The Official 4/5/12 MCAT Thread

I know there's kind of already a thread, but this is the official one

I'm registered at 1PM (I think the only time offered on 4/5?) and this is a retake for me.

Using a variation of SN2ed's 3 month schedule (109 days) and started studying a few days ago.

Cool, was wondering when someone will start this post, I was about to start it myself but I guess you beat me to it. I signed up yesterday. I plan on studying for biology content review by using first TPR Hyperlearning Biology book and EK biology book. For Organic Chemistry content review I plan on useing only TBR Organic chemistry book. For Physic and chemistry content review I first plan on using TPR Hyperlearning books and then skim through TBR book for quick problem solving strategies. After I am done with a lecture in a specific subject I intend to complete all the problems in the EK 1001 book for that corresponding lecture and then move on to TPR Hyperlearning Science workbook and do the passages for that corresponding lecture and then finally end off practicing for that lecture using TBR passages for that corresponding lecture. After all this Practice I intend to do the full length AAMC Exams. I intend to finish all this in 3 months studying at least 12 hours a day, and no break days. I am also working full time in a lab. What about you?

1 pm as well.

i've got BR, TPR, and Kaplan ready to go. Not doing a Kaplan/Princeton. Doing a modification of SN2 schedule with online tutoring to clear up questions/get advice. First go around... we'll see what happens!

Originally Posted by atlhawks29

1 pm as well.

i've got BR, TPR, and Kaplan ready to go. Not doing a Kaplan/Princeton. Doing a modification of SN2 schedule with online tutoring to clear up questions/get advice. First go around... we'll see what happens!

Online tutoring? Where?

Hi guys! Me too (:
Using SN2ed's 3months as well, but spread it out over almost 4months because I'll get a bit busy here and there.

Originally Posted by MedPR

Online tutoring? Where?

I got referred to an online prep thing. i had a few reservations about doing it at first, but they were offering free mcat and med school consultations. and cause their instructors are med students that were former kaplan/princeton and did well on the mcat, i figured it was worth a shot. that... and they were charging a lot less and i couldnt afford kaplan/princeton. polaristestprep.com-- i think they're still doing the free consultation thing.

you taking the april fifth test too?

I'm signed up for this date as well. It's in exactly 99 days. I am starting the SN2ed schedule tonight. I tried studying my own way but it didn't work out, so I figure this will be better.

Originally Posted by atlhawks29

I got referred to an online prep thing. i had a few reservations about doing it at first, but they were offering free mcat and med school consultations. and cause their instructors are med students that were former kaplan/princeton and did well on the mcat, i figured it was worth a shot. that... and they were charging a lot less and i couldnt afford kaplan/princeton. polaristestprep.com-- i think they're still doing the free consultation thing.

you taking the april fifth test too?

Yup, April 5 at 1PM!

Less than 2 weeks everyone!

Had a killer week at school. Virology exam Tuesday, research conference presentation Wednesday, Med Micro exam yesterday, Stats exam today. So I didn't do as much physical sciences prep as I wanted

I'm hearing all the echoes of the advice to not take the MCAT during school, haha. Have another conference presentation in Baltimore next Friday, and I'll be staying in DC until Monday. So I'm trying to work in science review whenever I can. I'm going to try to do another full-length tonight after dinner. Will report back on how it goes!

Good luck with the final prep everyone! Remember it's 50% confidence--we are going to crush this test. The 4/5/12 MCAT thread will go down in SDN history as The Thread of the MCAT Giants.

Well I just finished AAMC FL #8 -- 9/14/11. So pretty consistent with my previous score but 1 point higher. Hard to say if that means anything but I'm happy with it! Maybe I can bump it up a couple more points before the exam!

Keep at it ladies and gents!

Originally Posted by dap

Well I just finished AAMC FL #8 -- 9/14/11. So pretty consistent with my previous score but 1 point higher. Hard to say if that means anything but I'm happy with it! Maybe I can bump it up a couple more points before the exam!

Keep at it ladies and gents!

Nice. I'll be taking 8R tomorrow!

Originally Posted by MedPR

Nice. I'll be taking 8R tomorrow!

Good luck!

