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****. I honestly thought I did really well when I walked out of the test. I did pretty good overall except an 8 in verbal!!!!!! My score, 8 11 11. Overall 30O.

I am not applying this cycle but the one next summer. I am also a younger applicant so my application does not have a whole lot of healthcare experience besides shadowing and volunteering. My GPA rocks, 3.93. But, I was hoping to get an excellent MCAT score because the rest of my application is not stellar. Should I retake??????????? Please, I would love any advice!
 
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Here's my story through numbers:

May 2009: VR 7/ PS 9/ BS 10
July 2009: VR 7/ PS 8/ BS 10

Hung out for about a year and studied between April and July....

July 17th: 10! 11! 10

Damn I'm happy with a 31. So stoked :D

It's been real :cool:
 
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llamaNOW said:
****. I honestly thought I did really well when I walked out of the test. I did pretty good overall except an 8 in verbal!!!!!! My score, 8 11 11. Overall 30O.

I am not applying this cycle but the one next summer. I am also a younger applicant so my application does not have a whole lot of healthcare experience besides shadowing and volunteering. My GPA rocks, 3.93. But, I was hoping to get an excellent MCAT score because the rest of my application is not stellar. Should I retake??????????? Please, I would love any advice!
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depends on what schools you're aiming for, how you prepared for this one and what you think you could do differently next time and finally, but most importantly, what you believe you can achieve. People will give you stats saying that if you got 30+ you shouldn't retake. I retook a 33 simply because I felt I could do better. I did not study the first time around so there was definitely room for improvement especially with 9/10/14.

I'll let you know how it went when I check scores soon.
 
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I scored 33S. Looking at this, I'd be totally satisfied, although I was hoping for more. Then I considered a retake, but my breakdown kind of eliminates that.

13 P, 11 B, 9 V... I feel like I could risk doing worse in the Physical sciences, and verbal has always been my weak point. What do you guys think? How does that 9 verbal change the perception of the overall 33.. also does the S help? I know it is not a 10, but I am worried it will hurt me.

A few opinions would be appreciated. Thank you and good luck to all who have yet to check!
 
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Desperad0oo7 said:
depends on what schools you're aiming for, how you prepared for this one and what you think you could do differently next time and finally, but most importantly, what you believe you can achieve. People will give you stats saying that if you got 30+ you shouldn't retake. I retook a 33 simply because I felt I could do better. I did not study the first time around so there was definitely room for improvement especially with 9/10/14.

I'll let you know how it went when I check scores soon.
Click to expand...

I studied pretty hard for about 2-3 months and I felt quite prepared and confident. But looking back now, my averages on the verbal practice sections were not that high even though I feel that I am really good at reading and analyzing. So I think that I can improve the verbal if I do more practice tests and focus on that. Thanks for your response. :)
 
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I've always heard that 30+ is a solid score and can lead to acceptance when combined with a good GPA, research/volunteer hours, blah blah blah...

BUT

what about just a flat 30? :confused: Is that cutting it too close? Does it call for a retake?

I was hoping for a 33 and although I'm immensely grateful for my score (when compared to the 26 I expected), my ego is a little bruised. I wanted to do better, and I expect better of myself. Still, we all know that taking an MCAT is a long and difficult process... should those of us with flat 30's just count our blessings or aim higher?
 
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nbp222 said:
I scored 33S. Looking at this, I'd be totally satisfied, although I was hoping for more. Then I considered a retake, but my breakdown kind of eliminates that.

13 P, 11 B, 9 V... I feel like I could risk doing worse in the Physical sciences, and verbal has always been my weak point. What do you guys think? How does that 9 verbal change the perception of the overall 33.. also does the S help? I know it is not a 10, but I am worried it will hurt me.

A few opinions would be appreciated. Thank you and good luck to all who have yet to check!
Click to expand...

