The Official September 18, 2014 MCAT Thread

[litokhmaikid]

Where the rest of my September 18th homies at ? I just started Sn2ed's 4 month schedule (customized with some extra Kaplan material).

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[Tonkahat]

Test Date: 9/18/2014
Time: 1:00 PM
AAMC Avg. 30 [had 1 outlier of 28 but majority were 30+]
Post-Test Expected: 28-32
Actual: 28 (PS 10 VR 9 BS 9)

Absolutely devastated. Saw it during my volunteering and put on a brave face but had a good cry on the bus home. My first thought was thank god I registered for a January test. I cant be mad because its not too far off my average, but near the end of my FLs getting 31-33 I thought I could atleast crack 30. Bio was my strongest the whole time, and that 9 is the only thing that truly upsets me, the other 2 are not too far off my FLs but that bio my goodness. I knew the first passage threw me off my game, didnt realize it threw me OUT the game. Geez. I am shellshocked. Going into the next exam I'm 1. wearing my own ear-plugs because the ones I wore during the test were so tight it hurt and 2. I bought the BS SA but never used it, will definitely be doing that, and more BR Bio passages. Feeling much more optimistic now, I still have a second change and I know I can do much better, so I'll be taking Jan 15 test.

 

[BigSank]

Is anyone dropping anywhere in the eastern half of the US? Please PM me! Doesn't seem like there are any open spots despite the score release

 

[luckyprincess93]

If anybody is dropping a january date in the new jersey, new york area please message me!!! I did absolutely horrible scoring a 26 PS 9 VR8 BS9.

 

[vik66]

For everyone that struggled with verbal...i made a 11-6-8 on my 8/24 test....did EK 101 whole book before the 9/18 and raised my score to 9-11-9 (although dropped in PS, but mainly studied verbal). Yall can do it.

Guys what exams do I take now?

The Berkley Review. Great tests

 

[popstarcharn]

Is anyone dropping a January test date on the West Coast? Please PM if you are!

 

[T800'sThumb]

I'm dropping my seat in Topeka, KS on Jan. 15th. 1PM.

Let me know if i can help?

 

[cizzle23]

7/7/10 absolutely devastated. Average was around 32 and I never got below a 10 on verbal.. I already submitted my primary app to 15 D.O. schools and signed up for the November 7th exam.. What should I do about my secondaries? Should I even send them? So upset

 

[waterlily21]

if anyone is dropping their spot in new york, new jersey, boston, or pa please let me know! did terribly on this mcat and desperately need a jan spot.

 

[drew39]

Is the time 5:00 eastern time? How does anyone have the will power not to check their scores?

 

[Czarcasm]

Dito. Anyone dropping a date really anywhere (though NY, CA, or Ohio preferred) please message me. Thank you! (sadly retaking from 9/10)

You can't be selective at this point. A seat becomes available, you take it.

 

[gh89]

So my biggest worry was always verbal, so thank god that was listed first. As soon as I saw that score, I could finally let out the month-long deep breath I was holding.

Date: 9/18/2014
Time: 1 pm
AAMC FL Average: 38-39
Post-test expected score: 33+
Actual score: 37 (14 PS, 11 VR, 12 BS)

Congratulations to everyone who got the score they wanted and good luck to all re-takers! It's been a crazy ride.

 

[ScientifiqueSucré]

7/4/8 - 19 overall. Mom died day before the exam. I have no idea why I didn't void...I was in this crazy idea that I should just go for it. Will be retaking before the new exam obviously but feeling pretty hopeless right now.

I am so sorry about your mom. No one should have to go through that. Don't feel hopeless, don't give up. Under better circumstances, I know you can improve your score, and this score is completely excusable. Sending hugs your way.

 

[MaybeDr]

4-5 score 12/5/12
9-18 score 11/7/13 31

Really really really really pissed right now. I have never even scored that low on a practice test.

If anyone is dropping a test date in january anywhere in the US PM me please.

 

[BigSank]

Please Please PM me if anyone is dropping a January test date, preferably eastern half of US but to be honest I'm not really picky at this point!

