The Official January 23, 2015 MCAT Thread

[cjcarter]

Figured I'd start a thread for the last ever test day of the current MCAT. I'm dreading studying but I should probably start soon. Who else is taking this day?

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[Odi]

@pageantry @kakashi1 I'm leaning more towards the job at this point. The bigger "what if" for me comes from taking the job though. "What if" medical school would've worked out situation...

Job offers great salary, lots of traveling around the world. I'm sure my family and friends would want me to pursue medicine (typical outsider response--medicine or die) but it makes no sense financially to to give up this offer for a "maybe" chance at medical school. I really need a change from my current career too. Thanks for the input, much appreciated. Lots of soul searching to be had this week...

 

[fatizzle]

Remember at like 3pm eastern time, how crazy we all felt?!?!?!..........So my first AAMC Diagnostic was a 28 and 2.5 months later, I ended up with a 28...still.. My highest was a 29 on AAMC 11. I purchased my examkrackers 9th edition online today (got a good deal) and now I'm going to take the new test in May. I'm not hyped about it but im not devastated either? I knew I could do better. I guess I'm gonna be a retaker, its not the end of the world but it will be if I get a 28 equivalent on the new test..........8|

 

[House D.O.]

Okay so I havent been able to believe what my score was and couldn't gather my self to post the expected vs real scores so here goes.


AAMC Average: 25.25 (but took a whole crap load of other tests after these)
AAMC 10-11 Average: 26 and 27 respectively
Post-test expected score: 25-27
Actual score: 29!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (10/8/11)


I really cant believe it. I have never done this good on an AAMC exam (but did for other companies) I was so shocked for seeing my score. I really had no idea how to feel after my exam. I finished all the sections just in time and I think thats a big deal because on test day many people get rushed and have to either guess or work twice as fast and make mistakes on the end questions for each section. I took so many practice test and I think I owe it to that (like 13 or 14). I just really want to thank God because I worked my butt off but this exam is so sporadic and I left that part to my praying. Btw I studied about 6 months (4 months hardcore)


I just want to let the people who didn't get what they want to believe in the work you put in. I thought i was defintely going to score -2 from my aamc 10-11 average but ended up scoring the best I ever have on any aamc exam. So if you didnt get it have hope, that 2015 exam isnt all that bad I promise. You can do it, this is the hardest part of the application process. Adcoms are testing your perseverance. Good luck everybody. "Work is in direct correlation with success and success is the sum of hard work that you do TODAY not tomorrow"

 

[Visible Ghost]

Okay so I havent been able to believe what my score was and couldn't gather my self to post the expected vs real scores so here goes.


AAMC Average: 25.25 (but took a whole crap load of other tests after these)
AAMC 10-11 Average: 26 and 27 respectively
Post-test expected score: 25-27
Actual score: 29!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (10/8/11)


I really cant believe it. I have never done this good on an AAMC exam (but did for other companies) I was so shocked for seeing my score. I really had no idea how to feel after my exam. I finished all the sections just in time and I think thats a big deal because on test day many people get rushed and have to either guess or work twice as fast and make mistakes on the end questions for each section. I took so many practice test and I think I owe it to that (like 13 or 14). I just really want to thank God because I worked my butt off but this exam is so sporadic and I left that part to my praying. Btw I studied about 6 months (4 months hardcore)


I just want to let the people who didn't get what they want to believe in the work you put in. I thought i was defintely going to score -2 from my aamc 10-11 average but ended up scoring the best I ever have on any aamc exam. So if you didnt get it have hope, that 2015 exam isnt all that bad I promise. You can do it, this is the hardest part of the application process. Adcoms are testing your perseverance. Good luck everybody. "Work is in direct correlation with success and success is the sum of hard work that you do TODAY not tomorrow"

I got the same score as you. I hope I didn't miss a 30 by 1 question! 1 lousy point ahhhh. Congrats on the 10 in VR.

