MCAT fail

[#Cevapi]

First of all, congratulations to those who spent this past summer studying for the test while I was also studying for it and who ended up beasting the test, as I saw in posts on here.

Secondly, I am embarassed to say, but, my score was a 20 Q (8 PS, 4 VR, 8 PS). I started studying at the beginning of May and wrote on Sept 7th. All of that time spent studying and I barely break the 20 mark. I am not sure what to do from here on. I followed SN2ed's study plan almost to the T but I stretched the schedule about an extra month longer than it should've been, which is bad. This was my first time writing and I'm currently in my fourth year. My GPA is not a problem (1st year 3.65- bad, 2nd year 3.68- bad, 3rd year 3.88-good, and this year ill beat that hopefully). I know I want to do this as a career, but I totally underestimated this MCAT and I'm not sure if I should take a course.

 

Any advice would truly be appreciated.

[m1428]

What were your practice scores like near the end of studying?

[muhgel]

i took the sucker four times. if your financial status allows i highly suggest taking the princeton (online or classroom course) because it helps you review the materials comprehensively and gives you tons of practice. Whether you're struggling with the content materials or with the test-taking process, the princeton course will help with both. i took the classroom course while working full-time, didnt have results i wanted so i asked to re-take the online courses. free of charge.

 

don't let it get you down. took me four years to get a good score. the important thing is dont let it beat you down.

[#Cevapi]

I took 5 or 6 of the aamc FL's, in order, so i didn't get to the "Better representative" ones. however, my highest score was like a 24, lowest 20. over the ENTIRE summer I did not improve in anything essentially. verbal my ExamKrackers score was about a 6 or 7 for the last 3 months of studying. One thing I have learned through this whole process, however, is that I have VERY VERY bad reading comprehension skills. The MCAT taught me this. That is the biggest issue I need to tackle, being able to understand the passages. My biggest fear at this point is that I will just simply NOT be able to increase the score no matter what. That's very pessimistic, I know, but this test is unlike any that I've ever had to tackle. And I do appreciate your suggestion very much.

[m1428]

I took 5 or 6 of the aamc FL's, in order, so i didn't get to the "Better representative" ones. however, my highest score was like a 24, lowest 20. over the ENTIRE summer I did not improve in anything essentially. verbal my ExamKrackers score was about a 6 or 7 for the last 3 months of studying. One thing I have learned through this whole process, however, is that I have VERY VERY bad reading comprehension skills. The MCAT taught me this. That is the biggest issue I need to tackle, being able to understand the passages. My biggest fear at this point is that I will just simply NOT be able to increase the score no matter what. That's very pessimistic, I know, but this test is unlike any that I've ever had to tackle. And I do appreciate your suggestion very much.

 

1. If your score wasn't improving even with the "easier" AAMC exams, this should have alerted you to change your study plan accordingly- don't follow online study guides blindly, you have to do what works for you. Clearly, what you were following didn't help you at all.

 

2. Reading comprehension skills- you can improve this over time, you have until the next time you write the MCAT to work on this. A lot of people will recommend this, but read the Economist in your free time. Read a lot and practice critically reading/analyzing/organizing articles in your head, as well as reading fast.

 

3. What materials were you using for studying/practice tests? Perhaps you should change that around... and definitely do the more difficult AAMC exams (7 and later) next time, and also consider reducing your study period to 3-4 months to really concentrate. Spreading out studying over a long period of time is counterproductive, esp. for the MCAT.

 

Good luck.

[bearpuppy]

I'll just add that if you were not breaking 30 at any point during the practice tests, this really should've been an indicator to you that you aren't ready for the real thing, and shouldn't have written. That said, it's critical that you now identify what the issue(s) are and that you make sure you perform VERY well (read: ideally 35+) on practice exams before you attempt the real thing again.

[#Cevapi]

1. If your score wasn't improving even with the "easier" AAMC exams, this should have alerted you to change your study plan accordingly- don't follow online study guides blindly, you have to do what works for you. Clearly, what you were following didn't help you at all.

 

2. Reading comprehension skills- you can improve this over time, you have until the next time you write the MCAT to work on this. A lot of people will recommend this, but read the Economist in your free time. Read a lot and practice critically reading/analyzing/organizing articles in your head, as well as reading fast.

 

3. What materials were you using for studying/practice tests? Perhaps you should change that around... and definitely do the more difficult AAMC exams (7 and later) next time, and also consider reducing your study period to 3-4 months to really concentrate. Spreading out studying over a long period of time is counterproductive, esp. for the MCAT.

 

Good luck.

