The 5/10/08 MCAT Club

[mheart]

So I am surprised this thread has not been started yet!! How is everyone feeling about the test?? How are you spending your last week & 1/2? I am retaking from Jan 26th so this is IT! I'm more ready to have it done than nervous...what about everyone else?

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[What up doc]

What up doc: If you're playing a lot of pickup ball, you should be doing some plyo and some explosive stuff like power clean and snatch. I like single-arm DB snatch too.

agreed...on legs i do hang cleans and power cleans....ive tried single arm DB snatch but i was never taught it and it doesnt feel right..i have patella tendonitis so playing a lotta bball takes it toll on my knees....as does plyos and jerks and snatches....

but i improved my vert 2 in in 6 months doing a plyo program....and i was very proud!

improving your vert 2 inches is akin to improving your mcat verbal by 2 pts! hahaha

 

[bozz]

what are you guys doing to our beautiful mcat thread!!!!!!!


on a side note. MAN THATS ALOT OF LEG WORK. wheres the ab/calf work?

also on full body/2 day splits I would keep a careful eye on your shoulder development. without isolation exercises, they tend to get underdeveloped, even with rowing/presses

haha calves... well I don't work them out hehe

Talking about explosive strength, check out Frank Yang... INSANE

[youtube]kGQfTgqQBok[/youtube]



Abs are fine... I'm naturally lean so I don't bother. I make sure they don't disappear with diet alone.

 

[wooki]

When you walk in the day of the exam and they say "good morning" turn around and say "hi I am here to kick some a#$"

i think ill say this on friday. hope someone says good morning to me hahaha.

edit: wow and u claybar! haha. niceee.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

agreed...on legs i do hang cleans and power cleans....ive tried single arm DB snatch but i was never taught it and it doesnt feel right..i have patella tendonitis so playing a lotta bball takes it toll on my knees....as does plyos and jerks and snatches....

but i improved my vert 2 in in 6 months doing a plyo program....and i was very proud!

improving your vert 2 inches is akin to improving your mcat verbal by 2 pts! hahaha

If you have a turf surface at your gym where you can do your plyo stuff (e.g., depth jumps, box jumps, etc), then use it. Most gyms won't have this, but some places that specialize in training athletes will.

Check out this rotational power stuff too. Will help your change-of-direction movements.

http://www.train4thegame.com/gameon/articles/rotational_power_t4tg.pdf

 

[Nucleophile]

Thanks for this little helper. I got an L on my essay, but thought for the past month I did okay. This clarifies a lot.

BTW, I was born and raised in the OC, where are you from?

1 huge thing on essays is to spend sufficient time outlining. This is how I set up my outline:

Outline (gets 5 min minimum and 10 max)

Intro
define the terminology in the prompt in a manner in which it applies to my own argument, introduce general themes and examples I wish to discuss, end with a strong thesis

Points to support thesis

Points to refute thesis

conclusion
repeat thesis, link the support to refute examples in a smooth, logical transition. look at overall picture and universal implications and why we should really care about the prompt.

Don't get too flowery in linguistics, you want to be clear for your reader (who has read too many essays to keep an appropriate focus). You want the essay to flow logically and the only way to do that is to have an effective outline and appropriate opening/closing statements within each paragraph.

I was in MUN back in the day and took a lot of poli sci/classics classes so I am pretty well versed in different topics. But if you focus on a few topics of interest you should be in good hands. I would know Thucydides, Machiavelli's Prince, Ghandi, FDR, MLK...know what the UN does and its history. Knowing something about these topics will clear out 80% of the "data base" you need to access for the sample.

I scored a T on my second MCAT, and S on first. I am a bio major not a poli sci, humanities or communication-heavy major.

 

[Nucleophile]

That guy is my new inspiration... my God....

haha calves... well I don't work them out hehe

Talking about explosive strength, check out Frank Yang... INSANE

[youtube]kGQfTgqQBok[/youtube]



Abs are fine... I'm naturally lean so I don't bother. I make sure they don't disappear with diet alone.

