The Official 04/28/2012 MCAT

[HoltMD]

I figured I should start this thread/support system. Good luck studying!

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[folktale]

Btw, who here graduated already? I graduated last year and I just don't want to wait another year before I apply. Time is ticking and I just want to get this over with. And if for some reason I need to re-take, I guess I'll give it one more year...after that I feel like taking another route in my career path. What about you guys? I'm 24 right now. How old is our group for this test date?

 

[misseskwee]

Btw, who here graduated already? I graduated last year and I just don't want to wait another year before I apply. Time is ticking and I just want to get this over with. And if for some reason I need to re-take, I guess I'll give it one more year...after that I feel like taking another route in my career path. What about you guys? I'm 24 right now. How old is our group for this test date?

Turning 22 this summer, graduated this past December
And why take another route? If I don't get in any MD or DO schools then I'm going to do medicine back in the Philippines if I have to. Not giving up the dream! ;-)

 

[pfaction]

22; 23 this August. And hopefully with a submitted application by then. I'm rotating at four hospitals starting in June, so I'm hoping to have at least 75% of it done by June 1st...anyone know when the submit date is? I have to write my PS and input all my grades somehow.

 

[fas376]

Btw, who here graduated already? I graduated last year and I just don't want to wait another year before I apply. Time is ticking and I just want to get this over with. And if for some reason I need to re-take, I guess I'll give it one more year...after that I feel like taking another route in my career path. What about you guys? I'm 24 right now. How old is our group for this test date?

I also graduated last May. I was deciding between dentistry and medicine, so I wanted to work at a hospital to figure out my life. The year off really helped. I'm 22 and don't want to talk another year off either, so I'm applying ASAP and hopefully I'll get SOME interviews

 

[fas376]

22; 23 this August. And hopefully with a submitted application by then. I'm rotating at four hospitals starting in June, so I'm hoping to have at least 75% of it done by June 1st...anyone know when the submit date is? I have to write my PS and input all my grades somehow.

AWW YEAHHH. Same here - turning 23 this August.

 

[misseskwee]

I believe AMCAS opens on May 1st and we can submit by June 5th

 

[adamsnij]

Btw, who here graduated already? I graduated last year and I just don't want to wait another year before I apply. Time is ticking and I just want to get this over with. And if for some reason I need to re-take, I guess I'll give it one more year...after that I feel like taking another route in my career path. What about you guys? I'm 24 right now. How old is our group for this test date?

Think I might be one of the younger ones on this thread (turning 21 in may). I've taken two full lengths in the past three days and I'm ready for a break. Got 9/8/11 AAMC 4 and 10/9/10 AAMC 5 respectively. Shooting for >30 on our test date.

 

[folktale]

Seems like I'm the oldest one haha. I turned 24 this February.

I'm planning on sending transcripts as soon as possible, most likely after I finish entering the courses on AMCAS.

 

[fas376]

Seems like I'm the oldest one haha. I turned 24 this February.

I'm planning on sending transcripts as soon as possible, most likely after I finish entering the courses on AMCAS.

Don't worry, the average age for most incoming med students is around 24 or 25.

Misses - I'm from Texas, our apps open up May 1st. I believe AMCAS opens up June 1st. I may be wrong though.

 

[folktale]

Don't worry, the average age for most incoming med students is around 24 or 25.

Misses - I'm from Texas, our apps open up May 1st. I believe AMCAS opens up June 1st. I may be wrong though.

Thanks man. I just hope I get in this cycle, if not, I'll give it another go next year. After that, I might just change paths haha. But do you guys have any backup plans just in case, worst case scenario, you don't get accepted anywhere?

Edit: you can start filling in your application May 1, but you can officially submit your application June 1

 

[misseskwee]

Yea was just on aamc website and the amcas app does open may 1st. But you can't submit it until June 5th. We are so gonna have a helluva year guys! Hopefully it ends on a good note

 

[fas376]

Thanks man. I just hope I get in this cycle, if not, I'll give it another go next year. After that, I might just change paths haha. But do you guys have any backup plans just in case, worst case scenario, you don't get accepted anywhere?

This is my first time applying, and so I wouldn't care if I got rejected. But what annoys me is that as a pre-med, I can't get a good job. As Bio majors, we'll end up working at Target or something. Because I can't support myself, I live at home with my parents, which is annoying as hell. I love them and all, but it's time for me to grow the f.uck up and move on with my life. Rejection doesn't bother me - living at home does! I'll apply again next year, and if I again get rejected, I guess I'll just jump off a bridge.

