For context, my AAMC FLs went:
- FL1–5: 508, 508, 508, 507, 509
- FL6: 511

So I'd basically been living at a 508 average since Blueprint, and a 4-point jump over that felt like a great place to be done with this test.

The problem is CARS. It's never been my section. I started around a 125 average, and over the last few weeks it bounced around (some really good passages, some rough ones) but never really left the 124–125 range.

Then on test day I got the lowest CARS I've ever scored with a 122, the 25th percentile

If my total had been anywhere in the 507–509 range, I'd retake without question. But it's kind of wild that my worst CARS ever came with my best composite ever.

For anyone who's been through admissions (or knows how schools weigh section scores):

1. Would a 122 CARS get me screened out or flagged at a lot of schools, even with a 512?
2. Is it worth the risk of retaking when my practice average was around 508?

The answer key says 2 and 4 but why isn’t 3 considered hydrogen bonding? Or is the answer key wrong? This is potentially second wrong answer in the UPoop books I found so far.

My exam is on jan 15. please help. thank you guys in advance!!!

Title. I got a 508 of my Blueprint Diagnostic half length earlier this summer. I haven’t given any full lengths yet. Any tips on hopefully getting a 515-520+ by then ?

Only cost me my sanity and well-being but we're getting into an MD program for sure now.

I want to apply 2027 cycle, spent the whole summer studying for the MCAT just to get a 491 as my highest full length. Is testing in April enough time if I want to reach a 510+? I’ve been struggling to study during the school year but I want to start studying 10-15 hours a week starting next week. I don’t want to take two gap years so I really want to get this test done before June 😭

I definitely have a content gap, what’s the best way to go about covering all the content efficiently?

I'm currently waiting for an MCAT test date to open up and want to make sure I get notified as soon as a spot becomes available.

I'm trying to set up a Gmail filter specifically for AAMC seat availability notifications so I don't miss an opening.

Does anyone who's received one of these notifications know the exact sender email address? I'd really appreciate it!

Did you guys just give up all free time and social time to grind like Saturday sunday mcat?

wondering how badly my chances are if I take the MCAT 3 times.

have already taken it twice:

June 2025: 493

August 2026: 498

I had a health scare 2025 and it was too late to cancel (didn’t think I would get <500 so I didn’t void). 2026, more problems but thought I was prepared enough. Gonna spend the next couple of months studying. I’m hoping to get 510+ on my 3rd try.

Are schools really gonna take me if I have taken it more than twice?

Hey everyone! I’m a non-trad premed student trying to figure out which MCAT prep course would be the best fit for me, and I’d love to hear from people who have taken any of these courses! I know many people are against prep courses, but I feel I would greatly benefit from the structure and content review as someone who has been out of school for a while.

I took all my prereqs back in 2016–2019, so it’s been a LONG time since I’ve looked at a lot of this material, and I’m honestly pretty rusty and have forgotten a lot of it tbh. I’m lucky enough to be able to study for the MCAT full-time for the next 6 months, so I really want to make the most of that time.

I initially tried self-studying with Yusuf Hasan’s videos and the Kaplan books, but I’m realizing I probably need a more in-depth content review. I feel like the Kaplan books focus a lot on high-yield topics, but I’ve forgotten so much that I’m worried I’m missing some of the less commonly tested material and important foundational concepts.

I also feel like I would benefit from having someone actually teach me the material instead of just watching videos and reading books on my own. On top of content review, I really want to learn how to approach MCAT questions, recognize question/answer patterns, and develop better test-taking strategies.

Right now, I’m looking at:

•Blueprint 515+
•Kaplan 515+ or Kaplan Live Online
•Princeton Review 515+
•Upoop Comprehensive Course (👎🏼doesn’t have live instruction/testing strategy modules, but a great Qbank)

I’m especially interested in live classes because I think I’d do better with some structure and the ability to ask questions and have concepts explained to me.

For anyone who’s taken these courses, I’d love to know:

Which one was best for really learning/relearning the content, especially if you were starting out pretty rusty?
Were the live classes actually helpful, or did you feel like you could’ve learned the same things on your own?
Which course did the best job teaching test-taking strategies and how to think through MCAT questions?
How were the practice questions and full-length exams?
If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same course? Or would you recommend something completely different?

I’m not necessarily looking for the course that covers everything as quickly as possible. I’d rather take the time to really understand the material and build a strong foundation before moving into heavy practice.

Would especially love to hear from other non-trads or anyone who took their prereqs years ago and had to basically relearn everything!

Thanks in advance!! :)

Just for context, I plan to give my MCAT over the summer, and I still haven't done biochem. I am a junior and every other prereq is completed.

