*Official June 2016 MCAT Thread*

[aalamruad]

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Hey there everyone! Figured I'd start this thread since I recently started preparing for the June 18th MCAT. For those of you who are taking the June 2nd MCAT, June 18th MCAT, or still considering one of those two dates, feel free to post here with any questions, comments, concerns, or support you have to offer!

Good luck to you all! Let's crush it.

 

[MI2015]

NS 1 I got a 512 128 in all sections, AAMC scored FL I got 515 but can't remember what the distribution was right now. I do think the curve is more lenient on the NS test because they realized people were doing a lot better on the real thing so they adjusted the scale. So your score might surprise you! I don't remember what correct equaled a 128 but I'm pretty sure it was more lenient than AAMC.

I feel NS1 isn't that much like AAMC in the fact that it doesn't have as much interpretation. Most of the questions were fact based and if you knew the background information you could answer them. There weren't that many "interpret the chart" or " if the researcher did this how would the result change". Oh well, at least i'm getting good practice!

 

[Hospitalized]

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THIS HAPPENED. I honestly thought I BOMBED C/P (didn't finish the last 6 questions) and I wasn't able to finish the last 5 questions of CARS either lol. I'm ecstatic.

AAMC Unscored: 84%/81%/78%/84% --> 82% --> 510 (Yes, I rounded up from 509.6 to 510)

If I score this on the real exam I will be the happiest man alive.

Hell yeah!!! Congrats!!!

 

[sleepyhead22]

In case anyone needs a laugh..... This video autoplayed after glycolysis song video.... I feel kind of bad for laughing so hard at these guys.

 

[pewpew95]

I tell people all the time, I will do finals week over this test anyday ! Finals is NOTHING compared to the level of material needed for this exam. Lol

Exactly! Also, if you don't get a great score in one class, that's just one class...but this basically determines your entire career outlook jfc

 

[almcdon412]

I'm getting frustrated trying to understand SDS-Page. Maybe someone can help me out. Under non-reducing conditions, how many bands and what kDa is that band that will show up for say a homotrimer comprised of 25 kDa monomers? What about with reducing conditions?

Is it that in nonreducing, homotrimers will run as monomers but those with disulfide bonds will not run as monomers because they don't get reduced? And for reducing conditions, homotrimers and those with disulfide bonds all get reduced so they all run as monomers? I'm so confused. Lol

 

[TXhopeful]

TedTalks are phenomenal. Anytime I need some confidence, I watch this one by Amy Cuddy. Very applicable to what we do (especially some of her studies mentioned) and it might make you a little teary-eyed, haha.
Watch it on your "evening un-wind" if you have a few free minutes!

EDIT: This playlist is amazing, but the main one I'm talking about is Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are

 

[MI2015]

OMG GUYS. I got a 127 on the C/P section (my hardest section- it kills me) on NS🙂130,128,129 for the rest!! Since C/P is so hard for me, 127 is a dream score! But I took the scored 2 weeks ago and got a 509...so should I deflate the NS score? @sleepyhead22 since you took NS exams as well, should I consider the 509 or this score?

 

[Hospitalized]

Give this one a try! It was so helpful for me. The first few minutes may seem like alot at once but he breaks it down. You can try to memorize that mnemonic but I didn't. After practicing drawing out all the steps so much, I was able to memorize the enzymes without the silly mnemonic. But I watched this twice and I was able to get the hang of it and draw it out myself with no problems. Just keep practicing.

Hell yea. Glycolysis memorized in 30 minutes haha.

Edit: best part of this video is the 4 circles, W goes to M, 3 Ms, 2 lightning bolts. That is super nice for structures. Definitely going to be writing this during my tutorial.

 

[bigindian4891]

I'm getting frustrated trying to understand SDS-Page. Maybe someone can help me out. Under non-reducing conditions, how many bands and what kDa is that band that will show up for say a homotrimer comprised of 25 kDa monomers? What about with reducing conditions?

Is it that in nonreducing, homotrimers will run as monomers but those with disulfide bonds will not run as monomers because they don't get reduced? And for reducing conditions, homotrimers and those with disulfide bonds all get reduced so they all run as monomers? I'm so confused. Lol

1) Native PAGE - The entire protein stays in tact when running on gel. - No breaking quaternary structure. - No breaking disulfide bonds - I.E. 200kD homodimer (2 100kD monomers) with disulfide bond connecting them will show 1 band at 200kD.

2) SDS-PAGE (Reducing conditions) - Breaks BOTH quaternary structure AND disulfide bonds! - Reducing just means reducing a disulfide bond (to 2 individual cysteines) - I.E. 200kD homodimer (2 100kD monomers) with disulfide bond connecting them will show 1 band at 100kD. - Disulfide bond and quaternary structure get ****ed up.

