September 2015 MCAT Thread

[DAF16]

Registration for the September MCAT opens up soon, so I thought I would make the thread.
Who else will be taking the test in September?

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[Teioh]

Really, really disappointed in myself.

AAMC FL: 71, 83, 76, 86
Actual: 128, 126, 127, 128 Total: 509

I'm probably going to retake. Is that a bit too low for your average Asian applicant?

I wouldn't retake...

That's a good score and in line with what you got on your AAMC FL. If anything you underachieved in P/S, but overachieved in C/P

 

[Teioh]

Annnd, I am still not going to check them.

when are you opening?

 

[JDWannabe]

Really, really disappointed in myself.

AAMC FL: 71, 83, 76, 86
Actual: 128, 126, 127, 128 Total: 509

I'm probably going to retake. Is that a bit too low for your average Asian applicant?

Do not retake. Unless you know without a doubt you will score significantly higher in every single section.

 

[eagle311]

OG AAMC C/P 43%, C/R 83%, B/B 66%, P/S 70%
Overall 65.5%


AAMC FL C/P 56% C/R 75% B/B 63% P/S 78%
Overall 68%


Actual: 501.

I thought i would get a 118 in cars bc i seriously guessed the entire time. Nerves got the best of me and i couldnt understand what i was reading. Im still going to try this cycle.

126 C/P
123 CARS
125 B/B
127 Psych

3.5 cgpa/sgpa Applying this cycle DO only. Cali resident, urm. i hope ill be Ok...

 

[JDWannabe]

when are you opening?

Never? I don't know. I gave my wife my login info to check for me as I can't bring myself to do it and deal with patients afterwards.

 

[Teioh]

Never? I don't know. I gave my wife my login info to check for me as I can't bring myself to do it and deal with patients afterwards.

I think I've gathered myself enough to open with one catch. Gonna minimize the screen and stretch it out slowly that way I only see one section score or number at a time...

 

[SpongeBobDude]

AAMC FL: 79, 81, 60, 75 (for some reason I bombed Bio, but did well on CARS)
Actual MCAT 9/23: 128 C/P, 125 CARS, 126 Bio, 128 Psych Total: 507
Damn CARS! I thought I did well on CARS Well, guess what? F**k it! It's enough for me, considering I'm not native English speaker. I'll take it. So glad I won't be retaking it.

 

[musicaldoc0906]

I think I've gathered myself enough to open with one catch. Gonna minimize the screen and stretch it out slowly that way I only see one section score or number at a time...

Was thinking about doing the same thing...

 

[Kasra321]

I got the weirdest scores possible!

AAMC FL: 95% C/P, 83% CARS, 95% Bio, 86% Psy/Soc

Actual Test (9/23): C/P 132, CARS 125, Bio 132, Psy/Soc 132 , Total 521 (%99)

Damn it CARS!

 

[argle_bargle]

.

 

[snow529]

AAMC FL (one week before): 61% C/P, 94% CARS, 73% Bio, 85% Psych
Total: 515

Absolutely FLOORED. Totally unexpected... so relieved I didn't void. I was sure I would get a 123 on the Chem/Physics section! t have been planning on re-taking since I walked out of the testing site on 9/23 but hadn't started studying again yet. I already signed up for a January test date! My TPR tests were all between 498-502 and so I thought it unlikely that I would even hit 508 (my goal). The narrow window for total predicted range was 511-515 - pretty accurate!

I know I haven't posted here much but I have followed this thread for the past few months and am so appreciative to everyone on here.

Congratulations to everyone who did as well or better than they wanted, and to anyone who is disappointed --- I am still proud of you for taking on this mammoth test! You CAN do better! I really believe that it is possible!

 

[SailorHg]

AAMC FL: 76% CP, 81% CARS, 73% BB, 75% PS

09/23 MCAT: 128 CP, 128 CARS, 128 BB, 129 PS

Overall: 513

I'm a non-trad coming back from a low undergrad GPA so I was really hoping to crack the 90th percentile to compensate, but I can't complain! I'm so relieved to finally know how it turned out. I thought I did worse in CP and better in CARS but my score is very balanced so again, not complaining haha

 

[Gibbward]

AAMC FL: 85% CP/, 89% CARS, 86% B/B, 85% P/S

09/23 MCAT: 131, 128, 128, 130

Overall: 517

WHAT.... Even with my AAMC FL score I was convinced I wasn't going to get above 510!!! Definitely teared up for a second or two there when I saw this. I'm just so happy!!

