The Official Sept 1, 2012 MCAT Thread

[MAnne]

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I was registered for May 31, but was not ready so I changed my date. With having a family, work, and volunteering, I underestimated the amount of time I needed. I started studying in February and took 2 AAMC's in April and was rudely awakened. I am taking Orgo 2 Lab and a 1 credit research course during July-mid August so I figured this date would give me enough time to get the content down.

Where is everyone at in their journey?

~M

 

[PistolPete44]

Wow you guys. Way to show up on game day.

+1 (since there isn't a like button on sdn, lol). You guys rock. I feel so inspired. Situations like these should be in a stickied thread. Way to bring it on test day!

 

[Sports Junky]

AAMC range: 30-36
Average: 33
Predicted: 30+
Goal: 35+

Actual: 36R - 14/10/12

I am still in shock, I'm just happy that this entire ordeal is finally over!

 

[MAnne]

I scored pretty low, but I am pretty surprised

AAMC: 19 (4, 6, 9)
Prediction: <19
Actual: 25 (7, 8, 10)

I'm pretty happy with my scores to say the least. I studied for one month and did one practice test. Actually excited to study for the next round 🙂

Congrats to everyone that got their scores!!

I have the same story but I didn't score nearly as high as you.You're lucky. I would take your score so I can go DO.

 

[vtrunner]

Actually just found out about the entire SDN forum today when I googled "Time for sept 1st MCAT release" haha.

I'll go ahead and post my results:

Took 4 AAMC tests. The last three were taken in the last month and were all pretty consistent in the range as follows:

PS: 10-11 VR: 10-12 BS:13-14

Goal: 35
Prediction: 35
Actual: 37O
14 PS, 11 VR, 12 BS

Really happy with the score, although I felt like the PS and BS scores would be reversed going into it. I couldn't fall asleep the night before the test and only got about 2-3 hours total, and by the time I got to the BS section I was feeling pretty tired, which may explain the 12. Not worried about it though. This score will get me into any of the Virginia school's I'll be applying to next year.

Oh, and I just used the Kaplan 5-book complete subject review along with the 4 AAMC practice tests. Studied for almost exactly 3 months. I'm glad it all worked out.

Congrats to everyone else who did well. I'm really glad I found these forums today. They will definitely come in handy when applying next spring/summer.

 

[IncognitoGuy]

Unbelievable!!!

AAMC Average: 38.6
#3: 38
#4: 36
#5: 37
#7: 39
#8: 39
#9: 41
#10: 39
#11: 40

Actual: 14PS, 14VR, 15BS, 43S!!

Wow. I literally felt like absolute **** after that bio section.

Good lord! Just saw your updated MDApps and came by to check it out. Nice job and looks like you just added another legend to the SDN archives 😛

 

[Brodo]

Previous mcats:
Aug 23/2011: 10ps, 10vr, 11bs = 31 O
Aug 16/2012: 10ps, 11vr, 11bs = 32Q

This mcat: 11ps, 10vr, 10bs = 31Q

Ugh... I really felt so much better with this exam than the August 16 one. Goes to show that your post test feelings cannot be trusted.
Happy with my 32Q, but was thinking I might be able to reach a 34+
Anyway, I'm thinking I'm done with this godforsaken test forever now at least!

 

[Narmerguy]

Thanks guys 🙂 Floating on a cloud right now.

Please provide details on your study plan and timeline? 😍

I'll add it to the 30+ thread then 👍

 

[sps27]

Was wondering if there are people who got 30+ scores in mcat while working full time jobs? How did u guys manage? Did some of u consider leaving/left your jobs and focused on MCAT 5~10 hrs every day for 5 to 6 months? I am prepared to leave my job if that be necessary and can hang on to savings for an year I guess and try to get this exam out of the way. I don't know. My thinking is muddled because of a low score(19M). My gutt tells me to leave this job and focus on mcat. I know it is difficult for anyone to advise, but hoping to hear from some folks who juggled job & mcat study together.

 

[vtrunner]

Was wondering if there are people who got 30+ scores in mcat while working full time jobs? How did u guys manage? Did some of u consider leaving/left your jobs and focused on MCAT 5~10 hrs every day for 5 to 6 months? I am prepared to leave my job if that be necessary and can hang on to savings for an year I guess and try to get this exam out of the way. I don't know. My thinking is muddled because of a low score(19M). My gutt tells me to leave this job and focus on mcat. I know it is difficult for anyone to advise, but hoping to hear from some folks who juggled job & mcat study together.

I worked in my lab 30hrs per week over the summer while studying (got a 37). Well, I was paid for 30, but it was between 25-40 depending on what I needed to get done for the week. The previous summer I worked 40-50hrs per week (paid for 40), but I asked my PI for slightly reduced hours this summer so I could study.