 

[folktale]

This is my first time applying, and so I wouldn't care if I got rejected. But what annoys me is that as a pre-med, I can't get a good job. As Bio majors, we'll end up working at Target or something. Because I can't support myself, I live at home with my parents, which is annoying as hell. I love them and all, but it's time for me to grow the f.uck up and move on with my life. Rejection doesn't bother me - living at home does! I'll apply again next year, and if I again get rejected, I guess I'll just jump off a bridge.

This is also my first time applying. And I also agree with being pre-med, all we look forward to is becoming a doctor. I don't really like being in the lab doing research and all, since I'd rather have patient interaction like in the ER. Never really had a back-up plan, but while waiting for secondaries and interviews this year, I'm also going to be looking up some possible alternative career. But that's only if I'm fine with my MCAT score. If I need to re-take, I'm definitely going to focus on that first.

 

[kryptonian]

Btw, who here graduated already? I graduated last year and I just don't want to wait another year before I apply. Time is ticking and I just want to get this over with. And if for some reason I need to re-take, I guess I'll give it one more year...after that I feel like taking another route in my career path. What about you guys? I'm 24 right now. How old is our group for this test date?

I graduated last year too. 23 yrs old. First time applying. While studying for the MCAT, I have always been worried about not getting a high enough score and getting rejected everywhere. Similarly to fas376, I'm sick of this current life too (but for other reasons). Really hope I can get in somewhere and move on with my life. At first I thought I would use grad school as backup plan but looks like that plan is impractical right now cos this med school app process takes up all of my energy. Btw, hopefully this year is going to be a fruitful year for all of us in this group

 

[fas376]

I graduated last year too. 23 yrs old. First time applying. While studying for the MCAT, I have always been worried about not getting a high enough score and getting rejected everywhere. Similarly to fas376, I'm sick of this current life too (but for other reasons). Really hope I can get in somewhere and move on with my life. At first I thought I would use grad school as backup plan but looks like that plan is impractical right now cos this med school app process takes up all of my energy. Btw, hopefully this year is going to be a fruitful year for all of us in this group

Yeah dude, let's own this shi.t! I've also noticed that this group tends to talk a lot less about the MCAT than the other test date groups, which I think is great. It keeps us all sane

 

[kryptonian]

22; 23 this August. And hopefully with a submitted application by then. I'm rotating at four hospitals starting in June, so I'm hoping to have at least 75% of it done by June 1st...anyone know when the submit date is? I have to write my PS and input all my grades somehow.

Wow, you're surprisingly young as a pharmacy student. Did you do the fast track during high school ? I think your solid clinical background is quite an advantage .

 

[kryptonian]

Yeah dude, let's own this shi.t! I've also noticed that this group tends to talk a lot less about the MCAT than the other test date groups, which I think is great. It keeps us all sane

Yep yep. I like the fact that this thread also functions as a social place for MCAT studier

 

[fas376]

Wow, you're surprisingly young as a pharmacy student. Did you do the fast track during high school ? I think your solid clinical background is quite an advantage .

Most pharmacy students are hella young. The average age definitely isn't as high as it is for med students, since you don't need a bachelor's to enter. A friend of mine in pharmacy school is 19.

Although no disrespect, if I had to choose the worst possible career I can imagine, it would be pharmacy. Not sure why anyone would want to do it. Looks so boring!

yo pfaction - Watch this, it'll make you feel better about quitting pharmacy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv7iPy_FhQo

 

[kryptonian]

Most pharmacy students are hella young. The average age definitely isn't as high as it is for med students, since you don't need a bachelor's to enter. A friend of mine in pharmacy school is 19.

I see how things are different in other states. All pre-pharm friends of mine applied to pharm schools after they got their Bachelors, but maybe that's because pharm schools in CA require a Bachelor and are competitive. The cool thing is some of them applied without taking the PCAT. It would be awesome if the same thing happened to med schools, i.e. optional MCAT for certain med schools

 

[wild2taz]

I hate lens and optics. The BR section was brutal. Still need to go over endocrine and reproduction passages from BR bio. Every thing else is done with. I barely studied for orgo though, hopefully won't be too hard on the real test.

Taking aamc 5 tomorrow then one every 2 days. My sleep schedule is screwed up, how is everyone else coming along. Sometimes I just want to vent seriously this studying is taking a toll on me. I feel like smashing something with a bat. Gawd, off to bed.

