The Official 4/26/13 MCAT Thread

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In lieu of the other threads popping up, I thought it'd be good for those of us taking the test to identify ourselves 👍

I'm not planning on following a rigid study schedule until January, but I think I'm going to watch a single video off of wikipremed daily to lightly review.

Good luck to everyone... we will crush this exam..

 

[HotHamH2O]

Well based on 3/23, it seems clear that AAMC has changed the way they present questions and the review companies haven't caught up and/or are waiting for 2015 as to not waste money on something that will soon be obsolete.

 

[HotHamH2O]

Yeah, I agree, very brutal test. Really really really hope this test is not an indication of what the test will be like on Friday.

Unfortunately, the consensus is that #11 is most indicative of what we will see Friday.

 

[Status Sciaticus]

Unfortunately, the consensus is that #11 is most indicative of what we will see Friday.

the good thing is.... if the test is harder, it will be harder for everybody... which means a nice curve... gotta love standardization.

AAMC Guidebook just came in. should I do it today or tomorrow??

Also I missed a 36 by 1 question on each PS/BS😡

 

[Albein]

the good thing is.... if the test is harder, it will be harder for everybody... which means a nice curve... gotta love standardization.

AAMC Guidebook just came in. should I do it today or tomorrow??

Also I missed a 36 by 1 question on each PS/BS😡

True. What was your breakdown for 11?

 

[Back 5]

I didn't feel the Guidebook was all that crazy though. I felt #11 was significantly more difficult than the Guidebook questions. In reviewing my BS section, I literally could not go back to those 2 passages and answer my incorrect questions correctly. Even looking at the aamc answers, I still don't understand the material.

I missed 19 in BS (most missed questions ever in BS) and 10 of those questions were in passage III (CTL's) and VI (Ebola). I don't know if I will struggle with ALL heavily experimental passages or if those two subjects were just beyond my scope. I can do physio passages in my sleep, but those two

Unfortunately, the consensus is that #11 is most indicative of what we will see Friday.

the good thing is.... if the test is harder, it will be harder for everybody... which means a nice curve... gotta love standardization.

 

[HotHamH2O]

the good thing is.... if the test is harder, it will be harder for everybody... which means a nice curve... gotta love standardization.

AAMC Guidebook just came in. should I do it today or tomorrow??

Also I missed a 36 by 1 question on each PS/BS😡

Read the beginning of your guidebook. There is no curve.

 

[HotHamH2O]

I didn't feel the Guidebook was all that crazy though. I felt #11 was significantly more difficult than the Guidebook questions. In reviewing my BS section, I literally could not go back to those 2 passages and answer my incorrect questions correctly. Even looking at the aamc answers, I still don't understand the material.

I missed 19 in BS (most missed questions ever in BS) and 10 of those questions were in passage III (CTL's) and VI (Ebola). I don't know if I will struggle with ALL heavily experimental passages or if those two subjects were just beyond my scope. I can do physio passages in my sleep, but those two

I had the exact same problems.

 

[Status Sciaticus]

Read the beginning of your guidebook. There is no curve.

not as defined as a standard curve. they have to normalize the test based on the results. If the test is indeed difficult, the distribution of the scores will be skewed to the lower end which decreases its reliability. to normalize it, they have to "curve" it.


Albein, it was a 12/10/12

 

[osprey099]

I didn't feel the Guidebook was all that crazy though. I felt #11 was significantly more difficult than the Guidebook questions. In reviewing my BS section, I literally could not go back to those 2 passages and answer my incorrect questions correctly. Even looking at the aamc answers, I still don't understand the material.

I missed 19 in BS (most missed questions ever in BS) and 10 of those questions were in passage III (CTL's) and VI (Ebola). I don't know if I will struggle with ALL heavily experimental passages or if those two subjects were just beyond my scope. I can do physio passages in my sleep, but those two

I'm not trying to scare you but, I had 5 experimental bio passages on my 9/1 mcat and all 5 of them were tons harder than the AAMC11 Ebola passage. Make sure you spend enough time understanding the Ebola experiment. Those question types are gonna be the kinds you will see Friday, but with even harder (more intimidating) gene/protein names and question stems.

