MCAT Burnout

[MermaidMD]

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I am fully aware that there is an MCAT discussions forum--I'm posting here purposefully because I:

1) Would like to avoid the feedback of the high-intensity pre-allo young 'uns and
2) Am specifically seeking the opinions/feedback of nontrads who are empathetic to my situation

I am scheduled to take the MCAT on April 9th and am REALLY struggling with the scores I'm receiving on my practice tests. My scores have ranged from a low of 24 (6PS, 12VR, 6BS)in January to a high of 30 (9PS, 12VR, 9BS) 2 weeks ago, with subject high scores of 10PS, 12VR, 10BS--just never altogether.

I have a strong application with a pretty decent (3.78) postbac GPA (DARN PHYSICS!) and a respectable 3.55 from undergrad days long passed. I'm a pretty determined person and I think there's a chance I could improve my scores a few more points with additional MONTHS but am honestly starting to question whether I've got it in me to keep up this kind of intensity for as long as would be necessary.

Also, as I'm sure a lot of you can relate to, I've basically got my life scheduled to begin on April 10th. I will be returning to a full time work schedule, various volunteer positions and doing some serious repair to the damages done to my personal life in the past few weeks of "head down" studying.

I hope I don't sound like I'm whining--I'm mostly just feeling defeated and would welcome the insights of any other thoughtful nontrads with a little bit of life and/or MCAT/application experience under their belts.


I know this test is so totally important and I don't want to blow it off, but I'm starting to feel like my efforts are kind of futile. Do I consider postponing in the interest of a 30 or 31 over a 29 or 28? Or do I take the test, cut my losses and keep my fingers crossed?

 

[chrissyxf]

Let me preface this first by saying that I haven't yet taken the MCAT (I'm studying now) but I've taken millions of tests including board exams for years and have always done well in these standardized test settings. The secret? not freaking out and not pushing myself beyond what I'm comfortable with emotionally/mentally.
With that said, I know how hard it is to keep studying when it's all you've been doing for months and (like you said) your personal life is falling apart but it's also hard to stop studying because we know the weight that this carries. Take a break, a day or two off and let yourself breathe a little. Sometimes that alone helps us gather the strength and the mental calmness to outperform our previous scores.
Are you reviewing your exams? What are the patterns in what you get wrong? Is it lack of knowledge (content review)? or "dumb" mistakes? If it's more of the dumb mistakes, a break from studying and a bit of relaxing may be all you need to get your head in the right place. If it's content review, you might want to push back the exam till one of the May dates.
Anecdotal evidence: A friend and I studied together for all of our exams in PA school. We always got together the night before and quizzed each other after we had completed our individual studying. Our second semester, we became a lot more relaxed and had a glass of wine during our little reviews the night before every exam (many would say this was ill advised). In any case, at the end of the academic year, we received a report with all of our test grades from the entire year and guess what? the scores from our "drinking" semester were 5-10 points higher on EVERY exam. Could be coincidence but I chalk it up to being more relaxed and confident going into the exam which allowed the knowledge to flow. 🙂 This is not advocating drinking the night before the MCAT itself (on a side note haha)
Good luck with whatever you decide is right for you. I'm sure you'll get some genuinely great advice here- I have so far.

 

[Generici]

I say postpone the test and your return to life if at all possible.

1. If you just say "**** it" and take it now because you're exhausted with studying, you'll soon start wondering how much better you would have done if you'd just hung in there for another month or two. Burnout fades pretty quickly, but you always remember when you caved.

2. Finding ways to keep focused on studying now will pay off once you're actually in school and the workloads and tests don't stop coming for years. Use this chance to develop a little bit more mental, social, and emotional stamina so you can rely on it when you need it later, because I have it on good authority that we all will.

I was stuck taking mine earlier than I would have wanted because I work seasonally and when its time its time. I did well enough, but I still catch myself thinking "what if...".

Good luck to you!

 

[LifetimeDoc]

If your verbal is consistently high at 12, then continued studies in the other areas will lead to more improvement. Remember the entire exam is a verbal reasoning exam, and you seem to have that part down. Get a review book and go over those areas you don't know well, and do more practice questions. More importantly, analyze why you are getting questions wrong. Good luck!

 

[MermaidMD]

If your verbal is consistently high at 12, then continued studies in the other areas will lead to more improvement. Remember the entire exam is a verbal reasoning exam, and you seem to have that part down. Get a review book and go over those areas you don't know well, and do more practice questions. More importantly, analyze why you are getting questions wrong. Good luck!

I love your idea of the whole thing as a verbal reasoning exam. Feeling suddenly motivated... (Thanks.)

