Low Practice MCAT Score 1 Month Out

[java009]

Hey All,

Wanted some advice on whether or not to take the MCAT. I'm scheduled for 9/19 and am about to complete the TBR review course. I took AAMC FL#3 about 10 days ago and got a 498 (126/125/123/124). I reviewed it and did some targeted content review and the AAMC materials. Just took another AAMC FL#1 and got a 499 (123/127/125/124) and am now concerned that I shouldn't take the MCAT since my scores are so low a month out. My target score is 510-515 although I believe my application would benefit from a +515 score. I have all the necessary materials to knock out the last month but am wondering if it is a good idea or not. It seems that I have either some gaps in my knowledge or bad test taking skills and I do need to perform well on the MCAT to be a viable candidate. Any tips/advice? Thank you!

-java009

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[On_The_Way_Up]

Below a 500 means you have content gaps. I don’t believe you can get a 510+ in a month and it would be better to save your last AAMC FL and take the MCAT in January.

 

[java009]

Below a 500 means you have content gaps. I don’t believe you can get a 510+ in a month and it would be better to save your last AAMC FL and take the MCAT in January.

Fair enough. How should I approach studying for it in January? I'm more worried about timeline and balancing MCAT review, work and classes.

 

[toedrag]

Def wouldn't recommend rushing into AAMC 2 because you'd be all out of FLs after that. Even if you retake the FLs in November/December, your scores will be heavily inflated and it'll be tough to gauge where your predicted score will be on test day.

Personally, I found myself in a similar dilemma as you. I score 500 and 503 on two AAMC FLs in December. I was signed up for January, decided to sit for it but void to get the experience. Ended up retaking in May and scored my goal of 505+.

Voiding is an option as well. In the meantime, I'd recommend hitting some NS exams (preferable 1-4) and maybe mix in a couple EKs.

 

[SaharanPrince]

Hey All,

Wanted some advice on whether or not to take the MCAT. I'm scheduled for 9/19 and am about to complete the TBR review course. I took AAMC FL#3 about 10 days ago and got a 498 (126/125/123/124). I reviewed it and did some targeted content review and the AAMC materials. Just took another AAMC FL#1 and got a 499 (123/127/125/124) and am now concerned that I shouldn't take the MCAT since my scores are so low a month out. My target score is 510-515 although I believe my application would benefit from a +515 score. I have all the necessary materials to knock out the last month but am wondering if it is a good idea or not. It seems that I have either some gaps in my knowledge or bad test taking skills and I do need to perform well on the MCAT to be a viable candidate. Any tips/advice? Thank you!

-java009

Advice I gotten from a reddit mcat fellow! I completely agree 100% with the advice given to you above!
"Id push your exam back, honestly. I’ve given that advice to friends in your same situation. CARS sucks even for native English speakers, it was my worse section.

You need to take more exams for timing, I took 7 practice exams and I wish I had time to do more. Have you tried UWORLD? I used that for timing, even if I didn’t perform well at least I wasn’t wasting AAMC material. You need all the section banks and question packs from AAMC, they helped. I have the flash cards if you would like them.

How are you reviewing your exams? I went through them 1 section at a time and tried to understand what I missed in the passage or the question stem that caused me to get it wrong. There are always little hints to steer you in the right direction. It would take me 2 days to review 1 full length exam. You need all the aamc practice material. Khan academy is great for psych. I went from a 123 the first time to a 128 this last exam in psych. I know I could have done better if I had given myself more time but I didn’t want to lose another year. If the average of your last three exams is not where you need to be then I wouldn’t test. That’s advice I got from a dean of admissions. It’s better to wait and get more practice in then to have a bad score on your record."

 

[deleted931910]

Besides what everyone else has already said, I'd suggest setting some goals for yourself that are a little more realistic. A 515+ score would benefit anyone's application, but unfortunately is much easier said than done. I'm not sure how much you've already studied but based on these FLs, I'd consider shifting your target score to a 505+. I think if you take a couple months to study hard you could definitely achieve that goal!

Best of luck!

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

Fair enough. How should I approach studying for it in January? I'm more worried about timeline and balancing MCAT review, work and classes.

Depends how much you have on your plate. Depends on credit hours, difficulty of classes, and how many hours you work a week. But really you know yourself best. If you need to study for MCAT after graduation or take a light semester then do it.