The Official August 2015 MCAT Thread

[vsantav]

Registration opens up sometime today so I thought I'd go ahead and make this thread. Anyone else taking it in August?

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[zzzetrigan]

From a moral perspective? Of course.

From an economic perspective? Capitalism drools in the face of this cash cow. Profiting off of the misery of others is a US pasttime, like baseball or entitlement.



Yeah that's the other thing. Again, we love us some capital gains over here. No one is exempt. Except those in poverty, and that's mainly due to standards set against discrimination by the accrediting bodies.



Seriously? Top 10 US schools are easier for Canadians to get into than your own schools? I don't get this!!

Why isn't it just "Mk, you get this reasonable MCAT score and this reasonable GPA and you'll have a great shot," like it is here?

Long POST regarding Canadian Medical Schools...if not interested move on

The reason it's not just - MMK good MCAT and high GPA is because a large percentage of the applicant pool has 3.85 GPA + and MCAT 33+. When you have 5000 students applying for 260 spots and lets say 2500 of them meet the MCAT Cut offs and of those 2500 - at least 1000 meet the GPA cut offs - what do you do? You resort to whatever mechanism you can to limit the applicant pool - such as:
1.) Use verbal as a cut off because people historically tend to do worse on the Verbal section than any other section.
2.) Use extracurriculars and subjective measures to try to cut people out...except those 1000 applicants dont just have a good GPA or MCAT...they also have stellar EC's - volunteering in africa, shadow physician, numerous clubs, literally mother teresa, etc.
3.) Lastly but most importantly, because of a perceived notion that those who are "out of province" applicants will run back home, you limit the # of seats for out of province applicants to like 5-7 seats...and in that case you usually have 500 people who apply for those 7 seats...and the out of province seat requirements are ridiculous...usually like a 3.9 or 3.95+ GPA and an MCAT of 34+ with AMAZING extracurricula

So let me give you a scenario for someone who is a resident of Ontario. Ontario has 5 medical schools - so SOMEWHERE should accept you right??
Let's use some stats, lets say you have a GPA of 3.87 (pretty decent right) and your MCAT you just took was like 129/126/130/131 - 516 - thats what 91%? Again amazing! And you have stellar ECs, shadowed physicians, lots of volunteering, varsity, etc...but guess what? your chances are pretty much dog poop --> why? Let's break it down

1.) Northern Ontario School of Medicine - are you from Nothern Ontario? --> No? well your chances at this school is pretty much zero unless youve lived 5 years in a town <50,000 people..
2.) McMaster University --> Is your verbal a 128 or higher? is your GPA 3.85 or higher? if you answer no to any of the following, you are not competitive and probably wont be offered an interview (127 with 3.85 maybe...) - usually gets 5000 applicants for 280 or so spots I think
3.) University of Toronto - uses MCAT as a cut off, so MCAT is worthless unless you cant manage to get 504, then come your EC's, letter of reference, autobiographical sketch, essays..which matter a lot but the average accepting GPA to this school was 3.96 this year...so yea good luck with that
4.) University of Western Ontario - MCAT cut offs for applicants outside of london area last year were - PS/VR/BS - 9/11/12 - if you have any score under this...you are cut, and after this your GPA should be at least 3.83 or higher to be competitve
5.) University of Ottawa - doesnt use MCAT, uses most recent years with greater weighing for most recent year...GPA acceptances are usually in the 3.93 or higher range, if your GPA is below a 3.9 dont even bother applying
6.) Queens University - doesnt post MCAT cut offs, but most thing its usually 32+ with no score below a 10...so that one score you have below 127 will prob cut you out, and thy focus on your ECs heavily so not sure how this school does its stuff, need around a 3.8

Ok so if I have a 3.87 and a 516 MCAT with 1 score below 127 and it sadly being verbal my best shots are....well University of Toronto only it seems and even then my GPA is 0.1 below the average accepting...okay so lets apply out of province...oh right look Alberta schools have a cut off of 128 for verbal and 127 for verbal respectively and accept 10 students when 500 apply...hmm....wait is it like this for every province?....hah funny...at least Ontario schools restrict people to our own province...right? NOPE. University of Toronto and Queens do not care if you live in the province. University of Western Ontario only cares really if you live in the london area during high school...otherwise doesnt care. Northern medical school only cares if you are from northern ontario. Ottawa only cares if you are from ottawa.

