The 4/05/08 MCAT Club

[pingouin]

Welcome, all April 5, 2008, MCATers!!!!

This is your official place to stress, vent, hang out, party, cry, yell, or whatever else you need to do in the week before and just after your MCAT.

As a reminder, when your test is done, you are welcome to come here and discuss your experience with it. Discussing general passage topics is OK- ie, "I had PS passages on circuits, thermodynamics, and optics." However, you are NOT allowed post specific questions, passage information, or answer choices from your test. Any posts which contain specific content from the test will be deleted, and a 1-week post hold will be placed on your account. Look here for more information on this.

to each and every one of you!!!!!!!

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[Doctor Bagel]

Getting rubbed by mommy sounds a little freaky/sick to me...

I guess different strokes for different folks!!

Lol, I thought the same thing. I'm guessing his mom paid for a massage, which would be a super-thoughtful post MCAT gift.

 

[Poiu86]

what are you guys doing posting on SDN right now? The bars are OPENNN! get out there and celebrate

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Could we have had different ones? I took it with some others that had done consistently well on BIO and all of them felt the same way. That ebola passage was extremely hard, seemed more like a Kaplan BIO but sounds like you beasted it, I hope others thought it was tough or Im done for.

There are multiple different exams given on each day, so yeah, it's understandable that people have different subjective experiences. It's all curved out in the end, so even if you feel like you got a hard test, that doesn't mean anything.

 

[Cp22kjer]

There are multiple different exams given on each day, so yeah, it's understandable that people have different subjective experiences. It's all curved out in the end, so even if you feel like you got a hard test, that doesn't mean anything.

That makes me feel a little better but not much! It just stinks preparing so much and feeling so bad when leaving.

I'm off to chill and watch the games with beer in hand. Hope all you takers did well.

 

[tncekm]

what?? dude, the bio was easiest section!

the physics was hard. i was trippin out on the physics since i didnt have time to read the last passage. the bio tho...i don't know...i know i missed some but i thought it was better than all the AAMC practice tests! barely any organic and tons of biochem! i dont know...maybe it just hit my stronger areas. taking biochem last semester made it easier...also having an anatomy test 2 days ago was pretty nice

What kind of biochem? Was it stuff we would be fine with given only our prep-books?

 

[ar2388]

i thought that was freaking hard guys!! so much harder than any practice test and my practice tests score have been frmo 33-39! so im kinda worried... writing was the easiest section but my counter examples freaking sucked. man i just want a 35 hah... countdown begins to scores now eh?

btw i have already hit a restaurant for sushi and wine, a bar, and wine with my folks. awesomness!!

 

[DisabledVet]

I thought this test was pretty hard.

PS: about the same as other aamc practice tests

VR: somewhat easier than other tests

BS: killer. especially the ebola passage and the insulin passage.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I'm off to chill and watch the games with beer in hand. Hope all you takers did well.

Good plan.

 

[bozz]

You guys do realize that there are 2-3 different versions of each section right?

If you found it hard, you got the hard section (good curve)

If you found it easy, you got the easy section (bad curve)

 

[wannabedocta]

Could we have had different ones? I took it with some others that had done consistently well on BIO and all of them felt the same way. That ebola passage was extremely hard, seemed more like a Kaplan BIO but sounds like you beasted it, I hope others thought it was tough or Im done for.

I did ok on my last practice and I know I missed more on this test which sucks, I'm curious if the curve is more like the AAMC's or in the middle of them and Kaplan. I have no idea how to gage what I got, this next month is going to drive my crazy.

What is the turnaround time to recieve mcat scores?

 

[DisabledVet]

About 30 days.

 

[tf2medic]

You guys do realize that there are 2-3 different versions of each section right?

If you found it hard, you got the hard section (good curve)

If you found it easy, you got the easy section (bad curve)

i don't know about that. that guy said the bio was killer and mentioned he had the ebola passage. my test had the ebola passage but i thought it was easier than practice tests' BIO. i don't know...he also said he had an insulin passage. i don't recall an insulin passage..are you referring to the pituitary one?

