The dreaded MCAT

[docman85]

Ok so I am planning on taking the MCAT in Sept. to apply for fall 2009. I have not taken phys 2 nor org 2 which i know is considered a problem. I am just wondering what everyone's opinion is as far as if I should move the date up to August or leave it in Sept? And also If i should go ahead and send my primary in before graduation Aug 2??

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[aliDO]

Are you dead set on 2009 for matriculation? How are your stats and MCAT practice tests going? We really need more info to reply.

 

[nemo16]

Ok so I am planning on taking the MCAT in Sept. to apply for fall 2009. I have not taken phys 2 nor org 2 which i know is considered a problem. I am just wondering what everyone's opinion is as far as if I should move the date up to August or leave it in Sept? And also If i should go ahead and send my primary in before graduation Aug 2??

Is this your first mcat? I think moving the test date up a month wouldn't help your app as much as continuing studying would help your score but thats just me. As for when to send in your primary I would send it in before graduation maybe early/mid july so it's still pretty early.

 

[meggielou]

I took the MCAT without Orgo 2, Physics 1, or Physics 2. I did well enough to apply, but not nearly as well as I would have done with those classes under my belt. I ended up getting into the school that I wanted, but if I had it to do over again, I would have waited and taken the exam after I had those classes. I think it would have prevented a lot of waitlist stress!! When I took the exam though, it was the last time they administered the paper exam, but you still couldn't take it in September, so I would have had to wait until January, which I thought at the time was just too late.

Either way, if you work really hard and study, you should still be ok

Good luck!

 

[piss ant]

Even though I've developed a crush on meggielou, I must argue that your plan is stupid. You can't get into med school without having taken those classes, so why cripple your score on the MCAT by taking it prematurely?

 

[docman85]

Thanks guys for all the advice, my stats are 3.35 overall, 3.5 sci. Exercise physiology major, worked 2 years at local hospital 1 year in physical therapy and 1 year in the ER),making high 20s on practice exams.​

So I should go ahead and send my transcript to AACOMAS before I graduate? But wont I have to send it to them again once I graduate??

And yes I do realize that this is not a race but I would really like to matriculate aug 2009, my fiance just got into NP school at Vandy so I would like to go ahead and get things rolling for me. Yes this is my first time taking the mcat.​

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Yes. Get this show on the road.

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[meggielou]

Even though I've developed a crush on meggielou, I must argue that your plan is stupid. You can't get into med school without having taken those classes, so why cripple your score on the MCAT by taking it prematurely?

haha thanks, piss ant, but I was actually saying that if I had it to do over again, I'd take the classes before taking the MCAT... nice to know I have SDN admirers

 

[DeLaughterDO]

I would wait until you take the classes. Agree with what was said above - should not possibly harm your score by not studying enough and then not even taking pre-reqs everyone knows are needed for the MCAT.. that's like taking a final without having attended half of the classes. Doesn't make sense.

I understand you want to get started, but do you want to potentially waste that money (and the application money you will spend) if you tank the test and have to retake it and reapply next cycle?

Be a little more intelligent about it.

Or, you could drop medicine altogether and go to NP school. They are going to do the same things without any of the training

 

[HenryH]

I took the MCAT without Orgo 2, Physics 1, or Physics 2. I did well enough to apply, but not nearly as well as I would have done with those classes under my belt. I ended up getting into the school that I wanted, but if I had it to do over again, I would have waited and taken the exam after I had those classes. I think it would have prevented a lot of waitlist stress!! When I took the exam though, it was the last time they administered the paper exam, but you still couldn't take it in September, so I would have had to wait until January, which I thought at the time was just too late.

Either way, if you work really hard and study, you should still be ok

Good luck!

I'm in a situation similar to the one you were in in that I haven't taken physics 1 or 2. Did you learn physics material on your own to prepare for physics material on the MCAT, or did you just take the test cold?