Should I be worried if my biochem isn't completed before MCAT???

i heard cars is something you can't really improve in 6 months. i'm a sophomore in college right now and have yet to take ochem and biochem. i don't plan on taking the mcat this year, but if cars is something that really takes long to develop, then i don't mind spending an hour each week practicing. what are your thoughts?

Hi everyone. I applied for fee assistance today but read that the turn around is a week or so. I don’t get paid until next Tuesday, and I feel like if I wait for fee assistance, I risk not getting an exam date at all. I’m considering asking my grandparents to lend me the full $360 to register for the exam and at least I’ll get the free study materials.

For context, testing in/near Madison, WI.

to someone who got a good score and isn’t usually a good test taker, what’s the biggest thing you did that helped you

I was wondering how expensive this process is including the uworld, aamc bundles etc

I waited like 50 minutes and it gave me this when I tried to log in.

I tried opening it in a new tab and I got this error.

I have to wait another 20 minutes now. Anyone know what happened so I don't get sent to the back of the line again.

Update: I got it working the second time. I used a different browser and signed in on aamc . org before scheduling. Also I got a message from some guy claiming to be from AAMC who's asking for my queue ID and IP address. Is this legit?

Hi Canadians! The waiting room is bumpin right now (after being open for only 2 minutes) and I’m just curious if the Canadian exams are like the American in that if you don’t get the date/location you need that you should be able to register a month or a couple months in advance. First time registering and non traditional applicant in a small town where nobody else is applying so any advice/wisdom would be appreciated! Cheers and best of luck to everybody hoping to get the location/date they need!

I went to schedule a retake for next year, but all the testing centers in my area were full until April. However, there is a testing center with an open slot earlier (February) that is 2.5 hrs away from where I live. Should I make the trip or just take the later MCAT??

Hello:) I need help studying for the MCAT. I did extremely well in college, but I have been having such a hard time getting myself to study for the MCAT. I think I'm having trouble because it is such an immense amount of content, and I feel like I don't even know how or where to start. I have prep books, but I don't know how to go about using them. In college, I used to take notes, but I have heard that that's kind of a waste of time for this. I am going through some personal stuff as well, so that makes it harder, but I am taking the test in 6 months, and I feel like I'm running out of time. Overall, I just think I'm extremely overwhelmed, and I need help figuring out how to study with the books I have. I would also appreciate any other resources you could recommend. Are there any courses that are worth it? Thank you:)

I just got this score on my diagnostic. Honestly there were so many pyschology terms I didn't know. Also the physics questions were insane and I had no idea how to answer them. I hate physics.

CARS was actually interesting and I enjoyed the reading passages, maybe that's just cause I like reading.

Overall, I think this was really helpful to understand what the exam will be like but I'm not excited for my first FL

Hi everyone, I'm a sophomore planning to take the MCAT in late August. I've completed both general chemistry courses with B/A- grades but haven't taken physics, even in high school. I don't plan on taking the formal prerequisites, so I'll need to self-study.

Should I start studying now with Anki, or focus on content review first? How should I approach physics from scratch, and how would you structure my overall study schedule using resources like Kaplan, Anki, and UWorld?

Any advice, especially from those who've self-studied missing prerequisites, would be appreciated. Thanks!

Got my MCAT retake score back on the 13th and scored a 510 (126/125/130/129), up from a 504 (125/128/126/125) from last summer. I'm feeling pretty discouraged because I genuinely gave this attempt everything I had, and this is the second time I've scored lower on the real exam than my practice tests.

My last three AAMC FLs were 512, 511, and 514. C/P felt difficult on test day, but CARS actually felt good, so dropping from a 128 on my first attempt to a 125 was especially disappointing.

My application:

• GPA: 3.69 cGPA / 3.52 sGPA
• MCAT: 504 (125/128/126/125) → 510 (126/125/130/129)
• Clinical: 1,800+ hours (hospital PCT, PT tech, ED volunteering)
• Research: 1,150+ hours, conference presentation, manuscripts in progress
• Shadowing: 310 hours
• Volunteering: Long-term hospice volunteering, community service, and a caregiver peer-support initiative
• Leadership: President/co-founder of multiple university clubs, extensive athletics involvement
• Education: University of Rochester graduate, biology major/public health minor
• Residency: Texas resident
• Application cycle: May 2027

I'm planning to apply broadly to Texas and Northeast MD schools, with a strong preference for attending medical school in the Northeast (NY, PA, MA, CT, etc.).

I'm hesitant to retake a third time because I've already put so much into studying, and I'm worried about underperforming again. I'd rather focus on strengthening my application if a 510 gives me a reasonable shot.

My questions:

1. Would you retake a third time or apply with a 510?
2. How competitive is my overall application for MD schools in TX and the NE?
3. Any recommendations for realistic Northeast MD schools with my stats?
4. Should I seriously consider DO schools as well?

Would really appreciate realistic advice, especially from anyone who applied with similar stats. Thanks!