**The Official July 2015 MCAT Thread**

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Medaholic Dr

Medaholic Dr

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Hello Forum,
This is the official thread I've created for all the July test takers. I know its kinda early to start preparing for the July MCAT, but I know some who may have already begun the marathon since the new MCAT requires more than 3 months of study prep. Let's fill the thread with rich MCAT related discussions and be helpful to one another. The white coat down the lane is awaiting us ! Let's go....
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studentdocftw said:
Well that's reassuring! Now just have to wait on that MCAT score to come out...everyday that goes by I hope for a less and less score..currently at a threshold of 510+. Who knows how much it'll depreciate by Aug 18.
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Still can't believe we are almost half-way there... flew by faster then I thought
 
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My countdown app says we're 2.7 weeks away.

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catie_jane said:
Have you already submitted your primary? Because if your application is complete by the end of August you're not really a late app. Most schools send out secondaries in batches or waves so some students haven't received secondaries either
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Wait August isn't late? My AACOMAS and AMCAS just got verified last week. I've been waiting for my MCAT score to tack on all my schools in mid-August... I always thought that was late lol. SDN makes you go neurotic.
 
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BornSinner said:
Wait August isn't late? My AACOMAS and AMCAS just got verified last week. I've been waiting for my MCAT score to tack on all my schools in mid-August... I always thought that was late lol. SDN makes you go neurotic.
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I think submitting super early is really only beneficial for people with borderline stats. If you have a solid app and are complete before mid September you are gojng to be a-okay
 
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SDN definitely makes you neurotic. I was trying to ask gonnif about this a few days ago (specifically, if it makes a difference if I add schools to my app now or after I get my MCAT score) and after some confusing back-and-forth, (s)he gave me a kind of snippy answer about how maybe it was a mistake to wait so late to apply because I might not get in this cycle. But then over the next couple of days, gonnif made like 4 or 5 posts to other people saying that being complete by the end of September is normal speed. :confused:
 
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Cotterpin said:
SDN definitely makes you neurotic. I was trying to ask gonnif about this a few days ago (specifically, if it makes a difference if I add schools to my app now or after I get my MCAT score) and after some confusing back-and-forth, (s)he gave me a kind of snippy answer about how maybe it was a mistake to wait so late to apply because I might not get in this cycle. But then over the next couple of days, gonnif made like 4 or 5 posts to other people saying that being complete by the end of September is normal speed. :confused:
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Just saw this was posted by (s)he which I think is the norm. Hope this helps anyone else with questions/calms some
nerves for people

image.jpg
 
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Ugh if we were the June testing group we would have prelims by now! The wait is killing me. It determines my school list, from top tier MD to DO! Pre writing all these secondaries at reach schools, I just hope I'm not wasting a bunch of time
 
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Fedekz said:
Ugh if we were the June testing group we would have prelims by now! The wait is killing me. It determines my school list, from top tier MD to DO! Pre writing all these secondaries at reach schools, I just hope I'm not wasting a bunch of time
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"From top tier MD list to D.O." Boy, that sounded like osteopathic institutions are sub- par to M.D. Schools. Remember, the school doesn't make the doctor..the student uses the institution as a tool and builds himself into a successful physician, doesn't matter if your from Johns Hopkins or LECOM. CHEERS
 
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OrdinaryMD said:
"From top tier MD list to D.O." Boy, that sounded like osteopathic institutions are sub- par to M.D. Schools. Remember, the school doesn't make the doctor..the student uses the institution as a tool and builds himself into a successful physician, doesn't matter if your from Johns Hopkins or LECOM. CHEERS
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I would argue that your opportunities as a Harvard med graduate would be very different than a low tier DO program. Nothing against DO's, I've just read about the difficulties matching into surgical specialties, discrimination by some PDs, etc. Not that MD is somehow magically superior than DO, but for matching some specialties it may appear that way. I was just saying that my MCAT score really determines my school list. I have a 3.9, research, police officer, critical care paramedic etc - getting a 515 vs a 500 will really change my prospective schools is all I was trying to say.
 
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Fedekz said:
I would argue that your opportunities as a Harvard med graduate would be very different than a low tier DO program. Nothing against DO's, I've just read about the difficulties matching into surgical specialties, discrimination by some PDs, etc. Not that MD is somehow magically superior than DO, but for matching some specialties it may appear that way. I was just saying that my MCAT score really determines my school list. I have a 3.9, research, police officer, critical care paramedic etc - getting a 515 vs a 500 will really change my prospective schools is all I was trying to say.
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There is a gray area that SDN likes to intrude on when it comes to matching in MD vs DO programs. In many cases, if you want to match into a top program (which is also dependent on your desired speciality), then you better hope you are either VERY competetive or you are in one of your desired programs clinical rotation programs that feeds into this desired residency. Also, matching into a residency is one thing, I would argue that your fellowship is much valuable in terms of where you get your specialty training. Your fellowship location will determine if you are able to perform numerous different clinical medical trials, if you have the top technological advancements at your disposal, or if you have world class doctors at your side. Either way, DO or MD, you can do any of these specialities if you have good enough stats. I shadowed a DO here in my home city who is a Plastics and Reconstructive Surgeon, which is arguably one of the hardest residency/fellowship programs to match into.