 

[Richie Truxillo]

Even though I've developed a crush on meggielou, I must argue that your plan is stupid. You can't get into med school without having taken those classes, so why cripple your score on the MCAT by taking it prematurely?

yes, Meggielou is cute but I must also disagree. The MCAT is the single most important thing on your application (minus the box that you check to state you haven't been convicted of a felony! )

Admission committee's really look at MCAT scores as the standardizing factor. It's a lame test and all of the knowledge on it is pretty much useless in the practice of medicine, but like everything else in life you gotta jump through the hoops to get in medical school. Please be sure you have your prerequisite classes before you take the MCAT as it will greatly increase your chances.

How do I know this? I did the same thing once, took the MCAT early and made the same score on the MCAT twice. I waited, did MCAT Audio Osmosis, and took it again. Scored alot better on the MCAT third time around and surprise, surprise, all of a sudden everyone wanted me. Ended up going to a DO school because they were the only ones who actually took the time to read my application and get to know me prior to arriving.

Take the path of least resistance, do well on the MCAT from the get go. It's the only thing most schools care about.

With that said, good luck! Go knock em dead

 

[meggielou]

I'm in a situation similar to the one you were in in that I haven't taken physics 1 or 2. Did you learn physics material on your own to prepare for physics material on the MCAT, or did you just take the test cold?

I learned the physics stuff on my own, using Physics for Dummies and a few other books like that (including an MCAT prep one, but I don't remember which, Princeton Review maybe). Anyway, I WOULDN'T recommend it. If I had it to do over, I would have waited and taken the MCAT after having taken all the classes. I got very lucky that I did ok (and I stress OK, not great), but it would have saved me a lot of stress if I had just waited to take the test until I was ready!

 

[HenryH]

I learned the physics stuff on my own, using Physics for Dummies and a few other books like that (including an MCAT prep one, but I don't remember which, Princeton Review maybe). Anyway, I WOULDN'T recommend it. If I had it to do over, I would have waited and taken the MCAT after having taken all the classes. I got very lucky that I did ok (and I stress OK, not great), but it would have saved me a lot of stress if I had just waited to take the test until I was ready!

Thanks for your response. After being "pre-dental" for the past two years, I have recently decided to set my sights on becoming a physician. Unfortunately, because the DAT doesn't test physics material, I haven't taken a single physics class. I will be a junior this fall and would like to apply to medical school next May, but I'm in a tough situation since I need to take the MCAT this year and won't be able to take physics due to upper-level courses that are scheduled during the same timeslots as physics. I will probably pick up the Physics For Dummies book that you mentioned.

Just out of curiosity, what prep-books did you study for the rest of the MCAT?

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Just out of curiosity, what prep-books did you study for the rest of the MCAT?

Find a used copy of Examkrackers (EK) MCAT Audio Osmosis and the EK Complete Study Package. I used Kaplan for my first MCAT and taught for them, but EK is more concise and high-yield. Also, listening to MCAT every day on the way to work/school was one of the most beneficial things I did.

 

[HenryH]

Find a used copy of Examkrackers (EK) MCAT Audio Osmosis and the EK Complete Study Package. I used Kaplan for my first MCAT and taught for them, but EK is more concise and high-yield. Also, listening to MCAT every day on the way to work/school was one of the most beneficial things I did.

Thanks for the recommendations. Would you say the physics book in the EK Complete Study Package is thorough enough to learn physics from scratch for someone who has never had a single physics class (not even in high school)?

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Thanks for the recommendations. Would you say the physics book in the EK Complete Study Package is thorough enough to learn physics from scratch for someone who has never had a single physics class (not even in high school)?

Hard to say, as I wasn't in that situation. Worst case, you'll need a textbook to remediate physics. This might not be the case though.

 

[niranjan162]

if youve never done physics at all u will need more than just EK physics, its more of a review than a teacher.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Thanks for the recommendations. Would you say the physics book in the EK Complete Study Package is thorough enough to learn physics from scratch for someone who has never had a single physics class (not even in high school)?

Supplement with Nova Physics...it gets rave reviews on the MCAT forum for those that have trouble understanding physics.