3) SDS PAGE (Non-reducing) - This ONLY BREAKS QUATERNARY STRUCTURE. Disulfide bonds stay in tact. - I.E. 200kD homodimer (2 100kD monomers) with disulfide bond connecting them will show 1 band at 200kD. - I.E. 200 kD homodimer with NO disulfide bond connecting them will show 1 band at 100kD.

 

[almcdon412]

Someone feel free to correct me if I get this wrong. So non-reducing is the same thing as native Page. Here, we are separating based on size AND charge. So in your example, a homotrimer would be 75 kDa provided theres no charge affects.

In a reducing condition, we are breaking apart the disulfide bonds (and covalent bonds, I believe) using SDS, which adds a negative charge to everything. Because of this, the negative charge "equalizes" everything, and we are only separating based on size. So if your protein was a homotrimer with disulfide bonds, then there would be just one band of 25 kDa.

Did this help?

I always thought that in non-reducing, you are breaking up quaternary structures too so the homotrimer will get broken up into monomers still just not those with disulfide bonds and for native page, nothing gets broken down.

 

[pewpew95]

I'm so mad about this question on B/B section bank, #32 where it gives you a table of Kcat, Kd, Hill, and isoelectric point. The explanation itself says Hill's needs to be >1 for the enzyme to show cooperativity, and then says 1.01 is "essentially 1". How are we supposed to know to make that kind of a call on the real test day? Grrrrrr

 

[bigindian4891]

I always thought that in non-reducing, you are breaking up quaternary structures too so the homotrimer will get broken up into monomers still just not those with disulfide bonds and for native page, nothing gets broken down.

Sorry, check my edited reply, I was mistaken

 

[MI2015]

I'm so mad about this question on B/B section bank, #32 where it gives you a table of Kcat, Kd, Hill, and isoelectric point. The explanation itself says Hill's needs to be >1 for the enzyme to show cooperativity, and then says 1.01 is "essentially 1". How are we supposed to know to make that kind of a call on the real test day? Grrrrrr

Right?! That tripped me up too. There's so much variability in data, that in the real world that wouldn't be greater than 1.

 

[Hospitalized]

The fact that I know like a third of this is scaring me.

Link for higher quality: https://blog.priceplow.com/wp-conte...tabolic-processes-as-currently-understood.png

 

[kam94]

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THIS HAPPENED. I honestly thought I BOMBED C/P (didn't finish the last 6 questions) and I wasn't able to finish the last 5 questions of CARS either lol. I'm ecstatic.

AAMC Unscored: 84%/81%/78%/84% --> 82% --> 510 (Yes, I rounded up from 509.6 to 510)

If I score this on the real exam I will be the happiest man alive.

Where did you find the scored conversion for this? The one I found gave me around a 515 (82.5%).

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

1) Native PAGE - The entire protein stays in tact when running on gel. - No breaking quaternary structure. - No breaking disulfide bonds - I.E. 200kD homodimer (2 100kD monomers) with disulfide bond connecting them will show 1 band at 200kD.

2) SDS-PAGE (Reducing conditions) - Breaks BOTH quaternary structure AND disulfide bonds! - Reducing just means reducing a disulfide bond (to 2 individual cysteines) - I.E. 200kD homodimer (2 100kD monomers) with disulfide bond connecting them will show 1 band at 100kD. - Disulfide bond and quaternary structure get ****ed up.

3) SDS PAGE (Non-reducing) - This ONLY BREAKS QUATERNARY STRUCTURE. Disulfide bonds stay in tact. - I.E. 200kD homodimer (2 100kD monomers) with disulfide bond connecting them will show 1 band at 200kD. - I.E. 200 kD homodimer with NO disulfide bond connecting them will show 1 band at 100kD.

Thank god someone finally straightened this out... This helps a lot.

 

[TXhopeful]

The fact that I know like a third of this is scaring me.

Link for higher quality: https://blog.priceplow.com/wp-conte...tabolic-processes-as-currently-understood.png

LOL, remove this post now. Brain is exploding

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Where did you find the scored conversion for this? The one I found gave me around a 515 (82.5%).

I used this:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/charts-predicting-mcat-scores.1176218/

And then didn't add the average AAMC increase thing he/she lists at the top.. I know there is another conversion chart using the old MCAT scoring system that put me at like 514.. But I decided to go with the lowest score so my hopes don't get too high. Where'd the 515 come from? That's a lovely number I would love to have.

