Need Advice

[shorty]

---

Members don't see this ad.

hey ya'll med student wannabes,
My name is fatma and I am a pre-med student at NYU, a freshman there this fall. From the posts I can tell ya'll be stressin' about the MCAT. I want to know if it is in fact a hard test to write? Please give feed back on the actual writing of the test. My best friend wrote it in April and she was sick for days after writing it. Is it really that bad????
If anyone from NYU or other pre-med/med students in NYC are reading this email me at [email protected]

 

[GeoLeoX]

There is only one writing section (the rest is multiple choice) consisting of two essay questions. Each section begins with a phrase which you are to interpret. For example, "Technology improves the quality of life". (For real examples look in the MCAT registration materials, as a matter of fact there is a list of all the possible topics - each test chooses two from the list). You have to then write a coherent essay. There are a number of techniques to write the essay. I took the Kaplan formula and reworked it a little so that my essays didn't look like everyone else's who used the Kaplan formula. For more about the Kaplan way, look in one of their prep books (the book can even be a few, but not more than 5, years old).

Hope this helps,

Geo

 

[doctor_sig]

Fatma, Shorty, whoever you are...

The MCAT is a very tough test. As a freshman, you have a chance to do very well on it IF you have good study habits now or can develop them between now and your junior year. Having just taken the test and done pretty well, here are the things I did or wish I'd done.

1) Keep ALL your course work from your science classes, including notes, quizzes, tests, and labs. Put it all in a file and keep it with you through college. This will make review easier and will help other students you befriend as you go through school.

2) START STUDYING EARLY. Go get an MCAT review book (Kaplan, Columbia were my faves) towards the middle of your second year. Read the strategy guides, and if you have time, look at the content review. The most difficult and important thing about the MCAT is the type of questions they ask. Be familiar with the passage/question format and you'll be very well prepped for the test.

3) Organize some type of review course the semester of the test (if you take the Apirl test). At my college, a group of 10 pre-meds arranged to have some of our professors come in and review us for 11 weeks prior to the test. We all gave up a semester's worth of Saturdays (and therefore, Friday nights) to get ready. If you're still serious about med school at this point, the sacrifice will be worth it. We took two practice tests (before and after our review) and had a professor from each subject review us on importnat stuff. We also had an English prof come in and give us a hand with the writing section. But the importnat thing about this was we made a committment to each other to be there every Saturday. when you schedule the studying, it's a lot more likely to get done. There's no such thing as being too prepared for this sucker.
4) It's not that bad if you're ready. It's horrible if you're not. So be ready.

Hope this helps, and I'm sure you'll get more feedback.



------------------
Dr. Sig
*disclaimer* All opinions are worth
what you paid for them.

 

[SuperflyMD]

Shorty,

Would you happen to be from Canada? The only people I know who use the phrase "write the test" like I use "take the test" are Canadians. It's not relevant, I'm just curious.

If my guess is correct, this is also a good example to all the future doctors here about being sure you understand what you're patient is asking you before rattling off an answer (A lesson I may even learn someday).

Stephens1

 

[shorty]

Got another question
Where do you write the test? University you are attending? Is there a MCAT headquarters to write it? I just wanna know what type of environment this test is taken in.

Thank you all for the advice it is appreciated.
And for the person that was curious, I AM CANADIAN but grew up in Jersey.

 

[tristate]

When you register for the test, the bulletin will give you different testing center options. Usually, the testing centers are universities within the area. In some cases (depending on available seating), you school might be a testing center.

------------------
And the blessings just keep coming!

 

[Sdonnenwerth]

Shorty,
I don't know if it's just because I go to a state med school or what but if you're a freshman and you're already this worried about a test two years from now, perhaps you should enroll in "Relaxation Techniques 101" Have fun, go visit another country, take some philosophy classes. The I studied three days for the MCAT and scored a 31 so don't worry about it. It will take care of itself.

 

[deziballer]

Fatma, since your'e a freshman i really dont reccomend you buy any prep books or stress too hard about the test...yet. Right now you need to make sure you do everything you can (within the honor code) to keep your grades high, while at the same time trying to really understand the concepts you learn in your science classes, since the MCAT is a very concept oriented test. When the time comes, try to spend a couple of months before the MCAT rigorously preparing for it, by either buying a good review book and practice tests or taking a class if you have the time and the money.
Oh, and make sure you have a blast in college while your'e at it.