 

[Oh_Gee]

Test Date: 9/18/2014
Time: 1:00 PM
AAMC Avg. 30 [had 1 outlier of 28 but majority were 30+]
Post-Test Expected: 28-32
Actual: 28 (PS 10 VR 9 BS 9)

Absolutely devastated. Saw it during my volunteering and put on a brave face but had a good cry on the bus home. My first thought was thank god I registered for a January test. I cant be mad because its not too far off my average, but near the end of my FLs getting 31-33 I thought I could atleast crack 30. Bio was my strongest the whole time, and that 9 is the only thing that truly upsets me, the other 2 are not too far off my FLs but that bio my goodness. I knew the first passage threw me off my game, didnt realize it threw me OUT the game. Geez. I am shellshocked. Going into the next exam I'm 1. wearing my own ear-plugs because the ones I wore during the test were so tight it hurt and 2. I bought the BS SA but never used it, will definitely be doing that, and more BR Bio passages. Feeling much more optimistic now, I still have a second change and I know I can do much better, so I'll be taking Jan 15 test.

lurker from 9/12 here. i feel your pain. i was also averaging 30 and got 10/9/10 on the real thing

 

[pacer]

For those who will be re-writing, how are you planning on studying for the re-take? I got my score back and its bad. I need to re-write and will probably book a seat for January 15th or 23rd. I am lost on where to pick up on my studying and need to work out a solid plan. Any thoughts?

 

[lillianlin]

hi everyone,
i was wondering-for those of you that ask others to message you if they cancel their tests, do you have any control over who you give your test seat to? how do you plan on getting the seat if someone gives it up? is there a process? thank you very much!

 

[medmotivation]

I've been following this thread, but did not feel good enough to post scores.. but I need help. I got a dismal 24 as a retake only improving one point overall with a decrease to a 6 in verbal. I never got below a 28 on practice exams, and used up all the aamc's, I am beyond devastated and I think my chances at DO have vanished for this cycle. I don't know what to do at this point, if taking it in January is a good idea. My Kaplan Course expired and I just have book resources. Is anyone in similar situation or can shed some light?Thank you so much guys

 

[TeacherGoneDr]

TPR Average: 28-30
Post-test expected score: 10/8/10 (my previous score)
Actual Score: 11/9/14 (34)

I'm freaking ecstatic. I scored nowhere near this range on my practice tests. I couldn't do AAMC because I did it on the first time around.

Congrats Technolize! How exciting to get a score higher than in practice. I'm writing for the first time Nov 7... would you mind offering insight on what practice tests (TPR or AAMC) you took that you felt helped most? Those that were similar to the actual test? Since all later test date seats have been so quickly filled, I'm pretty nervous to take this test considering it's my first and last shot to do well. eeeek thank you!!

 

[TeacherGoneDr]

I've been following this thread, but did not feel good enough to post scores.. but I need help. I got a dismal 24 as a retake only improving one point overall with a decrease to a 6 in verbal. I never got below a 28 on practice exams, and used up all the aamc's, I am beyond devastated and I think my chances at DO have vanished for this cycle. I don't know what to do at this point, if taking it in January is a good idea. My Kaplan Course expired and I just have book resources. Is anyone in similar situation or can shed some light?Thank you so much guys

Hey MedMotivation, Did you take the problems available on the AAMC self-assessments, in addition to test 3-11 for AAMC? PM me for resources

 

[DrDreams]

I dont know if I can afford purchasing all those exams. I really need to improve verbal. I think I did descent on the rest. So bad idea retaking the AAMC FL exams?

 

[DrDreams]

Test Date: 9/18/2014
Time: 1:00 PM
AAMC Avg. 30 [had 1 outlier of 28 but majority were 30+]
Post-Test Expected: 28-32
Actual: 28 (PS 10 VR 9 BS 9)

Absolutely devastated. Saw it during my volunteering and put on a brave face but had a good cry on the bus home. My first thought was thank god I registered for a January test. I cant be mad because its not too far off my average, but near the end of my FLs getting 31-33 I thought I could atleast crack 30. Bio was my strongest the whole time, and that 9 is the only thing that truly upsets me, the other 2 are not too far off my FLs but that bio my goodness. I knew the first passage threw me off my game, didnt realize it threw me OUT the game. Geez. I am shellshocked. Going into the next exam I'm 1. wearing my own ear-plugs because the ones I wore during the test were so tight it hurt and 2. I bought the BS SA but never used it, will definitely be doing that, and more BR Bio passages. Feeling much more optimistic now, I still have a second change and I know I can do much better, so I'll be taking Jan 15 test.

