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..
 
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What I did was put "999" and in descriptions stated the exact amount (or most approximate). The problem with stating that it is a repeat event is that you are only allowed 15 activities and I had 3 that were more than 1000 hours and I would prefer to leave space for other things as well.
 
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wow..this thread is crazy. 43 pages? the 4/27 only has 16. does that mean the 4/27 had a smaller sample size of test takers? would that affect things negatively?
 
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hockeyboy23 said:
wow..this thread is crazy. 43 pages? the 4/27 only has 16. does that mean the 4/27 had a smaller sample size of test takers? would that affect things negatively?
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Not everyone who took the MCAT is on SDN 😉 so it's hardly an indication of anything concrete about the number of actual test takers on given days. However, relatively speaking, yes, the 4/27 thread has been pretty quiet from the get-go. I'm a 4/27 taker and I found this surprising. For a Saturday afternoon test I would have thought an equal amount, if not even a greater number, of SDN MCAT takers would have been on that forum vs this one and would have chosen 4/27 to test. I have no idea why that forum is so quiet compared to this one. I would be curious to know how many test takers there were from each day, 4/26 and 4/27, even if SDN is not representative of the entire MCAT taking population, it would be interesting to know. Does anyone know if data like this is available?
 
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Albein said:
I believe it's anything from beginning of college on. Only exception is if its something you started in hs but continued through college
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This doesn't take into consideration a nontraditional applicant who may have graduated college years ago, started and stopped college and worked and then went back, or any other number of scenarios. I think in these cases it is best to use your best judgement. After all, they are just asking you to list up to 15 experiences and though it is not explicitly stated, putting down something like a part time cashiering job from 7 years ago that had little impact on your life or little relevance to a medical school application should probably be omitted. I don't think they necessarily want us to put our resumes together as far as job experience is concerned. So, the most recent makes senses whether it was important to you or not because if it helps paint a picture of you as someone who worked through school or as someone who was committed to something that is all the better. Certainly, a healthcare job should be noted even if it was long ago, so long as it makes sense to your application. Working two months at Walgreen's five years ago may not make sense, unless it really made a difference in your life or something.

For traditional, younger students who may struggle to fill up the experiences section (though no one says you have to whether traditional or not!) they may wish to go back further if it helps to paint the picture of a young, hard working committed person. If they worked at McDonald's through high school it may not seem relevant, but remember that it may help show that this applicant is someone who has worked from a young age. Not many younger students realize the importance of this. Being a physician will require a good work ethic. I'm not talking about studying or volunteering or lab work, either. Holding down a job shows something about your character. If you can establish that you already have a work ethic that is all the better. Nontrad students should have less trouble with this as most nontrads have a work history that may show years of commitment, a clearly strong work ethic, and experience that shows a working knowledge of the real world, if you will.
 
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hockeyboy23 said:
wow..this thread is crazy. 43 pages? the 4/27 only has 16. does that mean the 4/27 had a smaller sample size of test takers? would that affect things negatively?
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It's probably because us 4/26ers are more closely knit than that 4/37ers. If you notice we ask each other questions on here that is not MCAT related, because we're friends.
 
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If I start the AMCAS application and God forbid do not like my MCAT score and decide not to apply, we can just cancel the entire application right? Thanks
 
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hey guys so for the AMCAS course section it says to put AP credits under freshman, but what are we supposed to put for the grade?
 
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ktanner777 said:
How far back in our work experience should we go?
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I went back to 2007 for my healthcare jobs. I have been actually working with a Florist, largest flower provider for weddings in my area, as a change of pace...so I will put that as my most recent work experience :laugh:
 
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hey guys, am having a problem when entering courses into my amcas. whenever I select any "academic year" in which I was in college, the only "year in school" that's available for me is high school. does anyone know what am doing wrong?
 
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Ebrithill said:
hey guys, am having a problem when entering courses into my amcas. whenever I select any "academic year" in which I was in college, the only "year in school" that's available for me is high school. does anyone know what am doing wrong?
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Have you added any "Colleges Attended" yet? I believe you need to do that first, then it will ask you which college you want to enter courses for.
 
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ahstern said:
Do I have to do anything to transmit my transcript BESIDES faxing the transcript request?
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This will depend on your school. I would just stop by the registrar's office and see if they know. Odds are, they'll have sent quite a few transcripts to AMCAS and will know the procedure.
 
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O Grady said:
I think this group would make an interesting med school class
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+1


By the way, does anyone know whom I can contact for proofreading meaningful activity descriptions? I think I am almost done with my PS but I'm also worried about these descriptions...
 
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GandalfTheWhite said:
It's probably because us 4/26ers are more closely knit than that 4/37ers. If you notice we ask each other questions on here that is not MCAT related, because we're friends.
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I wish there was a way we could all have a beer together. Google hangout drinking night maybe?
 
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Has anyone's transcript been marked as received? I had two transcripts, one sent May 10th and another sent May 14th but in my AMCAS, it still says "not received". How long does it take for them to even acknowledge that it got there?
 
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O Grady said:
woah woah...lets not start casting judgements until after the 29th haha
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No one wants to have unintelligent people in their group.. we all know how that feels. Besides, I wouldn't want to be the smartest person in the group because then there is no benefit to me and I am not gaining anything from the experience.

jcopper said:
hey guys so for the AMCAS course section it says to put AP credits under freshman, but what are we supposed to put for the grade?
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To everyone asking these AMCAS questions, there is actually an AMCAS thread that will better serve your purpose than this MCAT thread. Many similar questions have already been asked and answered there. Here is a link : http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=989551

ahstern said:
I think May 29th will be a good time to communally crack open a cold one. Or two.
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I'm down. Whats your brew?
 
