The Official August 21, 2014 MCAT Thread

Boost your MCAT score by 12 points or more.
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
LLawliet

LLawliet

New Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2013
Messages
8
Reaction score
4
Welcome
For those of you who plan on using the SN2ed study schedule, you should be finishing up on gathering prep materials and getting ready to start around mid May.
Who else is with me?
Members don't see this ad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Sort by date Sort by votes
Styrene said:
I only remember two passages from verbal, and yes, it scares me, too. The first passage really tripped me up. I only remember one of the questions from the first passage, and there seemed to be two possible answers, with two out of four being the same and the other two out of four being the same, and none was correct in my mind.
Click to expand...

phew that is a relief I thought I would be the only person that didn't remember. Here is hoping we all do well (fingers crossed).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It's too small of a sample size, but it looks like there's mostly an even split between PS/VR... I'm curious about the people who chose BS...I figure it might be the ochem.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
TheDarkNeuron said:
I hate this waiting game!!!
Click to expand...

I completely agree. Its too long of a wait. Is it just me or does anyone randomly remember a question from the test when they are watching t.v or before going to bed? This happened to me 2x already :wtf:.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
Members don't see this ad :)
Y'all. It hasn't even been a week since we took the MCAT. This is...excruciating.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
Sigh I'm trying not to think about it.... what if I did worse I really don't want to retake..... if I do v though I hope studying from now and October makes a difference
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Members don't see this ad :)
So I'm taking neurobio and I just found out that I got ANOTHER question wrong on BS!! :mad::mad::mad:

I think that brings me up to 4-5 now. Sigh :(
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
sharkbyte said:
So I'm taking neurobio and I just found out that I got ANOTHER question wrong on BS!! :mad::mad::mad:

I think that brings me up to 4-5 now. Sigh :(
Click to expand...
The fact that you can remember that many questions this far out is impressive. I count myself lucky that I can't.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
sharkbyte said:
So I'm taking neurobio and I just found out that I got ANOTHER question wrong on BS!! :mad::mad::mad:

I think that brings me up to 4-5 now. Sigh :(
Click to expand...

I'm taking neurobio, too! I've forgetten almost everything that was on the test though lol
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Not neurobio, neuropharm. I'd rather take neurobio tbh, but i suppose the drugs will prove handy down the line. Ya as much as i enjoy school i'm not particularly excited about classes on tuesday.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
In order to pass one of my classes, you need to get a co-authorship on a level 6 gene annotation. It will definitely be awesome but SOOOO time consuming.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
Styrene said:
My classes are ridiculously difficult. Oh, I long for the days of doing AAMCs! :bang:
Click to expand...

I disagree, honestly my summer was virtually inexistent thanks to the MCAT, and it had all been hell to the point that the start of school year was actually a break for me. Rather than studying the MCAT 7days a week, I actually have more time to breathe for my Physiology, Psychopharm, and Molecular Biology for 2 days a week.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
TulaneUnderdog said:
I disagree, honestly my summer was virtually inexistent thanks to the MCAT, and it had all been hell to the point that the start of school year was actually a break for me. Rather than studying the MCAT 7days a week, I actually have more time to breathe for my Physiology, Psychopharm, and Molecular Biology for 2 days a week.
Click to expand...
I underestimated the time requirement.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
Has anybody looked at the 8/27 MCAT thread? I know the n is ridiculously small to make generalizations, but many people have said their exam was comparable to the practice ones, where as I felt our exam was much more difficult- ugh i am hoping for a large curve
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
TheDarkNeuron said:
Has anybody looked at the 8/27 MCAT thread? I know the n is ridiculously small to make generalizations, but many people have said their exam was comparable to the practice ones, where as I felt our exam was much more difficult- ugh i am hoping for a large curve
Click to expand...

I'm just speculating, but I think we'll have a good curve for PS, normal curve for VR (because VR always seems to be harsh) and a normal curve on BS, maybe slightly more generous.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
correct me if I am wrong but, I read in other posts that the curve is already preset. If this true, why do we have to wait so long?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I had a dream last night that I scored a 41. Hoping it was a premonition.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
Styrene said:
My classes are ridiculously difficult. Oh, I long for the days of doing AAMCs! :bang:
Click to expand...

Same here. I'm taking honors biochem (our professor makes us memorize 300 definitions, WORD-FOR-WORD, on top of everything else you typically have to memorize in biochem [although I've been told by multiple doctors/med students this class is most representative of what classes are like in medical school...an ungodly amount of pure rote memorization; very few concepts]), honors neurobio, advanced anatomy and physiology, hormones and the brain, and biomedical ethics. It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't also doing research and the regrettable amount of leadership positions I've over committed myself to. I'm not sure if I'm going to make it out of this semester alive. :( I'm strongly considering dropping some of the extracurriculars because I don't know if I can make it another year like this...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
sharkbyte said:
I'm just speculating, but I think we'll have a good curve for PS, normal curve for VR (because VR always seems to be harsh) and a normal curve on BS, maybe slightly more generous.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the VR curves are always harsh, it seems, no matter the difficulty... at least that's what I've gathered on SDN. Which is why I'm probably going to score a 9 and should start prepping for a retake...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
JAH360 said:
Yeah, the VR curves are always harsh, it seems, no matter the difficulty... at least that's what I've gathered on SDN. Which is why I'm probably going to score a 9 and should start prepping for a retake...
Click to expand...