Slowly you get to see the picture that if you do not fit into one of these categories but have amazing GPA, ECs, and MCAT, you will be rejected because of how each school either uses the Verbal as a cutoff or expects a super high GPA of 3.9 +.

 

[StudyLater]

3.) University of Toronto - uses MCAT as a cut off, so MCAT is worthless unless you cant manage to get 504, then come your EC's, letter of reference, autobiographical sketch, essays..which matter a lot but the average accepting GPA to this school was 3.96 this year...so yea good luck with that

Wait.....seriously? You have to sketch yourself to get in???

Slowly you get to see the picture that if you do not fit into one of these categories but have amazing GPA, ECs, and MCAT, you will be rejected because of how each school either uses the Verbal as a cutoff or expects a super high GPA of 3.9 +.

Yeah but it's only 6 schools; people from the US wouldn't apply to 6 schools either unless they were super competitive. Why were you saying the chances at OOP are basically zero? There has to be some that would be like your promiscuous province and accept OOPers.

 

[zzzetrigan]

Wait.....seriously? You have to sketch yourself to get in???



Yeah but it's only 6 schools; people from the US wouldn't apply to 6 schools either unless they were super competitive. Why were you saying the chances at OOP are basically zero? There has to be some that would be like your promiscuous province and accept OOPers.

LOL Autobiographical sketch for University of Toronto is something along the lines of choose 3 profound things in your life and gloat about how these things fit the criteria for being a good doctor referring to the following list of leadership, professionalism etc etc.

Well in total Canada has a total of..(i may be off by 1 or 2) - 16 schools. Of those 16 - 2 are french...so that's out. Let's say 14. I'm planning on applying to around 8...can't apply to Ottawa, or NOSM because of either geographic restrictions or my GPA not being a 3.9+ based on how they weigh.

As for the OOP - nope, only certain Ontario schools have that policy. You have to understand Ontario is a BIG province, and because University of Toronto, Queens and others in the province know people want to live in Ontario and they are well known schools - they will take anyone because they know their applicant pool is huge and people who move to Ontario will probably stay in Ontario (not to say other provinces aren't great, it just the gist of what I've heard why U of T does this).

Other provinces have a problem (apparently) with keeping their medical graduates IN their province. So they limit the out of province applicants to ensure they get most of their graduates from locals only. Someone applying to Dalhousie (in Nova Scotia) with a 3.7 GPA and a 28 MCAT can get in, because in their eyes that person has lived here for some time, will probably stay here in this province when they graduate and will practice medicine in the province we trained them. If I treat everyone equally or open up more OOP seats...well all my medical graduates will just run back to their home province. As it is, I've heard a number of graduates from University of Manitoba who are FROM manitoba STILL run to the US or Ontario after graduation (some, not all).

So schools discriminate based on geography. You can have a GPA of 3.7 and an MCAT of 30 and you are more likely to gain admission solely based on where you live or have spent time as a student. It's not fair, makes life for student in major cities in Ontario to gain admission to any medical school, but that's how it'll probably always be.

 

[StudyLater]

LOL Autobiographical sketch for University of Toronto is something along the lines of choose 3 profound things in your life and gloat about how these things fit the criteria for being a good doctor referring to the following list of leadership, professionalism etc etc.

Ah I see. Kind of sounds like an extension of the PS, really.

If I treat everyone equally or open up more OOP seats...well all my medical graduates will just run back to their home province. As it is, I've heard a number of graduates from University of Manitoba who are FROM manitoba STILL run to the US or Ontario after graduation (some, not all)

That makes sense. Btw do they have any privates out there? Or are they all state funded and required to be so? I'm just wondering if the situation could be improved by deleting regional bias.

