The Official "Post how you felt about the April 2005 MCAT" thread

[crazy_cavalier]

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Hey hey everyone. Just finished!!! Wow my proctors were amazing. They let us have gatorade out if we wanted, and they were super fast. We were done with everything (survey too) by 4:20 pm.

CONGRATS TO EVERYONE WHO FINISHED THIS EXPERIENCE!! 👍
You will all do well!! Pat yourselves on the back! 😀

Personally, I thought the test was sort of anti-climatic - I was expecting like, a huge parade with elephants and confetti streamers after finishing.

How'd you guys like the physical? Riiii-diculous!

Anyway, good job everyone again!

 

[SitraAchra]

MCAT MCAT rat tat tat tat! Good luck everyone, I hope good news follows this post.

 

[rimanek]

Reporting on the CBT (computer-based test) from New York: (there is no form code given for the CBT)

PS: I felt short on time. That never happened to me on practice (I even got a 15 on my last PS practice) but this could be just nerves. I felt like it was harder than most practices. Hated the acid/bases question with indicators.

VR: The passages and questions seemed to be easier than the practice exams with the exception of the last passage (about causality in the social sciences). But then I'd be surprised if I didn't continue my practice test pattern of getting wrong the stuff that seemed easy...

BS: Seemed very fair and manageable in terms of time. That goes especially about orgo (except for the NMR question on ephedrine et al. - I took an educated quess because it seemed like it would take too much time)

Overall, I felt that the e-mcat practice tests were adequately similar to this. Would love to hear others' thoughts...

 

[musiclink213]

There was one passage on BS that stumped me. I had form BH, and the bio, it just killed me. PS too. So did VR. I think i did OK on WS.

But I agree that it was very anticlimatic. I don't know what I was expecting, to eb more nervous I guess, I don't really know.

 

[crazy_cavalier]

BS: Seemed very fair and manageable in terms of time. That goes especially about orgo (except for the NMR question on ephedrine et al. - I took an educated quess because it seemed like it would take too much time)

I guess your e-MCAT had the same passages and stuff. For that orgo passage, there was a little trick you could have employed to hasten your arrival to the answer choice for the NMR: the NMR data they gave yielded a total integration of 17 hydrogens. All you had to do was review the compounds in the answer choices, and only one of them also corresponded to a molecule with 17 hydrogens. There was no need to proceed through and piece together splitting patterns (that would indeed elicit way too much time.)

The orgo on the biological was SOOOO little!! It was remarkable. I left that section feeling pretty good. Verbal and physical pose different stories. The writing section was pretty nice.

 

[humuhumu]

Form AN. I thought PS was as hard or harder than any AAMC practice test. I had a few moments of sheer panic. VR was about the level I expected. BS was so easy I'm afraid the curve will be very steep. I couldn't believe how little organic there was, and how easy it was (although I did guess on one of the items). I'm guessing (and hoping) that my performance overall was similar to the AAMC practice tests (3, 4, 5, 6). So glad it's done.

 

[silverdime]

Form DM here.

PS: Felt like more physics than chem, and a ton of nuclear and E&M photon behavior. Almost no mechanical physics. Not so bad.

V: A weird thing I've never seen before, where two passages each had 10-12 questions, and the rest about 4-7. The mega passages were really dry, as well. I didn't like it very much.

BS: Four orgo passages out of ten, and most of them seemed pretty intuitive. I really liked this section: it was light on hormones and enzymes, which I always mix up. Physiology and bacteria-heavy.

And it's a beautiful day. Off I go to sleep and then hit the town. Hope everyone else's went well! 😀

 

[gluon999]

Reporting on the CBT (computer-based test) from New York: (there is no form code given for the CBT)

PS: I felt short on time. That never happened to me on practice (I even got a 15 on my last PS practice) but this could be just nerves. I felt like it was harder than most practices. Hated the acid/bases question with indicators.

VR: The passages and questions seemed to be easier than the practice exams with the exception of the last passage (about causality in the social sciences). But then I'd be surprised if I didn't continue my practice test pattern of getting wrong the stuff that seemed easy...

BS: Seemed very fair and manageable in terms of time. That goes especially about orgo (except for the NMR question on ephedrine et al. - I took an educated quess because it seemed like it would take too much time)

Overall, I felt that the e-mcat practice tests were adequately similar to this. Would love to hear others' thoughts...

Hey, I was there too!
Sucks that they didn't let us even take a jacket or a drink in. But I liked the fact that we could begin our test whenever we wanted. Plus, it was kinda cool taking your test over looking Madison Square Garden.

One thing that pisses me off is that they couldn't even give us our numerical scores right there. I mean the computer is gonna grade it, so might as well do it right there so we know if we should just go home and start studying for August, and if not, then at least I can rip the pages out of my Orgo book.

