Stressed

[HappEness]

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I just graduated top 5% from a top 10 undergraduate school last month. I studied for the MCAT for a year and a half and my practice scores were staggering around a 510. I felt so depressed since I am a major perfectionist when it comes to school, grades, and tests etc. My identity is so tied to how well I am doing academically and I honestly feel so stupid. I have no idea what I am doing wrong with studying for the MCAT. Everything on my application is a fit for a top 20 medical school except for the MCAT. My friends around me (at least 5 people I know) all have 3.9 GPAs and 522+ MCAT scores and they study much less than me. I feel like a failure honestly. I want to accomplish something big in life and trying so hard to study for the MCAT and not getting the scores I want makes me feel defeated. If someone in a similar situation could provide some advice, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[1nside]

If those are third-party practice scores, then that is excellent imo. How'd you do on the aamc fls? Getting depressed about it is counterproductive. It has been a while for me but you fail to talk about what resources you used and your study strategies. Have you been reviewing your tests and assessing where you are going wrong? You very may well score in the top tier range if you sit for the exam.

 

[HappEness]

If those are third-party practice scores, then that is excellent imo. How'd you do on the aamc fls? Getting depressed about it is counterproductive. It has been a while for me but you fail to talk about what resources you used and your study strategies. Have you been reviewing your tests and assessing where you are going wrong? You very may well score in the top tier range if you sit for the exam.

I got a 510, 512, and 509 on the AAMC fl 1,2, and 3. Around 510 on 3 next step exams. 505 and 507 on two Kaplan exams. Every time I review a practice exam, I always review every question, even ones I have correct, and take careful notes on paper. At the end of every review, I have a list of topics that I am not sure about, which I go on YouTube to look them up.

 

[HappEness]

I was going to apply last cycle but my MCAT practice scores were too low. I feel so lonely in my struggles and too embarrassed to admit this problem to others because I feel so stupid. Now all my friends around me who applied last cycle are going to top 20 schools this year (like John Hopkins, WUSTL, Harvard, UCSF, Cornell, and Vanderbilt). I feel really left out and don't know what I am doing wrong.

 

[MyOdyssey]

I got a 510, 512, and 509 on the AAMC fl 1,2, and 3. Around 510 on 3 next step exams. 505 and 507 on two Kaplan exams. Every time I review a practice exam, I always review every question, even ones I have correct, and take careful notes on paper. At the end of every review, I have a list of topics that I am not sure about, which I go on YouTube to look them up.

What are you using for content review and practice questions?

What are your subsection breakdowns?

When do you plan to sit for the exam?

 

[HappEness]

In the long run, do you think it matters which school I go to? Whether it's a top tier, low tier, or even DO? Will it affect the specialities I get later in residency? I work extremely hard (I wake up every day at 4/5 am to study) and get 100%s on all my exams for premed classes.

 

[HappEness]

What are you using for content review and practice questions?

What are your subsection breakdowns?

When do you plan to sit for the exam?

Khan Academy, all the AAMC materials, Next Step exams, and Kaplan exams

129 (sometimes 130)/124/129 (sometimes 130) /129

I just took my exam last Friday (May 31st).

 

[HappEness]

I scored 99 percentile on SAT, subject test, ACTs etc. Did really well on all my premed classes. But the MCAT is the only thing that I am struggling with. Should I apply to top schools given that everything else in my app is okay? Or would that be a waste of money?

 

[Peter Pan.]

A year and a half on the MCAT? At some point you've reached your peak and you should take the exam. You can only study so much. You've gone to school in a very competitive environment so you have high expectations but a 510 isn't a bad score. That with your GPA and good ECs will get you into some MD programs. I wouldn't apply to DO schools unless if you go through a cycle for MD schools and don't get an acceptance.

