Void or GET A low MCAT scored?

[KeepCalm11]

i have been getting 26-28, 29 on the MCAT practice test.

Should I get my test scored or void? Any major disadvantages of having it scored and having a low score on the record?

I feel that it would be good to have it scored as it give me a good baseline to work from in Dec-Jan

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[deleted74029]

That's what practice tests are for, to establish a baseline. Never take the MCAT if you aren't ready.

 

[hiyaman]

If you don't feel you are ready eg. your practice scores aren't where you want them to be, or you just didn't put enough time into studying
then you should just take the test some other time.

 

[Tin Man]

Given that your score on the test is dictated by how everyone else did on the test, it's almost impossible to KNOW you did badly on the test (unless you came in drunk, or mutilated, or something like that). An MCAT void essentially means you're tossing over 200 dollars down the toilet.

Voiding is a last-ditch maneuver for people who end up in some emergency the night before, or who totally didn't realize they had to study for the exam. You should never go into the exam after a "normal" (ie, non-emergency-filled) week and void it.

Besides, voiding is designed to keep truly embarrassing scores off your record. Anything above a 25 isn't anything to worry about. You may need to retake the exam in the future if it is too low, but as long as it's not a 12 or something, it's not going to ultimately reflect that badly on your record as long as you cleaned up with a better score later.

 

[KeepCalm11]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Got a 24 on the last AAMC 10 after 26, 28, and 29 on other AAMC, That's why a bit worried, but ok no problem. Thanks for the feedback, appreciated.

-a

 

[LeoGer]

I disagree with Stannum man. If you are going to have to retake if you score below a 30, void the test. Scoring the MCAT just so you have a baseline for your pre-planned retake is a whole lot of dumb.

 

[Tin Man]

I disagree with Stannum man. If you are going to have to retake if you score below a 30, void the test. Scoring the MCAT just so you have a baseline for your pre-planned retake is a whole lot of dumb.

That advice only works if you have an accurate prediction of how you're going to do without waiting for the score, which is impossible.

The MCAT I took had an absolutely brutal organic chemistry part. However, given from the comments of other pre-meds, the organic section was tough for EVERYONE, which means that if everyone does badly on it, the percentile scoring kicks in. So someone who took an MCAT Satan himself wrote could still get a 35 on it, since the answers are compared to every other pre-med who took Satan's exam.

There is no way to tell that you did badly unless you know of some circumstance that would guarantee you aren't at the top of your game, namely sickness, family emergency, being drunk, whatever. But if you take the exam as a healthy, rested, stable pre-med, there is absolutely no way to tell before hitting the "void" button that you did badly enough to need to void it.

So, unless you either can predict the future or have some extenuating circumstance on test day, it's usually a stupid move to void the exam.

 

[KeepCalm11]

Thanks. I think so too!

 

[SN2ed]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Got a 24 on the last AAMC 10 after 26, 28, and 29 on other AAMC, That's why a bit worried, but ok no problem. Thanks for the feedback, appreciated.

-a

Definitely void. Use your MCAT date to get a feel for the exam process.

 

[KeepCalm11]

Is it bad for application purposes to see a first low score?

Wouldn't it be helpful to have a SCORE from the real mcat for later prep?

 

[SN2ed]

Is it bad for application purposes to see a first low score?

Wouldn't it be helpful to have a SCORE from the real mcat for later prep?

Again, yes it is bad. Sure it would be helpful to know your score, but that small payoff isn't even close to worth it. One score isn't worth permanently damaging your medical school application. Practice tests should be used to gauge your progress, not an actual MCAT. Lastly, it's to easy type that you'll get a +35 on a retake, but much harder to achieve it.

 

[KeepCalm11]

Thanks for your response SDN2ed.

Can you describe a bit more what you mean by 'permantely damaging your application'? A first low score shows / creates a bad impression and lowers your academic credibility?


Ambreen

 

[LeoGer]

That advice only works if you have an accurate prediction of how you're going to do without waiting for the score, which is impossible.

The MCAT I took had an absolutely brutal organic chemistry part. However, given from the comments of other pre-meds, the organic section was tough for EVERYONE, which means that if everyone does badly on it, the percentile scoring kicks in. So someone who took an MCAT Satan himself wrote could still get a 35 on it, since the answers are compared to every other pre-med who took Satan's exam.

There is no way to tell that you did badly unless you know of some circumstance that would guarantee you aren't at the top of your game, namely sickness, family emergency, being drunk, whatever. But if you take the exam as a healthy, rested, stable pre-med, there is absolutely no way to tell before hitting the "void" button that you did badly enough to need to void it.

So, unless you either can predict the future or have some extenuating circumstance on test day, it's usually a stupid move to void the exam.

I think you need some WD-40. If you want to score 30+ and your practice exams are 24-29, then you should not score your test. I'm not speaking of your 'feelings' during the exam.