In my opinion, I wouldn't worry about doing worse in the PS section. I think that once you get like an 11 in the sciences med schools pretty much realize you can excel in the science stuff. But hey a 9 in verbal is not bad at all, i got an 8. lol
 
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VR: 7
PS: 11
Bio: 12

Should I retake? I already submitted my AMCAS and am applying this cycle. Is the 7 in verbal a huge black mark?
 
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So I finally checked my score and I'm pleasantly surprised:

PS 11 VR 9 WS: P BS: 12 32P (7/16/2010)

PS 10 VR 7 WS: O BS 11 28O (4/17/2010)

Just really glad that I'll never open another MCAT book or have to take the exam again. I was so deflated in May after receiving my 28 from April. I really kinda lost hope for a couple weeks, but I dusted myself off and found the motivation to do better.

I felt good in the science sections, but once again I came out feeling horrible about the verbal section. I'm ecstatic with a 9!! That just seems to be a section that I can't excel in, so I'm more than happy with a 9.

I want to send a word of advice to those who didn't get the score they wanted: Keep at it. It can be very depressing when your AAMC averages are well into the 30's and your actual score is sub-30. But don't lose hope... find your weaknesses and practice practice practice - You Can Do It! :)
 
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DoctorDude said:
So I finally checked my score and I'm pleasantly surprised:

PS 11 VR 9 WS: P BS: 12 32P (7/16/2010)

PS 10 VR 7 WS: O BS 11 28O (4/17/2010)

Just really glad that I'll never open another MCAT book or have to take the exam again. I was so deflated in May after receiving my 28 from April. I really kinda lost hope for a couple weeks, but I dusted myself off and found the motivation to do better.

I felt good in the science sections, but once again I came out feeling horrible about the verbal section. I'm ecstatic with a 9!! That just seems to be a section that I can't excel in, so I'm more than happy with a 9.

I want to send a word of advice to those who didn't get the score they wanted: Keep at it. It can be very depressing when your AAMC averages are well into the 30's and your actual score is sub-30. But don't lose hope... find your weaknesses and practice practice practice - You Can Do It! :)
Click to expand...

Good job! That is a great score, congrats!

I feel like I can do much better if I focus on doing a ton of practice on the verbal and writing section for the next MCAT. I definitely now think that I will retake. Probably will do so in March so that I have my scores in early before the application cycle begins.
 
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Ok. 10 in verbal. I guess better than my previous 9. Considering I studied pretty hard for it I'm not ecstatic. Hope the other sections make up.

When I got out I predicted a10 or if a little lucky an 11. So that was spot on.

Next in line, PS!
 
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I just got my score back and it was really bad. I was wondering if any one knows which MCAT book is best to use next time.
Also, is anyone selling there Berkeley MCAT books as I heard those books are good.
Lastly, has anyone taken the Princeton review course in Cleveland? Are the actually helpful or not? I really need to get a better score and figuring out what to do. Thanks.
 
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My 7/16 MCAT results: 9P - 9V - 10B

Honestly, my results are opposite my predictions (10P, 10/11V, 8/9B). I definitely dropped a point from my AAMC/Kaplan tests in PS and VR but was pleasantly surprised with BS.

Any recommendations for retesting on 9/9? How much can a person gain in three or so weeks of solid studying? Is the increase in score worth the 7 or so week delay in my application?

FYI - I have a 3.85 GPA and 3.72 SciGPA. I'm a non-trad with some great professional experience and about 900 direct patient contact hours. My letters of recommendations are likely very strong. I'm looking at schools (including my state school) with typical MCAT median scores of 30-32.

Thanks so much for any advice!!
 
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:confused: I just got my score back and it was really bad. I was wondering if any one knows which MCAT book is best to use next time.

Also, is anyone selling there Berkeley MCAT books as I heard those books are good.

Lastly, has anyone taken the Princeton review course in Cleveland? Are the actually helpful or not? I really need to get a better score and figuring out what to do. Thanks.[/QUOTE]
 
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Are you guys that are all depressed about getting low 30s all from California? Because if not, I don't think you have anything to worry about.
 
