Anyone taking the MCAT on 8/16/2012?

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aimingforthat45

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Hey all,

Anyone else taking the MCAT on august 16, 2012 at 1 pm? (Thursday). I know there are lots of people taking the 8/17/2012, but i was wondering if anyone was also taking the august 16th one as well.


-cheers
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Yeah so, i havent ever posted on sdn, but i figured i might as well give my two cents.

Ps: Physics was quite simple, mainly because the topics were such that most people might be familiar with. chem was okay. In the end i didnt think that this section was easy, rather that it was normal compared to the aams's and i was used to it. I thought it was going to be harder than the aamc's. I expect my average aamc score here.

Vr: The passages felt much longer, however, i think that may have been in my head. The scrolling through the passages really did a number on me. Also, the questions were so vague where i didnt pick the right answer, but the least wrong answer, which of course, i didnt think was right anyways. I really dont know what to expect, i feel like i can get any where from 8-12. my aamcs were around 10.

Bio: okay maybe i was tired but this was soo hard. Bio is usually my best and most consistent section but this test made the aamc bio look like a joke. i felt rushed for time, and on aamc's, i always finish 10-15 minutes early. Passages were all scrambled. However something inside me tells me i did fine. I didnt let the diffculty rattle me and tried to pick the best answer. I havent taken bio in college yet (ap bio was my only bio background) and have been doing fine, but if i dont do well on this, u can bet that i would have loved some bio in my course work. Expecting 1-2 points lower than aamc average.
 
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I still can't get over how hard this exam actually was. It was a complete kick to the teeth! I just wrote the Sept 1 exam because my University takes the best score you get. The Sept 1 exam was so much easier! The PS were comparable in difficulty but the VR was so much better. Also, everyone from Sept 1 is saying how hard the bio was! I was laughing because the bio on August 16 was so so so much worse. Terrible luck if this was your only test date! Who knows how the beast is scored though. I'm so curious to see my results
 
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A little late, but my thoughts:

PS: Seemed simple enough, a couple of questions seemed a bit random but was able to work through it. Made 1 or 2 educated guesses so hopefully those were correct!

VR: Wow, okay so the passages seemed considerably longer than all the practice material i've done. I talked to a friend who also wrote that day and hearing from everyone here seemed to confirm that. Additionally, a good number of questions seemed unusually vague.

WS: Hmmm, will be interesting to see how this goes. Topics were not to my liking but made due.

BS: I was worried about orgo but surprisingly it was bio that caught me off guard. Like everyone said, it was very experimental in nature. I know the MCAT is more of a reasoning exam but i've never seen a section quite like this, there seemed to be almost no pure knowledge questions that could get you "free points", save a few discretes. As for orgo, nothing too bad, basic stuff disguised in some experimental wish-wash.


couple of annoying things about the test site, the screen resolution was so large and the MCAT program wouldn't let you scroll with the mouse wheel? anyone else have that problem?

I've taken all the AAMCS, several kaplan and tpr exams and none presented a challenge quite like this one. I was initially rattled after the exam but I'm counting on my preparation to see me through this!


Brodo said:
I still can't get over how hard this exam actually was. It was a complete kick to the teeth! I just wrote the Sept 1 exam because my University takes the best score you get. The Sept 1 exam was so much easier! The PS were comparable in difficulty but the VR was so much better. Also, everyone from Sept 1 is saying how hard the bio was! I was laughing because the bio on August 16 was so so so much worse. Terrible luck if this was your only test date! Who knows how the beast is scored though. I'm so curious to see my results
Click to expand...

Oh so you took it again before receiving your score? That's interesting, I didn't know you were allowed to register until afterwards.

Would you guys rather have a simple exam knowing there may be a more harsh curve or a harder exam knowing there would be a more generous curve? Also, i've read on the forums that the curve is set BEFORE the exam, based on passage difficulty. Is this the case or do they adjust it after seeing test taker's raw scores?

2 more weeks until scores are released! I feel like time has been going super slow, I just want to know already....
 
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I think I did poorly on verbal section. I remember as I was doing all of the seven passages, I felt crunched for time and was picking answers that seemed to match with the tone and sometimes main idea without having any time to refer back to the passages. On practice exams, I can use evidence from passages to support my choices depending on the amount of time left. Generally on the practice exams, there are few questions, where I am confident that the selected choice has to be correct. This one I am not sure if I got enough questions correct to get a 8 or above. Hope they curve this section favorably as this were most of the screening happens.
 
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I feel the same way as most people do about the exam. I went in trying to be as positive as possible, with high energy and an optimal stress level. Hoping that somehow pays off (which might just be wishful thinking).