 

[mcat_taker]

Hi everyone

AAMC Average: 27 (on the last 3 tests when I had most of whatever content I would know down before taking the test)
AAMC 11: 27 (didn't take 10 this time around)
post test expected score: 26 (7, 10, 9).
Actual score: 23 (6, 9, 8)

This makes no sense verbal seemed no harder than practice and I had consistently scored 10 on verbal on like 4 straight tests. PS is my weakest section but I had scored consistently 7 on the last 4 aamcs. Bio seemed easy but orgo killed me for sure but like I said the bio seemed easy and I was already scoring 9-10 on practice aamcs on BS.

Really discouraged, the first time I took the test I scored 21 (6, 8, 7) so I improved by 2 measely points. I actually studied PS this time and got the same score how is that possible. I really don't understand why I'm not scoring 11-12's on verbal. I was an english minor at a liberal arts college and therefore feel my exposure to the humanities and reading comp/writing level is above average compared to a lot of premeds, do not understand how I end up with a 9. I can only imagine how hard the verbal section is for non english native speakers. I crushed the GRE verbal and scored in the 93rd percentile, why am I not killing it here. Ugh. I really feel like I knew the bio content, and the passages were way more critical thinking and based on passage info and not really pseudo discretes like they usually are. Really don't understand the 8 there.

Feel really depressed for letting my family down. I'm thinking of giving it a 3rd go on the new mcat, but does anyone know if I need new books? I had TPR, kaplan, and EK because I've been on again off again studying for this test for a few years. Prefer princeton review books the most so if I would get new ones I would go with them (do they sell separate biochem and psych/soc?). I'm locked out of all my online practice material from kaplan and TPR so need to figure out what I'm going to buy for practice q's sigh, altho i still have the TPR science workbook. Does anyone know if theres a lot of change to the chem and physics we need to know?

sorry for the long post.

 

[House D.O.]

I got the same score as you. I hope I didn't miss a 30 by 1 question! 1 lousy point ahhhh. Congrats on the 10 in VR.

Honestly getting a 30 is more psychologically pleasing then a 29. But I believe adcoms see very minor difference between those two scores.

and i put it in a format of PS/VR/BS so I actually made an 8 in VR but thanks lol

 

[raider6]

AAMC Average: N/A
AAMC 10-11 Average: N/A
Post-test expected score: N/A
Actual score: 30 (08/11/11)

Two year lurker of SDN. One time poster back in January 2013 on the USUHS Thread. Non-Trad. Father. Husband. Reservist. Intern. Full-Time Student. Studied for 3 weeks. 24 on the Kaplan inventory test. Never took a pre-course. Never took an AAMC exam. Studied intensely on my own (in my garage for three weeks.) I attribute my score to an ability to remain calm in a stressful situation. Also, ever since I was a "kid," my standardized test scores have reflected an aptitude for verbal reasoning / critical thinking and a deficiency in quantitative / mathematical reasoning. 1400 on the SAT in 1998, and a 168 on the LSAT in 2008. I post this so that others who may be in a similar situation might understand that an expertise in basic science knowledge is not a pre-requisite... Only a very basic understanding of undergrad science topics is required. That, plus... the ability to read a passage, understand it, and answer questions is absolutely the most important skill (just like for those test-takers of the GRE, GMAT, or LSAT.) The MCAT only makes it appear more difficult by virtue of the topics covered by each passage. Any average student with solid reasoning skills can do well on this test. The trick is remaining a cool customer throughout. Missed a physics passage? Bullocks! Take a leak... grab a drink from the fountain, and get back to it. Flubbed a Verbal question or two? The heck with it... Take a few deep breaths out in the foyer and march back in and crush the next section. Bio getting you down... well, it's only about an hour until you can grab a burger and a beer, so... suck it up and stay focused. It is ALL a MENTAL GAME. Nothing more. A 30 ain't tops, but it is worthy of an application being sent down range. Take it from an "old" vet... there are much more stressful trials than the MCAT. Good Luck to you All. I wish everyone the best.

