For those of you that are considering something...violent.

[mj1878]

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It is very difficult to know how you did on this exam right after you took it. Think about how much pressure you've been putting on yourselves for months on end, thinking about this exam and little else, thinking that if you do badly, your dreams are forfeit. Then, eight hours later, you sit back and take stock of your performance/lives and expect to be correct in your assumptions.

1)You probably did better than you think you did.
2)Please don't crack the books tomorrow or next week or next MONTH and start freaking out about the August administration. You might surprise yourself with your score, and then you've wasted another summer worrying about something you had little business worrying about.
3)EVERYONE'S test was hard. The MCAT didn't have it out for you. Because you think a test form was difficult is a testament to your arrogance--it's not out of control; those who can't control their egos always think that the test was easy.
4)Congratulate yourself. You've made it a lot farther than many premeds who boasted to their friends and their friends' parents that they were "premed", and then proceeded to drop it after facing Gen Chem II or Organic. You've just taken arguably the hardest entrance exam for any professional school anywhere on the planet. Of COURSE it seemed hard.
5)Take it easy. Now is not the time to obscess about the exam. Time to polish up that personal statement, but some big manila mailing envelopes, prod your recommendation writers to start writing your letters, and get your transcripts ready to be mailed to AACOMAS. They will open up the service for online apps to be filled out next month. Make sure yours is first.
6)The best revenge for an average/mediocre MCAT is a REALLY early application. Be first in line. Mail out the secondaries the DAY you get them. Watch the interviews roll in.
7)Good luck with what I consider to be the hardest part of this process--waiting for your scores, and doing the actual applying.
8)Lather, rinse, repeat.

 

[bubabugster]

It is very difficult to know how you did on this exam right after you took it. Think about how much pressure you've been putting on yourselves for months on end, thinking about this exam and little else, thinking that if you do badly, your dreams are forfeit. Then, eight hours later, you sit back and take stock of your performance/lives and expect to be correct in your assumptions.

1)You probably did better than you think you did.
2)Please don't crack the books tomorrow or next week or next MONTH and start freaking out about the August administration. You might surprise yourself with your score, and then you've wasted another summer worrying about something you had little business worrying about.
3)EVERYONE'S test was hard. The MCAT didn't have it out for you. Because you think a test form was difficult is a testament to your arrogance--it's not out of control; those who can't control their egos always think that the test was easy.
4)Congratulate yourself. You've made it a lot farther than many premeds who boasted to their friends and their friends' parents that they were "premed", and then proceeded to drop it after facing Gen Chem II or Organic. You've just taken arguably the hardest entrance exam for any professional school anywhere on the planet. Of COURSE it seemed hard.
5)Take it easy. Now is not the time to obscess about the exam. Time to polish up that personal statement, but some big manila mailing envelopes, prod your recommendation writers to start writing your letters, and get your transcripts ready to be mailed to AACOMAS. They will open up the service for online apps to be filled out next month. Make sure yours is first.
6)The best revenge for an average/mediocre MCAT is a REALLY early application. Be first in line. Mail out the secondaries the DAY you get them. Watch the interviews roll in.
7)Good luck with what I consider to be the hardest part of this process--waiting for your scores, and doing the actual applying.
8)Lather, rinse, repeat.

Great advice!! Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[Siggy]

[sarcasm] but I swear that the MCAT was after me with those shifty eyes and all [/sarcasm]

Besides, screw the August MCAT. I've got 2 midterms on Monday (honest. The prof even sent out an email about how he couldn't change the date, even though half the class just took an 8 hour test on Saturday...) and a lab report due Tuesday. Studying for the August MCAT can wait till September.

 

[leesh]

It is very difficult to know how you did on this exam right after you took it. Think about how much pressure you've been putting on yourselves for months on end, thinking about this exam and little else, thinking that if you do badly, your dreams are forfeit. Then, eight hours later, you sit back and take stock of your performance/lives and expect to be correct in your assumptions.

1)You probably did better than you think you did.
2)Please don't crack the books tomorrow or next week or next MONTH and start freaking out about the August administration. You might surprise yourself with your score, and then you've wasted another summer worrying about something you had little business worrying about.
3)EVERYONE'S test was hard. The MCAT didn't have it out for you. Because you think a test form was difficult is a testament to your arrogance--it's not out of control; those who can't control their egos always think that the test was easy.
4)Congratulate yourself. You've made it a lot farther than many premeds who boasted to their friends and their friends' parents that they were "premed", and then proceeded to drop it after facing Gen Chem II or Organic. You've just taken arguably the hardest entrance exam for any professional school anywhere on the planet. Of COURSE it seemed hard.
5)Take it easy. Now is not the time to obscess about the exam. Time to polish up that personal statement, but some big manila mailing envelopes, prod your recommendation writers to start writing your letters, and get your transcripts ready to be mailed to AACOMAS. They will open up the service for online apps to be filled out next month. Make sure yours is first.
6)The best revenge for an average/mediocre MCAT is a REALLY early application. Be first in line. Mail out the secondaries the DAY you get them. Watch the interviews roll in.
7)Good luck with what I consider to be the hardest part of this process--waiting for your scores, and doing the actual applying.
8)Lather, rinse, repeat.

Regarding point 5, is it possible to begin writing the personal statement at this point in the process? Isn't there a ps prompt given by the aamc? I guess I'm going by what I know from the college admissions process. Care to elaborate? Oh, and what is the timeline for contacting recommenders? Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[kypdurron5]

Regarding point 5, is it possible to begin writing the personal statement at this point in the process? Isn't there a ps prompt given by the aamc? I guess I'm going by what I know from the college admissions process. Care to elaborate? Oh, and what is the timeline for contacting recommenders? Thanks for the encouragement!

I'll throw in my two cents. No, there is no "writing" prompt for the AMCAS "personal statement". There sometimes is for secondary applications, but not for that one. You should talk about why you want to go to medical school, what shadowing and stuff you've done, what other selfless activities you've done, and maybe explain any major issues that might be prevalent in your application. The timeline is up to you, but consider that the schools must receive them along with the secondaries and will not process your app w/o them. This means they first have to be written, then sent to your pre-med advisor/committee, and then sent on to the school. This takes time. Only ONE of the 3 people I asked got their letters in on time and I gave them more than a month (not a HUGE amount of time, I know). If you already know who....ask now, let your pre-med advisor start to collect them. As long as you use preservatives, they have the shelf-life of plutonium. 😀

 

[Arsenic]

Regarding point 5, is it possible to begin writing the personal statement at this point in the process? Isn't there a ps prompt given by the aamc? I guess I'm going by what I know from the college admissions process. Care to elaborate? Oh, and what is the timeline for contacting recommenders? Thanks for the encouragement!

no prompt, you have total creative freedom in what to include and how to structure your essay.