I understand what you're saying, and if your practice tests are in the range you're happy with I'd agree you should have it scored (minus the emergencies you mentioned).

 

[KeepCalm11]

my practice test have been 26-29 and need a 30+ on the MCAT...so dont' score? just take the test to the best of your ability and let that be it...

 

[LeoGer]

my practice test have been 26-29 and need a 30+ on the MCAT...so dont' score? just take the test to the best of your ability and let that be it...

Yes, do not score your MCAT and work very hard to start averaging into the 30s. Unless you and tin man want to play the lottery, because those are your odds of getting the score you want.

 

[KeepCalm11]

Can you describe a bit more what you mean by 'permantely damaging your application'? A first low score shows / creates a bad impression and lowers your academic credibility?


Ambreen

 

[LeoGer]

In case SN2 is too busy answering the other 45 posts with the same question, I'll give you my thoughts on your question.

If you score a 24, that score is on your application no matter what future scores you record. Even if you score 24 then 34, you're at a disadvantage to people who scored it once and posted a 34.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

In case SN2 is too busy answering the other 45 posts with the same question, I'll give you my thoughts on your question.

If you score a 24, that score is on your application no matter what future scores you record. Even if you score 24 then 34, you're at a disadvantage to people who scored it once and posted a 34.

Leo -
I think if was you who had it exactly right in one of the other 45 threads like this right now -
How many times does your medical school want you to take USMLE Step 1?

 

[Tin Man]

In case SN2 is too busy answering the other 45 posts with the same question, I'll give you my thoughts on your question.

If you score a 24, that score is on your application no matter what future scores you record. Even if you score 24 then 34, you're at a disadvantage to people who scored it once and posted a 34.

Eh, there are numerous people who talk about getting 28's on their practice exam, and end up with a 32. And, of course, vice-versa.

IMHO, with a well-rounded application, a 35 MCAT is a little overkill for many medical schools. a 30-31 will generally work for most people. I keep seeing the 35 pop up in this thread, so perhaps I missed where I saw that a 35 was the necessary minimum for the OP to achieve.

And for what it's worth, I don't think having a first bad score is THAT bad. Having a second score within acceptable ranges can easily raise suspicion that the first test might have been a fluke, or at the very least that the pre-med has the ability to learn from mistakes and correct them to achieve acceptable results. While it's true that some med schools might prefer to bring in the wonder children that get everything right the first time without making a single mistake, I can't imagine that the chance of getting a score so bad that it would seriously hinder your chances for acceptance into medical school with a second, better score is worth voiding an expensive exam that could very well produce a score that can get you in on the first try (depending on your school aspirations).

 

[KeepCalm11]

I need a 31 on this exam......

 

[gman33]

Going in with the plan to void is just dumb.
Either you are ready to take it or you are not.

If you are not, don't take the exam.

While it happens, don't expect to score much higher on the exam than your range on practice exams.

Just keep studying until you are getting scores in your desired range.

It is very hard to predict how you did based on how you feel during the exam. When I took it, I felt I did terrible on the BS section. Turned out that was my best section. So you never know.

 

[LeoGer]

gman33: He can't get his money back, and he's not scoring in the range he wants. Taking the test and seeing another way in which topics are tested is better than simply forfeiting the money, and scoring the test is a bad idea.

Stannum man: You've just made the three most *****ic statements I've ever read on this forum.

 

[Tin Man]

Stannum man: You've just made the three most *****ic statements I've ever read on this forum.

I don't see much justification for that. Which statements and why?

 

[KeepCalm11]

Thanks guys. I have decide to take the exam tommorw (and then VOID it to avoid low score). ...Let's see..

 

[LeoGer]

Eh, there are numerous people who talk about getting 28's on their practice exam, and end up with a 32. And, of course, vice-versa.

Looks like you're a big fan of playing the lottery.

IMHO, with a well-rounded application, a 35 MCAT is a little overkill for many medical schools. a 30-31 will generally work for most people. I keep seeing the 35 pop up in this thread, so perhaps I missed where I saw that a 35 was the necessary minimum for the OP to achieve.

A 35 isn't overkill at any MD school, but that has nothing to do with the fact that the OP isn't in a good position to score his 31.

And for what it's worth, I don't think having a first bad score is THAT bad. Having a second score within acceptable ranges can easily raise suspicion that the first test might have been a fluke, or at the very least that the pre-med has the ability to learn from mistakes and correct them to achieve acceptable results. While it's true that some med schools might prefer to bring in the wonder children that get everything right the first time without making a single mistake, I can't imagine that the chance of getting a score so bad that it would seriously hinder your chances for acceptance into medical school with a second, better score is worth voiding an expensive exam that could very well produce a score that can get you in on the first try (depending on your school aspirations).

