This is the correct spelling: The MCAT's

[YouAreAwesome]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=active&rlz=1C1GGLS_enUS309US309&q=aamc&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10

Now you know.

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[rockaction]

It drives me crazy for some reason when people say "MCATs" and ESPECIALLY when they say "MCATS". What does the S stand for again?

This is even worse than when people call o-chem "orgo".

 

[Myuu]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=active&rlz=1C1GGLS_enUS309US309&q=aamc&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10

Now you know.

The English language does not denote plurals with apostrophes. Even if it did, there is still only one MCAT. If you've taken it more than once, you've taken MCATs.

Also, you'll notice that nowhere on that page other than the google subheader link does it say "MCAT's."

 

[zerial]

It drives me crazy for some reason when people say "MCATs" and ESPECIALLY when they say "MCATS". What does the S stand for again?

This is even worse than when people call o-chem "orgo".

i know exactly what you mean. i hate hearing/reading that term. it's OCHEM

 

[SunDevilDoc]

yep ochem is way better than orgo. sounds dumb

 

[dr seuss]

The English language does not denote plurals with apostrophes.

You can denote plurals of letters and abbreviations with apostrophes.

 

[shemarty]

i know exactly what you mean. i hate hearing/reading that term. it's OCHEM

It just depends on where you went to undergrad. I'm not sure if its a regional thing?

We called it ochem... "orgo" sounds weird to me, too.

 

[musings]

we call it orgo~ I think o-chem sounds really strange and odd and... no one uses it...

just for another opinion XD

 

[Mysterion]

I'm from, and went to school in, NY and I think SDN is the first time I've ever seen Ochem instead of what's common here: Orgo.

 

[Mattabet]

The English language does not denote plurals with apostrophes. Even if it did, there is still only one MCAT. If you've taken it more than once, you've taken MCATs.

Also, you'll notice that nowhere on that page other than the google subheader link does it say "MCAT's."

Well there's the quirk. Plurals of acronyms that involve punctuation actually should get apostrophes, just to confuse things. So 2 doctors of philosopy are Ph. D's. But for MCAT, it should still be MCATs. Unless you're calling it them M.C.A.T.'s... which would just be horrible.

 

[JonathanMD]

Weird. I always use MCATs. What about other acronyms like EMTs? How do you differentiate between possessive and plural?

The EMT's hands were shaking.
The EMT's were nervous.



I guess you have to figure it out for yourself.

(Actually, my first reaction was "Who gives a ****?" But I wanted to contribute to the conversation.)

 

[Mattabet]

Weird. I always use MCATs. What about other acronyms like EMTs? How do you differentiate between possessive and plural?

The apostrophe rule is kind of archaic, and it would only apply if there was internal punctuation in the EMT acronym. I'm pretty sure someone at AAMC overapplied it on that website, as the push in language with acronyms is to take out punctuation. So EMTs is plural, EMT's is possessive.

(Actually, my first reaction was "Who gives a ****?" But I wanted to contribute to the conversation.)

That's true of anything I write, 90% of the time Most of the time I'm just trying to get my post count back up to a perfect square.

 

[Dulcina]

I always said MCAT (why is it possessive or plural?), and orgo (i guess my school was weird)

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

Unless you've taken multiple MCATs, what is the "s" for?

 

[JonathanMD]

Unless you've taken multiple MCATs, what is the "s" for?

I don't mean I say "MCATs" in place of "MCAT."

It comes up occasionally when someone takes multiple tests or when discussing multiple practice tests.

 

[Nevadanteater]

Unless you mean to say,

"The MCAT's difficult questions caused the premed student much anxiety."

ie. possessive, you (and the AAMC) are wrong.

 

[flip26]

Weird. I always use MCATs. What about other acronyms like EMTs? How do you differentiate between possessive and plural?

The EMT's hands were shaking.
The EMT's were nervous.



I guess you have to figure it out for yourself.

(Actually, my first reaction was "Who gives a ****?" But I wanted to contribute to the conversation.)

EMTs', maybe, or avoid this grammar pit altogether and write techs'

 

[ReptarBar]

honestly, it doesnt matter. take a linguistics class and youll realize how stupid written language is anyways.

 

[Depakote]

The MCAT's o-chem section was quite difficult. I'm just glad I only had to take one MCAT, sitting for multiple MCATs would be a chore.

 

[Myuu]

EMTs', maybe, or avoid this grammar pit altogether and write techs'

That implies that something belongs to multiple EMTs or techs.