 

[DisabledVet]

i had one with insulin and t-cells, and their effect on diabetics. not sure how much i can say about it without breaking the specificity rules.

 

[BuffGold]

Getting rubbed by mommy sounds a little freaky/sick to me...

I guess different strokes for different folks!!

As I am laying on the massage table, having the knots that this test caused wrenched out of my back by a MASSEUSE, I realized that my previous post may not have been exactly clear about who was doing the massaging. oops. Sure enough I come home and I have already been called on it. . .definitely deserved that one.
My mom set up the appointment. . . that is why she is the best.

 

[J ROD]

As I am laying on the massage table, having the knots that this test caused wrenched out of my back by a MASSEUSE, I realized that my previous post may not have been exactly clear about who was doing the massaging. oops. Sure enough I come home and I have already been called on it. . .definitely deserved that one.
My mom set up the appointment. . . that is why she is the best.

Okay, understood!!

I always enjoy rubbing one out as long as mommy is not involved!!

 

[Vihsadas]

As I am laying on the massage table, having the knots that this test caused wrenched out of my back by a MASSEUSE, I realized that my previous post may not have been exactly clear about who was doing the massaging. oops. Sure enough I come home and I have already been called on it. . .definitely deserved that one.
My mom set up the appointment. . . that is why she is the best.

Hahaha. It's all good man. Thanks for the entertainment.

 

[tf2medic]

i had one with insulin and t-cells, and their effect on diabetics. not sure how much i can say about it without breaking the specificity rules.

i recall something about T cells on one of them. nothing about diabetics whatsoever tho or insulin for that matter. i don't know...whateva!

 

[SaulTigh]

I got the ebola one, tough as hell to understand, it seems like they were actively trying to confuse you with those terms. But once I understood the main concept behind it, smooth as sailing...

Never saw insulin, but anterior pituatory yes.

I thought PS was pretty easy, VR easier than usual, and BS hard, but not too tough...

Finally watched BSG season 4 opener right now, was sad I couldn't watch it last night. It rocked.

 

[pinkipod]

In terms of difficulty, I thought it was pretty similar to the AAMC tests. A bit more passage oriented... meaning, you had to understand what was going on when they described experiments, and rely on the interpretation of the data to answer the questions. Definitely easier than the Kaplan and TPR practice tests. If you knew the concept you'll get the answer right. No ambiguities.

One thing I found somewhat different was that most of the passages were a paragraph longer for the Verbal section. However, the passages were overall easy to read. No abstract information or writing style. The difficult of the questions were similar, to the AAMC.

Granted I already figured out several mistakes I made


I was surprised to find the exact same statement I had worked on for the princeton review practice test for the writing sample, so that was great~

Overall, it was a pleasant experience. The testing center was quiet. People were considerate. Noise cancelling headphones did help.

 

[ar2388]

i dont remember diabetes.. i had somethng about LH and erm.. modulating hormones **** stuff. erm...

 

[bigman225]

For those of you who thought the test was difficult, I would like to console you by referring you to the january MCAT thread--most of the top scorers (including myself) were NOT that confident in our performance.

 

[ar2388]

For those of you who thought the test was difficult, I would like to console you by referring you to the january MCAT thread--most of the top scorers (including myself) were NOT that confident in our performance.

that is sweet.. and i hope you are right.. it was so anticlimactic! im sitting here, like "its over?" really?? but now i can read books again! and start working on my personal statement! whoooo! we are such dorks.

 

[Vihsadas]

Yeah, its true. I really thought I was going to hit about 5-8 pts under my practice test score mark. I really thought I got a 7 in verbal. Post-test feelings are generally meaningless.

 

[bozz]

Okay, understood!!

I always enjoy rubbing one out as long as mommy is not involved!!

rofl @ rubbing one out

 

[JA Prufrock]

I didn't take the test so I don't know the exact context, but isn't blood confined in capillaries that surround the alveoli? The alveoli themselves are connected by elastic fibers.

 

[MDorbust]

Even though blood doesn't seem like the other types of connective tissue, it is classified as a connective tissue.