Even with the 25-40hrs/wk I still averaged around 4 hours per day on the weekdays depending on the time spent in the lab. Then I spent around 8-10 hours per day studying on the weekends.The nice thing about working in a lab is you basically set your own schedule. Really doesn't matter when you work as long as you get results to your PI. The flexibility allowed me to structure the MCAT studying rather nicely.

It's really a matter of how much of your personal life and sleep you're willing to sacrifice in order to study. I really didn't do much of anything this summer other than work and study, even on the weekends. Also, I got around 4-6 hours of sleep per night in order to fit in the studying after work.

If you aren't willing to make those kind of sacrifices (no social life/little sleep for 3ish months), then you'll probably have to quit your job or get a part-time job instead working 10-20 hours per week in order to do well. It's up to you though.

 

[Big N Tasty]

Wow you guys. Way to show up on game day.

+1 (since there isn't a like button on sdn, lol). You guys rock. I feel so inspired. Situations like these should be in a stickied thread. Way to bring it on test day!

Thanks guys! I had an upward trend toward the end (scoring 34s and one 35) and my highest individual section scores across all my practice exams was a 37, so needless to say it was a big surprise.

 

[davidj]

I scored a 27 on my first and second MCAT. I knew this was my last time taking it and I had a full-time research position and ended up scoring 32 on this one. It is doable but I was studying if I was not working. I had social time but not too much. My situation allowed me to recall a lot of previous material though so I am not sure how useful my opinion is. If I had more time, I would have definitely used more TBR material. I think TBR could have definitely helped me get a 35+ MCAT.

 

[sps27]

I scored a 27 on my first and second MCAT. I knew this was my last time taking it and I had a full-time research position and ended up scoring 32 on this one. It is doable but I was studying if I was not working. I had social time but not too much. My situation allowed me to recall a lot of previous material though so I am not sure how useful my opinion is. If I had more time, I would have definitely used more TBR material. I think TBR could have definitely helped me get a 35+ MCAT.

Quote:

Thanks davidj and vtrunner. I appreciate your responses. I have a full time 40 hr/week corporate job and it is stressful. I hate it. It is software programming, not flexible hrs at all, and involves some off hrs on-call support. I was putting in 10 hr work days (project deadline) a month before mcat. My bad luck. That damn project landed on my lap. I knew this was not going to work, not with an mcat exam on my head. So I put in a couple of week vacation before mcat and practically studied the whole time in those two weeks.

As regards to preparation, I know where I errored. I used my school / college science books only. Did exhaustive reading of those books after work in the evening -- if I was not attending evening school for bio courses. On weekends, it was either books or tests on bio courses i was taking in community college. That ate up all my time for almost an year. I enjoyed reading those books again, after a gap of many years.

After mcat I found SDN and was rudely awakened. I should have used EK, BRK, Kaplan etc., the standard stuff that people use. I looked at those books an year back and realized I wont understand a thing if I just read this. They are a summary, a compendium if you will, with little or no explanation. And that is why I jumped to my school books for a better grasp on subject. But perhaps that was my mistake. Those books get the job done. So i should have used EK, BRK instead. I also took just 1 practice test on AAMC website, which is free. Got a 23 on that. Basically ran out of time to practice more. I spent an obscene amount of time revising my college books and xtra material I downloaded from the internet. esp., on organic chemistry.

Anyways, I know better now. Use the standard material (EK, Berkley review etc) for preparation and take a whole bunch of practice tests from as many sources as you can. And that is what I am going to do now.

To be honest, I feel terrible, as I should ---- reading that people get a 30+ score on mcat putting in 5~8 hr study time for 3 months or even less before exam reading the EK, BRK material and I like a fool have been slowly pecking at my books for almost an year now IN A TOTALLY WRONG ***F*** DIRECTION. But anyways....it is, what it is....

Just to summarize the acronyms as I am figuring them out slowly via SDN. If I have missed some, let me know....

Thanks

EK - exam crackers set
TBR - practice exams of Berkley Review
TPR - practice exams of Princeton Review
BRK - Berkley review set
CBT - practice exams on mcat-prep.com website
AAMC - mother website for medical schools
FL - kaplan full length practice tests

 

[vtrunner]

Quote:
After mcat I found SDN and was rudely awakened. I should have used EK, BRK, Kaplan etc., the standard stuff that people use. I looked at those books an year back and realized I wont understand a thing if I just read this. They are a summary, a compendium if you will, with little or no explanation. And that is why I jumped to my school books for a better grasp on subject. But perhaps that was my mistake. Those books get the job done. So i should have used EK, BRK instead. I also took just 1 practice test on AAMC website, which is free. Got a 23 on that. Basically ran out of time to practice more. I spent an obscene amount of time revising my college books and xtra material I downloaded from the internet. esp., on organic chemistry.

Anyways, I know better now. Use the standard material (EK, Berkley review etc) for preparation and take a whole bunch of practice tests from as many sources as you can. And that is what I am going to do now.