 

[Procyon]

I'm in a similar boat. Haven't broken a 30 yet after 3 aamc's. 3.8 gpa as well so I really wanna try to get into MD schools first (don't have anything against DO,just don't feel like having to go through 2 application processes). I'm just gonna study so hard in the next 3 weeks and give it my all. If I find out I don't do well (over 30) then I'll retake it maybe july or even august(?). Because one of two things can happen- we get <30 or >30. Goodluck!

I think I'm gonna take the same approach. Good luck to you, too!

I'm 21, will turn 22 later this year.

 

[typicalindian]

I'm only 20 right now and won't be 21 till after summer. I'm hoping to apply early and broad. If I need to retake though I'll just not submit an app and spend a good amount of my summer properly preparing I guess

 

[wanderedtoolong]

Haha- folktale- don't worry, you're NOT the oldest one! I will be 30 (gasp) in september. I've been working in labs, went to grad school, left my PhD program with a masters, and have finally figured out that medicine is really the only path for me. I'm looking forward to being the "wise old lady" in my med school class, though I don't really feel that wise even after almost 10 years in the "real" world.

 

[evolvex]

Took aamc 7 last night. Overall it was a fair test - one weird ps passage, read like a verbal. Verbal had a rough curve 28/40 was an 8!

PS:10 VR:8 BS:12. If I can get a 10 on verbal like I did on # 5 I will be happy!

 

[folktale]

Haha- folktale- don't worry, you're NOT the oldest one! I will be 30 (gasp) in september. I've been working in labs, went to grad school, left my PhD program with a masters, and have finally figured out that medicine is really the only path for me. I'm looking forward to being the "wise old lady" in my med school class, though I don't really feel that wise even after almost 10 years in the "real" world.

Ahh so I'm not the oldest now. Why'd you leave the PhD program? Was it boring? So you did research for a living with your masters?

 

[wanderedtoolong]

Left the PhD program for a number of reasons- primary among them the lack of direct connection between what I was doing and any real world application- basic research has its place but is just not for me. I wouldn't say the PhD program was boring, just that it wasn't the right fit and there's no sense spending 6+ years getting a degree when you're not that psyched about the career options it creates. I've had a range of lab jobs both before and after grad school (took 4 year before I went to grad school, worked in labs, lived in Madagascar, etc) and am currently working in an academic lab to pay the bills while I apply to med school. I could make a lot more money in industry but teching in an academic lab = flexible schedule, the ability to take classes, and lots of free time to prep for the mcat.

 

[misseskwee]

Having a little trouble guys. I finished ek101 and have 7 more passages left in my tprh verbal book (trying to save it for a couple days before the actual mcat). I have the TBR verbal book and have gone through around 43 passages in there, and i have about 7 more FL's in there i can do. (I was alternating the 3 books since January) but it's getting extremely annoying with their two page answer explanations and for some reason i'm just scoring really badly! I never usually score this bad in verbal. I really don't feel like I wanna keep doing their passages, but I guess I have no choice right? I have no other verbal materials to work with. Are you guys just doing aamc FL's now and reviewing in between or are you still doing passages from other sources?

 

[DrBtobe]

Seems like I'm the oldest one haha. I turned 24 this February.

I'm planning on sending transcripts as soon as possible, most likely after I finish entering the courses on AMCAS.

Wrong! I'm 27--now I feel really old.

 

[typicalindian]

Alright, like TI; AAMC5 tomorrow. TI, since we're approx the same schedule, are you taking AAMC7 on Weds or Thurs? What's the schedule for you until exam?

Not sure about my future exams, I have to plan them around my school exams . I did just take AAMC 5 and got a 33 though so I'm pretty happy about that haha 12/11/10 PS/VR/BS. VR and BS both surprised me. VR in a good way, BS in a bad way. How'd you do?

 

[Procyon]

Took aamc 7 last night. Overall it was a fair test - one weird ps passage, read like a verbal. Verbal had a rough curve 28/40 was an 8!

PS:10 VR:8 BS:12. If I can get a 10 on verbal like I did on # 5 I will be happy!

**** that earthquake passage, I got every one in that one wrong. haha

 

[pfaction]

Woke up with a headache and GI upset, AAMC5 time. Here's my running dialogue:

PS: Not that bad, not that great, either. I have a sinking feeling about Q26 and 42. What the heck! I guessed on a lot, marked every one I guessed. I think I'm going to get around a 10...not feeling good about this at all.