Originally Posted by dap

Well I just finished AAMC FL #8 -- 9/14/11. So pretty consistent with my previous score but 1 point higher. Hard to say if that means anything but I'm happy with it! Maybe I can bump it up a couple more points before the exam!

Keep at it ladies and gents!

Nice going! I went from a 12/12/9 on TBR 6 to 10/8/11 on TBR 7. Think it was a lack of sleep and just relative exhaustion on TBR 7. Hopefully, when I start taking AAMCs (7-11) on Sunday, things will get better. Good luck on your exam MedPR!

Originally Posted by dap

Well I just finished AAMC FL #8 -- 9/14/11. So pretty consistent with my previous score but 1 point higher. Hard to say if that means anything but I'm happy with it! Maybe I can bump it up a couple more points before the exam!

Keep at it ladies and gents!

dap, could you tell me how you are approaching the questions in the sciences? You obviously have a very high analytical ability after hearing your verbal scores. Are you retaining equations, working the problems, or relying mainly on the passage info and test taking skillls, etc?

I have a strong verbal as well, but it's been a long time since I've had the basic sciences. I rescheduled to May 19th to give me some more practice time for the actual exam.

I need some insight from anyone that can offer anything. I have taken all the AAMCs before last August (roughly 7 months ago). I decided to retake them and took AAMC 7 today. I pretty much didn't remember anything, not even the passages. The first time I took it, I received a 11/10/10. Today I got a 15/11/14. I mean I am overjoyed, but does this score have any chance of being a legitimate score? Another thing to note is that I barely went over my exam the first time I took it.

Originally Posted by oklahoma

dap, could you tell me how you are approaching the questions in the sciences? You obviously have a very high analytical ability after hearing your verbal scores. Are you retaining equations, working the problems, or relying mainly on the passage info and test taking skillls, etc?

I have a strong verbal as well, but it's been a long time since I've had the basic sciences. I rescheduled to May 19th to give me some more practice time for the actual exam.

You do not want to use me as your model for taking this test

At this point I am generally relying on what I remember from my prereq's, a tiny bit of studying info, and much more on passage info and test taking skills. I do NOT recommend this. While you can get a lot of the questions right on this exam from reasoning ability, the fact is there is a good amount of conceptual need-to-know content. Make sure you memorize the basic formulas (gas laws, electric stuff, etc) know what all the units of measurement mean (watts, joules, amps, etc), and practice the hell out of the math.

I still don't know a ton of the formulas or what all of the units mean, and have done much less math than I should have. If you're like me you won't have trouble figuring out what they are asking about, and if you remember the equation you won't have a problem manipulating it, and you can gather the more basic parts from the passage. But even then you need to be able to do the math quickly and accurately.

I'm a little disappointed in myself and how I prepared at this point, and I think if I had really taken time away from all of these other things I'm busy with and studied more of this stuff I would be confidently looking at high 30s or better. I don't think there's any good reason for someone who can score consistently high on verbal to not score extremely well on the other sections. As it is, I'm hoping to rely on what little I have picked up and analytical reasoning to hit a 34.

So learn from my mistakes--if you want to crush it, make sure you can recall the big formulas, units, and most basic physical concepts. Practice so much math. If your verbal is already strong don't study more for it, it isn't going to go down and you're probably in the land of diminishing returns. If you have the basic stuff memorized for the PS and BS sections, combined with the ability to think through and glean info from the passage, you should dominate the test.

Good Luck!!!!!!!! ♥

Maybe a little late but gl everyone!

Originally Posted by typicalindian

Maybe a little late but gl everyone!

Yes, it's time to start asking what score did they get.


---
I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?k5jd0u

Just finished my exam. Did anyone else think that the verbal section was really difficult? I mean REALLY hard. I hope it's not just me and that there will be a nice curve on that section.

Originally Posted by Irish Football

Just finished my exam. Did anyone else think that the verbal section was really difficult? I mean REALLY hard. I hope it's not just me and that there will be a nice curve on that section.

how about the other sections? was the content distribution even? or was it more towards heavy in a certain topic? did you need to know a lot of formulas off the top of your head? was there a TON of background knowledge needed or was a lot of it found in the passage? try to be as descriptive as possible without giving out question specifics though.