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GandalfTheWhite said:
No one wants to have unintelligent people in their group.. we all know how that feels. Besides, I wouldn't want to be the smartest person in the group because then there is no benefit to me and I am not gaining anything from the experience.
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:laugh: Yeah I know what you mean. I'm just getting antsy with all this waiting, its killing me.
 
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GandalfTheWhite said:
I'm down. Whats your brew?
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I like IPA's and stouts. I have a bottle of Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest I've been saving for a special occasion. Possibly will crack it open on the 29th and mix it with tears of joy or tears of sorrow.
 
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ktanner777 said:
I like IPA's and stouts. I have a bottle of Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest I've been saving for a special occasion. Possibly will crack it open on the 29th and mix it with tears of joy or tears of sorrow.
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Lol your taste is more refined than mine, I think on May 29th I'll just stick with a beerita. Or two.
 
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When are we supposed to receive our scores? On-line only? Will AAMC e-mail us? Has anyone gotten their $30 gift card yet?

Anyone planning to retake in July?
 
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tinylilron said:
When are we supposed to receive our scores? On-line only? Will AAMC e-mail us? Has anyone gotten their $30 gift card yet?

Anyone planning to retake in July?
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On the 29th. Yes, you view it online on this site: https://services.aamc.org/mcatthx/

I haven't gotten my gift card yet. I don't know if I need to retake, God willing I won't. 25 with nothing less than 6 is my magic number (I think that this is the minimum I need to get some DO program). Otherwise, I may retake in August. July is just too soon for me.
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
On the 29th. Yes, you view it online on this site: https://services.aamc.org/mcatthx/

I haven't gotten my gift card yet. I don't know if I need to retake, God willing I won't. 25 with nothing less than 6 is my magic number (I think that this is the minimum I need to get some DO program). Otherwise, I may retake in August. July is just too soon for me.
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I was thinking about re-scheduling in early August if I don't feel ready.. do you think that this will hurt my applications with having an MCAT score coming in so late or will it not matter because they will be getting my secondary around that time?
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
On the 29th. Yes, you view it online on this site: https://services.aamc.org/mcatthx/

I haven't gotten my gift card yet. I don't know if I need to retake, God willing I won't. 25 with nothing less than 6 is my magic number (I think that this is the minimum I need to get some DO program). Otherwise, I may retake in August. July is just too soon for me.
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Hey Ibn. I went to that site and logged in. I just see my old MCAT score that I took in 2006. Where exactly did you see when you will receive it? I really hope this does not mean that I mistakenly voided. Is there a way to at least check that it is coming? :-O
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
On the 29th. Yes, you view it online on this site: https://services.aamc.org/mcatthx/

I haven't gotten my gift card yet. I don't know if I need to retake, God willing I won't. 25 with nothing less than 6 is my magic number (I think that this is the minimum I need to get some DO program). Otherwise, I may retake in August. July is just too soon for me.
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Ibn. When are you planning to submit your AACOMAS? Is it similar to AMCAS where they process them in batches? I heard that all applications recieved by July 15 for AMCAS will be processed together. Is something similar true for AACOMAS?
 
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ihatebluescrubs said:
Has anyone's transcript been marked as received? I had two transcripts, one sent May 10th and another sent May 14th but in my AMCAS, it still says "not received". How long does it take for them to even acknowledge that it got there?
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mine have been. My undergraduate ones took longer though
 
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tinylilron said:
I was thinking about re-scheduling in early August if I don't feel ready.. do you think that this will hurt my applications with having an MCAT score coming in so late or will it not matter because they will be getting my secondary around that time?
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Taking it in August means you will have your score back in September. Submitting your primaries in September is not late, but it is not early either. I don't think this would hurt your chances, especially if you improve your score. Having a high mcat score >>> applying early.
 
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tinylilron said:
Hey Ibn. I went to that site and logged in. I just see my old MCAT score that I took in 2006. Where exactly did you see when you will receive it? I really hope this does not mean that I mistakenly voided. Is there a way to at least check that it is coming? :-O
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I still can view my mcat score from last year. Don't worry.
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
I still can view my mcat score from last year. Don't worry.
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but where on the page does it say that your scores will come in on May 29th? or does it not? I am getting worried that it should say it and it doesn't because I mistakenly voided.. I hopefully misread what I thought you said
 
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tinylilron said:
Ibn. When are you planning to submit your AACOMAS? Is it similar to AMCAS where they process them in batches? I heard that all applications recieved by July 15 for AMCAS will be processed together. Is something similar true for AACOMAS?
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I have no experience with AMCAS, so I can't comment on that. I have filled 60% of my AACOMAS already and planning on submitting it on June 1st, assuming I don't score too low. Even if I don't like my score, I will still submit on June 1st with intention to retake, but that contingent on not scoring very low and have my application screened out by schools. Today, I'm planning to pass by my undergrad schools and request my transcripts to be sent to AACOMAS. Last year, the verification took less than two weeks on average, so by June 15 my primaries must be ready to be viewed by the schools I'm applying to.
 
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tinylilron said:
but where on the page does it say that your scores will come in on May 29th? or does it not? I am getting worried that it should say it and it doesn't because I mistakenly voided
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It shouldn't show anything until the score is released. Did you do the trial section? they say if you were able to proceed with that, your test will be scored.
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
Taking it in August means you will have your score back in September. Submitting your primaries in September is not late, but it is not early either. I don't think this would hurt your chances, especially if you improve your score. Having a high mcat score >>> applying early.
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I also heard okay MCAT score early is good too though... but that was like 6 years ago... so things may have changed
 
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