 

[Back 5]

I'm not trying to scare you but, I had 5 experimental bio passages on my 9/1 mcat and all 5 of them were tons harder than the AAMC11 Ebola passage. Make sure you spend enough time understanding the Ebola experiment. Those question types are gonna be the kinds you will see Friday, but with even harder (more intimidating) gene/protein names and question stems.

Then I'm screwed and will be applying to Caribbean 😱

 

[Status Sciaticus]

I'm not trying to scare you but, I had 5 experimental bio passages on my 9/1 mcat and all 5 of them were tons harder than the AAMC11 Ebola passage. Make sure you spend enough time understanding the Ebola experiment. Those question types are gonna be the kinds you will see Friday, but with even harder (more intimidating) gene/protein names and question stems.

 

[osprey099]

I've been saying that all along. The 5 experimental bio passages I had were straight copy/paste out of the discussion section of pubmed articles. The graphs were also copied from the results section. I was averaging around 11.5 on my AAMC BS scores before my first mcat and I ended up getting a 10 on the BS, which is actually pretty good cause I thought I did a lot worse.

 

[Albein]

So the 3/23 thread has made me shi* my pants, I expected much better scores. I guess I'm thinking that with another 5 months of studying after my 23 stinker, this time around has to be better?

 

[Status Sciaticus]

I've been saying that all along. The 5 experimental bio passages I had were straight copy/paste out of the discussion section of pubmed articles. The graphs were also copied from the results section. I was averaging around 11.5 on my AAMC BS scores before my first mcat and I ended up getting a 10 on the BS, which is actually pretty good cause I thought I did a lot worse.

I went back to check which questions I missed. Thankfully I got them all right (for the ebola). The other article looking one, with the melanosomes, I got all but 1 right... about the MTOC.

Looks like I should be ok for BS/VR. just gotta hammer in the physics.

Dont forget your fluids/waves/circular motion people. I can guarantee one of those will be on the test... or I'll change my name...

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Finally over with this beast. 28(10 (40/52), 7 (21/40), 11(42/52)). Frankly, I'm satisfied with my score knowing that this test is very indicative of the actual test.

The ochem section was very easy and straightforward. The bio was tricky though. The ebola was a killer (3/6) and the secretory lysosome passage was hard too (4/7). I missed most of my points between these two passages. The remaining 3 points I missed on the other stuff, one of which was a very straightforward physiology question that I made it harder than it was.

My AAMC score average for test 9-11 is 28. I will be ecstatic with this score if I have at least 6 on verbal.

Good luck everyone.

 

[Status Sciaticus]

Finally over with this beast. 28(10 (40/52), 7 (21/40), 11(42/52)). Frankly, I'm satisfied with my score knowing that this test is very indicative of the actual test.

The ochem section was very easy and straightforward. The bio was tricky though. The ebola was a killer (3/6) and the secretory lysosome passage was hard too (4/7). I missed most of my points between these two passages. The remaining 3 points I missed on the other stuff, one of which was a very straightforward physiology question that I made it harder than it was.

My AAMC score average for test 9-11 is 28. I will be ecstatic with this score if I have at least 6 on verbal.

Good luck everyone.

Stay strong. We're all going to make it.👍

 

[Back 5]

What can I do to prepare for Friday? I understood the wording of the lysosome and ebola passages, but graph interpretation was what did me in. I didn't understand what the -/- and +/+ meant or the + and - meant for the lysosomes. I completely blanked on the fact that they were even talking about actin and myosin because I couldn't understand the questions concerning the graph.

