How not to get a good MCAT score

[BABSstudent]

I can't believe what I read in this story.

http://washingtonpost.com/local/crime/aspiring-medical-student-to-be-sentenced-in-mcat-hacking-case/2013/12/12/3e5e012a-6278-11e3-aa81-e1dab1360323_story.html

I mean, wouldn't it be easier to just study for the MCAT than to attempt to hack the site to improve your score?

 

[cookiemonsters]

This is the part you all came to read:

"All the while, Shim, whose parents are both doctors, struggled to earn an MCAT score to his liking. He took the test seven times between March 2009 and July 2012 and chose to receive only two scores: a 22 and a 25."

 

[Espadaleader]

Wow. This guy was a summer student at NIH this year.

 

[Nena01]

Took the MCAT seven times within a 3 year period?

Instead of paying thousands to create false transcripts and paying hackers, he could have spent that money on a Kaplan/TPR course.

 

[nemo123]

Looks like he should have spent his time studying instead of hacking AAMC. Maybe that's why he didn't do well on the MCAT.

 

[itsthat1guy]

If be desperate too if I took it seven times and got a high of 25. Dude's obviously lazy though if he thought he could pull some black hat ish after "studying computer hacking for a MONTH"

 

[BABSstudent]

SDN prepare yourself for a post 10 months from now asking for advice to get into medical school with a minor infraction for computer problems. But don't worry, he will have great ECs, LOR from the president and a perfect GPA.

 

[Laufcra]

Just pursue a different career lol, there are lots of meaningful things you can do with your life. I would have given up after 3 attempts I could only get a 25! What the heck guy?

 

[Espadaleader]

He spent $6000 to pay hackers? You couldn't use that money to prep better?

 

[T3ckFr3s]

This is hilarious, thanks for sharing!

 

[V5RED]

This person probably needs some mental therapy. If not for the desperation and anxiety, then surely for the likely depression when it sets in that he will never get accepted to a medical school with these things on his record.

 

[Sassafrass23]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/06/02/136852894/canadian-men-allegedly-used-hidden-camera-to-cheat-on-med-school-exam

I remember this from a few years ago.

 

[masaraksh]

America is messed up.

- they are arguing for 10 months of PRISON for this guy
.... while a 16 year old is getting off with PROBATION for drunk driving and killing 4 people (google "affluenza").


RAGE!

 

[nexusofavalon]

I think med schools should still consider him. Who else can boast of a 5.6 cGPA and a 56 MCAT?

 

[CarlosDanger]

awesome.

"chose to receive only two scores: a 22 and a 25. Possible scores on the test range from 3 to 45." When you put it that way, even if he had scored about a 30, people would have still thought it was crappy.

 

[amazing tekkers]

He could've paid someone to take the test for him.

 

[amazing tekkers]

America is messed up.

- they are arguing for 10 months of PRISON for this guy
.... while a 16 year old is getting off with PROBATION for drunk driving and killing 4 people (google "affluenza").


RAGE!

Yeah I read about that too. Both are rich as well yet the defense seems better for the white guy than the asian guy..hmm

 

[touchpause13]

awesome.

"chose to receive only two scores: a 22 and a 25. Possible scores on the test range from 3 to 45." When you put it that way, even if he had scored about a 30, people would have still thought it was crappy.

They should have put percentiles instead.

 

[circulus vitios]

He could've paid someone to take the test for him.

I can't remember: does Prometric use face recognition software? I know they do fingerprint stuff, so he would need to create fingerprint masks for his accomplice.

 

[masaraksh]

I can't remember: does Prometric use face recognition software? I know they do fingerprint stuff, so he would need to create fingerprint masks for his accomplice.

in b4 'asians look the same'

but seriously, who does this?! hack the AAMC computers :O

 

[CarlosDanger]

I can't remember: does Prometric use face recognition software? I know they do fingerprint stuff, so he would need to create fingerprint masks for his accomplice.

Yeah, his face and fingerprints would be in the system already because of his previous tests. I think you could get away with paying someone only if you weren't in the system yet. You'd also have to make a fake photo ID or use your twin's ID.

 

[kyamh]

I can't remember: does Prometric use face recognition software? I know they do fingerprint stuff, so he would need to create fingerprint masks for his accomplice.

Not sure, but they do take a photo of you, which could be compared to some ID data base. As far as the fingerprints, those are just for between sections so after the initial identification process people don't swap places, I don't think there is any way to know that the fingerprint they scan isn't "mine" if the first time my fingerprints are scanned is at the beginning of the test.

 

[BlueLabel]

Great article, 10/10 would read again

Wow. This guy was a summer student at NIH this year.

Wait, did you meet him there or something? From the tone of your post it kinda sounds like you recognize him, maybe I read too much into it.

 

[SunsFun]

Took the MCAT seven times within a 3 year period?

Instead of paying thousands to create false transcripts and paying hackers, he could have spent that money on a Kaplan/TPR course.

Well for all we know he could have taken those courses and still did poorly. I think that in his rare case the best option is to go Caribbean.

 

[darklabel]

Yeah, his face and fingerprints would be in the system already because of his previous tests. I think you could get away with paying someone only if you weren't in the system yet. You'd also have to make a fake photo ID or use your twin's ID.

I believe that won't work since you take Step 1 there also and I would think that your information is already on the database.

If I had that much money to blow like this guy on hacking and taking computer classes, he could've just done well on his own. I also don't see why he "had" to be a doctor since he seems to be clearly doing it for the wrong reasons. Who in their right mind wants a physician who hacked his way in?

I am happy how it ended though, but 10 months is a bit of a waste of our resources. I am surprised he fooled the NIH though.