 

[zzzetrigan]

Ah I see. Kind of sounds like an extension of the PS, really.



That makes sense. Btw do they have any privates out there? Or are they all state funded and required to be so? I'm just wondering if the situation could be improved by deleting regional bias.

The situation would be massively improved by deleting regional bias but the sad fact is if they did that they may end up alienating local students. All schools as far as I am aware are all funded by the state in some shape or form but all Universities are private entities, but they receive money from provincial government. We do not have any DO schools, all our schools are MD.

 

[torontopharm]

So 5-10% vs. the US's 2%? Still seems better. Plus don't you guys have even smaller chances than Americans? Applying to US schools just seems like the lottery at that point. Do you guys get preference over other countries, like say India/China/Japan/Mexico for example? Or do you compete with all those guys for spots specifically designated for international students?

I didn't think we really could either. Maybe some DO schools do that, but I don't know.

I suppose I understand. More options is always a good thing.

Most Canadians applying to US schools likely has a ~3.9+ GPA with a high MCAT that probably has a subsection that doesn't meet the cutoffs in Canadian schools. Chances are probably smaller than an American student per say, but stats alone probably gives them a fighting chance. One advantage for us as opposed to other internationals is that a lot of DO schools want the premed courses to be from a North American university. I'm not sure if the same stands for MD schools.
Canadian med school admission essentially ends up being whether or not you meet everything on the checklist. If even ONE of those items are not satisfied, you're out. 4.0 GPA but your verbal score is a point below the cutoff? You're out. You're OOP and you don't have near perfect stats? You're out. Things are especially terrible in Ontario where we have some schools that doesn't discriminate on other provinces, while we're discriminated harshly applying outside the province. The 5-10% thing was an estimate i heard from one of my buddies who moved to Calgary this year (and plan on living there for 2 years) to get In-province status. For all i know, it could be worse.

Like i said, there's good and bad about Canadian med school admission process. The negatives just seem to outweigh the positives. I know people are probably thinking "Oh Canadians, those complainers" lol. If anything, it's great that we're able to apply to the states to keep our hopes alive.

 

[williameb23]

Seriously? Top 10 US schools are easier for Canadians to get into than your own schools? I don't get this!!

Why isn't it just "Mk, you get this reasonable MCAT score and this reasonable GPA and you'll have a great shot," like it is here?

Also remember that the U.S. has a severe physician shortage and Canada has been closing their shortage gap at a pretty impressive rate in the past decade or so. U.S. still has more physicians (2.4 per 1000 people) but that number hasn't gone anywhere for at least a decade, and it's even gone down a touch in the past couple years. Canada has gone from 1.84 to >2.1 physicians per 1000 people in a decade. Just a thought.

 

[remedy23]

Long POST regarding Canadian Medical Schools...if not interested move on

The reason it's not just - MMK good MCAT and high GPA is because a large percentage of the applicant pool has 3.85 GPA + and MCAT 33+. When you have 5000 students applying for 260 spots and lets say 2500 of them meet the MCAT Cut offs and of those 2500 - at least 1000 meet the GPA cut offs - what do you do? You resort to whatever mechanism you can to limit the applicant pool - such as:
1.) Use verbal as a cut off because people historically tend to do worse on the Verbal section than any other section.
2.) Use extracurriculars and subjective measures to try to cut people out...except those 1000 applicants dont just have a good GPA or MCAT...they also have stellar EC's - volunteering in africa, shadow physician, numerous clubs, literally mother teresa, etc.
3.) Lastly but most importantly, because of a perceived notion that those who are "out of province" applicants will run back home, you limit the # of seats for out of province applicants to like 5-7 seats...and in that case you usually have 500 people who apply for those 7 seats...and the out of province seat requirements are ridiculous...usually like a 3.9 or 3.95+ GPA and an MCAT of 34+ with AMAZING extracurricula