 

[kam94]

I used this:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/charts-predicting-mcat-scores.1176218/

And then didn't add the average AAMC increase thing he/she lists at the top.. I know there is another conversion chart using the old MCAT scoring system that put me at like 514.. But I decided to go with the lowest score so my hopes don't get too high. Where'd the 515 come from? That's a lovely number I would love to have.

Ahh, that makes sense. I was adding the increase to my score as well. I got around the same score using that chart as well. I'm most likely gonna run with my AAMC Scored score of 512 since that seemed alot more representative of the real deal, but I wont complain one bit if I get a 510.

 

[almcdon412]

For anyone struggling to remember the molecule orders for Citric Acid Cycle, try this mnemonic:
"Citrate Is Kreb's Starting Substrate For Making Oxaloacetate."

... so simple yet this changed my life. lmfaooo

 

[MI2015]

For anyone struggling to remember the molecule orders for Citric Acid Cycle, try this mnemonic:
"Citrate Is Kreb's Starting Substrate For Making Oxaloacetate."

... so simple yet this changed my life. lmfaooo

The way I learned it was Can I Keep Swallowing Sperm For Money Officer..... I didn't come up with that

 

[almcdon412]

The way I learned it was Can I Keep Swallowing Sperm For Money Officer..... I didn't come up with that

lmfaoooooooooooooooooo ! That's HILARIOUS ! There's no way someone can forget that one. Haha

 

[MI2015]

lmfaoooooooooooooooooo ! That's HILARIOUS ! There's no way someone can forget that one. Haha

It stuck in my head really quickly hahaa
Also: On NS I got 67.8% right on C/P but my percentile was listed as 79....what does that mean?

 

[Hospitalized]

It stuck in my head really quickly hahaa
Also: On NS I got 67.8% right on C/P but my percentile was listed as 79....what does that mean?

It's a hard section -- you will probably get more % right on the AAMC materials

 

[almcdon412]

For NS, I didn't really pay attention the the percents, I only looked at the scaled scores. Converting the percentages is too much work for me and I'm lazy lol

 

[MI2015]

For NS, I didn't really pay attention the the percents, I only looked at the scaled scores. Converting the percentages is too much work for me and I'm lazy lol

So if C/P is my worst subject, and I got 127 on it on NS, should I deflate that by a point or two?

 

[MI2015]

It's a hard section -- you will probably get more % right on the AAMC materials

But should I count the 67.8% or the 79%? Like what do the 2 numbers mean. Because the 79% is a 127 which is my goal, but the 68 is between a 125 and 126. That's a pretty big difference.

 

[kam94]

Reviewing my AAMC Scored right now. That feeling when a third of your missed questions on CARS came from the same passage...

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Ahh, that makes sense. I was adding the increase to my score as well. I got around the same score using that chart as well. I'm most likely gonna run with my AAMC Scored score of 512 since that seemed alot more representative of the real deal, but I wont complain one bit if I get a 510.

Both are great scores


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[MI2015]

So this is really bothering me, even though I know it shouldn't- should I subtract a point or two from each section on my NS test since the curve is generous? I'm freaking out because I got a good score and now I'm wondering if it's super inflated. Considering I got 70% on EK (granted the last EK exam I took was 1 month ago).

 

[pewpew95]

So this is really bothering me, even though I know it shouldn't- should I subtract a point or two from each section on my NS test since the curve is generous? I'm freaking out because I got a good score and now I'm wondering if it's super inflated. Considering I got 70% on EK (granted the last EK exam I took was 1 month ago).

Don't overthink at this point, you'll only put more stress on yourself. 🙂 Just focus on your aamc scores and relax.

 

[pewpew95]

I officially ran out of room in my mcat notebook. My pen is almost out of ink. I think this is a sign.

ONE LAST THING: Could someone explain the reasoning behind #45 on B/B section bank? The question says PKA and GSK-3 can autophosphorylate, but the answer says removing the CREB327wt will prevent autophosphorylation. This doesn't make sense to me because both PKA and GSK-3 are themselves kinases, so wouldn't having them present in ATP allow for autophosphorylation? Or am I thinking of it wrong? pls thnx

 

[katy524]

I officially ran out of room in my mcat notebook. My pen is almost out of ink. I think this is a sign.

ONE LAST THING: Could someone explain the reasoning behind #45 on B/B section bank? The question says PKA and GSK-3 can autophosphorylate, but the answer says removing the CREB327wt will prevent autophosphorylation. This doesn't make sense to me because both PKA and GSK-3 are themselves kinases, so wouldn't having them present in ATP allow for autophosphorylation? Or am I thinking of it wrong? pls thnx

The answers didn't say that removing CREB327wt will prevent autophosphorylation. We don't want CREB to be present in the control column so we can see that all of the phosphorylation there is only due to autophosphorylation. The other columns with CREB will show phosphorylation of the substrate and some autophosphorylation too. Hope this helps!