 

[QuentinT88]

Congrats to everyone from 9/23 who are getting scores today! I was originally scheduled to take mine on 9/23 but postponed for the January exam. To those retaking the exam in 2016, good luck!

 

[gigi24]

First time poster here..Congrats to everyone for making it this far and taking this beast and mental torture of an exam!

AAMC FL: 75% CP, 87% CARS, 73% BB, 73% PS

09/23 MCAT: 129 CP, 122 CARS, 128 BB, 127 PS
Overall: 506

Don't know what happened to CARS there..would have been ecstatic with at least a 124 since I knew leaving the exam I didn't do so hot in that section but now I'm facing the high possibility of retaking however afraid of performing worse in the other sections..

Any advice for a non-trad here out of school for almost 4 years now?

 

[nyc.pre.med]

AAMC FL: 73% CP, 89% CARS, 71@ BB, 81% PS

9/23 MCAT: 128CP, 130 CARS, 128 BB, 130 PS
Overall: 516 95th Percentile

I had been doing kinda meh on my practice material before hand and during the test I felt it was difficult and thought I would score around average. I'm in shock

 

[El-Rami]

Really, really disappointed in myself.

AAMC FL: 71, 83, 76, 86
Actual: 128, 126, 127, 128 Total: 509

I'm probably going to retake. Is that a bit too low for your average Asian applicant?

I felt similar to you with my 508, but our scores are good enough for med school applications. Just don't apply to places like Harvard or WashU... For most medical schools, your score shouldn't be an issue.

 

[wareagle107]

I've been lurking on this thread for the past several weeks, but this is my first time to post. Big thanks to those who have worked on the score predictor and been a source of moral support during the long post-MCAT wait. Here's my FL and MCAT breakdown:

AAMC FL: 88% CP, 92% CARS, 90% BB, 90% PS (taken week before exam, predicted score range of 517-521)

09/23 MCAT: 132 CP, 130 CARS, 132 BB, 129 PS
Overall: 523

Still very much in shock. I found the actual exam to be noticeably harder than the practice, especially in CP, and would've been happy with anything 515+. Congrats to all of you who met your goals today!

 

[shield349]

You happy people make me sick I am waiting for those who failed miserably like I did, where the pity party at?

 

[Rabu4]

AAMC FL: 75% C/P; 75% CARS; 90% B/B; 73% P/S
09/23 MCAT: 130 C/P; 124 CARS; 130 B/B; 126 P/S
Overall: 510

Should I retake? I'm feeling quite uneasy at the moment.

 

[skambala]

C/P 125 CARS 126 Bio 126 P/S 131
Total 508.
Doesn't seem like a great score but I am ecstatic. I am part of a Bacc/MD program that requires that I get a 507 with no section less than than a 125 or a 30 with no section less than an 8.

I have taken the MCAT two times before getting a 29 with a 7 in C/P and a 506 with a 124 in C/P. Being that close and failing was devastating, so the relief I am feeling today is a remarkable feeling

 

[SOCalXtine]

You happy people make me sick I am waiting for those who failed miserably like I did, where the pity party at?

Im with you but at the SMP I'm doing they just need around a 500 so hopefully I did good enough to get in.

 

[torontopharm]

.

 

[learner01]

O M F G

C/P -130
CARS - 131
B/B - 132
P/S - 131

Do you think I should retake due to C/P??


Clearly JOKING with that question, couldn't resist!

I think I'm in shock.

What did you use to study if you dont mind me asking?!

 

[learner01]

I got the weirdest scores possible!

AAMC FL: 95% C/P, 83% CARS, 95% Bio, 86% Psy/Soc

Actual Test (9/23): C/P 132, CARS 125, Bio 132, Psy/Soc 132 , Total 521 (%99)

Damn it CARS!

What material did you use to prepare?

 

[RaspberrySlushy]

What did you use to study if you dont mind me asking?!

I started with self-study using TPR books, then also took the Altius program. Did all the QPacks and OG and FL from AAMC. Reviewed all my practice tests/questions thoroughly.

 

[shield349]

You happy people make me sick I am waiting for those who failed miserably like I did, where the pity party at?

I'm with you bud.
AAMC FL: 61%, 79%, 54%, 83%.
Actual: 497 (126/121/125/125). No idea what to do next. I know if i retake it i can do well in every section BUT verbal. Unfortunately, i can't conquer verbal without spending ~4-5 more months on it. How did you do?

