The Official 01/31/09 MCAT Club

[BloodySurgeon]

Since January is nearby, I decided to refine the January MCAT club to it's two dates. For those of you who are taking it on Saturday, January 31th, here is the place where you can vent, discuss, and support each other for this upcoming test. Best of luck guys!

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[kypreos]

ok, ill start by saying this, the kaplans online lesson people talk way 2 damn fast!!!!!. ive been studying since nov 1st and im through bio 1&2, phys1&2 Gen Chem 1&2 and now all i have left is orgo 2 and vr 1&2 and ive learned more from reading and the online wksp plus quizes then the hour long lessons on demand. ok im done, good luck to everyone

 

[boggle]

I will be retaking this date. Blasting out PS section this time hopefully.

 

[gator13doc]

Hey everyone. I am also registered for this day. Man o man, time is flying by!! Good luck to everyone

 

[Revilla]

Hello my fellow MCATers. I'm also registered for the 31st. Here's to hoping for the best!

 

[Marjan Islam]

Jan. 31st is my date as well!

When are you guys going to be taking the practice tests?
So far, I've just been doing Kaplan work, while reasing EK for review. Over thanksgiving, and 1/2 through december, I want to have finished all topical tests, subject tests, and section tests. That's my goal anyway .

And from the 2nd half of December to a few days before Test Day, I want to really get my timing down and well as reassure myself that I know the content before Test Day by taking the Kaplan's 11 full lengths and 8 AAMC's tests. I've only taken 1 FL, so my experience with the actual test and timing aren't awesmome.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

ok, ill start by saying this, the kaplans online lesson people talk way 2 damn fast!!!!!. ive been studying since nov 1st and im through bio 1&2, phys1&2 Gen Chem 1&2 and now all i have left is orgo 2 and vr 1&2 and ive learned more from reading and the online wksp plus quizes then the hour long lessons on demand. ok im done, good luck to everyone

That's why they invented the pause button, my friend. I frequently pause to contemplate the material while listening to EK Audio Osmosis.

 

[kypreos]

That's why they invented the pause button, my friend. I frequently pause to contemplate the material while listening to EK Audio Osmosis.

i hit that button so much it resembles a hooker IMO. but when i hit it the reader and the pictures on the passage never get thier timing right lol. but as far as when im doing things. i will be done all my "material" for the test by december 8 then every other day taking a FL test of some sort(either kaplan or AAMC). so up until january 31'st I will have taked 28 FL tests. the last time i sat i only had 2 under my belt. so lets see if there is any room for improvement. i take a test every other day, then on the days in bw, i wil be reviewing that exact same test and briefly going over some of the content that i need to brush up on from the results of the previous days test. hopefully thats enough review im hoping for @ least i 30+ hopefully 35+ after all ive been studying since nov. 1st. so here goes nothing. also ii will be supplementing with EK verbal a couple weeks prior.

 

[Ibn Rushd]

I'm taking it on the 31st too.

I'll hopefully be wrapping up content review in a couple of days. I've got three physics lectures and four biology lectures to finish in the EK books. After that, I plan on doing a whole lot of practice. A whole lot.

 

[forumgirl]

i'll be taking it on the 31st as well. good luck to everyone!

 

[SirT3]

hai guise

 

[TooMuchResearch]

Good luck on Saturday.

 

[Ibn Rushd]

omg four more days!!

 

[TooMuchResearch]

Alright, only four more days!!

There, I fixed it for you.

 

[Ibn Rushd]

^ You know what, you're totally right. I have to go in there with confidence, heck, even an arrogance. I've been studying my butt off. I know this stuff inside and out. Bring it MCAT!!

 

[Institute]

can't wait to get this lame **** over with.

 

[wannabesrgn]

can't wait to get this lame **** over with.

word.

 

[BlueElmo]

Good luck everyone!

 

[futuredoctor10]

Good luck guys! We're almost there!

 

[creativekat]

Don't you mean...

can't wait to get this FUN CELEBRATION AND EXHIBITION OF OUTSTANDING LEARNING STARTED.

Stay positive and be happy! Your mentality affects your performance!

 

[Ibn Rushd]

Let's. Do. This. Thing.

 

[Phlame217]

Locked, loaded, and ready for the 31'st with my F***** rope! (boondock saints) lol

 

[ksmi117]

Best of luck to my fellow January 2009er's. It's not as bad as you make it out to be in your mind. So just breathe and focus. Y'all will do awesome!!

 

[RRTinCO]

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!! DOMINATE IT!!!

 

[neutropos]

Best of luck to all of you. Any test anxiety you may have should wear off within minutes.

