The "Official" 6/17/2010 MCAT Club

[Simran1031]

Hello Everyone,
I realize this test date has not been opened yet but I hope to take it for a third time around then! Looking forward to other June test takers. Feels a bit like deja vu having started the 5/1/2009 MCAT Club =)

Hopefully third time is the charm!!

The cycle has been rough for me so I am hoping I have better luck next cycle. If any of you are curious about my last cycle feel free to check out my blog that contains plenty of my rants about my previous cycle. =)

I hope to see a lot of you active on here soon. I plan to start studying very soon! (hopefully next weekend?) until then I am going to create a study plan and course of action!!

I am really excited to meet you future June test takers and I really hope we can all support each other =)

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[Bellerophon]

I was shooting for 35-37, but after the test, I felt like I didn't come close to my target at all.

Surprise, surprise.

6/17/10: 35Q - 12PS, 11VR, 12BS

Here were my scores on the practice tests:
AAMC 3: 36 (12-12-12)
AAMC 4: 35 (13-10-11)
AAMC 5: 37 (13-12-12)
AAMC 6: 35 (12-12-11)
AAMC 7: 36 (12-11-13)
AAMC 8: 34 (12-11-11)
AAMC 9: 32 (12-8-12) (wtf on VR, right?)
AAMC 10: 41 (15-14-12) (yay!)

Avg is 35.625

Kaplan FL 1: 33 12-10-11 (took this halfway through the Kaplan course)
Kaplan FL 2: 39 13-12-14
Kaplan FL 3: 38 12-13-13
Kaplan FL 4: 36 12-12-12

 

[samolo]

Ended up with a 27Q..
7PS, 10VR, 10BS
not bad but i feel like i can do better (got a flat tire 20 mins away from the place, and got there 10 mins late) which i blame for the 7PS..

so signed up for the 8/24 test..
wish me good luck
prayers are accepted too

 

[Kbrock]

Now that everyone is done with their test , does anyone have a TPR VR workbook they want to get rid of?

Yes I do. PM Me!

 

[punktux]

some questions to retakers in august/sept:

are you folks still aiming for this cycle? how can you be sure you will improve a lot within just a month? isn't your chance be much smaller if you apply in sept/oct?



i plan to take a prep class and retake it next yr. It's true someone mentioned it above that MCAT tests your reading comprehension more than science knowledge. I got straight As on all prereqs but ended with a 26Q. feel like a loser.

 

[Gryhu]

some questions to retakers in august/sept:

are you folks still aiming for this cycle? how can you be sure you will improve a lot within just a month? isn't your chance be much smaller if you apply in sept/oct?

I'm applying this cycle and retaking in sept. I figured since I'm urm and I have FAP it would be pretty stupid to throw out a chance to apply to 14 schools for free. Even if I don't get into any of them, at least I didn't spend a penny.

If I don't get in this cycle, I'll just apply early next cycle with a better mcat score (hopefully).

 

[vicvega5150]

some questions to retakers in august/sept:

are you folks still aiming for this cycle? how can you be sure you will improve a lot within just a month? isn't your chance be much smaller if you apply in sept/oct?



i plan to take a prep class and retake it next yr. It's true someone mentioned it above that MCAT tests your reading comprehension more than science knowledge. I got straight As on all prereqs but ended with a 26Q. feel like a loser.

26Q isn't bad at all, remember the MCAT is just a test. As long as you have a strong overall application, your GPA and extra-curriculars will go far. If your MCAT score is holding you back, then maybe you should re-think applying to medical school. Becoming a physician has little to do with what what your score is and many schools don't like to admit it, but keep such a high average (30) to keep people like yourself from applying if your not serious.

 

[WhizoMD]

26Q isn't bad at all, remember the MCAT is just a test. As long as you have a strong overall application, your GPA and extra-curriculars will go far. If your MCAT score is holding you back, then maybe you should re-think applying to medical school. Becoming a physician has little to do with what what your score is and many schools don't like to admit it, but keep such a high average (30) to keep people like yourself from applying if your not serious.

