Writing MCAT for the 3rd time?

[metukah]

Ok, so here is my dilemma:

 

I have written my MCAT twice and have not done well either time and both times was taking the Princeton course. The first time I scored a 19, second time a 21. I am really frustrated....I feel like this exam is the biggest stumpling block in my pursuit to get into med school. My GPA for the past 2 years has been 3.85+. I am graduating in June.

 

My question is whether you guys think it is worth writing a 3rd time? I have been reading that the Exam Krackers series is great, so maybe I can use those, instead of the Princeton review stuff that I've been using.

Has anyone written the MCAT more than twice?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[sparkles3288]

Well, I think it obviously is worth it to do it the third time because otherwise you can't get into med school! (Except the minority 1 or 2 schools that don't need it, i'm not sure which ones).

 

Obviously with your GPA you have the intellect to be able to do the exam. I think before writing it a third time, you need to take a step back and reevaulate your studying strategy. Are you rushing all the material in? Are you focusing too much on theory? Are you doing as many practice q's as possible (which is the BEST way to attack this exam).

 

Good luck! =)

[Octavius]

What was your previous strategy? How many practice tests did you do?

 

You might as well take it a third time since you won't get in with 19/21 but make sure you improve markedly because things won't look so great with the adcoms with multiple attempts and similar scores, I think after the third time you need to file paperwork for the 4th MCAT? If you're from Ontario, McMaster and Ottawa don't take MCATs...Actually now McMcaster is taking verbal scores only (don't ask).

 

Were you taking AAMC diagnostics prior to actually writing on game day? Those can give you an accurate assessment where you stand, and if your diagnostic craps out 2-3 weeks prior, then I'd defer the exam for 55 bucks.

 

Good luck...Make sure you do post game analysis on your mistakes and that you allow enough time.

 

EK is great to recap the material but not to learn (although I'm sure you've learned with iterations of TPR hyperlearning). I'm not sure if your difficulty is conceptual understanding or it's applications in this specific test. Only you can answer that I guess.

[shannn]

Ahh, dont worry, I know how you feel, I'm gonna write for my 3rd time on July 30 And my GPA is aorund the same as yours too (3.94 for the past 2 years, hopefully this year as well)! And I'm convocating in June as well, lol

Got a 30Q the first time (13PS, 13VR, 4BS Q)

Second time I got a 26P (8PS, 8VR, 10BS P)

 

Hopefully, this time I'll be around a 33 - 36 S I hope...at least that is what I am aiming for.

Oh gosh, I was kinda pissed, I think I was overconfident with PS and VR, probably got too cocky...but, you know what? At the end of the day, it is not about how you did before, it is about what you are doing now to do better.

 

Just make sure you get those practice tests in....and IMO, one of the most important factors about doing well is confidence. Be confident, study well, and you'll be fine.

What worked well for me before was going over my old premed course notes...this really helped for general chem the first time I wrote.

 

Take the year off next year, improve your EC's, relax a bit (so you don't burn out), and you'll be fine

 

Good luck!

[metukah]

Thanks for your advice guys..

 

My strategy was just to go according to the TPR plan. I did pretty much all the review q's, (twice) went to all the classes (twice) and I did all of the practice tests (twice...the second summer). I was getting mediocre scores on those and felt more confident the second time around, but still the results sucked.

 

I think the problem is one of test-taking and feeling pressured, rather than actually understanding the material. I dont know, I guess I am just feeling skeptical and worried about trying this out for the 3rd time. I have already spent so much time and sacrificed a lot.

 

I am going to be starting a MSc. in September...so maybe I can write it next summer before applying again. Ugh.....

[HBP]

are you in a science undergrad?

[Octavius]

That's a good point. Were you a science undergrad? Well...you couldn't apply to medicine without the pre-requisites so I'll assume you've had some science courses.

 

The AAMC tests are a good gauge of where you are, if you can't get a decent score on tests 6-10 consistently then you're better off deferring (you have 2 weeks for this). The reason I say multiple bad scores are bad is because it'll give the ADCOMs the impression that that's where you really stand. The next time you write should display marked improvement...When you say you did practice tests, does that include the AAMC's? Use those as your guide in the future before you attempt to take the test itself. Test anxiety is something you have to learn to cope with, set the timer on the AAMC exams or practice building speed during your exercise materials (time yourself). Hmm next time allocate more time to the MCAT as a whole.