Actual: 497 (126/123/125/123) I just don't know what to do about verbal... I always feel like I do well on all my practices but always end up with terrible scores. I swear it felt like I aced the Psych. and somehow that's the result. Felt like I wasted my last 4 months.

 

[shield349]

I started with self-study using TPR books, then also took the Altius program. Did all the QPacks and OG and FL from AAMC. Reviewed all my practice tests/questions thoroughly.

I keep seeing FL... what the hell is FL

 

[JDWannabe]

AAMC FL- C/P: 58%/CARS: 85%, BS: 88%, P/S: 80%

9/23 MCAT- Total: 505
C/P: 126 CARS: 123 BS: 129 P/S: 127

Word of advice to all taking in January: Do not highlight the passages and write yourself a note to read right before entering the test center on what you need to remember to do. I didn't watch the time very well and spent too much time highlighting. Read and finish a book (a real book, no ****ing kindles please) every week. Expect the unexpected going into the center. I got thrown by the test being delayed by almost an hour and didn't regain my footing until the second half.

 

[Kasra321]

What material did you use to prepare?

I mainly used Berkeley review for Physics and Chem, Kaplan+Khan for Psych and sociology, and EK+NextStep+TPRH for CARS. But I used a bit of everything at some point. For bio, I actually used my own class notes from college.
But I took lots of sample problems. All the EK 1001s, previous AAMC FL's, NextsStep workbooks, TBR books, and 18 FL's.

 

[Kasra321]

I keep seeing FL... what the hell is FL

Full Length exam

 

[tlk91]

AAMC FL:
C/P 73%, CARS 94%, B/B 78%, P/S 83%

9/23 MCAT:
C/P 128, CARS 128, B/B 129, P/S 129
Overall: 514

I thought I totally bombed the B/B section so I was really surprised and excited to see that it turned out well. Congrats to everyone who took the new MCAT this year and good luck to those applying this cycle!

 

[Pediateix]

Anyone retaking in Jan or better to wait until April?

 

[Papa Oso]

CP: 126
CARS: 125
BS: 126
PS: 127
504.

FL
CP: 51%
CARS: 79%
BS: 64%
PS: 71%

It really feels like I underperformed on the Cars portion and over performed on CP and BS (with PS being roughly where it should be). Not gonna lie, kinda stings that I was close to where I wanted. I wonder if I can get away with using the 504 for D.O since my 3.3 GPA would need an absolutely stellar MCAT for a shot at MD. I guess I should retake since this was my first time.

@Pediateix Why take it in January? If your thinking of applying next cycle, waiting till April won't stop you from applying early.

 

[PagingOrtho]

Great job to those who did well and stay strong to those retaking! Finally got the courage to check my score.

AAMC FL: 88%/90%/88%/85%
Actual: 130/128/130/130 – 518

Blessed.

 

[Applesandbananas]

I checked my score! For those of you who scored low, DO NOT worry! I took this test in July and I scored a 497 and felt like my life was over.

However, I scored a 505 today and I am ecstatic! I know it is no 510, but it just shows that you can improve significantly! Keep hanging on, this is not the end of the world - if I could do it with awful test anxiety - any one of you are more than capable of acing this beast.

 

[Gryffindorr]

First time posting, loong time lurker.

TPR FL1: 504
TPR FL2: 504

09/23
CP: 129
CARS: 128
BS: 130
PS: 128
Overall: 515

Unbelievable. I am a 25 year old nursing student in Canada, decided to pursue my dream and take the MCAT for the first time. I didn't take the AAMC FL =/ If I can get the score I wanted anyone can, just keep grinding =)

 

[ncastill]

@ncastill - if you indeed sign up for Kaplan, do the work. Pick and choose what works for you as there is an immense amount of material and it's easy to get lost in all of it.

For me:

1) attended the live, online classes
2) prepped for each class as best I could (I worked full time)
3) screwed up trying to do EVERYTHING
4) retook class when I bailed on test
5) prepped for content for each class
6) started doing the FL tests early on
7) made notes of everything I got wrong
8) got discouraged (a lot)
9) banged head on wall, went to doctor, he said stop being so hard on myself, Kaplan FL are HARD AS H#@$
10) did the AAMC OG question by question, noted everything I got wrong and why; or right and if wishy/washy, made a note to re-review
11) did the same as #10 for all q-packs
12) am doing the same now in prep for 1/23
13) watch ALL the live, special sessions: kidney, blood, etc... really great information in all of these along with .pdf handouts and rekaps; you can watch these multiple times to refine knowledge. I believe Kaplan tries to emulate these to mirror the most often tested topics on the MCAT.

