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I Spent $3,500 on MCAT Prep… and Still Had to Retake
By Dr. Sarah
Last Updated Apr 2, 2025
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I remember opening my MCAT score report with this weird mix of hope and dread – 514.Objectively? Not bad, but when your goal is a 521+, it hits different — especially after sinking $3,500 into a well known MCAT prep brand with weekly coaching calls and all those other resources that came with it that just made me feel more overwhelmed and lost.I did everything “right.” Watched all the videos. Showed up for every call. Took every practice exam. Still… 514.I knew I could do better. I wanted to do better. But I had no idea how to prep differently when I already felt like I’d maxed out.If you're frustrated after giving MCAT prep your all and still coming up short……this is what helped me turn things around on my second attempt:
1. I Realized My Study Plan Was Built for Someone who aims for perfection
The expensive program I paid for was polished and well-designed — but it didn’t actually fit how I learn.It was based on long lectures, multiple-choice drills, and passive review.I’m a visual learner. I need short bursts, diagrams, and space to think aloud.So for my second round, I shifted to:• Quick visual breakdowns over long video lectures• Concept mapping (drawing it out!) instead of just rereading• Explaining hard concepts to myself like I was teaching a classOnce I stopped forcing someone else’s method on myself, things finally started clicking.
2. I Practiced Retrieval, Not Just Recognition
One thing I didn’t notice until much later: I could recognize answers in flashcards… but I couldn’t actually recall the info when it counted.So I leaned hard into active recall:• Covered up answers and quizzed myself before flipping• Wrote out concepts from memory before reviewing notes• Created weekly “teach-back” days where I’d explain the week’s toughest topics out loudThat difference — between knowing something and being able to pull it up under pressure — made a huge difference on test day.
3. I Reframed My Wrong Answers as Learning Opportunities
During my first attempt, getting questions wrong just made me feel bad. I’d review the answer key, shrug, and move on — fast.This time, I took every missed question as a chance to understand and study more about it. For each one, I asked:• Why was my thinking off?• What was the trap in the wrong answer?• Is this a content gap, a logic flaw, or a timing issue?By doing this consistently, I started catching patterns I never saw before. My wrong answers became some of my best lessons I wouldn’t even recognize with an expensive course.
4. I Started Studying with Future Me in Mind
This one’s personal.On the days I felt like quitting (and there were many), I started writing letters to myself — from the perspective of “future me” who had already gotten into med school.It might sound silly, but it helped me keep going when burnout crept in. I wasn’t just studying for a number. I was studying for the version of me I wanted to become.
Follow These 4 Steps— and You’ll See Results
By following these four proven steps, you can finally break out of the “I did everything right, so why didn’t it work?” cycle — and walk into your MCAT retake with clarity, confidence, and a strategy that actually fits you.But here’s the challenge:Most students struggle to implement all these steps on their own — especially when they’re already burnt out, overwhelmed, or unsure how to pivot from what didn’t work the first time.Retaking the MCAT isn’t about trying harder.
It’s about learning how to prep smarter — in a way that aligns with how you think, retain, and perform under pressure.
That’s what changes everything.
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