how do you know when you're ready...

[docjolly]

..to take the MCAT?

I just received my admissions ticket about 10 minutes ago, and my palms are sweating...
I've been with Kaplan for a couple of months now, but I'm not sure if I am ready to take the exam...Part of me says "Go for it!" The other part says "You're not strong enough with the material yet, you're still having problems with equilibrium constants, electrochemistry, etc. ...That test is gonna crush you!"

I'm sure that a million threads have been created about this problem before, but I would like anyone who can provide some advice to please share your thoughts w/me ...

THANK YOU!

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[kiahs]

I'm taking in april too, but you know I don't think there's ever going to be a point where you are going to be like yes now is the time. there will always be something or some formula you don't quite get or you know just that one last thing you wished you knew. In my opinion do your best that's all you can ask of yourself and if you are doubting yourself use this time to help solidfy your knowlege do all the kaplan stuff and go to the centers it really helps a lot at least for me. Other than that keep positive and try not to focus so much on how hard it is just keep working you'll get there.

 

[Cerberus]

You will never be ready, yet april still comes

I feel like I know the PS really fricking well right now. So I go online and take the TPR PS and only get 75% right I hope its just that their freebie test is harder than the real deal.

 

[ASDIC]

you will be ready when you exhaust all the practice tests and have a feeling that I know something

 

[superdevil]

c'mon, cerb, lighten up! you always have the most paranoid/psychotic posts about the MCAT, but it always sounds like you're kicking ass and taking names. what gives?

i know i don't feel ready for the MCAT. given my schedule until the Unholy 17th, i'm not sure i'll ever feel ready--but this test is different. in school, you feel like you're ready for an exam over a given topic in a given class when you know most or all of what there is to know. the breadth of what can/will appear on the MCAT is so vast that you may never feel like you know most/all of the stuff. just get the fundamentals locked-up and attack that weak-ass test with confidence

 

[MrTee]

I've not met anyone who said "yeah, I'm feeling pretty ready to rock this thing" about the mcat. It's one of those tests that you'll never truly feel ready for, because you don't really know what to expect. However, if you've studied the things covered in the aamcas guide, done a lot of practice passages/full length tests, and you're satisfied w/ your performance...then you're probably as ready as you'll ever be. I almost decided to not take my test in august, b/c of the same uneasiness (I was getting maybe a point below my target score on my practice tests), but fortunately I sucked it up and took it. Now I don't have to worry about it ever again

 

[Cerberus]

Originally posted by superdevil
c'mon, cerb, lighten up! you always have the most paranoid/psychotic posts about the MCAT, but it always sounds like you're kicking ass and taking names. what gives?

I am motivated by fear alone

 

[Cerberus]

Originally posted by Cerberus
I am motivated by fear alone

Oh did I mention that I have become a grade grubbin gunner?

 

[ASDIC]

you need self-confidence to perform well on the mcat.

this confidence arises when feel that you done your best to prepare for the exam.

If you dont have this confidence...you wont do well.

 

[Jules84]

I don't feel ready at all! I took a princeton review exam and got so many wrong, I feel so sad. My score was 8 8 8 and I only have a few more weeks to go. I felt so bad I went for a run. That made me feel a lot better. Felt ready to go on, even though my score wasn't so great.

 

[researchprof]

Having previously goofed, I am now devoting less time to my classes and started studying for this "useful" exam--we have only six weeks more for the beast.

And yes, like someone has said, fear of flunking the MCAT motivates me. But I am also praying. The worst thing that can happen to you is to get a form that loves all your weaknesses, so prayer helps in this sense.

 

[turtlepower]

I agree with everyone above that this may be a case when you can study and study and never really feel ready. I took TPR last year and they said that people consistently got within a point or two of the score they received on their last practice test, which in this case was AAMC 6R taken in real testing conditions.

I am not sure if this has proven to be true for others, but it was true for me. I would say that if your score is where it needs to be then go for it and be confident that you will match your practice performance.

 

[2112_rush]

If you've taken the needed courses and done well, and if you've spent time reviewing and most importantly taking practice tests, then go for it.

For me, the longer I waited the more hazy the material became.

 

[Wahooali]

No one is ever entirely ready to take the MCAT, that's why most people have never heard of anyone getting a 45. There is just so much information that you'll never know everything. I'd say review as much as you can, take some practice full lengths, and once you start getting the same score pretty consistently, then you're ready.

That, or when you are so burnt out and tired of thinking/stressing/pulling your hair out/having nightmares/and so on over the MCAT you might as well just take the blasted test (anyone else getting to that point already like me?).

 

[ad_sharp]

Quit stressing! I know that it's easy for me to say that now that I'm through with the ol' MCAT. The major difference between my April and August exam of last year (besides the five points difference) is that I didn't stress out, ate well, and slept the night before the exam. Know the fundamentals to the best of your ability, have a little confidence, and relax. No one feels ready for the MCAT. Everybody feels like deer in headlights. Study and relax a little.