Class of 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

[SilentSoldier]

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Bookfreak: I think I'm dizzy from that one. Yes, I will pre-write some, but not until I submit my AMCAS. I'm trying to give myself a little break, so I've been sleeping in hardcore (1pm). When it comes time for secondaries, I will be waking up in the morning with my coffee and Microsoft Word.
.

Just waking up myself around 1:15 pacific time, and it feels good, but that's only because the hospital I volunteer at is actually closed on holidays (weird right?). Its also because I was up til like 4am last night mulling over my practice test and trying to get some Verbal studying done.

😱 OVER CHASE?! girlllll nuh uh. His accent makes me want to move to Australia

Pffft, everyone knows its all about Thirteen 😍

I do the same. I've started to calm down now and have knocked a few of the crazy reach schools off of my list. It makes me sad though...🙁. Maybe I'll keep one or two for funsies.

Being from California practically means keeping all schools for funsies 🙄

Current reach/impossible to get into schools on my list:

Northwestern
UChicago
Columbia
Harvard
Cleveland Clinic
Baylor (OOS)
Johns Hopkins
Univ of Washington

🙁 🙁 Gotta get rid of all but 2 or 3....so sad.

Columbia, Pitt, NYU, and Boston U are currently on my list (not counting the Cali schools) I might be getting some help from the family regarding adding more schools, but I think I'm going to use the extra cash to apply smarter.

Now I'm going to go spend this wonderful Memorial Day at my local Barnes and Noble, MCAT Verbal isn't going to read itself 🙄

 

[SteveJMarist]

Pffft, everyone knows its all about Thirteen 😍

+1 👍

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

I just hope I get once acceptance, I'll be so relieved if that happens early on

 

[SteveJMarist]

I just hope I get once acceptance, I'll be so relieved if that happens early on

Yeaa those October acceptances make a HUGE difference. I really want one too, but I'm being realistic about it.

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

Yeaa those October acceptances make a HUGE difference. I really want one too, but I'm being realistic about it.

I guess early for me would be before Christmas, but honestly I'd be happy with an acceptance anytime!

 

[SteveJMarist]

I guess early for me would be before Christmas, but honestly I'd be happy with an acceptance anytime!

Of course. I'm hoping I get at least 1 out of the 33 I am applying to .

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

I'm jealous of all you guys. I wish I could start making my list of schools. 🙁

why aren't you? I haven't taken the MCAT either, just guestimating 🙄

 

[phnerd1105]

I think it's kind of funny that not a single one of those schools is on my list. We have very different dream school ideas (Obviously, every one of those schools is amazing).

haha that's because I couldn't sell myself on any of the schools you're applying to (except Case)

Northwestern-dream school
UChicago-applying to all IL schools
Columbia-amazing program
Harvard-you can't NOT apply to harvard
Cleveland Clinic-close by
Baylor (OOS)-close to bf
Johns Hopkins-same reasoning as harvard
Univ of Washington-just mind blowingly amazing in primary care (already off list)

Haha schools like vandy, washu, yale, pitt, upenn, umich, stanford never crossed my mind. Like I said though, if by some miracle I get an awesome MCAT score, I'll add more. Everything else is solid (except gpa, which is low-ish)

 

[phnerd1105]

why aren't you? I haven't taken the MCAT either, just guestimating 🙄

Samesies. Now you're making me nervous Frazier. No more dreaming/school lists. Off to more studying!

EDIT: 2000th post for the 2016 thread!!

 

[SilentSoldier]

I just hope I get once acceptance, I'll be so relieved if that happens early on

I would absolutely love an acceptance in November, but like it has been said, any acceptance will do. I would hope it would be before May 15 2012 though, I would hate playing the waitlist game (but its a game I will play if it happens though)



Look at that, top twice in a row 😎

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

haha that's because I couldn't sell myself on any of the schools you're applying to (except Case)

Northwestern-dream school
UChicago-applying to all IL schools
Columbia-amazing program
Harvard-you can't NOT apply to harvard
Cleveland Clinic-close by
Baylor (OOS)-close to bf
Johns Hopkins-same reasoning as harvard
Univ of Washington-just mind blowingly amazing in primary care (already off list)

Haha schools like vandy, washu, yale, pitt, upenn, umich, stanford never crossed my mind. Like I said though, if by some miracle I get an awesome MCAT score, I'll add more. Everything else is solid (except gpa, which is low-ish)

Yea I was going to keep them if I got the 34/35 I was aiming for. Came up a little short so it's time to be realistic. I'd say keep the reach schools on there that are known to seek out unique people. Case, Columbia, and especially Pitt come to mind. I will always recommend applying to Vandy 🙂. I'm keeping Pitt and Columbia since they've always been my two favorites, as well as Northwestern. Looks like we've got a lot of NW lovers here . As far as U of Washington goes, you can apply OOS if you are a disadvantaged applicant, and they will actually give you a serious look. I've always loved UW (considered attending for undergrad), and I'm applying since my MCAT is good for there, and I'm a disadvantaged applicant. Will probably get screened out anyway though.

