My MCAT is tomorrow...not ready...just had the worst summer

[luxi106]

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I know I am not ready for my MCAT I have been studying for over a year and planned on taking it in September...I took the exam in june of 2008 under terrible circumstances I only studied for a month after i completed a class and was working ....took two weeks off and came out with a 12Q I was crushed but not defeated took august off and signed up for the Kaplan prep course again and followed the program didn't take the practice tests right away, because I wasted time and then my mom became ill, and i was working ...all excuses but not valid reasons why i didn't do practice test earlier...so finally i buckled down started reviewing my material through workshops and quizzes...all the while working and helping my mom, then things go horribly worng in July my mom passed and it took everything I had... i really tried to focus and jump back into my studying so that i can be ready for the test tomorrow and I feel like i have failed to do so... I am scoring low on my AAMC practice tests and i am literally "freaking out" ...the D.O. schools i want to apply too will accept the Jan 2010 MCAT scores but I don't know what to do go and take the test tomorrow and have a high risk of scoring low or wait and run the risk of applying late...I spoke to several admission reps and they say that applying late is not wise but it is done, and to at least have everything else in. My GPA is low 3.0 so I need a good MCAT score . I know this is a alot of info but i am at the end of my rope and I really don't know what to do...please help

 

[Kid A]

It's hard to say what to do, but the most important thing is not to take the test until you are ready.

You can
A-Take it now and potentially get a bad score. While having your app complete in October.

B- Take it in January being ready. Being complete in february will hurt, but applicants still have a decent shot getting in that late.

C- Take it anytime you are ready and apply for the next cycle as early as you possibly can. Getting the app out really early can help your odds.

I would say B if you really want to get in this year and C if you want the best shot into getting into school.

 

[Emerald84]

Luxi,

I am going to be really blunt with you. You need to wait. My situation is not all that dissimilar.

I took the MCAT last March and scored a 23. I took 3 weeks of from work, but my twin brother was in ICU care the week before. He passed away the week after I took my first test. I can only imagine what you are going through.

What worked for me: accept that in the initial stages of grief your memory and retention are not as good, you are grieving. Its ok. I found some great FREE counseling offered at a local pHd program. You need to decide if it is a good time for you. I really didn't know how I was going to handle studying. I decided for myself that it was important to continue my life for the both of us. Losing a twin is really horrendous.

So Kaplan graciously took me back and I went to every lecture, read all the material, did all quizes and workshops, Topical Tests and Full lengths (kaplan and AMCAS). Some days (6 weeks after his death) things were hard and I needed to take it easy that day. But I always went to class.
Get to a place where you feel good studying and you are happy moving towards other things. It may be in a few weeks, it may be in a year, its ok.
It's important that you do well and pay attention to the way you are feeling. I can't stress this enough. Studying really helped my grief because I was able to focus on something that was important to me and my brother would have been proud. Just know you will need to make some sacrifices to do well and to do it when you feel like it is right, not when you think you should. Also, you need to be scoring 27-30+ range on at least 3 full lengths ( just my opinion). I would recommend the Exam Krackers Verbal Review book in addition to Kaplan materials.

It sounds like you feel you are not ready and I would encourage you to really trust that. Keep trusting whatever it is that is guiding your feelings and trust that it will work out perfectly when you are ready. There is nothing keeping you from a 35 (or whatever).

Best of luck!

 

[luxi106]

Thank you both I know how I feel and need to trust in it ...I med school so bad but I can't jepordize it by making the wrong move and not being able to recover from it...I am not going to go tomorrow and I called kaplan and I going to retake my prep course from taking all the AAMC practice test I now know where to start.

 

[Emerald84]

Awesome. I think you are making a good decision. It's just too important. Kaplan is great. You have passed the two weeks to cancel your MCAT, but not showing won't impact anything in your record. I did the same thing last September.


Just keep trusting. It won't feel so much like you are rowing upstream when you are ready and have really done the work. I promise. You'll get your energy and focus back. I think sometimes even before a death things are chaotic. Let them settle and keep paying attention to what feels good for you about this whole thing. Nothing else matters.

 

[Emerald84]

Glad to be an essentially positive force in the universe

 

[ODorDO]

Awesome. I think you are making a good decision. It's just too important. Kaplan is great. You have passed the two weeks to cancel your MCAT, but not showing won't impact anything in your record. I did the same thing last September.

I agree, you should go to the exam anyway. Just to make sure that you void the exam in the end. This way you can really get used to the testing environment.

 

[just one]

I don't know what school you are applying to but you have virtually zero chance of being accepted to my state DO school. They accept January mcat too, but the last round of interviews is in february, your mcat score won't be released until first week of march ( since mcat date was 1-30, 1-31 this year).

