MCAT score won't increase

[bookworm30]

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Hey guys,

This is my first post on SDN! I'm in a little bit of a situation. My MCAT is in 6 days, July 2nd and my score is stuck at 26. I've taken AAMC 3-8 as well as multiple princeton tests and 26 has been my highest on both. The score just will not increase. The only fluctuation that I'm seeing is in the Verbal Reasoning Section (unfortunately).

I'm going to take the test on July 2nd and I need advice on the following:

1) Whether or not to void the test (I'm tempted to not void it as our Pre-Health advisor will not write the Committee letter until she sees an MCAT score...if I take it and get it scored then she will write the letter and I can submit my primaries while I wait for the MCAT)
2) If I'm rescheduling for August 9th or the 22nd, what should I be doing to study so that I will see results.

As of now I take the test, then review what I missed by redoing the questions that missed and working questions in those particular areas with TBR and TPR. I am keeping a notebook of facts and such that I forget but I find that in a given day I don't always have time to review it. Also, as of now I haven't paid any attention to Biological Sciences or Verbal Reasoning and have been focusing on Physical Sciences.

Regardless, my scores are stuck. PS is about an 8, BS: 8-12, and VR: 6-9.
I took AAMC 3 as a diagnostic back in March and I got a 23: 5PS, 9VR, and 9BS.
I took AAMC 4 when I started my month of practice and got a 26: 7PS, 9VR, 10BS.
My Princeton Review tests are surprisingly in the same range as my AAMCs even though almost everyone says they are harder.

Any advice is appreciated!!! My goal score at this point is a 30-32...since I'm moving my test to August 9th or 22nd, that gives me a little over a month-two to improve. I still have AAMC 9-11 left and I have all the "R" versions.

Thanks a lot!

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

26 is not competitive for MD. Getting a sub-par score just for a committee letter doesn't seem worth it to me. I would void at this point since it's too late to actually cancel it. Take it and at least get the experience. Even rescheduling for a month from now, it would be very difficult to raise your scores 4-5 points if you've been consistently scoring in the mid-20s.
Have you thought about post-poning until next cycle? Do you know why you've been scoring so lowly? To me, a 26 seems to be a gap in content knowledge. How have you been studying?

 

[bookworm30]

Well initially I was studying incorrectly in the sense that I wasn't practicing enough...I was just reading my books and taking notes. However, the past 2 weeks I shifted towards just practicing problems and understanding the reasoning behind how the test makers want you to think. I also started watching Chad's Videos on Gen. Chem and Physics and that helped clarify quite a bit.

That being said, I've mostly been doing Physical Science questions...no Verbal Reasoning or Biological Sciences at all. For BS, usually what kills my score is Organic (so I will be going over that and working problems). I'm not sure why my Verbal score is dropping as that's just reading comprehension. Physical Sciences won't increase but I think I need to do more problems anyways on that.

If needed, I'll hit the books again but I personally don't think the error is content. One thing I haven't tried doing is taking practice tests and then on the day of review instead of working problems, using EK to review the material briefly and then doing problems. Maybe try doing that?

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

I think you just need more time to study, do more practice problems, and get your game up. There's really no need to rush it if you're not going to do well. It's better to do well the first time than rush it, bomb it, and then have to retake. Postponing a cycle wouldn't be the end of the world if it'll give you more time to beef up your knowledge and get a better hang of the exam. The good news is that the section you're struggling with most, the PS, is the easiest to improve upon.

 

[bookworm30]

Thanks! Yea I just talked to a buddy of mine who's in medical school...he gave me really good advice. Perhaps why I'm stagnant is not because of content but of thinking under pressure. He said that given that I'm not practicing with a timer, during my practice tests I really feel the pressure. So I think I'm going to start doing that so that I can start thinking faster.

My parents won't let me take a year off. Everything else on my application is really solid. Just need a good MCAT.

 

[krogers21]

Thanks! Yea I just talked to a buddy of mine who's in medical school...he gave me really good advice. Perhaps why I'm stagnant is not because of content but of thinking under pressure. He said that given that I'm not practicing with a timer, during my practice tests I really feel the pressure. So I think I'm going to start doing that so that I can start thinking faster.

My parents won't let me take a year off. Everything else on my application is really solid. Just need a good MCAT.

Focus on the pressure like you said, but perhaps your parents essentially pressuring you into doing well on this is causing you to do poorly. I know it isn't my place, but you need to focus on doing what you want to do and that if it takes 10 years to study and feel prepared, wait that long (not really 10 years obv. but you get my point). I planned on taking the 8/16 MCAT and I'm now postponing to 9/12 or even January. I understand feeling pressure. Just really focus on timing yourself. You're lucky it's only ps you need to improve 🙂

 

[MedOldAge]

Focus on the pressure like you said, but perhaps your parents essentially pressuring you into doing well on this is causing you to do poorly. I know it isn't my place, but you need to focus on doing what you want to do and that if it takes 10 years to study and feel prepared, wait that long (not really 10 years obv. but you get my point). I planned on taking the 8/16 MCAT and I'm now postponing to 9/12 or even January. I understand feeling pressure. Just really focus on timing yourself. You're lucky it's only ps you need to improve 🙂

+1.

Don't take it until you are ready.