MCaT writing sample miracle

[tendiw]

So I wrote the September 2nd MCAT. During the writing sample, I failed to actually finish..I was cut off by the timer at the start of my last paragraph. I then butchered the second one. I expected an M but ended up with an R...without finishing the essay.My mind is BLOWN.

Are there any other people who got this lucky? I'm suspecting they drop your worst essay or something similar.

And to those who know me and want to know my score...15PS, 12VR, 15BS.
Expected a 40M

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[vin5cent0]

So I wrote the September 2nd MCAT. During the writing sample, I failed to actually finish..I was cut off by the timer at the start of my last paragraph. I then butchered the second one. I expected an M but ended up with an R...without finishing the essay.My mind is BLOWN.

Are there any other people who got this lucky? I'm suspecting they drop your worst essay or something similar.

And to those who know me and want to know my score...15PS, 12VR, 15BS.
Expected a 40M

If you say so

 

[SH3]

I compiled my resources for this section starting about 2 weeks before my MCAT date and walked away with an S. I got pretty lucky because the examples I prepared fit my prompts pretty well.

 

[Morsetlis]

If you have a 12 in VR, you could close your eyes and write about Queen Elizabeth and still get an acceptable writing sample.

 

[stolen_biscuit]

If you have a 12 in VR, you could close your eyes and write about Queen Elizabeth and still get an acceptable writing sample.

Not so much. I didn't get a 12, but I got an 11 in VR...and an M. Very disappointing as I finished with what I thought was a coherent essay. My Kaplan instructor had been grading my essays at 5-6, so I was floored.

 

[Morsetlis]

You know that it's not entirely subjective, right? There's a "Kaplan formula" that worked pretty well for my 36T. I wasn't particularly bright, inspired, or poetic. I certainly ramble on in real essays and never managed to convince anybody except my high school debate team friends. However, what I did do was:

-Memorized a few historical, literary, and contemporary examples that are flexible enough to apply to many topics

-Used a three-paragraph (and no longer!) structure of thesis, antithesis, and reconciliation

-Spent two minutes pre-drafting my ideas in flowchart form before writing/typing them out

-Maintained clarity of purpose and a flow of topic sentence -> arguments -> supporting evidence

-Saved the big words until the end

Instant T. Especially if you managed to precisely quote Mark Twain or Immanuel Kant.

 

[Code Blah]

Haha, I almost had the same experience. I got a 42O, same distribution, but with O instead of R. I was totally expecting a K or L, because I didn't finish my first essay, (I was half way done with the conclusion when timer ran out), and almost at the end of the 2nd essay I realized I wrote supporting points instead of one supporting and one not supporting. I spent my last 3 minutes on the essay rewriting my second paragraph using Homer Simpson as an example because it was the first thing that came to my head.

 

[Morsetlis]

Haha, I almost had the same experience. I got a 42O, same distribution, but with O instead of R. I was totally expecting a K or L, because I didn't finish my first essay, (I was half way done with the conclusion when timer ran out), and almost at the end of the 2nd essay I realized I wrote supporting points instead of one supporting and one not supporting. I spent my last 3 minutes on the essay rewriting my second paragraph using Homer Simpson as an example because it was the first thing that came to my head.

And if the writing sample mattered more I would feel vindicated

Too bad nobody gives a crap about it.

 

[crystal87]

And if the writing sample mattered more I would feel vindicated

Too bad nobody gives a crap about it.

Is this really true? I mean, sure if you got like an O or anything above that's fine, but I just got a 38M...wtf, talk about mixed emotions. first , then .

The M effectively put a damper on my celebration...
would this change my medschool prospects in any way? Or should I just shudup about it, cause a 38 is far better than what I expected.

 

[stolen_biscuit]

You know that it's not entirely subjective, right? There's a "Kaplan formula" that worked pretty well for my 36T. I wasn't particularly bright, inspired, or poetic. I certainly ramble on in real essays and never managed to convince anybody except my high school debate team friends. However, what I did do was:

-Memorized a few historical, literary, and contemporary examples that are flexible enough to apply to many topics

-Used a three-paragraph (and no longer!) structure of thesis, antithesis, and reconciliation

-Spent two minutes pre-drafting my ideas in flowchart form before writing/typing them out

-Maintained clarity of purpose and a flow of topic sentence -> arguments -> supporting evidence

-Saved the big words until the end

Instant T. Especially if you managed to precisely quote Mark Twain or Immanuel Kant.

Seriously, I did all this, from my Kaplan course. She was grading me at 5's and 6's. I followed the exact same formula but must have sounded completely illiterate. I don't know.

Whatever. I'm glad nobody gives a crap.