Should I cancel my MCAT (Lose 300$$$) HELPPPP!!

[FriedLemon]

I am just curious how were you scoring. How did you prep and how long did you prep?

Actually I never did a true practice exam just yet, I mainly just pieced together questions banks of different subjects and gauged my performance based on that. Sciences I was getting about 80-85% right, CARS 95% most passages. I do have the true FLs and I’ll be doing one this week to get a number idea of the score. I was prepping extremely inefficiently for 3 months while working 2 jobs. I was basically reviewing content with no practice. I cut down my hours and really went into overdrive as of the ~5-6 weeks studying 30-50 hours per week, reviewing content again but also with TONS of question bank practice, passage based questions, discreet questions, and more. I knew I didn’t study properly and I wasn’t retaining much of what I did in the early stages.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Disciple of Sattar]

Am I wrong in thinking that since OP is going to lose the $300 either way, he/she could sit the exam and VOID IT afterwards for more practice/experience?

I mean, if you somehow mess it up or get overconfident and don't void you're done for, but it at least salvages some of the money and could help OP be more prepared for test day.

 

[ApplicationAnxietatem]

Am I wrong in thinking that since OP is going to lose the $300 either way, he/she could sit the exam and VOID IT afterwards for more practice/experience?

I mean, if you somehow mess it up or get overconfident and don't void you're done for, but it at least salvages some of the money and could help OP be more prepared for test day.

That is a thought, and it wouldn't hurt if OP truly voids it at the end. I know a decent handful of people who went in with the intention of voiding and didn't (like you mentioned) and fully regretted it. They didn't void because they suddenly felt wrongfully confident with their exam or they were so exhausted by the end of it they didn't want to relive that experience and so didn't void. Do not fall into these traps OP if you do decide to do this.

Just remember OP voiding doesn't give you any score or results, so its purpose would be for getting familiar with true testing conditions and even possibly your testing center if you do reschedule for that center. It could give you an ease of comfort on the actual since the experience wouldn't be completely new to you.

 

[FlavivirusProtease]

What I just don't want to happen is to take it...bomb it and then retake it.
I would prefer to just reschedule from now

Is it possible to make that much improvement in 12 days

Definitely possible to make an improvement in 12 days. In 4.5 weeks, I moved from a 501 to a 516, so I assume 12 days could get you from like a 503 to a 510ish. That said, why put yourself under than much stress? Cancel the test, finish preparing, and then book another one.

 

[FriedLemon]

That is a thought, and it wouldn't hurt if OP truly voids it at the end. I know a decent handful of people who went in with the intention of voiding and didn't (like you mentioned) and fully regretted it. They didn't void because they suddenly felt wrongfully confident with their exam or they were so exhausted by the end of it they didn't want to relive that experience and so didn't void. Do not fall into these traps OP if you do decide to do this.

Just remember OP voiding doesn't give you any score or results, so its purpose would be for getting familiar with true testing conditions and even possibly your testing center if you do reschedule for that center. It could give you an ease of comfort on the actual since the experience wouldn't be completely new to you.

If you void it, does it count as one of your tries for the 3 you get in a calendar year?

 

[ApplicationAnxietatem]

If you void it, does it count as one of your tries for the 3 you get in a calendar year?

That's a good point.

According to one MCAT FAQ on Princeton Review "a voided exam and 'no show' do count as one of your attempts."

I would of course confirm with information from AAMC if this is a concern for anyone.

 

[rathoarder]

Ahh, fabulous idea to take it and then void it. At least that way you get the full experience, right? I do think this well help calm nerves for when you do the real deal

 

[maplecookie]

word of caution about voiding, keep in mind date availability especially as (what I remember) you can only hold 1 MCAT date at a time

 

[LibBum]

Void the exam or skip it.

Take more practice exams - as many as possible. Enroll in a course if you have to. Develop a strategy for CARS. Find the main ideas while you are reading a passage, eliminate extreme or clearly wrong choices while answering questions, evaluate what's left and choose the choice that answers the question (usually the least worst). Skip a harder passage and leave it for last if you are struggling to finish on time.

 

[maplecookie]

I think maybe the best approach for OP is to find an outside source to evaluate his studying style and help fix what's wrong with his strategy, whether that's MCAT tutoring (which is probably the best but most expensive), university tutoring resources (if available), or at least reaching out to someone who has MCAT experience and has done well