**The Official July 2016 MCAT Thread**
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anyone applying this upcoming cycle with July mcat?
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Is it ok to apply this upcoming cycle with July or early August MCAT?
Kaplan 2016 sets do a good job overall and Khan Academy, from the few videos I have watched, do too. I have the TPR book and I thought they are great at giving details/summaries to new concepts/terms that others didn't include. They include stand alone questions and one passage per chapter which is nice.
I was planning to apply this upcoming cycle, however I ended up not taking being prepared enough for an early MCAT date. I'm hesitant that this late test date will hinder my chances since my application wouldn't even be complete till end of August. I'm currently on my gap year working as a medical scribe and I'd hate to have to wait another year, but then again I'd hate having to reapply even more!! 
It won't hinder your chances if you have everything else complete.
Will you be COMPLETE at the schools later than others? Perhaps, yes. Will that completely throw your cycle off? Probably not. What will hurt is not completing secondaries promptly (which you will get from many schools BEFORE the MCAT is provided).
I know of 3 people who submitted in Sept to AMCAS, verified in Oct, interviewed and accepted same cycle. Oh, and they are also ages 38+...
Will you be COMPLETE at the schools later than others? Perhaps, yes. Will that completely throw your cycle off? Probably not. What will hurt is not completing secondaries promptly (which you will get from many schools BEFORE the MCAT is provided).
I know of 3 people who submitted in Sept to AMCAS, verified in Oct, interviewed and accepted same cycle. Oh, and they are also ages 38+...
@Ad2b If you don't mind me asking, do you plan on starting on secondaries before your MCAT test date? Or start working on them right after the test (before scores comes out)?
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you don't really need the in-class; if you have Kaplan, use the online live video sessions; and ALL the test packs you can
Do you get free access to the live video sessions if you buy the kaplan books?
Oh ok gotcha thanks. Ill look into it
I'm signed up for it. My next 2.5-3 months will be thoroughly planned out....
Retaker here! 507 last time... trying to improve a little bit before schools review my test.... goodluck everyone =D
I will be posting my schedule later today. If it helps, awesome. If not, ignore 🙂
FWIW, I work 40+ hours a week, am taking 2 courses now, and will be in physics 2 starting in May. All of that had to be worked out to know when I was doing what.
Last, I have already studied for this exam. I had planned to take it last Fall, was ready for it when family stuff happened and I did not sit. Therefore, I am not doing everything I did last summer to be ready; also, as I'm taking physics 2 while polishing my MCAT prep, I am NOT focusing a lot on electro/fluids/etc. Keep that in mind for yourselves 🙂
FWIW, I work 40+ hours a week, am taking 2 courses now, and will be in physics 2 starting in May. All of that had to be worked out to know when I was doing what.
Last, I have already studied for this exam. I had planned to take it last Fall, was ready for it when family stuff happened and I did not sit. Therefore, I am not doing everything I did last summer to be ready; also, as I'm taking physics 2 while polishing my MCAT prep, I am NOT focusing a lot on electro/fluids/etc. Keep that in mind for yourselves 🙂
Just some additional information about me...I'm a non-traditional applicant who already has a PhD and several years of post-doctoral research experience in basic and clinical science. I'm studying using Kaplan, supplementing it with Kahn Academy, and hopefully, if time allows, will spend June studying from the EK books. I work full time, so I try to put in at least 20 h per wk. In May, I'm going to start simulating the exam conditions with practice exams. Plan on taking vacation right before the exam to try and cram in some extra review. So far, I have finished reading all the review material and I'm now working on solidifying what I've learned with practice questions and review.
I'd love to hear what everyone else is doing....
I'd love to hear what everyone else is doing....
Just registered today! July 22! I work FT as an RN, and I'm in an SMP. Hopefully I can get it done. This is my 3rd time taking it, and I think I'm overwhelmed with the amount of content review that I have so I'm hoping to narrow it down!
I have the full set of princeton review books and some kaplan flashcards. Will probably do some khan videos as well and need to get some more practice tests
Third time taker here as well. This time I am trying not to burden myself with memorizing equations/facts, though you kind of will have to in order to understand relationships like with intensity and radius with sound waves, pressure and velocity with fluids. This method has proven to be quicker and better since it allows me to look at the bigger picture and to avoid using math.
Anybody know when to use continuity equation vs Pouiselle law vs Bernoulli's equation? All 3 of these run through my mind when fluids come up.
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So is Poiselle's law dealing with blood viscosity like non ideal fluids? I guess they will let us know the variables and just decide from there.
Attached is my MCAT schedule that I will use as a guide to make sure I stay on track. As I've gone through this before (but did not sit for the exam in 9/15), I know the best laid plans can get squished. If you decide to use this and modify for your own life, just remember this:
1. Do not beat yourself up if you do not hit exactly every goal on this.
2. Give yourself plenty of time to review any and all q-packs, section tests, FLs that you take
If you have any questions, please let me know 🙂
1. Do not beat yourself up if you do not hit exactly every goal on this.
2. Give yourself plenty of time to review any and all q-packs, section tests, FLs that you take
If you have any questions, please let me know 🙂
Just to clarify do you plan on submitting your primary in June and putting down all the schools you want to apply to before getting your MCAT score? This allows you to get the secondaries and do them as you wait for your score, but isn't this really risky since you don't know what your score is?