This is just ridiculous. Something that's not THAT bad is still worse than the better situation. The OP hasn't made the decision which he'll have to argue isn't THAT bad instead of bad. Taking the glass is half full approach is only beneficial when you can't do anything about it. Taking the test when you're ready is not a sign of being a wonder child; it's a sign of not being a dumba*s.

 

[LeoGer]

Thanks guys. I have decide to take the exam tommorw (and then VOID it to avoid low score). ...Let's see..

Good decision ar. I'm excited to read about the difference in your preparation for the next test.

 

[ChocoMoo]

i have been getting 26-28, 29 on the MCAT practice test.

Should I get my test scored or void? Any major disadvantages of having it scored and having a low score on the record?

I feel that it would be good to have it scored as it give me a good baseline to work from in Dec-Jan

I don't see how scoring the real MCAT will give you a good baseline to work with. Chances are, whatever you get on the real MCAT will reflect how you've been doing on your practice tests. This is completely made-up, but if you've been getting 8's on BS, you'll probably get an 8 on the real thing. So then what? You're going to tell yourself "okay, I need to work on BS more". But practice tests could have told you that!! What will a real MCAT score tell you that your practice tests already haven't?

I'm assuming since you said you 'need' a 31, you're in an accelerated program or something where you need a minimum MCAT score to continue on to the med school (something like that)?

Anyway, If you've been getting 26-29 on practice tests, and you need a 31 on the real deal, I'm going to have to say to void it.

I'm probably biased though, because I was in a similar position a month and a half ago. I ended up voiding, and my MCAT club got their scores yesterday. I have no doubt in my mind that if I DIDN'T void, I would have gotten a score around my averages, and would have been sobbing to my roommate about how I SHOULD have voided

Basically, don't expect a miracle. I mean yeah, your highest practice test was a 29 and a 31 is 'only' two points more, so it might be *possible* to hit a 31 on the real thing. BUT, for every person that gets a 31 when they were getting 26-29 on practice tests, there are probably 1000 people that won't.

So yeah, void.

EDIT: looks like you made ur decision already. good choice

 

[KeepCalm11]

Thanks for your feedback and appreciate the discussion. I need a 31ish b.c I have a 3.2 GPA from engineering at an top undergrad program. I am just hoping for Texas state schools and need a acceptable MCAT to prove my academic abilities.....

 

[Tin Man]

Come on, LeoGer. Just because we see things differently doesn't mean we can't be somewhat civil while arguing about it. 🙂

Looks like you're a big fan of playing the lottery.

With those odds? Sure. He says he's been making a 26-29 on his practice tests. These scores MAY not be good enough to get into medical school with a lower-range GPA (which he has), but they are not low enough to be ashamed of having on your record so long as the next test is better.

His target score is 31. He's consistently scoring a few points off in the practice tests, which are usually accurate +-3 points. That implies a POSSIBILITY that he can score well enough to actually make it into his target school on the first try. But if he DOESN'T, it's unlikely his scores will dip below a 26, so long as we assume the practice tests are accurate. A 26 will probably not get him into medical school, but it doesn't make him look like an idiot, and as long as he gets a better score the second time, adcom's below the Ivy level aren't going to care that he scored a little below average on his first try.

So yeah, I'd definitely gamble. The best case scenario is that he scores well enough to get in. The worst case scenario is that he gets a lower, but not abysmal score which has a very low chance of negatively affecting him so long as he does better the second time. On the other hand, if he voids, he could be voiding a score which will likely not hurt him, or he could be voiding a score that's good enough to get him into medical school.

Yeah, that's not a bad bet. Not at all.

A 35 isn't overkill at any MD school, but that has nothing to do with the fact that the OP isn't in a good position to score his 31.

Maybe, maybe not. But, like I said, there is no reason to believe that his state school is going to care one way or the other about a lower-end MCAT score. A 35 is a very good score, and out of reach for many pre-meds. If he's aiming for a 31, it's unlikely that getting a few points below that on his first try is going to negatively affect him. The money's already gone. Unless he thinks he's going to get below a 24 on his MCAT, it's definitely worth at least trying and hoping for the best.

This is just ridiculous. Something that's not THAT bad is still worse than the better situation. The OP hasn't made the decision which he'll have to argue isn't THAT bad instead of bad. Taking the glass is half full approach is only beneficial when you can't do anything about it. Taking the test when you're ready is not a sign of being a wonder child; it's a sign of not being a dumba*s.

What's bad is tossing money down the toilet when he's only two points out of his ideal range, and his likely score isn't going to hurt him. The money is already gone. I have never heard of an adcom giving two hoots that someone scored a 27 on the first MCAT when they bumped it up to a 31 on the second try. He's not showing signs that he's going to make a 20 on the first try, so voiding it would be absolutely ridiculous.

