in desperate need of advice

[goark]

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I just took my mcat on thursday (jun 17th) and i'm 100% sure I bombed it. I don't know what to do anymore. I was hoping to use my mcat to make up for my terrible gpa which is 3.37 cumulative and 3.55 science (yes my science gpa is higher) Also to raise my GPA I registered for 2 classes in the second session of summer plus research so I will be busy from July 12th to August 15th. I was hoping to get my applications in before the end of summer but I dont even know if that's possible.

Should I register for another MCAT now (lastest of mid-august to meet deadlines) because they all seem to fill up pretty fast. But... I don't know how I can handle 2 classes and research and study for my MCAT. If I couldn't even do well on my first one without worrying about anything else for a month, how will I do it with 3 other things?

Please, any advice, suggestion, ANYTHING will be gladly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[foofish]

I just took my mcat on thursday (jun 17th) and i'm 100% sure I bombed it. I don't know what to do anymore. I was hoping to use my mcat to make up for my terrible gpa which is 3.37 cumulative and 3.55 science (yes my science gpa is higher) Also to raise my GPA I registered for 2 classes in the second session of summer plus research so I will be busy from July 12th to August 15th. I was hoping to get my applications in before the end of summer but I dont even know if that's possible.

Should I register for another MCAT now (lastest of mid-august to meet deadlines) because they all seem to fill up pretty fast. But... I don't know how I can handle 2 classes and research and study for my MCAT. If I couldn't even do well on my first one without worrying about anything else for a month, how will I do it with 3 other things?

Please, any advice, suggestion, ANYTHING will be gladly appreciated.

Thank you.

First, and I know this is tough advice to hear when you're panicking, but try to relax. Many, if not most, people feel like they bombed the MCAT and end up doing okay or more than okay. My n=1: I'm usually very good at predicting how I did on exams, but I felt destroyed by the MCAT (and, later on, Step 1) and ended up doing very well...and most of my friends have similar stories. Another potential source of comfort: did you take any of the official practice tests beforehand? People who take the newer forms in test-like conditions usually find them to be very predictive of actual performance.

Could you have done as poorly as you expect? Sure. But don't abandon all hope until you have your actual score. And if you did "bomb," if your goal is med school then the next step is to take a deep breath and retake the exam. That said, if you're going to retake I would recommend waiting to take the exam until you have the time to devote to studying and rocking the exam the second time. Rushing into retaking and doing poorly a second time would be much much worse than anything you're facing now. Which is: worst case scenario (which, considering your concerns about GPA might actually be a good think in the end): you apply next cycle instead of this one, giving you the time to take more classes, boost your GPA, do well on the retake of the MCAT, and otherwise continue to improve your application. Right now that sounds like the end of the world, but in the broader sense it's not as big of a deal as you think...especially since, if you do end up applying with a substandard MCAT score, you might end up having to take the extra year to get into med school anyway.

But, like I said, that's worst case scenario, and don't give up until you know how you actually did on the exam. People who are closer to the application process can give you more specific advice on timing of applying if you do decide to apply this cycle...but since you're already concerned about trying to improve your GPA and don't think you could manage both courses and the MCAT, waiting for next year might be worth considering. Good luck!

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Well I'd register just in case. Cancel if you get a good score. You can never truly know, But your gpa isn't so bad that you'll be doomed.

 

[goark]

First, and I know this is tough advice to hear when you're panicking, but try to relax. Many, if not most, people feel like they bombed the MCAT and end up doing okay or more than okay. My n=1: I'm usually very good at predicting how I did on exams, but I felt destroyed by the MCAT (and, later on, Step 1) and ended up doing very well...and most of my friends have similar stories. Another potential source of comfort: did you take any of the official practice tests beforehand? People who take the newer forms in test-like conditions usually find them to be very predictive of actual performance.

Could you have done as poorly as you expect? Sure. But don't abandon all hope until you have your actual score. And if you did "bomb," if your goal is med school then the next step is to take a deep breath and retake the exam. That said, if you're going to retake I would recommend waiting to take the exam until you have the time to devote to studying and rocking the exam the second time. Rushing into retaking and doing poorly a second time would be much much worse than anything you're facing now. Which is: worst case scenario (which, considering your concerns about GPA might actually be a good think in the end): you apply next cycle instead of this one, giving you the time to take more classes, boost your GPA, do well on the retake of the MCAT, and otherwise continue to improve your application. Right now that sounds like the end of the world, but in the broader sense it's not as big of a deal as you think...especially since, if you do end up applying with a substandard MCAT score, you might end up having to take the extra year to get into med school anyway.

But, like I said, that's worst case scenario, and don't give up until you know how you actually did on the exam. People who are closer to the application process can give you more specific advice on timing of applying if you do decide to apply this cycle...but since you're already concerned about trying to improve your GPA and don't think you could manage both courses and the MCAT, waiting for next year might be worth considering. Good luck!

It's hard not to feel like i bombed it b/c I took ALL the princeton review practice tests and ALL the aamc tests... and I've never felt quite like that before. Another thing is the highest I've gotten on a practice test was a 31. So it's not like I would be around the ideal test score anyway.

Thank you. I think I'm gonna drop a class and just take 1 class with research. That should give me a month and a half. I recalculated my GPA with only taking 1 class and I can bring it up to a 3.4 cumulative and 3.57 science gpa.

 

[b2sun]

It's hard not to feel like i bombed it b/c I took ALL the princeton review practice tests and ALL the aamc tests... and I've never felt quite like that before. Another thing is the highest I've gotten on a practice test was a 31. So it's not like I would be around the ideal test score anyway.

Thank you. I think I'm gonna drop a class and just take 1 class with research. That should give me a month and a half. I recalculated my GPA with only taking 1 class and I can bring it up to a 3.4 cumulative and 3.57 science gpa.

You really have no idea what you got until you see it!

I thought i got a 28 lol.

 

[foofish]

It's hard not to feel like i bombed it b/c I took ALL the princeton review practice tests and ALL the aamc tests... and I've never felt quite like that before. Another thing is the highest I've gotten on a practice test was a 31. So it's not like I would be around the ideal test score anyway.

Thank you. I think I'm gonna drop a class and just take 1 class with research. That should give me a month and a half. I recalculated my GPA with only taking 1 class and I can bring it up to a 3.4 cumulative and 3.57 science gpa.

THat sounds like a reasonable compromise, and if you are applying this cycle I'd agree with the other poster that you can always register and then withdraw from the next MCAT session. If you are applying with those GPAs and a 31 you do have a shot, just be strategic about what schools you apply to. Good luck!

 

[LizzyM]

If you plan to retake in August you are going to be late in being ready to review. Not end of the world late but at a disadvantage.

Please keep in mind that if you submit your AMCAS without scores and later cancel that second MCAT you might still have your application held pending receipt of those August MCAT scores that are never going to arrive. So, be sure that you contact each school and tell them that you have chosen not to retake the MCAT (if that is your decision).

 

[goark]

If you plan to retake in August you are going to be late in being ready to review. Not end of the world late but at a disadvantage.

Please keep in mind that if you submit your AMCAS without scores and later cancel that second MCAT you might still have your application held pending receipt of those August MCAT scores that are never going to arrive. So, be sure that you contact each school and tell them that you have chosen not to retake the MCAT (if that is your decision).

Thank you, I will keep these in mind.