The Official May 17, 2014 MCAT Thread

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oobie

oobie

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Hello there. I thought I'd kick things off for this test date. I was previously planning to take the MCAT in January, but I was doing horribly on the practice tests and did not prepare correctly, so I had to reschedule. Good luck and hello!
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Hello, thank you Oobie for starting this thread! I will also be writing the MCAT on May 17th, and like Rashaanlb am a non-traditional retaker. Best of luck to all!
 
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A fellow May 17th-er here. I started my studying just after the new year. What a great way to usher in 2014, right? Yeah.

I had ordered and put together an amalgam of study materials consisting of:

Examkrackers - Bio
TPR - Gen Chem
TPR - Physics
Examkrackers - Verbal
mcat-review.org - Orgo (my better subject in undergrad)

and

The aamc's official guide to the mcat. I figure this would be a good utilization for clarifying content, focusing study efforts, and generally just weeding out discrepancies/redundancies from my other non-aamc practice materials. Sort of like a way to keep them in check. My efforts are and will be entirely self-directed and self-disciplined. I'm hoping to experiment a little with scheduling suggestions from those on SDN who've fared well on this beast of an exam in addition to some personal ad libitum.

Hopefully, I can find a groove and, ultimately, be productive in studying for the next 5 months. I wish you all the same!

Post some helpful tips or even just a desperately needed reminder of why we are taking this exam in the first place. I know one person who will probably be appreciative..
 
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Hello All. I am a non-traditional retaker as well. Will start studying next Monday using SN2 study calendar - 4 good months of full-time studying. I took a Kaplan course in the past and it helped but am now self-studying.
I am using a combo of EK and Kaplan for my studies and resources online. Hope to get some help from some of you throughout the process and hope I can help you all out as well. GOOD LUCK!
 
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Hi all! I will be sitting for the MCAT in May, too. I was wondering for those who are using the Sn2 study plan, how were you able to obtain the most recent calendar to accomodate for May test date?
Thanks a lot.
 
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Dannigirl said:
Hi all! I will be sitting for the MCAT in May, too. I was wondering for those who are using the Sn2 study plan, how were you able to obtain the most recent calendar to accomodate for May test date?
Thanks a lot.
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Hi Dannigirl, I found a post from a user who built a program that generated custom SN2ed calendars. Unfortunately, I can't find the post, but attached is a text file I made for the May 17th MCAT.
 

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Hi guys, another retaker here. I think this time around will be much better for me since I'll have a solid month and a half out of school, and I have a much more determined/positive mindset. I definitely plan on taking way more full lengths and slaughtering PS this time around.

Any non-traditional peeps have advice for relearning basic science material you took awhile ago? I'm now 5yrs out of Gchem, Physics, and OChem...
 
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Oh heyy I'm sitting for the exam this day!! Good luck everyone :) Three months remaining!
 
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FrankStarling said:
Hi Dannigirl, I found a post from a user who built a program that generated custom SN2ed calendars. Unfortunately, I can't find the post, but attached is a text file I made for the May 17th MCAT.
Click to expand...
Hi FrankStarling! Thank you for including this schedule. It's really helpful :)
 
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Hey everyone! About to start SN2ed's 3-month break down (more or less)
TBR for Physics, Chemistry, Organic
EK for Bio, and Organic Review
TPR and EK 101 for Verbal
I've already taken all the AAMC FL's (unfortunately) so I'll be using TBR's 1-7 CBTs and perhaps review AAMC 9-11

We're all gonna get 30+ .... good luck everyone...I'll be posting my thoughts/questions daily.
 
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I'm probably going to be joining this thread; originaly in the April 5th test date, but my VR is my main concern, so I think I'd be better off just rescheduling.
 
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Saxappeal1 said:
Chad's videos? And I am signed up for 5/17 in Macon. This is my 2nd time, lets do it!
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Chad's videos; through coursesaver.com. Not many people know about them, but he teaches an MCAT course, and has a list of videos for each subject on the MCAT, tailored to the topics on the mcat. He also provides an outline with useful into. the Bio videos aren't complete so those are free. They also have a bunch of quizzes, too.

sos5 said:
I'm signed up for 5/17 also. What are Chad video? Are they free?
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The bio ones are b/c they're incomplete... there's a fee, depending on how long you want to use them...so 50 dollars for 30 days. 85 for 60 days...etc.

I'm also going to try using YouTube for certain topics like sexual reproduction...and then try using TPR's mode of approaching VR, b/c Kaplan and EK hasn't really helped...so far, TPR method is working for me.
 
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Motivation:
Study as hard as we can& do a bunch of practice problems/tests so we never have to take this exam again.

I'm just hoping I do well the first time around as I am a traditonal student :)
 
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I hope everyone's prep is going well! 6 weeks from now, we'll all hopefully be watching some awful TV to forget all our worries.
 
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Took the MCAT last year. Now back at it.

Orgo: EK but TBR for passages (avoiding the review at all costs, they go way too in-depth).
BIO: EK for review + Bio assessment for passages
Gchem: TBR
Physics: TBR
Verbal: Anything I can get my hands on (my weakest section).

AAMC 7: Phys: 12, Verb: 9, Bio: 13.

All assessments were taken before my first FL
Organic Chemistry assessment score 91%
General chemistry assessment 85%
Physics assessment 75%. I thought the physics assessment was difficult compared to the others.
Bio Ass: 85%

I'm finished with everything else content wise.
 