I mean, at this point, there really isn't much I can do other than hope Friday is a better day, but the last thing I wanted to do is "hope for a miracle" on the MCAT. Wish in one hand, poop in the other and see which one fills up first. Bad place to be 3 days before the test.

Being very non-trad doesn't help. I can't remember the last time I had a Bio course that relied on experiments. I'm old.

 

[Albein]

Finally over with this beast. 28(10 (40/52), 7 (21/40), 11(42/52)). Frankly, I'm satisfied with my score knowing that this test is very indicative of the actual test.

The ochem section was very easy and straightforward. The bio was tricky though. The ebola was a killer (3/6) and the secretory lysosome passage was hard too (4/7). I missed most of my points between these two passages. The remaining 3 points I missed on the other stuff, one of which was a very straightforward physiology question that I made it harder than it was.

My AAMC score average for test 9-11 is 28. I will be ecstatic with this score if I have at least 6 on verbal.

Good luck everyone.

Good job! I also missed BS points on discretes and 1 a piece on Ebola and the secretory lysosome one. I need to review the sarcomere.

 

[LaughingMan]

Yall are scaring us 5/11'ers

 

[Status Sciaticus]

Yall are scaring us 5/11'ers

If I end up voiding my 4/26, i might be joining you 5/11ers lol.

Its better to be scared and prepared than unaware and screwed over..

 

[Albein]

If I end up voiding my 4/26, i might be joining you 5/11ers lol.

Its better to be scared and prepared than unaware and screwed over..

I think you are the least likely to void with your scores


Haven't been able to get back to studying in between the disappointment of AAMC 11 and being terrified from 3/23 posts. Going to finish my lab report for tomorrow, go over the guidebook and do a verbal exam. Hopefully something clicks in the next few days because verbal seems to be the wildcard

 

[Technorino]

Just to bolster what the guy above said about the Ebola type passages:

When I took the mcat last year, those ebola type passages were killer....They throw at you LONG passages with tons of information and the questions/answers are just as long as the ebola ones. You realllllyyyy need to be prepared for that type of stuff on Friday.

The key to those is what I just learned from aamc 11...don't get overwhelmed by them. Just let it hit you that it gonna be a difficult passage but understand that behind all of the convoluted verbiage is just a simple question asking you the basics.

And also I've noticed if you think an answer is right but then think another one is right, just go with the first instance if you're 50/50 because somewhere in the back of your mind, you know the answer and I think (to some degree) your subconscious is telling you that the gut is right.

EDIT: KNOW YOUR ****ING GENES (the ebola passage TYPE + genetics WILL kill you if you don't understand genetics because guess what? The ebola passage had to do with genes and if you didn't understand the -/- and +/+ and the things they were talking about, you'll be in deep doo doo)

 

[Status Sciaticus]

I think you are the least likely to void with your scores


Haven't been able to get back to studying in between the disappointment of AAMC 11 and being terrified from 3/23 posts. Going to finish my lab report for tomorrow, go over the guidebook and do a verbal exam. Hopefully something clicks in the next few days because verbal seems to be the wildcard

No time to waste bro. took the AAMC 11, did 200 ek problems. now watching chads vids, gonna finish up TBR physics and take the BS section of the guidebook tonight.

something really stupid is that they give you the answer after every passage instead of saving it at the end. makes it harder to take it in a test format.

And contrary to popular opinion, take the last day to study as much as you want BUT take the day off after 5PM. No need to waste the other 12 hours prior to that.

 

[Technorino]

No time to waste bro. took the AAMC 11, did 200 ek problems. now watching chads vids, gonna finish up TBR physics and take the BS section of the guidebook tonight.

something really stupid is that they give you the answer after every passage instead of saving it at the end. makes it harder to take it in a test format.

And contrary to popular opinion, take the last day to study as much as you want BUT take the day off after 5PM. No need to waste the other 12 hours prior to that.

