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well then best of luck on your apps!
im sure one school will bite. how many are you applying to?
12: 6 in florida then 6 private schools elsewhere. Thanks, I'm hoping one bites.
well then best of luck on your apps!
im sure one school will bite. how many are you applying to?
why didnt you get a 33+ the first time?
I never took any biology, chemistry or physics in high school. I showed up to my college (I'm non-traditional), and took the MCAT 15 months after I started my very first science class. I was about a month away from finishing the pre-reqs. I know a lot of kids who wait and take it after Cell Bio, Micro Bio, Genetics, Physiology, Bio-chem, and all sorts of other upper level courses, and they tend to do a lot better. Well I'm completing those right now and if I have to take the test again next year i'll breeze through it with all of that knowledge. I actually think a 33 is not a very good score when you've got all of those upper level science classes completed.
I know it was a bad choice to rush through everything, but I'm getting old and need to get into medical school pronto.
And a lot of other kids take all those classes and still don't break a 30.
Haha, that sucks. I couldn't imagine. If you had all of that you'd basically know everything for the MCAT. I remember taking the test like what the **** is Vmax? Or Km? I had no idea, but now that I've taken Cell Bio I'm learning all kinds of stuff that would have been useful during the test.
Im sure MicroBio, Biochem, Genetics and Physiology (all of which I'm taking soon) will clear up a lot of questions I had during the test. I want my revenge on the MCAT so badly I almost want to take it even after I get in.
I don't know when you took the MCAT or what your administration was like, but it's not just a knowledge based test anymore. It's a reasoning test with a BS section that's more like VR than like BS. Don't assume with your extra knowledge, that guarantees you a 33.
There is no certainty with the MCAT. You need to meet the June 13th thread.I took it in April. I wouldn't base it solely on the fact that i'll have more knowledge. I regularly scored between 30 and 32 on the AAMC practice tests so 33 isn't much of a stretch. If it's not looking good around January (for admissions) I will become a psycho about the MCAT and begin my preparations to kill it. A 33 is basically a certainty, but i'm hoping for a lot more. Especially since my entire life will be delayed a year.
There is no certainty with the MCAT. You need to meet the June 13th thread.
Apparently I do.
Not a chance in hell I don't score that high with all of those courses, it would just be too much easier.
Apparently I do.
Not a chance in hell I don't score that high with all of those courses, it would just be too much easier.
I never took any biology, chemistry or physics in high school. I showed up to my college (I'm non-traditional), and took the MCAT 15 months after I started my very first science class. I was about a month away from finishing the pre-reqs. I know a lot of kids who wait and take it after Cell Bio, Micro Bio, Genetics, Physiology, Bio-chem, and all sorts of other upper level courses, and they tend to do a lot better. Well I'm completing those right now and if I have to take the test again next year i'll breeze through it with all of that knowledge. I actually think a 33 is not a very good score when you've got all of those upper level science classes completed.
...
Not a chance in hell I don't score that high with all of those courses, it would just be too much easier.
Well, the courses you're taking will certainly help with bio (no question)...but getting 2-3? points higher on bio will still leave you at a 31-32. And with that type of courseload, potentially very little time to study for the other two sections.
Just my two cents.
For me, the biggest hurdle was escaping the 29-32 region. It's not as easy as it sounds. "Expecting" to do it without first having put in the work may be a bit of a stretch.
That's all - don't flame me.
And please consider the contribution of the poster above me.
Humility's a good thing dude.
It sounds like you are doing the right things, but you have the wrong attitude. The MCAT will never be easy. And, it is impossible to study effectively if you are this arrogant before the test. Maybe some practice tests will shape you up, but I just want to warn you before you start down the path to the MCAT with that kind of attitude.
Be proud of your MCAT once you get the score back, not before.
There is no certainty with the MCAT. You need to meet the June 13th thread.
June 13th test-taker here...
all you need for the MCAT is basic bio, gen chem, physics, and a little orgo...those upper level classes arent gonna help you, not much anyways.I never took any biology, chemistry or physics in high school. I showed up to my college (I'm non-traditional), and took the MCAT 15 months after I started my very first science class. I was about a month away from finishing the pre-reqs. I know a lot of kids who wait and take it after Cell Bio, Micro Bio, Genetics, Physiology, Bio-chem, and all sorts of other upper level courses, and they tend to do a lot better. Well I'm completing those right now and if I have to take the test again next year i'll breeze through it with all of that knowledge. I actually think a 33 is not a very good score when you've got all of those upper level science classes completed.