I'm all for optimism, but this post is a load of BS, kinda like people who say they'll marry w/o taking financial state into account. Unless you're a URM a 26 is not competitive.
http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table24-mcatgpagridall2007-09.pdf

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table25-black-mcatgpagrid.pdf

 

[arl88]

I took the AM test and I got a 29Q:

11 physics
10 bio
8 verbal

I signed up for the august 12th exam hoping to do a few points better since I have a 3.8 GPA from a good school. Do you think retaking it is dumb or worth it??
please helppp Thanks

 

[G1SG2]

I took the AM test and I got a 29Q:

11 physics
10 bio
8 verbal

I signed up for the august 12th exam hoping to do a few points better since I have a 3.8 GPA from a good school. Do you think retaking it is dumb or worth it??
please helppp Thanks

You have a pretty good GPA. If you have great ECs and lots of clinical experience, then I don't think you should retake. I wouldn't risk it because as much as you want to score a few more points, your luck might just be crappy and cost you a few points. It can go in either direction. I think you should apply broadly (not sure if you would get into a top school with that 8), but people with 8s in VR do get into medical school. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Darthritis]

I took the AM test and I got a 29Q:

11 physics
10 bio
8 verbal

I signed up for the august 12th exam hoping to do a few points better since I have a 3.8 GPA from a good school. Do you think retaking it is dumb or worth it??
please helppp Thanks

Retaking is worth it IMO. Its only dumb if you don't study and don't take it seriously and screw it up horribly. I disagree with whoever said it could "go either way." If you work hard and do more problems, it will only go one way: up. It's up to you if you think it's worth the hassle or not though.

 

[vicvega5150]

I'm all for optimism, but this post is a load of BS, kinda like people who say they'll marry w/o taking financial state into account. Unless you're a URM a 26 is not competitive.
http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table24-mcatgpagridall2007-09.pdf

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table25-black-mcatgpagrid.pdf

really? nice example...someone is having marital issues. You can always look at statistics and numbers, but if you actually take the time to research where these statistics are coming from, then maybe you would understand my former comment. Until then, keep the optimism rolling and stop being such a pessimist.

 

[TOPS]

Hey guys, I took the am administration of the test and found the VR very easy but somehow my verbal score went down from a 10 when I took the test in aug of 2008 to a 6!! So out of curiosity, those who scored 10 or above on the AM test, what strategy did you guys use? I mean am I missing something, most answers were quite obvious I thought, I even know walking away the 4 I got wrong for sure due to just being careless, was there any hidden tricks that I overlooked? I mean I'm completely clueless as to how I could score that low, a 4 point drop, this is devastating :S

 

[1student]

some questions to retakers in august/sept:

are you folks still aiming for this cycle? how can you be sure you will improve a lot within just a month? isn't your chance be much smaller if you apply in sept/oct?



i plan to take a prep class and retake it next yr. It's true someone mentioned it above that MCAT tests your reading comprehension more than science knowledge. I got straight As on all prereqs but ended with a 26Q. feel like a loser.

i have exact same situation. I prepared really hard for the exam , took Kaplan and completed EK 101 series ----and ended up with 24. I have all As on pre req too. 24 feels like I don't know anything. I don't think I have enough time to prepare for sept ---- it has to be next yr.

 

[punktux]

i have exact same situation. I prepared really hard for the exam , took Kaplan and completed EK 101 series ----and ended up with 24. I have all As on pre req too. 24 feels like I don't know anything. I don't think I have enough time to prepare for sept ---- it has to be next yr.

i feel your frustration man, especially when you see your friend/classmate,who is a "B student" scored a 30 with minimum effort, while you studied your ass off. i thought hardwork deserves reward!?!?

anyway, i still can't explain why we do fine in class but not on test.

 

[recycledpaper]

i feel your frustration man, especially when you see your friend/classmate,who is a "B student" scored a 30 with minimum effort, while you studied your ass off. i thought hardwork deserves reward!?!?

anyway, i still can't explain why we do fine in class but not on test.

getting A's in prereqs is a lot easier than studying for a timed test like the MCATs imo. maybe those who are struggling with the MCATs aren't good critical thinkers

 

[mochachino]

I got a 10 on Verbal in the AM administration but I had been scoring 12s and 13s. I think the curve was just really steep. I know Examkrackers 101 verbal is great. I also think if you were scoring that high, it might just have been the test. I sure hope that was why my score was what it was.

 

[Geekchick921]

Hey everyone,

I got a 39O. 14 PS; 11 VR; 14 BS.

