September 2015 MCAT Thread

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DAF16

DAF16

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Registration for the September MCAT opens up soon, so I thought I would make the thread.
Who else will be taking the test in September?
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I think the best way is to look at your score independent of the old exam. The exam we took and the old exam are two totally different things. Although we try, we really can't accurately compare apples to oranges
 
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Doctor Dream said:
I think the best way is to look at your score independent of the old exam. The exam we took and the old exam are two totally different things. Although we try, we really can't accurately compare apples to oranges
Click to expand...

Who knows, the new exam may have affected matriculant average scores as well.
 
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Good suggestion! I just have to remind myself to view my score independently. We truly are the tip of the spear, so to say. With no real MCAT 2015 matriculant stats yet, I'm sure we'll be in the dark for quite some time.

Imagine how utterly lost we'll look to lurkers of this forum in a few years. All sorts of numbers being thrown around and just complete chaos. It makes me chuckle sometimes :claps:
 
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Did anyone us The berekely review , if so, anyone is willing to sell their mcat 2015 TBR books? I have the old copies , and I am seeking the new updated versions since their shipping fee is very costly to Canada, I'm trying to buy the new versions second hand
 
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Anyone know where I can find the study guide that someone had posted on reddit for P/S? It was super detailed and about 90 pages long
 
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It's sad that this thread might die out pretty soon. I spent a lot of time here and it was really awesome to have such a great support system for preparing/taking this test. I know some of the other MCAT support threads are alive and kicking months after the exam, but that's mostly because those have people applying this cycle, and they need more support lol but hope everyone's doing well and to those retaking good luck! Chin up and keep powering through until you get to your goal!
 
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Is anyone getting emails now from schools? I hadn't gotten any then all of a sudden I got a bunch on Fri and a few more yesterday. No idea where they got my email unless it was MCAT related. It's mostly podiatry programs (???)

Anyone else?
 
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RaspberrySlushy said:
Is anyone getting emails now from schools? I hadn't gotten any then all of a sudden I got a bunch on Fri and a few more yesterday. No idea where they got my email unless it was MCAT related. It's mostly podiatry programs (???)

Anyone else?
Click to expand...

Haha yes I have gotten like 5 emails from podiatry schools. Also one from St. Louis University med school.
 
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Yep exact same here! My dad saw the emails as was like "uhhh did you apply to podiatry school or something already?"
 
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Gibbward said:
It's sad that this thread might die out pretty soon. I spent a lot of time here and it was really awesome to have such a great support system for preparing/taking this test. I know some of the other MCAT support threads are alive and kicking months after the exam, but that's mostly because those have people applying this cycle, and they need more support lol but hope everyone's doing well and to those retaking good luck! Chin up and keep powering through until you get to your goal!
Click to expand...
Yea I noticed that too, kinda sad. I'm sure I'll see some of you in the school specific threads next cycle though!
 
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Not surprised about the podiatry schools, but the SLU spam surprised me. I really don't think they have a shortage of applicants...
 
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I've gotten the same emails from SLU and podiatry schools! I was pretty confused because I thought it was later in the cycle?

Congrats to those who did well this time around! Hope to be seeing some of you in the next years application threads!
 
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YCP Pre-Med said:
I've gotten the same emails from SLU and podiatry schools! I was pretty confused because I thought it was later in the cycle?

Congrats to those who did well this time around! Hope to be seeing some of you in the next years application threads!
Click to expand...

I assumed that the podiatry cycle was later than the MD/DO cycles, hence the emails.

I wonder if borderline MD/DO applicants use DPM as a kind of safety. That doesn't tend to come up on SDN but I bet some do.
 
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ChrisMack390 said:
I assumed that the podiatry cycle was later than the MD/DO cycles, hence the emails.

I wonder if borderline MD/DO applicants use DPM as a kind of safety. That doesn't tend to come up on SDN but I bet some do.
Click to expand...

Interesting idea, but I honestly have no clue. I've never really heard of people considering podiatry as a 'safety' option, but then again, I haven't heard me of a lot of things haha.
 
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Did they release a scoring scale for the original AAMC FL? I'd be curious to know what my actual practice score was haha, not some stupid percentages.
 
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ChrisMack390 said:
I assumed that the podiatry cycle was later than the MD/DO cycles, hence the emails.

