Thinking of rescheduling the MCAT

[DrDreams]

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Hey everyone,

I am seriously considering rescheduling the mcat. I am taking 9 credit hours over the summer, have a family and am volunteering and I think I've just been a bit overwhelmed. My wife is also due in august. I truly think I can score in the 30s but I haven't even finished the content review half way. I took my aamc 3 and I scored a 22 without finishing reviewing. I'm scheduled for July 25 but really feel like I need an extra 2-3 weeks. I have a philosophy of taking it once and rocking it. But I am not sure what to do. I will be submitting my primary on Monday so aamc verifies it, but I am really unsure about the mcat.
Plus the aamc 3 I took was a 2am. I was very tired.

Do you think I should suck it up and go hardcore and take it?

Some guidance and advice would be appreciated.

 

[JackyLin]

Hey everyone,

I am seriously considering rescheduling the mcat. I am taking 9 credit hours over the summer, have a family and am volunteering and I think I've just been a bit overwhelmed. My wife is also due in august. I truly think I can score in the 30s but I haven't even finished the content review half way. I took my aamc 3 and I scored a 22 without finishing reviewing. I'm scheduled for July 25 but really feel like I need an extra 2-3 weeks. I have a philosophy of taking it once and rocking it. But I am not sure what to do. I will be submitting my primary on Monday so aamc verifies it, but I am really unsure about the mcat.
Plus the aamc 3 I took was a 2am. I was very tired.

Do you think I should suck it up and go hardcore and take it?

Some guidance and advice would be appreciated.

Don't take it if you aren't ready. (ie. not finished studying, not having done at least some amount of practice test, not comfortable with your performance on your practice test.)

trust me, I've taken it when I wasn't as ready as I want to be. 29 then a 33 two years ago, then 42 this year. Rock it in one shot is best.

 

[kmp0410]

I would reschedule, you take it in 20 days and haven't finished content review. That seems like its way to rushed. I would want at least a full month of practice problems and reviewing after content unless you really feel like you got everything that well your first time through.

If you are applying this year, you might want to reconsider your plan.

That said, you can really try to finish your review, take a couple practice tests and then decide. But if I was in your shoes I would postpone.

 

[Johansef]

I don't think there's really any point to taking a practice test if you haven't finished your review. The MCAT can test you heavily on anything and if you don't know one thing then that can make your score low or vice versa. It's best to do all the practice exams too. The more practice you get the better. Good luck.

 

[DrDreams]

Don't take it if you aren't ready. (ie. not finished studying, not having done at least some amount of practice test, not comfortable with your performance on your practice test.)

trust me, I've taken it when I wasn't as ready as I want to be. 29 then a 33 two years ago, then 42 this year. Rock it in one shot is best.

I really feel this way. i feel like if I can truly channel my focus I can easily achieve over 30. I am very familiar with the bio portion of it because of the physiology degree and everything is pretty recent.

I would reschedule, you take it in 20 days and haven't finished content review. That seems like its way to rushed. I would want at least a full month of practice problems and reviewing after content unless you really feel like you got everything that well your first time through.

If you are applying this year, you might want to reconsider your plan.

That said, you can really try to finish your review, take a couple practice tests and then decide. But if I was in your shoes I would postpone.

I cannot not apply, im submitting my app tomorrow for aamc to verify as well as aacom. But I have to apply this year.

I don't think there's really any point to taking a practice test if you haven't finished your review. The MCAT can test you heavily on anything and if you don't know one thing then that can make your score low or vice versa. It's best to do all the practice exams too. The more practice you get the better. Good luck.

I agree, but i was told i should keep taking them. Now that I know, I should be able to finish my review by friday and start on practice tests. I wont waste time taking them except verbal. I will see upto my cut off of July 11 how I am doing, and if i am doing pretty well I will reschedule to early august. if not, then later i guess.

Thank you guys.