 

[Jane26Enaj62]

Hey guys and girls,
congrats to everyone! This was my first time taking the MCAT and I got 7/11/9 = 27. Will my 7 hurt my chances of DO schools?

 

[premed4days]

Test date: 1/23/2015
Time: 8:00 AM
AAMC average: 33
AAMC 10-11 average: N/A
Post test expected score: 29-34
Actual score: 31 (09/10/12)

Happy with this score, was hoping I had made at least a 33 but beggars can't be choosers. I'm surprised that I did not score higher on verbal. I thought I killed it on the day of the test, but I'm guessing the scale must have been pretty steep. Anyways, I'm glad the MCAT is done with! After scoring a 30 my first time, I thought I could do better so decided to retake it and ended up getting a 26. I guess the third time really is the charm. If anyone out there is thinking of retaking with a 30 because they scored higher on their practice tests, I would advise not doing it. I wish someone had stressed this more to me. I most likely would have already been accepted into a medical school(says my pre-health advisor), instead I'll probably have to take a year off. As you all know, the MCAT is a bitch you do not want to mess around with. Plus, there are a lot of other ways to have a stellar application. Good luck to everyone else, and remember a bit of adversity can make you a stronger person in the end! Trust me on that much.

 

[kakashi1]

THIS makes no sense. I am packing my doctor dreams away. I did everything. I studied....really hard. I was averaging a 28-30 on AAMC. My last Mcat score was a 25 and now I got A 23. I have 3.0 science gpa and 3.0 cum. Schools had already told me that I needed a higher Mcat score to offset my low gpa. So this my friend, is how to lose a dream. It's been real. This process has cost me thousands of dollars. I wish all of you the best. The exam was HORRIBLE for me. I harped on how a lot of the choices were narrowed down to 50:50. Well I DID pick the wrong 50 smh.

 

[Gandyy]

Okay so I havent been able to believe what my score was and couldn't gather my self to post the expected vs real scores so here goes.


AAMC Average: 25.25 (but took a whole crap load of other tests after these)
AAMC 10-11 Average: 26 and 27 respectively
Post-test expected score: 25-27
Actual score: 29!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (10/8/11)


I really cant believe it. I have never done this good on an AAMC exam (but did for other companies) I was so shocked for seeing my score. I really had no idea how to feel after my exam. I finished all the sections just in time and I think thats a big deal because on test day many people get rushed and have to either guess or work twice as fast and make mistakes on the end questions for each section. I took so many practice test and I think I owe it to that (like 13 or 14). I just really want to thank God because I worked my butt off but this exam is so sporadic and I left that part to my praying. Btw I studied about 6 months (4 months hardcore)


I just want to let the people who didn't get what they want to believe in the work you put in. I thought i was defintely going to score -2 from my aamc 10-11 average but ended up scoring the best I ever have on any aamc exam. So if you didnt get it have hope, that 2015 exam isnt all that bad I promise. You can do it, this is the hardest part of the application process. Adcoms are testing your perseverance. Good luck everybody. "Work is in direct correlation with success and success is the sum of hard work that you do TODAY not tomorrow"

we sound very similar except i predicted a 22

 

[mitchellz71]

Test date: 1/23/2015
Time: 8:00 AM
AAMC average: 27
AAMC 10-11 average: 30
Post test expected score: 24 (PS 07 / Verbal 09 / BS 08)
Actual score: 30 (PS 10/ Verbal 11/ BS 09)

This was a retake from a 28 (PS 11 / Verbal 09 / BS 08) so I was extremely happy to go up 2 points. I would have liked to see a 10 in BS, but that orgo got me big time.

