Im Retaking the MCAT, Advice

[hansen44]

Well after going into the exam not feeling prepared I left with a horrible score. [7 BS, 10 PS, 7 VR] for a 24O. Now what, I am scheduled to take it again June 18th, enough time? I took the 3/28 and got my scores back yesterday, I am thinking maybe I need to get a tutor, what do you guys think? I just keep making the same mistakes on practice exams, I some kind of help. Also what is the latest you think I should retake it to be competitive? I would really appreciate any advice, Im soooo dissapointed by this crappy score. Thanks

This is a general summary of my experiences

GPA 3.65 Science GPA 3.56. UCLA. Anthropology B.S. Honors Cum Laude. Great letters of rec, lots of experience volunteering ( over 400 hours). Research with UCLA medical professor, co published paper on pulmonary hypertension. work 16 hours a week in research lab at UCLA. Was a student senator, involved in clubs, community service, tutored children at local elementary school [1 year]. Intramural sports, well rounded student, etc.

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[flip26]

How did you prep? What were your expectations based on AAMC practice exams?

You clearly need to retake, but without knowing more, the advice will be kind of useless.

 

[drareg]

How did you prep? What were your expectations based on AAMC practice exams?

You clearly need to retake, but without knowing more, the advice will be kind of useless.

my honest advice ... dont take the june 18th exam, forget about applying this year. i would apply during the next application cycle because from now till june 18th is simply not enough time. in order to do well you would want to dedicate maybe 4 or 5 months to the mcat. but since you should be applying next year than you can dedicate more than that to the MCAT. you can also add some more to your resume during that year to make yourself stand out... just my 2 cents

 

[hansen44]

How did you prep? What were your expectations based on AAMC practice exams?

You clearly need to retake, but without knowing more, the advice will be kind of useless.

Kaplan Classroom course, I was prepping for this exam for months last year and I decided I was not ready. I was scoring 28-33 consistently. I got burn out, I was studying 8 hours a day 7 days a week for 3 months after studying for monthes a couple of hours a day. I took a quarter off just to study. I actually voided the exam last year. I took only 1 exam before the real exam this March, I know stupid. I got a 26. I was just so over this exam since I have been messing with it so long. I am going to retake it, I am not going to take another year off. Thats out of the question. I am positive if I get atleast a 30 and get an interview I will get accepted. The problem was after voiding last year I took the summer off and I forgot a lot of the material and slowly studied, probably not spending enough time. Then I started studying again. Now I am a fourth year and I have been slowly looking at this exam since October of my 3rd year. I guess I was just looking for advice to improve my scores, anyone?

 

[flip26]

Kaplan Classroom course, I was prepping for this exam for months last year and I decided I was not ready. I was scoring 28-33 consistently. I got burn out, I was studying 8 hours a day 7 days a week for 3 months after studying for monthes a couple of hours a day. I took a quarter off just to study. I actually voided the exam last year. I took only 1 exam before the real exam this March, I know stupid. I got a 26. I was just so over this exam since I have been messing with it so long. I am going to retake it, I am not going to take another year off. Thats out of the question. I am positive if I get atleast a 30 and get an interview I will get accepted. The problem was after voiding last year I took the summer off and I forgot a lot of the material and slowly studied, probably not spending enough time. Then I started studying again. Now I am a fourth year and I have been slowly looking at this exam since October of my 3rd year. I guess I was just looking for advice to improve my scores, anyone?

You will improve your scores by delaying the MCAT and applying next cycle.

What do you mean you won't take "another" year off - you say you are a 4th year now? You can't take off "another" year until you take off your first year...

If you **** up this MCAT without proper prep and mental preparation, you will **** up your chances pretty much for good. You haven't even been taking AAMC practice exams, so you have no idea if you are ready...you should be shooting for well above 30...saying you are positive you can score 30 is not exactly the right mindset...

 

[Karloff]

It depends on what the reason behind the poor performance was. If you know the material but got nervous or you are not a good test taker, then I say try again in June. If you need more content review, then just study until you feel ready. I would take lots of practice tests ( TPR, Kaplan, Gold Standard) and consistently score 33-36. then you should be cool. You'll know when you are ready-trust me.

 

[Karloff]

One more thing... Why are you getting such low scores? Sounds like you know your stuff. Are you talking yourself out of right answers? Don't do that.
You know there is a technique to taking the MCAT. Its called "keep it simple stupid". (KISS)
When in doubt just go with the simple answer. Don't overanalyze any question/answer too much. Also never ever spend more than a min on any question no matter how hard. If you can't logically arrive at an answer, pick one and move one. Try to answer the easier ones in 30 sec or les andthen come back and take a second look at the harder ones later.

 

[hansen44]

You will improve your scores by delaying the MCAT and applying next cycle.

What do you mean you won't take "another" year off - you say you are a 4th year now? You can't take off "another" year until you take off your first year...

If you **** up this MCAT without proper prep and mental preparation, you will **** up your chances pretty much for good. You haven't even been taking AAMC practice exams, so you have no idea if you are ready...you should be shooting for well above 30...saying you are positive you can score 30 is not exactly the right mindset...

Im a fourth year applying this cycle, therefore, I will have one year off. If I delay the MCAT and apply next cycle that will be two years in between attending medical school. Understand?

 

[hansen44]

You will improve your scores by delaying the MCAT and applying next cycle.