 

I used berkeley review for everything except for bio and verbal (EK). And I only did about 5 practice tests from AAMC. Besides that, the whole summer I was doing practice passages from Berkeley Review.

I appreciate your advice.

[m1428]

I used berkeley review for everything except for bio and verbal (EK). And I only did about 5 practice tests from AAMC. Besides that, the whole summer I was doing practice passages from Berkeley Review.

I appreciate your advice.

 

Berkeley's is great, but it's always a good idea to diversify and use different practice material. If you have 4 months to dedicate to the MCAT, you can easily go through at least 3 different test companies' practice tests + AAMC. An example could be:

 

Science sections: Berkeley, EK1001, Kaplan, Princeton

Verbal: Berkeley, EK, Princeton Hyperlearning

+AAMC 7-11

 

If you go through a s**tload of different practice tests (all timed) and take the time to review each test really, really thoroughly, you're bound to get better (esp. science sections).

[bearpuppy]

Berkeley's is great, but it's always a good idea to diversify and use different practice material. If you have 4 months to dedicate to the MCAT, you can easily go through at least 3 different test companies' practice tests + AAMC. An example could be:

 

Science sections: Berkeley, EK1001, Kaplan, Princeton

Verbal: Berkeley, EK, Princeton Hyperlearning

+AAMC 7-11

 

If you go through a s**tload of different practice tests (all timed) and take the time to review each test really, really thoroughly, you're bound to get better (esp. science sections).

 

further to this advice.. I am pretty sure I saw some repeat questions from AAMC exams on the actual MCAT (although my memory of the day is hazy).

[m1428]

further to this advice.. I am pretty sure I saw some repeat questions from AAMC exams on the actual MCAT (although my memory of the day is hazy).

 

Haha nice... yeah you're bound to run into similar questions at some point, provided you go through a lot of practice qs.

[#Cevapi]

oh im sorry, forgot to say that i always went through the princeton hyperlearning verbal workbook. But yes, it makes sense that that would only help.

What about the princeton prep course? or a different course? Just to keep me structured and focused so that I can do the course for about 2 months and then take a month to just do strictly more and more tests. I'm just trying to see what I can do to increase PS and BS by 3 points each, get to the 11 mark, and increase verbal to 8 (from a 4), which will put me at Schulich's cut-off since I'm SWOMEN

[m1428]

oh im sorry, forgot to say that i always went through the princeton hyperlearning verbal workbook. But yes, it makes sense that that would only help.

What about the princeton prep course? or a different course? Just to keep me structured and focused so that I can do the course for about 2 months and then take a month to just do strictly more and more tests. I'm just trying to see what I can do to increase PS and BS by 3 points each, get to the 11 mark, and increase verbal to 8 (from a 4), which will put me at Schulich's cut-off since I'm SWOMEN

 

What is your major? If you're a science major, courses wouldn't be that helpful and you'd be better off studying by yourself... even if you're not a science major, courses are a waste of time/money if you can motivate yourself to make a schedule and stick to it.

[#Cevapi]

I'm in kinesiology (human kinetics). I've taken the bio's, general chem, physics, and am currently in organic chemistry 1. I see what you're saying, however, I tried to stick to a schedule but stretched it out for an extra month haha

[bearpuppy]

What is your major? If you're a science major, courses wouldn't be that helpful and you'd be better off studying by yourself... even if you're not a science major, courses are a waste of time/money if you can motivate yourself to make a schedule and stick to it.

 

THIS.

 

For me, I am in a PhD program and I needed the dedicated time in the evenings to attend Princeton review classes in order to keep me focused on prepping for the MCAT while still doing my "day job". I believe it helped, from the perspective of (1) forcing me to do studying and reviewing, and (2) access to many practice materials. I did also start studying from other materials prior to the exam. Although I did okay (33S, pretty even), I think I would've done better had I done MORE full-length practice exams. I think most of your prep near the end should be practice passages or exams and no longer reviewing material. In my opinion, this is of greater benefit in the end than 'knowing the material cold'.

[RiceWine]

First of all, congratulations to those who spent this past summer studying for the test while I was also studying for it and who ended up beasting the test, as I saw in posts on here.

Secondly, I am embarassed to say, but, my score was a 20 Q (8 PS, 4 VR, 8 PS). I started studying at the beginning of May and wrote on Sept 7th. All of that time spent studying and I barely break the 20 mark. I am not sure what to do from here on. I followed SN2ed's study plan almost to the T but I stretched the schedule about an extra month longer than it should've been, which is bad. This was my first time writing and I'm currently in my fourth year. My GPA is not a problem (1st year 3.65- bad, 2nd year 3.68- bad, 3rd year 3.88-good, and this year ill beat that hopefully). I know I want to do this as a career, but I totally underestimated this MCAT and I'm not sure if I should take a course.