I know it was a bad choice to rush through everything, but I'm getting old and need to get into medical school pronto.
The MCAT is an admissions test, not a predictor of how you'll do in medical school. I think some people need to be reminded of that.
Oooooooook.........................Apparently I do.
Not a chance in hell I don't score that high with all of those courses, it would just be too much easier.
all you need for the MCAT is basic bio, gen chem, physics, and a little orgo...those upper level classes arent gonna help you, not much anyways.
those classes aren't going to help you like you think they are. You said you already took it, right? Then you should know that the entire test is basically a reading comprehension test. BS and PS are VR based on biology, chemistry, and physics.
25 MCAT , 3.7 GPA . White guy from North Dakota. It can be done and HAS been done with scores less than 30, you just have to have something else to distinguish yourself from the pack. MCAT is only one part of your application. I think it's ridiculous that people on those boards claim that anything <30 and you're automatically destined for a DO or Caribbean school.
Not true. At least not for me.
Genetics, Physio, and Molecular Bio brought me from an 8 to a 13 in the Bio section. Biochem helped too. Maybe you guys had more intensive gen bio classes, but these upper levels made all the difference for me. When I was trying to decide how to study for my retake, I remember how people would say "OMG you don't need those classes." Well, I'm glad I didn't listen.
There were very few things on my real tests and my practice tests that required knowledge that I didnt receive in my prereqs, but if you are gonna take one class to help with the MCAT, take Genetics. You get the review of the basic mendelian genetics and the pedigrees, but you also get a review of molecular biology as well.Not true. At least not for me.
Genetics, Physio, and Molecular Bio brought me from an 8 to a 13 in the Bio section. Biochem helped too. Maybe you guys had more intensive gen bio classes, but these upper levels made all the difference for me. When I was trying to decide how to study for my retake, I remember how people would say "OMG you don't need those classes." Well, I'm glad I didn't listen.
Genetics, Physio, and Molecular Bio brought me from an 8 to a 13 in the Bio section. Biochem helped too. Maybe you guys had more intensive gen bio classes, but these upper levels made all the difference for me. When I was trying to decide how to study for my retake, I remember how people would say "OMG you don't need those classes." Well, I'm glad I didn't listen.
Actually I think humanities majors score higher on average than Bio majors.That's what im thinking too. Most of the stuff from the Bio section of my test I had never heard of, even the stand alone questions. The Bio 1 at my school is about the cell cycle (not in much detail), and Bio 2 was absolutely worthless because it was about crap like phylogeny and animal kingdoms. I didnt learn anything about viruses or bacteria and how they work (which was most of my bio section material). And physiology would have been GREAT, I didnt know shlt compared to what i should have.
I understand what a lot of people are saying, but I think all of these upper level courses will really help.
I dont know where or if they exist, but if there are stats on average MCAT with varying amounts of course work completed i'd like to see them. The people with more classes have to have higher average scores. It just makes everything so much easier.
That's what im thinking too. Most of the stuff from the Bio section of my test I had never heard of, even the stand alone questions. The Bio 1 at my school is about the cell cycle (not in much detail), and Bio 2 was absolutely worthless because it was about crap like phylogeny and animal kingdoms. I didnt learn anything about viruses or bacteria and how they work (which was most of my bio section material). And physiology would have been GREAT, I didnt know shlt compared to what i should have.
I understand what a lot of people are saying, but I think all of these upper level courses will really help.
I dont know where or if they exist, but if there are stats on average MCAT with varying amounts of course work completed i'd like to see them. The people with more classes have to have higher average scores. It just makes everything so much easier.
Um...no. What is made easier exactly?
Not to be a jerk or anything, but you are making a number of assumptions and justifiying it as "it has to be..". what you are saying just isnt the case.
From everything I have read/ all the feedback from testers I have read, I am very comfortable with the conclusion that the MCAT has moved away from being a knowledge based test to more of a reasoning test.
Will more upper level courses in bio/ physics/ rhetoric help you?...Maybe. How do I think they will help you? I think one would be more comfortable being slightly familiar with the material the passage is introducing. Period. No one is saying that more experience in a given subject isnt beneficial to this test..it is. However, the take home message is that your time would be better served with specific review materials hammering out problems/content that WILL be covered by the test. Knowing this high yield (BASIC) material backwards and forwards is much more efficient in terms of studying than taking entire upper level classes dedicated to a subject that you might see one question on. I would say human phys and maybe genetics would be very helpful in terms of digesting your study matertials bc you have had that previous experience. But as far as micro, cell bio, immuno, neuro, etc................Those are overkill imo.