I fed up the writing sample obviously. I just was like wtf do you want from me with this prompt? Anyhow whatever. I'm very happy. Totally walked out thinking I got a 31 or 32.

Can I get money to go to school with this score? Does anyone know?

Also, can I get into Cornell or Penn? Sci GPA is around a 3.75 with a Total GPA of 3.56!

WOOOO! Very excited. Submitting AMCAS primary tomorrow.

Nice score, dude! I felt the same way about one of our writing prompts from 5/1/10, too.

Strictly LizzyM Score speaking (yours being at 74.6), you are competitive at Penn (73.4) and I can't find the info for Cornell's class profile on their site. It's worth a shot, IMO. I can't comment on the money aspect. That's going to vary way too much by school.

 

[Legally Insane]

Hey guys, I took the am administration of the test and found the VR very easy but somehow my verbal score went down from a 10 when I took the test in aug of 2008 to a 6!! So out of curiosity, those who scored 10 or above on the AM test, what strategy did you guys use? I mean am I missing something, most answers were quite obvious I thought, I even know walking away the 4 I got wrong for sure due to just being careless, was there any hidden tricks that I overlooked? I mean I'm completely clueless as to how I could score that low, a 4 point drop, this is devastating :S

I got a 12 on the a.m. verbal. After struggling on my early practice tests, I started practicing by analyzing the questions first and actually trying to answer them before reading the passage itself. After a while, I discovered that I could read the passages faster and with a better level of comprehension because I knew what to focus on. I also practiced with ear plugs in so that I would be used them during the actual test. The most important things are to develop a good tempo and to keep your focus.

 

[Kbrock]

I got a 12 on the a.m. verbal. After struggling on my early practice tests, I started practicing by analyzing the questions first and actually trying to answer them before reading the passage itself. After a while, I discovered that I could read the passages faster and with a better level of comprehension because I knew what to focus on. I also practiced with ear plugs in so that I would be used them during the actual test. The most important things are to develop a good tempo and to keep your focus.

Yeah, especially ear plugs with the provided headphones they give you put over them... It was the most golden silence I had ever heard during an exam. Almost unsettling at first, but then you get used to it. No typing in the background!

 

[FtrDoc]

Getting money to go to school-- unlikely because of your GPA (unless you have a STRONG upward trend), regardless of which UG you attend. You might get some $ from your state schools, or other schools if you're URM or have a great story/ top-notch experiences. Your MCAT is solid and you have an OK shot at Cornell or Penn if you got that subpar GPA from a top 50 school or something. Apply broadly to many top 20 med schools and you'll probably get into one or two.

I went to Boston College undergrad, and I've gotten nothing but A's in my postbacc. It's 2 C's undergrad that's knocking down my science GPA. It's been 9 years since that semester tho ... I doubt adcoms will place significant weight on them. I'm guessing my MCAT's affect on a top 20s median can offset its effect on the median GPA. This is how I would look at it if I were on an adcom ...

But WashMe thanks for the realistic and reasonable vote of confidence. I appreciate it. There's a lot of downers floating around on here =)

 

[WashMe]

I went to Boston College undergrad, and I've gotten nothing but A's in my postbacc. It's 2 C's undergrad that's knocking down my science GPA. It's been 9 years since that semester tho ... I doubt adcoms will place significant weight on them. I'm guessing my MCAT's affect on a top 20s median can offset its effect on the median GPA. This is how I would look at it if I were on an adcom ...

But WashMe thanks for the realistic and reasonable vote of confidence. I appreciate it. There's a lot of downers floating around on here =)

Sounds like you'll be golden with that successful postbacc. I think you have a great chance to go to a top school with that upward trend. Regarding scholarships... remember, there's nothing wrong with paying ticket price to go to school; I do it, and so do most other people-- you'd be in good company.

Since it sounds like you're a bit non-trad, sell your interviewers on your life experiences, work history, maturity, etc.

Good luck!

 

[OntarioMD]

Thats just wrong, why dont you apply to American schools?

That is the thought process that I am trying to go through at the moment. Overall 3.98 GPA, would be a perfect 4.0 with Canadian to US GPA Conversion, should I apply to schools in the US? To be perfectly honest, I would like to stay close to home (ontario), which is why I want to rewrite and try to get my verbal from a 8/9 to a 10/11. Ontario schools have cutoffs of around 10 or 11 in VR.