So let me give you a scenario for someone who is a resident of Ontario. Ontario has 5 medical schools - so SOMEWHERE should accept you right??
Let's use some stats, lets say you have a GPA of 3.87 (pretty decent right) and your MCAT you just took was like 129/126/130/131 - 516 - thats what 91%? Again amazing! And you have stellar ECs, shadowed physicians, lots of volunteering, varsity, etc...but guess what? your chances are pretty much dog poop --> why? Let's break it down

1.) Northern Ontario School of Medicine - are you from Nothern Ontario? --> No? well your chances at this school is pretty much zero unless youve lived 5 years in a town <50,000 people..
2.) McMaster University --> Is your verbal a 128 or higher? is your GPA 3.85 or higher? if you answer no to any of the following, you are not competitive and probably wont be offered an interview (127 with 3.85 maybe...) - usually gets 5000 applicants for 280 or so spots I think
3.) University of Toronto - uses MCAT as a cut off, so MCAT is worthless unless you cant manage to get 504, then come your EC's, letter of reference, autobiographical sketch, essays..which matter a lot but the average accepting GPA to this school was 3.96 this year...so yea good luck with that
4.) University of Western Ontario - MCAT cut offs for applicants outside of london area last year were - PS/VR/BS - 9/11/12 - if you have any score under this...you are cut, and after this your GPA should be at least 3.83 or higher to be competitve
5.) University of Ottawa - doesnt use MCAT, uses most recent years with greater weighing for most recent year...GPA acceptances are usually in the 3.93 or higher range, if your GPA is below a 3.9 dont even bother applying
6.) Queens University - doesnt post MCAT cut offs, but most thing its usually 32+ with no score below a 10...so that one score you have below 127 will prob cut you out, and thy focus on your ECs heavily so not sure how this school does its stuff, need around a 3.8

Ok so if I have a 3.87 and a 516 MCAT with 1 score below 127 and it sadly being verbal my best shots are....well University of Toronto only it seems and even then my GPA is 0.1 below the average accepting...okay so lets apply out of province...oh right look Alberta schools have a cut off of 128 for verbal and 127 for verbal respectively and accept 10 students when 500 apply...hmm....wait is it like this for every province?....hah funny...at least Ontario schools restrict people to our own province...right? NOPE. University of Toronto and Queens do not care if you live in the province. University of Western Ontario only cares really if you live in the london area during high school...otherwise doesnt care. Northern medical school only cares if you are from northern ontario. Ottawa only cares if you are from ottawa.

Slowly you get to see the picture that if you do not fit into one of these categories but have amazing GPA, ECs, and MCAT, you will be rejected because of how each school either uses the Verbal as a cutoff or expects a super high GPA of 3.9 +.

Yay, a fellow Ontarian! Honestly, I don't think I can score a high enough MCAT to be competitive at Western & Queen's, and Northern accepts like 1-4 non-rural students per year, and I need a decent score in Verbal to even have a shot at McMaster. Also, Ottawa and McMaster require CASPER, and I know CASPER is tough, so realistically, I think my only chances are at UofT (with very lax MCAT requirements).

Western would be a great option for people who kill the MCAT - you're practically guaranteed an interview year after year, they don't care about your ECs.

 

[NorwegianRepresentative]

Maybe this has already been discussed but why exactly does it take 4 weeks to get scores back? It is a multiple choice test administered on the computer. I understand they have their curving (aka not curving but normalizing or whatever they call it) but that should be simple enough to run through a computer algorithm and then checked by someone so at max it should take one week. Those who take the DAT get immediate results. Anyway it would be easier to wait if it didn't seem so illogical.

 

[zzzetrigan]

Maybe this has already been discussed but why exactly does it take 4 weeks to get scores back? It is a multiple choice test administered on the computer. I understand they have their curving (aka not curving but normalizing or whatever they call it) but that should be simple enough to run through a computer algorithm and then checked by someone so at max it should take one week. Those who take the DAT get immediate results. Anyway it would be easier to wait if it didn't seem so illogical.

It's a very good question...there are 2 theories on this...

