AAMC FL1 501. Test in 3 days

[DaRKsTar2300]

I'd appreciate any advice for my situation asap!! I plan to go to an MD school and am aiming for the 508 on my real MCAT. I've been studying for 3 months consecutively and been improving slightly but I just took the official FL 1 a few days ago and got hit with a 501. My previous scores are listed in order:

Princeton:
Test 1: 497 (123/124/126/124)
Test 2: 495 (123/121/124/127)
Test 3: 498 (125/122/125/126)

Kaplan:
FL 1: 495 (125/123/123/124)
FL 3: 501 (124/123/127/127)
FL 4: 500 (126/122/127/125)

NS diagnostic: 508 (128/125/126/129) ... felt this was somewhat inflated when looking at raw score

AAMC sample: (66%/75%/64%/81%) ... I think the converter showed 507ish somewhere? but I'm aware that cars is easy on this section compared to real

AAMC FL1: 501 (126/123/127/125)

I know CARS is my weak point and I should've focused on that more. But my dilemma now is if I'm aiming for 508 is it worth taking my exam in a few days and getting it scored or voided? I signed up as close to the end of summer as possible seeing that I won't have to study during the semester. But If I have no choice, I'll have to work something out during my busy upcoming semester. I just don't know if its worth scoring and taking the chance and potentially living with a mid-500s and having to retake. Or if its better to hold off and take in only once when my practice tests get closer to my goal. I'm fine with retaking after a mediocre score if it doesn't affect my MD acceptances that much. Please help! This decision so close to the exam has been stressful af..

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Ad2b]

From my own experience, since you can't reschedule or refund, just take it. Go in with the confidence that you can do it.

After each section, let it go. At the end of psych/soc, then decide to void or not. Don't give up the race before you start; at least start it, finish it and then decide.

Worst case scenario: you void but have a $310 practice exam that just happens to be the real thing.

Best case scenario: you take the test, realize it wasn't as bad as hyped, and score it.

 

[hurtem&healem]

The problem with deciding that day whether to void or not, is that you will have absolutely no idea how you did. I thought I did terribly on the chem/phys section, but actually had a solid score. I legitimately thought I didn't miss a single question on CARS, but only got 1 point higher than that C/P. Similar stories abound of people thinking they did either much better or much worse than they actually did.

Moral of the story: if you're sitting for a 508, and you think you can get yourself up to that level with a couple more months of dedicated study, DO NOT take it in three days.

 

[workaholic181]

I'd appreciate any advice for my situation asap!! I plan to go to an MD school and am aiming for the 508 on my real MCAT. I've been studying for 3 months consecutively and been improving slightly but I just took the official FL 1 a few days ago and got hit with a 501. My previous scores are listed in order:

Princeton:
Test 1: 497 (123/124/126/124)
Test 2: 495 (123/121/124/127)
Test 3: 498 (125/122/125/126)

Kaplan:
FL 1: 495 (125/123/123/124)
FL 3: 501 (124/123/127/127)
FL 4: 500 (126/122/127/125)

NS diagnostic: 508 (128/125/126/129) ... felt this was somewhat inflated when looking at raw score

AAMC sample: (66%/75%/64%/81%) ... I think the converter showed 507ish somewhere? but I'm aware that cars is easy on this section compared to real

AAMC FL1: 501 (126/123/127/125)

I know CARS is my weak point and I should've focused on that more. But my dilemma now is if I'm aiming for 508 is it worth taking my exam in a few days and getting it scored or voided? I signed up as close to the end of summer as possible seeing that I won't have to study during the semester. But If I have no choice, I'll have to work something out during my busy upcoming semester. I just don't know if its worth scoring and taking the chance and potentially living with a mid-500s and having to retake. Or if its better to hold off and take in only once when my practice tests get closer to my goal. I'm fine with retaking after a mediocre score if it doesn't affect my MD acceptances that much. Please help! This decision so close to the exam has been stressful af..

This is why it's good to use AAMC FLs earlier in the process! I'm sorry you're finding this out right now.

I agree with the above poster, it's really hard to predict how you did on each section on the real thing. There's just too much adrenaline during, emotions after, and external factors (how everyone else did) to really gauge it.

I think you should take the MCAT when you feel truly ready. Yea, studying during the semester will be tough but people do it all the time. I did, tons of people on SDN did. You can too. There is no reason to rush an MCAT, especially since I assume you're applying next cycle anyway.

If it were me, I'd probably take it and void. Good luck with whatever you decide OP.

 

[DaRKsTar2300]

I was thinking about feeling it out and deciding at the end. But from practice tests I realized even if I felt cars was easy I'd still end up below average almost every time. And with a sub 125 score in cars that's considered a retake for me. The other sections I've scored mid 40s/59 and psych high 40s/59 so i know those sections I can do decent given the right circumstances. Even if I can pull off a mid500-508 score Its likely that cars would make it become a retake regardless. Right now I'm leaning towards voiding but we'll see..

Also have no idea where to start for CARS If Im studying through the semester..

 

[MoDiddy]

Read read and read if you want to improve your CARS over the semester. Do practice passages and start reading for fun everyday (novels, articles, etc). You will see a drastic improvement in about 6 months. There are other ways to improve short term such as strategies but in terms of reading comprehension, it takes time to improve