I tend to study for exams until 15 minutes prior because there is always and always has been a point where I go, oh crap I just re-learned that thing 30 minutes ago and boom they're asking me it, amazing!

 

[Albein]

No time to waste bro. took the AAMC 11, did 200 ek problems. now watching chads vids, gonna finish up TBR physics and take the BS section of the guidebook tonight.

something really stupid is that they give you the answer after every passage instead of saving it at the end. makes it harder to take it in a test format.

And contrary to popular opinion, take the last day to study as much as you want BUT take the day off after 5PM. No need to waste the other 12 hours prior to that.

You're right. I'm getting to it now. I'm going to zone out the 3/23 results and do my best Friday. And as for Thursday, I was going to stop studying at 12/1, but depending on how I feel, I might push it until 5 and then just relax. I'll really only be looking and reading index cards so that can't really make me burn out.

 

[Innie]

I'm a Friday 8AMer and I'm starting to freak out based on what everyone has been saying about how much harder it's going to be than practices 😱
I feel like the only thing to do at this point is review your equations and stay strong?

 

[Status Sciaticus]

anyone know if C-NMR is going to be on the MCAT?

 

[Technorino]

I'm a Friday 8AMer and I'm starting to freak out based on what everyone has been saying about how much harder it's going to be than practices 😱
I feel like the only thing to do at this point is review your equations and stay strong?

Don't freak out. Seriously it will affect your score a lot.

The first time I took the exam I sat there in the middle of PS AND BS going...well this is a waste of time...and then I got back on my horse and kept on riding but you should never get off that horse in the first place because on the ground is a bunch of lava (and yes the horse has lava resistant hooves).

Right now just know the basic principles of everything and trust that your review will help you answer the questions easily.

 

[Innie]

Hahaha thank you so much!
I will be sitting there being like "OMG THIS PASSAGE IS SO HARD" and then I'll be like, "Come here, Shadowfax, lend me your lava resistant hooves!" and then I'll laugh and laughing makes anti-stress brain chemicals and life will be good again.

 

[Technorino]

 

[Status Sciaticus]

Hahaha thank you so much!
I will be sitting there being like "OMG THIS PASSAGE IS SO HARD" and then I'll be like, "Come here, Shadowfax, lend me your lava resistant hooves!" and then I'll laugh and laughing makes anti-stress brain chemicals and life will be good again.

bro, Shadowfax is mine....
find your own horse 😎

 

[GemelloMD]

bro, shadowfax is mine....
Find your own horse 😎

+1

 

[HotHamH2O]

If the passages are going to be totally different from what I've been training for over the past 4 months then wtf is the point. Where do I begin?

 

[WSHRocks]

I'm just going to try to ignore real 03/23 scores with relation to practice material scores, because I don't think it means anything. We can expect anything, and it's not like there has been a consistent trend lately in exams getting more difficult or being entirely unlike the prep material. There are other factors to consider when looking at scores of past test-takers, such as anxiety, nerves, and lack of sleep, and it's not as if everyone scored way outside of their range. If anything, we don't need any added anxiety that comes from speculation to negatively impact our scores.

 

[Albein]

I'm just going to try to ignore real 03/23 scores with relation to practice material scores, because I don't think it means anything. We can expect anything, and it's not like there has been a consistent trend lately in exams getting more difficult or being entirely unlike the prep material. There are other factors to consider when looking at scores of past test-takers, such as anxiety, nerves, and lack of sleep, and it's not as if everyone scored way outside of their range. If anything, we don't need any added anxiety that comes from speculation to negatively impact our scores.

I wish I would've done this haha.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

I'm just going to try to ignore real 03/23 scores with relation to practice material scores, because I don't think it means anything. We can expect anything, and it's not like there has been a consistent trend lately in exams getting more difficult or being entirely unlike the prep material. There are other factors to consider when looking at scores of past test-takers, such as anxiety, nerves, and lack of sleep, and it's not as if everyone scored way outside of their range. If anything, we don't need any added anxiety that comes from speculation to negatively impact our scores.

