Need MCAT opinion/advice

[ChemEngMD]

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So here is my situation. I am supposed to take my MCAT on Sept. 12 (this coming Saturday). I have been studying fairly steadily since the end of May doing content review (EK and EK 1001), passages (TPR & EK), and a few practice tests (TPR). I was originally supposed to take it on Aug. 25 but I felt completely unprepared at the time and pushed it to the last possible date. My concerns now are that I am stuck in this date and I still don't feel that confident. I have still barely done any Organic review and my practice scores are still abismal. I don't know if I should stick it out and go to the test this Saturday or should chicken out or what. I am not applying til next June so I have plenty of time to get the test in. I guess I'm just nervous with the semester now in full swing and my scores not being where I want them (not to mention a few personal things that are weighing heavy on my mind). Should I stick it out? If I score something like a 25 and re-take do the schools see the 25? Thanks for any and all responses.

 

[JRmed]

I was recently in your position and was asking myself the same questions.. i just took the mcats sept. 4, my best advice to you is that if you are not 100% sure you will do like you would like to then dont take it yet.. besides you are saying that you arent applying until the next cycle, then that means you still have plenty of time to keep practicing and get your score up to where you are happy with it. so my vote would be to wait and take it later on yet early enough that if you do need to take it for a second time you still can. goodluck either way

 

[TaylorMDhopeful]

So here is my situation. I am supposed to take my MCAT on Sept. 12 (this coming Saturday). I have been studying fairly steadily since the end of May doing content review (EK and EK 1001), passages (TPR & EK), and a few practice tests (TPR). I was originally supposed to take it on Aug. 25 but I felt completely unprepared at the time and pushed it to the last possible date. My concerns now are that I am stuck in this date and I still don't feel that confident. I have still barely done any Organic review and my practice scores are still abismal. I don't know if I should stick it out and go to the test this Saturday or should chicken out or what. I am not applying til next June so I have plenty of time to get the test in. I guess I'm just nervous with the semester now in full swing and my scores not being where I want them (not to mention a few personal things that are weighing heavy on my mind). Should I stick it out? If I score something like a 25 and re-take do the schools see the 25? Thanks for any and all responses.

I believe the schools will see all of the MCAT tests you sit for and don't withdraw from during the period you can void the exam score before you get it. It will show up on the AMCAS application. Considering that you have done barely any Orgo review and your practice scores are not looking so great, then maybe you should put it off. Orgo is probably about 20-30 percent of the Biological Sciences section so it could mean lowering your BS by a few points if you don't know the material yet. I had the same problem with pre-test jitters and I felt that I wasn't fully prepared so I pushed it back once and studied until I was relatively comfortable with the material. Keep using the EK materials as I thought they were the most helpful. You have time, don't rush and possibly have to re-take the exam.

 

[ChemEngMD]

Update: Took AAMC #7 today to see where I was at and scored a 28

P:9 V:11 B:8

Thank you for those of you who have replied...any thoughts with this information?

 

[19nbj58]

any thoughts with this information?

why the rush? only take it when you feel confident and completely prepared. if i were you, i would postpone and take it in jan since you arent applying till next year anyways(assuming this is a viable option for you)

 

[ChemEngMD]

why the rush? only take it when you feel confident and completely prepared. if i were you, i would postpone and take it in jan since you arent applying till next year anyways(assuming this is a viable option for you)

You can't postpone into the next year, but I could cancel and get half my money back at this point I guess.

 

[NotSur]

It seems like you've studied quite a bit and you just have the jitters. If I were you and I were fine with that AAMC score, I'd go ahead and take them.

 

[w8ting2exhale]

I was in a similar situation last year in that I really wanted to get the mcat over with and I ended up taking it on sept 12th also 🙂)) after 2.5 months of studying. Lord knows I prayed my entire way thru that test, and guess what? It turned out fine. Really, I went into the test thinking of it as a "trial", hoping I didn't have to retake but that if I did, it wouldn't be the end of the world. My advice is this: if you really feel like your time will be VERY limited during school, then take it. At least you'll know what the real thing is like and if you have to retake, you can better direct your studying. Your stress level will also be much lower than taking it last minute, which might improve ur performance. I think there's something to gain but not all that much to lose really. At least that's how I thought about it last yr. At worst u'll have another yr to retake and if you were really meant to do better, you will and schools will see it.

