Preparing for Writing Sample??

[cfx]

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I'm curious how most people prepared/sugest preparing for the writing portion of the MCAT (if at all)?? Looking at example prompts, it seems that most call for specific examples for/against the statement from history or other "real-world" examples. I'm not exactly a history buff, and I'm afraid that, come time to write, I will be completely unable to think of real examples (or at least think of ones that I know enough about the explain with some authority).

Any suggestions? What do people do? Does the writing score even matter much/enough to spend time preparing for it? Do most people include doing practive writing samples in their studying?

 

[FuSoYa]

I didn't prepare for the writing portion at all. Just know the general format. They give some statement: 1) you explain what the statement means, 2) you give a specific counter example, 3) you examine the conditions that call for the two views. 3 paragraphs, easy sneezy.

 

[sagtig]

the Kaplan books have great advice on the writing sample...

I basically didn't prepare, I just acquainted myself with the types of statements and topics the MCAT usually has...

if you're good at writing, you have nothing to worry about, just make sure you provide examples that apply, keep your paragraphs organized by idea... 1 paragraph explaining the statement, 1 paragraph providing an example of when that statement doesn't work, and 1 paragraph tying everything together...

and you don't need to apply any outside information, you can provide hypothetical examples, that's what I did, I didn't use any History information and I got a Q

 

[futuredoctor10]

and you don't need to apply any outside information, you can provide hypothetical examples

Yes I completely made up hypothetical examples, and it was fine!

Basically explain the prompt, give a counterexample, and find a criterion to explain when the prompt vs counterexample "applies"