It doesn't matter so much where you go to medical school. Sure it helps to go to a top program but if you do well in your courses, get a good step score, and do well at rotations you can land a top residency. Some people just can't do as well on the MCAT. One guy I know had a 3.9+ GPA and couldn't get a better MCAT score. Went to a low tier MD school but killed it in med school. Now he is in residency for orthopaedic surgery. The MCAT isn't the end all be all. Get that 510 and you will be in med school where you will still have a chance for a competitive residency.

 

[freelancePsychic]

My identity is so tied to how well I am doing academically and I honestly feel so stupid.

This is something I struggle with as well. It's easy to lose sight of your self worth when it seems like everyone is doing better than you. You should try to keep perspective though. 510 is better than most people that take the MCAT, who are already among the best students at their schools. It is a big achievement! There will always be someone better than you no matter what you are doing. You'll be happier if you can learn to celebrate your successes rather than compare yourself to people even more successful.

It sounds like your application is strong already. MCAT score doesn't correlate with how good a doctor you are, and you will get a strong clinical education at any school in the US. Continue to work hard in med school and you'll be successful wherever you go.

 

[MyOdyssey]

@HappEness

There have been many threads and debates on this forum about whether and how your medical school ranking impacts your career opportunities and prospects as well as which medical schools one should apply to given a certain combination of MCAT/GPA/undergrad institution/extracurriculars. You don't have an actual MCAT score yet but you might use your practice scores to compute a LizzyM score or a WedgeDawg score (which you look up on this forum).

As to the former, medical school rank does affect your residency placement to a certain degree and those pursuing a career in academic medicine have to pay more attention to it, as far as I can tell. At least that's what I've read on here.

As to MCAT prep, I'm just starting it and I agree with those who believe that it's very much a test of one's reading comprehension. People who scored extremely high on the SAT verbal tend to have an easier time of it.

I wanted review materials that were comprehensive and yet tested reasoning ability. So far I'm relying on Berkeley Review for the basic sciences and a 300 page Khan Academy outline that can downloaded on Reddit for the P/S. I've read on here that UWorld is really good for P/S practice questions and that Berkeley Review's Orgo Chem 2 is really good for biochemistry passages.

Here are some threads that might be relevant:

Ranking of med school - important?

Hello guys. I have read multiple times on this forum that prestige of the medical school worry only pre meds and schools deans, however, I found this on studentdoctor website: "Compared with less competitive specialties, those that are more competitive do consider more seriously the prestige of...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Medical - How big of an impact does going to a highly ranked medical school have on your future career?

My significant other and I have been fortunate enough to have gained admission to the same medical school, school A [state school], and I have gained admission to my "dream" school B [top tier school] in the same region that is about an hour away from school A. They are both MD schools. School...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Matching competitive specialty

Hi all, I will attend a top 10 medical school in the fall. I am interested in some notoriously competitive specialties. Will the prestige of my school help me match, or at least compensate somewhat? I want to spend a decent amount of time volunteering in multiple roles. Will I have to cut...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[Rachapkis]

I understand the stress you feel about attending a top-tier medical school. It is important to remember, however, that being accepted to any US medical school is a substantial accomplishment. What's more, I think that it's a mistake to judge yourself in relation to others or solely by your accomplishments in one particular endeavor. If you keep striving for increasing levels of success, you are bound to fail at one point or another (excellent HS student goes to excellent college goes to medical school goes to competitive residency goes to competitive academic position . . . ). Thus, I recommend judging yourself by your level of effort. If you've done everything you can to achieve your goal, take satisfaction in that. If you haven't, then up your effort level.

 

[MyOdyssey]

A year and a half on the MCAT? At some point you've reached your peak and you should take the exam. You can only study so much. You've gone to school in a very competitive environment so you have high expectations but a 510 isn't a bad score. That with your GPA and good ECs will get you into some MD programs. I wouldn't apply to DO schools unless if you go through a cycle for MD schools and don't get an acceptance.