 

The AAMC does release re-take score statistics. They do not look encouraging:

 

http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/ex...ata/tables.htm

 

 

You're going to have to bust your ass...but you can do it. If you want something that badly you'll take the appropriate steps to make sure it gets done. My idea of want is that you pool in 100% effort at all cost...BTW you have a great GPA and if you can dominate this MCAT, you'll have a great shot at med school. Don't let this be a weak link, it's just 1 test that just tests basic science concepts, just think of it like that. In the meantime, subscribe to a left wing and a right wing high brow literature (my combination is Economist vs. Harper's), just read up and start fishing out main points/bias etc off the authors. Reading philosophy couldn't hurt either...You'll want to be prepared for the next time you do verbal...At least you can get a solid 10+ points off that.

 

Remember that a masters doesn't markedly improve your chances at entry...You better be damn productive while you're in there lol. That's why I'm staying out (and I think research is just masturbation).

[metukah]

Yes, I do have a science background (from Uoft)...with the exception of having taking a physics course in undergrad.

 

And yes, I did write the AAMC tests as well as several of TPRs practice ones.

I am really motivated to do well....but I am nervous of getting the same results. I don't know how to change my approach/strategy. Each time that I wrote it, I felt like I studied my ass off for 3 months and the questions on the actual test reflected maybe like 20% of what I learned. It was just about extracting from the passage, or working the questions themselves....

 

sigh...

[ldnk]

The problem sounds like you know the material in the books but you don't know the context of the material.

 

If you think 20% of the material you learned in prep is on the exam, you are struggling at making connections.

 

After 3 years of Undergrad + 2 studying periods/MCATs, you should have the concepts down pat. Review the material, but spend more time drawing connections between the material instead of just memorizing and trying tests.

 

Take each section and explain it with different physics.

 

EX. Instead of just telling me the process of respiration, explain it with chemistry and physics. Limit the discussion to the pressure and diffusion patterns.

 

Instead of talking about the release of acid/enzymes in the stomach, think about the chemical reactions that would occur when you add different nutrients (molecules) into the stomach to make a comparision between Chem and Bio.

 

Connect similar scenarios that you uncover while you study. IE Similarities between the Kidney and the rest of the circulatory system. A lot of the science repeats itself over and over again, and the better you get at recognizing this, it will make it easier when you come upon a passage that gives you a "new" scenario. The situation may be new, but the material is just another example of something that was part of the material you studied.

[ogrenci]

I agree with the previous poster. I think you're approaching the exam as something you can learn all the material for. That's crazyjuice.

 

Have you ever written a test where it's all crazy things you've never seen before? It's not cause I don't study (I do!) but engineering profs can pretty much put anything on an exam, much like the MCAT. After the initial panic wears off, the strategy is to pull concepts together based on all your previous years of schooling. (I had one class where you could bring anything into the exam short of a computer, phone or grad student. It was the hardest exam of my life. oh man.)

 

The moral of this facinating insight into engineering is that memorizing for problem solving tests is stupid. Memorizing for the mcat is a waste of time. Focus on problem solving. You really only need to know the simplest concepts. Except for stupid o.chem. WHatevs. My mcat score was rad.

 

What was the distribution of you 19 and 21? Pretty even or pretty skewed? That would change people's advice.

 

Other advice: Write in january (if you can spare a solid month to study).

 

Seriously though, problem solving.

[Guest rpuff]

I would definitely re-write.

 

It sounds like you're a smart individual, but test writing is not your forte. Maybe you psych yourself out the day of the exam, or study too hard (there is such a thing). My advice is to work on test strategies. The MCAT is 90% application, and to be successful it requires a lot of confidence. Understand concepts, don't memorize details.

 

Utilize your prep course materials. Take as many section tests and full lengths as possible. Learn to relax. Know you have done everything possible to prepare and that worrying or cramming will not improve your performance. I consider myself an above average student based on intelligence but the reason why I'm competitive enough for medicine is because I'm a really good test writer. I'm POSITIVE you know the material. Just learn how to take the test this summer!