OP, what's the average MCAT for the accepted students into your target school? If it's a 27+, then it would be ridiculous to even think about voiding.

 

[KeepCalm11]

I took the MCAT (and then voided it). In all I am pleased with my decision to void.


I thought it was very similar to the practice tests--not much difference really, with the exception of 2 more killer passages in BIO. Also, I was not as aggressive as answering questions but kaplan strategy of triage worked.

in VR i found myself scrolling a bit too much! it was def distracting and was not able to summarize main points of the passage bfore attacking questions.

PS: I knew that I had to get get MORE profient at dimensional analysis (which came in handy in 3 questions at least) and mathematics. I didn't finish the PS on time and have to guess on a few questions randomly

BS: It had a genetics cross and long convoluted passage...taht i didnt' do so hot on. also, some discreets test your sight up knowledge of muscle, cell junctions etc that i didn't know completely with confidence

You definately dont have to read the passages too closely except just get a general gist and structure. Many times the questions don't even ask about it, It seems surreal / magical but it happened to me on the real test.


i am trying to decide how I should study until Jan test date (10 hours/weekends when I tune out everything (upcoming test ec) and do mcat prep) and then beef up on holidays and the winter breal?

. the truth is that higher mCAT score will have beetter chances of getting me into a medical school than high gpa this semester. My gpa is 3.2-ish and need some good MCAT high (32ish) to offset some bad grades in earlier years.

 

[KeepCalm11]

I think I also figured out why SN2ed and others oppose taking the MCAT more than once if you are not ready. B.c the USMLE exam can be only taken once (if you dont' fail of course which would be pretty horrendous). If you get a low score, well, you are stuck with it!!!

 

[Pons Asinorum]

I think I also figured out why SN2ed and others oppose taking the MCAT more than once if you are not ready. B.c the USMLE exam can be only taken once (if you dont' fail of course which would be pretty horrendous). If you get a low score, well, you are stuck with it!!!

ar - I think you're on the right track. I think the experience of getting ready, recognizing that you weren't where you needed to be and then making a decision to come back when you can dictate the fight be on your terms is a great one. I think you'll do better than you need to in Jan to get where you want to go. Just learn from your mistakes from this time around, prepare intelligently and do your best in Jan. Best of luck!

 

[psychkub]

I think I also figured out why SN2ed and others oppose taking the MCAT more than once if you are not ready. B.c the USMLE exam can be only taken once (if you dont' fail of course which would be pretty horrendous). If you get a low score, well, you are stuck with it!!!

Unfortunately, I am finding myself in the same situation. I will be taking the 9/11 MCAT and have already decided to void. Knowing that there are other people grappling with the same predicament makes me feel more at ease with my decision.

 

[mikejungle]

Wow, I'm glad I read this thread.

I'm not quite ready and I hadn't even thought about voiding...

So is it a general consensus that voiding is suggested (although obviously not a unanimous belief) even if you're not sure? It doesn't matter if you do really well on the next one?

It seems that if the almighty sn2ed's said so, it's what's wiser, but if you're out there, can you please give details on why?

 

[Got Em]

If you void, will schools see the fact that you voided your score?

 

[medapplicant88]

I would delay the test. A void or a low score, both look really bad. I thought I did really bad all three times I took the test. there was one passage on the physical I didn't even know what it was. I took my best shot but I probably could've gotten more right by selecting b on every question.

 

[hiyaman]

If you void, will schools see the fact that you voided your score?

I'm fairly certain that when you void, schools don't even know that you sat for the test.

 

[amateur obgyn]

Going in with the plan to void is just dumb.
Either you are ready to take it or you are not.

If you are not, don't take the exam.

While it happens, don't expect to score much higher on the exam than your range on practice exams.

Just keep studying until you are getting scores in your desired range.

It is very hard to predict how you did based on how you feel during the exam. When I took it, I felt I did terrible on the BS section. Turned out that was my best section. So you never know.

100% agreed. Go into it thinking you're only going to have take it once, and not only that, but you're gonna kick some ass.

...and maybe watch this for inspiration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwfYTSdJ7kY&feature=related

 

[SN2ed]

Just so you all know, this thread was bumped from August 2010.

 

[nr6unhH]

Just so you all know, this thread was bumped from August 2010.

😱😀 LOL

 

[Got Em]

Just so you all know, this thread was bumped from August 2010.

I did a search and didn't want to make a new thread, but I guess it would be been a lot easier that way. So what is the final conclusion on the void situation? One person said that it looks bad and the other said med schools won't even see it.

 

[LeoGer]

I did a search and didn't want to make a new thread, but I guess it would be been a lot easier that way. So what is the final conclusion on the void situation? One person said that it looks bad and the other said med schools won't even see it.

No, they cannot see that you voided.