 

[swamprat]

Best of luck to all of you. Any test anxiety you may have should wear off within minutes.

I agree. I was nervous as anything up until I got halfway through the first passage and then my nerves calmed and I was focused.

 

[elyswim]

Good luck guys! Soon enough you'll be on the other side!

 

[blcks7n]

good luck to every one tomorrow on the MCAT!

 

[Ibn Rushd]

Twelve hours from now (on the west coast at least) we'll be sitting in that room. Good luck everyone!

 

[nexus6]

good luck tomorrow

 

[Tutmos]

Bleh, here comes the June MCAT. Between my dogs barking from 11-12 and my 5 year old screaming for me at 1am because of a bad dream I threw in the towel after not being able to get to sleep by 1:30am. I'm not going to try and take it on 4ish hours of sleep, it's bad enough on 7. Good luck to those that could sleep.

 

[KiwiBruin]

Sorry to hear that Tutmos. I had a crazy friend who had to take the test 80 miles from where he lives. He decided to get a hotel closest to the exam center so he could be less stressed out and get a good night's rest. Maybe you should consider this?

 

[Tutmos]

Sorry to hear that Tutmos. I had a crazy friend who had to take the test 80 miles from where he lives. He decided to get a hotel closest to the exam center so he could be less stressed out and get a good night's rest. Maybe you should consider this?

Thanks. I just need to do the 2pm exam. That will solve all the problems. On the down side I'm now officially sick to death of studying for it and not looking forward to another month of it. On the positive side I am retaining and incorporating a lot of the material into permanent memory and it seems to be helping my scores. I was getting 32-33 on the AAMC's last time and the two I had left this time I got 35 and 36. I'll have to do some of the ones I did for August over again for June since I'm now out. There's no way I'll remember questions from almost a year ago.

 

[Sach]

Thanks. I just need to do the 2pm exam. That will solve all the problems. On the down side I'm now officially sick to death of studying for it and not looking forward to another month of it. On the positive side I am retaining and incorporating a lot of the material into permanent memory and it seems to be helping my scores. I was getting 32-33 on the AAMC's last time and the two I had left this time I got 35 and 36. I'll have to do some of the ones I did for August over again for June since I'm now out. There's no way I'll remember questions from almost a year ago.

Why not take it earlier than June?

 

[Tutmos]

Why not take it earlier than June?

June is the first late session and I'm taking 18 credits right now, working, have kids and volunteering so there's no real chance of studying while classes are in session. With everyone talking about how much they've increased the genetics content of the MCAT it doesn't hurt that I'm taking genetics right now and will have finished the course right as I start a month of studying for the June date.

 

[Sach]

June is the first late session and I'm taking 18 credits right now, working, have kids and volunteering so there's no real chance of studying while classes are in session. With everyone talking about how much they've increased the genetics content of the MCAT it doesn't hurt that I'm taking genetics right now and will have finished the course right as I start a month of studying for the June date.

Good idea! I was just wondering because it seems as though you had already prepared for Jan 30. so why delay but I understand your situation.

Are you non-trad?

 

[Prodromo]

Well I just finished my MCAT today 1/31/09. I feel great about it! I hope I'm not overestimating but I think it was excellent. Hopefully my scores match my prediction of 34+. SO HAPPY!!!

 

[cablen64k]

Yeah, I thought it was muchhh harder than the practice ones, esp the AAMC ones. The PS section was just insane. Verbal wasn't too bad, and neither was BS. There was a ton of Bio and very little orgo, which made me happy. But I am very concerned about PS. Did anyone else feel this way?

Also, during my exam, my comp froze and i had to wait like a half hour to go again, and by then i had lost a few minutes of time off of my clock. Should i report it?

 

[pharaoh88]

I felt like today's test wasn't as bad as I'd expected it to be either! I'm scared to predict a score though...

 

[thatscorrect7]

i hope my PS score is okay

 

[Hosayif]

The PS section was just insane. Verbal wasn't too bad, and neither was BS. There was a ton of Bio and very little orgo, which made me happy. But I am very concerned about PS. Did anyone else feel this way?

I thought PS was a bit tough, too. I ran out of time and actually was forced to leave some blank because of it. I am also very pleased with the lack of organic chemistry in BS.

 

[flip26]

Well, I felt about the same way I felt after the practice exams I took (Kaplan 1-6, AAMC 3, 4, 8, 9) - I felt pretty good about the test today, finished all sections with time remaining (felt a little pressured to finish PS).

My thoughts for today compared to practice tests:

PS was the toughest section, harder than most of the practice exams. The first question bogged me down a little, but I finally guesstimated and moved on...

Verbal was easy - I would rate this as one of the easiest I have taken - I am expecting this will be my best section score.

