Need Help! They won't grant me additional attempt.

[thssdyear]

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So I have used up my attempts when going in for mock exams just to see the layout of the exam not knowing it counted toward a lifetime limit. They had granted 2 additional attempt in total 9 and now I am finally ready to take the exam and they are saying to ask for one next year and not this. I do not want to waste a whole year. Is there any way around this? Thank you

 

[pleasehelpme12]

are you saying you took the mcat, the real test, 9 times as opposed to doing practice tests in order to feel out the exam?

 

[thssdyear]

are you saying you took the mcat, the real test, 9 times as opposed to doing practice tests in order to feel out the exam?

I didn't know voiding the exam counted I was terrified of this exam

 

[thssdyear]

are you saying you took the mcat, the real test, 9 times as opposed to doing practice tests in order to feel out the exam?

and the real thing is by FAR different than those practice tests. CARS way longer passages.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Nine times? Normal policy says you have seven lifetime MCAT chances including voided attempts. I think you're toast here. You didn't mention this in your past posts.

 

[pleasehelpme12]

and the real thing is by FAR different than those practice tests. CARS way longer passages.

Friend I am so sorry but you are likely cooked. If they do somehow let you take it again, please look around online for a practice plan. There’s a 100 day mcat plan on here that works well enough.

 

[chirpyCHRPE]

So just so that we understand better, you went ahead and registered, paid, and sat through nine (9) MCAT exams? And through what time period? Doesnt the MCAT only allow a certain number of exams in a testing year? Also, I believe that on your AAMC account, it tells you how many attempts you made and have left…

I think in your case, you just have to consider this a loss. Your lack of planning and not being aware of the rules does not justify AAMC giving you yet ANOTHER attempt to the MCAT (esp since students are only allowed 7 in a lifetime).

You should probably just focus on applying to schools with the scores you already have.

 

[polymerization]

and the real thing is by FAR different than those practice tests. CARS way longer passages.

I mean, yeah, the monitors from 2004 combined with the square aspect ratio of the MCAT software was extremely distracting on an already cognitively demanding day and forces you to do more scrolling than you would otherwise have to. That said, I wouldn't say that I was particularly surprised by what I saw on test day. The lengths are standardized to be roughly the same. It's just always overwhelming to open the test and see content you haven't seen before, which is always the case with CARS.

There are like a million notifications on the MCAT portal about how many administrations you're allowed. If you told me "oopsie-whoopsie-doopsie, I didn't know, it was one time" I might understand, but 9? You had to get permission for that, so you knew this would happen at least two MCATs ago, when the system kept you from registering.

Even facing the seriousness of your circumstances, it's concerning you're worried about "wasting a whole year." Assuming AAMC doesn't grant a retake (and honestly, I doubt they would), your only option might just be one of those predatory "no MCAT required" schools or starting over in another country. Neither sound like a good idea. Either way, I don't see a way forward otherwise if you don't have a score. If you're open to nursing, direct entry DNP could be a path; PA also uses a different entrance exam, so all is not lost.

On the bright side, you can rest easy. You'll never be asked to go through those notorious 9 passages ever again.

 

[Deggroll]

ts can't be real

 

[tren]

 

[polymerization]

This is a joke post right? OP paid like 300 bucks for test attempts instead of looking up practice exams? Guys I think we’re getting baited

Actually, I'm not so sure. Imagine you grew up with a lot of money and are inculcated with the belief that rules and regulations are for other people; that it's OK to cheat, lie, or steal as long as no one's looking. And even if they do look, there's a nonzero chance money can either directly coerce or hire coercive people (e.g., lawyers) to discourage any consequences for trying. It's variable ratio reinforcement... addictive with little downside.

Someone who has lived an entire life doing this, over and over again, often gets away with it—until they don't. Maybe this is one of those times.

Even if OP isn't rich, $300, paid 9 times, is still less than Kaplan's $16k premium MCAT course. I'm sure the lifetime limit was imposed because a number of students were actually doing this. Even voiding every attempt, I can totally see how taking the MCAT—not just replicating test conditions, but actually under testing conditions—for sure would improve your score over time. The physiological arousal of test day, at least for me, dropped my actual score roughly 10 points from my FL average...and I can imagine I'm not alone.

Beyond skepticism, I think most of us just feel sad for OP. There aren't many ways to get the irredeemable "kiss of death" from medical schools, but this is certainly one of them, I fear.

 

[Starr_key]

This can't be real. Why tf would you void all the times?? How would you know if you were doing well or not...what would be the point?

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

This can't be real, because if they granted an eighth lifetime sitting, they would have made it utterly clear that was it.

That said, an exception to take it one extra time would have to involve many years between their first sitting and their last sitting. Back in the day, you had to provide a written request to take the exam a fourth time. The ones that got granted often involved post-bacs.