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nbp222 said:
I scored 33S. Looking at this, I'd be totally satisfied, although I was hoping for more. Then I considered a retake, but my breakdown kind of eliminates that.

13 P, 11 B, 9 V... I feel like I could risk doing worse in the Physical sciences, and verbal has always been my weak point. What do you guys think? How does that 9 verbal change the perception of the overall 33.. also does the S help? I know it is not a 10, but I am worried it will hurt me.

A few opinions would be appreciated. Thank you and good luck to all who have yet to check!
Click to expand...

No, 9 is fine. Admissions weigh MCAT score quantitatively with point system, not perception

I got a few interviews with a 9 in verbal and that was never brought up. Not at 1st tier schools though.
 
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5 points lower than my aamc average
2 points higher than my previous test
lowest i've ever gotten on VR :(
must have messed up an entire VR passage, i was iffy on 75% of the passages, compared to only having 1-2 passages in practice that i would be iffy on

10/9/12 Q

not super happy
but not upset
wanted a really high mcat to make up for my low gpa
hopefully some schools still give me a chance :(
just have to move forward from here

congrats to those of you who did great
keep your heads up if you didnt do as well as you would have liked!
 
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Nki said:
:confused: I just got my score back and it was really bad. I was wondering if any one knows which MCAT book is best to use next time.

Also, is anyone selling there Berkeley MCAT books as I heard those books are good.

Lastly, has anyone taken the Princeton review course in Cleveland? Are the actually helpful or not? I really need to get a better score and figuring out what to do. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I have BR, PR Hyperlearning, and Kaplan from store. BR is a bit too dense for me but I use it for clarifying on a concept, like a textbook. The best thing about it is its passages. PR Hyperlearning has more details than Kaplan, and is better in stimulating critical thinking with its lesson-tucked questions. But honestly, I would get at least 2 types of books, since they really complement each other. Kaplan with BR, or PR Hyperlearning with BR. Mind you, PR books sold in stores is not Hyperlearning, which you get as part of their course.
 
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hello everyone! I just became a member of this group and i think it's pretty helpful to hear other ppl's feedback. I have a question, did anyone score higher than any of their aamc practice tests and if yes by how much?
 
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agapeGodslove said:
hello everyone! I just became a member of this group and i think it's pretty helpful to hear other ppl's feedback. I have a question, did anyone score higher than any of their aamc practice tests and if yes by how much?
Click to expand...

I did. For the last two AAMC tests I took, I scored 31s, and those were my highest scoring practices. On the real thing, I got a 32. Not a huge jump, but the fact that I did better than any of my practice exams really surprised me. :)
 
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first time taking the MCAT on july 16th. didnt do terrible or stellar. PS 11 V 10 BS 12 W P. thinking about retaking mainly because of verbal and writing so i can make ontario school cutoffs. used kaplan first time around scored 39-40 on the last couple tests I took, 34, 36 on AAMC #10 and #8. any suggestions for new practice material? ive already done EK101 and kaplan, is pr strong in ps? is it worth it to get the br science books? i heard they are really good but go way beyond what you need to know for the exam. retake date is sept 2nd..should i get the br books?
 
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qkx said:
first time taking the MCAT on july 16th. didnt do terrible or stellar. PS 11 V 10 BS 12 W P. thinking about retaking mainly because of verbal and writing so i can make ontario school cutoffs. used kaplan first time around scored 39-40 on the last couple tests I took, 34, 36 on AAMC #10 and #8. any suggestions for new practice material? ive already done EK101 and kaplan, is pr strong in ps? is it worth it to get the br science books? i heard they are really good but go way beyond what you need to know for the exam. retake date is sept 2nd..should i get the br books?
Click to expand...

What are the Ontario school cutoffs?

