2015 Nontrad Applicants' Progress Thread

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I'm in a similar spot. I have several sitting in my inbox but have been working 12hr days for the last week. Off for a few days now, hoping to get caught up.

Rosalind Franklin is in.
Got LOR request from Mayo.
4-5 ready to submit but waiting on photo. Having a photographer friend do the headshot on Friday, she was mildly offended when I said I'd just go to Sears or someplace and have it done.
 
3days until MCAT and I need a pep talk!

Physics is my weak spot. Should I put a bunch of effort into it, or focus on what I'm good at?
 
MedicalMomma81 said:
3days until MCAT and I need a pep talk!

Physics is my weak spot. Should I put a bunch of effort into it, or focus on what I'm good at?
Click to expand...
I would review fundamentals making sure you have formulas in your head for generic problems, like Force for springs, gravity, friction etc. Make sure you understand mirrors/lenses as well as sometimes a whole passage is on that.

I wouldn't ignore everything else but if your bio/chem/org chem is solid, maybe just review some notes or flashcards for those.

There's a lot on mcat-review.org that could help with that.

PS: you're going to do great!
 
Glycereine said:
I would review fundamentals making sure you have formulas in your head for generic problems, like Force for springs, gravity, friction etc. Make sure you understand mirrors/lenses as well as sometimes a whole passage is on that.

I wouldn't ignore everything else but if your bio/chem/org chem is solid, maybe just review some notes or flashcards for those.

There's a lot on mcat-review.org that could help with that.

PS: you're going to do great!
Click to expand...

I like the mcat-review website. Did you buy the tip book? Just wondering if it's worth getting.
 
MedicalMomma81 said:
I like the mcat-review website. Did you buy the tip book? Just wondering if it's worth getting.
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I didn't buy anything except the pdf version of the content because it was nice to have printed out to highlight. I'm gonna be blatantly honest here and say I used mcat-review almost exclusively and it worked out very well for me (33) on the MCAT. I could have studied more but the material was all there and in a very good format for me.

The only other thing I used to much avail was the MCAT question a day website. You can go to random question and go through as many as you want. They are very good practice as well. There's an iphone app for it
 
MedicalMomma81, are you going to study right up until your test or take a day or half day off? I took the day off before my MCAT and went shopping. It was weird to stop studying after such intense prep, but I felt mentally refreshed on the day-of. And in retrospect, what I got on the test is not what I would have spent those last hours cramming for, anyway.

Good luck, you are ready for whatever they throw at you. Even if you get a topic you're not thrilled with, you can use the skills you've developed to reason through it and choose answers wisely.
 
If you know your basics and can recognize what the question is asking for then you should be ok just keeping physics fresh in your mind but not doing heavy studying in those last three nights. Please dont make the same mistake I did on my second go-round and go to the test tired. no amount of studying will outweigh a well rested mind at this point in the game.
 
Hey guys, quick update from me. I feel like I'm moving too slowly:

Vanderbilt is in, waiting on secondary
Rosalind Franklin, secondary and LOR submitted, waiting on complete e-mail
Wake Forest is in, waiting on secondary
and I am happy to report Mayo asked for my LORs!

I am currently trying to write something for Jefferson. I'd like to send that in tomorrow.
 
I've been very easy going with my studying. I'm a non-trad in the sense that I'm a mother and 33 years old, but I'm a rising senior finishing my bachelors next school year. So, aside from gen chem, I have very recently taken all these classes and they are about as fresh as they can be in my mind. I've done a ton of real old MCATs on aamc and I did all 4 assessments that they offer. I did average on bio and chem and orgo, 4% below avg on physics, and 20% above avg on VR. I think all could have been slightly higher, they were so long I did rush through some of them.

Sparrow, I work a lot so I have taken regular days off-- and done a ton of shopping. I plan to cram some the night before because that has always been my style.

I'm taking the test one state over from me since the testing sites here are in cities which make parking a pain, so I got myself a fancy hotel right near the testing center.

Question-- aside from some snacks and my ID, what else should I bring on test day? Do I need to print out my confirmation?
 
MedicalMomma81 said:
I've been very easy going with my studying. I'm a non-trad in the sense that I'm a mother and 33 years old, but I'm a rising senior finishing my bachelors next school year. So, aside from gen chem, I have very recently taken all these classes and they are about as fresh as they can be in my mind. I've done a ton of real old MCATs on aamc and I did all 4 assessments that they offer. I did average on bio and chem and orgo, 4% below avg on physics, and 20% above avg on VR. I think all could have been slightly higher, they were so long I did rush through some of them.

Sparrow, I work a lot so I have taken regular days off-- and done a ton of shopping. I plan to cram some the night before because that has always been my style.