 

[l7anxtl7lvln2n]

haha Calves... Well I Don't Work Them Out Hehe

Talking About Explosive Strength, Check Out Frank Yang... Insane

[youtube]kgqftgqqbok[/youtube]



Abs Are Fine... I'm Naturally Lean So I Don't Bother. I Make Sure They Don't Disappear With Diet Alone.

Wow Freakin Nuts

 

[What up doc]

Wow Freakin Nuts

hes pretty sick...40 inch vertical!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and type in his name and perfect pitch....the dude has perfect pitch!!! sumthing like only 1/10000 ppl have...pretty sick...

 

[littlemissmd]

Thanks for this little helper. I got an L on my essay, but thought for the past month I did okay. This clarifies a lot.

BTW, I was born and raised in the OC, where are you from?

I am so glad that you found it helpful I live in Laguna Hills and go to UC Irvine. I need to get into California because I can't live without In'N'Out and South Coast Plaza/ Fashion Island haha! What part of OC are you from?

 

[bozz]

hes pretty sick...40 inch vertical!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and type in his name and perfect pitch....the dude has perfect pitch!!! sumthing like only 1/10000 ppl have...pretty sick...

dude.. nowadays in the summer, when do you find time to workout?
I've been sleeping at 5 and getting up a 3

 

[pingouin]

Guys- take the weightlifting discussion to All Students and get back on topic. Quit stealing MCAT thunder here.. Otherwise I'm closing this, which is not fair to the 5/10 MCATers.

Merci

 

[Nucleophile]

lol, I'm from Newport. Went to NHHS class of '05 and for some stupid reason decided to come to TX. I miss all those -- Double Animal Style!!!! lol, I come out often though and would love to get into CA and come home!

I am so glad that you found it helpful I live in Laguna Hills and go to UC Irvine. I need to get into California because I can't live without In'N'Out and South Coast Plaza/ Fashion Island haha! What part of OC are you from?

 

[Suaveness]

boy that got off topic

 

[pianola]

boy that got off topic

Hehehe...just a little bit! I wonder if anyone has anything else to say about the 5/10 MCAT.

 

[What up doc]

after sum serious thot and a series of phone calls to several medical schools...i have decided to retake my mcat.....a lot of ppl have advised me either way, but i really feel that i did not perform to the best of my abilities and i dont want to go in the process with any regrets....i will retake at the risk of scoring lower...if i feel like i didnt score as well i will void....my score can get me into medical school rite now...but i want to perform as best i can...aug 5th..here we come!

 

[Vihsadas]

after sum serious thot and a series of phone calls to several medical schools...i have decided to retake my mcat.....a lot of ppl have advised me either way, but i really feel that i did not perform to the best of my abilities and i dont want to go in the process with any regrets....i will retake at the risk of scoring lower...if i feel like i didnt score as well i will void....my score can get me into medical school rite now...but i want to perform as best i can...aug 5th..here we come!

Well man, you gotta do, what you gotta do. If you've really thought about it, and you're sure about where you are, and what you think can happen, then by all means, "Go for it!". Good luck.

 

[mheart]

A word of warning, even though I know most people would do better given my situation, but: I retook with a 30 after being told by everyone on SDN not to (but adcoms at the school where I work said it could only help me), & I ended up getting a 27...But I also think I got sort of cocky & overestimated my abilities & also was taking AAMC tests I had taken in the past. So try to find tests you haven't ever taken, as obvious as that sounds. Anyway, I just want to issue that warning & say good luck!!

after sum serious thot and a series of phone calls to several medical schools...i have decided to retake my mcat.....a lot of ppl have advised me either way, but i really feel that i did not perform to the best of my abilities and i dont want to go in the process with any regrets....i will retake at the risk of scoring lower...if i feel like i didnt score as well i will void....my score can get me into medical school rite now...but i want to perform as best i can...aug 5th..here we come!

 

[thierryhenry]

definitely a mistake man, what did you get the first time 34?


seriously
gimme a break gimme a break

 

[copperfrog09]

after sum serious thot and a series of phone calls to several medical schools...i have decided to retake my mcat.....a lot of ppl have advised me either way, but i really feel that i did not perform to the best of my abilities and i dont want to go in the process with any regrets....i will retake at the risk of scoring lower...if i feel like i didnt score as well i will void....my score can get me into medical school rite now...but i want to perform as best i can...aug 5th..here we come!