I'm signed up for the June 18th exam but thinking about taking it on July 8th since this extra 3 weeks will help me immensely. But I'm not sure how to go about this and not be late in the cycle
@Ad2b When are you going to start your Q-packs from AAMC. And what FL's have you taken so far. Any feedback on them?
Yes. That is my plan but I'm also considering putting in all of them.. wavering atm.
Tomorrow I will work through my first Q-pack in total per my schedule.
I have taken Kaplan diagnostic, #2, #3 (did those last summer in prep for 9/15 MCAT which I did not sit for)
Advice: if you are doing ANY FL from any exam prep company, take with a grain of salt but go through each wrong answer and write on a separate sheet what the topic is, and why you got it wrong.
I do the same with everything else (Q-packs, section test, Kaplan tests, AAMC OG, etc). Attached is how I review no matter the material/maker.
I'm iffy about doing that as well, since it's real risky. Do you know how long it takes on average for schools to send you a secondary after adding them on to your AMCAS. So hypothetically if I were to get my score on August 9th, liked my score and decided to add all my schools, how long would it take (varies I know) for schools to send me the secondary. I would have done all the secondaries by then because in that month waiting period I would get the questions of SDN. So basically what's the earliest we can be complete?
Hopefully this made sense.
Last year, I applied to one school to get my transcripts verified.
I received a secondary from that school despite that my MCAT was scheduled for a month later. When I did not sit for the MCAT, I called the school, explained what had happened, apologized for wasting their time, and withdrew.
It was no big deal. I will be a reapp at that one school IF I apply there this year (not sure right now).
Many schools send the secondary immediately but do NOT consider you "COMPLETE" (and therefore, in the hands of the adcoms), until the MCAT score is received. So, you could have the secondaries ready, get your MCAT score and submit all of it.
The earlier one can be complete is: primary + MCAT + secondary. MCAT, in this sense on this thread, is the key.
I received a secondary from that school despite that my MCAT was scheduled for a month later. When I did not sit for the MCAT, I called the school, explained what had happened, apologized for wasting their time, and withdrew.
It was no big deal. I will be a reapp at that one school IF I apply there this year (not sure right now).
Many schools send the secondary immediately but do NOT consider you "COMPLETE" (and therefore, in the hands of the adcoms), until the MCAT score is received. So, you could have the secondaries ready, get your MCAT score and submit all of it.
The earlier one can be complete is: primary + MCAT + secondary. MCAT, in this sense on this thread, is the key.
I think it depends on your specific package (GPA, shadowing, etc)
Last year, within a few days of AMCAS verifying my transcripts, the 1 school had opened up a secondary for me.
My thinking this year is: apply at my alma mater + the linkage school, the state schools where I live now, the 2 schools where I have alumni links, and then take the MCAT.
After the MCAT, depending on how well (!!) or how poorly ( 🙁 ) I feel I did, I'll the others.
Last year, within a few days of AMCAS verifying my transcripts, the 1 school had opened up a secondary for me.
My thinking this year is: apply at my alma mater + the linkage school, the state schools where I live now, the 2 schools where I have alumni links, and then take the MCAT.
After the MCAT, depending on how well (!!) or how poorly ( 🙁 ) I feel I did, I'll the others.
Some research articles to get us started; will post more psych/soc when I get them (one of my professors had a whole bunch of behavioral linked genetics sites yesterday; waiting on the links)
These are, to me, good practice for the BB section...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC231191/pdf/162044.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2685184/pdf/nihms89520.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2276655/pdf/nihms35172.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1472303/pdf/954.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3674581/pdf/nihms465502.pdf
These are, to me, good practice for the BB section...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC231191/pdf/162044.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2685184/pdf/nihms89520.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2276655/pdf/nihms35172.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1472303/pdf/954.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3674581/pdf/nihms465502.pdf
@Marine2MD - just remember to space out FL exams by about a week; take a full day to review what you missed, review the content for what you missed before retaking a FL.
The articles and links I posted are just to help get people used to reading dense research materials, if they so choose.
The articles and links I posted are just to help get people used to reading dense research materials, if they so choose.
Thanks again for the info! I was originally thinking of taking them about 4 days apart to allow for review. The articles are a significant help in my mind. None of my previous classes really covered examination of detailed experiments or dense research material. Sure we covered the basics with the Hershey-Chase, Avery/MacLeod/McCarty, and Mendelson but that was about it. My immunology and biochem class however actually requires us to present articles and decipher diagrams/materials and outline the experiment so it helps. I think that held me back significantly last year on the B/B section.
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How do you plan on incorporating reading articles with your studying? I don't think or me at least going through a 20 page article will help me. I'm guessing you aren't exactly doing this either. So how are you approaching it?
You took the exam last year? How would you prep for the sections this time around? Would you read articles like the ones ad2b posted?
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@Sloppy Toppy - I AM reading the articles - all if it.
