ahhhsomanyquestions said:
I started studying for MCAT using Kaplan in November. Due to COVID, I had to reschedule my exam from April to end of June. I had been doing a full content review up until end of march, then things started getting cancelled and my study plans slowed down because I wasn't sure when my test date would actually be. I definitely regret not studying more while this whole situation unfolded, but that discussion could take up a whole other thread. Anyway, Back in November, I took my first AAMC FL (FL #1) and scored a 504. I was pretty happy with this, as I hadn't started my studying yet and it had been several years since I took most of the prereqs. Fast forward to ~February, I take the Kaplan FL #1 and score a 496. I know these scores are deflated, but I expected a lot better given the number of months I had spent doing content review and some practice. I just retook AAMC FL#2, and I scored a 504 again. I haven't studied in a solid 2 months, but I still expected that I should have done somewhat better than my baseline. Now my exam is in 3 weeks, and I feel like I don't know where to go from here in terms of changing my study plan and/or postponing my exam. I'm assuming that a 504 isn't a sufficient score on the real exam to get me into most schools. I am applying for 2021 cycle. Any advice on study plans, postponement, and anything else?
If what you're telling us is true, then the facts are
1. You scored worse/the same on TWO subsequent tests compared to your initial test
2. It's likely that you scored as high as you did on your baseline FL due to chance
3. Based on the fact that 2/3 test scores were lower/the same compared to the initial test, you may not be a good test-taker and this is not really a good match for somoene in the medical field
Let's say that all of the above are true (test-taking tip: "all of the above" is frequently a good answer option, though of course not always). That means that you scored low due to being a bad test-taker, not random chance. It may not matter how much "content review" you are doing (whatever that means; passive reading isn't considered studying in my opinion) if you are not a good test-taker. This is just something that you are born with, or you aren't. Studying means: making vocab sheets to quiz yourself, doing practice questions, condensing info, etc. Reading is passive and doesn't drill the information into your head.
Anyway, I'm sorry to be so harsh, but you might want to look at other careers that don't require a s$$t ton of memorization/studying. Some people are just plain good at test-taking, and other people aren't. There are thousands of careers out there. Medicine may not be for you, and that's okay.
If you do decide after several more FLs that medicine is still the path you want to take, then you have some evaluating to do. You might want to look into
how to study. Let me reiterate, again, that test-taking is very important in medicine, and you will end up THOUSANDS of dollars in debt and feel like a failure if you get to the end of medical school and can't become board ceritfied (or maybe not even get a good score on Step 1). Are you sure that this is what you want to do?