VR: Holy **** no. NO NO NO. I guessed on 20 questions, absolutely did not do well on this at all. What is happening to me! I'll guess around an 8? I really hope I can wing it for the MCAT....

WS: Meh. I think I did alright, should get around an N-Q.

BS: What the **** did I just take? Seriously? Guessed on at least 15 questions. That protozoan passage ****ed me over HARD. HARD. Oh god, I need to review.

....wat.

High five TI, we got the same score.

 

[typicalindian]

Woke up with a headache and GI upset, AAMC5 time. Here's my running dialogue:

PS: Not that bad, not that great, either. I have a sinking feeling about Q26 and 42. What the heck! I guessed on a lot, marked every one I guessed. I think I'm going to get around a 10...not feeling good about this at all.

VR: Holy **** no. NO NO NO. I guessed on 20 questions, absolutely did not do well on this at all. What is happening to me! I'll guess around an 8? I really hope I can wing it for the MCAT....

WS: Meh. I think I did alright, should get around an N-Q.

BS: What the **** did I just take? Seriously? Guessed on at least 15 questions. That protozoan passage ****ed me over HARD. HARD. Oh god, I need to review.

....wat.

High five TI, we got the same score.

woah haha thats crazy! Yeah the protozoan passage was a bit wtf-y to me..I too am sick today (been sick since friday ). But yes I need to review BS desperately this is getting annoying >=0 the orgo kinda messed me up as well haha. Once I get my BS back in order I should be on a good path.

 

[pfaction]

**** life; I adjusted the questions that I got wrong due to simple math mistakes in the PS:

In the BS, I have no idea what was going on, even after I review so I got the same grade as in I didn't change anything.

I changed some of my right answers in PS to wrong answers. Stupid me. Not even reading errors this time!
Example;
#7 - I had the math right, didn't convert it to half a mole. Because it was asking for half a mole, I should have picked 250mL, instead I chose 500. On my paper I circled half a mole??
#11: miscalculated and got ^-4, but on my page it's -2. So I changed that, because I had that originally.
#40: I put in 100kg instead of 110, so my answer was 5. But I know it is 4.6.

So with those 3 answers my score shoots up 2 points, wtf? I guess I'm doing good.


I have access to AAMC6, but I think I'll skip it and take 7. Then 8, 9, 10 again, 11 the Weds before the exam.

7 Weds, 8 Sat
9 Weds, 10 Sat
11 Weds -> MCAT Sat.

 

[typicalindian]

**** life; I adjusted the questions that I got wrong due to simple math mistakes in the PS:

In the BS, I have no idea what was going on, even after I review so I got the same grade.

I changed some of my right answers in PS to wrong answers. Stupid me.

lol yeah I miscalculated the partial pressure of co2 from that simple stoichiometry problem and i forgot to multiply by 2 in another problem even though I wrote it down. That would have put me at a 13 as well. I didn't even look over BS yet i dont want to disappoint myself haha.

I think I'm gonna take AAMC 7 on this friday the 13th. I have an exam for school this week so I'll just be studying for that and reviewing mcat stuff. How about you pfaction?

 

[fas376]

**** that earthquake passage, I got every one in that one wrong. haha

DUDE that earthquake passage was awful.

 

[wild2taz]

Where is everyone taking their test. I just realized there's 0 locations in Ohio for this date so I have to drive 2 hours to closest testing center. I shouldn't have waited his late to register, even in May nothing's available

 

[pfaction]

April 28, 1PM.

Let's see how much I can actually finish tomorrow. This is overly ambitious to the max.

 

[Doctoor]

I'm worried that the best score that I can get on the real thing is a 25. Would you guys apply to DO schools with that?

 

[Melomare17]

I'm worried that the best score that I can get on the real thing is a 25. Would you guys apply to DO schools with that?

whats your gpa?

 

[blessedchildxd]

Where is everyone taking their test. I just realized there's 0 locations in Ohio for this date so I have to drive 2 hours to closest testing center. I shouldn't have waited his late to register, even in May nothing's available

Perhaps spots will open up. I wanted to register for the May 21st test in Missouri three days ago - no spots except for one two hours away as well; so I waited a day and a spot opened up today! You can always register for the one farther away and keep checking for one closer.