I got it right, but don't be alarmed-- I likely missed like 50% of the other questions, haha.

 

[rhlsg]

Congrats to everyone who took the test today! As for not feeling great after the test, *#&*@ I never fee great after a test. My last two Kaplan tests (6 & 7), I got a 31 and 33, but felt the same as when I got my string of 27s and even a 20 on Kap 11.

I'm envious that you guys are done and can't wait to join you on 4/19.

 

[Karen12345]

Blood is a type of tissue.
http://science.nhmccd.edu/biol/tissue/blood.html

 

[Doctor Bagel]

OK, putting on my mod hat here and reminding you guys that discussions of specific questions or how they should be answered isn't allowed. The MCAT people do reuse these questions, so they're understandably a bit upright about it.

Anyway, you guys should be out having fun. Or sleeping.

 

[bozz]

Blood is a type of connective tissue. I didn't take the test or anything... and don't know how it relates to the test you guys took.

 

[tc13]

I took it today too. Overall, it seemed a little harder than all the AAMC pratice tests I took, or maybe it was just nerves. Nothing really threw me in PS or VR, but there was one really crazy hard bio section. It's the same one other people have mentioned. I think it was the second to last. I got through half of it, then moved to the last passage. Knocked it out and still had plenty of time to go back. I still don't have a good idea as what that craxy experiment was all about. I made guesses. I'm not sure there was anything else I could have done to be better prepared. My AAMC practice tests were on an upward trend and got a 35 on the last one. Who knows how this one went. Sure don't want to have to take it again.

 

[pinkipod]

MCAT is sooooooo over.
And I know I will never have to take it again...
But I CAN'T sleep!

 

[bodonid]

Have fun waiting! Though it is nothing compared to the agony of waiting for decisions by med schools.

 

[tf2medic]

dude, yesterday i was completely care free. i was just so happy to be watching the final four all day long and not having to do worry about the mcat looming over my shoulder.

BUT NOW, i am more nervous and anxious than ever! i'm like "NOO, i missed this and this and this...im gonna have to retake it!!!!" this sucks. i thought the pressure would be 100% gone post-test...not so much. i still prefer being in this waiting position over having to study for it tho heh

 

[J ROD]

Anyone ever notice how much of life is waiting for something?

The MCAT, your score, med school acceptance, Step 1,2,3, residency, promotions, marriage, kids, etc.


Might as well try to have a little fun each day because time marches on and the future will be here soon and bring change with it.


Thoughts like these are why I think I wil end up in Psy. Plus, I have a BA in it!

 

[tf2medic]

you only have one thing wrong. definitely not waiting on marriage! haha

 

[J ROD]

you only have one thing wrong. definitely not waiting on marriage! haha

those were all just generalities. Please insert your own, lol!!

I am not waiting for marriage (another boss) or kids either.

But, you would be amazed how many guys say this and then wake up with a wife and kids and be like how and when did this happen?

Watch out you might get caught!

 

[atallcosts]

just wanted to add my opinion about the test:


PS: A little harder than I expected. On the harder end of all practice tests I took( upwards of 10 tests) but not the worst id ever seen


VR: More humanities than I would have liked especially the passage that mentioned King Louis (I would like to elaborate more but i'm a little hungover form last night and don't remember the main passage idea) Overall i would say medium-hard based on practice tests


Writing: I thought writing went pretty well. I thought I completed all the tasks well and had good ideas for both. The second prompt about the environment was a bit harder than the first. Not that it matters much, but i predict a pretty high letter for this section.


BS: HOLY S***. Unreal how hard I thought it was. The comments concerning the Ebola passage being difficult i agree 100% with. Also, I would have liked more orgo, like a spec problem or something but no freebies like that unfortunately.

I thought critically and stayed positive and motivated until about the second to last bio passage then got pissed and demoralized a bit. I hope im not the only one who feels that this was overall a very tough test. Im really wanting to see a nice score so i don't have to go through this again. I hope 2-1/2 months of hard work paid off but we will see. Good luck to all and hope your post MCAT partying went well.....i know mine did

 

[ducom]

I thought the test was overall not too bad, but perhaps a tad harder than the AAMC's. There are definitely different versions of the test, from different independent questions to different passages to different questions on the same passage. I hope there's different curves for all these.