I wonder if borderline MD/DO applicants use DPM as a kind of safety. That doesn't tend to come up on SDN but I bet some do.
Click to expand...
DPM is a safety for me! I think I'll be fine for MD/DO but if something doesn't work out I'll reapply to MD/DO and DPM simultaneously.
 
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HopefulPilot said:
I do miss the thread. Working on my personal statement and the rest of the app now.
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Nice! I've been thinking of start my PS for next cycle too, but I feel like I don't have enough recent substantial clinical exposure to reflect on. I'm sure you've got some awesome war stories to share so the PS must be cake for you!

Also pretty curious about the scoring, and the difficulty of the new FL. I honestly thought the older FL was too easy, though the tone and style of the passages/questions were pretty similar to the real thing.
 
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Very nicely done @Raspberry slushy!! We keep a notebook here of 520+ scores from Altius grads and we didn't even know about yours. I think all of the SDN peeps would benefit from a few more details. What did you learn? How prepared did you feel on test day? What great wisdom do you bequeath on future test takers wanting to earn INSANELY good scores?

You live in Portland, OR right? Have you considered applying to become an Altius tutor? I was just told yesterday that the Portland location is completely full--as in no more students can enroll unless they find additional qualified tutors. They require that you took the Altius program yourself, have a 95th% score, have previous teaching experience with good reviews (tutor, teaching assistant, etc.), and you have to audition and do well, so that kind of narrows the field down to like...almost no one. But I think those all fit you and I'm sure they'd be interested (and might even pay you a little extra cuz they are in need in that area). I also highly recommend being a tutor--they treat us very well.

(always been meaning to ask the significance of your username...you like fruity frozen beverages?)
 
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Didn't think this day will come, but I'm finally getting rid of those MCAT books after getting them in 2013!

2.7 years and finally MCAT is OUTTA my life!

I got someone who is interested already in buying them and am selling them super cheap! phew!!
*HAPPY dance!**
 
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hey guys! I'm taking my mcat this Saturday (January 23rd)! Any last minute tips on how to improve C/P? I scored a 75% on the AAMC sample, but I literally think that was some miracle.. I usually get around a 125 on the PR tests. Did any of you also struggle with C/P, but do well on your actual MCAT? What strategies did you use on timing? I usually do 7 minutes a passage. Thanks for your help!
 
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keshwa16 said:
hey guys! I'm taking my mcat this Saturday (January 23rd)! Any last minute tips on how to improve C/P? I scored a 75% on the AAMC sample, but I literally think that was some miracle.. I usually get around a 125 on the PR tests. Did any of you also struggle with C/P, but do well on your actual MCAT? What strategies did you use on timing? I usually do 7 minutes a passage. Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

I was in a very similar situation, C/P was always my worst section (ranging anywhere from 123-127 on practice tests) and ended up with a 130 on the real thing. I didn't ever really struggle with time so I didn't focus on timing strategies, but honestly the most helpful thing was just passage after passage until I felt really comfortable with topics that I may have otherwise sucked at. The Khan Academy MCAT questions/videos may prove helpful if certain topics are shaky or if you haven't used them already
 
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BBQ7 said:
I was in a very similar situation, C/P was always my worst section (ranging anywhere from 123-127 on practice tests) and ended up with a 130 on the real thing. I didn't ever really struggle with time so I didn't focus on timing strategies, but honestly the most helpful thing was just passage after passage until I felt really comfortable with topics that I may have otherwise sucked at. The Khan Academy MCAT questions/videos may prove helpful if certain topics are shaky or if you haven't used them already
Click to expand...


I usually write down pretty much all of the physics formulas during the tutorial. Is there anything else that you wrote down that you think may be helpful?
 
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keshwa16 said:
I usually write down pretty much all of the physics formulas during the tutorial. Is there anything else that you wrote down that you think may be helpful?
Click to expand...

I don't remember perfectly, maybe just because I found it tougher, but I think lab techniques are a pretty high yield topic (i.e. questions about chromatography, things like that). More physics than I was expecting. Less orgo than I was expecting. I think the practice tests naturally give you deflated scores, so if you're getting 75% on the AAMC test, it sounds like you're gonna do just fine :) Best of luck!
 
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