I thought PS was ridiculously hard with few simple questions (~15), but tough overall. I voided. In January I got 12 in PS. Didn`t want to risk...

Have to retake damn...

Originally Posted by Samchik

I thought PS was ridiculously hard with few simple questions (~15), but tough overall. I voided. In January I got 12 in PS. Didn`t want to risk...

Have to retake damn...

you voided? I'm really sorry to hear that man, was it that hard? What were you averaging on AAMC's?

Originally Posted by Samchik

I thought PS was ridiculously hard with few simple questions (~15), but tough overall. I voided. In January I got 12 in PS. Didn`t want to risk...

Have to retake damn...

Wow, thats unnerving, lol

Originally Posted by Samchik

I thought PS was ridiculously hard with few simple questions (~15), but tough overall. I voided. In January I got 12 in PS. Didn`t want to risk...

Have to retake damn...

I wanted to void because of PS...didn't...we will see!

Originally Posted by Irish Football

Just finished my exam. Did anyone else think that the verbal section was really difficult? I mean REALLY hard. I hope it's not just me and that there will be a nice curve on that section.

Hoping for a curve on all sections haha!

Originally Posted by typicalindian

how about the other sections? was the content distribution even? or was it more towards heavy in a certain topic? did you need to know a lot of formulas off the top of your head? was there a TON of background knowledge needed or was a lot of it found in the passage? try to be as descriptive as possible without giving out question specifics though.

It's difficult to say a lot without giving specifics, but in general I thought the BS and PS sections were similar in style to the practice AAMCs. The content was evenly distributed and I thought that my Exam Kracker books prepared me well. But there were definitley a few "wtf's" in all the sections. What was annoying for me was that I thought that the Verbal section was much harder than any of the AAMC practice tests.

Originally Posted by Irish Football

What was annoying for me was that I thought that the Verbal section was much harder than any of the AAMC practice tests.

This was my feeling as well, big time. The passages felt significantly longer than anything I've encountered from the AAMC before and the questions seemed much harder. I actually didn't enter a response for the last 2 questions. I have never not finished a VR portion with less than ~2.5 minutes left, so brain farted really badly and let time run out without throwing in random answers. EFF! I felt like the test on the whole felt significantly tougher than any practice test I'd taken before. It could just be nerves having it be the real thing I guess, but man I thought a weight would be lifted off my shoulders and instead I think I'm going to be even more nervous until the scores come out.

Originally Posted by ColeSmalls

so what was harder TBR passages or todays test?

Some of the PS passages were pretty similar, but all of the BS were easier imo.

Originally Posted by Irish Football

It's difficult to say a lot without giving specifics, but in general I thought the BS and PS sections were similar in style to the practice AAMCs. The content was evenly distributed and I thought that my Exam Kracker books prepared me well. But there were definitley a few "wtf's" in all the sections. What was annoying for me was that I thought that the Verbal section was much harder than any of the AAMC practice tests.

The PS definitely had some tough ones and I agree that BS and PS were pretty similar to AAMCs, but I don't think VR was that hard. I only did the first 6 or 7 EK 101 VR tests, but they were all significantly harder than the VR on today's MCAT, at least in my opinion.

Omg. I might as well schedule a retake now. PS kicked my ass! Bad! Thought verbal and BS weren't too terrible though.

Originally Posted by teodio

Calculations heavy for sure.

This.

Originally Posted by HH8911

Omg. I might as well schedule a retake now. PS kicked my ass! Bad! Thought verbal and BS weren't too terrible though.

And this.

Here's my (humble) opinion...

Today was my first time sitting for the actual MCAT. Nerves play a huge part in it, but I think once you get going with the exam, those tend to fade away. My scores on the practice AAMCs ranged from 29 - 34 - with the majority of sections coming in at 10s and 11s.

PS: Very Hard - at least 4 - 5 questions were heavy calculations that if you are not quick/fast with your math, you were screwed. Had to take a guess on 2 of them - from the best of my memory. Much heavier on reading comprehension than actual fact based regurgitation. I think what may have thrown a lot of people off is that one passage was absurdly ridiculous - just asinine. I skipped it and went back with 12:00 minutes remaining to tackle that one. Still was able to finish with ~ 3:00 minutes remaining, but I was averaging a little quicker on my 8 AAMC practice exams.

