The Official 5/12/2012 MCAT Thread

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I started using 13 minutes for the discretes (1 minute per question) and I naturally got faster at them. If you are behind by 3 minutes you still know if you are between the two cushion times. Just calmly work your way back to the top table and you should be good to go.


AAMC #8... 8:30AM tomorrow! Gnight

Just finished #4. 31 again ... 10/10/11 (PS,VR,BS) this time. Quick glance again and I made careless mistakes ... ugh ...

Good to see I'm averaging at a set area though. Hopefully with more review and test taking I can get my score up.

AAMC 7 - 9/12/10 - 31P

Finals this week.

AAMC 8 Sat

AAMC #8: 14/10/12 (PS,VR,BS) 36

I thought I bombed verbal... seriously hardest verbal I think so far. Must have gotten extremely lucky or maybe I'm getting more intuitive at seeing what's right even when the passage makes little sense. Next two weeks will be concentrated on verbals and focus on weak areas.

If only I could please, please, please get the physics scores I have been getting on the real thing. PLEASE.

Originally Posted by EnginrTheFuture

AAMC #8: 14/10/12 (PS,VR,BS) 36

I thought I bombed verbal... seriously hardest verbal I think so far. Must have gotten extremely lucky or maybe I'm getting more intuitive at seeing what's right even when the passage makes little sense. Next two weeks will be concentrated on verbals and focus on weak areas.

If only I could please, please, please get the physics scores I have been getting on the real thing. PLEASE.

excellent score buddy! keep up the good work

I've been thinking, since you have a 10min tut. at the beginning of the MCAT, and the first section is PS, why not take that time to write down as many equations and relationships that you know may come up. Just having all the U=Vq and F=Eq and all the other pestkie equations in front of you, I think, would be helpful.

I don't know maybe this is not a new idea, can we do this during the tutorial?

Originally Posted by EnginrTheFuture

AAMC #8: 14/10/12 (PS,VR,BS) 36

Good job! I hope you get around this on AAMC11.

Originally Posted by DrRichand1

I've been thinking, since you have a 10min tut. at the beginning of the MCAT, and the first section is PS, why not take that time to write down as many equations and relationships that you know may come up. Just having all the U=Vq and F=Eq and all the other pestkie equations in front of you, I think, would be helpful.

I don't know maybe this is not a new idea, can we do this during the tutorial?

People have thrown this idea around the forums a few times... here's the deal:

Rumor has it that some sites won't let you write things down during the tutorial period. Other sites explicitly state that this is not a problem. So much for "standardized test" right?

I was about to call AAMC and ask for a definitive answer but they are closed

Originally Posted by EnginrTheFuture

AAMC #8: 14/10/12 (PS,VR,BS) 36

I thought I bombed verbal... seriously hardest verbal I think so far. Must have gotten extremely lucky or maybe I'm getting more intuitive at seeing what's right even when the passage makes little sense. Next two weeks will be concentrated on verbals and focus on weak areas.

If only I could please, please, please get the physics scores I have been getting on the real thing. PLEASE.

great job!! congratz! i only wish that i can do the same while staying within the time limit.

You'll get there... keep using that table and work hard. Still have over two weeks!

ok, I don't know if the formatting of the post just has me confused or....could someone re-explain the timing table again?

Note my previous post about the easy way of remembering the table. Top half "counts by 3s" bottom half "counts by 2's" BOTH start with 60 minutes after completion of discretes.

This may not be for everyone... but it has helped me so I thought I would share.

So I was trying to explain to my mom for like the thousandth time yesterday about how the scoring on the MCAT works and how different medical schools have different score averages. I told her that the state medical school near home has an average of about 32 which is my goal and obviously the more "prestigious" the school, the higher the score average. For an example I said a school like Harvard is probably around a 36ish. Well I somehow scored a 34 on my practice test yesterday and she called my grandmother to tell her I'm two points away from getting into Harvard. Apparently going up two points on this test is like going from an 83% to an 85% on any old science test. I thought the whole thing was funny and had to share!

damn it still scoring in the low 30s

Took practice AAMC #5 today,

PS 8 VR 11 BS 9

Do you guys think I should reschedule my exam? I've basically been given two weeks off from work to study hard for the exam, is it feasible to bring up my score much more before the exam? =(

I feel like relying on verbal to boost your score is quite risky. Did you get this score after studying or is this before studying at all. If this is post-studying, I would try one of the more recent AAMCs and go from there. If this is before studying, I wouldn't use that limited resource just yet.

2 weeks is a lot of time, you could focus on your weak areas and tune things in. Problem is that this was one exam and unless you do some serious diagnosis, it may be hard to see where you have glaring holes in necessary knowledge. 2 weeks is not enough time to review all content in BS and PS thoroughly, do practice passages in those subjects and complete some full lengths for timing/comfort purposes.

Nothing is impossible but if you're looking for a 30+, unreliable and low-ish BS and PS scores will make that challenging.

Are you applying this cycle?