Tonkahat are you applying this cycle? I am trying to get in this cycle and will be retaking 12/6

It super sucked for me, my sisters father in law passed away the night before, I got sick 2 nights before the MCAT, and during the MCAT i was seated next to the AC which was freezing my face off because I already had a damn fever. I hope the place in Ohio is better

 

[cizzle23]

I've been following this thread, but did not feel good enough to post scores.. but I need help. I got a dismal 24 as a retake only improving one point overall with a decrease to a 6 in verbal. I never got below a 28 on practice exams, and used up all the aamc's, I am beyond devastated and I think my chances at DO have vanished for this cycle. I don't know what to do at this point, if taking it in January is a good idea. My Kaplan Course expired and I just have book resources. Is anyone in similar situation or can shed some light?Thank you so much guys

I am in the EXACT same situation, I never got below a 29! For Kaplan I know that you can use the higher score guarantee to retake the class free of charge if you don't get your money back, thats what I am doing because a 24 is better than my original diagnostics.

 

[llanoestacado]

Long time lurker, first time poster; had a practice test range of 30-34 (TBR and AAMC). Got 10/11/11 (32) on the real thing. I can finally relax again!

 

[HinduHammer]

7/4/8 - 19 overall. Mom died day before the exam. I have no idea why I didn't void...I was in this crazy idea that I should just go for it. Will be retaking before the new exam obviously but feeling pretty hopeless right now.

Oh my God, I'm so sorry for your loss. You are so brave for taking the exam with that terrible occurrence happening the day before. I am sorry for your score but I'm sure medical schools will understand. I would NOT retake before the new exam. I think you need to mourn properly before you can get your head back in the game and perform at your potential on the mcat. I will keep you in my prayers, kkosp.

 

[biggimpin]

Test Date: 9/18/2014
Time: 1:00pm
AAMC 3 (before reviewing or knowing anything about the exam): 31
AAMC 4-11: four 39's and three 40's
Post-Test Expected: 37-39 (seemed a little harder than practice exams)
Actual Score: 38 (PS 14, VR 11, BS 13)
Overall satisfied with my score even though it was lower than any of my practice tests (aside from the AAMC 3 diagnostic) since before starting to review my goal was a 35+. Should at least keep me in the ballpark of my target schools. The breakdown was pretty similar to my practice exams and what I would have expected going into it as Physical Sciences is my strong suit and Verbal Reasoning was my toughest (got two 13's in practice but mainly seemed stuck on 11 most of the time).
If anyone looking to retake wants any advice or my general study plan just ask.

 

[medmotivation]

Hey MedMotivation, Did you take the problems available on the AAMC self-assessments, in addition to test 3-11 for AAMC? PM me for resources

Yes, I took them all but my kaplan resources expired!

I am in the EXACT same situation, I never got below a 29! For Kaplan I know that you can use the higher score guarantee to retake the class free of charge if you don't get your money back, thats what I am doing because a 24 is better than my original diagnostics.

Hey, I know it is hard being in this situation, I feel you! I gave up everything for this retake and I feel like a failure. I took the kaplan class twice with the higher score guarantee, so Im going to have to end up repaying for the course! Is this going to be a third time for you too? I wish you and all those struggling the best of luck!

 

[technolize]

Congrats Technolize! How exciting to get a score higher than in practice. I'm writing for the first time Nov 7... would you mind offering insight on what practice tests (TPR or AAMC) you took that you felt helped most? Those that were similar to the actual test? Since all later test date seats have been so quickly filled, I'm pretty nervous to take this test considering it's my first and last shot to do well. eeeek thank you!!