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

Yea, I hear ya.

I guess it is just too 'up in the air' for me to narrow anything down. My practice scores are a little too variable. Yesterday I got a 32 which would validate a certain range of schools to apply to, then today I got a 35 which would make me revamp "yesterday's list" significantly.

...Then fate will have it that I take the 'real thing' and get a 28, have to drop pretty much all the MD schools, and pick up some DO's.

Blasted 1 month wait time, I'll be in limbo until July.

I highly doubt you'll get below 30 if those are your practice scores. You will probably get around your avg. Could be higher or lower depending on a variety of factors. My friend never broke 32 but got a 35, and I broke mid-30's but got a 32 (my avg was 33ish). I'm positive you'll do fine though. Bring snacks to the test 👍.

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

Yea, I hear ya.

I guess it is just too 'up in the air' for me to narrow anything down. My practice scores are a little too variable. Yesterday I got a 32 which would validate a certain range of schools to apply to, then today I got a 35 which would make me revamp "yesterday's list" significantly.

...Then fate will have it that I take the 'real thing' and get a 28, have to drop pretty much all the MD schools, and pick up some DO's.

Blasted 1 month wait time, I'll be in limbo until July.

dude this is my fear

 

[n3xa]

Yeah, my averages were 31-34.. and wound up with a 28.

So, try not to do that. 😛

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

Side note: that clip in your sig is teeming with lolz. Keep'em coming. 👍

I work very hard on them, thank you for noticing. I will take your opinion into cooperation in the future.

 

[SilentSoldier]

Do you think I can luck out with having averages of 27-28 and then taking the real thing and getting a 35? Like maybe I'll luck out on PS and have no electricity/liquids and solids/ electrochemistry problems and the BS will have no Ochem at all and be front loaded with cell bio/micro bio/immuno/mol bio questions, and the verbal passages will be from Harry Potter 😛


Oh, if only 🙄

 

[capn jazz]

Do you think I can luck out with having averages of 27-28 and then taking the real thing and getting a 35? Like maybe I'll luck out on PS and have no electricity/liquids and solids/ electrochemistry problems and the BS will have no Ochem at all and be front loaded with cell bio/micro bio/immuno/mol bio questions, and the verbal passages will be from Harry Potter 😛


Oh, if only 🙄

people "un"-luck out all the time in the opposite direction! (ie practice averages 2 points higher than their real one)... so maybe there's hope!

 

[phnerd1105]

I believe that recently happened to someone...avg of 28-29 and got a 36. Who knows, anything can happen. More likely to go in the opposite direction though haha like I did

 

[SilentSoldier]

I believe that recently happened to someone...avg of 28-29 and got a 36. Who knows, anything can happen. More likely to go in the opposite direction though haha like I did

Oh man, if there were to happen to me, the world will know of my happiness. Well I should still keep studying and taking practice tests and maybe I won't have to worry about too much about luck, but still use it anyway.

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

Do you think I can luck out with having averages of 27-28 and then taking the real thing and getting a 35? Like maybe I'll luck out on PS and have no electricity/liquids and solids/ electrochemistry problems and the BS will have no Ochem at all and be front loaded with cell bio/micro bio/immuno/mol bio questions, and the verbal passages will be from Harry Potter 😛


Oh, if only 🙄

Is it just the physics giving you trouble (other scores at 10?)? I'm crap in physics and gen chem, but I used BR books and hit a ten. It was actually the only section where I hit my goal. I know people that have scored higher than their practices. Not a 7 point jump, but I know someone that went from 31 on prep to 35 on the real thing.

Yeah, my averages were 31-34.. and wound up with a 28.

So, try not to do that. 😛

Are you taking it again? Those practice scores are solid. I'm positive you can hit 30 at least.

 

[n3xa]

I'm going to try my hand this cycle. If I get rejected from all 36 schools (and I'm including DO), I will move back to CA, get a job, and prepare my angus for a 3rd MCAT.

I'm just wary that my verbal score would go back down to "no way in hell an allo school will look at you" again. It's the only pimple in my application.

