MCAT and general advice

[Giovanotto]

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Hello there members of the SDN,

-I was hoping to receive some guidance regarding the MCAT and DO school. I started studying around December, following SN2ed's guide (albeit, not to the T/incompletely) and I took AAMC practice test 3 a few days ago and scored a 22 and then took AAMC practice test 4 today and scored an 18! Obviously, I'm not too happy!

-I am scheduled to take the "old" MCAT on January 23rd, 2015. I want to apply to DO school this upcoming cycle that opens June 2015 (I'm 24 and ready to get this going, plus visa issues and running out of funds). I don't think I am ready to take the "old" MCAT in January and it looks like I will have to take the "new" version.

*Side bar: How long before review/study/practice material comes out for the new test? Will AAMC release practice tests? I have EVERYTHING for the "old" MCAT and I'm really dreading having to repay and gather new supplies for the 2016 test as I hear that its changing significantly -- biochem, psych, socio, etc.

-I start community college (post graduation, I already have a bachelors in chemistry) on mid-Feb and I end mid-June (taking some classes like stats, socio, and a few others to boost GPA -- from ~3.5 to hopefully 3.6/3.7 -- still considering MD school). I also want to shadow MDs and DOs during this time to be able to gather LORs -- I currently have one LOR from work (pathology lab) and I can get one from a science teacher -- I know how much DO schools like that DO LOR. Ideally I want a 2-3 month period of freedom after this college/LOR gathering time to study for the "new" MCAT.

-My plan: Start working on my AAMCOS application now (already did, apparently you can transfer info from one cycle to the other even if you don't apply?) > start the semester, volunteer/shadow DO/MD, end semester > submit application with the MCAT scores pending in June > and then around September take the "new" MCAT and submit results asap. Is this feasible? Am I missing something?

Oh and THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR HELPING ME AND PROVIDING INFORMATION! It's crazy how useful SDN is as an internet forum/community. Also, not sure if it makes that much of a difference, but I am an international applicant who has lived here in the US for a long time -- refer to:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...n-the-u-s-needs-advice.1093558/#post-15904012
and
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-international-student.1087142/#post-15561493

*Jc2008, from the above thread, gave me hope/inspiration.

 

[AM508]

Realistically, if you scored an 18 today, I do not think 12 or so days is enough to make up for that deficit. You really need more study time. I would definitely advise against taking the MCAT on the 23rd as it will likely not go well.

EDIT: I would shoot for taking the MCAT by June if I were you so you can have your application in by at least early July. I would not wait until September as places will already be interviewing at that point

 

[Giovanotto]

Realistically, if you scored an 18 today, I do not think 12 or so days is enough to make up for that deficit. You really need more study time. I would definitely advise against taking the MCAT on the 23rd as it will likely not go well.

EDIT: I would shoot for taking the MCAT by June if I were you so you can have your application in by at least early July. I would not wait until September as places will already be interviewing at that point

What you're saying then, is that I can't "submit" my application to any school with pending MCAT scores?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

You started a 3 month study plan for a test 1 month in advance?

Sorry kid, but you're not ready to take the mcat. You don't have the time to dedicate to comprehensively understanding the material on the test and even if you spend the next 12 days cramming and taking tests it wouldn't amount to enough.

Scoring a 22 and an 18 on your first tests isn't abnormal and honestly is fine. You don't know how to manage the format and you don't understand how to get in the mindset to be successful. That's why you take them and then spend months figuring out how to do it right.

You simply have no time to figure it out in 12 days. So I sincerely recommend you not take the test on the 23rd.

 

[AM508]

What you're saying then, is that I can't "submit" my application to any school with pending MCAT scores?

I believe that AACOMAS will verify your application without an MCAT score, but I do not think that they will release it to schools without an MCAT (I am not entirely sure on that, so someone better versed in that area can feel free to correct me there). Since the MCAT is required by all schools, your application would not be considered "complete" until you submit an MCAT score and thus you would not be eligible for application review for an interview. Don't forget it takes ~30 days to score your MCAT so the results from a September exam would not be in until October, putting you way behind in the game.

 

[Giovanotto]

You started a 3 month study plan for a test 1 month in advance?

Sorry kid, but you're not ready to take the mcat. You don't have the time to dedicate to comprehensively understanding the material on the test and even if you spend the next 12 days cramming and taking tests it wouldn't amount to enough.

Scoring a 22 and an 18 on your first tests isn't abnormal and honestly is fine. You don't know how to manage the format and you don't understand how to get in the mindset to be successful. That's why you take them and then spend months figuring out how to do it right.

You simply have no time to figure it out in 12 days. So I sincerely recommend you not take the test on the 23rd.

I understand. To be fair though, I started studying on Dec 1st and my exam is scheduled for Jan 23rd. That's almost two months and I have been studying about 4.5 hours a day, 6 days a week. It's weird though, I didn't really start to feel like I was studying until I started taking the aamcas practice exams this week. I was so anxious rushing through the material knowing that I wouldn't be able to finish everything while I was reviewing. What is more, the ochem section on TPR was killing me!

 

[MetricSystem]

 

[Goro]

Obviously, whatever you're doing isn't working. Do NOT take a high-stakes, career-deciding exam until you are fully ready.

I understand. To be fair though, I started studying on Dec 1st and my exam is scheduled for Jan 23rd. That's almost two months and I have been studying about 4.5 hours a day, 6 days a week. It's weird though, I didn't really start to feel like I was studying until I started taking the aamcas practice exams this week. I was so anxious rushing through the material knowing that I wouldn't be able to finish everything while I was reviewing. What is more, the ochem section on TPR was killing me!