I'm lost. What's going on with 03/23 test? Are people complaining it was different or anything? From what I'm reading, many are happy that they scored higher than their averages. Some were disappointed because they scored in the upper thirties instead of forties 🙄

 

[Status Sciaticus]

I'm lost. What's going on with 03/23 test? Are people complaining it was different or anything? From what I'm reading, many are happy that they scored higher than their averages. Some were disappointed because they scored in the upper thirties instead of forties 🙄

but there are also those who scored below their averages, and other still that scored lower than their lowest practice tests...

If anyone wants a confident answer, then just do +/- 5 from your consistent MCAT AAMC scores. Mine is a 35. That gives me a range of 30-40.

Realistically ill be hitting 34-36, but the broader you go, the more reliable it is.

I just find it somewhat irritating that people in the high 30s are "dissapointed" or "upset" at their score...

 

[WSHRocks]

I'm lost. What's going on with 03/23 test? Are people complaining it was different or anything? From what I'm reading, many are happy that they scored higher than their averages. Some were disappointed because they scored in the upper thirties instead of forties 🙄

Well the first page of scores shows many disappointed in their scores - of those most not even wanting to post them - and wanting to retake. Others are more explicit in stating that they scored below their averages. Perhaps it's not fair to use the same metric to judge all of those who are disappointed, because I don't know how well they were all fairing beforehand.

Nonetheless, I find it disconcerting that expectations were not met, regardless of a difference between upper thirties vs. forties and upper twenties vs. thirties. I can't say with any certainty that upper thirties vs. forties isn't to some degree up to luck, but if practice is consistent, why shouldn't the real test reflect it? Same goes for scores in 25-35 range.

Also, perhaps I am focusing on the negative comments more than you or others, but I can't be the only one who does, right? My previous post is an appeal to those posters.

 

[Back 5]

but the broader you go, the more reliable it is.

In that case, I guarantee that I score between a 1 and 45. You can make generalized statements for anything.

The issue at hand, man, is people are filling this thread with ghost story "warnings" about the BS section being full of experimental passages. The only test we have had, to date, with tough experimental passages was #11.

If the test is trending the way the doomsayers are claiming, then statements such as "what have I been training for" are accurate. We have been using official aamc material that has presented topics in such a way that none of it would prepare you for something you can only get from a research based advanced Bio course that uses pubmed as it's source material. Only a few kids take those courses. I don't even think we had that when I was in school.

I've gotten over my little frustration. I still scored a 28 today, with a 9 in BS, despite my difficulties with those passages. I doubt they are going to have every.single.question be based on some obscure research article that even the author himself hasn't read.

I will go in expecting to score a 28-29 and see what happens in a month and some change.

 

[Status Sciaticus]

In that case, I guarantee that I score between a 1 and 45. You can make generalized statements for anything.

The issue at hand, man, is people are filling this thread with ghost story "warnings" about the BS section being full of experimental passages. The only test we have had, to date, with tough experimental passages was #11.

If the test is trending the way the doomsayers are claiming, then statements such as "what have I been training for" are accurate. We have been using official aamc material that has presented topics in such a way that none of it would prepare you for something you can only get from a research based advanced Bio course that uses pubmed as it's source material. Only a few kids take those courses. I don't even think we had that when I was in school.

I've gotten over my little frustration. I still scored a 28 today, with a 9 in BS, despite my difficulties with those passages. I doubt they are going to have every.single.question be based on some obscure research article that even the author himself hasn't read.

I will go in expecting to score a 28-29 and see what happens in a month and some change.

I think realistically, you will score somewhere between a 27-31 provided you dont choke.

 

[Incontrol]

On my first MCAT exam, I felt I did OK on PS (predicted 11) but I thought I screwed BS (predicted 8)

I scored an 8 on PS and 11 on BS. (I have never scored that low on PS before).

