*Official August 2016 MCAT Thread*

MCAT is Hard? Not with BeMo's 515 Score Guarantee.
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leelee12

leelee12

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Hi everyone,

This thread is for everyone that is writing the MCAT on August 4th, 5th, 19th, 20th or on the 25th.

Slow and steady wins the race.
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Hello Everyone,

There is a course being offered by a highly rated Kaplan tutor, and it seems all his students have scored an avg of 514. If you want to go with him, if you find 2 other students we can all get 500$ discount and the course totals to 750$ .
The course starts in June 6th!
PM me and let me know,
 
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DoctorCupcake said:
Is anyone who is taking an August MCAT also applying this cycle?
Click to expand...

Yes, going all in on this MCAT (reapplicant this year). Based off my application cycle last year and previous knowledge gained from others if you do decide to apply its not too late. Just have everything completed (primary/secondary) by mid September at the latest.
 
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Doremonster said:
Yes, going all in on this MCAT (reapplicant this year). Based off my application cycle last year and previous knowledge gained from others if you do decide to apply its not too late. Just have everything completed (primary/secondary) by mid September at the latest.
Click to expand...
May I ask if you're applying allo or osteo?
 
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DoctorCupcake said:
May I ask if you're applying allo or osteo?
Click to expand...

Both, the ability to practice medicine isn't defined by two letters. If you decide to also apply osteo, you may add 4-6 weeks of time because the osteopathic cycle runs much longer. However, it is best practice to always get your STRONGEST application in ASAP. Getting in an early application with a shaky MCAT or incoherent essays will not help you. The vice versa is true, programs will not take somebody with a lower MCAT just because he applied a few months earlier. Just be realistic of your strength and expectations. This leads me into another point. All this information is relative to the persons's situation. If you're gunning for big time programs (Harvard/Standford/University of California San Franscisco/Perelman/etc...) then yeah an early application is a must. The separation/breathing room between these applicants could be just an application that was received earlier rather than later (in other words they are all stellar). However, for a huge number of us we are not in this boat.
 
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Doremonster said:
Both, the ability to practice medicine isn't defined by two letters. If you decide to also apply osteo, you may add 4-6 weeks of time because the osteopathic cycle runs much longer. However, it is best practice to always get your STRONGEST application in ASAP. Getting in an early application with a shaky MCAT or incoherent essays will not help you. The vice versa is true, programs will not take somebody with a lower MCAT just because he applied a few months earlier. Just be realistic of your strength and expectations. This leads me into another point. All this information is relative to the persons's situation. If you're gunning for big time programs (Harvard/Standford/University of California San Franscisco/Perelman/etc...) then yeah an early application is a must. The separation/breathing room between these applicants could be just an application that was received earlier rather than later (in other words they are all stellar). However, for a huge number of us we are not in this boat.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your detailed response!

I'm only applying osteo, so I just wanted to get an idea of whether this possible timeline is too delayed. My MCAT is tomorrow, and I won't get a score until July. In the event my score isn't strong enough, I'm planning for an Aug retake.
 
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DoctorCupcake said:
Thanks for your detailed response!

I'm only applying osteo, so I just wanted to get an idea of whether this possible timeline is too delayed. My MCAT is tomorrow, and I won't get a score until July. In the event my score isn't strong enough, I'm planning for an Aug retake.
Click to expand...

Good luck on your MCAT!
 
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Doremonster said:
Both, the ability to practice medicine isn't defined by two letters. If you decide to also apply osteo, you may add 4-6 weeks of time because the osteopathic cycle runs much longer. However, it is best practice to always get your STRONGEST application in ASAP. Getting in an early application with a shaky MCAT or incoherent essays will not help you. The vice versa is true, programs will not take somebody with a lower MCAT just because he applied a few months earlier. Just be realistic of your strength and expectations. This leads me into another point. All this information is relative to the persons's situation. If you're gunning for big time programs (Harvard/Standford/University of California San Franscisco/Perelman/etc...) then yeah an early application is a must. The separation/breathing room between these applicants could be just an application that was received earlier rather than later (in other words they are all stellar). However, for a huge number of us we are not in this boat.
Click to expand...

DoctorCupcake said:
Thanks for your detailed response!

I'm only applying osteo, so I just wanted to get an idea of whether this possible timeline is too delayed. My MCAT is tomorrow, and I won't get a score until July. In the event my score isn't strong enough, I'm planning for an Aug retake.
Click to expand...