 

[phnerd1105]

the BS will have no Ochem at all and be front loaded with cell bio/micro bio/immuno/mol bio questions

Oh, if only 🙄

My whole BS section had one super easy ochem passage, and was all cell bio, biochem and immuno 🙂 Sad I only hit a 10.

Is it just the physics giving you trouble (other scores at 10?)? I'm crap in physics and gen chem, but I used BR books and hit a ten. It was actually the only section where I hit my goal. I know people that have scored higher than their practices. Not a 7 point jump, but I know someone that went from 31 on prep to 35 on the real thing.

I got phys and gchem from TBR this time around. Did you just read and do all the passages from them? I would love to hit a 10 on this section.

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

I got phys and gchem from TBR this time around. Did you just read and do all the passages from them? I would love to hit a 10 on this section.

Honestly I would feel foolish to be dispensing out advice on my weakest section. But, yes, I just read each chapter and did all of the problems as I went along. After I got through all of the material I repeated the chapters that were giving me trouble (Fluids, Waves, Mechanics, Optics, and E & M. If you can't tell, I took the MCAT as I was taking first semester physics lol). I used EK 1001 for bio, and it was great. I was killing BS sections towards the end, which is why I was upset with an otherwise good score.

Edit: 2016th post. Thanks for the heads-up Bookfreak!

 

[nadaba]

Honestly I would feel foolish to be dispensing out advice on my weakest section. But, yes, I just read each chapter and did all of the problems as I went along. After I got through all of the material I repeated the chapters that were giving me trouble (Fluids, Waves, Mechanics, Optics, and E & M. If you can't tell, I took the MCAT as I was taking first semester physics lol). I used EK 1001 for bio, and it was great. I was killing BS sections towards the end, which is why I was upset with an otherwise good score.

x2. Loved that book.

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

this 700 word limit is driving me insane

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

x2. Loved that book.

Your stats make my soul sad. *Insert Reh Dogg "Why Must I Cry?" YouTube video*

this 700 word limit is driving me insane

Ditto. I really wanted to talk in depth about my research, but it's not one of my most meaningful experiences. I'm having a lot of trouble writing a nice description with such a short limit.

 

[phnerd1105]

Thanks Vandy! You clearly overcame your weakness, which is awesome!

Dang this thread is getting some serious attention!

this 700 word limit is driving me insane

Isn't it 700 characters? Haha 700 words is just at tad under the length of my PS

 

[SilentSoldier]

Is it just the physics giving you trouble (other scores at 10?)? I'm crap in physics and gen chem, but I used BR books and hit a ten. It was actually the only section where I hit my goal. I know people that have scored higher than their practices. Not a 7 point jump, but I know someone that went from 31 on prep to 35 on the real thing.



Are you taking it again? Those practice scores are solid. I'm positive you can hit 30 at least.

The physics is giving me the most trouble, more specifically light/waves/optics and electricity and magnetism. They tend to pop up a lot on stand alone questions, but usually I'll get a nasty E and M passage and just guess on it. I never finish the section in time either so I'm always left guessing on at least one passage. I'm sure if I can get the content down, I'll manage (and its getting there, my first score on a practice test back in Oct for both BS and PS were 5s )

On a more positive note, I'm averaging Qs on my WS (every positive bit helps 😀 )

I think I might be adding some formal SMPs to my list just in case (there's about 4-5 that I'll still be able to apply to before my score comes in)

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

Thanks Vandy! You clearly overcame your weakness, which is awesome!

Dang this thread is getting some serious attention!




Isn't it 700 characters? Haha 700 words is just at tad under the length of my PS

hah yeah that's what I meant, it sucksssssss....I'm really big on writing elaborate descriptions

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

The physics is giving me the most trouble, more specifically light/waves/optics and electricity and magnetism. They tend to pop up a lot on stand alone questions, but usually I'll get a nasty E and M passage and just guess on it. I never finish the section in time either so I'm always left guessing on at least one passage. I'm sure if I can get the content down, I'll manage (and its getting there, my first score on a practice test back in Oct for both BS and PS were 5s )

I think I might be adding some formal SMPs to my list just in case (there's about 4-5 that I'll still be able to apply to before my score comes in)

what bothers you with E and M? have you checked out mcat-review.org?

