MCAT Encouragement needed! Help...

[Struggling22]

Hey guys... I know I'm probably not the only one who goes through this.. but the MCAT has really lowered my self esteem.. I have a 3.8 GPA..2,000 clinical hours, research awards, global health experience. and have done really well all throughout my career (was top 1% in high school, made perfect scores on AP Exams)..have my personal statement ready to go.. I have had this intense passion for medicine from a young age...

BUT after studying for the MCAT for ~2 months.. I started feeling like I'm an idiot. Truth is, I haven't been able to get past a 26. I started my first test with a 15.. yes..that low. I was expecting at least a 20.. that's usually what people get on their diagnostic. I gave up on a lot for this, paid for the course, have all the books.. and am not getting any good results...

I think it may be due to the fact that I haven't been doing as many passages or am just not used to the timing and these types of tests. I just took my test today and will die to make even a 27.. I went near my neighborhood swamp and cried for an hour.. It is making me reconsider my dream.. am I fit for this field? I always felt that I may not be the smartest person, but I have a really good work ethic. I studied from EK books..went over all my notes, did the EK 1001 series.. read PR for chem and physics..

When I hear people such as my friends with low GPAs that pulled 30's on their MCAT.. it makes me believe it's do-able.. then I'm like.. why can't I do it? What am I lacking that I'm not able to do well on this test?

Basically, can anyone conquer the MCAT or does it take someone with mastered testing skills? I need some encouragement and advice. Something to get me back up again..

And.. if I do retake, should I start and relearn my content from scratch?

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[Temperature101]

Hey guys... I know I'm probably not the only one who goes through this.. but the MCAT has really lowered my self esteem.. I have a 3.8 GPA..2,000 clinical hours, research awards, global health experience. and have done really well all throughout my career (was top 1% in high school, made perfect scores on AP Exams)..have my personal statement ready to go.. I have had this intense passion for medicine from a young age...

BUT after studying for the MCAT for ~2 months.. I started feeling like I'm an idiot. Truth is, I haven't been able to get past a 26. I started my first test with a 15.. yes..that low. I was expecting at least a 20.. that's usually what people get on their diagnostic. I gave up on a lot for this, paid for the course, have all the books.. and am not expecting any good results...

I think it may be due to the fact that I haven't been doing as many passages or am just not used to the timing and these types of tests. I just took my test today and will die to make even a 27.. I went near my neighborhood swamp and cried for an hour.. It is making me reconsider my dream.. am I fit for this field? I always felt that I may not be the smartest person, but I have a really good work ethic. I studied from EK books..went over all my notes, did the EK 1001 series.. read PR for chem and physics..

Basically, can anyone conquer the MCAT or does it take someone with mastered testing skills? I need some encouragement and advice. Something to get me back up again..

And.. if I do retake, should I start and relearn my content from scratch?

Have you take any AAMC full length yet? If so, What is (are) your score(s)? The MCAT is a strange test but not impossible as I used to think. What make the MCAT complicated is the convoluted way they ask these questions... They do definitely take easy concepts and make them look complicated....You can definitely get 27 if your VR skills are good (ie be able to get 9+ in VR). PS is arguably the one section one can see a tremendous improvement if study the right way...If these books (EK and PR) are not doing it for you, try BR for PS because TBR books are more comprehensive in PS than any other prep companies outhere....Watch online videos in youtube...Sign up for Chad's videos etc... Again, it is not that hard to get 27 if your VR skills are strong because VR is probably the hardest section to see a remarkable improvement.

 

[arish]

Hey
I am the same way and I exactly have the same accomplishments along with the same score.
1 thing I realized is that you have to start doing passage based problems. 1001 series for EK is just questions. But passages based questions are very different. I am taking a practice test tomorrow and will keep u posted with the results

 

[Struggling22]

Have you take any AAMC full length yet? If so, What is (are) your score(s)? The MCAT is a strange test but not impossible as I used to think. What make the MCAT complicated is the convoluted way they ask these questions... They do definitely take easy concepts and make them look complicated....You can definitely get 27 if your VR skills are good (ie be able to get 9+ in VR). PS is arguably the one section one can see a tremendous improvement if study the right way...If these books (EK and PR) are not doing it for you, try BR for PS because TBR books are more comprehensive in PS than any other prep companies outhere....Watch online videos in youtube...Sign up for Chad's videos etc... Again, it is not that hard to get 27 if your VR skills are strong because VR is probably the hardest section to see a remarkable improvement.

I would love to get the TBR books for Physics and Bio. Anyone willing to sell these? I'm taking my exam again in two months. On my AAMC I made a 26.. I don't know why I went ahead and took it.. ... I really hope I make something descent so it doesn't hurt my app

 

[Temperature101]

I would love to get the TBR books for Physics and Bio. Anyone willing to sell these? I'm taking my exam again in two months. On my AAMC I made a 26.. I don't know why I went ahead and took it.. ... I really hope I make something descent so it doesn't hurt my app

26 is good starting score...You can bring that score up to 31-33 in 2 months... I started with 24 (VR is killing me) and hoping to bring it to 28+ in 2 months, but again I am applying only to DO... If you are shooting for 35+ and not scoring 11 in VR already, it might be hard to bring it up that much...

 

[Temperature101]

Listen, I'm the same way. I took my first practice exam, and got an 18. I studied my ass off the next couple of months going hard core, constantly scoring anywhere from mid 20s to 30 on the AAMC practice exams. I've had so many people in the past tell me "maybe medicine isn't for you" or "there's no shame in being a nurse". I've had so many ups and downs on my path to applying, but what made me want it more and more was to prove to everybody that I can do it. I can beat this test, and show everybody that I do have what it takes to be a doctor. Don't give up man. This is coming from somebody who recently took the MCAT (took it on 5/11) and thinks they did bad on it. I walked out of that test feeling destroyed, defeated, and hopeless. But that didn't stop me from re-registering for another exam. I heard a quote from a Navy SEAL, and he said "a man can only be beaten in two ways, either he gives up or he dies". I refuse to let this test beat me. That is the level of commitment I'm willing to give this exam.

We somewhat have the same mentality... I said to myself if don't get into med school, it should not be because of the MCAT since I only need a 26+ to have a shot at DO. I took it last year and I did really bad due to mostly VR...I have been spending a lot of time in VR and I have seen some improvement though not where I want to be at this time. If I can breathe, there is still hope.

 

[mspeedwagon]

I was debating whether or not I should post here as I haven't "figured out" the MCAT. I actually did horribly on the two AAMC exams I took (20 on test 3 and 19 on test 4). Lower than the 23 I scored on the Kaplan Diagnostic.

I really, really want this. I know there are many that would quit in our shoes. But, honestly, we've come too far, worked too hard and this is the only true field for us.

I'm starting to accept I may not be ready for this cycle. That I may have to re-take the Kaplan class, that I should probably sign up for Chad's videos, that I need to re-visit biology textbooks, that I need to read more philosophy and that I need to do more focused MCAT prep than I initially thought.

We'll get to the 30 mark mon ami. I'll see you on the other side doctor. I'm not interested in the classmates that waltzed into the MCAT and scored 36 in their diagnostic. I want to hear the stories of those that struggled along the path and overcame adversity. You can do this. BELIEVE!