What do you mean you won't take "another" year off - you say you are a 4th year now? You can't take off "another" year until you take off your first year...

If you **** up this MCAT without proper prep and mental preparation, you will **** up your chances pretty much for good. You haven't even been taking AAMC practice exams, so you have no idea if you are ready...you should be shooting for well above 30...saying you are positive you can score 30 is not exactly the right mindset...

I'm a fourth year applying this cycle, therefore, I will have one year off after graduating in June. If I delay the MCAT and apply next cycle that will be two years in between attending medical school. Understand?

 

[Bernoull]

I'm a fourth year applying this cycle, therefore, I will have one year off after graduating in June. If I delay the MCAT and apply next cycle that will be two years in between attending medical school. Understand?

You know what, you know BEST when you are ready. First of all I think people giving advice need some humility in that we are not in a position to definitively tell someone what to do especially someone we know so little about. Secondly some posters can be very negative and disparaging, I mean the MCAT is tough enough with all this negativity. No one needs to be talked down etc..

IMO first thing to do is to identify ur weaknesses, is it a subject area, type of question, timing, command of concepts etc that's causing your low scores? As soon as you do this self-assessment, focus on those weak areas and master them. Take FLs to a) further diagnose weaknesses and/or b) validate remediation of weaknesses. Take at least a couple of AAMC FLs b4 May 31st to assess ur preparedness. If your scoring within ur target range, BY ALL MEANS take June 18th test, if not, you may want to reschedule and u'll have 4 days to change ur June 18th test date with a penalty otherwise u'll be locked in for that date.

Above all, be confident and don't get discouraged!!!!!!! Ur stats look stellar and well rounded therefore I'm sure if u get anything around 30 and if you apply widely, u'll get accepted somewhere!!

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[Fifty 3rds]

completely agree with Bernoull. Assess your weaknesses, and read the detailed report so you know which questions you missed last time. Do as many passages and full lengths as possible. When you begin to score near your target on the AAMCs, then take the thing.

Your GPA indicates you have the brain, now just do it.

 

[flip26]

I'm a fourth year applying this cycle, therefore, I will have one year off after graduating in June. If I delay the MCAT and apply next cycle that will be two years in between attending medical school. Understand?

You say you wanted "advice," but you obviously were hoping somebody could reveal the "tricks" to be successful. There are no tricks - it is all about proper preparation - if you feel you are properly prepared and mentally ready, go ahead and retake ASAP.

That "extra year off" could be the difference between getting a score that gets you in versus getting a score that slams all doors.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Well after going into the exam not feeling prepared I left with a horrible score. [7 BS, 10 PS, 7 VR] for a 24O. Now what, I am scheduled to take it again June 18th, enough time? I took the 3/28 and got my scores back yesterday, I am thinking maybe I need to get a tutor, what do you guys think? I just keep making the same mistakes on practice exams, I some kind of help. Also what is the latest you think I should retake it to be competitive? I would really appreciate any advice, Im soooo dissapointed by this crappy score. GPA 3.65 Science GPA 3.56. UCLA.

[I took the] Kaplan Classroom course, I was prepping for this exam for months last year and I decided I was not ready. I was scoring 28-33 consistently. I got burn out, I was studying 8 hours a day 7 days a week for 3 months after studying for monthes a couple of hours a day. I took a quarter off just to study. I actually voided the exam last year. I took only 1 exam before the real exam this March, I know stupid. I got a 26. I was just so over this exam since I have been messing with it so long. I am going to retake it, I am not going to take another year off. Thats out of the question. I am positive if I get atleast a 30 and get an interview I will get accepted. The problem was after voiding last year I took the summer off and I forgot a lot of the material and slowly studied, probably not spending enough time. Then I started studying again. Now I am a fourth year and I have been slowly looking at this exam since October of my 3rd year. I guess I was just looking for advice to improve my scores, anyone?

Suggestions for improving:

• 1. Take MORE practice exams! Get into a test taking rhythm. That more than anything should help.
  
  2. If they do it, get a crash course via private tutoring from BR. They have the best teaching at UCLA and they might even give you some of the lecture handouts (which are platinum). If they don't, then sign up for a class and go to as many lectures and do as many passages as you can before June 18. They have amazing test taking strategies.
  
  3. Keep an error log of your mistakes on practice exams and see if it's a case of forgetting information or bad test taking.
  
  4. Set a schedule that has 8-hours days only once or twice a week and 4-hour days the other days. Force yourself to be efficient in your studying.
  
  5. Try some passages where you pick the "answer you think they want me to pick." and see if you do better than normal.

Because you studied so much last summer, you should be able to get back to being ready pretty quickly. With your GPA, you really need a 31 or so to be competitive in this climate. You can do it.

Sorry to ask this when you are feeling down about your score, but being at UCLA, why would you take the Kaplan classroom course? I get the impression from students here that Kaplan is the worst of the courses at UCLA.

 

[hansen44]

thanks everyone, I really appreciate your advice. I took Kaplan because I had heard good reviews. I feel it was a waste of money, I actually have some BR books now that I am studying and I really like their material, it feels similar to the actual MCAT.

 

[Prince Abubu]

Don't wait another year. Study your ass off for the next month and figure out what the hell you're doing wrong. Take the practice tests and review the crap out of every question you got wrong.

If you're scoring below a 30, you probably don't have all the concepts down. Go back and study. It can be done in one month if you are a diligent studier.