SAT/ MCATS high school

[kannazukino]

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Hi!
I am a high school senior just sending out my college applications now...ugh.
Anyways, I took the SAT twice-

CR- 720 2nd time--CR: 760
Math- 630 2nd time Math- 650

Since I did alright on my CR section, will that mean I will have an easier time on the MCAT Verbal? I also had an 11 out of 12 on my essay for the writing...
However, my math score worries me alot. There was a 15 min disruption at my test center during the math part, which may have affected my score but even on practice tests the highest I ever had was a 720.

Does doing poorly on math mean I will have trouble in college science courses, and/or the science MCAT sections? I'm really scared guys.

I already am very limited in the colleges I can attend- I can't go to any good colleges because I don't have the money- and I know that will probably hurt me in the long run. So I need a really good MCAT score.

After taking my SAT subject tests, and finishing college aps I was planning to devote part time study to the verbal part of the MCAT. I'm already in an AP English and physics class so I hope that will help, but as English has traditionally been my strong standardized area I was hoping to make that really high.

Is this a good idea, or should I start preparing only when I'm already in college? I really wish a score above 35, and I know that takes a lot of hard work, and I'm not one of those naturally smart people who can study for 2 wks before and get a 43.

Also, I heard some people are learning speed-reading and using to use a mouse with their different hand (so they can write + choose answers at the same time). Is this a waste of time, or does it actually help?

Sorry for the long post, I'm just really stressed/concerned about this ever since I read forum posts here about how some people here studied for 6 hrs a day for 4 months and didn't even get the score they wanted!
Stupid MCATS.....

 

[XerxesMD]

First of all, if the SAT is still out of 1600 (which it was in the days I took it), then congrats on a fabulous SAT score.

Don't be scared. And doing poorly on SAT math (if you think you did poorly, again, I'm not sure how the scoring works these days) won't hurt you in college science courses (in which the math is for the most part basic algebra), and it certainly won't hurt your MCAT science section scores (MCAT math is SUPER basic...it can all be done in your head and using estimation...remember the exam is multiple choice so you can figure out seemingly impossible calculations simply by seeing that 3 of the 4 answers are totally nonsensical).

For the love of God, do not start studying for the MCAT before getting into college. Try to enjoy yourself a bit while your still young enough not to have to worry about too much stuff. Anyway, studying for the MCAT Verbal part time won't do you much good this early on. I highly recommend you take my advice in the following: instead of studying for the Verbal part-time now, get yourself a student subscription to the Economist and perhaps another similar publication. In the MCAT prep books I used, the authors stated that doing loads of reading (ie. The Economist, etc.) won't do you any good unless you have 4 or 5 years before you'll be taking the MCAT. Guess what??? You will have 4 or 5 years, so get yourself a subscription and read it cover to cover every week. Aside from potentially improving your Verbal score down the line, you'll learn loads of stuff about the world, politics, history and the like.

As to speed reading for the verbal section...it is a waste of time to try and learn it in my opinion. The average college reader will have adequate time to read all the sections and answer all of the questions. As to changing your mouse hand, forget about it. If you take the time to write stuff down, you'd likely distract yourself during the exam and, more importantly, waste precious time that can be used to answer questions and/or do the occasional re-scouring of the text for some hints if time permits.

But please...do me a favor and don't worry about this stuff so early. You're really doing yourself an injustice. Begin preparing for the MCATs about 4-5 months before you'll actually be taking them (probably in your junior year of college), after you've taking all of the basic science courses the MCAT will cover. Oh, and once you begin college, make an appointment with a pre-med adviser at your university to plan things out precisely. He/She will be your most valuable resource if you're lucky enough to have a good one.

One last thing...try not to worry and stress so much. There will be plenty of time for that later on, trust me. I'm not saying you shouldn't make plans (ie. meet with premed adviser)...you should, but don't worry about things that will be happening 3 or 4 years from now. Simply do what you've got to do today to get yourself to where you need to be in 3 or 4 years. Worrying and stressing too much, too soon, will ruin an otherwise superbly enjoyable time in your life.

I hope my advice will be of some use to you.

