My MCAT scores are fluctuating like a wave but am taking it in 10 days!! HOPE???

[stupidkid30]

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ok, here we go i will be taking the MCAT on may 10th but my scores are really weird, I score a 29 on kaplan one day, than the next day I take an aamc and get a 22, I study a bit more take a GS and get a 21 and then another AAMC # 10 and get a 27, last week I got a 28 on TPR which is supposed to be much harder than aamc, I was confident so I decided to take AAMC 9, I took it and got a 22. I am definetly not postponing, since I know that doing well now will allow me to be an early applicant and that If I don't do well I can always bust my brains over the summer and take it again during the summer with the experience under my belt. This is my question, did any of you guys have such fluctuating scores and still do ok on the real deal?? I don't get why my scores are so unstable. Do I have hope of doing semi well on the real deal? I am consideing DO so anything above a 25 would be ok for me.

 

[armybound]

this question is probably better suited for the MCAT forum.

 

[Corey3326]

Yep, my scores also fluctuated when I took the practice tests. I did a mix of the AAMC and Kaplan tests, and I think I had a range of about 7 points. When I took the actual text, it was on the lower end of my scoring range for my practice tests, but I still did alright.

Just try not to be too nervous, because like you said, if you need to you can always take it again!!

Good luck!!!! 🙂

 

[stupidkid30]

Yep, my scores also fluctuated when I took the practice tests. I did a mix of the AAMC and Kaplan tests, and I think I had a range of about 7 points. When I took the actual text, it was on the lower end of my scoring range for my practice tests, but I still did alright.

Just try not to be too nervous, because like you said, if you need to you can always take it again!!


Good luck!!!! 🙂

was it 7 points up or down from kaplan to aamc or a mix both? I hope I don't score in my lower end because that would mean low 20s, thanks anybody else? please keep it coming.

 

[bluemonkey]

was it 7 points up or down from kaplan to aamc or a mix both? I hope I don't score in my lower end because that would mean low 20s, thanks anybody else? please keep it coming.

I would highly suggest postponing your exam. This kind of fluctuation most likely indicates that there are content areas that you have not yet mastered. As people get better mastery of the overall content for the test, scores do still fluctuate, but only by 2-3 points. I would give yourself at least another month of solid prep and then take the test.

 

[yaba]

Me too! I just took my mcat on the 19th but before that I was 25,25,33,30,28,25,30,22(aamc9),31. I guess ill see how I did on the real thing, goodluck to you

 

[stupidkid30]

I would highly suggest postponing your exam. This kind of fluctuation most likely indicates that there are content areas that you have not yet mastered. As people get better mastery of the overall content for the test, scores do still fluctuate, but only by 2-3 points. I would give yourself at least another month of solid prep and then take the test.

Hey thanks I know that you are being extremely helpful with your advice. BUT let this be the last advice which advocates postponing the test, I AM NOT POSTPONING ANYTHING NO MATTER WHAT, I have simply made up my mind and I am ready for the worst.

 

[stupidkid30]

Me too! I just took my mcat on the 19th but before that I was 25,25,33,30,28,25,30,22(aamc9),31. I guess ill see how I did on the real thing, goodluck to you

are these all aamcs? which test did you get a 33 in? can you specify which companies all the tests were from? thanks

 

[yaba]

are these all aamcs? which test did you get a 33 in? can you specify which companies all the tests were from? thanks

KAP1:25 KAP2:25 KAP3:33 KAP4:30 AAMC8:28 AAMC10:26 AAMC7:31 AAMC9:22 AAMC6: 30

 

[mdgator]

I know you're not postponing...but honestly...you should. My scores did not fluctuate within the last 2 weeks before the test by more than 2 points. I would take such drastic fluctuation as a bad sign. And, I don't know anything about DO, but I think scoring a 22 could potentially be devastating for you. The MCAT is not a test you want to take twice if it can be avoided at all. It's sounds to me like you're not prepared yet. I'm not trying to be harsh, negative, or a jackass...just trying to be honest.

However, I must admit I don't know much about DO schools...Good luck to you, whatever you do.

 

[stupidkid30]

I know you're not postponing...but honestly...you should. My scores did not fluctuate within the last 2 weeks before the test by more than 2 points. I would take such drastic fluctuation as a bad sign. And, I don't know anything about DO, but I think scoring a 22 could potentially be devastating for you. The MCAT is not a test you want to take twice if it can be avoided at all. It's sounds to me like you're not prepared yet. I'm not trying to be harsh, negative, or a jackass...just trying to be honest.

