As we continue to research and interview 90+ percentile MCAT scorers, in order to bring you the best and the most proven MCAT prep strategies in the world, here's one of the biggest insights we've had...
When 510+ scorers first take the MCAT and get a disappointing score, there are two main benefits that they usually gain from it...
Perspective and motivation.
This MCAT success story will show you how a 510+ scorer we interviewed, leveraged those two benefits to transform her MCAT prep mindset and strategy, to gain a 12 point score increase in just 6 weeks.
In this article, we'd like to introduce you to Taylor Evangelisti, a 511 scorer:
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More...
With a 131 in CARS, we made sure we found out how Taylor studied for that section, which we'll reveal later in this article, but first...
We asked Taylor to give us a brief overview of how she got such a great MCAT score...
"It took me two and a half months to go from a 499 score to a 511.
I feel as though my secret to success was sticking to a strict study schedule, focusing on my weak areas, and changing my mentality about the exam.
Once I stopped thinking negatively about the exam and started believing that I could achieve the score that I wanted, my goals suddenly became more attainable and I was able to find success."
Nice. Do you believe you can achieve the score you want? Are you confident in your abilities? Take a second to reflect on what your overall mindset has been so far...
Next we asked Taylor to give us some more insight into her MCAT journey, including how she prepped, what her schedule was like, and what made the biggest difference...
"This was my second time taking the MCAT and I was very nervous about it because my first time around did not go very well. I knew I was pressed for time and so I took full advantage of the time I had.
After graduation, I made sure that I could allocate all of my time to studying, so that meant not getting a job right away! I spent Monday through Friday studying for approximately 7 hours each day and some weekends I would dedicate about 3-4 hours reviewing my notes from the week.
I spent the first 5 weeks reading the Kaplan study books and taking notes. About 2 weeks into studying, I was still feeling extremely stressed about the test and I wanted to change things up, but I did not have the money (remember, no job) to spend on notecards or study guides...
That is when I came across the Top Scorer MCAT Strategy Guide. I would read it at night before bed and by the end of it, I felt a lot more confident. After I finished content review, I spent the remainder of the time reviewing the notes I took, the Kaplan Quick Sheets, doing the AAMC practice tests, reviewing my practice tests, going through all of the AAMC problem sets, watching videos on topics that I was less confident in, and referring to the MCAT Strategy Guide.
I made sure that I studied in an environment that was similar to the testing environment and on the day of the test, I focused on keeping calm and being CONFIDENT. I think confidence is key when it comes to the MCAT- you cannot let it defeat you!"
How many times have you found yourself 'extremely stressed' during MCAT prep?
When you're facing something that you'd describe with the word 'extreme', there's something that needs to change, as soon as possible.
When going through extreme frustration or stress, one of two things generally happen with MCAT test takers...
They either think that 'this is normal' and try to push through. Or if they're smart like Taylor, they realize that something needs to change.
510+ scorers don't just suffer through the stress, they take it as a sign that they're not approaching MCAT prep in the right way, and they take action.
That's exactly what Taylor did...
Through her research she discovered the Top Scorer MCAT Strategy Guide and it made a huge difference in helping her improve her MCAT score...
"The Top Scorer MCAT Strategy Guide gave me the necessary tips on how to study most effectively during the short period of time that I had.
The strategies also gave me the confidence I needed to master the MCAT. Seeing true testimonials from people who read the guide and found success made me feel like I could do it too.
If you are lacking confidence in your abilities or feeling lost in your studying, I would definitely recommend the Top Scorer MCAT Strategy Guide."
Remember, if your MCAT score is not where it needs to be, there's something you need to change in the way you're approaching it...
"It’s not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives, it’s the one most adaptive to change." - Charles Darwin
Next we asked Taylor about how she managed to get a near perfect CARS score! As you know, we pay special attention to 130+ CARS scorers...
"Regarding CARS, I found it helpful to read through the passages without focusing too much on understanding every detail. Doing this allowed me to save on time and I still understood the main concepts by the end of the passages. Previously I would get too caught up on a sentence that I did not understand and would end up wasting time and losing focus."
One of the most score-destroying strategies MCAT question-writers use on you, especially on CARS, is bombarding you with irrelevant details. This is a sure way to slow you down, confuse you, and hurt your timing.
Knowing when to focus on details and when not to focus on details is a powerful top scorer strategy. We cover every instance of when you need to pay attention to details in the 130+ Scorer CARS Mastery Report.
For example, one of the instances we teach in the report pertains to the fact that it’s very rare to have a question with details that aren’t important for you to note.
Unlike in the passage where details are usually not important (unless in special circumstances), details in the questions are very important.
Whenever a 130+ scorer finds herself or himself trapped between two answer choices, it’s usually because they haven’t fully considered a detail that’s written in the question.