It would be ridiculous if you were below them.
 
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agapeGodslove said:
hello everyone! I just became a member of this group and i think it's pretty helpful to hear other ppl's feedback. I have a question, did anyone score higher than any of their aamc practice tests and if yes by how much?
Click to expand...


Me:) I scored about 30 or 31 on the last few tests and got a 32 on the real thing, balanced too. However, it was only 1-2 pts better. I chalk it up to our test having more genetics :)
 
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For the thirty eight scores reported thus far:

the average is a 31.316

the median is a 32

and the mode is a 32
 
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This is really helpful, thanks. I think i will go with the TPR and BR. I am not sure however if the TPR course is helpful.
 
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addo said:
What are the Ontario school cutoffs?

It would be ridiculous if you were below them.
Click to expand...

for queens/western V 10 or 11, safe with 11, 10 borderline since cutoffs vary from year to year W R was the cutoff for queens last year

my score should be good enough for u of t and hopefully mcmaster

hoping to improve ps by a point or two and verbal to an 11. in my limited time left before my retake date, is it better to get br or pr full lengths? i hear pr is better in verbal but br better in ps?
 
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For those that didn't do too well, remember that very few of those who don't do well post.

There were about 180 various users/guests on here yesterday but only around 40 people posted their scores.

So don't get your hopes down, you likely can improve. Many on here went from 20's to low 30's. Good luck!
 
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ArizonaJohn said:
For those that didn't do too well, remember that very few of those who don't do well post.

There were about 180 various users/guests on here yesterday but only around 40 people posted their scores.

So don't get your hopes down, you likely can improve. Many on here went from 20's to low 30's. Good luck!
Click to expand...

I'll post to make the low scorers feel better. 27S-10 VS/9 BS/8 PS. Re-taking next spring...I'd do so much differently this time around. Like take more than 4 practice tests. :p
 
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qkx said:
for queens/western V 10 or 11, safe with 11, 10 borderline since cutoffs vary from year to year W R was the cutoff for queens last year

my score should be good enough for u of t and hopefully mcmaster

hoping to improve ps by a point or two and verbal to an 11. in my limited time left before my retake date, is it better to get br or pr full lengths? i hear pr is better in verbal but br better in ps?
Click to expand...

Are these elite Canadian schools or are most schools in Canada like this? Those cutoffs seem INSANE to me.
 
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ejay286 said:
Are these elite Canadian schools or are most schools in Canada like this? Those cutoffs seem INSANE to me.
Click to expand...

What I find even more insane and ridiculous is the R cutoff for the writing section, which by the way is like 3 letters above the average.
 
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For some reason, the scores are reported in order of:

VR / PS / WS / BS (at least for me)

for me anyway. Though I feel that most report in the order they took the test (as it should be) with PS / VR / BS
 
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addo said:
What I find even more insane and ridiculous is the R cutoff for the writing section, which by the way is like 3 letters above the average.
Click to expand...

yea this is specific to queens, which is pretty good in canada, however u of t, a very pretigious school does not have this requirement, but has an insane gpa cutoff. im not sure what exactly it was last year but based on published data, the avg gpa of the enrolled students was a 3.89. (ont scale where A is 3.90, A+ is 4.0) students who took 5 courses/semester for 4 years can drop their lowest grade from each year. while R may seem really high, queens is more lenient when it comes to gpa cutoffs...
 
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stevo111 said:
Here's my story through numbers:

May 2009: VR 7/ PS 9/ BS 10
July 2009: VR 7/ PS 8/ BS 10

Hung out for about a year and studied between April and July....

July 17th: 10! 11! 10

Damn I'm happy with a 31Q. So stoked :D

It's been real :cool:
Click to expand...


I got aug 2008 vr8/ps10/bs9
july 2010 vr6/ps10/bs12

i don't know how to improve vr...how did you do it. good job
 
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NAVI2010 said:
I got aug 2008 vr8/ps10/bs9
july 2010 vr6/ps10/bs12

i don't know how to improve vr...how did you do it. good job
Click to expand...