I'm taking the test one state over from me since the testing sites here are in cities which make parking a pain, so I got myself a fancy hotel right near the testing center.

Question-- aside from some snacks and my ID, what else should I bring on test day? Do I need to print out my confirmation?
Click to expand...

Bring as little as possible, my testing center was very strict. I think ID (multiple forms would be smart) was really all they wanted from you. You could bring snacks/drinks, but those remained outside the center, and you had to go through a pretty long checkout in order to get your stuff. I checked out once, and it almost took the whole 10 min break,,,all i did was go to the restroom, but the process to check out and in is arduous.
 
I have 3 secondaries I haven't done. I'll probably do them and a few others this weekend.

On the bright side, I had a first author abstract accepted as a podium talk for a tumor conference!!! I wish I could have included that with my primary!
 
Inygma said:
Bring as little as possible, my testing center was very strict. I think ID (multiple forms would be smart) was really all they wanted from you. You could bring snacks/drinks, but those remained outside the center, and you had to go through a pretty long checkout in order to get your stuff. I checked out once, and it almost took the whole 10 min break,,,all i did was go to the restroom, but the process to check out and in is arduous.
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I'll second this. I checked out between every session and took a drink from my water bottle, went to the restroom and checked back in. The most time I ever had left out of my 10 minutes as 2:15.
 
Really? My center had lockers outside the testing area. I ate some snacks, drank 2 redbulls, and took a leak during my breaks. It was fine. I was super ready to go for the next section.
REDBULLL!!!!
 
ridethecliche said:
Really? My center had lockers outside the testing area. I ate some snacks, drank 2 redbulls, and took a leak during my breaks. It was fine. I was super ready to go for the next section.
REDBULLL!!!!
Click to expand...
Mine did also.. the problem was you had to get fingerprinted, etc. everytime you left or entered. Each signout/signin took a couple minutes.
 
Hi guys! I submitted my primary on June 25th so hopefully it should be verified this week (hoping mon/tues). I received an automatic secondary from GWU and sent it back but it is on hold until I get verified. Let the madness begin! =]
 
Just wanted to pop in and say that I hope everyone is doing well!

My committee letter was released on Friday, so hopefully I'll see some movement in the next few weeks now that my application's complete 🙂!
 
DrOMG said:
Hi guys! I submitted my primary on June 25th so hopefully it should be verified this week (hoping mon/tues). I received an automatic secondary from GWU and sent it back but it is on hold until I get verified. Let the madness begin! =]
Click to expand...
I submitted on the 24th. I'm hoping for this week too!
 
Yes let's do a roll call status update!

I got my last letter submitted yesterday from my old coach. It's not a critical letter but I had already submitted it to a couple schools.

I'm 15 secondaries in, man this is getting expensive!
 
ConsultantMD said:
Yes let's do a roll call status update!

I got my last letter submitted yesterday from my old coach. It's not a critical letter but I had already submitted it to a couple schools.

I'm 15 secondaries in, man this is getting expensive!
Click to expand...

I feel like such a slacker in the thread!

Received 3 secondaries so far, submitted 1, working on the other two still.
 
You can check my MD apps I try to update it once per day. Same name as here. Can't figure out how to link on my profile.

Submitted GWU yesterday then found a typo later when reading it to my husband. Nice. 🙁

So close to sending Emory in today.
 
Leslie_Knope said:
You can check my MD apps I try to update it once per day. Same name as here. Can't figure out how to link on my profile.

Submitted GWU yesterday then found a typo later when reading it to my husband. Nice. 🙁

So close to sending Emory in today.
Click to expand...

Agree typos are the worst. I think as long as you put it into a word processor first it'll save 98% of those issues. That's what I've been doing here on out.
 
ConsultantMD said:
Agree typos are the worst. I think as long as you put it into a word processor first it'll save 98% of those issues. That's what I've been doing here on out.
Click to expand...
It wasn't something my word processor caught. Grr.

Submitted Emory and working on Georgetown. They really do get easier as you can recycle some ideas and words.
 
Leslie_Knope said:
It wasn't something my word processor caught. Grr.

Submitted Emory and working on Georgetown. They really do get easier as you can recycle some ideas and words.
Click to expand...
Ouchies. Yeah I try to read them aloud before hitting submit. Or, I try and get someone to read it, but that takes time. Not submitting anything today because it is the 13th. I'm not superstitious or anything though... 😱
 
I submitted two yesterday that had the same typo in each, and it was something that I type a dozen times a day.

*facepalm*
 
ConsultantMD said:
Ouchies. Yeah I try to read them aloud before hitting submit. Or, I try and get someone to read it, but that takes time. Not submitting anything today because it is the 13th. I'm not superstitious or anything though... 😱
Click to expand...