Don't take my response the wrong way, I do understand where you are coming from with your point. But, don't underestimate the difficulty of getting into DO programs; what DO schools lack in the quantitative side of the application, they more than make up for in the qualitative portion. Best of luck!
 
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These past few weeks have been a rollercoaster. One day I walk around feeling confident that I did well, then the next day I feel like I got a 472, then the cycle repeats. I just want to get off this ride but it is another 2 weeks and 2 days long.
 
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doctorleospaceman said:
These past few weeks have been a rollercoaster. One day I walk around feeling confident that I did well, then the next day I feel like I got a 472, then the cycle repeats. I just want to get off this ride but it is another 2 weeks and 2 days long.
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exactly how I feel haha.
 
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Literally no amount of worrying will change your score. Everybody did fine, and if not, you'll figure a way. We'll all be doctors sooner rather than later!
 
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catie_jane said:
My motivation to pre-write secondaries is at an all time low. I feel discouraged not knowing my scores and I feel as though I am wasting my time...

Hopefully I can get the motivation back this weekend after I shop for a suit for my committee interview coming up soon

Anyone else feeling the same way?
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I am :-/ good to know I'm not alone
 
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Can't believe that AAMC has the audacity to request that I fill out the Post MCAT Questionnaire by the end of the week. Maybe if we got our scores or preliminaries back by the end of the week...
 
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doctorleospaceman said:
Just got a reminder email to fill it out. Anyone else get one? You might have filled it out already.
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I filled out something at the end of my exam that asked about the test/the testing center? Is that the same thing? I was under the impression that it was optional however
 
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catie_jane said:
I filled out something at the end of my exam that asked about the test/the testing center? Is that the same thing? I was under the impression that it was optional however
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No, it was an additional one sent out by email a couple of days after. Just filled it out and it asked a lot about test prep stuff. I've attached a screenshot of the email.
 

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catie_jane said:
I filled out something at the end of my exam that asked about the test/the testing center? Is that the same thing? I was under the impression that it was optional however
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No its not the same. Check your spam folder, that's where mine was.
 
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my four prayers every day.

1. Dear God, please let me do better on this mcat than I did on the last two.

2. Please let my last recommender hurry up and send in my letter.

3. Please AMCAS, please hurry up and verify my application.

4. Dear god, please let me get into one, at least one allopathic medical school this cycle.

Amen.
 
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Silence in ER said:
my four prayers every day.

1. Dear God, please let me do better on this mcat than I did on the last two.

2. Please let my last recommender hurry up and send in my letter.

3. Please AMCAS, please hurry up and verify my application.

4. Dear god, please let me get into one, at least one allopathic medical school this cycle.

Amen.
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Mine took approximately 19 business days to be verified if that helps with figuring out when yours will be. Seems to be between 16-20 depending on when you submitted
 
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Silence in ER said:
ok. so like august 24, not too bad. i think. i hope.
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If you submitted sometime during the last week of July that looks about right. If you pre-write your secondaries you'll be in good shape since our MCAT scores will be released and uploaded by then
 
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Can't believe we are half way there! Only 14 more days left of this uncertainty..

Just found out I am working 11a-9p the day the scores are released, so fingers crossed they come out before I go to work haha
 
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Can your app be verified if you are still waiting on a rec letter? Should you wait to submit for verification if you are waiting on a rec letter? I would like to be complete as soon as possible after getting my scores, but I wasn't sure if I needed to wait until all my letters were in before verifying.
 
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kecr1040 said:
Can your app be verified if you are still waiting on a rec letter? Should you wait to submit for verification if you are waiting on a rec letter? I would like to be complete as soon as possible after getting my scores, but I wasn't sure if I needed to wait until all my letters were in before verifying.
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Your app can be verified without your MCAT scores or LOR. All you need are your transcripts to be able to be verified

Edit: Mine was verified on Monday and I don't have my MCAT scores or committee letter uploaded yet
 
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I'll be in the ER 7a-7p on the day scores come out...not sure if I want to risk getting admitted to the ER myself :p
 
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how do you work on supplementaries for schools that are way above your old MCAT score, like where is the motivation?? I just get a hundred times more worried knowing how much banks on this MCAT score
 
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ofi2016 said:
how do you work on supplementaries for schools that are way above your old MCAT score, like where is the motivation?? I just get a hundred times more worried knowing how much banks on this MCAT score
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I personally started working on my state school and the one school that I had submitted my application with.

From there, the plan was to work on low-tier --> mid-tier --> top tier schools secondaries. For me though a lot of essays overlap with each other so for every essay I write on low-tier schools I can use for the higher tier ones. Not sure if this applies to you as well!
 
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Would anyone be willing to take a peek at my diversity statement? It is only 1000 characters so its pretty short and sweet. Would love to get an outside opinion on it. I'm happy to look at peoples essays too if you are pre-writing!
 
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