Sarahka74 said:
I am. When are you submitting your application?
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What dates are you guys taking the exam? I'm thinking about doing this as well, but it seems risky. Maybe I'll gauge how my studying goes and proceed from there.

Dore you said based on what you went through you don't think it's too detrimental. Could you state your timeline on how you are going to do this

And Cupcake, for DO august is 100% fine. You should be fine
 
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StretchDoe said:
What dates are you guys taking the exam? I'm thinking about doing this as well, but it seems risky. Maybe I'll gauge how my studying goes and proceed from there.

Dore you said based on what you went through you don't think it's too detrimental. Could you state your timeline on how you are going to do this

And Cupcake, for DO august is 100% fine. You should be fine
Click to expand...

I am taking my MCAT August 5th. I will submit my application middle of July or late July to get it verified. Once my score is released my application will most likely be done and verified. I have secondaries pre written or will start writing secondaries to schools I plan on applying too. I will turn them in within a week of receiving them. Look, at the end of the day its about numbers. I was verified around the same time last year, and I was following those boards religiously. There were people who submitted later than me, received II and acceptances. Those individuals had better stats and they deserved the acceptance. There's a reason why many schools interview through March and even April while some D.O.'s go all the way till May. It would be pretty insane if their applicant pool were only students who were completely verified early August/September.
 
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Aug. 4 for me! AND I AM APPLYING THIS CYCLE. Everything is possible in this life, always apply if confident... I applied last cycle with a 497. I didn't get in, but I did learn about the process and the ins and outs. I am retaking the MCAT once more and applying for the final time. Whatever i get, I get.. If I don't get in, then f***k it, off to the Caribbean... Sometimes it's not worth it to lose so much precious time on these dumb and inefficient cycles. But thats just my opinion...
 
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JPS398 said:
good luck guys. I'm feeling really overwhelmed and behind now, hopefully i can catch up.
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Same- I am taking it on Aug. 25th and still stuck on content review. Was hoping to be powering through the AAMC section banks by now.... Thinking about possibly cancelling my test date to register next Spring.

I've been out of undergrad for 3 years now and just finished a post bacc program (program didn't include chem/physics).
 
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JPS398 said:
good luck guys. I'm feeling really overwhelmed and behind now, hopefully i can catch up.
Click to expand...

comed said:
Same- I am taking it on Aug. 25th and still stuck on content review. Was hoping to be powering through the AAMC section banks by now.... Thinking about possibly cancelling my test date to register next Spring.

I've been out of undergrad for 3 years now and just finished a post bacc program (program didn't include chem/physics).
Click to expand...

Also still stuck on content review. Aug 5th for me.
 
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I'm stuck on content review. Have about 3 chapters in each subject to run through.

Currently scheduled for August 5th, might consider postponing to August 19th


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
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Hi everyone,

I'll be done with my MCAT / app submission by August and I'm hoping to give back to the community by teaching. I have a short biochem series that I would like to teach where I review high-yield parts of every metabolic pathway for the test.

I want this to be completely free. I imagine hosting 1 hour blocks over Adobe Connect. Just wondering if anyone would be interested? PM me if so! Just posting here because I thought it might be useful review for those in the last month, especially who would like to review more biochem. Metabolic pathways are the foundation for a lot of the C/P and B/B passages which is why I'm focusing on it.

Happy Sunday :)
 
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theonlytycrane said:
Hi everyone,

I'll be done with my MCAT / app submission by August and I'm hoping to give back to the community by teaching. I have a short biochem series that I would like to teach where I review high-yield parts of every metabolic pathway for the test.

I want this to be completely free. I imagine hosting 1 hour blocks over Adobe Connect. Just wondering if anyone would be interested? PM me if so! Just posting here because I thought it might be useful review for those in the last month, especially who would like to review more biochem. Metabolic pathways are the foundation for a lot of the C/P and B/B passages which is why I'm focusing on it.

Happy Sunday :)
Click to expand...

I never took a biochem course and am worried about studying for it so this may be useful for me.
 
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@JPS398 Good to hear! I got the idea from noticing that a lot of users on here haven't take biochem or may have only taken the first course on enzyme kinetics and not metabolism.
 