Slightly off topic, my father always said that Friday the 13th's were good luck so I always believed the same because he said so....but he died 7 years ago today, on a Friday the 13th. So I say you are right-- the 13th (Friday or not) is a good day to NOT do anything important.

On a lighter note, did any of you awesome high scoring MCAT people walk out of the test not having a clue how you did? On PS i stupidly let myself get to involved in passage one and wasted a bunch of time causing me to rush towards the end, VR went ok but the passages were all long and I finished with just 2 minutes to review, BS wasn't easy but I feel best about it- sadly there was only 1 orgo question and chem is my strength- finished with 9 minutes to go back and double check things I marked. I had the test scored even though I felt bad about PS- Kaplan said only void if you cried, left more than one passage undone, or had computer problems; but I feel like I honestly feel like I under performed compared to my AAMC practice tests.

Is this a normal post MCAT feeling, or do you think I should schedule a redo just in case?
 
MedicalMomma81 said:
Slightly off topic, my father always said that Friday the 13th's were good luck so I always believed the same because he said so....but he died 7 years ago today, on a Friday the 13th. So I say you are right-- the 13th (Friday or not) is a good day to NOT do anything important.

On a lighter note, did any of you awesome high scoring MCAT people walk out of the test not having a clue how you did? On PS i stupidly let myself get to involved in passage one and wasted a bunch of time causing me to rush towards the end, VR went ok but the passages were all long and I finished with just 2 minutes to review, BS wasn't easy but I feel best about it- sadly there was only 1 orgo question and chem is my strength- finished with 9 minutes to go back and double check things I marked. I had the test scored even though I felt bad about PS- Kaplan said only void if you cried, left more than one passage undone, or had computer problems; but I feel like I honestly feel like I under performed compared to my AAMC practice tests.

Is this a normal post MCAT feeling, or do you think I should schedule a redo just in case?
Click to expand...
I thought I bombed PS and would have a 9. I scored 11. That being said I was testing at around 11 or 12.

VR seemed way too easy so I thought I may have misunderstood something. I reread two passages since I had so much extra time. I scored a 13...That was a huge shock as my practice tests were again 11 or 12.

BS I have no idea. My brain was so fried. I thought I did well though so I was expecting an 11 or 12 and I did get a 12.

I am so glad I had it scored. It sounds like you did right having it scored. Trust yourself.
 
MedicalMomma81 said:
Slightly off topic, my father always said that Friday the 13th's were good luck so I always believed the same because he said so....but he died 7 years ago today, on a Friday the 13th. So I say you are right-- the 13th (Friday or not) is a good day to NOT do anything important.

On a lighter note, did any of you awesome high scoring MCAT people walk out of the test not having a clue how you did? On PS i stupidly let myself get to involved in passage one and wasted a bunch of time causing me to rush towards the end, VR went ok but the passages were all long and I finished with just 2 minutes to review, BS wasn't easy but I feel best about it- sadly there was only 1 orgo question and chem is my strength- finished with 9 minutes to go back and double check things I marked. I had the test scored even though I felt bad about PS- Kaplan said only void if you cried, left more than one passage undone, or had computer problems; but I feel like I honestly feel like I under performed compared to my AAMC practice tests.

Is this a normal post MCAT feeling, or do you think I should schedule a redo just in case?
Click to expand...

I took a bunch of aamc practice tests and felt really bad after my second attempt. It turned out that my feeling was correct, but I'm still glad I didn't void. I retook a week after results came back and scored much higher (where I had been scoring on the practice tests). I would say just relax and wait for the score, if it comes back low call the schools your most likely to get into and see how they view multiple takes then act accordingly.
 
Nice job @juliuspepperwood

Just added three more schools in AMCAS, but I am falling asleep now. I guess I'll add more and pay tomorrow. Happy Monday!

Edit: Nevermind; I am paying for these three now before I get too distracted.
Nevada, Quinnipiac, and Hofstra

I'm at 13 schools now. Can't believe I cranked out Georgetown in one sitting. Going to proofread tomorrow and submit it.
 
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MedicalMomma81 said:
Slightly off topic, my father always said that Friday the 13th's were good luck so I always believed the same because he said so....but he died 7 years ago today, on a Friday the 13th. So I say you are right-- the 13th (Friday or not) is a good day to NOT do anything important.

On a lighter note, did any of you awesome high scoring MCAT people walk out of the test not having a clue how you did? On PS i stupidly let myself get to involved in passage one and wasted a bunch of time causing me to rush towards the end, VR went ok but the passages were all long and I finished with just 2 minutes to review, BS wasn't easy but I feel best about it- sadly there was only 1 orgo question and chem is my strength- finished with 9 minutes to go back and double check things I marked. I had the test scored even though I felt bad about PS- Kaplan said only void if you cried, left more than one passage undone, or had computer problems; but I feel like I honestly feel like I under performed compared to my AAMC practice tests.