I keep switching back and forth between thinking that I did okay enough so I won't have to retake, and getting really worried and thinking that I should be doing something to prepare...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
JAH360 said:
Same here. I'm taking honors biochem (our professor makes us memorize 300 definitions, WORD-FOR-WORD, on top of everything else you typically have to memorize in biochem [although I've been told by multiple doctors/med students this class is most representative of what classes are like in medical school...an ungodly amount of pure rote memorization; very few concepts]), honors neurobio, advanced anatomy and physiology, hormones and the brain, and biomedical ethics. It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't also doing research and the regrettable amount of leadership positions I've over committed myself to. I'm not sure if I'm going to make it out of this semester alive. :( I'm strongly considering dropping some of the extracurriculars because I don't know if I can make it another year like this...
Click to expand...
Yea, I'm doing too much, as well. Hopefully something doesn't give. And hopefully I get at least a 10 in VR. I don't have time for a retake--literally.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Hey guys, still suffering through the month of September as I await the scores lol I've also heard there were possibly multiple versions of the exam administered on our exam date? so pretty sure many of us had different tests and with varying passages. Perhaps this is why some of us felt like certain sections were easier or harder. Idk :/
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
why does this test dates thread seem to have so many more views then any of the other dates, even those that have gotten scores back already
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Hey is everyone applying this cycle? I just started my aacomas and still haven't asked for LOR's yet (getting on that tomorrow) I'm worried that I will be applying too late in the cycle
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
TheDarkNeuron said:
Hey is everyone applying this cycle? I just started my aacomas and still haven't asked for LOR's yet (getting on that tomorrow) I'm worried that I will be applying too late in the cycle
Click to expand...

I am, but not to US schools so it is not applicable. It depends on the schools that you are applying to. If your stats are great, then you have nothing to worry about, since I know that some schools accept on a rolling basis.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I'm in the same boat as JAH360. Only just got research experience and begun intensive patient contact experience so I thought a year off doing research will most likely up my chances (hopefully).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
TheDarkNeuron said:
Do you mind me asking why you chose to wait?
Click to expand...

I've had a rather unconventional college experience. I started taking college classes in high school, transferred twice during my undergrad, and changed my major three times. I had a...Um... Well, a meltdown, to put it mildly, during my first year in college, and I finished with only a 3.4 gpa, including an "Unsatisfactory" grade for first semester organic chem(doesn't effect gpa, but still looks bad). I've transferred to different university--a STEM school better known for its pre med program-- and I have a 4.0 gpa here, but I wanted to have three full years of perfect grades before applying to make up for the shortcomings of my freshman year, even though they weren't really my fault. I'd imagine I'm fairly competitive now, but I really want to make sure my application is the best that it can be before I apply.

I've also talked to quite a few adcoms from the more competitive medical schools over the last couple of years (my psychiatrist served on the Harvard Medical School Admissions board!), and many of them have mentioned that most of their matriculants took a gap year before applying, and that this is becoming more common. An adcom for Wake Forest told me that gap years are pretty much a necessity at this point for their applicants to have enough clinical experience to be competitive.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
Heard someone in the elevator at school saying the following: "The premed program is now making me take sociology, psychology and biochem, because I'll be taking the MCAT in 2016. I have no idea why, since those topics aren't even on the MCAT."
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
Styrene said:
Heard someone in the elevator at school saying the following: "The premed program is now making me take sociology, psychology and biochem, because I'll be taking the MCAT in 2016. I have no idea why, since those topics aren't even on the MCAT."
Click to expand...
smh-thumb.jpg
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Just curious if anyone else noticed the striking similarities between the post-test reactions for this test date and the post-test reactions for the August 22, 2013 test date (darth vader PS, first two VR passages hard, very orgo heavy BS)? I might be going above and beyond with speculation here, but maybe the curve for that test date could give an indication of the curve to expect for this test date.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
austinblnd said:
Just curious if anyone else noticed the striking similarities between the post-test reactions for this test date and the post-test reactions for the August 22, 2013 test date (darth vader PS, first two VR passages hard, very orgo heavy BS)? I might be going above and beyond with speculation here, but maybe the curve for that test date could give an indication of the curve to expect for this test date.
Click to expand...

Well, before they started that massive argument, it looks like a lot of the posters did very well compared to their AAMCs
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
sharkbyte said:
Well, before they started that massive argument, it looks like a lot of the posters did very well compared to their AAMCs
Click to expand...

The verbal scores still seem to be all over the place, though. I'm really freaking worried that I'm going to have to retake because of verbal.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
2 weeks! good luck everyone! deep breaths, and hope everyone is happy with their scores!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

agentfaithmd
AAMC MCAT Official Prep Complete Bundle Worth It?
Replies
0
Views
642
agentfaithmd
agentfaithmd
D
Is it possible to get II or acceptances with a late August MCAT? Assuming the primary is submitted in June
Replies
6
Views
1K
gyngyn
gyngyn
H
Advice on (slight) change in study plan - received Boren Scholarship & taking August 24th
Replies
2
Views
289
AJS59
AJS59
U
  • Question
MCAT cancelled 1/21/21 (OC, CA Location)
Replies
1
Views
904
LaughingGas10
L
freshdoe
  • Question
August 8th vs August 14th MCAT
Replies
9
Views
2K
JimKimSlim
JimKimSlim
Top