Note however the BIGGEST drawback with taking the mcat when you don't feel fully prepared: You'll always wonder *what if* you had studied longer? Could u have done even better and whether you should retake and try? That question tortured me for a while. If you can live w/ it, take the test. If not, think long and hard. You can always take it in january. I hope this helps. Good luck! 👍

 

[redlight]

ok this one is easy.. DO NOT TAKE.

you are not supposed to treat this as a trial test. take it when you are most prepared. you have not even finished content review. you are setting yourself up for a big fail and a "wth was i thinking?" moment. the only reason to take now is if you know100% that you will void, and you cant get your money back either way, so you are essentially paying for test day experience.

also, a 28 on a practice test is not a good score for someone nervous about taking the mcat soon. you will be even more stressed come exam day and with jitters you could end up getting a 24 instead of a 28, assuming 28 is your practice test avg/median.

i say keep practicing and doing content review until you are hitting at least 10s in each section. GL!

PS: med schools would see every test you get scored so you really dont want a 25 or w/e on your application.

 

[ChemEngMD]

So I have NO chance of getting any money back at this point because you have to do that within 14 days and I'm now within 5. Should I try and sit the test and just void or just cancel without a refund?

 

[faith2]

Hopefully this will help: I took the MCAT three times the first and second two years in arow I studied did practice took Kaplan did horrible. 22,23 the lasttime i barely studied did more practice AAMC exams did not want to take it but I paid my money and figured what the --- I am going to finally apply with whatever I get and this time I got a 27 this is not the best score but I have two interviews thus far. The point is you will not know unless you try and see. GOOD LUCK🙂🙂

So I have NO chance of getting any money back at this point because you have to do that within 14 days and I'm now within 5. Should I try and sit the test and just void or just cancel without a refund?

 

[Dr Lyss]

So I have NO chance of getting any money back at this point because you have to do that within 14 days and I'm now within 5. Should I try and sit the test and just void or just cancel without a refund?

if you paid for it already and you can't get your money back, then view this as a very expensive practice test. Go, get the jitters out, try it out, and void at the end (unless you feel really confident about it afterwards). In a way even if you void it the experience of going to the testing center and feeling what its like can be really helpful. When I took my test, one of my biggest issues was dealing with the interface! I wasn't used to the way they had it set up and the number of passages on the real thing and it totally screwed me up so either way it will be helpful. Since your not applying for this year, there's no rush so don't freak about it. Just keep chugging


good luck!!! 😍 (lil Jose misses you)

 

[ChemEngMD]

if you paid for it already and you can't get your money back, then view this as a very expensive practice test. Go, get the jitters out, try it out, and void at the end (unless you feel really confident about it afterwards). In a way even if you void it the experience of going to the testing center and feeling what its like can be really helpful. When I took my test, one of my biggest issues was dealing with the interface! I wasn't used to the way they had it set up and the number of passages on the real thing and it totally screwed me up so either way it will be helpful. Since your not applying for this year, there's no rush so don't freak about it. Just keep chugging


good luck!!! 😍 (lil Jose misses you)

For the record: I took Lyss's advice and took it as a very expensive practice exam. Bad news was that it was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be haha but I still voided...despite only having 1 organic passage and 2 organic discretes....I'm getting back to the studying in another week or so for January 👍

 

[macduke09]

wow I should've taken that test!!! I took the July 30 and did ok but could've definitely done better and my dad was nagging me about taking the Sept 12 exam after I got my scores back a couple weeks ago...seeing as I don't study orgo (or minimally at that as is reflected by how my bio scores don't get any higher than 11) that would've been my test!

Good luck studying! Take advantage of the extra time and make sure you're consistently scoring in the range that you want. Although I know my score could've been 2-3 points higher (since my PS section was way lower than what I was regularly scoring)...my composite was still in the same range as my practice tests.

 

[faith2]

Smart move that you at least took it.... now you can practice and study hard and be ready in Jan. Good luck wow that is a long time dont forget to do other things to improve your application they look at other things too.

 

[Architkt]

Update: Took AAMC #7 today to see where I was at and scored a 28

P:9 V:11 B:8

Thank you for those of you who have replied...any thoughts with this information?

I was at the Minority Recruitment office at Temple a few weeks ago before my interview, the guy there told me they really can't do much with people who score below an 8 in any section. So if your bio is at a steady 8 you should bite the bullet and take it.