This is post studying. I've done a bunch of practice exams and keep scoring in the 27-29 area. I'm going to review the PS and BS sections and hopefully improve them. We'll see what happens

If you're putting up consistent 8-9 on BS and PS, I would personally postpone and re-evaluate. No reason to rush into taking this test if you feel you aren't ready and have the evidence backing that up (AAMC scores)

You want to go into this test with the confidence knowing that you have done everything in your power to prepare for it. I think at this point if you are unhappy with your test scores and truly feel that with more time you could improve them, then postpone. You'll be saving yourself a lot of unneeded stress! I don't think anyone ever really feels 100% ready for the real deal but I think the goal is getting to a point that you don't come out of the exam feeling any regrets, no matter how difficult the test is.

Anyways, took I AAMC 9 today and scored a 32 (12/9/11). I've taken 4 AAMC exams so far and have scored 31-34 so at least those are relatively consistent and if I can hit somewhere in there I will be incredibly happy! My scores on the first 5 Kaplan tests are all over the place but I made more improvements reviewing those exams than I am the AAMC ones so I might take 1 or 2 more Kaplan tests. Probably because I miss way more questions! I'll definitely take AAMC 10 and 11 next week too and am debating whether to take 11 first just so my confidence isn't burst too close to test day. Ahh we're almost there!

Dam ... AAMC #4 verbal slayed me ... T.T

Got 29 - 11/8/10 (PS/V/BS). So, I'm generally in the 10-11 range for PS/BS, which I hope I can improved as I go on re-reviewing content. lol

But verbal man ... I officially hate Picasso now ... >.>

Has anyone taken the Kaplan topical tests? If yes, do you find them extra hard, even harder than the FL??

I used the topical tests when I was doing content review quite a bit so I could practice applying whatever I just learned to passages. The tests aren't timed so even though I think they are more difficult than the FL tests, you can take more time working through them than you would on a FL test. I find Kaplan's Qbank passages to be even more difficult than the topical and section tests!

Hmm my version of the topical tests are timed, 2-23 minutes for 16-18 questions (2 passages and some discretes). I tried doing them timed but didn't work out at all so just doing them untimed now. Doesn't make me feel good cause the main thing I have to work on now is timing...

AAMC 8 10/11/11 - 32

Need to work on solutions GCHM.
One away from a 12 in BS and a 9 in PS.

2 weeks to go - Next test: Thurs 5/3

Lighter note:

Went to a premed application workshop at a local allopathic med school in my area. The head ADCOM person said and confirmed 3x that there is no statistical difference in your STEP scores if you apply with a 29 vs a 35. She said that they look for a 29 because that is a good indicator of your success on the boards. So...29-35, pretty much the same in their book.

Couldn't sleep last night so I got up at 4:00 and took a practice test.

AAMC#7 10/11/11 ---> 32

I missed 3 on the last passage of the bio, so I'm feeling pretty good about, as long as I study that topic that is.

2 weeks.

PUUUSSSSHHH!!!

Was on my game today

AAMC #9: 13/9/14 (PS,VR,BS) 36

I thought I did better on verbal than usual... hoped for a 10, got a 9, but nearly (one point) got an 8 which is what I have getting lately.

Just gunna keep workin on verbal. Having drilled biochem a new one past semester easily answered half of those BS questions with much more ease than the usual BS questions. Never thought that would pay off twice.

Keep truckin everyone. I believe we're next up on the MCAT bus after today's exams finish up! BUT we also have 2 weeks which is awesome.

Ready for the "brutal" AAMC 10 and 11. Gunna take those real serious since I hear they are best predictors of the real deal.

Next two weeks will fly by

AAMC#11 11 /7 /10 (PS/V/BS) 28
PS was hard thought I bombed it, don't know what to do about verbal, guess I'm just going to do millions of passages between now and the test.

Originally Posted by EnginrTheFuture

Was on my game today

AAMC #9: 13/9/14 (PS,VR,BS) 36

I thought I did better on verbal than usual... hoped for a 10, got a 9, but nearly (one point) got an 8 which is what I have getting lately.

Just gunna keep workin on verbal. Having drilled biochem a new one past semester easily answered half of those BS questions with much more ease than the usual BS questions. Never thought that would pay off twice.

Keep truckin everyone. I believe we're next up on the MCAT bus after today's exams finish up! BUT we also have 2 weeks which is awesome.

Ready for the "brutal" AAMC 10 and 11. Gunna take those real serious since I hear they are best predictors of the real deal.

That's some killer science scores there. I need to take a page out of your book of studying.

I'm keeping the stereotype of the engineer... have sciences down but can't read a picture book

So guys, how do we avoid the problematic situation that just happened to the 4/28 MCAT thread people?

lol.

Lol my goal is to get a 15 verbal then the rest I can sorta wing : P. Even though my highest verbal score on a practice was like a 12. It's a huge stretch but a guy can dream.

Seriously, 4/28 people are scaring me--I don't even know how to proceed from now.....

Yeah, I need to push myself as well...Last stretch----We can do this. I just hope any part of this is actually useful.

Lol my goal is to get a 15 verbal then the rest I can sorta wing : P. Even though my highest verbal score on a practice was like a 12. It's a huge stretch but a guy can dream.