 

[silverdime]

Form DM here.

PS: Felt like more physics than chem, and a ton of nuclear and E&M photon behavior. Almost no mechanical physics. Not so bad.

V: A weird thing I've never seen before, where two passages each had 10-12 questions, and the rest about 4-7. The mega passages were really dry, as well. I didn't like it very much.

BS: Four orgo passages out of ten, and most of them seemed pretty intuitive. I really liked this section: it was light on hormones and enzymes, which I always mix up. Physiology and bacteria-heavy.

And it's a beautiful day. Off I go to sleep and then hit the town. Hope everyone else's went well! 😀

Wanted to point out that the writing prompts were so much better than last April. One business, one education--I think having such good prompts made the difference in how I tackled the afternoon session.

 

[Notzfall]

I had from AT

PS: 70% physics, 30% chemistry

VR: Plenty of time to spare (one passage of complex text)

BS: 50% Organic, 50% Basic Biology (hardly any genetics or biochemistry)

I'm a biochem major......highly dissappointed with the version I got. I took the MCAT last April (2004). The stress was lower, but the test was just as difficult; maybe more...who knows. Just like last time, I'll have no idea how I did until I get my score.......countdown to June 15th.

 

[frostynorthwind]

It's 5:00 PM, and just finished DK at KU. Did anyone else feel like the exam was overall much more convoluted and slightly more difficult than AAMC's practice exams? And what was up with the 2 incredibly long passages in VR? Frankly, i'm stunned... screw studying for my biochem exam this week. I definitely need to drink away my recollection of the past 9 hours... have fun tonight! I certainly think everyone earned it.

Sadly, I won't be holding that MCAT prep-book bonfire as soon I hoped... August MCAT, here I come...

 

[Clocks]

Form EM here

PS: lot more GChem than on any AAMC tests- two passages on E + M that I remember

VR: not bad time wise- there was one wicked bad passage

BS- more orgo than anticipated, probably 60-40

 

[junebuguf]

Whooooop-deeee Freeeeekin' Doooo! I'm done....thats D-U-N done!

My test center sucked on timing. We didnt even start PS until 9:20!!! And we just got out about 15 minutes ago at 6:15 pm!!! Thats just ridiculous. I penciled in all negative comments on the proctors. Just terrible.

Fortunately, I didnt feel too bad about the whole thing. Guessed on one in PS and one in Bio. Surprisingly, I actually finished on time in Verbal which rarely happens. My thoughts:

PS: Not too different from AAMC 7, the question about the pKa of the two indicators was tricky--it was an acid titrating a base, not the other way around, so it kinda screwed me up. Was the graph question the one with two equivalence points? Since it was protonating HCO3 and CO3?

VR: Surprisingly no terrible passages that were completely incomprehensible, although the one about the researchers chasing birds and mating was pretty tough to read. I think the difference between this VR and the ones in AAMC 7 and 8 are that in this one, the passage may have been tough to read, but the questions were easier, whereas in AAMC 7 both the passage and the questions were tough.

BS: Started out nice enough, I was a whopping 8 minutes ahead of pace at one point! That would be my downfall though as things started to get tough. Some very ambiguous answers on LDL questions. Orgo was trickier than in other AAMC practice tests, but I barely reviewed any Orgo, so I found anything other that elementary reactions tricky. Ran out of time neat the end. The one question I guessed on was on the compound given the H NMR data. I picked C after the proctor called time! Anyone correlate that as being correct?

Overall....who the f*** knows. I never have a good feeling after these tests. But at least the hard part ends and the rampant speculation can begin!

 

[SlippingSloth]

It's 5:00 PM, and just finished DK at KU. Did anyone else feel like the exam was overall much more convoluted and slightly more difficult than AAMC's practice exams? And what was up with the 2 incredibly long passages in VR? Frankly, i'm stunned... screw studying for my biochem exam this week. I definitely need to drink away my recollection of the past 9 hours... have fun tonight! I certainly think everyone earned it.

Sadly, I won't be holding that MCAT prep-book bonfire as soon I hoped... August MCAT, here I come...

Had same form and agree completely(On ALL counts)

 

[dilated]

I picked C after the proctor called time! Anyone correlate that as being correct?

I actually think that might be right, I think it was either C or D, it was the same one they asked the question for a silica column about.

 

[mdage]

There was one passage on BS that stumped me. I had form BH, and the bio, it just killed me. PS too. So did VR. I think i did OK on WS.

But I agree that it was very anticlimatic. I don't know what I was expecting, to eb more nervous I guess, I don't really know.

I had BH too, PS and BS were very tough. Especially in BS, there were a lot passages about bacteria, and the genetic passage was crazy too.

 

[Elastase]

My assesment:

I took mcat in august 2004...which bio and physical were both fair (got a 11, and 10) and verbal raped me (8).