 

[studiddy]

DO NOT start studying now. The MCAT tests only basic concepts from classes you will likely take anyway, kind of like the SAT and ACT (except harder). To even think about it now you are wasting your time. Just study before you take it. Speed-reading is a joke, just read fast, if you understand the distinction. Use a mouse in the manner in which you are comfortable.

 

[Caesar]

do yourself a favor, sign out of SDN and don't come back for at least 2 years. It sucks your life out of you. It takes as much time as facebook or myspace, but also you get loads of kids telling you how crappy your application looks and how mo med school in the country will accept you.

 

[Sir Buckethead]

I hear its out of 2400 or something now, but he only listed two sections so maybe not.

seriously though. Go away. Not being rude or anything but your only premed responsibilities for the next two years are to do well in intro science courses (and in general) and to line up some clinical experience.

 

[Jonari]

I don't see what the problem is if he decides to start studying now? One of my friends did the same thing. The time she became a freshman, she started studying. Since she understood the material from her MCAT stuff, she did quite well in all of her other classes. Took her MCATs her junior year and ended up with a 41. Going to Emory University with a full ride. Graduated from Emory undergrad with MAXIMA cum laude.

Never heard of anybody graduating with "maxima" cum laude. What I'm trying to say it, who cares if you decide to start studying now, if you want to start studying - go for it. 🙂

 

[SN2ed]

Yeah, I've heard of Maxima cum laude. Only a few schools actually use it. It's supposed to be above summa and it means you usually have a 4.0 with many difficult classes. Think getting a 4.0 in high school by only taking AP classes, it's something like that except a college equivalent. I'd say your friend would have done well regardless considering how well she did in school.

Why are you counting yourself out already based on SAT scores and high school experiences? Don't even think like that. When I was in high school I was made fun of and told by even the school's college aid that I wouldn't cut it in college. I almost failed multiple classes including physics and math. Additionally, I received a substandard SAT score around 1100 (this is when it was out of 1600). So I made it into college got a summa cum laude, distinction in my major, and a 34 on the MCAT. Know what, the school I got into with my poor high school stats actually turned out to be a really strong school for pre-health. So far it has something like an 80% acceptance rate into medical school and pharm shcool. About your studying 6 hours for 4 months and not getting a good score. First, look at their definition of a good score. Some people think anything below a 40 is horrible. Second, it's not the hours, but how you study that counts. Just don't count yourself out of college before you even start. If you want to start studying fine. Don't do it because you think you'll fail college and need a good MCAT to make up for it.

Edit: Yeah you're right Isoprop. I got it confused with egregia. Neither of which are used by that many schools. I knew it was one or the other. I made a guess since it was maxima.

 

[Isoprop]

i thought maxima is between summa and manga.
i thought egregia was the highest. 😕

 

[Sir Buckethead]

4.0 and 41 eh?

That makes her, what? The best gunner in the country?

 

[paranoid_eyes]

Hi!
I am a high school senior

uhh.....either you're crazy, or you're a future gunner. Seriously, most of us are juniors or seniors in college and we are studyin for the mcat. There is no need for you to start right now. Just don't think about it till the end of sophmore or junior year.

 

[kannazukino]

Thanks to everyone for your messages. They were extremely helpful, all of you so thanks. I know worrying this early seems premature, but even though I've always had good grades I just worry so much about not getting in that I figured its better to stress now while I can still do something about this when I can actually do something about it rather than when I have 2 months left and realise I know nothing.
The Economist? It seemed boring when I tried to read it at some point in time, but I have heard it is quite good for exam prep so I'll subscribe. Any other publications people could recommend that would also be helpful? Once again, thanks for all the input.
The SAT is out of 2400 now. I just didn't post my Writing score b/c I felt it wasn't really relevant but just in case it matters heres how it was scored exactly from the collegeboard website:
Critical Reading 760 99%
Math 650 86%
Writing 690 95%
Multiple Choice 65 (score range: 20-80)
Essay 11 (score range: 2-12)

So, yeah that's it, and you just add them together to get it out of 2400.
My friend was just applying to several pre-prof med programs and they said they wanted a good SAT score because they said it correlated with good MCATS or something.
And anyways, about getting off this site for 2yrs or so...not sure I can do that, lol. I've been a lurker for about a year now-probably why I'm so freaked out about MCATS now...