When should I retake the MCAT

[Easy E]

Here's the deal: I thought I was "the MAN" when it came to scholastics. That was until I took the MCAT and scored a dismal 26 (8 physical 9 bio 9 verbal). I console myself by realizing I worked 60 hours per week while studying with an arogant attitude. I thought I did not have to study as hard as others. What a humbling experience. I have good GPA 3.7 and decent EC's (voluteered with incoming refugees at local clinic for 3 years worked up to paid MA position and trip to hospital located in rural Ecuador, basin of the Amazon)

Anyway, when should I retake the MCAT? I am applying next year 08 for 09.
Should I pay the 500 dollars to retake Kaplan? (I didn't do all the work for the guarantee)
Any advice on how to study this time round? (Besides what I can read from the archives )

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[Phoenix.]

Easy E: This thread is being moved to the MCAT discussion forum where I think you'll get more relevant feedback. Good luck.

 

[J ROD]

Here's the deal: I thought I was "the MAN" when it came to scholastics. That was until I took the MCAT and scored a dismal 26 (8 physical 9 bio 9 verbal). I console myself by realizing I worked 60 hours per week while studying with an arogant attitude. I thought I did not have to study as hard as others. What a humbling experience. I have good GPA 3.7 and decent EC's (voluteered with incoming refugees at local clinic for 3 years worked up to paid MA position and trip to hospital located in rural Ecuador, basin of the Amazon)

Anyway, when should I retake the MCAT? I am applying next year 08 for 09.
Should I pay the 500 dollars to retake Kaplan? (I didn't do all the work for the guarantee)
Any advice on how to study this time round? (Besides what I can read from the archives )

Whenever you are ready. Just be aware that the recent MCAT has seemed to have gotten harder. I just took it Aug 20th and I was not pleasantly surprised. It was alot harder than AAMCs and more difficult than Kaplan.

Read the threads in here about the current MCAT to be ready. I thought it might be a little harder. No, way harder. Just be prepared.

 

[malta97]

Here's the deal: I thought I was "the MAN" when it came to scholastics. That was until I took the MCAT and scored a dismal 26 (8 physical 9 bio 9 verbal). I console myself by realizing I worked 60 hours per week while studying with an arogant attitude. I thought I did not have to study as hard as others. What a humbling experience. I have good GPA 3.7 and decent EC's (voluteered with incoming refugees at local clinic for 3 years worked up to paid MA position and trip to hospital located in rural Ecuador, basin of the Amazon)

Anyway, when should I retake the MCAT? I am applying next year 08 for 09.
Should I pay the 500 dollars to retake Kaplan? (I didn't do all the work for the guarantee)
Any advice on how to study this time round? (Besides what I can read from the archives )

Humbling experiences can be a catalyst for a great score. As a Kaplan teacher, I would suggest picking up examcracker books and materials for this round of studying.

As far as paying to get access to Kaplan material, 500 is not a lot in the scheme of things, and you get access to all Kaplan materials, including all the AAMC CBTs, and paper AAMC MCATs. There are some practice tests that aren't offered online that are only found in the centers, namely MCAT 1 and 2, which, although older, still are relevant.

Dedicate a minimum of 3 hours a day, at least five days a week for, in my opinion, at least three months. That is the ideal, and really the minimum prep time needed to adequately prepare. If you don't block out the time, I've seen it time and time again, success is a lot harder to achieve.

Last bit of advice. Exhaust the AAMC materials, all their practice tests. If you can get the hang of their material, you will do much better on the MCAT than if you exclusively study Kaplan, EC, or PTR.

Good Luck!