First time around was with SN2ed method (slacked on verbal). Test day went horribly. It was gardening day at my test center so tons of leaf blower and lawnmower action and the flimsy headphones with earplugs didn't do squat. I was hitting AAMC test (3-11) scoring average of 34. Ended up with a 28 on the real test. Took a year off tried to do EK but I felt their books were too short, did not test. Then I started with princeton review books only (borrowed an account for tests). I was averaging pretty low for my TPR tests BUT my friend also averaged low yet on AAMCs hit around 32-35. That gave me some hope for the real one. I'll breakdown what I thought about each section.

PS - very fair. I was always +1/-1 from the previous score not too much deviation
VR - I slacked on verbal practicing again, hit around 6 +/- 1. Never hit an 8 nevertheless a 9 so I would say it's harder than AAMC
Bio - I hit mostly 12s and a 13 once but never higher. I think if you hit those you are bound for 13-15 on the real test

This is just my n=1, take it with a grain of salt. Best of luck!

 

[medmotivation]

Test Date: 9/18/2014
Time: 1:00 PM
AAMC Avg. 28 (PS 08 VR 10 BS 10)
Post-Test Expected: Didn't Predict
Actual: 31 (PS 10 VR 10 BS 11)

I was a retaker from September 12, 2013 (I got a 22 (07/05/10) that time), so much happier with my new score! Best of luck to everyone still looking for a seat before the new MCAT.

This is an awesome jump, Congratulations, hope things are in your favor with applying! Is there anything you did completely different especially in verbal reasoning? do you mind sharing any tips and resources that you stuck with? Really looking for help for getting out of the low 20's range.

 

[technolize]

I have a few friends looking for a seat 100 mile radius of southern CA or the testing place in rochester, Minnesota. If anyone has a January slot, please let me know!

 

[kiwininja]

Test Date: 9/18/14 Time: 1 PM
FL AAMC Average (9-11): ~36 PS (13-15), VR (10-11) BS (11-14)
Post-test expected score: 34 (14/10/10)
Actual Score: 32 15/8/9

I feel kind of depressed since its below my average. But hey everything in life happens for a reason. and as long as I am accepted into any medical school I can live with it.

hot damn, your PS score

 

[kiwininja]

7/4/8 - 19 overall. Mom died day before the exam. I have no idea why I didn't void...I was in this crazy idea that I should just go for it. Will be retaking before the new exam obviously but feeling pretty hopeless right now.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I wrote the exam the week my grandmother passed, and although loss is never comparable, my heart goes out to you. Have an internet hug. Please take some time off for yourself and process - I feel like many of us here may tend to avoid dealing with things by making ourselves extremely busy or distracting ourselves, and this isn't really something that can be dealt with that way. I hope you have a support network around you as you grieve - and we're all here for you.

 

[futuredr2kids]

If anyone is dropping a test anytime in January anywhere in the U.S., please let me know. I didn't have the foresight to sign up before my scores came out.

Thanks!

 

[Tonkahat]

Tonkahat are you applying this cycle? I am trying to get in this cycle and will be retaking 12/6

It super sucked for me, my sisters father in law passed away the night before, I got sick 2 nights before the MCAT, and during the MCAT i was seated next to the AC which was freezing my face off because I already had a damn fever. I hope the place in Ohio is better

I wanted to start applying in June for the next cycle, since I really need to bring up my seriously weak gpa, but decided to throw in a few applications this cycle. Have no idea how it works and I wanted to give myself a few days to relax before I even start studying again or working on applications...Hoping we can improve our scores!!

 

[dutchosteo10]

I am a long time lurker, and first time poster on sdn.
Date 9/24/13 - Score 9/6/7 = 22
Date 9/18/14 - Score 9/10/11 = 30

I am so overjoyed by my scores, and thank God for giving me the strength to persevere amidst my doubts and fears. It is possible if you believe and work hard. Word of advice to new testers and retakers, if you are having difficulties with the science sections like I did, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE subscribe to chad's mcat videos before even messing with the big name test prep companies, you will come away with a better understanding of the sciences than any kaplan or BR book will give you and it is so much cheaper too. Those other books should be used as the sprinkle on top after learning the core concepts. Just my 2 cents..Congratulations to everyone out there making their dreams come true.

