what's the biggest score jump...

[TerryLo]

that you or anyone that you know of has had after retaking the mcat and how did you/they do it? need some inspiration about this damn mcat...feeling very down...

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[ChubbyChaser]

Kaplan Diagnostic. VR-13, PS-8, BS 10
Real sept 8- 11, 10, 10

I was dissapointed, but to make you feel better I think I was a rare exception (just a bad day on test day). But ive read ppl who have went up 12+ pts, I just dont know of any personally.

 

[bkmonkey]

I started with a 24 on my Kaplan Diag and jumped to a 41. That said, I was studying about 40 hours per week for a few months...

 

[SN2ed]

He's talking about people who have retaken and their score boost. I think there used to be a thread on just this subject. Try doing a search and I think you'll find something.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

O ok, I know a guy that got a 23 the first time and got a 29 the second time.

 

[RPedigo]

I gained 13 points from my first diagnostic and the real exam. Don't worry-- the points will come, just keep your chin up

 

[littlealex]

I know you're talking about retakes, but I will share my story. The first time around I took a Princeton Review class and expected to do well on the test (I did great on the SAT). However, I struggled to improve and was getting around a 9//7/8, 24 overall. 3 days before my actual test, I got a 24 on my diag, and I just chose not to take it. (I must note that I didn't do the PR's homework and played quite a bit of video games. I don't want to make PR look bad because I was an idiot.)

Since then I decided to go PhD and just stopped pursuing this. Fast forward a year and a half later, I got sick of research and begun reconsidering medicine. I got the entire EK series, spent some time reading it cover to cover while supplementing the information with my old Princeton Review books. I spent quite a bit of time studying, but what really helped me out was that I constantly thought about the materials. I seeked to connect them. I wanted to understand everything as a complete body of knowledge, and I woould stop during chemistry to think about how it relates to biology and physics.

In the end, it is this near intuitive understanding I have for the material that really helped me out on the test. I did not do all that many practice problems, but the week before the actual test I took 1 full length a day for 7 days just to get comfortable with the test. I eventually ended up doing well on the real test.


I must also add that I scored a 10 on verbal, up from a 7. This improvement just came as the result of time. As I progressed through college I got comfortable reading research papers out of necessity, and consequently improved my reading comprehension. I have no advice on how to improve in that.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

that you or anyone that you know of has had after retaking the mcat and how did you/they do it? need some inspiration about this damn mcat...feeling very down...

The most inspirational story I know happened between May and July of this year. One of our students went into his May exam quite anxious, with finals looming and a clear lack of sleep and poor eating habits hurting him. He was one of those people I was worried about, but I didn't feel right saying much beyond "are you doing okay?" He went on to get a 29. Not bad, but well below what he should have gotten. He decided to repeat right away, while he was in the right frame of mind and still had the material in his head. Against the advice of many of us, he decided near the end of June to take the July 9 exam. With limited studying (basically a week and a half of intense study and semi-regular stops at office hours) he managed to get his confidence up. He sat for that exam with a noticably better attitude and walked away with a 36. He kicked butt and it was so wonderful!

My opinion is that luck of the draw in terms of the exams he got played a role as much as anything, but he substantiates the notion that attitude helps your score more than any of us like to admit. Tons of studying may not get you all of the information you'll see on the exam, but if it builds your confidence, then it is worth doing. I honestly believe that for some of our students, and this is probably true at every course, there are students who only benefited from being forced into studying a little bit more so that they walked into the exam feeling more confident. The tricks and mnemonics we taught were not nearly as important to them as being next to other intently driven people for four months.

You'll improve your score if you find a way to walk in knowing that you'll own this damn exam.

 

[Blade28]

A score increase after retaking the actual exam is going to be very different from an official score compared to a diagnostic test.

The diagnostics are designed to be extra-hard, in order to scare you into taking the prep course!

 

[liripez]

from the diagnostic test 10 points...took the mcat twice.. second mcat improved 5 points.

 

[halekulani]

27N -> 32Q
not the biggest, but it can be done.

 

[QofQuimica]

I got a 34 when I took the test the first time in 1996 and a 43 the second time in 2004, so I had a 9 point increase. Like other people have mentioned, I really didn't study properly the first time around, but I busted my butt the second time because I wanted to do at least as well as I had the first time. I was particularly worried about getting a new lower score because I was applying at age 30 with no UG grades or GPA, so the MCAT score was going to be the major number in my app. But I figured if I didn't do well, I'd get a post doc and go on with my life as a chemist. I didn't hate being a chemist, so I decided to give this MCAT/app deal one shot only, and then move on if med school didn't work out. I'm now in my second year.

Just for the record, I don't advocate re-taking with a 34; if my beautifully balanced first scores (11-11-12) hadn't been long expired, I sure as heck wouldn't have even thought about retaking the test. You really, honestly, seriously do *not* need a 40+ MCAT to be a successful applicant to medical school. to everyone.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I got a 34 when I took the test the first time in 1996 and a 43 the second time in 2004, so I had a 9 point increase. Like other people have mentioned, I really didn't study properly the first time around, but I busted my butt the second time because I wanted to do at least as well as I had the first time. I was particularly worried about getting a new lower score because I was applying at age 30 with no UG grades or GPA, so the MCAT score was going to be the major number in my app. But I figured if I didn't do well, I'd get a post doc and go on with my life as a chemist. I didn't hate being a chemist, so I decided to give this MCAT/app deal one shot only, and then move on if med school didn't work out. I'm now in my second year.

Just for the record, I don't advocate re-taking with a 34; if my beautifully balanced first scores (11-11-12) hadn't been long expired, I sure as heck wouldn't have even thought about retaking the test. You really, honestly, seriously do *not* need a 40+ MCAT to be a successful applicant to medical school. to everyone.

Q of Q: I just have to say how impressed I am by the tone you write with. Your positive vibe and encouragemnet are remarkable. I have to believe that while your amazing MCAT score was aprpeciated by adcoms, it was probably your interviews that impressed them most. Thanks for sharing your insights with a smile!

 

[QofQuimica]

Q of Q: I just have to say how impressed I am by the tone you write with. Your positive vibe and encouragemnet are remarkable. I have to believe that while your amazing MCAT score was aprpeciated by adcoms, it was probably your interviews that impressed them most. Thanks for sharing your insights with a smile!

Thanks; I appreciate you donating your time to help answer students' questions on SDN. We don't get too many contributors like you, so I hope you know how valued you are.

Re my MCAT score: you wouldn't believe how many admissions people at various schools seemed to feel the need to tell me on my *interview day* about all the high-stat people they had rejected in the past due to their being arrogant or having nothing else going for them, etc. I'm still not sure why so many people decided to tell me these stories, but it didn't exactly come across as encouraging to me as an interviewee!

I just want people to keep this whole MCAT thing in perspective. Most successful applicants do not have a 40+ MCAT, even at the top programs. A score in the mid-to-upper 30s will make you competitive for any school in the entire country, at least as far as your MCAT is concerned. I hate seeing kids who scored in the 30s asking if they should retake because they wanted a couple points higher; it's almost certainly not the most constructive use of their time if their goal is to strengthen their apps for med school.