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

The physics is giving me the most trouble, more specifically light/waves/optics and electricity and magnetism. They tend to pop up a lot on stand alone questions, but usually I'll get a nasty E and M passage and just guess on it. I never finish the section in time either so I'm always left guessing on at least one passage. I'm sure if I can get the content down, I'll manage (and its getting there, my first score on a practice test back in Oct for both BS and PS were 5s )

On a more positive note, I'm averaging Qs on my WS (every positive bit helps 😀 )

I think I might be adding some formal SMPs to my list just in case (there's about 4-5 that I'll still be able to apply to before my score comes in)

Hmmm OK. Yea, I'll do the SMP thing come next spring if I'm not having any luck. I think I'm a good fit for those stat-wise. Seems like a rough way to go though.

Definitely review the content once (twice is better IMO) all the way, and then get passage practice problems. Stand alone questions don't count for that much of the test, and can be solved with memorization of equations or knowing random biology facts. If you can get comfortable with the information I think passage practice is the most useful.

 

[SilentSoldier]

what bothers you with E and M? have you checked out mcat-review.org?

Just the insane amount of problems/equations that need to be memorized. I've finally got all the stuff down for mechanics (especially particularly difficult stuff like momentum and torque) and then I have a whole slew of crap that I need to know.

There's circuit diagrams, charged plates, electric fields, magnetic fields, electric force, magnetic force, voltage, capacitance, resistance, and current. Not to mention how the MCAT loves to combine them with other areas and give you insane experiments to draw the conclusions from. Its enough to make me go ......


But I'll get there, I have to, and I will 🙂

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

Nadaba, I hope I didn't scare you into anonymity .

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

Just the insane amount of problems/equations that need to be memorized. I've finally got all the stuff down for mechanics (especially particularly difficult stuff like momentum and torque) and then I have a whole slew of crap that I need to know.

There's circuit diagrams, charged plates, electric fields, magnetic fields, electric force, magnetic force, voltage, capacitance, resistance, and current. Not to mention how the MCAT loves to combine them with other areas and give you insane experiments to draw the conclusions from. Its enough to make me go ......


But I'll get there, I have to, and I will 🙂

breakdown and review daily, use that mcat-review.org pages...they are good at dissecting to the point. and what VandyPremed said review content TWICE. That's what I'm doing I read the chapter once and take sloppy-ish notes, take a passage or two. Then I come back two days later, make a notes page of all the stuff I wrote down neatly, skim through the chapter and do some more passages...maybe this might help, though everyone is different.

 

[nadaba]

Nadaba, I hope I didn't scare you into anonymity .

HA... I realized that too many people have been saying that lately. Thought I'd be stealth about it.

 

[SilentSoldier]

breakdown and review daily, use that mcat-review.org pages...they are good at dissecting to the point. and what VandyPremed said review content TWICE. That's what I'm doing I read the chapter once and take sloppy-ish notes, take a passage or two. Then I come back two days later, make a notes page of all the stuff I wrote down neatly, skim through the chapter and do some more passages...maybe this might help, though everyone is different.

I'll look into that mcat-review.org stuff, hoping it can change things around in 3 weeks.

 

[bookfreak89]

You guys moved quickly while I was gone. Now, time to go back and read.

Someone stole the 2016th post. Boo.

 

[theWUbear]

sup 2016. it's been a while, got some disheartening news from a couple schools (jeff, rwj said my GPA's too low for consideration). My school list has been trimmed from 36 to 1, doing EDP now. 25 hours until june 1st!

 

[n3xa]

sup 2016. it's been a while, got some disheartening news from a couple schools (jeff, rwj said my GPA's too low for consideration). My school list has been trimmed from 36 to 1, doing EDP now. 25 hours until june 1st!

🙂

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

sup 2016. it's been a while, got some disheartening news from a couple schools (jeff, rwj said my GPA's too low for consideration). My school list has been trimmed from 36 to 1, doing EDP now. 25 hours until june 1st!

good luck, everything happens for a reason

 

[phnerd1105]

sup 2016. it's been a while, got some disheartening news from a couple schools (jeff, rwj said my GPA's too low for consideration). My school list has been trimmed from 36 to 1, doing EDP now. 25 hours until june 1st!

I agree, everything DOES happen for a reason. Just watch, you'll get into med school before any of us do 🙂 Good luck!

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

anyone ever figure out why aerospace engineering girl got banned?

 

[SteveJMarist]

Just my .02: Keeping up with this thread is like a part-time job . Entertaining though!

Yeah, my averages were 31-34.. and wound up with a 28.

So, try not to do that. 😛

For what it's worth, I averaged a 31 and got a 31. Unfortunately for some, their scores don't always match their solid aamcs.