 

[Doctoor]

It's a 3.0. I wasn't planning on applying this cycle unless I got 30+

If I got a 25, should I spend the next year and half re-taking some classes to bump my GPA up to 3.4-3.5?

 

[Melomare17]

It's a 3.0. I wasn't planning on applying this cycle unless I got 30+

If I got a 25, should I spend the next year and half re-taking some classes to bump my GPA up to 3.4-3.5?

hm depends on the rest of your app then, i would deff take more classes after submitting the apps (not retaking, the grade replacement wont get calculated til spring time if you retake classes) so you're better off taking higher up courses in the fall. it also depends on the region of the country you are in since some schools favor their states/regions more than others (even if you have a lower mcat or gpa than avg)

 

[MrNeuro]

im always ****ing BURNT THE F*** OUT by the time i get to bio that i just dont give a flying ****

side note i really need to stop taking these tests late/right before i sleep

 

[typicalindian]

im always ****ing BURNT THE F*** OUT by the time i get to bio that i just dont give a flying ****

side note i really need to stop taking these tests late/right before i sleep

you also need to START posting what you got

 

[Doctoor]

hm depends on the rest of your app then, i would deff take more classes after submitting the apps (not retaking, the grade replacement wont get calculated til spring time if you retake classes) so you're better off taking higher up courses in the fall. it also depends on the region of the country you are in since some schools favor their states/regions more than others (even if you have a lower mcat or gpa than avg)

I have about 6 years of clinical experience as a CNA (last time I checked I was over 2000 hrs). I was vice president of chemistry club as an undergrad. Got published in my university's paper a few times, where I wrote sports articles as a contributing reporter. Did 1 year of science research, and did 6 months of volunteer research at a busy ER.

Not the greatest in the world, but I don't think that it's a bad app.

I am from Michigan, so MSU's DO school would be the first DO school I would look to get into.

But back to the whole repeating classes vs taking new tougher ones, I thought all DO schools replaced your old bad grades with the new ones, and did not average them. I did crappy in a few bio courses, C's, and I figured that if I retook them all I'd jump up to around a 3.4 in GPA.

 

[Melomare17]

I have about 6 years of clinical experience as a CNA (last time I checked I was over 2000 hrs). I was vice president of chemistry club as an undergrad. Got published in my university's paper a few times, where I wrote sports articles as a contributing reporter. Did 1 year of science research, and did 6 months of volunteer research at a busy ER.

Not the greatest in the world, but I don't think that it's a bad app.

I am from Michigan, so MSU's DO school would be the first DO school I would look to get into.

But back to the whole repeating classes vs taking new tougher ones, I thought all DO schools replaced your old bad grades with the new ones, and did not average them. I did crappy in a few bio courses, C's, and I figured that if I retook them all I'd jump up to around a 3.4 in GPA.

yea they all do replace your old bad grades with the new ones, but i am saying you will not get a grade til end of fall semester is over, and by then schools may or may not have rejected you, which could be jan/february by the time you send your official transcript with updated scores.

 

[Doctoor]

yea they all do replace your old bad grades with the new ones, but i am saying you will not get a grade til end of fall semester is over, and by then schools may or may not have rejected you, which could be jan/february by the time you send your official transcript with updated scores.

Oh I know, that's why I'm not applying this cycle, and applying after at least retaking as many classes as I can handle this coming year, and then apply June of 2013, and continue retaking classes that summer and hope for the best.

This is only possible if I get a 25 or higher on the MCAT right? No one with a 22 gets into a DO school?

 

[Melomare17]

Oh I know, that's why I'm not applying this cycle, and applying after at least retaking as many classes as I can handle this coming year, and then apply June of 2013, and continue retaking classes that summer and hope for the best.

This is only possible if I get a 25 or higher on the MCAT right? No one with a 22 gets into a DO school?

oh ok then you should be fine. if you weren't applying this year then i would say to retake the mcat because you have time to. people do but it's very rare to see it.

 

[Doctoor]

oh ok then you should be fine. if you weren't applying this year then i would say to retake the mcat because you have time to. people do but it's very rare to see it.

Idk if I should. I mean I was always taught to never give up, but this is going to be my third time taking the MCAT.

 

[spiceupyolife]

If you can get a 25+ and bring your GPA up by the time you apply in June 2013 and get a letter from a D.O. doctor, it think you will definitely have a chance. Don't give up! this is my second time taking it and i would love to NEVER go through this process again. So for those of you taking it for the first time, dominate it the first time around!