 

[forrealz]

I agree, you should go to the exam anyway. Just to make sure that you void the exam in the end. This way you can really get used to the testing environment.

That's what I did, really helped to get rid of the anxiety when i took it for real and kept the scores. you should go and make sure to void the score.

 

[Emerald84]

I'm sorry, I think going and voiding is a terrible idea. First, the schools will have record that you voided and second, the poster's mom died in July. i advised to take it easy, study when he/she is ready and take in Jan. So what if takes longer and the tests does not get done until next April or May, it's more important to be ready. The poster already took the MCAT, so it would be silly to take it again and void tomorrow!

 

[MD2BEEE]

the schools will have record that you voided

Important point... voided MCAT's are NOT reported to schools. There is no record of a voided MCAT apart from internally with AAMC.

He's already paid for it... just think of it as a very expensive practice test. I would definitely go take it and void.

 

[RitaHayworth]

Any "real" experience can only help the OP in my opinion, despite feelings of being unprepared. As we all know, there is only so much that a practice test can convey. I would definitely advise going and voiding the test. You've already paid the money. You might as well get some practical use out of taking the exam.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Go in, take the test for practice, and void it. DO NOT let the test be scored. It will not be good. I personally would take the next year to prep, get your gpa in order, and apply early next year with everything you need under control.

 

[JaggerPlate]

I'm sorry, I think going and voiding is a terrible idea. First, the schools will have record that you voided and second, the poster's mom died in July. i advised to take it easy, study when he/she is ready and take in Jan. So what if takes longer and the tests does not get done until next April or May, it's more important to be ready. The poster already took the MCAT, so it would be silly to take it again and void tomorrow!

False ... schools do not know you voided the exam and because it's too late to back out of the 200 bucks, it's now just the most realistic, expensive practice test ever.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

Do you get the score for the MCAT if you void it??

 

[MarieMarie]

Do you get the score for the MCAT if you void it??

No, but wouldn't that be nice?

 

[JaggerPlate]

Do you get the score for the MCAT if you void it??

Nope. Voiding is like you never took it. However, it - in my opinion - is the best practice you can get. Especially if you really take the test at the same testing center. Sure, if it's over two weeks before your test ... cancel and get the 200 bucks back. But if not, take it and void.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

Ok. Gotcha.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Ok. Gotcha.

New Avatar huh??? I didn't even recognize that was you at first Punky!!

 

[PunkmedGirl]

New Avatar huh??? I didn't even recognize that was you at first Punky!!

Yep.😀 A couple other people were using it so I decided to get something I really like.....Gerard Butler (He's such a FOINNNE piece of specimen😍)

 

[missDO]

Yep.😀 A couple other people were using it so I decided to get something I really like.....Gerard Butler (He's such a FOINNNE piece of specimen😍)

👍 Mmmhmmmmmm.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Yep.😀 A couple other people were using it so I decided to get something I really like.....Gerard Butler (He's such a FOINNNE piece of specimen😍)

Hahahah ... such a dream boat. I have his poster right next to my Robert Pattinson one!!!!







*** please note, I am joking!

 

[PunkmedGirl]

Hahahah ... such a dream boat. I have his poster right next to my Robert Pattinson one!!!!







*** please note, I am joking!

LMAO...I was gonna say.... When I read that my mouth opened wide...."I was like.. Jag's gay?? DAmnit....

 

[JaggerPlate]

LMAO...I was gonna say.... When I read that my mouth opened wide...."I was like.. Jag's gay?? DAmnit....

Hahahah, nope. I do make a lot of Robert Pattinson jokes though because my girlfriend is obsessed.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

Hahahah, nope. I do make a lot of Robert Pattinson jokes though because my girlfriend is obsessed.

So my best friend and her father.

 

[kabtq9s]

Guys,

Im in the same boat as the OP, and I dont wana take it even to practice, wont have time to go.

Should I call MCAT office tomorrow at 9am to cancel or call the prometric center to cancel ? or dont do anything ?

thanks

 

[Helen Wheels]

Honestly, luxi, I think you should not take it or take it and void it. I lost my Mom a few years ago and I don't think anyone would be in the proper mental space for the MCAT just two months after the death of a parent.

Edit: Whoops, sorry did not realize this was an old thread.

 

[Meerkatology]

take a year off to work/study and recuperate, then take it when you are fully ready next cycle, imo

and admissions will understand if you took a year off because of family loss

sorry to hear your situation, and good luck

 

[Goro]

[This is probably after the fact now, but after all you've been through, do you really think that some magic is going to occur and you're going to do well on the MCAT? I don't. So, do yourself a favr and skip the test. Take time to heal, and take it in January. So what if you don't go to med school in 2012? You'll go in 2013.

 

[JamesLMT]

Necro thread is Necro, please stop posting. kthx.