PS: About the same as AAMC, though a little more chemically-oriented. Also, a little fewer freestanding questions.

VR: Pretty straightforward. The passages were not abstract, though some of the questions were a tad out of the blue.

Writing: AWESOME! I loved the business prompt.

BS: MUCH harder than AAMC, I'd say on the level of some of the harder TPR tests. Mostly because of that Ebola passage, otherwise not too bad. Very little physiology influence, which irritated me a little.

 

[presto530]

Hey guys, I just discovered this forum in my search for opinions for the April 5th exam. It looks like most of you had the same reactions I did. I think more than anything it was my nerves that made it "feel" like a harder test. But looking back in retrospect it wasn't as difficult as I first thought when I finished yesterday. But I guess we'll all see in a month lol.

I was still pretty wigged out when the PS section started, and it didn't help that the very first question I looked at was on material that I wasn't as solid on as other topics. I calmed down after that and did pretty well in verbal (the passages were easy reads, yet longer than usual) and Bio was about the same, maybe a little harder. I'm a bio major so most of that stuff comes pretty easy just because of my background.

By the time I got to the virus passage everyone is talking about, I was pretty drained. I had a hard time putting all the intricate stuff together to understand the author's results, but luckly a Q stem on one of the problems in that passage hinted at the results the test takers wanted you to see, so it actually helped me solve another question that I wasn't sure about.

Hopefully I did well enough to where I won't have to take it again. I'm not looking for a stellar score, but just good enough. The last seven practice tests I took (AAMC 4,7,8,9,10; KAPLAN 3,5) were all 30 or higher so hopefully I'll score in the same area.

 

[sm007thie]

...That ebola passage was extremely hard....

Thank you. I was totally lost there. I was able to answer the questions that were basically stand-alones, but the questions that actually dealt with the passage .

I agree with most that the VR section was a little easier than normal. I think that the PS and BS were quite a bit harder than all of the practice tests.

Just to make me feel better though, is it true that some questions don't get scored? Like they throw in some just to throw us off or for strictly informational purposes? I sure hope so.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Just to make me feel better though, is it true that some questions don't get scored? Like they throw in some just to throw us off or for strictly informational purposes? I sure hope so.

Yes, this is true. There are always experimental questions on any standardized test. If you come across something that seems too hard or too easy based on the rest of the test, it might very well be one of these experimental parts.

 

[SDN2013]

what made the ebola so hard? hard passage to read or just tough questions?

 

[fileserver]

It's the passage. You have to understand in order to answer the simple questions. The writing style of the passage, wording, terminology, and graphs, make the passage difficult.

30 days left (o no, I didn't)

 

[DoctorYanks]

Hey guys,

I've been quietly reading this for a couple of weeks and was scared to post because you guys all seem so wise =)

I just took my MCAT yesterday too and got destroyed! I've been asking around and it seems that no one's had a passage that i found so hard, something about lytic granulosomes and melanosomes? i don't even remember!
Also, i had some random physics passage with a twirly car...what the?! and for some reason, verbal seemed difficult because it was so long so i ended rushing and not really reading and the questions made it more difficult b/c of lacking time. Really? 2 reptile/turtle stupid passages?

Sigh..hopefully i'll end up alive after this and won't have to retake! i was so prepared too, and got high 30's for all my practice tests..the disappointment

You guys are awesome!

 

[tf2medic]

Hey guys,

I've been quietly reading this for a couple of weeks and was scared to post because you guys all seem so wise =)

I just took my MCAT yesterday too and got destroyed! I've been asking around and it seems that no one's had a passage that i found so hard, something about lytic granulosomes and melanosomes? i don't even remember!
Also, i had some random physics passage with a twirly car...what the?! and for some reason, verbal seemed difficult because it was so long so i ended rushing and not really reading and the questions made it more difficult b/c of lacking time. Really? 2 reptile/turtle stupid passages?