However, I must admit I don't know much about DO schools...Good luck to you, whatever you do.

Ok guys, considering the fact that I am not going to postpone no matter what you say, can you please refrain from lowering my confidence by telling me that am going to get a bad score?, ok I know am not ready I don't care am willing to take it twice I appreciate your advice but I want to hear from people who had fluctuating scores and did well so anyone?

 

[mdgator]

Ok guys, considering the fact that I am not going to postpone no matter what you say, can you please refrain from lowering my confidence by telling me that am going to get a bad score?, ok I know am not ready I don't care am willing to take it twice I appreciate your advice but I want to hear from people who had fluctuating scores and did well so anyone?

Sorry stupidkid (everyone take note that was not an insult, it's his/her sdn name). As I said, I was not trying to be discouraging. I could start a thread asking people to tell me that I can get into the NBA, but considering I'm 5'9" and can't jump, it's probably not going to happen. If I was honestly under the impression that I might play for the Bulls next year, I would be thankful for people who were willing to give me a dose of reality.

However, you may very well take the test and do well. I hope so. I will not lie to you and tell you that I find it likely...but then again, I am a lowly soon-to-be MS1 and don't have a whole lot more experience than you do...so what do I know. If I had known that all you were looking for were words of encouragement, I would have refrained from posting. I was under the impression that you were looking for honest advice. Again, good luck, I sincerely hope you do well.

 

[yaba]

I do agree with you about not postponing because you cant run from this test all your life, I know plenty(I should underscore plenty because its more than 5 at my school alone) of people who took it twice and are in med schools like University of Miami, University of Florida, and Tulane and none of them said that the admissions committee even brought it up. That said, I do believe you could be better prepared but just take the test anyways and while waiting for the test scores to come back keep studying and register for another one. If you want a confidence boost there are plenty of stories on this web site about people like you and I with flunctuating practice scores who did really well.

 

[stupidkid30]

Sorry stupidkid (everyone take note that was not an insult, it's his/her sdn name). As I said, I was not trying to be discouraging. I could start a thread asking people to tell me that I can get into the NBA, but considering I'm 5'9" and can't jump, it's probably not going to happen. If I was honestly under the impression that I might play for the Bulls next year, I would be thankful for people who were willing to give me a dose of reality.

However, you may very well take the test and do well. I hope so. I will not lie to you and tell you that I find it likely...but then again, I am a lowly soon-to-be MS1 and don't have a whole lot more experience than you do...so what do I know. If I had known that all you were looking for were words of encouragement, I would have refrained from posting. I was under the impression that you were looking for honest advice. Again, good luck, I sincerely hope you do well.

Ok thanks. but it is Mrs. Stupid kid to you. well anyways to anyone else who is kind enough to post, I am necessarily looking for encouragement am looking for people who had a similar experience and ended up doing ok

 

[tncekm]

We've all heard stories, anything is possible. Just go in there with a positive "I can do this" attitude and see where it takes you.

An example of one of those stories is this: I know a girl who never broke 20 on TPR exams and pulled a 27 on her MCAT. I've also heard stories of another person who was scoring 25s on their TPR's prior to the MCAT and ended up with a 35. Having said that, I want to say that these are unusual cases.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

I'm not replying to the OP specifically since she doesn't want to be told to postpone, but let me leave this general comment out there. I've heard from more than one adcom that if you retake the MCAT, you have to do better than you would have originally. So if your first time out, you got a 29, you could still get in. If your first time out, you got a 24, then you retook it and got a 29, that won't cut it. This is why adcoms say you should only sit for the test when you're 100% sure you can get somewhere near your target score.

 

[mterp45]

ok, here we go i will be taking the MCAT on may 10th but my scores are really weird, I score a 29 on kaplan one day, than the next day I take an aamc and get a 22, I study a bit more take a GS and get a 21 and then another AAMC # 10 and get a 27, last week I got a 28 on TPR which is supposed to be much harder than aamc, I was confident so I decided to take AAMC 9, I took it and got a 22. I am definetly not postponing, since I know that doing well now will allow me to be an early applicant and that If I don't do well I can always bust my brains over the summer and take it again during the summer with the experience under my belt. This is my question, did any of you guys have such fluctuating scores and still do ok on the real deal?? I don't get why my scores are so unstable. Do I have hope of doing semi well on the real deal? I am consideing DO so anything above a 25 would be ok for me.