1.) Checking for cheating...I know it sounds dumb but apparently that's a common reason on the forums
2.) Personally I think they go over the data from it and adjust the scores a little - yes there is a pre-determined curve but I still feel if everyone did horribly then they adjust the scores upwards. Reason being is that these pre-determined curves aren't exactly perfect, they are generated from previous test takers and if those previous test takers were 40+ MCAT scorers then an anomaly may result...

but its all speculation to be honest

 

[NeuResurgens]

Been a while since I checked this thread. How did it go for you late-August test takers?

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents:

C/P: There were a bunch of calculations which through off my timing a bit. I ended up having to rush through the last passage and last few stand-alones. Hopefully I got a few of those right. This has always been my worst section and I definitely think it was the worst section that I performed on today. The actual passages were easier overall than Princeton and NS I think, though. Just took longer to get through calculations.

CARS: loved it! honestly cars is always my favorite section & I tend to do well. Didn't have as much time at the end to review (normally have 15-20 minutes & only had about 5 on the actual test). I think this is because the text size was larger and it threw off my normal pace. But I still think it went well. None of the passages were too difficult to follow.

Bio: Usually score 126/127 on this section for practice tests. I think it was easier than the exams I took (NextStep & Princeton) so hopefully I score in my target range. There were a lot of reasoning questions, which I like. Finished with 4 min to spare after reviewing marked Q's.

Psych: I'm a cognitive science major & usually breeze through this passage (usually with 30 min to spare). Normally score pretty high (128-129). Not totally sure how I'll score though because there were a good amount of terms I didn't recognize. I used EK for content review, for reference. I'm hoping my intuition serves me well. Finished with 15 min to spare after reviewing marked.

OVERALL: glad I moved my testing date from early August to the 22nd. I took roughly 4 more practice exams which I definitely think helped with stamina and confidence. Aiming for 127 in each section (508 overall). Nervous and excited to see my score in a month!

I'm like 78% sure you and I had the same exam because I felt the same way about everything. I was surprised at how easy the bio section was though.

I feel you, if I had to retake I honestly wouldn't mind, but I'm just aiming for above a 509. Glad registration for January 2016 opens in October so I have plenty of time to think if I want to retake after scores are up. I HATED the calculations, why can't you guys just have simple units like the FL and OG instead of having to convert between cm and mm, and then having to multiply/divide them to an approximate answers instead of allowing estimation by simple scientific notation–and in a short amount of time too. I just hope those were thrown in to slow test takers sown so they wouldn't have enough time to answer the other 50 or so questions that didn't involve calculations.

Hated physics on the test.


School started so it's keeping me busy, but I honestly don't care at all about classes right now

 

[GEToutLADYits6AM]

Could we by any chance get out scores back before September 8?

 

[NeuResurgens]

Could we by any chance get out scores back before September 8?

Unfortunately, probably not..

 

[Hatfield0429]

All beautiful things die. Life is a rat maze, and most of us will never reach the cheese. Or we will reach the cheese, and realize it is rotten.

It's all a big nothing. Excuse me while I have a manic episode.

That's how I feel. Today I feel depressed. I even started making a study schedule just in case I need to retake. I also made a list of resources I would use. The other day, though, I was feeling manic that I made a list of schools I'd like to attend. I also imagined being an MS1. More than likely, I suffer from:

A.) PTSD
B.) Bipolar Disorder - Type I
C.) Bipolar Disorder - Type II
D.) Narcissistic Personality Disorder

 

[Profound]

I don't know what to do with myself...I'm so bored. First week of classes and all but I have a strange empty feeling on the inside...

 

[redcowboyboots]

Do August test writers get a preliminary percentile rank range?

 

[deleted407021]

Do August test writers get a preliminary percentile rank range?

Nope, that was only for the April, May and June testers, since the AAMC was still working out the scoring scale. Unfortunately for us, we have to sit in the dark until the middle of Sept.

 

[StudyLater]

Been a while since I checked this thread. How did it go for you late-August test takers?

 

[deleted407021]

I do want a taco tho

 

[StudyLater]

I do want a taco tho

Hm. Then would you like a

 

[StudyLater]

I don't know what to do with myself...I'm so bored. First week of classes and all but I have a strange empty feeling on the inside...

