As ya'll know I scored a 15 on my MCAT and I am trying to find ways to improve my score. I plan on taking a Kaplain course over the summer. My first question is there any other review material for the MCAT that you would suggest including the Kaplain course. My second question is has anyone ever tryed to get accomidations for the MCAT??Because from my experiance it is damn near impossible to get them. I have ADHD and I have had an IQ test done 2 times and proof that I have some learning disability however it does not quite fit the diagnostic for ADHD. I tried to get accomidations for the Mcat, however i was denied because they said that there was no standardized test that I took with and without extra time to see if there was a difference in my score. I find this to be kinda of contradictory because how can i get extra time on a test to see if there is a difference between my test scores when I am allowed extra time. Most every test I have taken in my college and graduate career I have had eextra time on my test. So when I take the Mcat I am not used to having to have a restricted time. I was just wondering if anybody else has tryed to get accomidations on the Mcat and if anyone has any advice??
Accomidations for the MCAT???
- Thread starter Smitha7
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PMed you.
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I can see that comment causing some people some grief. The MCAT you took didn't have "restricted" time. It had the exact same amount of time that basically every other test taker had to complete it in. Maybe you need to evaluate the feasibility, or lack thereof, of a career in a field that does not readily grant decision making opportunities "extra time," and in fact punishes untimely decisions with possible death.
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Wow... a lot of people are jerks on this forum as I can see. Maybe YOU should evaluate your lack of compassion and willingness to help in a career that requires such qualities, instead of being a cold-hearted individual that is ready to criticize at a moment's notice but cannot or is unwilling to offer any help at all. The topic creator is claiming to have some sort of disability and we as future physicians should do everything we can to help him, whether he is telling the truth or not. Also, how do you know his "untimely" decisions, as you put it, will cause death in the future? He may go into a field such as medical research where possible death is not present. Please re-consider your future career choice as I'd most certainly would NOT like you to be my physician.
Anyways, sorry for the rant. I just get so pissed when people pick on those in need. Take a look at this document:
http://testing.astate.edu/PDFs/mcatada.pdf
Basically, you need to provide documentation of past accomadations for previous exams, such as the SAT or the ACT. Since you stated you've had this condition most of your educational career, that shouldn't be a problem. If that's not the case, then you can take an IQ test like the Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude – Adult (DTLA-A), the Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III), or the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Ability, according to the document. There's a whole section on ADHD. I suggest you read the document and see what category you fall into. Good luck!
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So what exactly is your problem with what I said? Which part of it is untrue? If the OP wants to perform medical research, they can pursue a MS or PhD and reach their goals. That is not what they want to do, however, as posted in other threads. They want to pursue a clinical doctorate, and as such are inseparable from the care of actual, acutely ill patients. My "attitude" in the post that you quoted was grounds for you to question my compassion and ability. What should I infer about you and your compassion based on the rage that a simple post on an internet forum can trigger inside you? If you can't see the multiple problems that the OP will need to recognize, accept and overcome to achieve their goals, then I don't know what to tell you, chief.
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I've read many a post from Pons and have to say I am nearly always impressed by his succinct and candid replies. It doesn't fit the soft-and-fluffy replies that are more typical at SDN, but he's usually spot on and insightful. I find it a breath of fresh air. If you (ravupadh) can put aside the issues you have with his delivery, there is generally a piece of insightful gold awaiting you.
And for the record, I'll gladly take him as my physician. He could be my cardiologist, my neuro surgeon, or my internist any day. Not so sure about proctologist though... might like a gentler approach in such matters.
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I don't post in forums generally. I joined here to buy books. Smitha, a Kaplan course won't help you. It boils down to two questions.
Do you have adequate knowledge of the subject material and can you take a multiple choice test?
If you took the MCATS, you should be able to line up 4 textbooks in front of you. A basic Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry textbook. Pick a page in one of these books. If it's the first time you've read it and you cannot relate the material to ANYTHING you've ever learned, you lack content knowledge.
If you have utilized a disability through undergraduate and graduate school where you received additional time on your examinations you should not be using your grades as benchmarks for success on the MCAT. If you got an A and B in Physics and Biochemistry, don't bother saying "I know the material I did well in college!" You're going to need to dedicate yourself to taking TIMED practice examinations and working from there. Don't lie to yourself. Work hard and you'll get it. It can be done. Don't pay attention to the negative comments people have said and will continue to say to you. These people need to knock other people for their shortcomings and failures in life. Good luck!
Do you have adequate knowledge of the subject material and can you take a multiple choice test?
If you took the MCATS, you should be able to line up 4 textbooks in front of you. A basic Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry textbook. Pick a page in one of these books. If it's the first time you've read it and you cannot relate the material to ANYTHING you've ever learned, you lack content knowledge.
If you have utilized a disability through undergraduate and graduate school where you received additional time on your examinations you should not be using your grades as benchmarks for success on the MCAT. If you got an A and B in Physics and Biochemistry, don't bother saying "I know the material I did well in college!" You're going to need to dedicate yourself to taking TIMED practice examinations and working from there. Don't lie to yourself. Work hard and you'll get it. It can be done. Don't pay attention to the negative comments people have said and will continue to say to you. These people need to knock other people for their shortcomings and failures in life. Good luck!
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So ravu, you're willing to sacrifice quality of patient care so that someone can fulfill their dream?
lol
lol
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Hi.
You'd be well served by reading some of Oliver Sack's work. Some incredible physicians have crippling conditions that would make taking a test unbearable, but makes them incredible physicians.
Tourettes, ocd, etc.
That said, I do agree that the entire point of having a standardized test is so that it's standard for everyone...
I would Like to Thank everyone for there advice. I decided to not take the Kaplan course and plan on doing SN2ed's schedule. I plan on buying the Berkley Review books for content because it appears my subject content is what is lacking and bringing my scores down. I really have no idea when I will take the Mcat again I would like to take it in August or September but that means I will have to wait to apply to next cycle. However I don't feel comfortable waiting till January to take the test because I will be busy the semester before with a class and doing my masters thesis. However I HAVE no idea how long it will take me to master the content material and I also planing on taking a physics 2 course over the summer. So I kinda really don't know when I should decide to take the MCAT again?