It doesn't matter so much where you go to medical school. Sure it helps to go to a top program but if you do well in your courses, get a good step score, and do well at rotations you can land a top residency. Some people just can't do as well on the MCAT. One guy I know had a 3.9+ GPA and couldn't get a better MCAT score. Went to a low tier MD school but killed it in med school. Now he is in residency for orthopaedic surgery. The MCAT isn't the end all be all. Get that 510 and you will be in med school where you will still have a chance for a competitive residency.

I think the 1.5 years of MCAT prep needs to be put in context. Did OP prepare on and off while attending a very competitive school full time and participating in multiple extracurriculars like a typical overachiever? If so, that 1.5 years might not mean very much.

There are more thorough and comprehensive resources for content review than Khan Academy. I mentioned some in my previous post.

I'm finding that I'm learning a lot of new stuff in physics and/or learning old topics at a much greater depth (through my review of Berkeley Review Physics 1 and 2) even though I took the honors physics sequence at my T20 undergrad just this past year and did well both semesters.

If OP is too overburdened while in school to really prepare, s/he should take a gap year to really focus on the MCAT and other application prerequisites. That's my 2 cents.

 

[Caterpillar34]

Hey man, I feel your pain. Although I can't give you advice because I don't fully understand your situation, I can say this: your self-worth should not be tied to a 3 digit score, you are much more than that. Outside of working hard and doing your part, the outcome is not in your hands - and that is okay. Carve your own path; There are many US doctors I know who were born in a village and are making a big difference for their local communities stateside and overseas back home. Did they go to prestigious schools? No. Did they make the best of their situation and do whats in their capacity? Absolutely.

Harvard M.D. ≠ a successful human being. Trying your best and doing what is right = a successful human being. You got this man.

 

[mc29012]

@HappEness

Even with a 510 you will still be an excellent candidate and you will become a doctor. You can't let something as (in the grand scheme of things) small as the MCAT get you down like this. Where you end up in life will depend on you, not the school you go to. I know docs who work at the same institution who went to Harvard that work alongside DO's. They are constantly learning thing from each other and are all very well respected. One day where you go to med school will matter just about as much as where you went to high school.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I'm finding that I'm learning a lot of new stuff in physics and/or learning old topics at a much greater depth (through my review of Berkeley Review Physics 1 and 2) even though I took the honors physics sequence at my T20 undergrad just this past year and did well both semesters.

Thank you so much for writing this. I can't tell you how heart warming it is to read. It's a good deal of work to get through all of the passages in our physics and chemistry books, but if you do, you learn so much about how to take this test.

The reason it is so heart warming to read is that so many people studying for the MCAT want the quick and easy, so our books have dropped in popularity the last couple of years. And to be totally honest, this has been a bit demoralizing. I'm one of about eight people who poured our heart and soul into making those books (and continue to make), so words like yours mean so much. I know how well the people who use them do on the MCAT, and that is quite satisfying, but when a stranger posts kind words about them, it means a lot.

Thank you!

 

[HappEness]

bump

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

@HappEness I am sorry to hear about the struggles you are facing. I don't want to tell you to lower your goals, because everyone has dreams and I want you to be able to achieve yours. However, the cream of the crop of people are entering this profession. There will always be someone that has higher grades or test scores than you and there is no shame in that. Getting into any medical school in the United States is a massive accomplishment. A 510 is in the 80th percentile, which means you're scoring better than 80% of the students that take this exam and these are some of the smartest people in the country.

Your science sections are stellar and show that you have more or less mastered the content and passage strategy for these sections. CARS is where you could use some more work. You need to reevaluate your strategy and see why you're making mistakes despite using the strategy. You need to look into why you're missing questions in the first place. Are you not understanding the passage well enough? Are you spending too much time reading and not having enough time to properly answer the questions? You need to start pinpointing what your issues are. This is a bit harder for CARS than the science sections, which tend to be a little more concrete in what you're missing. You need to develop a strategy around the mistakes you're making.