 

[vanillabear55]

Hey everyone,

I am seriously considering rescheduling the mcat. I am taking 9 credit hours over the summer, have a family and am volunteering and I think I've just been a bit overwhelmed. My wife is also due in august. I truly think I can score in the 30s but I haven't even finished the content review half way. I took my aamc 3 and I scored a 22 without finishing reviewing. I'm scheduled for July 25 but really feel like I need an extra 2-3 weeks. I have a philosophy of taking it once and rocking it. But I am not sure what to do. I will be submitting my primary on Monday so aamc verifies it, but I am really unsure about the mcat.
Plus the aamc 3 I took was a 2am. I was very tired.

Do you think I should suck it up and go hardcore and take it?

Some guidance and advice would be appreciated.

Minus the family, I'm almost in your exact situation. I'm registered for the July 26th MCAT. I'm feeling so rushed and thinking "how I could raise my MCAT >10 points in 3 weeks" is a horrifying thought. I'm considering applying next year so I don't have to be a reapplicant/take the mcat twice, but I really don't want to take more time off from school if I could avoid it. You?

 

[DrDreams]

Minus the family, I'm almost in your exact situation. I'm registered for the July 26th MCAT. I'm feeling so rushed and thinking "how I could raise my MCAT >10 points in 3 weeks" is a horrifying thought. I'm considering applying next year so I don't have to be a reapplicant/take the mcat twice, but I really don't want to take more time off from school if I could avoid it. You?

You know, I feel a gap year is better than a crappy application. I definitely think Id rather apply late with a good score than early with a horrendous score.

 

[Amazingmuzmo]

Originally scheduled to take it April of junior year, but felt incredibly unprepared and practice tests showed it. Took some good advice from family and rescheduled for that August after junior year (meaning I would get my score "late" enough that I would take a gap year). Rocked the test on the first try. Applied the first day apps opened (after my senior year) and got into my first school by Oct. Used that gap year to strengthen my future apps for competitve residency spots. Couldn't be happier.


TLDR:

Take it when you're really ready.

 

[vanillabear55]

You know, I feel a gap year is better than a crappy application. I definitely think Id rather apply late with a good score than early with a horrendous score.

I totally agree. It's just a let down, I'm already in one gap year and I really want to be back in school. I hate delaying.

Originally scheduled to take it April of junior year, but felt incredibly unprepared and practice tests showed it. Took some good advice from family and rescheduled for that August after junior year (meaning I would get my score "late" enough that I would take a gap year). Rocked the test on the first try. Applied the first day apps opened (after my senior year) and got into my first school by Oct. Used that gap year to strenthen my future apps for competitve residency spots.


TLDR:

Take it when you're really ready.

that's awesome, that was my original plan. I just graduated in May.

What did you do to strengthen your app?

 

[Amazingmuzmo]

I totally agree. It's just a let down, I'm already in one gap year and I really want to be back in school. I hate delaying.




that's awesome, that was my original plan. I just graduated in May.

What did you do to strengthen your app?

My app for med school was already pretty solid, except for not having taken the MCAT until mentioned above. I started working at a research lab at a med school for the gap year. Looked good for my med school app (came up in conversation at a few interviews) and if things go well, the project I worked on may be published.

 

[DrDreams]

I totally agree. It's just a let down, I'm already in one gap year and I really want to be back in school. I hate delaying.




that's awesome, that was my original plan. I just graduated in May.

What did you do to strengthen your app?

Congrats on graduating.

I am actually a senior, my last year is actually all first year medical school classes minus the actual clinical. SIU's physiology program is taught by the same professors in the medical school, and from all the people including teachers I know have said they use the same notes, slides lecture etc. The only diff is we get a standard letter grade vs med school gets P/F. So getting A's in those would definitely look good.

