Is the only downside to voiding an MCAT that you lose the registration fee? Is scheduling a test with intent to void something that is done? I haven’t heard of anyone doing it, but $305 for a ‘dress rehearsal’ seems like a decent deal compared against prep classes / tutoring prices. We hear that simulating test day conditions is crucial, this seems like the best possible way to do that. Thoughts?
That’s one strategy…
Another downside for the $300 dress rehearsal is that every MCAT exam is different and pulls from a giant pool of potential topics and questions. You could possibly be tested on stuff completely different than what you see on the one exam you take. A prep class will at least offer you the chance to practice a more broad question bank to not only simulate the misery of a loooong test, but to also test your mental capacity to think about a million different things because you don’t know what’s coming next. If you have any doubt about your preparedness for the test, the money you sink into a prep class will be worth the peace of mind in that you’ll probably only have to go through the pain of the test once. There’s a lot of added stress, self-doubt, etc that goes with the MCAT that you might not be fully accounting for.
At the end of my test, I stared at the “void” question for a few minutes before deciding to accept my score/fate. Granted, I scheduled a 2nd test from my phone in the parking lot. 5 weeks later I was a very happy guy…
I think your best bet is to take that $300 and spend it on buying practice tests from prep companies. You have access to 2 through AAMC and I think ExamKrackers are $50 each – Take these tests in exam day-like conditions (start at 8, stick to the time restrictions) and you’ll get better, more comprehensive practice than throwing more money at AAMC.