 

[FrkyBgStok]

I love your idea of the whole thing as a verbal reasoning exam. Feeling suddenly motivated... (Thanks.)

tread lightly with this advice though. it is a good mentality, but I read multiple places that the biology section of the mcat was basically a verbal section, so I got cocky and got a 6 in the bio section of my actual mcat. it is good to have that mentality but don't go too far with the thinking.

 

[0919mmk]

tread lightly with this advice though. it is a good mentality, but I read multiple places that the biology section of the mcat was basically a verbal section, so I got cocky and got a 6 in the bio section of my actual mcat. it is good to have that mentality but don't go too far with the thinking.

Agreed. If anything, the bio section is the most "raw memorization" heavy - you just have to know what hormones do what and where, which orgo rxns are most likely in a given environment etc. Verbal is verbal. Phsyics is IMO the hardest - you have to know equations, apply them in new situations, read critically, and really understand concepts well.

If you are not getting the scores you are hoping for on your practice tests, dont take the real thing expecting to do any better (obviously). Right now my practice tests are at the bottom end of where I want to be on the actual day - let that just be motivation for us for April 9! (I'm on that day too - good luck!)

 

[0919mmk]

Although I now see that I didn't really answer your question...

If you really think that you can't move it over the 30 mark, then take it sooner than later and apply DO/in-state MD. But if you think you CAN get over the 30 hurdle, I suggest doing whatever it takes. 30 is a pretty important cutoff for a lot of schools.

 

[MCAT guy]

I am fully aware that there is an MCAT discussions forum--I'm posting here purposefully because I:

1) Would like to avoid the feedback of the high-intensity pre-allo young 'uns and
2) Am specifically seeking the opinions/feedback of nontrads who are empathetic to my situation

I am scheduled to take the MCAT on April 9th and am REALLY struggling with the scores I'm receiving on my practice tests. My scores have ranged from a low of 24 (6PS, 12VR, 6BS)in January to a high of 30 (9PS, 12VR, 9BS) 2 weeks ago, with subject high scores of 10PS, 12VR, 10BS--just never altogether.

I have a strong application with a pretty decent (3.78) postbac GPA (DARN PHYSICS!) and a respectable 3.55 from undergrad days long passed. I'm a pretty determined person and I think there's a chance I could improve my scores a few more points with additional MONTHS but am honestly starting to question whether I've got it in me to keep up this kind of intensity for as long as would be necessary.

Also, as I'm sure a lot of you can relate to, I've basically got my life scheduled to begin on April 10th. I will be returning to a full time work schedule, various volunteer positions and doing some serious repair to the damages done to my personal life in the past few weeks of "head down" studying.

I hope I don't sound like I'm whining--I'm mostly just feeling defeated and would welcome the insights of any other thoughtful nontrads with a little bit of life and/or MCAT/application experience under their belts.


I know this test is so totally important and I don't want to blow it off, but I'm starting to feel like my efforts are kind of futile. Do I consider postponing in the interest of a 30 or 31 over a 29 or 28? Or do I take the test, cut my losses and keep my fingers crossed?

You have to stick to the plan you made and when ready, take the exam. I would make sure you've gone through all the materials you wanted and took all the full-lengths you planned on doing.

I wouldn't call the whole exam a "VR" exam. VR was my hardest section and sciences were my best. Sciences you can often look back and find the answer in the text OR it's just basic knowledge for the MCAT. The MCAT bio isn't really that memory intense, it just seems like it is. The physics, as the previous poster said, is about thinking on your feet and applying a previous equation to a new situation. You have to know all the equations cold and fast.

I don't think I ever felt ready for the exam but you eventually have to trust your prep and take the exam. This is why setting up a good thorough schedule is so critical from day 1.

I remember the burnout too. The only thing that can give you encouragement here is that it only gets harder. Step 1 is 10 times harder than this exam, so just realize this is a good self selecting exam, the intense MCAT prep will be a shadow of what the Step 1 prep is.

Remember your goal of getting in. After you're in, you will forget about the MCAT completely.

 

[MermaidMD]

I don't think I ever felt ready for the exam but you eventually have to trust your prep and take the exam.

I think that right there is what I've been struggling with--drawing the line between knowing that I'll never feel ready and whether or not a few more weeks will actually make a difference.

I'm taking another practice test tomorrow--Saturday is the last day I can postpone. I'm thinking that barring some kind of disaster in the "teens" I will go through with it on the 9th, consider it the "first round" and schedule a retake right away, just in case.

 

[MCAT guy]

I think that right there is what I've been struggling with--drawing the line between knowing that I'll never feel ready and whether or not a few more weeks will actually make a difference.

I'm taking another practice test tomorrow--Saturday is the last day I can postpone. I'm thinking that barring some kind of disaster in the "teens" I will go through with it on the 9th, consider it the "first round" and schedule a retake right away, just in case.