BS was fairly average - I felt good about this section.

Writing was mixed - first essay was harder to write, second was a slam dunk.

I am fairly confident my actual score will fall within my practice score range (33 to 39, avg 36). My practice section scores have ranged from 10 to 14, mostly clustered in the 11/12/13 range). Nothing about today's exam makes me think I will fall below my lowest practice score of 33 (at least I hope not).

Good luck, everyone.

Finally, what a freaking relief to have that behind me.

 

[Revilla]

I'm really worried about the curve on this one. I thought most of it was fairly straight-forward. The verbal passages were a little long and I had trouble with a few of the questions, but not too bad. The BS stumped me on a few genetics questions, but I was thrilled there wasn't much Organic. I thought PS was okay. I'm really not a fan of the pendulum.

 

[RedSoxSuck]

I'm really worried about the curve on this one. I thought most of it was fairly straight-forward. The verbal passages were a little long and I had trouble with a few of the questions, but not too bad. The BS stumped me on a few genetics questions, but I was thrilled there wasn't much Organic. I thought PS was okay. I'm really not a fan of the pendulum.

Honestly, i would be worried about the curve too but if you think about it 36-39 is going to be a 9 in most cases. I took mine yesterday and so far it seems like today's test takers had an easier test big time!!.

Goodluck everyone!!...I can't stop thinking about mine!!!

 

[Revilla]

Honestly, i would be worried about the curve too but if you think about it 36-39 is going to be a 9 in most cases.

Sorry, maybe I'm in a post-MCAT brain fog. I don't understand what that means. What do you mean a 36-39 is going to be a 9?

 

[thatscorrect7]

PS: I know i missed a bunch as i realized during my break after PS.
i missed the gimme questions like the electron config one lol

VR: i think for some reason this was easier.

BS: i think bs was easier and didnt have that much ochem and as a neuroscience major was glad to see serotonin something ive studied a lot.

 

[RedSoxSuck]

Sorry, maybe I'm in a post-MCAT brain fog. I don't understand what that means. What do you mean a 36-39 is going to be a 9?

Well, If you look at all the old AAMC tests (PS and BS). If you were to get anywhere from 36-39 question correct then "you" would get a 9 in PS or BS. So if the test is relatively easier then you might have to get a 37-40 to get a 9. Because i remember for PS in AAMC 9 or 10. I got 42 questions correct and that was barely a 10. So i guess what i am trying to say is if the test is easier then you will have to get more question correct in order to get a 9 or 10. Not sure if that makes any sense. I think i am thinking too much

Also, easier test means LESS room for error!!!

 

[boggle]

I also ran out of time on the PS. I knew most of the problems I just didn't have time. This is the section I needed to increase and I am worried that I didn't.

I felt that the verbal was easy as well, and the bio I cruised on until the one passage that was heavy orgo.

 

[Revilla]

Well, If you look at all the old AAMC tests (PS and BS). If you were to get anywhere from 36-39 question correct then "you" would get a 9 in PS or BS. So if the test is relatively easier then you might have to get a 37-40 to get a 9. Because i remember for PS in AAMC 9 or 10. I got 42 questions correct and that was barely a 10. So i guess what i am trying to say is if the test is easier then you will have to get more question correct in order to get a 9 or 10. Not sure if that makes any sense. I think i am thinking too much

Also, easier test means LESS room for error!!!

Oh, that makes perfect sense and that's exactly what I'm concerned about! I thought you originally meant that if you get a 36-39 on the MCAT (as in your total score), that means a 9. I couldn't figure out what that meant. LOL

 

[flip26]

Well, If you look at all the old AAMC tests (PS and BS). If you were to get anywhere from 36-39 question correct then "you" would get a 9 in PS or BS. So if the test is relatively easier then you might have to get a 37-40 to get a 9. Because i remember for PS in AAMC 9 or 10. I got 42 questions correct and that was barely a 10. So i guess what i am trying to say is if the test is easier then you will have to get more question correct in order to get a 9 or 10. Not sure if that makes any sense. I think i am thinking too much

The curve is the equalizer. The only thing you can compare the actual test to is the practice tests you have taken, and how you "feel" about your performance on the real thing, weighing the "easy to hard" stuff, vis-a-vis your practice scores.

Not too many people come out of one of these thinking they did better on the real thing than the practice tests. If you look at the CBT 30+ thread where people have extensively listed their practice scores, etc., it is very unusual to see an actual score fall outside of the practice score ranges, and that is how I feel about today - I am expecting to fall within my practice range, and any composite score in that range would be great as far as I am concerned...not making any predictions, just going on the "feel" of today's exam.