 

Any advice would truly be appreciated.

 

which school do you go to? is english your first language?

[RiceWine]

First of all, congratulations to those who spent this past summer studying for the test while I was also studying for it and who ended up beasting the test, as I saw in posts on here.

Secondly, I am embarassed to say, but, my score was a 20 Q (8 PS, 4 VR, 8 PS). I started studying at the beginning of May and wrote on Sept 7th. All of that time spent studying and I barely break the 20 mark. I am not sure what to do from here on. I followed SN2ed's study plan almost to the T but I stretched the schedule about an extra month longer than it should've been, which is bad. This was my first time writing and I'm currently in my fourth year. My GPA is not a problem (1st year 3.65- bad, 2nd year 3.68- bad, 3rd year 3.88-good, and this year ill beat that hopefully). I know I want to do this as a career, but I totally underestimated this MCAT and I'm not sure if I should take a course.

 

Any advice would truly be appreciated.

 

if you don't have a habit of reading "for pleasure" you may want to start doing that. I found it helpful for the verbal section. While you read, be active, and think about what the author is trying to imply, what arguments would support his/her etc.

[m1428]

I'm in kinesiology (human kinetics). I've taken the bio's, general chem, physics, and am currently in organic chemistry 1. I see what you're saying, however, I tried to stick to a schedule but stretched it out for an extra month haha

 

Okay- so you do have some background in sciences. If you understand the basic scientific concepts, you shouldn't be spending time reviewing/learning the material (and subsequently the MCAT course is much less useful if you already know the material)- your time would be better spent on solely doing practice tests...

 

and as you go through the practice tests, if you feel that you're not understanding some things as well as you could, you can always go back and review those concepts individually. Your biggest priority should be practice tests.

 

As for sticking to the schedule... you just have to really motivate yourself and get it done. This is why I suggested shortening the study period so that you can keep focused throughout the entire study period... and nothing like fear to motivate you to study.

[#Cevapi]

which school do you go to? is english your first language?

 

university of Windsor. and yes it is my first language.

[#Cevapi]

Okay- so you do have some background in sciences. If you understand the basic scientific concepts, you shouldn't be spending time reviewing/learning the material (and subsequently the MCAT course is much less useful if you already know the material)- your time would be better spent on solely doing practice tests...

 

and as you go through the practice tests, if you feel that you're not understanding some things as well as you could, you can always go back and review those concepts individually. Your biggest priority should be practice tests.

 

As for sticking to the schedule... you just have to really motivate yourself and get it done. This is why I suggested shortening the study period so that you can keep focused throughout the entire study period... and nothing like fear to motivate you to study.

 

Yea motivation is a huge factor, along with practice tests of course. But in my case, I feel like I need to improve my reading comprehension first or else what's the point of doing all the practice tests if I don't have the comprehension yet? I wasted the entire EK verbal 101 book and princeton hyperlearning without improving at all. Those are such valuable resources and I wasted them before knowing for sure that I'm at a reasonable level. Now, instead of practicing with those resources, I'll have to try and find something else, because it's obviously not very wise to keep using the same resources right?

For the course though, my thinking was that it can ONLY help me, no? Yes it is very expensive, no doubt. But it won't harm me and can only improve my score if I keep up with all the work and practice. I'm not sure, I'm just trying to get different view points and ideas.

 

Thank you all.

[futureGP]

Okay, disregard all other sections of the MCAT,

 

VR is KING and you seem to be having some trouble with it.

 

 

 

Seriously, VR requires you to really push your cognition. VR is all about how well you understand, how elaborate your interpretations are etc.

 

You need to read lots, you need to read like a highschool student prepping for Harvard. Read like a lawyer writing case reviews.

 

Economist, NYT, TheNewyorker, WSJ are all really good sources. Just read every article possible that is there and try to come up with

---- the main idea (Argument) the author is trying to make, and whether you think this is biased or not

---- for every article you read, write a summative paragraph of what it's about.

 

The idea is to be CONSISTENT and to PERSEVERE even if you think it's boring, you can't understand, you can't stay focused.

 

If while reading, you find yourself just 'reading' for the sake of reading and not really focused on what you're reading, screw it you ruined that session.

 

Start all over again with a focused and concentrated mind. Sit up, and take it really seriously.

 

VR won't go up that fast. You'll need to do this for ~6 months min (i'm estimating) consistently for the score to reach the optimum (11~12)

 

PM if you have qns