Clueless Premed Adviser

[LittleRocker]

So I went in to see my premed adviser today and I was left with the impression that he doesn't really know what he is talking about. I told him that I was planning on taking the MCAT in May so I can apply as early as possible. He said "why?" (as in what's the point of applying early) and told me to take it in August so that I can study all summer. I feel I can be well prepared by May so I don't want to wait that long. He also asked what my ACT score was and said "I think there is a strong correlation between the ACT and MCAT". Now I did well on my ACT so I'm not disgruntled over that, I just think the correlation is little if any. Does this guy even know what he's talking about?

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[jsegalBSD]

take it in april so if u mess up, you can retake mid-may and have your scores before you send in your AMCAS

 

[JStreet11]

I plan on turning in the application on the first day possible; everyone I've talked to has said that being the early bird is definitely the way to go. How are you going to catch a worm if there are none left?

 

[lacesoutdan]

Your advisor has no idea what's going on. Being able to apply in early June will give you a huge advantage over someone who has to wait for their August MCAT score. Take it in May.

Edit: Or in April or whatever...just have a MCAT score by 6/1 so you can apply the first possible day.

 

[LittleRocker]

Your advisor has no idea what's going on. Being able to apply in early June will give you a huge advantage over someone who has to wait for their August MCAT score. Take it in May.

Edit: Or in April or whatever...just have a MCAT score by 6/1 so you can apply the first possible day.

yeah I'm actually leaning towards April now cause of finals. But yeah thats what I knew all along. I'm gonna listen to you guys from now on. forget this bumbling fool

 

[TigerSoup]

Found this on the National Assoc of Advisors for the Health Professions:
Predicting MCAT Examination Scores from the ACT
Beth Dawson-Saunders, Ph.D., Rosalie E.A. Paiva, Ph.D., and Deane R. Doolen, M.A.
Abstract — Acceptable performance on the MCAT examination is necessary for acceptance into medical school; therefore, students planning a career in medicine and their advisors would benefit by being able to predict performance on this examination. The present study examined the validity of the ACT examination as such a predictor, using as subjects 197 undergraduate students at a large Midwestern University. The results indicated that the ACT composite score was strongly related to MCAT performance, although the predictability was enhanced by inclusion of information on the student’s grade point average in science subjects: multiple RS ranged from .57 to .62. Contingency table analysis indicated that 80 percent of applicants who scored 25 or higher on the ACT composite had a score of 8 or higher on the MCAT science problems subtest. Used appropriately, these results can serve to suggest whether a student needs to take remedial course work before taking the MCAT examination.

So the ACT question was probably inspired by that abstract or a similar one.

Do you have high grades in all of your premed coursework? He's probably just concerned about trying to fit both studying for the MCAT and maintaining your GPA until May, and is trying to judge if you've pulled off preparing for big standardized tests in the past.

The worst advice I've ever gotten from a premed advisor was that we should seduce adcoms and administrative people in the admissions office into admitting us with gifts (I think his words were, "You should find out if they like a certain kind of chocolate, and then make sure you send some to them"). This guy still comes and gives presentations at the NIH, and I fear for all those who attend.

 

[PanicAttack]

"You should find out if they like a certain kind of chocolate, and then make sure you send some to them").

No wonder I still haven't gotten accepted.

Also, make sure you pass them a note during study hall that says "Do you like me? [ ]Yes [ ]No"

Seriously, though. My pre-med advisor gave me some good advice, but it seems like many of them are clueless.

 

[Crixivan]

Your advisor is indeed clueless. Do you have a premedical committee at your school? Interviews for committee letters in my experience have taken place during the spring prior to the year of desired application.

 

[LittleRocker]

Interesting article. Ok well maybe the ACT comparison isn't as bad as I made it out to be. And yeah I have good grades, and i'm taking my toughest semester yet right now (orgo 2 + lab, physics 2 + lab, mam physiology, molecular bio) but he didn't even bother to ask what I was taking so I don't think that was his concern.

 

[medisaur]

my pre-med advisor is a bitter little asian man who never got into medical school and now discourages everyone else. i left my first meeting with him crying because he implied that dropping orgo II would screw me over completely. and now i'm seven months from matriculating. take that, kwong!

and yes, your advisor is dumb. don't ask them, you have all the advice you could ever need on SDN.

 

[pedro4199]

Dont wait until August, but dont take the MCAT unless you know you are ready. The AAMC even advises against taking it unless you are prepared.

Dont waste your money... just do a good job the first and only time you take it. Besides, the MCAT isnt something you will want to have to take a second time...

 

[coldweatherblue]

1. You should try to apply early, but more importantly you should do everything you can to be successful on the MCAT. I took the August exam because I hadn't taken bio or g.chem for five years and I was a non-science major so I needed some serious study-time. My application was hurt by being late, but everything still worked out in the end.

2. ACT equaled MCAT in my case. I didn't study at all for the ACT and I studied my butt off for the MCAT, but the scores were the same. Adjusted for standard deviations my ACT was much better but I think that is because the MCAT has a higher standard of test takers to begin with. I think it is an interesting correlation and definitely is at least slightly indicative of where you stand on the universal bell-curve of intelligence/test-taking ability.