One thing I've noticed that seems weird is people saying how much extra time they had on practice exams versus feeling pressed for time on the actual test. I usually only had a couple minutes to go back over things or finished on time, and felt the same way during the exam (working until time ran out but no random guessing or skipping passages). I wonder why people were so much slower on test date.

Physical sciences seemed easier than usual so I'm worried this will be my worst section.

All of the verbal passages seemed pretty long, and there were a number of questions where I felt there were multiple correct answers (screw that "best answer" bs). My mind felt the most sluggish on this section for some reason. Maybe something about coming down from my initial exam high.

Writing section was really good, but it doesn't really count for anything. It was still a nice confidence booster going into the final stretch.

Biological sciences was pretty killer. I'd only taken one AAMC FL (#11) two days before the exam, so I was a little thrown off by how little was recall and how much was purely from the passage (I used TBR to prep, which was very detail oriented). Even so, I'm hoping that my science major and research experience helped out and the curve will be generous. There was one easy discrete that I changed to the wrong answer that I've been beating myself up about...

I'm feeling very bipolar about how I did. I alternate between feeling like I could have gone sub 30 and feeling like I got mid 30s. The truth is probably somewhere in between. Can't wait for the scores to come out so I can finally move on with my life.
 
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Mostly the same sentiments here. Physics was straightforward, though there was one discrete that still haunts me... other than that, easy enough. I do felt I could have done better considering how easy the passages were... I was a little jittery/hyper and unfocused at the beginning of the exam! Worried about the curve after reading the above posts.

During the exam I didn't notice the passages being any longer than the practice exams. In hindsight, I did just barely finish the section - no time to go back and check marked questions, which never happened on the practice exams - so they probably were longer. I felt like the questions were easier than some practice exams (doesn't say much, since it's verbal) and that I got lucky with the passages. No complicated philosophy/detailed history passages from what I remember. Felt okay after this section.

I studied from old (2008) PR books. The biology in these books was lengthy and detailed. Good for older versions of the MCAT.. but the new MCAT BS section is entirely different. I found it to be very similar to AAMC FL 11. If I end up taking the MCAT again, I'll definitely be focusing on genetics/experimental methods etc way, way more. More thankful to my biology courses than to MCAT prep for this section. Overall, pretty confident, don't feel like there were too many tricky questions.

Getting antsy now that the date is approaching! Will I or will I not have a life next summer, remains to be seen...
 
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icebergs said:
Mostly the same sentiments here. Physics was straightforward, though there was one discrete that still haunts me... other than that, easy enough. I do felt I could have done better considering how easy the passages were... I was a little jittery/hyper and unfocused at the beginning of the exam! Worried about the curve after reading the above posts.

During the exam I didn't notice the passages being any longer than the practice exams. In hindsight, I did just barely finish the section - no time to go back and check marked questions, which never happened on the practice exams - so they probably were longer. I felt like the questions were easier than some practice exams (doesn't say much, since it's verbal) and that I got lucky with the passages. No complicated philosophy/detailed history passages from what I remember. Felt okay after this section.

I studied from old (2008) PR books. The biology in these books was lengthy and detailed. Good for older versions of the MCAT.. but the new MCAT BS section is entirely different. I found it to be very similar to AAMC FL 11. If I end up taking the MCAT again, I'll definitely be focusing on genetics/experimental methods etc way, way more. More thankful to my biology courses than to MCAT prep for this section. Overall, pretty confident, don't feel like there were too many tricky questions.

Getting antsy now that the date is approaching! Will I or will I not have a life next summer, remains to be seen...
Click to expand...
Here from 9/11 thread... it's just interesting because before I took my test I was expecting lots of experimental passages for BS. From all the other tests in August and September, that seemed like the trend. However our BS section was more similar to older AAMC practice tests, no experimental at all. So I would say if any of you guys need to retake... experimental MIGHT (probably will?) turn up but it also might not (ours was ochem heavy.. and not like the ones on AAMC).
 
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I've been stalking SDN ever since our exam and based on the post exam responses, this exam definitely seems more difficult than other dates. also, some people wrote another exam after taking ours and say the other dates were noticeably easier, further validating this. i dont know if this means very much but just an observation.

funny enough our score-day partners, the 17thers, made similar comments about their exam (easy PS, long and confusing verbal, and WTF BS).

i just had two friends receive awesome scores from their Aug 10th exam and they both thought it was really tough, so i'm confident and hoping we SDNers will be fine! 5 more days people!!!! :xf:
 
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starlight15 said:
Here from 9/11 thread... it's just interesting because before I took my test I was expecting lots of experimental passages for BS. From all the other tests in August and September, that seemed like the trend. However our BS section was more similar to older AAMC practice tests, no experimental at all. So I would say if any of you guys need to retake... experimental MIGHT (probably will?) turn up but it also might not (ours was ochem heavy.. and not like the ones on AAMC).
Click to expand...

