Only Minimal MCAT Score Improvement

[bwm9813]

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Hello, my name is Ben and I have been preparing for the MCAT since roughly late April. I went through all of the Course Saver videos and completed all the quizzes associated with them. I took AAMC practice tests periodically and completed numbers 3,7,9, and 11. My grade started at a 17 and eventually stayed consistently at a 22, which is a tad frustrating. I feel like I know the material, but must be approaching the questions wrong when it comes time to apply my knowledge. I sat for the MCAT this last Friday and made the decision to void my score for I know that, realistically, I couldn't expect my score to drastically improve on test day. It was a tough decision, but I feel that it was the right one.

At this point, I understand that practice problems have got to be my main focus, but I am hoping to get advice on my time-frame. To my knowledge, the last test date I can take and still apply for the upcoming year is the September 18th test date. In your opinion (and anyone else who would be kind enough to offer some constructive criticism), is a month's time enough to raise my MCAT score an entire 8 points to hit my minimal goal of a 30? I will also be completing my fall semester of my senior year during this time, but would like to avoid the 2015 test if at all possible.

Thank you so much in advance for your time, it is greatly appreciated and may help ease the mind of this slightly defeated pre-med student. I hope you are all having a phenomenal summer!

 

[type12]

In my opinion, your score is too low to be a simple "review more" issue. You may benefit from a few hours of private tutoring, or at least an hour of consultation to figure out what's up.

 

[AllThatRacket]

So I don't think you can realistically be shooting for the September 18th test date. If you are dead-set on avoiding the 2015 MCAT, you should work hard and prepare for the test in January, which I believe is the last available MCAT before the change to the new version. I don't have any great advice on how to improve your score by 8 points, however. If you really do know the material, then it just comes down to practicing the type of problems which are on the MCAT.

 

[Omppu27]

What'd your study schedule like? What materials have you been using to study?

 

[TheStudyOfLife]

There are study guides that are structured to help you study for the MCAT most effectively. Have you looked into Princeton review or any others?

 

[ridethecliche]

Not sure if this has been posted, but this is how schools are treating the new MCAT: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/398586/data/mcatexampolicy.pdf

Additionally, your score indicates that you don't know the material.

 

[ciestar]

If you only did content review by watching Chad's videos, there's your first issue. They're a great supplement to good review materials but not enough on their own. If you haven't practiced with any additional practice materials, ie passages, there's your second issue.

You're likely going to have to postpone. Your scores indicate huge gaps in content knowledge.

 

[Yorick]

Not sure if this has been posted, but this is how schools are treating the new MCAT: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/398586/data/mcatexampolicy.pdf

Additionally, your score indicates that you don't know the material.

Thanks, and just to be clear, if I'm graduating in 2016, my cycle will be 2015-2016?

 

[ciestar]

Thanks, and just to be clear, if I'm graduating in 2016, my cycle will be 2015-2016?

If you're applying for 2016 matriculation, your cycle would be 2015-2016. We're currently in the 2014-2015 cycle.

 

[Low Flow]

The MCAT is one of those tests that what you know is just as important as how you're able to apply it. I would highly suggest finishing ALL of the AAMC practice tests. When I took practice test #3, I scored a 19 overall. Albeit I didn't take it completely seriously cause I thought I would ace it, still managed a 19. After taking the other 7 practice tests and the self-assessment I scored a 30 overall on my first try at the actual test. I did minimal content review out of the Kaplan books (maybe 5 hours max). So it clearly wasn't that my content knowledge was lacking, it was just the strategy of how to take the test. Get your hands on as many practice tests as you can and I sincerely believe that will help you the most.

 

[Aerus]

You definitely do not know the material as well as you'd like to believe. A 22 signifies serious content deficiencies rather than just a lack of test taking ability. I suggest you stop investing in random videos and quizzes. Buy prep books and do practice problems. Get the TPR Hyperlearning Science Workbook as well as EK 1001 books (except bio) and do questions and passages from those books. Simply watching videos and taking easy quizzes is all passive learning and will not help your score improve.

The latest test you can take is January if you want to avoid the 2015 MCAT. Any MCAT test will be fine for applying the next cycle.

 

[Saxappeal1]

+1 Aerus. I learned that the hard way. I got a 23 (9/7/7/) the first time using that approach. Tried again with a more structured, harcore approach, studied for 2 solid months and got a 30 (11/9/10). OP, raising my score 7 points in 2 months some people would consider incredible. However, 8 points in 1 month isn't even close to realistic.