To be honest, I feel terrible, as I should ---- reading that people get a 30+ score on mcat putting in 5~8 hr study time for 3 months or even less before exam reading the EK, BRK material and I like a fool have been slowly pecking at my books for almost an year now IN A TOTALLY WRONG ***F*** DIRECTION. But anyways....it is, what it is....

I feel your pain man. Coming home exhausted from a job you don't enjoy and then trying to study for the MCAT must've been rough. I really enjoy research, so I usually feel energized after being in the lab all day. Being able to start experiments at 6am and then be out of there by 1pm also really helped out.

Sorry to hear about your studying situation. Like you said, nothing you can do now but learn from your mistakes and try again with the right materials.

Like I stated in my post, I only used the kaplan 5-book set, so I can't comment on any of the other company's prep books. However, I think any of them will definitely help you out. The kaplan books told me exactly what I needed to know for the exam. Nothing more, nothing less. Plus, they're written in a more conversational-type language so they're easy to stay engaged with even when you're tired after work. At least that's how I felt.

Best of luck with the re-take and I hope you get your job situation figured out.

 

[rorogena88]

aamc average =32
predicted = <25
actual =28 I tend to panic on important exams so I am thankful I am still alive
I only needed about a 27-28 to be in a good position for the schools I was applying to and I have a really good resume. However, I will be changing routes because I found my passion in something else so yeah no Med School for me

 

[degi]

Was wondering if there are people who got 30+ scores in mcat while working full time jobs? How did u guys manage? Did some of u consider leaving/left your jobs and focused on MCAT 5~10 hrs every day for 5 to 6 months? I am prepared to leave my job if that be necessary and can hang on to savings for an year I guess and try to get this exam out of the way. I don't know. My thinking is muddled because of a low score(19M). My gutt tells me to leave this job and focus on mcat. I know it is difficult for anyone to advise, but hoping to hear from some folks who juggled job & mcat study together.

It is possible. I did while working 40 hrs/wk. Just be prepared to make sacrifices. Make a schedule and stick to it. Give yourself at least 6 months...I say this only because I was never able to retain much from being so tired after work...therefore, my studying was a little less efficient than the student who can devote 100% of their time to this test.

Since you got a 19M, I would say that you did not effectively grasp the concepts on the MCAT. What was your breakdown? Sometimes it is important to stick with the test prep company that "clicks" for you. I wasted a month studying with Kaplan for me to realize that things just weren't coming together like I hoped.

Maybe you could borrow some study tips from the 30+ thread on here. But if you find that nothing is working, then maybe think about quitting that job. Do not quit in vain; realize that you must make this your job and you are losing valuable income by taking this time off. Basically, you can't afford to do bad!

I'm all for people with obligations having to juggle things like school and the MCAT! More power to you.
Good luck, and PM me if you have any questions.

 

[sps27]

It is possible. I did while working 40 hrs/wk. Just be prepared to make sacrifices. Make a schedule and stick to it. Give yourself at least 6 months...I say this only because I was never able to retain much from being so tired after work...therefore, my studying was a little less efficient than the student who can devote 100% of their time to this test.

Since you got a 19M, I would say that you did not effectively grasp the concepts on the MCAT. What was your breakdown? Sometimes it is important to stick with the test prep company that "clicks" for you. I wasted a month studying with Kaplan for me to realize that things just weren't coming together like I hoped.

Maybe you could borrow some study tips from the 30+ thread on here. But if you find that nothing is working, then maybe think about quitting that job. Do not quit in vain; realize that you must make this your job and you are losing valuable income by taking this time off. Basically, you can't afford to do bad!

I'm all for people with obligations having to juggle things like school and the MCAT! More power to you.
Good luck, and PM me if you have any questions.

Thanks! I have not been checking SDN for sometime. My breakup was 7(ps) 6(vr) 6(bs). I think I know where I went wrong. I did not do any of the books that people do(kaplan, examcracker, berkley review), which i found out later from SDN. Besides that, my preparation was not exam centric. I was reading a lot of stuff which is not tested on, because i was reading the wrong books. Anyways, looking out for a part time job now. If I find one, I will leave this programming job.

 

[TheLadyVanishes]

Was wondering if there are people who got 30+ scores in mcat while working full time jobs? How did u guys manage? Did some of u consider leaving/left your jobs and focused on MCAT 5~10 hrs every day for 5 to 6 months? I am prepared to leave my job if that be necessary and can hang on to savings for an year I guess and try to get this exam out of the way. I don't know. My thinking is muddled because of a low score(19M). My gutt tells me to leave this job and focus on mcat. I know it is difficult for anyone to advise, but hoping to hear from some folks who juggled job & mcat study together.

My score was >35. I also worked full time and had ECs (although I scaled them back to about 4 hr per week). I'd usually force myself to study at least 1.5-2 hr a day and often 5 hr on the weekends. I was able to take about five days off from work right before the exam which certainly helped, in terms of time to study and time to rest.
I studied for the MCAT itself about 2 months before I had to take the test, but being nontraditional I spent almost a year doing content review.