VR: Started off difficult with the first few being very conceptual/theoretical topics - but felt that the second half of the section was completely doable. Much more science based. Finished again with some time to review.

BS: Here I felt that the first half was difficult - including some of the discretes, but then it got simpler as the passages moved on. The last 2 passages, I felt like I slammed. Again, very heavy on reading comprehension and not so much on memory based facts.

Bottom line: I would have to say my range will be 28 - 33. I think what people are forgetting is that we're scored against each other. So that tough ass passage for you was just as tough for Joe Schmoe taking it halfway across the country.

Alright well glad to hear I'm not the only one that thought it was tough.

Time for a beer.

Originally Posted by WFdeacon04

Here's my (humble) opinion...

Today was my first time sitting for the actual MCAT. Nerves play a huge part in it, but I think once you get going with the exam, those tend to fade away. My scores on the practice AAMCs ranged from 29 - 34 - with the majority of sections coming in at 10s and 11s.

PS: Very Hard - at least 4 - 5 questions were heavy calculations that if you are not quick/fast with your math, you were screwed. Had to take a guess on 2 of them - from the best of my memory. Much heavier on reading comprehension than actual fact based regurgitation. I think what may have thrown a lot of people off is that one passage was absurdly ridiculous - just asinine. I skipped it and went back with 12:00 minutes remaining to tackle that one. Still was able to finish with ~ 3:00 minutes remaining, but I was averaging a little quicker on my 8 AAMC practice exams.

VR: Started off difficult with the first few being very conceptual/theoretical topics - but felt that the second half of the section was completely doable. Much more science based. Finished again with some time to review.

BS: Here I felt that the first half was difficult - including some of the discretes, but then it got simpler as the passages moved on. The last 2 passages, I felt like I slammed. Again, very heavy on reading comprehension and not so much on memory based facts.

Bottom line: I would have to say my range will be 28 - 33. I think what people are forgetting is that we're scored against each other. So that tough ass passage for you was just as tough for Joe Schmoe taking it halfway across the country.

Alright well glad to hear I'm not the only one that thought it was tough.

Time for a beer.

actually the curve is preset- you are not scored against each other.

Originally Posted by ColeSmalls

actually the curve is preset- you are not scored against each other.

Whatever - point being is it's scaled to a percentage.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but usually a 40/52 will get you a 10 - I would guess for today's PS, it'll be more like a 38 - 39/52 for the 10.

I would not be surprised if a 36-38 was a 10.

Originally Posted by WFdeacon04

Whatever - point being is it's scaled to a percentage.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but usually a 40/52 will get you a 10 - I would guess for today's PS, it'll be more like a 38 - 39/52 for the 10.

Probably. During the break after PS I was trying to recall what was the scale for PS. I thought 42 out of 52 is 10, but then still decided to end this hell. PS was my strongest section (thanks to TPR) even though I`m a bio major.

Originally Posted by HH8911

Omg. I might as well schedule a retake now. PS kicked my ass! Bad! Thought verbal and BS weren't too terrible though.

Totally agree with this feeling! PS was a killer! What frustrates me most is that it were the gen chem passages that bit me in the ass. I've always felt that it was my stronger side vs. Physics. What made these passages hard was too many numbers, tables, and graphs all jammed together, and none of them made sense! And many of the questions required you to do calculations based on this data soup. Wow, I mean what a bomber!

Originally Posted by km17

This.



And this. On second glass of wine now...

I'm on my second beer... And the night is still young!

Weird... I don't feel the same as most of you, did we take the same test? o_O

PS
Physics -- this was a bit too easy. Didn't need to recall any difficult equation. It was all conceptual. In fact it may have made feel a little too confident, so when the difficult gchem stuff came I was scatter-brained.
Gchem -- Equations/concepts that I completely froze on -__-"

Verbal
Not out of the ordinary. Longer, but I expected that from previous MCAT takers so I read faster. Some were okay, some were completely out there. Typical.

BS
OChem -- not much of it, but what was on there wasn't the easy stuff I was used to seeing so I'm a bit scared that I messed up in my best subject :/
Bio - WHAT. WAS. THAT. They could have replaced the passages with "Blah is added to blah which inhibits blah and turns into blah" and then asked "what is the meaning of life?" and I would have felt the same way. [That and I seriously needed to go to the bathroom in the latter half so I rushed through it, left, came back, and went over it again.]