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Exactly one month, guys! I'll be finished with content after this weekend (just have bio and some of gen Chem left).
 
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That is very true. Maybe there aren't as many people on here taking it this day. I used be on the April 5th thread until I moved my test date. ...maybe as we approach may...
 
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funtertaining15 said:
That is very true. Maybe there aren't as many people on here taking it this day. I used be on the April 5th thread until I moved my test date. ...maybe as we approach may...
Click to expand...

Same here. I was scheduled for May 8th but moved it to May 17th. May 8th thread was popping! haha
 
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Just took AAMC 3 and was a completely baffled by the verbal passage about Confucious.. -__- hope the real exam doesn't have something like that.
 
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Guys, have you all seen March 22?
I a m f r e a k i n g OUT...
Plus, I'm beginning to lose all will for studying for finals...:sleep:
 
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turayza said:
What happened to March 22?
If it happened to them, it's unlikely to happen again to us...right? ;)
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The Verbal Section apparently didn't turn out as well as a lot of people predicted, compared to the practice exams...
which makes me terrified b/c VR has def. been my lowest score since I last took FLs a month ago.... it could go either way.
 
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E-mcat won't let me log in?? Can someone try to see if it is a site-wide problem? I used "forgot my password" to make sure I was using the right one, but it is. derp
 
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The MCAT is like 3 weeks away!!!!!
Anyone else having trouble finding motivation to study for finals? I've got 4 finals all within 3 days before my MCAT... Really bad scheduling on my part :(
 
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AAMC 7: Phys: 12, Verb: 9, Bio: 13.
AAMC 8: Phys: 12, Verb: 10, Bio: 11
AAMC 9 (taken today): Phys: 13, Vebal: 9, Bio: 11

3 more weeks to nail down as many verbal passages as I can...
 
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SowonP said:
The MCAT is like 3 weeks away!!!!!
Anyone else having trouble finding motivation to study for finals? I've got 4 finals all within 3 days before my MCAT... Really bad scheduling on my part :(
Click to expand...

Oh no :( work hard!! I'm on the quarter system so the MCAT hits around Week 7 of 10 in the quarter.




Just went over AAMC 3 and realized that I missed a VR question because of math...wtf. o_O
 
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SowonP said:
The MCAT is like 3 weeks away!!!!!
Anyone else having trouble finding motivation to study for finals? I've got 4 finals all within 3 days before my MCAT... Really bad scheduling on my part :(
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Haha, me! So I'm actually moving my test date (again!) To June 13th. It'll give me time to focus only on the MCAT b/c school ends May 8th for me...excluding a 15pg paper I'll probably write right after finals...
 
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I already moved back my MCAT date from april to may. If I want to move it back again...it would cost $120.
Plus I'm nervous about submitting the application late because of a late MCAT.
I want to submit before the end of June, but I don't know if its that big of a deal whether you submit in June or in July.....
 
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SowonP said:
I already moved back my MCAT date from april to may. If I want to move it back again...it would cost $120.
Plus I'm nervous about submitting the application late because of a late MCAT.
I want to submit before the end of June, but I don't know if its that big of a deal whether you submit in June or in July.....
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Yea; I've been contemplating that, too. Plus, I'm applying through TMDSAS, and tech. can submit May 1st, but I go to school out of state & my school won't be sending out Committee Lettes until the end of June. I called TMDSAS and they said it would be okay. I have a friend who is an MS3 @ UTMB and she took it in early July. Granted, it was a little later in the cycle, but she scored better than most of her friends who took it at the end of may and had to retake it. In the end, I would just do what makes you feel comfortable and more prepared.
Yeah, the cost sucks. I wish I had decided this a week ago b/c it would have just been 65 dollars... there goes my Work study paycheck, hahaha.
If you think you could do better by pushing it back, do it. Better to have a higher score than have to retake it again.
I'm just hoping I do well the first time! GL w/ whatever you do & with the whole cycle process!
 
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funtertaining15 said:
Yea; I've been contemplating that, too. Plus, I'm applying through TMDSAS, and tech. can submit May 1st, but I go to school out of state & my school won't be sending out Committee Lettes until the end of June. I called TMDSAS and they said it would be okay. I have a friend who is an MS3 @ UTMB and she took it in early July. Granted, it was a little later in the cycle, but she scored better than most of her friends who took it at the end of may and had to retake it. In the end, I would just do what makes you feel comfortable and more prepared.
Yeah, the cost sucks. I wish I had decided this a week ago b/c it would have just been 65 dollars... there goes my Work study paycheck, hahaha.
If you think you could do better by pushing it back, do it. Better to have a higher score than have to retake it again.
I'm just hoping I do well the first time! GL w/ whatever you do & with the whole cycle process!
Click to expand...


You should still submit your primary for verification as early as possible though! That seems to be the holdup sometimes. And I thought you don't need all the LORs in until you turn in secondaries?
 
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turayza said:
You should still submit your primary for verification as early as possible though! That seems to be the holdup sometimes. And I thought you don't need all the LORs in until you turn in secondaries?
Click to expand...
I def. Plan to do that. You're probably right about the Lors... I don't really know myself.
 
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funtertaining15 said:
I def. Plan to do that. You're probably right about the Lors... I don't really know myself.
Click to expand...

Unless I'm derping, I think it's PS + ECs + transcript June 1-5 (whenever it opens), then MCAT as soon as score comes out, then schools send secondaries but no earlier than mid-July. And you turn in secondaries with LORs to specific schools. ... ahh
 
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