I did a few things to help my verbal score: EK 101 Passages, read a lot of news articles and op-ed things online (Google News rules), the AAMC tests, and learned to focus my eyes and mind on the passage. I had the time since my classes were light and had a few open weeks in the summer with no responsibilities to really buckle down.

It was def tough, but you can do it.
 
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I'm not going to boast an 11 on VR but I was averaging a 12 on practice tests. I don't know if this is said enough but the best strategy is elimination. I never used any of the popular book strategies (EK, Kaplan, TBR, yada yada yada) because I think its more of an innate thing that you need to perfect through practice. Elimination, sir. Get rid of all the wrong answers and pick whatever is left. You'll be surprised how many answers are just plain stupid after you go back and look at them later.
 
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pastryman said:
I'm not going to boast an 11 on VR but I was averaging a 12 on practice tests. I don't know if this is said enough but the best strategy is elimination. I never used any of the popular book strategies (EK, Kaplan, TBR, yada yada yada) because I think its more of an innate thing that you need to perfect through practice. Elimination, sir. Get rid of all the wrong answers and pick whatever is left. You'll be surprised how many answers are just plain stupid after you go back and look at them later.
Click to expand...

This too. It's about wading through the junk answers. I'm not boasting my score, but I'm sure there are others out there that would have wanted an improvement like mine...
 
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stevo111 said:
This too. It's about wading through the junk answers. I'm not boasting my score, but I'm sure there are others out there that would have wanted an improvement like mine...
Click to expand...

Oh, I didn't try to say that you were boasting your score or anything like that. Just putting a little note related to my own score.
 
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qkx said:
yea this is specific to queens, which is pretty good in canada, however u of t, a very pretigious school does not have this requirement, but has an insane gpa cutoff. im not sure what exactly it was last year but based on published data, the avg gpa of the enrolled students was a 3.89. (ont scale where A is 3.90, A+ is 4.0) students who took 5 courses/semester for 4 years can drop their lowest grade from each year. while R may seem really high, queens is more lenient when it comes to gpa cutoffs...
Click to expand...

Thats crazy... I guess I wouldnt be able to go to med school in Canada then.
 
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agapeGodslove said:
hello everyone! I just became a member of this group and i think it's pretty helpful to hear other ppl's feedback. I have a question, did anyone score higher than any of their aamc practice tests and if yes by how much?
Click to expand...

The highest I got on a practice test was a 28. On the real MCAT I got 30Q with the breakdown PS10/VR11/BS9. It's definitely possible to score better on the real thing.
 
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qkx said:
im not sure what exactly it was last year but based on published data, the avg gpa of the enrolled students was a 3.89. (ont scale where A is 3.90, A+ is 4.0) students who took 5 courses/semester for 4 years can drop their lowest grade from each year. while R may seem really high, queens is more lenient when it comes to gpa cutoffs...
Click to expand...


Wait...what if you had like... 8 or 9 courses? Does this mean I can drop half my marks for a semester? XD
 
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PS:13 VR:9 BS:15 ; 37R, I was expecting to score better then 30, and estimated my score around a 34 during the month long wait. The only section i wasn't worried about was verbal. My highest score was a 14/8/14, my average was 35ish +-.20; I had never practiced a timed and complete writing section, although i always mentally thought of a topic I would right about, so i was surprised with the R, and also because I rarely write. I'm disappointed with the verbal, but I understand that this score is good.
 
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NAVI2010 said:
Thanks. Is 2 weeks enough 8 hour/day enough practice?
Click to expand...


2 weeks is all you're giving yourself? I don't know your study habits, but a month for me between tests back in 2009 wasn't enough. I don't even know how feasible 8 hrs a day for just verbal will change the way you look at the passages...Just be careful of burnout

In any case good luck!
 
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