Originally scheduled to take it April of junior year, but felt incredibly unprepared and practice tests showed it. Took some good advice from family and rescheduled for that August after junior year (meaning I would get my score "late" enough that I would take a gap year). Rocked the test on the first try. Applied the first day apps opened (after my senior year) and got into my first school by Oct. Used that gap year to strengthen my future apps for competitve residency spots. Couldn't be happier.


TLDR:

Take it when you're really ready.

Thanks for the advice man! Does it matter if I take it but don't apply? Or if i submit without taking and withdraw my app?

 

[Amazingmuzmo]

Congrats on graduating.

I am actually a senior, my last year is actually all first year medical school classes minus the actual clinical. SIU's physiology program is taught by the same professors in the medical school, and from all the people including teachers I know have said they use the same notes, slides lecture etc. The only diff is we get a standard letter grade vs med school gets P/F. So getting A's in those would definitely look good.


Thanks for the advice man! Does it matter if I take it but don't apply? Or if i submit without taking and withdraw my app?

I received scores for my MCAT in Sept my senior year and applied the June after I graduated, I don't think anyone will mind you taking it and not applying right away. Bear in mind that there is a limit to how long a test stays "usable", I believe it's 3 years after you get scores back. If you submit your app and it gets as far as being verified, you technically count as having applied, and even if you withdraw you will be a reapplicant for future applications. Do not submit until you are ready to really apply, and if you do and change your mind, cancel before you are verified!

If you do take a gap year, don't think of it as a set back. There are a million and one ways to present the gap year as a productive and valuable part of your life, even if you just used it to "mature" (ie party for a year lol). It's all how you present and explain it, the gap year can be the one thing that sets you apart.

 

[DrDreams]

I received scores for my MCAT in Sept my senior year and applied the June after I graduated, I don't think anyone will mind you taking it and not applying right away. Bear in mind that there is a limit to how long a test stays "usable", I believe it's 3 years after you get scores back. If you submit your app and it gets as far as being verified, you technically count as having applied, and even if you withdraw you will be a reapplicant for future applications. Do not submit until you are ready to really apply, and if you do and change your mind, cancel before you are verified!

If you do take a gap year, don't think of it as a set back. There are a million and one ways to present the gap year as a productive and valuable part of your life, even if you just used it to "mature" (ie party for a year lol). It's all how you present and explain it, the gap year can be the one thing that sets you apart.

Absolutely, its sort of hard not to look at it as a bad thing. I know I feel that it is probably best to apply next year.

 

[IL Pre Med]

I'm in a similar situation, my test date was on August 9th and I postponed to August 16th because I'm taking a review course that doesn't finish its content review until August 8th. You guys mentioned that its disadvantageous to take practice test while doing content review? Because our class has them scheduled throughout the length of the course, and I've been doing them while doing content review.

 

[vanillabear55]

I'm in a similar situation, my test date was on August 9th and I postponed to August 16th because I'm taking a review course that doesn't finish its content review until August 8th. You guys mentioned that its disadvantageous to take practice test while doing content review? Because our class has them scheduled throughout the length of the course.

Kaplan scheduled them throughout for me. I always thought it made more sense to get through the content, I felt irritated whenever I got to a passage and knew we hadn't yet reviewed the material for it so it didn't give me a fair chance at attacking it, you know?

Then again, I think they schedule them so you get used to taking the actual exam and you slowly get used to the format/sitting at a screen for ~3.5 hours.

 

[IL Pre Med]

Kaplan scheduled them throughout for me. I always thought it made more sense to get through the content, I felt irritated whenever I got to a passage and knew we hadn't yet reviewed the material for it so it didn't give me a fair chance at attacking it, you know?

Then again, I think they schedule them so you get used to taking the actual exam and you slowly get used to the format/sitting at a screen for ~3.5 hours.

Yeah I get it, but it really kills your confidence when you get hit with unfamiliar concepts on a practice test. I dropped 5 points on my last FL because Princeton's test focused heavily on concepts we haven't covered yet. There was so much acids/bases, electromagnetism, optics, waves and we don't do those until the end...