Do you think I can luck out with having averages of 27-28 and then taking the real thing and getting a 35? Like maybe I'll luck out on PS and have no electricity/liquids and solids/ electrochemistry problems and the BS will have no Ochem at all and be front loaded with cell bio/micro bio/immuno/mol bio questions, and the verbal passages will be from Harry Potter 😛


Oh, if only 🙄

It's certainly possible to score a few pts. above your average, but I would only take the exam if you are positive that you are as prepared as you can be. That story that phnerd was talking about about that guy that scored 28-29 on AAMCs and ended up with a 36 came out of the same group of testers as me (4/16). I think that had to have been some kind of fluke, but I think that a 2-3 pt. jump is definitely reasonable.

 

[SteveJMarist]

sup 2016. it's been a while, got some disheartening news from a couple schools (jeff, rwj said my GPA's too low for consideration). My school list has been trimmed from 36 to 1, doing EDP now. 25 hours until june 1st!

Sorry to hear that. I'm sure that your hard work will pay off either way.

Also, I can't wait to click that submit button in less than two days!

 

[nadaba]

Also, I can't wait to click that submit button in less than two days!

Yaaay... I have a feeling it's going to be kind of a let down, though. Press submit, then wait for another 3 weeks. 🙂

 

[theWUbear]

Thanks for the well wishes guys 🙂

Any of you pressing submit without LOR's in? I feel weird doing it and am a little confused if everything will work out ok, though without being explained how this works further I have been reassured that this is an ok course of action

 

[Slev]

The physics is giving me the most trouble, more specifically light/waves/optics and electricity and magnetism. They tend to pop up a lot on stand alone questions, but usually I'll get a nasty E and M passage and just guess on it. I never finish the section in time either so I'm always left guessing on at least one passage. I'm sure if I can get the content down, I'll manage (and its getting there, my first score on a practice test back in Oct for both BS and PS were 5s )

You might check out khanacademy.org for physics sections that are giving you trouble. I read the light/waves/optics section in BR a ton of times and it never seemed to stick. I watched the videos on khanacademy and it made a lot more sense. I still don't have any of the formulas memorized for optics, but I can usually draw out a diagram and get it figured out. Haven't missed an optics question yet on practice exams 🙂

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

Someone stole the 2016th post. Boo.

Holy crap it was me. I hadn't even realized. What do I win?

sup 2016. it's been a while, got some disheartening news from a couple schools (jeff, rwj said my GPA's too low for consideration). My school list has been trimmed from 36 to 1, doing EDP now. 25 hours until june 1st!

I'm really sorry to hear that. Your recent record is great and your MCAT solid. A WUSTL degree is no slouch either. GL!

 

[SilentSoldier]

sup 2016. it's been a while, got some disheartening news from a couple schools (jeff, rwj said my GPA's too low for consideration). My school list has been trimmed from 36 to 1, doing EDP now. 25 hours until june 1st!

Now, I don't know the whole deal behind EDP, but I was under the assumption that people apply that if their like really strong candidates and/or they have incredibly close ties to that school/area. I hope it works out for you (seriously, you've put in a lot of work to repair you GPA) but I also hear that if people aren't accepted EDP they apply normally but its already very late (like Oct). Correct me if I'm wrong about this.

Honestly, if I were an in an admissions committee, I'd totally look at all your postbacc work and declare you were smart enough. This whole process sucks to where people who are CLEARLY capable of succeeding in MedSchool are looked over because of a little mistake they made in their past (which you've clearly rectified by your awesome postbacc work).

Get in to Medschool and then tell Jeff and RWJ to suck it 👍

 

[kansaskid]

I hope this doesn't give anyone a headache!

I do the same. I've started to calm down now and have knocked a few of the crazy reach schools off of my list. It makes me sad though...🙁. Maybe I'll keep one or two for funsies.

I took off Harvard and Yale, but couldn't help myself in keeping UChicago, Northwestern, and Baylor. I know it's crazy, but I can't help it!

Pffft, everyone knows its all about Thirteen 😍

Oh man oh man. That is so true. Definitely the hottest one. But House himself is a close second with Chase and Cuddy right behind. Ahhhh I love that show.

Yeah, my averages were 31-34.. and wound up with a 28.

So, try not to do that. 😛

Ugh, me too. I was regularly averaging between 32 and 36 and ended up with 29. Laaame.

Thanks for the well wishes guys 🙂

Any of you pressing submit without LOR's in? I feel weird doing it and am a little confused if everything will work out ok, though without being explained how this works further I have been reassured that this is an ok course of action

Yeah, I'm in the same boat. My committee letter won't be done for who knows how long, but I'm going to submit anyway. I'm pretty sure you can get verified without it.

OMG guys, we can submit TOMORROW! This is totally wild!