So, if your issue is that you're spending too much time on the passage, then a strategy you can start implementing is holding yourself to only 4 minutes per passage and seeing if that helps you work better. If not, then keep tweaking that until you find a balance between reading the passage and answering the question. Pinpoint exactly where your issues are coming from and then start developing and tweaking strategies to overcome these issues. If you know what your issues are and need advice on developing some strategies, please reach out and I would love to help you.

I really empathize with your situation. It's hard feeling inadequate. It's hard feeling like all of your peers are progressing while you're still running in place. I want to say though that what you have accomplished so far is nothing to be disappointed about. You clearly care a lot about doing well and I would love to help you achieve that goal. So, please reach out to me with any specific questions and i'll definitely do my best to help you. Also, try your best not to get discouraged. Success on the MCAT is definitely part a mental battle and I truly believe that staying positive can add a few points on test day. Keep up the good work and please reach out with any further questions!

 

[HappEness]

@HappEness I am sorry to hear about the struggles you are facing. I don't want to tell you to lower your goals, because everyone has dreams and I want you to be able to achieve yours. However, the cream of the crop of people are entering this profession. There will always be someone that has higher grades or test scores than you and there is no shame in that. Getting into any medical school in the United States is a massive accomplishment. A 510 is in the 80th percentile, which means you're scoring better than 80% of the students that take this exam and these are some of the smartest people in the country.

Your science sections are stellar and show that you have more or less mastered the content and passage strategy for these sections. CARS is where you could use some more work. You need to reevaluate your strategy and see why you're making mistakes despite using the strategy. You need to look into why you're missing questions in the first place. Are you not understanding the passage well enough? Are you spending too much time reading and not having enough time to properly answer the questions? You need to start pinpointing what your issues are. This is a bit harder for CARS than the science sections, which tend to be a little more concrete in what you're missing. You need to develop a strategy around the mistakes you're making.

So, if your issue is that you're spending too much time on the passage, then a strategy you can start implementing is holding yourself to only 4 minutes per passage and seeing if that helps you work better. If not, then keep tweaking that until you find a balance between reading the passage and answering the question. Pinpoint exactly where your issues are coming from and then start developing and tweaking strategies to overcome these issues. If you know what your issues are and need advice on developing some strategies, please reach out and I would love to help you.

I really empathize with your situation. It's hard feeling inadequate. It's hard feeling like all of your peers are progressing while you're still running in place. I want to say though that what you have accomplished so far is nothing to be disappointed about. You clearly care a lot about doing well and I would love to help you achieve that goal. So, please reach out to me with any specific questions and i'll definitely do my best to help you. Also, try your best not to get discouraged. Success on the MCAT is definitely part a mental battle and I truly believe that staying positive can add a few points on test day. Keep up the good work and please reach out with any further questions!

Thank you. You are so kind. I really needed to hear that. I will definitely reach out to you if any questions come up.

 

[rball]

Where you go to med school matters a ton, but there are a range of great medical schools across all MCAT score levels that will set you very well for a career in medicine. The rankings don't matter as much as you may think. There are plenty of schools out there besides the "top 20" where you can become a great doctor, and match into any specialty you want.

That being said I understand your sense of pride and wanting to do well and there's nothing wrong with that. I would recommend working with a teacher or a tutor or even a friend who may be scoring well on the MCAT to understand how to approach passages. The MCAT is not as much a content test but moreso a passage analysis/critical thinking test. Content is certainly important, but if you have the correct strategy and are able to reason your way through convoluted passages, that helps a lot more. So I think it is first important to understand what about your approach isn't working, because it is clear you have the smarts to smash the exam. And if you decide to go ahead with a 510ish score, you can still get into a great school, match into any specialty, be a great doctor, etc. Best of luck, and stay positive!

 

[HappEness]

Thank you rball!! I appreciate your advice greatly.