That's really interesting, thanks for the tip! I guess they just like keeping us on our toes?
 
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Twiz said:
I've been stalking SDN ever since our exam and based on the post exam responses, this exam definitely seems more difficult than other dates. also, some people wrote another exam after taking ours and say the other dates were noticeably easier, further validating this. i dont know if this means very much but just an observation.

funny enough our score-day partners, the 17thers, made similar comments about their exam (easy PS, long and confusing verbal, and WTF BS).

i just had two friends receive awesome scores from their Aug 10th exam and they both thought it was really tough, so i'm confident and hoping we SDNers will be fine! 5 more days people!!!! :xf:
Click to expand...
I have noticed looking at the other threads that it seems like the September takers (all of them) had non-experimental BS sections. Makes me wonder what past September tests have been like. For the most part though, it seems like experimental-heavy BS sections are normal, although there were a few non-September exceptions this summer to that trend so it's not guaranteed. I could be wrong in saying this too, but it also seems like that if you don't have an experimental BS section the test compensates by making it orgo heavy, whereas the experimental heavy versions barely have any orgo at all.

And yeah, the posts from 8/16 and 8/17 takers makes it sound like we had the same test lol. I'm really curious as to whether nor not AAMC really was lazy enough to give the same test two days in a row.
 
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Anyone else having a hard time doing score projections? I was usually spot when estimating my practice tests but for this exam I'm anywhere from 29-37. Also, does anyone project a higher score than what they received on practice tests?
 
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Twiz said:
I've been stalking SDN ever since our exam and based on the post exam responses, this exam definitely seems more difficult than other dates. also, some people wrote another exam after taking ours and say the other dates were noticeably easier, further validating this. i dont know if this means very much but just an observation.

funny enough our score-day partners, the 17thers, made similar comments about their exam (easy PS, long and confusing verbal, and WTF BS).

i just had two friends receive awesome scores from their Aug 10th exam and they both thought it was really tough, so i'm confident and hoping we SDNers will be fine! 5 more days people!!!! :xf:
Click to expand...
"funny enough our score-day partners, the 17thers"

hahahaha. omg that line made me LOL.
 
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let's get the rumblings going.....comon guys! this is one of the most important determinants of your fate. What are your thoughts, feelings, concerns?
 
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I really have no idea how I feel. My feelings on the individual sections are pretty much what everyone else has said, so my overall feeling is just super confused. I'm pretty sure there's at least a 10 point window in which I could score and be able to justify it with the test.

Regardless, i'm super excited to find out
 
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like ive said before, im banking on a nice curve and some good educated guessing to do well on this. otherwise it will be ugly.
 
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Walking out of the exam, I remember telling my boyfriend that I probably scored right around my average of 34. I felt good about every section, even the bio - except for one passage that I wasted like 15 minutes on (this lead to me having 5 minutes at the end to answer the questions for the before last passage and the last section of discretes - not good!) But to be honest, when I say I "felt good" I mean the difficulty level was about at par with what I was expecting after writing all the AAMC practice tests.

That being said, once I started reading comments in this thread, I began thinking maybe I was overconfident. I really don't remember any content from any passage and I only remember one of the writing prompts. I only have this residual feeling of "it probably went okay" to cling to haha!

37+: There is a God (and he must love me)
35-36: It could happen... right?
32-34: What I expected post-test
30-31: What I expect after reading this thread
28-29: Pisssssssssssssssss f***. Retake?
<27: There is a God (I knew I shoulda gone to Church on Xmas)
 
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Trust me guys... as a fourth timer (lol) :laugh: I am telling you; you never know how you did on this test, however the average of your aamc practice tests (if you have taken them like the real MCAT) is the best indicator. So my best advice is to keep calm, have fun, couple of beers maybe; till 18th around 2-5 pm.
Best of wishes everyone. I hope all of you get what you deserve :luck::luck::luck:
 
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Am I the only one who is not prepared to find out what fate has in store at approximately 3:15 pm EST tomorrow?

AAMC could postpone our release date for another 30 days and I'd be totally fine with that.
 
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I took the mcat on the 16th of August, too. Do any of you guys know if the exam is the same across different countries? I assume all of you took it in the US. I sat for mine at 1pm.

Waiting is gonna kill me!
 