 

[Low Flow]

You definitely do not know the material as well as you'd like to believe. A 22 signifies serious content deficiencies rather than just a lack of test taking ability. I suggest you stop investing in random videos and quizzes. Buy prep books and do practice problems. Get the TPR Hyperlearning Science Workbook as well as EK 1001 books (except bio) and do questions and passages from those books. Simply watching videos and taking easy quizzes is all passive learning and will not help your score improve.

The latest test you can take is January if you want to avoid the 2015 MCAT. Any MCAT test will be fine for applying the next cycle.

It doesn't necessarily signify content deficiencies though. As my post said, I really only took the AAMC practice tests for studying and went from a 19 to a 30. I only had winter break (4 weeks) to study, so it's clearly a case of "knowing how to take the MCAT" rather than what you know.

It bugs me how people on here automatically default to the "you lack the knowledge base" to anyone who posts about having trouble with the MCAT. The MCAT is meant to test your ability with standardized tests, and thus tests you on how well you're able to take a test. The reason that you don't need to memorize many facts for this kind of test. It's not about what you know, but how you apply it.

Not to say that OP shouldn't content review, as it can only help. But don't put someone down saying they lack the knowledge when that's not necessarily true.

 

[type12]

It doesn't necessarily signify content deficiencies though. As my post said, I really only took the AAMC practice tests for studying and went from a 19 to a 30. I only had winter break (4 weeks) to study, so it's clearly a case of "knowing how to take the MCAT" rather than what you know.

It bugs me how people on here automatically default to the "you lack the knowledge base" to anyone who posts about having trouble with the MCAT. The MCAT is meant to test your ability with standardized tests, and thus tests you on how well you're able to take a test. The reason that you don't need to memorize many facts for this kind of test. It's not about what you know, but how you apply it.

Not to say that OP shouldn't content review, as it can only help. But don't put someone down saying they lack the knowledge when that's not necessarily true.

No one is trying to put him down. It's just that it's the most likely culprit. At the higher scores, it tends to be test-taking issues. It's rarer for someone to fall for every trick in the book than for just misunderstanding a few concepts.

Hence, probably a personal tutor may be best.

 

[NYCdude]

The MCAT is a knowledge based test. "How" to take the test is more of an issue when you've maxed out after knowing everything and the improvement comes strictly from improved test taking skills. Clearly you don't know all the material that you need to know, and watching videos and doing quizzes definitely didn't get you there.

Take the January MCAT. Use Kaplan or Examkrackers or TBR to learn all the material. Do crap loads of practice exams.

 

[deleted632431]

If you are scoring a 22, then you might need to really study the MATERIAL again. Take practice tests and figure out which topics you are struggling in. Study/review those topics by doing practice passages/questions.

 

[Aerus]

It doesn't necessarily signify content deficiencies though. As my post said, I really only took the AAMC practice tests for studying and went from a 19 to a 30. I only had winter break (4 weeks) to study, so it's clearly a case of "knowing how to take the MCAT" rather than what you know.

It bugs me how people on here automatically default to the "you lack the knowledge base" to anyone who posts about having trouble with the MCAT. The MCAT is meant to test your ability with standardized tests, and thus tests you on how well you're able to take a test. The reason that you don't need to memorize many facts for this kind of test. It's not about what you know, but how you apply it.

Not to say that OP shouldn't content review, as it can only help. But don't put someone down saying they lack the knowledge when that's not necessarily true.

You misunderstand. Let me explain.

1) I am not saying "your score 100% says that you are lacking proper content knowledge and this simply cannot be a case of a lack of skill taking the test". I said "signifies" implying that I believe this is the main culprit.

2) I never put him down. I never said "You're a stupid person! Those scores are bad and you should feel bad". This is an online anonymous forum. I gain nothing by putting him down. Don't take objectivity personally.

3) I did not simply look at his score and then dismissed the rest of his post. He has already taken half the AAMC full-length tests available and said he has plateau'd at a 22. Clearly his scenario isn't the same type as yours. It is very unlikely that his remaining four scores would look like: 24, 26, 28, 30 with no content review.

The advice you gave him, to just take and focus on the full lengths when he has peaked at a 22 after going through half of them will more likely hurt him than help him. AAMC FL's are such a valuable, non-renewable resource and it is a waste to take them now when it is very likely content deficiency is the main reason for his performance.





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[Itisneverlupus]

Also, keep in mind to avoid providing information on here, such as name. It seems harmless, but in the future, you never know how you change, including your thoughts/ life.

Just something to keep in mind.