So.. I'm REALLY hoping I did better than my lame average but idk. It started easy and ended with a BANG. :S So glad to be done though!!!!!!!!!--for now XD When's our release date again? I don't want to think about this until then.

Originally Posted by Camy99

Weird... I don't feel the same as most of you, did we take the same test? o_O

PS
Physics -- this was a bit too easy. Didn't need to recall any difficult equation. It was all conceptual. In fact it may have made feel a little too confident, so when the difficult gchem stuff came I was scatter-brained.
Gchem -- Equations/concepts that I completely froze on -__-"

Verbal
Not out of the ordinary. Longer, but I expected that from previous MCAT takers so I read faster. Some were okay, some were completely out there. Typical.

BS
OChem -- not much of it, but what was on there wasn't the easy stuff I was used to seeing so I'm a bit scared that I messed up in my best subject :/
Bio - WHAT. WAS. THAT. They could have replaced the passages with "Blah is added to blah which inhibits blah and turns into blah" and then asked "what is the meaning of life?" and I would have felt the same way. [That and I seriously needed to go to the bathroom in the latter half so I rushed through it, left, came back, and went over it again.]

So.. I'm REALLY hoping I did better than my lame average but idk. It started easy and ended with a BANG. :S So glad to be done though!!!!!!!!!--for now XD When's our release date again? I don't want to think about this until then.

Maybe your strengths were different than most that have posted for the PS section.

True BS did have that one passage haha. But IMO nothing that isn't in handbook or aamc11

I know it's almost impossible to say but what would your guess be for the number correct needed to get a 9 on verbal for this test?

Originally Posted by Irish Football

I know it's almost impossible to say but what would your guess be for the number correct needed to get a 9 on verbal for this test?

around the range of 10-13 wrong total

Originally Posted by Irish Football

I know it's almost impossible to say but what would your guess be for the number correct needed to get a 9 on verbal for this test?

Originally Posted by Melomare17

around the range of 10-13 wrong total

Yea, probably somewhere around there. I think the AAMC FL scales were 10-11 wrong for a 9, 12 wrong for an 8.

I wish that they could score the test a bit faster...not a day goes by in which I don't recalculate my score. Problem is that I get a different score everytime, anywhere from a 31 to a 36. Terrible.

Do you guys think it's possible that this test could be scaled a bit easier than the practice tests and more than 12 wrong could still be a 9? I'm just really worried I bombed the verbal section.

One of my coworkers is doing a research year between his 2 and 3 yrs of med school. He walked out of the exam thinking he bombed PS and got an 11. The test is scaled, if it was hard for all of you the scores will reflect that. Don't beat yourselves up over it.

But I've heard that the verbal section isn't scaled as much as the other sections. Does anyone know how true this is and if it means there is no scaling for verbal or just less than for PS and BS?

Originally Posted by Irish Football

But I've heard that the verbal section isn't scaled as much as the other sections. Does anyone know how true this is and if it means there is no scaling for verbal or just less than for PS and BS?

From my understanding, that is quite true. Verbal scores r curved more AGAINST test takers (Look at the scales for mock, 1 wrong you have a 14, 2 wrongs you have a 13, 3-5 wrong u have a 12, etc). And the scales for BS and PS is a lot more lenient on the actual exam. If anything, the verbal section scales will be probably only one or two questions lower than the scales for AAMC FLs.

Is it may 8th yet?!!

Originally Posted by smile8888

From my understanding, that is quite true. Verbal scores r curved more AGAINST test takers (Look at the scales for mock, 1 wrong you have a 14, 2 wrongs you have a 13, 3-5 wrong u have a 12, etc). And the scales for BS and PS is a lot more lenient on the actual exam. If anything, the verbal section scales will be probably only one or two questions lower than the scales for AAMC FLs.

granted the verbal may be scaled slightly so a bit lower score than the AAMC FLs could give me the same score that I got on the AAMC practice exams, but have you ever heard of a real verbal that was scaled so that it was MORE strict than the AAMC FLs?