 

[deleted648172]

Test date: 1/23/2015
Time: 8:00 AM
AAMC average: 36
AAMC 10-11 average: 37
Post test expected score: 33
Actual score: 32 (12/8/12)

Trust the average they said... it's a decent score, but I'm unhappy with the unexpected VR

 

[House D.O.]

THIS makes no sense. I am packing my doctor dreams away. I did everything. I studied....really hard. I was averaging a 28-30 on AAMC. My last Mcat score was a 25 and now I got A 23. I have 3.0 science gpa and 3.0 cum. Schools had already told me that I needed a higher Mcat score to offset my low gpa. So this my friend, is how to lose a dream. It's been real. This process has cost me thousands of dollars. I wish all of you the best. The exam was HORRIBLE for me. I harped on how a lot of the choices were narrowed down to 50:50. Well I DID pick the wrong 50 smh.

If you are disappointed with yourself just step back and take a look at what you have done. First off pre-med is hard, and you made it past alllll those weed out classss like Orgo 1 & 2. Next you prepared for one of the hardest entrance exams and you averaged very good on your practice exams. So that makes you already way higher up then most people who attend college. Test day wasn't your day idk what happened but I definitely think you should take 2015. If your average was truly that I think you can get into some D.O. school if you get ur average score translated on new exam.

 

[neuro17]

Test date: 1/23/2015
Time: 8:00 AM
AAMC average: 36
AAMC 10-11 average: 37
Post test expected score: 33
Actual score: 32 (12/8/12)

Trust the average they said... it's a decent score, but I'm unhappy with the unexpected VR

I feel you! I rarely scored below a 10 on VR and ended up getting a 9 in that section. Given your really high AAMC averages, are you're going to take it again?

 

[deleted648172]

I feel you! I rarely scored below a 10 on VR and ended up getting a 9 in that section. Given your really high AAMC averages, are you're going to take it again?

I know right? My AAMC verbals were consistently 10-11, its really upsetting. I'm going to give this cycle a go with my 32, I've got a 50/50 shot at acceptance according to my stats. I was expecting a score that would give me a decent chance at top 20... but I'm trying to accept that I'm an average applicant.

If I get nothing this cycle, maybe... maybe I'll be emotionally ready again to let AMCAS brainrape me again... but it hurts to think about it.

(I hate that this is on the 32nd page of this thread).

 

[pageantry]

I know right? My AAMC verbals were consistently 10-11, its really upsetting. I'm going to give this cycle a go with my 32, I've got a 50/50 shot at acceptance according to my stats. I was expecting a score that would give me a decent chance at top 20... but I'm trying to accept that I'm an average applicant.

If I get nothing this cycle, maybe... maybe I'll be emotionally ready again to let AMCAS brainrape me again... but it hurts to think about it.

(I hate that this is on the 32nd page of this thread).

Lol not that I was ever on track for a 40 or anything, but I totally understand trying to accept being an average applicant

I'd just say, if you haven't already, take the GRE sometime. You'll feel much better about yourself.

 

[deleted648172]

@pageantry thanks! maybe... but right now I am a bit sensitive about test scores...

at least we'll survive the screen? ... right?

 

[helm222]

does the verbal score even matter that much? if you have a sub 10 on verbal but great scores on the other sections, I think it's fine. We're not trying to be lawyers.

i hear mixed things about this. some med schools disregard verbal, and some look at it as important. apparently the verbal section is closest to a true "IQ" test because it's the hardest to study for. the USMLE also involves a lot of reading and ambiguity in terms of answers and the verbal section is the one that tests your ability to pick out the "best" answer based on a long prompt. the actual evidence for this is mixed though.

the new mcat seems more like a giant verbal exam based on what i've seen. the passages are much longer and there are fewer discretes.

 

[sunybg5]

AAMC Average: 33
AAMC 10-11 Average: 35
Post-test expected score: 27-30 (felt like complete garbage)
Actual score: 32 (12/09/11)

Damn verbal... Long-time lurker here. Anyways, congrats to those who scored what they wanted! For everyone else, don't let this test ruin your dreams! Cheers.