Is this a normal post MCAT feeling, or do you think I should schedule a redo just in case?
Click to expand...
Don't think I qualify as an awesome score but I felt awful and ended up with a 33


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
canadianinusa said:
I felt like I underperformed on physics but the others felt okay, but I wasn't sure. I ended up getting the average of my AAMC practice tests but my physical sciences was the lowest of the practice tests. I thought I might have to redo it, but I didn't.
Click to expand...

Leslie_Knope said:
I thought I bombed PS and would have a 9. I scored 11. That being said I was testing at around 11 or 12.

VR seemed way too easy so I thought I may have misunderstood something. I reread two passages since I had so much extra time. I scored a 13...That was a huge shock as my practice tests were again 11 or 12.

BS I have no idea. My brain was so fried. I thought I did well though so I was expecting an 11 or 12 and I did get a 12.

I am so glad I had it scored. It sounds like you did right having it scored. Trust yourself.
Click to expand...

Porter said:
I took a bunch of aamc practice tests and felt really bad after my second attempt. It turned out that my feeling was correct, but I'm still glad I didn't void. I retook a week after results came back and scored much higher (where I had been scoring on the practice tests). I would say just relax and wait for the score, if it comes back low call the schools your most likely to get into and see how they view multiple takes then act accordingly.
Click to expand...

Glycereine said:
Don't think I qualify as an awesome score but I felt awful and ended up with a 33


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thank you all for the encouragement. I think what is throwing me off is I don't feel awful or confident, I'm in this weird middle place. I'm definitely most worried about my PS score, if I got a 3 or a 12 I wouldn't be surprised... I just have no idea. I'm feeling like I don't even care if I end up at Ross at this point, lol.
 
Nice to see everyone's making progress. 🙂 I talked to my research advisor today - the one with the delayed LOR. We talked about it about a month ago and he was going to submit it "right away." Well, it turns out that he is still writing it, because he wants it to be very strong. :bang: At least he promised to get it done by the end of the week, so eventually I'll be complete at a bunch of places then.
 
milski said:
Nice to see everyone's making progress. 🙂 I talked to my research advisor today - the one with the delayed LOR. We talked about it about a month ago and he was going to submit it "right away." Well, it turns out that he is still writing it, because he wants it to be very strong. :bang: At least he promised to get it done by the end of the week, so eventually I'll be complete at a bunch of places then.
Click to expand...
I feel your pain. I finally got my last one in today, waiting on those is so frustrating.
 
I, too, am waiting for one dang letter so I can get my committee packet sent out. A lot of the schools I finished secondaries for are just waiting for this! Blargh.

I keep telling myself it's okay if it takes a week or so, because maybe by August, the admissions committee will cut me some slack vs. if I sent it in the very beginning, where they might be like, "no way, more applicants are coming and her stats are too low!" Haha. ...whatever it takes to be optimistic 🙄
 
And suddenly on this fine Tuesday, I somehow have 8 secondaries to do! Here we go!

Edit: It's kind of like a paralyzing sensation though, like where to start? I decided to send off my LOEs so that they know that I'm participating at least, not sure when I'll be able to get most of these completed!
 
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I am losing steam. I have to write Quinnipiac's application, and I just put it off again today.

I wanted to add a few more schools tonight, but I don't want to write any more secondaries.

I think I just need to take a couple days off, but it's already mid-July. When does it start being "late?" August 1st?

@ConsultantMD How many did you get done today? I sent off Hofstra.

My last letter came in yesterday and I sent it off to a few schools including asking Mayo and Jefferson if I could tack it on. Good luck @milski
 
Leslie_Knope said:
I am losing steam. I have to write Quinnipiac's application, and I just put it off again today.

I wanted to add a few more schools tonight, but I don't want to write any more secondaries.

I think I just need to take a couple days off, but it's already mid-July. When does it start being "late?" August 1st?

@ConsultantMD How many did you get done today? I sent off Hofstra.

My last letter came in yesterday and I sent it off to a few schools including asking Mayo and Jefferson if I could tack it on. Good luck @milski
Click to expand...
Don't stop, drink coffee!
 
juliuspepperwood said:
Don't stop, drink coffee!
Click to expand...
@Leslie_Knope I did nothing today because I have a huge project at work due tomorrow that I have been putting off. All the while I got inundated with secondaries.

It's all about the 5 hour energy here tonight... I have only been monitoring this stupid forum, but I did manage to log into all my secondaries as if that is some sort of demonstration of my intent to complete them soon.

I hope to get a couple ideas out and then send things in tomorrow morning instead!
 
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