This one, form BG:

Physical sciences was harder than kaplan mcat by far...It was NOTHING like aamc mcat....NOTHING. I hope the scale works for me....ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Verbal: Was a lot easier than in august.

Writing: cake.

Bio: Was pretty doable, I think I did well.


Overall: I hope I beat my previous score.

 

[mlcchem11]

Which test form did you have? I had BP and it sounds very similiar. PS🙁titration passage) the pH or pKa at which methyl indole was at? this was a tricky passage. ( CO2 & HCO3 passage)I was looking for a graph with two equiv. pts. when i read that question but when i saw the answers it looked more difficult than i thought. VR---that was my final passage i hated it. BS- yes the lipoprotein passage sucked, lots of NMR >5 questions, what about the p-21, p-24 passage?

Whooooop-deeee Freeeeekin' Doooo! I'm done....thats D-U-N done!

My test center sucked on timing. We didnt even start PS until 9:20!!! And we just got out about 15 minutes ago at 6:15 pm!!! Thats just ridiculous. I penciled in all negative comments on the proctors. Just terrible.

Fortunately, I didnt feel too bad about the whole thing. Guessed on one in PS and one in Bio. Surprisingly, I actually finished on time in Verbal which rarely happens. My thoughts:

PS: Not too different from AAMC 7, the question about the pKa of the two indicators was tricky--it was an acid titrating a base, not the other way around, so it kinda screwed me up. Was the graph question the one with two equivalence points? Since it was protonating HCO3 and CO3?

VR: Surprisingly no terrible passages that were completely incomprehensible, although the one about the researchers chasing birds and mating was pretty tough to read. I think the difference between this VR and the ones in AAMC 7 and 8 are that in this one, the passage may have been tough to read, but the questions were easier, whereas in AAMC 7 both the passage and the questions were tough.

BS: Started out nice enough, I was a whopping 8 minutes ahead of pace at one point! That would be my downfall though as things started to get tough. Some very ambiguous answers on LDL questions. Orgo was trickier than in other AAMC practice tests, but I barely reviewed any Orgo, so I found anything other that elementary reactions tricky. Ran out of time neat the end. The one question I guessed on was on the compound given the H NMR data. I picked C after the proctor called time! Anyone correlate that as being correct?

Overall....who the f*** knows. I never have a good feeling after these tests. But at least the hard part ends and the rampant speculation can begin!

 

[bluedaisy]

It's 5:00 PM, and just finished DK at KU. Did anyone else feel like the exam was overall much more convoluted and slightly more difficult than AAMC's practice exams? And what was up with the 2 incredibly long passages in VR? Frankly, i'm stunned... screw studying for my biochem exam this week. I definitely need to drink away my recollection of the past 9 hours... have fun tonight! I certainly think everyone earned it.

Sadly, I won't be holding that MCAT prep-book bonfire as soon I hoped... August MCAT, here I come...

Yes! I had DK in Oakland. PS made me want to quit right then and there with all that goddamned photon crap. But I thought VR was reasonable, and BS was really pretty decent. And I loved the WS. I'm an econ major, so I wrote about Chinese patent law for the first one, and signalling devices for the second.

The best part was finding out that the girl next to me was taking the same biochem class, and we'd both been so busy studying for the metabolism midterm we'd blown off most of our MCAT studying time.

But then there were like 4 amino acid questions in BS. Did anyone else think that was weird? Great, but weird!

 

[UCdannyLA]

Someone I know...

was raping practice full lengths (PR, AAMC's) getting scores in the range of 35-39. Anyways, his mother, who was healthy, had a stroke and passed away suddenly on Friday morning.

He stayed up all night...and decided to take the test today anyways.


I hope he gets a 43.



That really....really sucks.

 

[blee]

Someone I know...

was raping practice full lengths (PR, AAMC's) getting scores in the range of 35-39. Anyways, his mother, who was healthy, had a stroke and passed away suddenly on Friday morning.

He stayed up all night...and decided to take the test today anyways.


I hope he gets a 43.



That really....really sucks.

🙁 ouch. That's terrible. I can't think of anything worse that could possibly happen.

(although i wouldn't use the word "rape" in consideration of the subject matter of your post)

 

[DemonDeacon]

Hey, just to let you guys know for your sake... don't talk about specific questions, AAMC could get you on that. Talk about them with your friends, but def not online.

 

[junebuguf]

I think this cartoon b Edward Monkton just about sums up how I feel about the MCAT:

 

[anke]

I totally agree that the PS section was a lot harder. It just was not doable within 100 min. Verbal was no surprise, but BS was just a lot of reading and again I felt there was just not enough time to comfortably answer the questions. I got easy 10s and 11s on all the practice tests. So what was this all about? I hope the curve will save me.