The point is that easy tests have a sensitive curve, difficult ones are more forgiving (and let's not forget the sneaky passages that are used for assessments.) so you can't really judge how you will do based just on how hard the test was.

The best advice really is not to choke up and follow Technorino's advice (the lava hooves saves Kittens).
But what do I know... I am just a re-taker T_T

In case you haven't seen this yet:

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Hey guys, if I can offer some comfort to those of you about to take the test. It is not the events in the past few hours, the next few days, or other people's performances in the other thread that determine your score, but what you have been doing the past few months leading up to this. Rest easy and confident in knowing your preparation is solid. Do not get off your game and dont lose your head.

Best of luck.

 

[osprey099]

Hey guys, if I can offer some comfort to those of you about to take the test. It is not the events in the past few hours, the next few days, or other people's performances in the other thread that determine your score, but what you have been doing the past few months leading up to this. Rest easy and confident in knowing your preparation is solid. Do not get off your game and dont lose your head.

Best of luck.

👍

Hopefully, this Friday will be the last time I take the MCAT. It has been a grueling and stressful yearlong journey for me and I can't wait to get it over with on Friday.

 

[Albein]

Hey guys, if I can offer some comfort to those of you about to take the test. It is not the events in the past few hours, the next few days, or other people's performances in the other thread that determine your score, but what you have been doing the past few months leading up to this. Rest easy and confident in knowing your preparation is solid. Do not get off your game and dont lose your head.

Best of luck.

Thank you NED. It's just a little difficult to read people scoring 5-10 points below their average.

 

[Innie]

How important do you guys think specific facts are going to be (like remembering your hormones or the functions of the liver)? I have heard from previous MCAT takers that they almost almost give you the specifics in the passage on the real thing wheras on practice there's usually at least 10 that require you to recall specific facts.

Opinions?

 

[Back 5]

How important do you guys think specific facts are going to be (like remembering your hormones or the functions of the liver)? I have heard from previous MCAT takers that they almost almost give you the specifics in the passage on the real thing wheras on practice there's usually at least 10 that require you to recall specific facts.

Opinions?

I was told to have your Hormones down cold as well as know the physio of Liver, Kidney, Reproduction, Muscle, Heart/Lungs as those are the main physio topics they test on...due to my career, I just know this stuff, so that's why I love physio passages 🙂

 

[Status Sciaticus]

I was told to have your Hormones down cold as well as know the physio of Liver, Kidney, Reproduction, Muscle, Heart/Lungs as those are the main physio topics they test on...due to my career, I just know this stuff, so that's why I love physio passages 🙂

this. and i want to stress the female reproduction... theres a bunch of funky effects..
E.G. estrogen stimulates LH release in positive feedback,

But estrogen/progesterone inhibits LH release in negative feedback.

 

[Albein]

I think we can expect to see a passage dedicated to either kidney or reproductive system.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

In that case, I guarantee that I score between a 1 and 45. You can make generalized statements for anything.

The issue at hand, man, is people are filling this thread with ghost story "warnings" about the BS section being full of experimental passages. The only test we have had, to date, with tough experimental passages was #11.

If the test is trending the way the doomsayers are claiming, then statements such as "what have I been training for" are accurate. We have been using official aamc material that has presented topics in such a way that none of it would prepare you for something you can only get from a research based advanced Bio course that uses pubmed as it's source material. Only a few kids take those courses. I don't even think we had that when I was in school.

I've gotten over my little frustration. I still scored a 28 today, with a 9 in BS, despite my difficulties with those passages. I doubt they are going to have every.single.question be based on some obscure research article that even the author himself hasn't read.

I will go in expecting to score a 28-29 and see what happens in a month and some change.

Sorry, you can't score 1. 3 is the least 😉

 

[Technorino]

I heard there were going to be a questions based on organic chemistry...can anyone confirm???