Originally Posted by SaintJude

Seriously, 4/28 people are scaring me--I don't even know how to proceed from now.....

I agree, I feel like drinking myself just reading their comments...but I must wait 2 more weeks. Hopefully then if I do, it wouldn't be to drown my sorrows...

Hey guys,, ive been shuffling between breakfast foods, however all of them are making really thirsty , any body has any recommendations.
I get really thirsty and would have to drink alot of fluids and then you know the cycle you gotta go pee during the exam
Any Good filling breakfast that wont make me thirsty?

Originally Posted by SaCkO

Hey guys,, ive been shuffling between breakfast foods, however all of them are making really thirsty , any body has any recommendations.
I get really thirsty and would have to drink alot of fluids and then you know the cycle you gotta go pee during the exam
Any Good filling breakfast that wont make me thirsty?

oatmeal, cereal, fruits, smoothie

Originally Posted by CoolWhipp

oatmeal, cereal, fruits, smoothie

Yeah, I've been hitting up raisin bran crunch with a banana sliced in. Bring a small granola bar and eat it between VR and writing. Been working for me.

bacon and eggs. the ultimate brain food

Fruit, yogurt and granola breakfast for me with a large coffee from Dunkin. I started to practice waking up early and its been rough. Why did I pick a test day with an 8AM start time?

Yeah, as an unintelligent 04/28er, **** everything you've been reading except TBR. The GChem and Physics saved me, not TPR's bull****. TPR was an inch of water that laid down the basic basic basic fundamentals, where as TBR and its passages laid the rest of the water in my 5' pool.

TBR.

I took it on 4/13. If I could distill it down to one piece of advice for each section, it would be:

PS: Know your formulas.

VR: Don't be a hero. Work quickly.

BS: Picky details matter.

At this point, don't change up your study style drastically! Do what's been working.

Just finished AAMC 10 with a 35 (12/10/13) and its my highest score so far! In general I thought it was the easiest one yet but I don't know if it is because I've been working really hard and something is finally starting to click or the material just played to my strengths. Probably a combo of both. The curve is harsh, only 4 wrong in PS is a 12.

Originally Posted by L1BS

Just finished AAMC 10 with a 35 (12/10/13) and its my highest score so far! In general I thought it was the easiest one yet but I don't know if it is because I've been working really hard and something is finally starting to click or the material just played to my strengths. Probably a combo of both. The curve is harsh, only 4 wrong in PS is a 12.

excellent score keep up the good work
we are almost there !!

How many times am I going to make a mol/g calculation mistake? 10 more? 20 more? Have I angered the gods?

AAMC 8: 12/9/14. Verbal sucked so bad!

I'd like to thank enginethefuture for the time table strategy. Really got me on track for PS, which had never happened before except for AAMC 4. I didn't have any extra time left but I finished it! Given that this PS was much harder for me than AAMC4, I think having finished it in time is a great improvement. For some reason, I felt like I had no idea what was going on for many of the PS passages, especially passage II on MRI. What is up with B1, 2, and 3??? I guess I will see if I can figure it out during review.

Verbal was absolutely horrendous. I did not finish in time, neither did I try. I kept rereading the passages but half the time had no idea what I was reading. It was crazy. I really hope the actual MCAT will not be like this. I'm surprised I even got a 9, which is my lowest score so far. Although I've only scored one 11 with the rest 10's. I really need to bring the avg score for this section up higher so I won't drop too low on test day if I veer off from avg... Verbal is just discouraging cause improvement is just so hard. I feel like you either get it or you don't...

Originally Posted by CoolWhipp

How many times am I going to make a mol/g calculation mistake? 10 more? 20 more? Have I angered the gods?

I make those mistakes all the time too! I get so nervous every time I have to do quick calc just because I know I'm prone to them.

I can't budge my practice test scores from a 28... I don't know what to do, but I hate spending 35.00 a pop to continue on the exact same path. Help, I'm in the "two weeks to go" freak out zone!

Glad to hear thing are working out... keep it up!

Originally Posted by MzAries

AAMC 8: 12/9/14. Verbal sucked so bad!

I'd like to thank enginethefuture for the time table strategy. Really got me on track for PS, which had never happened before except for AAMC 4. I didn't have any extra time left but I finished it! Given that this PS was much harder for me than AAMC4, I think having finished it in time is a great improvement. For some reason, I felt like I had no idea what was going on for many of the PS passages, especially passage II on MRI. What is up with B1, 2, and 3??? I guess I will see if I can figure it out during review.

Verbal was absolutely horrendous. I did not finish in time, neither did I try. I kept rereading the passages but half the time had no idea what I was reading. It was crazy. I really hope the actual MCAT will not be like this. I'm surprised I even got a 9, which is my lowest score so far. Although I've only scored one 11 with the rest 10's. I really need to bring the avg score for this section up higher so I won't drop too low on test day if I veer off from avg... Verbal is just discouraging cause improvement is just so hard. I feel like you either get it or you don't...

Damn it .... I keep getting worse and worse .................

I'm hoping today was just a bad day ... hopefully Wednesday's practice test goes better ...