 

[wmfc62]

Stoked to finally be able to post here.

Sept 18, 2014 1pm
AAMC Avg: 35
Post-test Expected: Tried not to think about it, but thought it was harder than the practice tests.
Actual: 37 (12/11/14)

Did the sn2ed schedule, thought it was awesome. Saved the money I would have spent on Kaplan, and bought a plane ticket to Barcelona.

Just some small words of wisdom: This test is really not that difficult as far as content goes, so don't stress yourselves out about it. More than your knowledge, it tests your ability to think and work under pressure (which is made to be very difficult, but doable). The best strategy, beyond mastering the material, is to remain calm and relaxed throughout your studying and the test. It doesn't matter what school you went to, how much lab experience you got, or what your GPA was. You can go into the MCAT and dominate. Put in the work, stay confident, keep collected, and you'll do just fine.

 

[dutchosteo10]

I've been following this thread, but did not feel good enough to post scores.. but I need help. I got a dismal 24 as a retake only improving one point overall with a decrease to a 6 in verbal. I never got below a 28 on practice exams, and used up all the aamc's, I am beyond devastated and I think my chances at DO have vanished for this cycle. I don't know what to do at this point, if taking it in January is a good idea. My Kaplan Course expired and I just have book resources. Is anyone in similar situation or can shed some light?Thank you so much guys

Do not despair my friend. The wisdom to change your game plan and the will power to move forward is the difference between a failed attempt and success in progress. My one advice to you would be to forget kaplan and invest in a monthly subscription of chad's MCAT videos. I am a retaker and went from a 22 last year to 30 this september. you have nothing to lose and so much to gain. Good luck!!

 

[medmotivation]

Do not despair my friend. The wisdom to change your game plan and the will power to move forward is the difference between a failed attempt and success in progress. My one advice to you would be to forget kaplan and invest in a monthly subscription of chad's MCAT videos. I am a retaker and went from a 22 last year to 30 this september. you have nothing to lose and so much to gain. Good luck!!

Congratulations, I wish you all the best if you are applying this year! It is stories like this that make me have hope that I can reach a goal score.
I have the option of retaking Kaplan paying 1/4 and I think that I really need online resources especially with the formatting of MCAT and I already took all the aamc exams and self assessments as well as verbal ek 101. I really don't know how to go about this. Did you exhaust all resources the first time? You say that Chad's videos helped you..do you mind if I ask how you practiced tests online? Im trying to regroup as fast as I can and focus...

 

[dutchosteo10]

Congratulations, I wish you all the best if you are applying this year! It is stories like this that make me have hope that I can reach a goal score.
I have the option of retaking Kaplan paying 1/4 and I think that I really need online resources especially with the formatting of MCAT and I already took all the aamc exams and self assessments as well as verbal ek 101. I really don't know how to go about this. Did you exhaust all resources the first time? You say that Chad's videos helped you, but so you mind if I ask how you practiced tests online? Im trying to regroup as fast as I can and focus...

i exhausted the AAMC tests the first time around but since there was a years gap till the retake, It didn't really matter. In addition I bought some of the Berkely Review CBT's, which in my opinion are much harder than the AAMC tests for the sciences but do a great job in getting you to think creatively which is how you want to strategize for these recent MCAT science sections. As far as verbal goes, i really didn't focus much on it but the ek101 is an excellent resource. My strategy for VR is borrowed from EK advice of reading as fast as you can while trying to understand the Main Idea ( do not high light) and then answer the questions(only go back to the passage when you absolutely need to). Trust me if you practice this exhaustively you will get good at making the right choices. i probably could have scored higher on VR if I had practiced more and didn't totally ignore it to focus on the science sections i needed help in. Ultimately you now know the format of the exam from taking the real thing, so it should help you weed out resources that are unnecessary (pick one or 2 and stick with it). For me it was Chad's videos and BR CBT's in addition to AAMC's.

P.S: Give your self a few days to relax, i know how you must feel but you're going to need a level head to attack this this thing again.

