal plus other sections - "F*ck yeah, i'm going to be a docta mothaf*cka! Booyyaaa! The MCAT is such a totally superior testing system" :laugh:

Moral of the story - it really is a crappy test. Don't give up hope. Results may vary.
 
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first test was a 30Q. i thought about whether i wanted to re-take it.

year later, my 2nd test, 36R! (mind you, i missed an amazing festival for the damn test) immediately went and got drunk in the park with my friends.
 
runawayclock said:
first test was a 30Q. i thought about whether i wanted to re-take it.

year later, my 2nd test, 36R! (mind you, i missed an amazing festival for the damn test) immediately went and got drunk in the park with my friends.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I went up 5 points. Second score sent me over the moon. Started to think I was really gonna get to be a doctor!!

(stupid test, I hate it.)

Oh, btw, Step I is so much worse it isn't even in the same galaxy.
 
runawayclock said:
first test was a 30Q. i thought about whether i wanted to re-take it.

year later, my 2nd test, 36R! (mind you, i missed an amazing festival for the damn test) immediately went and got drunk in the park with my friends.
Click to expand...


I got a 30Q. At the time I was thinking there's no way in H-E-double hockey sticks that I am taking that thing again. Now, I feel like I could improve a couple points if I had another go at it. Well, if I don't get matched to a school in Feb (Tx resident) I'll take it again.
 
I treated myself to meal at the cheapest mexican restaurant in town.
 
I was at work in the lab so I was refreshing the score release page about every half hour all day. The best I did in each section during my ~10 practice tests was 12PS 10VR 12BS, so I was really pleased when I saw my score, especially 'cause the last two AAMC exams I took before the exam were 28 and 29.

VR had been killing me on every practice exam, so I was really pleased with the passages that came up on test day 😀
 
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