Hey make sure you come back and tell us how you did, am curious to find out and good luck.

 

[vikingvallhalla]

I'm having the same thing, but between 28 and 24, hope I can get up to 30 on the 10th. I'm working on my weaknesses as we type. All the best to both of us.😱

 

[stupidkid30]

I'm having the same thing, but between 28 and 24, hope I can get up to 30 on the 10th. I'm working on my weaknesses as we type. All the best to both of us.😱

hey which tests are you experiencing these deviations? and by the way, although many on this site won't admit it, I am sure there are plenty of others just like us who are to shy to come out of their hidding cage. Why do you think this thread is getting so many hits.

 

[Corey3326]

was it 7 points up or down from kaplan to aamc or a mix both? I hope I don't score in my lower end because that would mean low 20s, thanks anybody else? please keep it coming.

Hey, it was actually a mix both high and low scores on both the Kaplan and AAMC tests and there was absolutely no pattern. I would do good, then not so good...I think my range was like a 30-37 or something like that. Honestly, it just seemed kind of like a crapshoot on how well I did on the actual MCAT, because my scores fluctuated so much.

Good luck to you!! 👍

 

[Dr. Josh]

I hear you. I'm also taking the test on May 10th and I'm still fluctuating quite a bit. I am more prepared than I was before (I've been postponing since last May). I'm not convinced I'll ever do great, like you people are all talking. I'd be very happy to get into DO school; I love their philosophy. What do I need for DO school?

 

[stupidkid30]

I think around a 25 with no section below an 8 would give you a decent shot.

 

[queenbee]

honestly, i don't think that any amount of studying will seem sufficient. sure, it would be great to get stabilized scoring and kudos to those that do.

perhaps this is just wishful thinking, but if you look at old threads, there are clearly some exams that are much easier and much more difficult. like, everyone complains about kaplan's last 2 practice exams (#10 and #11). i reverted right back to my diagnostic score with those, but had been able to score high 20s/low 30s prior to them. whereas, like #4 and #5 seem to be really easy.

so, take these grades with a grain of salt. i took the exam in april and i'm waiting for my score. i had studied my weak points and very little of it showed up. i also was ready to boost my scores with my strong points (like orgo), and none of that was on the test, either. it was a really muddy middle.

long story short - DO NOT POSTPONE. i think that you're already in the mindset of taking this test and just keep working toward that goal. good luck.

 

[SN2ed]

I would say don't plan on postponing or retaking, not don't postpone. If you're practice scores are wildly fluctuating or you have a low average, then yes you should postpone. You will only hurt yourself by taking the test unprepared.

 

[stupidkid30]

honestly, i don't think that any amount of studying will seem sufficient. sure, it would be great to get stabilized scoring and kudos to those that do.

perhaps this is just wishful thinking, but if you look at old threads, there are clearly some exams that are much easier and much more difficult. like, everyone complains about kaplan's last 2 practice exams (#10 and #11). i reverted right back to my diagnostic score with those, but had been able to score high 20s/low 30s prior to them. whereas, like #4 and #5 seem to be really easy.

so, take these grades with a grain of salt. i took the exam in april and i'm waiting for my score. i had studied my weak points and very little of it showed up. i also was ready to boost my scores with my strong points (like orgo), and none of that was on the test, either. it was a really muddy middle.

long story short - DO NOT POSTPONE. i think that you're already in the mindset of taking this test and just keep working toward that goal. good luck.

I hear you, I will serve as an exampe for all and I will porve that practice scores are nothing but just practice scores, I feel completely ready, even if I take a full lentgh and get a 19 on it right now, am still going to take this test on may 10th and I am confident that I will do well. so bouhaha.

 

[Dr. Josh]

I think around a 25 with no section below an 8 would give you a decent shot.

thanks, now if only.....😳

 

[stupidkid30]

no worries buddy we will get there.

 

[phospho]

no worries buddy we will get there.

You mentioned GS somewhere in the thread...the real thing will be easier. At least I hope so.

 

[What up doc]

i agree...as long as u are in the mindset and u really have tried to cover your weak points...practice scores are practice scores...im suspcious of those who claim to have scored so high on all their practice test...especially when some fo the questions ive seen on the practice test seem to not come from any of the review materials...but anyway, im hoping for a test that has many of my strengths....and if it has my weaknesses, then i hope my reasoning and focus kick in to get me over the hump!