What, you can't fill the empty hole in your heart with mindless busywork and confusing powerpoints??

 

[deleted407021]

Hm. Then would you like a

 

[StudyLater]

School started so it's keeping me busy, but I honestly don't care at all about classes right now

Never did, homie.

 

[StudyLater]

The ending on that episode pissed me off beyond recognition.

 

[deleted407021]

He 'bout to turn up dat kooaid doe

 

[StudyLater]

He 'bout to turn up dat kooaid doe

And don't even get me started on otter pops.

If they still exist anymore....

 

[StudyLater]

Which reminds me the first time I learned about diabetes was in the nurse's office in elementary school. This girl came in and opened up the freezer to get an otter pop. I was all like luckyyyyy. Was really jelly.

Then she told me how she had to prick her finger everyday so the costs outweighed the benefits for me, at the time (used to be quite afraid of needles). Not that I had a choice to obtain diabetes. I'm just saying if I did, I wouldn't have.

 

[Hatfield0429]

This is not related to the August MCAT, but does anyone know what the last AAMC FL was before this new 2015 test came out? I thought AAMC had FL 12 but someone was saying that FL 11 was the last one.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

This is not related to the August MCAT, but does anyone know what the last AAMC FL was before this new 2015 test came out? I thought AAMC had FL 12 but someone was saying that FL 11 was the last one.

I think it was 11.

 

[NeuResurgens]

When is the new FL going to be coming out? This fall some time right?

 

[fleur64]

does anyone have psych/sociology notes from Khan Academy? I know that they were floating around before so I thought id ask here. Any help would be much appreciated

 

[Hatfield0429]

I think it was 11.

Okay, thanks!

 

[Pusheen]

Started school today. Taking analytical chemistry (which is basically gen chem plus a ton of stats/research methods) and cell biology. I almost wish I had taken these prior to MCAT, the syllabi look like they could be put on the topic outline. If I don't get A's in these classes after this crappy summer of studying, Ima be pissed

 

[me16]

Started school today. Taking analytical chemistry (which is basically gen chem plus a ton of stats/research methods) and cell biology. I almost wish I had taken these prior to MCAT, the syllabi look like they could be put on the topic outline. If I don't get A's in these classes after this crappy summer of studying, Ima be pissed

Same here!! Thankfully I took Cell bio before the MCAT but I just started Biochemistry lecture this week and it has MCAT concepts written all over it. The only negative is my Teacher actually has us calculating numbers. No more MCAT estimation for me

 

[StudyLater]

Started school today. Taking analytical chemistry (which is basically gen chem plus a ton of stats/research methods) and cell biology. I almost wish I had taken these prior to MCAT, the syllabi look like they could be put on the topic outline. If I don't get A's in these classes after this crappy summer of studying, Ima be pissed

Analytical chem? Are you a chem major or something?

Cell bio is definitely helpful. Even genetics! Course it's too late for that now.

@me16 I like the MCAT calcuation method a lot more. In a stats class where things have to be like super exact out to the 6th decimal place or the homework system marks you wrong. I seriously thought I was done with this kind of **** by now and that the upper level classes would be more straight learning and less BS. Nope. Still a slave to those red Xs.

 

[Pusheen]

Analytical chem? Are you a chem major or something?

Cell bio is definitely helpful. Even genetics! Course it's too late for that now.

.

Biochem major, I was busy taking physical chemistry and calculus while everyone was taking cell bio and genetics. Sigh.

 

[StudyLater]

Biochem major, I was busy taking physical chemistry and calculus while everyone was taking cell bio and genetics. Sigh.

Same. I just took them also, though I will say it was slightly easier because I had the calcs as APs in HS.

Pchem suckkkkeeeedddddddd

"Oh yes class pardon me as I derive the van der waals gas law for 30min while making like 20 errors in between"

 

[me16]

@StudyLater Yeah!! Today my teacher asked us to derive the pH using henderson hasselbalch equation so I used the MCAT log estimation shortcut to do the math in my head. When I said the answer 5 min earlier than everyone else she looked at me like I had 3 heads and made a point of telling me how wrong I was because my answer was "in the range" and several decimal points short. I just gave up and pulled my calculator out.

