ok let's not be discouraging; I know many people that started in their teens and got above a 30 on the MCAT... Here are my tips for your success:
1. Stay positive and change your attitude; only optimism and a goal-oriented approach will work.
2. Even if your struggling in a topic or don't know what's going on; seek out help and don't give up. You can ask your teacher, tutor, or find the book that explains the material best to you.
3. Stay organized meaning develop a study plan and stick to it meaning I will read these chapters today and then I will finish these questions and passages.
Summary: Anyone can do well on the MCAT IF THEY STAY POSITIVE, determined to succeed and put in the hours of reading and practice.
Good luck.
Where are you in the preparation process?
Having taken it, I'm going to have to call BS on that statement.
You couldn't have "prepared" for what we took because literally
half (3 entire passages) of the material on our PS section was outside the general scope of what the AAMC says to know for PS. Was it impossible to do well or figure things out then? No, but it does mean you couldn't "prepare." You had to be able to think on your feet. You needed to be able to look at a novel (sometimes nonexistent) material, element, subatomic particle, etc.and intuitively identify which physical laws would apply or not apply. All the content review in the world would have been insufficient. Honestly, having access to Google during the exam would have only helped nominally. I really don't see how "anyone" could prepare for that. I don't say this to scare anyone, but at the same time, I think it's easy to get complacent early on. The fact is this test takes practice.
I would say Berk's analogy of an athlete is
perfect! I will take it a step further:
Preparing for the MCAT is like preparing for the Olympics. Early on, you need to be sure you know the rules of your event, since breaking one means you get DQ'd automatically -- no matter how well you may have done otherwise. You must know strategy for team sports. You must know your terrain for things like skiing. You
have to study and prepare mentally.
That said, it's less than half the battle. Knowing a lot about your sport would make you a great commentator. Likewise, knowing a lot about the MCAT would make you a great MCAT Instructor (if you could somehow get hired w/o a score). Unfortunately, knowing everything without practicing, won't even get you to the qualifying rounds for the Olympics. Likewise, hilarity will ensue on your real MCAT if you walk in a living, breathing encyclopedia of Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physics (along with English Lit, Philosophy, etc.).
The fact is, PRACTICE is absolutely necessary. You
must be able to apply your knowledge across subject domains. You
must be able to think on your feet. You
must be able to remain calm, cool, and positive despite all challenges or hints you are doing poorly. The MCAT is a beast. It desires to devour you along with your dreams. Preparing for it requires practicing to duel and overcome it on test day. Your future depends upon it.