Tips to Avoid Retaking your MCAT
The MCAT is one of the hardest tests you will need to go through to become a medical student. Inevitably, there will be people who fail the test and need to retake. However, there is a limit for how many times you can retake the MCAT:
- Up to 3 times a year.
- 4 times in 2 years
- Up to 7 times in your entire life
As you can see, the maximum number of times you can take the exam during your lifetime is only 7 times. So, you should try to avoid retaking the exam at all cost. Since not only is it limited, but it is also extremely time consuming and costly. Without further ado, let’s take a look at some tips to avoid retaking your MCAT test.
Doing as much preparation work as possible
The most important tip to avoid retaking the MCAT test is to be as ready as you can be. This includes doing as many practice questions and practice tests as possible.
Your preparation should not just include doing practice questions and practice tests, but also going through the content reviews. After completing the practices, you should also try to identify where your weaknesses are. Then work on them until they become one of your strengths. But that doesn’t mean you should neglect what you’re already good at.
Besides that, you can also revise using flashcards provided by the MCAT prep course or look for flashcards online. They are a good tool to help you remember key concepts and you should certainly make use of them to avoid retaking the MCAT.
Prove that you can score better than you think
Before you jump right into the MCAT exam, it is a good idea to prove to yourself that you can score better than anticipated. There are cases where students did not do any practice tests to examine their standards and went straight for the exam. Well, the results are pretty obvious, they failed miserably.
Doing practice tests on a regular basis is a good way to grasp how well you will score in the actual exam. You should set a high score that you wish to achieve and slowly work your way towards that score. However, don’t expect that every practice you do will be better than the previous one. In fact, you will experience ups and downs, so don’t be demotivated.
When you set a score that you wish to achieve, you should do each practice test with an aim to achieve that score. Eventually, you will be able to score well consistently and you can start raising the standard for yourself. By doing so, you will have no problem scoring for the MCAT and you’ll be able to avoid retaking the MCAT test.
Be mentally prepared
Other than doing the preparation work for the MCAT exam, you should also prepare yourself mentally. There are a few ways that you can do this. First, do the practice tests under exam conditions. This means setting a time limit for yourself and do the practice tests as if it’s the actual exam. That way, you will feel less anxious during the actual MCAT. Plus, you should be able to achieve a similar score to your practice tests.
Another way you can prepare yourself mentally is to actually relax before the exam. We’re not asking you to not study and do nothing before the exam. There’s no point stressing about the things you don’t know at the last minute. Just focus on what you already know and make sure you’re able to answer them during the exam.
You should also remember that there will be things that you don’t know during the MCAT exam. Don’t be surprised and don’t get thrown off your game. Stay focused and you won’t have to retake the MCAT test.
Tips to Avoid Retaking the MCAT Conclusion
While the MCAT may seem difficult to pass in one try, it isn’t impossible. Using the tips that we’ve provided, you will have a better chance at passing the exam in your first try and avoid retaking the MCAT test. Remember to do your best and the results will speak for itself.
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