That was my official welcome back to academia; Obviously my MCAT books and I were living in another world all summer -__-

 

[StudyLater]

@StudyLater Yeah!! Today my teacher asked us to derive the pH using henderson hasselbalch equation so I used the MCAT log estimation shortcut to do the math in my head. When I said the answer 5 min earlier than everyone else she looked at me like I had 3 heads and made a point of telling me how wrong I was because my answer was "in the range" and several decimal points short. I just gave up and pulled my calculator out.

That was my official welcome back to academia; Obviously my MCAT books and I were living in another world all summer -__-

Pre-med thinks she knows ****? Nah, she don't know ****, not in my class.

 

[dushash]

@StudyLater Yeah!! Today my teacher asked us to derive the pH using henderson hasselbalch equation so I used the MCAT log estimation shortcut to do the math in my head. When I said the answer 5 min earlier than everyone else she looked at me like I had 3 heads and made a point of telling me how wrong I was because my answer was "in the range" and several decimal points short. I just gave up and pulled my calculator out.

That was my official welcome back to academia; Obviously my MCAT books and I were living in another world all summer -__-

That reminds me of my Physics II exam. I forgot calculator and decided to use my MCAT method - do everything very roughly, but quickly and in my head. Multiple Choice Questions are very forgiving. Finished exam in 50min (from allowed 2,5hours). When I came to front desk to submit my papers everyone thought I decided to void. Got A later (83%). A bit short to A+, but I can't complain in that situation.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Biochem major, I was busy taking physical chemistry and calculus while everyone was taking cell bio and genetics. Sigh.

taking physical chemistry right now

got slapped with the derivations/integrations of hooke's law on the first day.

 

[Pusheen]

taking physical chemistry right now

got slapped with the derivations/integrations of hooke's law on the first day.

ew wat. we did thermo, quantum, and kinetics

 

[TexasSurgeon]

ew wat. we did thermo, quantum, and kinetics

Yeah he use hooke's to start us off into a discussion of thermo and systems of energy (kinetic/potential)

 

[Hatfield0429]

Started school today. Taking analytical chemistry (which is basically gen chem plus a ton of stats/research methods) and cell biology. I almost wish I had taken these prior to MCAT, the syllabi look like they could be put on the topic outline. If I don't get A's in these classes after this crappy summer of studying, Ima be pissed

Is that senior level?

 

[StudyLater]

taking physical chemistry right now

got slapped with the derivations/integrations of hooke's law on the first day.

Yikes. Good luck with that.

Is that senior level?

At least where I come from you take whatever you want whenever you want, provided you have the prereqs.

 

[nolookpass]

Quick question. Like the old exam are there trial questions within the sections? Aamc never releases how many of the questions are trial or if an entire passage is a trial, but I'm curious to know if the new MCAT has trial questions within the sections. Thanks

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Yikes. Good luck with that.



At least where I come from you take whatever you want whenever you want, provided you have the prereqs.

Thanks dude. Got it in 3 hours after my gene expression class today

Wait so you don't have a course track you follow?

 

[Pusheen]

Is that senior level?

I'm a senior, but most of the upper div classes you can take either jr or senior year. My schedule got a little screwy so I ended up taking 400 level classes (pchem and biochem) junior year, and 300 level classes (achem and cell bio) senior year.

 

[StudyLater]

Thanks dude. Got it in 3 hours after my gene expression class today

Wait so you don't have a course track you follow?

I mean I got classes to take for the major, but I take em when I feel like it. There is an advisement apparatus that tells us, "Yeah you should probably take this set of classes this semester," but it's got no de facto enforcement capabilities. I take whatever classes I want on any given semester, provided I'm still moving toward the completion of the degree.

Even if an advisor tells me I have to take a class, I just go

There is no real enforcement of any of their bureaucratic rules. They won't kick me out or even freeze my capability to add/drop classes.