 

[MI2015]

So I went back and reviewed the stuff I got wrong on NS- there were quite a few terms in B/B that I had never come across! Like different shapes of DNA in viruses, basically the whole passage about viruses I had no clue. Ugh!

 

[Ryomagoku]

The way I learned it was Can I Keep Swallowing Sperm For Money Officer..... I didn't come up with that

Hey... I thought this place is PG21... :/ loool

 

[Hospitalized]

That awkward moment when studying 8 hours a day isn't enough... Oh well. Go warriors!


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[theonlytycrane]

That awkward moment when studying 8 hours a day isn't enough... Oh well. Go warriors!


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Just about to take an exercise break myself. Hoping the series goes to 7! So go cavs tonight 🙂

 

[GoCubsGo20]

Just about to take an exercise break myself. Hoping the series goes to 7! So go cavs tonight 🙂

Bron's gonna get his tonight!

 

[bigindian4891]

Section banks while watching LeBron? Sure

Lets go... ALL IN 216

 

[almcdon412]

I'm doing one last review of all of my notes including the new ones from the section banks while watching the game. Probably won't really get into the game until 3rd quarter so maybe I'll still be productive. Lol. GO WARRIORS !

 

[pewpew95]

meanwhile, there's a severe thunderstorm in my area with winds at 70mph and multiple tornado sightings....can't watch the game cause our fios stopped working 🙁

 

[Mr. otcoD]

So I went back and reviewed the stuff I got wrong on NS- there were quite a few terms in B/B that I had never come across! Like different shapes of DNA in viruses, basically the whole passage about viruses I had no clue. Ugh!

I know what you're talking about. the "Icosahedral" one but I asked people and they said the exam shouldnt expect you to know such details like that. Its way too intricate

 

[kam94]

Honestly too burnt out to look at any passages or the SB any further. Gonna look over mcat-review and some P/S notes and then call it a wrap.

 

[GoCubsGo20]

Does anyone else go into a sort of "zone" when taking actual tests? I can never get into the right mindset when I take practice exams, but boy do I hope I can get into the groove on the real thing.

 

[wildabeastkoala]

How long has everyone been studying for?

 

[wildabeastkoala]

Does anyone else go into a sort of "zone" when taking actual tests? I can never get into the right mindset when I take practice exams, but boy do I hope I can get into the groove on the real thing.

hmmmm I try to think of each passage as a timed obstacle course, before I start I think "you can do this, ready, set, go!" or something lame like that.

 

[Mr. otcoD]

Do yall know why lowering the Tm and decreasing kcat means improving conformational stability?
C/P section bank #37
my thinking: if you lower Tm, that means you lower the temperature needed to denature the protein, therefore its more unstable. So how could catalysts increase conformational stability like that?

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

So this is really bothering me, even though I know it shouldn't- should I subtract a point or two from each section on my NS test since the curve is generous? I'm freaking out because I got a good score and now I'm wondering if it's super inflated. Considering I got 70% on EK (granted the last EK exam I took was 1 month ago).

If you can hit 70% on an EK exam you're looking at like a 508.

I took the unscored AAMC today and scored (depending on what converter you use) 514-515. I scored 505, 505, 506, 505 on NS 1-4 and 65%, 68%, 70% and 63% on EK 1-4.

I don't know what you're shooting for, but I'd bet good money on 508+.

I don't think the NS exams are necessarily inflated, I just think everyone scores lower on them.


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[Mr. otcoD]

If you can hit 70% on an EK exam you're looking at like a 508.

I took the unscored AAMC today and scored (depending on what converter you use) 514-515. I scored 505, 505, 506, 505 on NS 1-4 and 65%, 68%, 70% and 63% on EK 1-4.

I don't know what you're shooting for, but I'd bet good money on 508+.

I don't think the NS exams are necessarily inflated, I just think everyone scores lower on them.


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oh my god ok that relieves so much for my tension. I've been ranging from 503-507 on NS exams and im trying to get 509+ on the real exam (really 510+ would be AMAZING! <3 )

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

oh my god ok that relieves so much for my tension. I've been ranging from 503-507 on NS exams and im trying to get 509+ on the real exam (really 510+ would be AMAZING! <3 )

You got this! Those exams destroyed my confidence too, I feel your pain lol. Especially EK. Good practice though.


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