1. Try to understand what the researchers were trying to discern
2. Try to follow their methods and reasoning
3. Try to come to MY own conclusion before reading their interpretation and findings
Last summer, when I thought I was going to sit in Sept 2015, I had one of the lawyers I worked with read one of the suggested CARS examples and answer the questions. He came back and said something to the effect of: that piece of writing was from 1986 written by so-and-so. If I gather what the MCAT is trying to do, you'd be wise to find pieces of research and literature that fit the areas on the MCAT.
Then I dug up various literature type articles (that post is buried in the MCAT threads somewhere); linked a bunch of literature type articles. With the above, I was sitting in genetics one day, and my professor started linking other articles in class. Between the lawyer's comments and the professor, comments on here about what prior testers had seen, to me, reading the articles I've linked and others you may find, will be helpful so that on test day, when you see something similar, you won't go "OMG!!!" and panic; it'll be more like, "okay, most of this is above my head but some of this is what I need to understand" and then you'll be able to find what you need, interpret what you need and answer the questions.
Are the articles for CONTENT review? no.
1. Try to understand what the researchers were trying to discern
2. Try to follow their methods and reasoning
3. Try to come to MY own conclusion before reading their interpretation and findings
Last summer, when I thought I was going to sit in Sept 2015, I had one of the lawyers I worked with read one of the suggested CARS examples and answer the questions. He came back and said something to the effect of: that piece of writing was from 1986 written by so-and-so. If I gather what the MCAT is trying to do, you'd be wise to find pieces of research and literature that fit the areas on the MCAT.
Then I dug up various literature type articles (that post is buried in the MCAT threads somewhere); linked a bunch of literature type articles. With the above, I was sitting in genetics one day, and my professor started linking other articles in class. Between the lawyer's comments and the professor, comments on here about what prior testers had seen, to me, reading the articles I've linked and others you may find, will be helpful so that on test day, when you see something similar, you won't go "OMG!!!" and panic; it'll be more like, "okay, most of this is above my head but some of this is what I need to understand" and then you'll be able to find what you need, interpret what you need and answer the questions.
Are the articles for CONTENT review? no.
@Sloppy Toppy - I am incorporating articles like the ones Ad2b linked and the ones that I have from my courses now as part of my study plan. This time around I am doing a much more condensed study prep but focusing on the understanding and linking together multiple aspects to see how everything effects the big picture. I am also using a few study games here and there (hat game for one). I am also incorporating different chapters of each of the preps - instead of just reading a chapter from two or three books a day I am looking at chapters that are actually linked together then doing 1/3 of the practice problems from them. Two days later I will come back and do another 1/3 of those problems. At the end of the week I do the final 1/3 of all the problems from the week (this will be replaced by FLs starting mid-May). My in-depth study will really begin in June once the semester is over and I am not working overtime, going to school full-time, coaching/volunteering/shadowing.
The biggest difference for me is using the articles. I understood most of the questions last year when I sat, it was the alterations to an experiment or explaining something off of a diagram with no understanding of how to scientifically arrive at an in-depth analysis. An example of the diagram from a class recently was taking an ELISA of a control cell and two cells affected with RNAi on RIG-I and MAVS, interpret the results when the control has high levels of IFN-B, medium levels of RIG-I, and low levels of MAVS then compare those results to another diagram that shows something with a higher level of MAVS and decreased RIG-I. That and the lack of biochem - nearly all of my questions in the B/B section and a good portion of my C/P last year were biochem based and that tanked my score.
I don't really have advice for CARS other than practice. I majored in English and I have had to interpret a lot of reasoning and analysis over the 12 years with my previous career so it wasn't bad for me.
Behavioral - understand the terms and know how to apply to experiments and scenarios.
The biggest difference for me is using the articles. I understood most of the questions last year when I sat, it was the alterations to an experiment or explaining something off of a diagram with no understanding of how to scientifically arrive at an in-depth analysis. An example of the diagram from a class recently was taking an ELISA of a control cell and two cells affected with RNAi on RIG-I and MAVS, interpret the results when the control has high levels of IFN-B, medium levels of RIG-I, and low levels of MAVS then compare those results to another diagram that shows something with a higher level of MAVS and decreased RIG-I. That and the lack of biochem - nearly all of my questions in the B/B section and a good portion of my C/P last year were biochem based and that tanked my score.
I don't really have advice for CARS other than practice. I majored in English and I have had to interpret a lot of reasoning and analysis over the 12 years with my previous career so it wasn't bad for me.
Behavioral - understand the terms and know how to apply to experiments and scenarios.
Anybody want to discuss the scientific journals and experimental setup? Like discussing the overall research and interpretation of the graphs/tables? I want to get my comprehension down and it would be nice if we could converse with other fellow members to get ideas about what the experiments are talking about.
@betterfuture - I'm game. I know the June people had something similar going on - maybe we could pick their brain. Skype, email, or ???
Another link from Nature.com: http://www.nature.com/jhg/journal/v61/n3/pdf/jhg2015132a.pdf
Another link from Nature.com: http://www.nature.com/jhg/journal/v61/n3/pdf/jhg2015132a.pdf