If you want more powerful CARS strategies, that are also transferable to other sections of the MCAT, and which we can guarantee will increase your CARS score, you'll find them in the CARS Mastery Report.
Lastly, we asked Taylor to speak about her lowest score (Biology/Biochemistry). We asked her what happened and what she would do differently...
"I think if I could go back and take the test again, I would have slowed down a bit during the Biology and Biochemistry section. I had some extra time at the end of the section and I should have gone back and double checked all of my responses, even the ones I felt confident in. I think for that section, I worried about overthinking things so much that I rushed through faster than I should have."
Staying calm so you don't overthink and knowing strategies to maximize your time, especially on exam day, and especially on a section you're not very comfortable with, can make the difference between a mid-120s score and a high-120s score in that section. It can be the difference between a 508 and a 510+.
The Top Scorer MCAT Strategy Guide has an entire section on "Exam Day Strategies" that 90% of premeds will never have considered. It's those unique strategies and insights, that make the difference in getting those essential points added, which automatically push you over the 510 competitive mark.
Much appreciation goes out to Taylor, on behalf on the MedLife Mastery Community, for sharing her story and insights to her 510+ MCAT score.
It's because of generous top scorers like Taylor, that we can share with you everything that we do to help you maximize your MCAT score.
Which ensures that by the time MCAT day comes along, you'll know...
You got this,
The MedLife Mastery Team
Your MCAT Success Mentors
Additional Reading -- MCAT Success Stories:
- How Jennifer Increased Her MCAT Score By 10 Points In Less Than 30 Days
- A 17-Point MCAT Score Increase: 496 to 513! (ft. Stephanie Hayes)
- From 490 To 511 On The MCAT: His 21 Point Score Increase
- Siraj’s 3-Month 523 MCAT Study Plan As A Full-Time Student
- From 485-495 Plateau + 4 MCAT Attempts To 514 (1.5 Years Later!)
- 41-Year-Old Accountant and Father Dominates The MCAT With a 520!
- Noah’s MCAT Success Story: From 496 To 510 On The MCAT In Less Than 30 Days!
- 19 Point MCAT Score Increase In 6 Weeks While Working Full Time
- From 500 Plateau to 516 in Less than 30 Days (ft. Abbi Shrontz)
- How I Went From 500 To 513 on the MCAT In 4 Weeks
- From 501 Plateau To 513 On The MCAT
- From 499 to 512 on the MCAT in 24 Days
- Melissa’s MCAT Scores Kept Going Down, But She Didn’t Give Up
- How Tanmay Scored 514 On The MCAT In Just 3 Months!
- How Peter Went From 499 To 513 On The MCAT In 8 Weeks
- From 494 (2015) to 502 (2019) to 513 on the MCAT (ft. Jennifer Nagel)
- From 498 To 514 WITH A Busy Schedule!
- From 499 To 511 In 4 Weeks On MCAT Retake!
- From 500 To 512 (Exact Goal Score) In 30 Days!
- From 500 To 514 On The MCAT (2.5 Years Later)
- From 501 To 514 In The LAST 2 WEEKS Before The MCAT!
- From 64th Percentile To 98th Percentile On The MCAT In Less Than 30 Days
- How He Increased His MCAT Score From 499 To 512 In 3 Weeks
- How Kayla Scored 131 In Psych/Soc on the MCAT (MCAT Case Study)
- From 489 To 509: How Miriam Improved Her MCAT Score By 20 Points
- 6 Point Score Increase In the Last Week Before the MCAT
- How Melanie Increased Her MCAT Score By 12 Points (From 505 to 517)
- Interview with a 519 Scorer, Re-Taker, and MS1: Julia Meguro
- MCAT Master Interview With A 100th Percentile Scorer: Priya Swaminathan
- Best MCAT Bio/Biochem Strategies – Top Tips From A 131 Scorer
- From 499 To 515 On The MCAT In 7 Weeks!
- Hope’s MCAT Retake Story: I Went From 500 to 514 In 6 Weeks!
- How Oleksandra Retook The MCAT and Scored 510
- How Suman Scored Over 510 The Second Time
- From 503/505 To 511 In The FINAL 2 Weeks!
- How Sara Scored 522 On The MCAT
- Tara’s MCAT Study Advice Based On Her 510 MCAT Score
- Jenny's Motivational MCAT Success Story: From 499 To 511 In 3 Weeks?!
- A Non-Traditional Applicant’s 514 (91st Percentile)
- How Lindsay Scored 513 On The MCAT While Working Two Jobs
- How Morgan Improved Her MCAT Score From 498 To 511 While Working Full Time
- 10-Point MCAT Score Jump in 2 Weeks: From 503 to 513!
- Can You Have A Social Life During MCAT Prep? (ft. two 515+ scorers!)
To help you achieve your goal MCAT score, we take turns hosting these 