Sigh..hopefully i'll end up alive after this and won't have to retake! i was so prepared too, and got high 30's for all my practice tests..the disappointment

You guys are awesome!

me and you had the exact same test, the exact same passages on every section...

i forgot about that melanosome one..yeah that was a lil tricky. i think i answered most of them without trouble but i remember one of them where i was like "whaaaaa i have no clue and reading thru this passage 5 more times still hasnt helped me find it!" i didn't think the Ebola one was that hard. they got a lil tricky with terminology, but a slow read of that last paragraph sorted it out. i don't know...i'm a bio major like someone above and i'm used to reading convoluted bio ****. i can see why it would be harder for ppl who just have their bio reading experience from practice tests tho, since yea it was more wordy than usual. i personally thought the melanosome one was harder, for sure. i used a lot of my background knowledge from my current anatomy class to help me on that passage since the reading itself did not seem to provide much help on some of those ?s...

yea those verbals on the reptiles and turtles...i liked those. they were so easy. especially that turtle one! it was like taking Evolution all over again except 10x easy hehe. i liked the VR

i didn't do so well on the PS, tho. i worked way too slow and had to skip reading the last passage and just answer the questions quickly so i could do the last few NPQs. that's gonna hurt...haha

dang if you were getting high 30s tho practice, then nice! i was only getting low 30s haha. i think i'll get anywhere from 27 to 34...hopefully the higher end! haha a huge range i know...eh. i felt good on the bio and verbal overall but on practice on the one test i felt best about it was my lowest score! haha so i'm afraid now...

 

[DoctorYanks]

Oh i'm sure you did fine, confidence is usually a good indicator! I'm actually a bio major too and just took biochem and pretty much life...and i still found the bio like what the...i'd rather do poorly on practice and rock the real thing

I'm trying to move on and think about happy thoughts! worst case: retake..but hopefully that won't happen! But thanks! at least someone had my test...and those damn orgo questions, i'm actually an orgo tutor and i found the orgo like errrr..i had SO many. and i'm worried b/c people usually find orgo easy but who knows..maybe if i found them hard, others did too

 

[tf2medic]

hard orgo questions? really? i barely had any haha...i jus had that one passage on the basic elimination and substitution mechanisms. and i think there were like 2 orgo NPQs which were easy i thought. i reviewed those basic mechanisms the night before to make sure i didnt miss anything easy like that and then there was an entire passage on it! pretty tight

i just finished taking biochem...last semester. i felt having taken it helped A LOT on this bio section

 

[kierkegaard]

hey guys, just wanted to throw out my experience and see if you can relate

PS: thought it was pretty standard, pretty sure I got most of the questions right and no big surprises

V: for some reason I finished with almost 10 mins left which never happens in verbal, passages were all easy reads, but I'm afraid I may have answered too hastily.

BS: everything went great until I hit that virus passage. Very demoralizing, but since I had an extra bit of time or so I re read it a few times after reviewing the rest of my answers and what they were asking wasn't too complicated once you translated the wording and figures. Even still it was demoralizing since I usually finish bio with about 20 extra mins, and it took me until the end to finish reviewing my answers.

my practice tests: I took all 9 tpr practice tests starting at a 23 before I studied and getting as high as a 36 (an almost linear improvement over time) , then I took all the aamc tests with the last five over the last week getting 37,39,38,40,37 so I went in fairly confident. The format of the real test taking up the whole screen and not being the same as the laptop I practiced with was a little odd. I feel like I was in a different mindset during and really hope I didn't botch it. That bio section was very unsettling. I am also worried about verbal because, well its verbal, you never really know.

Are most of you seriously doubting whether this one will be consistent with practice scores too?

Also, anybody know if the ranges for scores on the real thing change very much, or stay pretty steady like the aamc practice ones?

 

[tncekm]

kierkegaard: would you mind telling me what you thought about the TPR tests... which were too hard for AAMC, which were too easy, etc? There is really no specific info on these forums regarding TPR tests. Its all Kaplan and AAMC.

Thx