 

[medmotivation]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I wrote the exam the week my grandmother passed, and although loss is never comparable, my heart goes out to you. Have an internet hug. Please take some time off for yourself and process - I feel like many of us here may tend to avoid dealing with things by making ourselves extremely busy or distracting ourselves, and this isn't really something that can be dealt with that way. I hope you have a support network around you as you grieve - and we're all here for you.

I really wish you all the best, that is a situation that is extreme and I cannot magine how hard it was going into that exam with that weight on your shoulders. I know you will be able to do it..do it fo

For those who will be re-writing, how are you planning on studying for the re-take? I got my score back and its bad. I need to re-write and will probably book a seat for January 15th or 23rd. I am lost on where to pick up on my studying and need to work out a solid plan. Any thoughts?

i exhausted the AAMC tests the first time around but since there was a years gap till the retake, It didn't really matter. In addition I bought some of the Berkely Review CBT's, which in my opinion are much harder than the AAMC tests for the sciences but do a great job in getting you to think creatively which is how you want to strategize for these recent MCAT science sections. As far as verbal goes, i really didn't focus much on it but the ek101 is an excellent resource. My strategy for VR is borrowed from EK advice of reading as fast as you can while trying to understand the Main Idea ( do not high light) and then answer the questions(only go back to the passage when you absolutely need to). Trust me if you practice this exhaustively you will get good at making the right choices. i probably could have scored higher on VR if I had practiced more and didn't totally ignore it to focus on the science sections i needed help in. Ultimately you now know the format of the exam from taking the real thing, so it should help you weed out resources that are unnecessary (pick one or 2 and stick with it). For me it was Chad's videos and BR CBT's in addition to AAMC's.

P.S: Give your self a few days to relax, i know how you must feel but you're going to need a level head to attack this this thing again.

Thanks for your advice. I used Chad's Biology videos as they were free so I might just invest in a subscription. I heard the Gold Standard tests were good as well so I might look into those. I just need to study in a new way and see if this helps by giving it all I can one more time. I really don't want to give up, although it might not seem bright ahead with these scores. I know that attitude and confidence can really help a lot...something I need to work on. I didn't have it the first two times. Good luck with med school endeavors, your dedication to score improvement will be rewarded!

 

[Ookla_premed]

Date: 9/18/2014
Time: 1 pm
Post-test expected score: 29 (11 8 10)
Actual score: 25 (9 PS, 6 VR, 10 BS)

FML. Looks like I'm going to have to retake....I felt the best about verbal and physics and ironically those were my lowest scores...

 

[gh89]

Test Date: 9/18/2014
Time: 1:00pm
AAMC 3 (before reviewing or knowing anything about the exam): 31
AAMC 4-11: four 39's and three 40's
Post-Test Expected: 37-39 (seemed a little harder than practice exams)
Actual Score: 38 (PS 14, VR 11, BS 13)
Overall satisfied with my score even though it was lower than any of my practice tests (aside from the AAMC 3 diagnostic) since before starting to review my goal was a 35+. Should at least keep me in the ballpark of my target schools. The breakdown was pretty similar to my practice exams and what I would have expected going into it as Physical Sciences is my strong suit and Verbal Reasoning was my toughest (got two 13's in practice but mainly seemed stuck on 11 most of the time).
If anyone looking to retake wants any advice or my general study plan just ask.

I think we may be twins! Every single thing in this post is pretty much spot on for me as well

 

[researchgirl7]

If anyone is dropping a spot in January in Ontario or Quebec please PM me

 

[tcon91]

Test Date: 9/18/2014
Time: 1:00 PM
AAMC Avg. 24 [bombed 9,10,11 due to burn out]
Post-Test Expected: No clue. I felt good but that's usually an inverse relationship for me
Actual: 29 (PS 10 VR 10 BS 9)

Overall, I'm pretty happy. I'm applying D.O. and was aiming for 27. I have to say I'm slightly bummed at that BS score as my average was 10 but hey, I'll take it! NO MO MCAT FO ME!!!

 

[justadream]

Looks like really bad verbal curve?