You got a 34, and you said earlier in this thread that your AAMC average was around a 33?

To me, retaking a 34 just makes you look like a prick to adcoms if you do the same or better, and foolish if you do worse. But then again, it's your choice!

 

[pianola]

You know, a 34 is a great score (and seriously, I'll be lucky if I get a 34) but I can totally understand why someone would retake if they think they can improve.

to you.

 

[tncekm]

You got a 34, and you said earlier in this thread that your AAMC average was around a 33?

To me, retaking a 34 just makes you look like a prick to adcoms if you do the same or better, and foolish if you do worse. But then again, it's your choice!

That prick factor would be my biggest concern. I'm averaging almost 36 right now (for AAMC, not counting my first one #3 which I took a few months back), and if I get anything over 30 I'll be satisfied (although the higher I score the easier I sleep come application time). I can just imagine the "wtf did you retake for?" questions at interview as the interviewer just sits, expecting some pompous answer. Too scary, IMHO.

 

[l7anxtl7lvln2n]

O My... To retake or no... My scores are lower than all my practices. 13/6!!!/11 R 30R. GPA is 3.99 BCPM 4.00. My top choices are UIC, RUSH, and loyola. You think the high writing will make up for my low verbal?

Any thoughts?

 

[pianola]

Any thoughts?

If your ECs are strong I wouldn't retake...IMHO.

 

[MonkeyChow]

I would retake, you will get screened out of many schools with a verbal of 6. Atleast try to raise it to an 8. You can always contact the schools you are interested in though and ask...

 

[What up doc]

That prick factor would be my biggest concern. I'm averaging almost 36 right now (for AAMC, not counting my first one #3 which I took a few months back), and if I get anything over 30 I'll be satisfied (although the higher I score the easier I sleep come application time). I can just imagine the "wtf did you retake for?" questions at interview as the interviewer just sits, expecting some pompous answer. Too scary, IMHO.

ye i guess that would be the case...but do interviewers really actually ask u about ur mcat score? and if they did, whats wrong with responding "i feel i didnt perform to the best of my abilities, and i didnt want to go into this process that i spent my whole preparing for with any regrets"

and yes, i did score somewhere around my average, but that includes test i took way back in feb when i hadnt even finished content review....my practice test as the test approached were much stronger

i appreciate the support tho, my only worry is if i will be able 2 study as intently as i did b4 and ive taken all my aamcs and kaplans....ne1 know how 2 get tprs without taking the class? or perhaps GS and berk review tests?

 

[bozz]

ye i guess that would be the case...but do interviewers really actually ask u about ur mcat score? and if they did, whats wrong with responding "i feel i didnt perform to the best of my abilities, and i didnt want to go into this process that i spent my whole preparing for with any regrets"

and yes, i did score somewhere around my average, but that includes test i took way back in feb when i hadnt even finished content review....my practice test as the test approached were much stronger

i appreciate the support tho, my only worry is if i will be able 2 study as intently as i did b4 and ive taken all my aamcs and kaplans....ne1 know how 2 get tprs without taking the class? or perhaps GS and berk review tests?

We've got apps right now... yeah, if you improved to a 38, it would be worth it. But will you? Were you averaging 38s or something? It's up to you to figure out how much extra work you'd need to do to get a "worthwhile" retake score. I don't even know if it's an issue of adcoms going, "why'd you retake it." I think it's more the stuff you will miss out doing this summer for a good score that may not even be higher than what you already scored.'

I had a great test day. On a bad test day, I could have easily, easily scored a 33.. not doubts about it. lol... why not do some extra lifting and cardio get up to a shredded 220lbs instead of studying for the MCAT >.>

 

[eelleellee]

O My... To retake or no... My scores are lower than all my practices. 13/6!!!/11 R 30R. GPA is 3.99 BCPM 4.00. My top choices are UIC, RUSH, and loyola. You think the high writing will make up for my low verbal?

I had a verbal score similar to yours the first time I took the MCAT and got a 30O. I was advised to take it again so I took the 5/10 MCAT and scored a 35R with a 3 point increase in verbal. So it is possible to improve your verbal score with lots of practice!