i need some advice, 3rd time test taker here...

[schooler]

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first and foremost, i want to thank everyone that has been nothing but supportive on this website, believe it or not it helps those of us that are still having problems with the mcat.

well, i am taking the mcat for the 3rd time in Aug06, i took it twice last year in 05, with not so good results. i improved only one point, my physical went from a 7 to a 9, and bio stayed the same at an 8. however, my verbal went from a bad 7 to a horrid 6. All in all, i went from a 22n to a 23p.

NOW, i decided im going to give it a shot ONE last time. the 9 and 8 in PS and BS are not bad, but id like to go up one point in each. as for verbal, i need all the advice i can get. i would like to go from the horrid 6 to a 9. thus giving me an overall score of 28. i think this score with my 3.74 gpa and 3majors, with good ECs and LOR, will get me into a MD school SOMEWHERE!

if you have any advice, or words of encouragement feel free to post them up. anything with be GREATLY appreciated.
thank you again,

schooler.

ps- i only see myself as a physician, that it why it is so difficult for me to give up on this dream.

 

[DrBowtie]

A) Have you taken a prep course or used EK?
More detailed background from your past tests would be better.

 

[rehanyazdani]

A) Have you taken a prep course or used EK?
More detailed background from your past tests would be better.

As Brett has said, you should consider taking a prep course or use EK (Examkrackers). I'm taking the MCAT this April for the first time and using EK books. They are great. I am learning and retaining the material I study. If you decide to get EK book's, then get the EK Complete Study Package 6th edition from Amazon. The ISBN is 1-893858-42-1.

 

[schooler]

yes, i took the princetonreview courses before i took my first mcat in april05. i found the books and exams to be very helpful, but the course was a waste of time and money. the proctors did not teach me how to attack the mcat, they simply went over material that i could have done myself.

while taking TPR courses, i was going to school full time, which was a big mistake....the second time i took the mcat i studied from first week in july to mid august with a group of "friends". this was not enough. during that time i focused so much on the PS and BS sections and neglected the VR completely, i know, im a *****. anyways, the PS studying really helped out though, since i did go up 2 points in that section.

now id like to improve my verbal drastically. i want a 30, and that is what i will shoot for, but i dont think that is realistic right now. i would be happy with a 28 because it is a competetive score for the schools id like to attend *im not aiming for harvard, or the like), and it shows a 5 point increase from the previous mcat, which i know med schools like to see.

i have NEVER had confidence in myself, which is what i think will bring me to my demise. i have to feel as though i CAN get a good score in VR. reading has never been my strongest subject. i have done good in my advanced courses through hardwork and determination. i do not think i am of high intelligence or above anyone else, even though i have a competative gpa. i believe that i have the heart and passion to succeed in medical school. unfortunetly my MCAT does not reflect that!

thanks again,
schooler

 

[shantster]

yes, i took the princetonreview courses before i took my first mcat in april05. i found the books and exams to be very helpful, but the course was a waste of time and money. the proctors did not teach me how to attack the mcat, they simply went over material that i could have done myself.

while taking TPR courses, i was going to school full time, which was a big mistake....the second time i took the mcat i studied from first week in july to mid august with a group of "friends". this was not enough. during that time i focused so much on the PS and BS sections and neglected the VR completely, i know, im a *****. anyways, the PS studying really helped out though, since i did go up 2 points in that section.

now id like to improve my verbal drastically. i want a 30, and that is what i will shoot for, but i dont think that is realistic right now. i would be happy with a 28 because it is a competetive score for the schools id like to attend *im not aiming for harvard, or the like), and it shows a 5 point increase from the previous mcat, which i know med schools like to see.

i have NEVER had confidence in myself, which is what i think will bring me to my demise. i have to feel as though i CAN get a good score in VR. reading has never been my strongest subject. i have done good in my advanced courses through hardwork and determination. i do not think i am of high intelligence or above anyone else, even though i have a competative gpa. i believe that i have the heart and passion to succeed in medical school. unfortunetly my MCAT does not reflect that!

thanks again,
schooler

Check out the EK stuff, at least the Verbal Reasoning book and the 101 Verbal Reasoning passages book. I think that their method is working fairly well for me (and it looks like it has for a number for people on this site). The 101 book is very nice since it gives you 11 full-length tests to do. I'm finding that a big part of taking the VR section is endurance, and so taking the full-lengths has been helping tremendously.

 

[rehanyazdani]

i have NEVER had confidence in myself, which is what i think will bring me to my demise.

If you keep that attitude then no amount of of studying or practice will help you. I did that to myself in orgo II and suffered with a C. Have confidence in yourself. That's the only way you will succeed.