 

[MaybeDr]

Yep it was awful. I'd be willing to say that the physics curve was not great either. I've scored 11 once in my entire mcat studying career. I usually score a 13 or 14 on practice tests. Hopefully I'll get a seat for the a jan date otherwise its all DO for me.

 

[kiwininja]

Test Date: 9/18/2014
Time: 1:00 PM
AAMC Avg: er, 33-ish? I did get a 37 on AAMC 10 though, but I was pretty convinced it was a fluke.
Post-Test Expected: no higher than a 35 or 36 (PS 14 or 15/VR 11/BS 10)
Actual: 40 - breakdown of 14/13/13 (PS/VR/BS)

PS was fairly smooth sailing for me except for 1 or 2 questions, which probably landed me the 14 instead of the 15 (which, to be fair, was an extremely optimistic prediction). I just finished out the physics series this past school year, so it probably helped a lot that the material was still very fresh in my head. VR had some really weird questions, and I had time to run over things and recheck quickly but time got cut off just as I finished changing one of my answers. There were more than a handful of questions I just wasn't sure about - had it down to 2 answer choices, you know the drill. By the time the BS section rolled around I was feeling burnt out, and BS was always my weakest section on practice tests (PS was my strongest), so I guess I funneled all of my anxiety about the BS section into an hour or so of focus. My nerves were pretty frayed by the end of the test, and again I got cut off right after I changed one of my answers. There were definitely quite a few passages where I had to read everything more carefully several times over because some of the questions/passages didn't make sense to me the first time around. I would agree with other test-takers that a lot of the VR and BS sections felt completely different from past AAMC exams or other practice exams. Lesson learned, expect anything?

I'm honestly more surprised than anything (though I'm obviously ecstatic - I completely didn't expect to score so far above my practice test average, and had to pinch myself after I saw my scores to make sure I wasn't dreaming). My grandmother passed away the week of my exam, and there was a lot of family stuff going on for the entire summer after we found out she was ill. I missed her service for the test (she wasn't living with us, so if I had gone I would have flown out and then back). I guess part of me really pressured myself the day of to do a bloody good job on the test and read extremely carefully so that my family & I could leave the summer with at least one decent memory, and to make not being able to be at the funeral "worth it", though that's a really awful way of putting it. I tried not to think about it too much while I was taking the test and felt really jumbled afterwards.

I have all of my study materials in new condition for sale (TBR, Kaplan, TPR, Hyperlearning, EK 1001/101 - PM for pricing & shipping). I can also provide a study plan & tips of sorts if you guys want.

Life throws a lot of unexpected things at us all, I guess. Best of luck to everyone, and feel free to PM me if you're interested in the materials or advice.

 

[deleted436726]

Wooo! Got a 35 (12 PS/11 VR/12 BS), 3 points higher than last year. Hopefully the schools I haven't heard from are receptive to updates...otherwise the new score is pretty useless :/

 

[HULKSMASH27]

First take in April: 10PS, 9V, 9BS (Total 28) I was totally shocked, cried my eyes out
September 18th: 12PS, 11V, 14BS (Total 37) I was a little shocked, cried my eyes out

Don't give up if you did badly! I thought that's what I was going to do but then I waited a few days and realized that this score isn't going to define how smart or how capable I am. I can try to do it again or let this number be there and push on, because I still know that this is what I want to do with my life regardless. I decided to take it again because I knew that I was much better than my first test. and it is not easy studying for the second time around. you get more cautious, antsy, frustrated that you're doing this all over again. my best advice, surround yourself with a few people who give you their support day in and day out. though you may want to forget that you're taking them a second time, having a friend tell you that they believe in you is the best thing. stay positive! and good luck!

 

[luciferase.nerd]

Wooo! Got a 35 (12 PS/11 VR/12 BS), 3 points higher than last year. Hopefully the schools I haven't heard from are receptive to updates...otherwise the new score is pretty useless :/

I'm trying to figure out the same thing too. I didn't add this test date to my app originally but I added it yesterday after getting my score back.

Are you planning on sending each school an update? I was thinking that they would get the new score automatically. Do you think it would be advantageous to send a letter in case they've already reviewed my app?