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Braindamage said:
I took the mcat on the 16th of August, too. Do any of you guys know if the exam is the same across different countries? I assume all of you took it in the US. I sat for mine at 1pm.

Waiting is gonna kill me!
Click to expand...

I took mine in Toronto, and from the forum posts, it sounds like it was the same exam.
 
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Any last minute predictions?

As the days went by, I kept feeling like my score is worse and worse.. sigh
 
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After having this in the back of my mind, I'm predicting 8, 9, 10. PS, VR and BS respectively. That's after a TPR course,much personal studying and avg of 31 on practice tests.

I could possibly get a 9, 10, 10 if I got lucky
 
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My score depends on Verbal Reasoning which I suck at, I always get 10+ on PS and BS, but on Verbal... I can even get a 1! Verbal reasoning is not a fair game, I have been speaking English for only 5 years and I am pleased with my progress. And this time I retook the freaking MCAT for the 4th time (1 time voided) just because of my low Verbal score. Hell no, if this time I don't get a good score I am out.
 
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The tension is killing me. Like everyone else has noted, the PS was quite easy compared to the practice exams, the VR seemed very long and rushed but I think was ok, and the BR had that one really hard passage. The more I think about it, the lower my projected score gets! I seriously think I could have gotten anywhere between a 25 and a 33, though with my average practice exam being around a 30 I would expect high 20s.
 
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I am SO thankful and grateful to God!! I got a 32Q (10PS/12VR/10BS), the EXACT score I wanted...even the writing sample score!!!!!! SOO glad i'm done!!!!!!:)

Edit: AAMC Average ~28-29
 
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Today's the day friendos, time of reckoning!

AAMC Average: 39
AAMC 11: 43

MCAT: 40R
PS: 15
VR: 12
BS: 13

The MCAT ain't even a thang. Baby science.
 
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Took some TBR FL's (29-34) and only one AAMC FL (#11) 2 days before: 31 (10,11,10)

Actual: 31Q (10,11,10)

Wondering if I should retake it.
 
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Hey guys I know a lot of you out there are similar to myself. I went into my first MCAT and performed poorly. I thought I was prepared and I wasn't. Just earlier this year (April) I got 26Q. Needless to say I was severely disappointed. There are people out there who just do well on this exam with little preparation. I am not one of them. This time around I got a 34R. It didn't come without a lot of time and effort, but if your score is lower than you hoped and you are feeling discouraged, don't. It can be done.
 
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I'm soy scared to look! I don't have very high hopes for this sucker... Waiting to sit down and take a few shots. Then I'll check haha.
 
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Score: 30M 11/10/9

Last time I took it-
5/7/11 MCAT: 26L 10/8/8

YAY I got a 30, my target score! :D

English isn't my first language and i'm terrible at standardized testing so this score makes me happy :D I thought I bombed verbal and was hoping for at least at 7! Hope everyone out there got what they wanted!

Due to cash flow problems, I was only able to take 1 AAMC practice test (#4) and got a 24 about 3 weeks before the test. In those three weeks I did a lot of practice problems and review from Examkrackers 1001/101 series and the official guide to the MCAT.
 
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30 O. 11PS, 9VR, 10BS

Physical Sciences - I was averaging anywhere between 10 - 12 on the AAMC practices. But during this section, I started choking, and ended up spending like 15 min on this one discreet question. I had like 6 minutes remaining on the last two passages and basically guessed on the remaining questions. Came out of that section thinking that I got a 9, and maybe a 10 if I was lucky. After scrolling through this thread though, and seeing how everyone talk about how SIMPLE it was, I was pretty sure that I got screwed by a nasty curve, and got a 7 or 8. So, I'm pretty happy with my 11.

Verbal Reasoning - I was averaging between 9 - 11 on this section. Came out of the section thinking I got a 9. So no surprises here.

Biological Sciences - I was averaging 10 - 11 on this section. Came out the section thinking that I got a 10, or an 11 if I'm lucky. But after reading through this thread, and seeing how everyone was talking about how KILLER it was, I thought I was going to benefit from a generous curve. So I was expecting a 12 or 13. So I'm pretty surprised by my 10.

Bottom Line - Avoid SDN. Trust your instincts.
 
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PS: 13 -Thought this section was much easier than practice AAMC's, a couple of them did trip me up though.
VR: 10 -Always got below a 10 on this section with the AAMC's, very very very surprised I came out with this score.
BS: 10 -Much tougher than the AAMC's, was pretty worried about it but came out ok.
Writing: Q -Did like 2 practice essays, I am terrible at writing.

I was really worried about my score but in the end it all worked out. Glad to get this over with and can now enjoy next summer.
 
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