 

[Sisu00]

Hey guys and girls,
congrats to everyone! This was my first time taking the MCAT and I got 7/11/9 = 27. Will my 7 hurt my chances of DO schools?

That is my question! 7 in PS. how much will it hurt? 7/11/10

 

[TheOneAndOnlyJamesFranco]

First time taker!
AAMC average: 28(9.75,8.25,10)
AAMC 10-11 average:28.5
Expected: 28 (I thought THE orgo passage killed me as I guessed on at least 3 questions)

Actual 30 (11,8,11)

Is this considered unbalanced? I am VERY OPEN to taking MCAT 2015, since I didn't even use all of the resources that I was supposed to! I did a very lazy SN2ed and never finished the Self-assesments or TPRSW, EK1001, EK101VR, or even TBR for that matter... So I feel if I had just studied more I could dont better?

 

[neuro17]

First time taker!
AAMC average: 28(9.75,8.25,10)
AAMC 10-11 average:28.5
Expected: 28 (I thought THE orgo passage killed me as I guessed on at least 3 questions)

Actual 30 (11,8,11)

Is this considered unbalanced? I am VERY OPEN to taking MCAT 2015, since I didn't even use all of the resources that I was supposed to! I did a very lazy SN2ed and never finished the Self-assesments or TPRSW, EK1001, EK101VR, or even TBR for that matter... So I feel if I had just studied more I could dont better?

Retake! It seems like you'd regret it if you didn't. Give yourself the best opportunity to do well.

 

[nloudon1]

Hey everybody! Been lurking this thread for the past couple months. I studied for the mcat with 2 prerequisites not finished and with a full load of school (and part time work). I went in thinking I'd be lucky to get a 29 but I wanted to take the old mcat to get it done. I am stoked with the way it worked out. Studied using a modified version of the sn2ed method (squeezing it in where I could around my other responsibilities) which was incredibly useful and then bought the gold standard exams and took a practice exam every day which I owe at least 3 points of my score to.

AAMC average: 32

AAMC 10-11 average: 33

Post test expectation: 30 at best

Actual score: 32 (10/11/11)!!

I was shocked that my bio score was higher than my ps because of "the passage" but I am really stoked with this score.

 

[Caffeine Matters]

Honestly, take the job. Med school is too demanding to having "what if ...." Statements lingering in your head. Cause when the going gets tough you'll prob be more tempted to throw in the towel.

I wouldn't go into medicine unless you are 100% committed. I worked a couple jobs for a while before I realized I wanted me. Its so much easier to commit when you realize it is truly what you want to do.

 

[premedM]

So thrilled this is finally over! This was my second and last time.

First MCAT Score: 27 (9/8/10), First AAMC Average: 31 (9/12/10) I felt absolutely awful after receiving my first score. Verbal has always been my strongest section and I blew it.

Second Test:
Test date: 1/23/2015
Time: 8:00 AM
AAMC average: 33 (10/12/11)
AAMC 10-11 average: 33
Post test expected score: No idea.
Actual score: 32 (PS 10/ Verbal 11/ BS 11)

I am ecstatic to have a balanced score that is more reflective of my practice AAMC's. ONWARD!

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Hey guys,

So first off, I'm sorry for kind of just dropping out of this thread after the test with how supportive everyone was on here with me.

But basically, I took the exam and voided. I didn't feel comfortable with how I felt I did at the end. Obviously I've got the new exam to take so I'll be getting ready for that but I need to make sure I'm scoring at or above my target score

 

[BCMRC2014]

Wow well now that I'm super late... Hi everyone.

AAMC Avg: didn't take any
First attempt (2013): 29
Post-test expected score: 29-33
Actual score: 32 (10/11/11)

Yay small improvement, but goodbye top tier schools. C ya.