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theonlytycrane said:
Hi everyone,

I'll be done with my MCAT / app submission by August and I'm hoping to give back to the community by teaching. I have a short biochem series that I would like to teach where I review high-yield parts of every metabolic pathway for the test.

I want this to be completely free. I imagine hosting 1 hour blocks over Adobe Connect. Just wondering if anyone would be interested? PM me if so! Just posting here because I thought it might be useful review for those in the last month, especially who would like to review more biochem. Metabolic pathways are the foundation for a lot of the C/P and B/B passages which is why I'm focusing on it.

Happy Sunday :)
Click to expand...
I am interested as well. I only took first Biochem. When do you start?
 
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theonlytycrane said:
Hi everyone,

I'll be done with my MCAT / app submission by August and I'm hoping to give back to the community by teaching. I have a short biochem series that I would like to teach where I review high-yield parts of every metabolic pathway for the test.

I want this to be completely free. I imagine hosting 1 hour blocks over Adobe Connect. Just wondering if anyone would be interested? PM me if so! Just posting here because I thought it might be useful review for those in the last month, especially who would like to review more biochem. Metabolic pathways are the foundation for a lot of the C/P and B/B passages which is why I'm focusing on it.

Happy Sunday :)
Click to expand...

I think that is great that you're offering this. That isn't my weakness myself being a Biochem major but it's very nice of you to give back.

If I could make a suggestion, I would suggest to record it and put it on YouTube so those who can't make it can see your class!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
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6 weeks is still plenty of time to prep for the new exam. Hang in there guys, also remember you should be practicing WHILE YOU DO CONTENT REVIEW. Don't wait till after content review and then do all your questions then.
 
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All I've really done so far is read over the Kaplan Bio and Gen Chem books, i'm going back now and really making sure I know things. There are many things I'm not comfortable with especially rate laws, and many of the equations in the chemistry book.

Hopefully by Sunday I will feel pretty comfortable with most things in bio and chem, and I will start to read my physics and orgo book the next week.

Nervous about biochem.. Psych was my major so not too worried about the behavioral sciences, I think I will leave that last.

How difficult is CARS? I haven't even looked at that yet!
 
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dumb question.... but what is the difference between the AAMC section banks and the AAMC question packs? Going to start AAMC materials tomorrow but am confused on which one to buy on the AAMC website.

thanks in advance, august 25 comrades
 
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@comed

The question packs are for chem, physics, bio, and CARS and are more like the old MCAT (except for CARS which is probably still similar). The questions are more content based and are generally easier. They are good for review.

The section banks are for chem & phys / bio & biochem / psych and are more like the new MCAT. The questions are more experiment based and are fairly challenging.

I would buy both if possible, but definitely the section banks.
 
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Im taking Aug 5th and just wanted to share this AAMC topics excel sheet with you guys, it's a lot easier to navigate than their online outline. Took me a while to find it on SDN so just sharing the love. I recommend highlighting what you do not feel comfortable with cause I feel like this new MCAT is about covering all your bases!
 

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DoctorCakes said:
Im taking Aug 5th and just wanted to share this AAMC topics excel sheet with you guys, it's a lot easier to navigate than their online outline. Took me a while to find it on SDN so just sharing the love. I recommend highlighting what you do not feel comfortable with cause I feel like this new MCAT is about covering all your bases!
Click to expand...
Go Aug 5th! Stay positive everyone :) and this outline might I add, is quite helpful thanks
 
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~127 on each section. if not i punish myself with kale juice and icy hot on my arm pits
 
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I feel like C/P has way too much orgo, are your scores even for the other sections?
 
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Hey guys! I'm also taking it august 5! I'm in the Kaplan course as well. Hopefully it prepares us well. Are you guys watching a lot of mcat channel!?
 
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biochemgirl22 said:
Hey guys! I'm also taking it august 5! I'm in the Kaplan course as well. Hopefully it prepares us well. Are you guys watching a lot of mcat channel!?
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Eh I prefer Khan it explains the concept deeper and is more in tune with the mcat strategy
 
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I just registered for the August 4th MCAT. Super pumped to get this monster over and done with.
 
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i might cancel and schedule it for Jan 2017... want to score in 95th percentile at least D:
 
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So finished content review a couple days ago... I hope about 2 months of pure practice exams/passages is enough.... Would you guys advice to do minimal content review every day or so? Or would that be just wasting time, and just focus on a crap load of practice passages? Lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using SDN mobile
 
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