...which appears to be exactly what you meant. Carry on.

 

[dw2158]

The MCAT's o-chem section was quite difficult. I'm just glad I only had to take one MCAT, sitting for multiple MCATs would be a chore.

you're my favorite.

 

[Myuu]

you're my favorite.

Yeah, seriously.

 

[Omni]

Hey! Thanks for telling me how to spell the MCATS! I'm gonna go back to study for them, and hopefully I"ll be able to do real well on the mcats.
Edit:
Boy, studying for the mcats is really challenging

 

[da8s0859q]

This thread... yeah.

I cringe when people tell me they're taking "the MCATs," mostly because they've just killed another kitten.

 

[Myuu]

This thread... yeah.

I cringe when people tell me they're taking "the MCATs," mostly because they've just killed another kitten.

Poor cats. :cry:

 

[witness23]

Barnes and Noble

 

[Myuu]

Barnes and Noble

Borders

 

[da8s0859q]

Borders

Waldenbooks.

 

[Mattabet]

honestly, it doesnt matter. take a linguistics class and youll realize how stupid written language is anyways.

I'm going back to drawing pictures for everything. It worked fine when I was three. What's a good one for 'ergocalciferol'...?

 

[Myuu]

Waldenbooks.

That's owned by Borders.

 

[witness23]

well, i was just really saying that its kinda annoying when people say Barnes and Nobles

 

[LAman10]

People say "I'm studying for my MCATs" because they anticipate taking it more than once. But we on SDN, we will not stand for such lack of confidence.

 

[Myuu]

well, i was just really saying that its kinda annoying when people say Barnes and Nobles

Yeah, almost as much as when people think they have the grammatical highroad and write checks to Border's. Joke's on you! There are two people named Borders!

 

[witness23]

those silly people

 

[ksmi117]

Just so we are clear - it is neither "orgo" nor "ochem." It is "organic."

 

[AdemTD]

I live in a midwestern "hick town" where the average person is barely a high school graduate and they seem to pluralize everything here. For example, K-Mart = K-Marts; Farmer Jack = Farmer Jacks...makes life here somewhat entertaining anyway.

 

[JeetKuneDo]

I'm thinking Orgo is used in the east coast? Maybe? A few of my friends go to different schools scattered across the east coast and they say orgo. I represent the West side and say ochem.

 

[JJMrK]

I've never understood "orgo". Where the hell is that second letter "o" coming from? "Organic Chemistry" only has one "o" in the whole title, so why would the abbreviation have two?

 

[Medwell]

I've never understood "orgo". Where the hell is that second letter "o" coming from? "Organic Chemistry" only has one "o" in the whole title, so why would the abbreviation have two?

This is exactly what I say to people when I hear that word. I can't stand it!

 

[JeetKuneDo]

This is exactly what I say to people when I hear that word. I can't stand it!

 

[JonathanMD]

I've never understood "orgo". Where the hell is that second letter "o" coming from? "Organic Chemistry" only has one "o" in the whole title, so why would the abbreviation have two?

This is just a guess but... It probably comes from orga. People just turn it to the masculine version because... you know... science is masculine.

 

[pseudoknot]

Well there's the quirk. Plurals of acronyms that involve punctuation actually should get apostrophes, just to confuse things. So 2 doctors of philosopy are Ph. D's. But for MCAT, it should still be MCATs. Unless you're calling it them M.C.A.T.'s... which would just be horrible.

In the spirit of this thread, let me point out that MCAT and PhD are initialisms, not acronyms.

 

[Dulcina]

Barnes and Noble

hahaha this made me laugh.

 

[FutureInternist]

goose --> geese
mongoose --> mongooses or mongeese?

 

[Dulcina]

goose --> geese
mongoose --> mongooses or mongeese?

OMG YES. I just recently said mongeese! (jokingly).

 

[Beta Cell]

Just so we are clear - it is neither "orgo" nor "ochem." It is "organic."

Oh, thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Beta Cell]

This is exactly what I say to people when I hear that word. I can't stand it!

Do you criticize the Williams of the world who go by Bill? I see no 'B' in William either? What about the Richards who go by Dick? Where did the 'k' come from?

 

[witness23]

its 5AM and Orgo on the east coast

 

[Depakote]

goose --> geese
mongoose --> mongooses or mongeese?

I forget why it came up, but I had this exact discussion with a classmate last year.

 

[LAman10]

nor is it biOCHEM. it's biorgo. hah get it?