As I finish a content book, it gets put away. My son gets them I never look back and am/will rely on FL tests, q-packs, and AAMC FL tests (real one is coming out in November.

This is great information that completely relates to me, since I also work full time (actually around 50-60 hrs weekly).

I guess I need to have a detail study plan to get the best out of this program. So far, do you prefer the Live class or the On-Demand videos? I'm debating whether to get the Live/Online Classes vs. the self-paced.

 

[Ad2b]

I do online - live. The On-Demand videos are something I have watched. Once. If I miss a class, I call and ask for a make-up. Kaplan obliges. However, you can get rekaps with the On-Demand material so it depends on whether or not that'd be helpful with the video or not.

For me, I could do self-paced but only because I've been through it once; I attend when it fits my schedule or is something I need to freshen up on. I also will start going to the live, special sessions when it hits a topic I'm feeling a little weak on... it also depends on the instructors teaching it. I've gotten to know almost all of them and have my favorites. There are a few that could make plant genomics interesting and integrate it with LB or MM.

I work full time and take genetics. MCAT is my my fun for the free time.

 

[sfkniner81]

what does a 513 compare to on the old scale (I know it's imprecise but just as a rough comparison). just curious bc I've seen varying comparisons

idk if it matters but exact breakdown was:

129 c/p (93rd percentile)
127 cars (81st percentile)
129 bio (93rd percentile)
128 psych (86th percentile)
total: 513 (89th percentile)

thank you in advance! and congrats to everyone who took the exam! huge accomplishment in itself

 

[JDWannabe]

what does a 513 compare to on the old scale (I know it's imprecise but just as a rough comparison). just curious bc I've seen varying comparisons

thank you in advance! and congrats to everyone who took the exam! huge accomplishment in itself

34

 

[TheRelevant]

Aug 5th exam: 124/125/128/129 - 506

Sept 23rd exam: 127/125/129/130 - 511

Very happy with this score, but still have to re-take as that CARS score disqualified me from all the MCAT-requiring schools that I applied to (Canada). Great job everyone and best of luck re-writers!

 

[EverStriving]

what does a 513 compare to on the old scale (I know it's imprecise but just as a rough comparison). just curious bc I've seen varying comparisons

idk if it matters but exact breakdown was:

129 c/p (93rd percentile)
127 cars (81st percentile)
129 bio (93rd percentile)
128 psych (86th percentile)
total: 513 (89th percentile)

thank you in advance! and congrats to everyone who took the exam! huge accomplishment in itself

513 = 32-33

 

[sfkniner81]

34

how did you get that conversion?

 

[sfkniner81]

34

513 = 32-33

ahh those are the two I keep hearing - would love if it was closer to the 34 haha. but thank you both so much for responding to my curiosity / anxious request!!

 

[JDWannabe]

I like the conversion tool used by prospectivedoctor.com.

It seems like a decent estimator based off of old scoring system.

 

[JDWannabe]

I might be stating the obvious here, but for those of you who did not get that mystical 523+, this is only a single test and you are more than that test. Remember that when writing those secondaries.

 

[Ms. Medic]

I just watched a movie . The last two times my score were terrible, sad it might happen again. :/ how is everyone else coping. Yea I'm not going in on Tuesday

Working on my thesis helped me, but then, MCAT was often torturing my mind when it should have been thesis. At least MCAT misery is over now...

 

[Ms. Medic]

I know that there are other utilities out there score conversion, but in case anyone wants it straight from the test-makers, AAMC has their old and new MCAT percentiles published and I simply compare percentile rank between the two.

OLD TEST: https://students-residents.aamc.org/search/?q=finalpercentileranksfortheoldmcatexam.pdf

NEW TEST: https://students-residents.aamc.org/search/?q=mcat2015scorescaleguide.pdf

 

[Ironale]

I took the AAMC FL as a diagnostic in the beginning so that score is irrelevant.

I went P/C: 125, CARS: 132, B/B: 126, P/S: 127 Overall: 510.

Now.....I studied for about 4-5 weeks while working full time and really only studied biochem (except for the 1 letter abbreviations.....) and psych/soc since I had no background in that. I didn't do any CARS practice outside of the few practice tests I did, this section just comes naturally. I think I'm going to retake it because of the abysmal science sections and knowing improvement, significant improvement is right there.....Now it's just deciding January or April....

I've heard though school's are weighing CARS heavier?