 

[CarlosDanger]

I believe that won't work since you take Step 1 there also and I would think that your information is already on the database.

Oh really? Didn't think about step1. In that case theres no way you could get away with it long term.

 

[masaraksh]

SON, WHY YOU NOT DOCTA YET?

 

[Gene Parmesan]

If anyone is looking to reinforce Asian pre-med stereotypes, this article has it all.

 

[touchpause13]

The funny part to me is that he could have applied DO and had a shot. But nah fuq it

 

[Reckoner]

If anyone is looking to reinforce Asian pre-med stereotypes, this article has it all.

Every time I see your username I want to reply with this:

But yeah, this kid is ridiculous.

 

[T3ckFr3s]

I'm still pretty disappointed with the most recent season on Netflix

 

[Reckoner]

Yeah, not having all of the characters together in any episode really hurt it. The later episodes focusing on Tobias and G.O.B. are pretty decent though!

 

[nemo123]

Not sure, but they do take a photo of you, which could be compared to some ID data base. As far as the fingerprints, those are just for between sections so after the initial identification process people don't swap places, I don't think there is any way to know that the fingerprint they scan isn't "mine" if the first time my fingerprints are scanned is at the beginning of the test.

Lol the system couldn't even get any of my fingerprints so prometric gave up, and I went in and out of the test room without having to scan my fingerprint.

 

[kyamh]

Lol the system couldn't even get any of my fingerprints so prometric gave up, and I went in and out of the test room without having to scan my fingerprint.

Uh, I had an AWFUL experience with the scanner. You see, the more sweaty your finger is, the harder it is for the scanner to read it. I was nervous. I had sweaty hands. For about 2 minutes, each time the scan failed I got more nervous (and more sweaty) because my break time was closer and closer to being over.

 

[nemo123]

Uh, I had an AWFUL experience with the scanner. You see, the more sweaty your finger is, the harder it is for the scanner to read it. I was nervous. I had sweaty hands. For about 2 minutes, each time the scan failed I got more nervous (and more sweaty) because my break time was closer and closer to being over.

Yeah, that happened to someone else on my test day. They had to scan themselves back in, but the scanner had a hard time getting a read of their fingerprint and their break time was over. In my head, I was thinking thank goodness I don't have to scan my fingerprint. The secret was washing my hands before signing into prometric as it turned out.

 

[Goro]

I'm going to quote Howard Stern on this one (moderaters please delete if this goes crosses a line)

"He'd better get used to sleeping with large black men, because he's gonna be someone's b****h."

 

[La Presse]

Geez! We have an entire forum dedicated to the MCAT. Why not use that?

 

[Ibn Alnafis MD]

I blame this on VR.

On a more serious note, I feel sorry for this kid. He must have been pressured by his parents to pursue something he has no interest in. Regardless, what he's done is unjustifiable.

 

[KnuxNole]

I can't believe what I read in this story.

http://washingtonpost.com/local/crime/aspiring-medical-student-to-be-sentenced-in-mcat-hacking-case/2013/12/12/3e5e012a-6278-11e3-aa81-e1dab1360323_story.html

I mean, wouldn't it be easier to just study for the MCAT than to attempt to hack the site to improve your score?

That verbal section can cause people to do crazy things :O

 

[The_Bird]

I can't remember: does Prometric use face recognition software? I know they do fingerprint stuff, so he would need to create fingerprint masks for his accomplice.

Is taking the MCAT like something from Gattaca?

 

[touchpause13]

Is taking the MCAT like something from Gattaca?

Hahaha excellent reference. Yes

 

[gettheleadout]

lmao, I love the article's tone:

"Unhappy with his middling scores..."

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

I can't believe what I read in this story.

http://washingtonpost.com/local/crime/aspiring-medical-student-to-be-sentenced-in-mcat-hacking-case/2013/12/12/3e5e012a-6278-11e3-aa81-e1dab1360323_story.html

I mean, wouldn't it be easier to just study for the MCAT than to attempt to hack the site to improve your score?

Affluent Korean strikes again:

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/12/17/student-charged-bomb-threat/#

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/12/17/eldo-kim-threat-profile/?page=1

 

[rolliespring]

Affluent Korean strikes again:

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/12/17/student-charged-bomb-threat/#

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/12/17/eldo-kim-threat-profile/?page=1

 

[weix11]

That guy here also faked his transcript sent to AMCAS and took the MCAT 7 times, scoring 22 and 25.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/aspiring-medical-student-to-be-sen tenced-in-mcat-hacking-case/2013/12/12/3e5e012a-6278-11e3-aa81-e1dab1360323_ story.html

 

[Reckoner]

Silver lining: his "greatest challenge" secondary essay just got way easier to write.

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk

 

[BlueLabel]

Old news

 

[vasca]

Ouch! He should have simply taken a post-bacc to increase his faulty GPA to a 3.2, get a tutor to retake the MCAT to get as good of a score possible and aim for DO. Not with a felony charge and prison sentence with a history of fraud and hacking I doubt even a biomedical company will want to hire him now.

 

[487806]

That guy here also faked his transcript sent to AMCAS and took the MCAT 7 times, scoring 22 and 25.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/aspiring-medical-student-to-be-sen tenced-in-mcat-hacking-case/2013/12/12/3e5e012a-6278-11e3-aa81-e1dab1360323_ story.html

Yeah old news @BABSstudent mentioned it already before. But nonetheless, what a crazy (and extremely rich) dude that guy is.

 

[BABSstudent]

Yeah old news @BABSstudent mentioned it already before. But nonetheless, what a crazy (and extremely rich) dude that guy is.

Thanks for remembering me, @Agent B.

Here's a link to the thread.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/how-not-to-get-a-good-mcat-score.1045435/