Calm your nerves and trust your prep. If you did everything possible and have seen an average on the AAMC's that you are ok with, then take the exam.

If your average isn't or wasn't acceptable, then you might want to re-approach the prep. I had a horrible verbal exam (-3 below average) on my last AAMC and kind of freaked out, but I ended up right at my average. If you've taken 7-10 FLs or more, you should have an idea where you are falling. I did all the AAMCs, then took extra BS/PS tests via Berkeley Review.

If you've taken all the AAMC's, then just calculate your average. You should be + or - 2 points of your cumulative score.

 

[MermaidMD]

If you've taken all the AAMC's, then just calculate your average. You should be + or - 2 points of your cumulative score.

Funny, I'm fine with the +2, it's the -2 that makes me want to vomit. I guess that's the cost with riding the "acceptable" fence. (Sigh)

 

[MermaidMD]

Rule 1: Take a Breath

Being psychologically ready and focused is a factor I think many students overlook when preparing for the MCAT. While this should be considered from the start of MCAT preparation, the effects of not doing so seem to grow exponentially as the test date grows closer. With your life built around test dates and decision to postpone just adds to that.

The rule usually is only take the MCAT when your are ready. It sounds like you in content and such your are there! Your ability to do well on sections separately would suggest that you do not have a material/content problem or a reasoning issue with passages and how to take the exam. I would suggest that your difficultly may be maintaining the focus on the entire exam analogous to a marathon runner going the distance. I would further suggest that working on focus, timing and discipline is likely to help in that.

Here are a few specific suggestions

1) Always follow Rule 1: Take a Breath. I mean that literally. Limit the anxiety, enthusiasm, rush of a "test head" before it happens.

2) Focus ONLY on what is in front of you. You take a breath, read a passage, give yourself ONLY the time limit per question (discipline, discipline), eliminate what you can, decide from the remaining and guess if you must. You NEVER leave any question unanswered, even if it is a pure guess. You do it in the time limit and move the next question, no matter what, no matter how uncomfortable or uneasy you are with the answer. Then you MUST put that question out of your mind. After you do all the questions for a passage, you can go back for a specific time limit (usually 1 minute) and review a question for that passage. But you stick to the discipline and move on to the next passage.

3) Only after you finish the entire section should you go back and review any particular questions. But remember you should only change an answer if you solid reason for doing so. Do not change a guess, unless you have good reason for now eliminating other choice.

I really do find spending a week or two doing this, getting this mental process in place keeps students focused to do their best on the exam.

You know the material and you probably already know the above as well. Put it into practice and i think you will have this test nailed

Wow, thank you for such a thoughtful response. Your post makes me feel very...grounded.

I do feel I've turned a bit of a corner in the past two weeks. Where I used to have the "oh crap, i still haven't reviewed _________" feeling, I'm now reviewing material for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th time. I've shifted from feeling like a couple more months would be helpful to feeling like the only way I'd truly raise my scores to the next "bracket" would be to retake all my prereqs.

Although I'm still only scoring around 29-30, I am hitting that mark consistently. I plan to take AAMC 8, 9, 10 and 11 in the next two weeks before my test and then just review subjects that I seem weak on.

Feeling very zen and resigned to my fate. Is it denial? Quite possibly. But I'm gonna roll with it. =)

 

[MermaidMD]

Here is an attitude point that needs angle adjustment.

Point taken. You are floating on a sea of right.

Currently adjusting...

THANK YOU.

 

[MermaidMD]

Well, I just flowed like water down to a 28 on AAMC 11 yesterday. HOWEVER, I have accepted that that was the best I could do in that moment (and will continue to keep my fingers crossed that my best is better on the moment called April 9th).

 

[LifetimeDoc]

tread lightly with this advice though. it is a good mentality, but I read multiple places that the biology section of the mcat was basically a verbal section, so I got cocky and got a 6 in the bio section of my actual mcat. it is good to have that mentality but don't go too far with the thinking.

Well, when I say it's all a verbal reasoning exam I mean this: you still need to know the information, but simply memorizing the information is not enough. You will need to be able to reason your way towards the answer with your basic science knowledge. Those who do better on the verbal portion of the exam do better overall because they are able to read and reason better than those that just purely memorize.

The biology section is actually the easiest because you just need to read the bio sections of any review book, and you'll have the knowledge necessary to do well. Besides, it should be easier because it's the stuff that you should be interested in if going into medicine. (I teach this section for a MCAT course)

For those who don't have the score they want yet, keep pressing forward. Identify those areas you hate and are doing poorly on, and keep studying and reading the review material. You can still improve before test day!