And yes, 15-8-14-T is a really horrible situation. The Sciences and Writing are easy to replicate, its just a question as to whether I can get lucky on verbal. Was averaging 10-11 on AAMC practices.

 

[megathunder]

I think our test thread trumps any other one in recent history, in terms of activity, post count, etc . Still going strong almost a week after scores were released..

 

[MeowCat]

I got so busy with work, I didn't even check my score 'til later that day. The lack of neuroticism surprised me! Got a 34P. 12 PS, 11 BS, 11 VR I am super relieved!

Anyways, I am looking for some advice. I have a 3.9 GPA but no research experience and very little clinical experience (volunteered for 6 months in a hospital). I am thinking about training as an EMT and applying next cycle. What would you guys do? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[cdmed]

I took the 6/17 MCAT and got a 31O.
PS-11
VR-8
BS-12
I have a 3.9 GPA and wrote an Undergraduate thesis based on the research I did. I have a couple of ECs and approx 150 hours of volunteering and 150 hours of shadowing.
I just started my primary AMCAS app.

Is it too late to send in the primary? does it hurt my chances of getting in? should i retake because of my verbal?

Thanks guys!

 

[Trojan88]

I took the 2 pm test, and didn't check my scores until today. I got a 32Q, with a 12-9-11 breakdown. I suppose it's a good enough score that a re-take wouldn't be worthwhile, but it is frustrating nonetheless. I scored 34 or more on the last 5 AAMC practice tests I took before the test, and even my very first practice test was a 31.

Like others have said, the extra-long VR reasoning section was the kiss of death. It was so long that I didn't have time to finish, and I feel even a 9 was lucky.

I was also bummed that the OChem questions tested me mostly on the obscure topics like sugars, which I didn't study much for, rather than some of the more "core" OChem concepts.

Best of luck to all of you who have to take this test again! I might have to do the same too if things don't work out well for me this cycle.

 

[DoctorWatson57]

I've rescheduled yet again for the 9/11 test... wanted to give myself as much time to study before retaking and it will hopefully pay off. Best of luck to everybody who has to retake and congrats to all those who got their desired score.. I hope to join you!!

 

[zombymush]

AM Test, but hadn't had enough internet access to post on this forum.

I came out thinking I need a career change. I thought the PS was absolutely time restraining. didn't have time to check anything in that section and was thinking I scored an 8. I literally had over 20 questions marked. Verbal was much easier than any of the AAMCs and I had 8 Q's marked, so I was guessing either a 10 or an 11. Biology was a bit tougher than most o the AAMC, but I still got through the questions and had plenty time left over to go over all of my marked Q's. I was expecting between an 11 to 13 in this section.

I consistently scored an 11/12 in PS and 12/13 in BS on my practice exams. The thing that varied was my verbal, which ranged from 6 to 11. Hence, my overall practice scores ranged from 30 to 34, mode of 32. My actual score, however, was the sum of my highest practice scores! The section I thought I failed (PS), I actually got a 12! So I'm super happy with a 36. But now I have to finalize my personal statement and try to get my application in before August. I thought I needed to retake, so I was procrastinating and semi preparing for the next mcat during my vacation.

I wanted to post this because I had read through some of the replies from the June 2009 MCAT thread and details of practice scores, predicted scores, and actual scores really helped me with my nerves.

 

[premed0205]

Thanks to everyone who posted their scores! I took mine in July and came out of the test with mixed feelings. Is it normal to have such feelings? Did you in general receive scores that were higher than what you anticipated immediately after the test?

 

[Birkwad]

Thanks to everyone who posted their scores! I took mine in July and came out of the test with mixed feelings. Is it normal to have such feelings? Did you in general receive scores that were higher than what you anticipated immediately after the test?

If you came out with mixed feelings or worse, you probably did great!

 

[RyanMaverick]

If you came out with mixed feelings or worse, you probably did great!

That seems to be the trend. I'm kind of upset that I felt so good coming out of my 07/08/10 exam. I usually scored the best when I was sure that I had bombed a section (usually PS). I guess we'll see in a few weeks.

 

[g8orlife]

last june's mcat club had 2653 posts....will we beat that?

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