To succeed on this test all you have to do is: know the basics/ enhance your critical thinking skills/ understand how the test is written. I'm no qhiz at the mcat and I didnt score a 45, but I came a LONG way using this basic guideline once I actually understood the test and stopped assuming that things "had to be" a certain way bc I thought so.
What happened?
What happened?
Actually I think humanities majors score higher on average than Bio majors.
Um...no. What is made easier exactly?
Not to be a jerk or anything, but you are making a number of assumptions and justifiying it as "it has to be..". what you are saying just isnt the case.
From everything I have read/ all the feedback from testers I have read, I am very comfortable with the conclusion that the MCAT has moved away from being a knowledge based test to more of a reasoning test.
Will more upper level courses in bio/ physics/ rhetoric help you?...Maybe. How do I think they will help you? I think one would be more comfortable being slightly familiar with the material the passage is introducing. Period. No one is saying that more experience in a given subject isnt beneficial to this test..it is. However, the take home message is that your time would be better served with specific review materials hammering out problems/content that WILL be covered by the test. Knowing this high yield (BASIC) material backwards and forwards is much more efficient in terms of studying than taking entire upper level classes dedicated to a subject that you might see one question on. I would say human phys and maybe genetics would be very helpful in terms of digesting your study matertials bc you have had that previous experience. But as far as micro, cell bio, immuno, neuro, etc................Those are overkill imo.
To succeed on this test all you have to do is: know the basics/ enhance your critical thinking skills/ understand how the test is written. I'm no qhiz at the mcat and I didnt score a 45, but I came a LONG way using this basic guideline once I actually understood the test and stopped assuming that things "had to be" a certain way bc I thought so.
Start here and keep in mind that the majority of these posters were averaging 35+ on AAMC practice tests.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=517886&page=18
LMAO...
I don't know where some of you get your information from...
You do NOT have to have a 30 to get into med school...
PLENTY of school will matriculate 25's, 24's, 26's, etc...
Yes, I do know this to be a fact, and yes I was told this by people in the admissions department at MCG...
By the way, the average at MCG is a 30.3, yet they still admit plenty of people in the mid to high 20's...
Think about how it's averaged people: for every 35, there has to be a 25 to make an average of 30...
Jeez...
Um...no. What is made easier exactly?
Not to be a jerk or anything, but you are making a number of assumptions and justifiying it as "it has to be..". what you are saying just isnt the case.
From everything I have read/ all the feedback from testers I have read, I am very comfortable with the conclusion that the MCAT has moved away from being a knowledge based test to more of a reasoning test.
Will more upper level courses in bio/ physics/ rhetoric help you?...Maybe. How do I think they will help you? I think one would be more comfortable being slightly familiar with the material the passage is introducing. Period. No one is saying that more experience in a given subject isnt beneficial to this test..it is. However, the take home message is that your time would be better served with specific review materials hammering out problems/content that WILL be covered by the test. Knowing this high yield (BASIC) material backwards and forwards is much more efficient in terms of studying than taking entire upper level classes dedicated to a subject that you might see one question on. I would say human phys and maybe genetics would be very helpful in terms of digesting your study matertials bc you have had that previous experience. But as far as micro, cell bio, immuno, neuro, etc................Those are overkill imo.
To succeed on this test all you have to do is: know the basics/ enhance your critical thinking skills/ understand how the test is written. I'm no qhiz at the mcat and I didnt score a 45, but I came a LONG way using this basic guideline once I actually understood the test and stopped assuming that things "had to be" a certain way bc I thought so.
I'm just bent that 70% of the bio was on stuff that I never saw before between a first year bio course and EK bio.
BS-I liked it...I just took a genetics class and a biochem class and there was some stuff I just learned on there...I think i did well...we'll see though ive been let down on practice tests hopefully at lesat a 10...we'll see...
I hve over 3.7 GPA but got a low verbal score but scored 11 and 12 in others. what are my chances of getting interview and admission?
I scored a 29 the first time I took it so I'm hoping I can get in with that. But if I do have to re-take it next april, my score will improve drastically, to at least a 33. This isn't being cocky, it's simply being logical.
This totally echoes my experiences.While I agree with others that our friend's statements sound a little arrogant and naive, I actually do think he's on to something, to a certain extent. All you need to do well on the MCAT is to take the pre-reqs and study review books. But, upper level bio courses, and I would imagine chemistry courses as well, can help. For one thing, you're just more comfortable reading the material. The MCAT passages are written in the same language that all of those upper level textbooks are written. Additionally, if you know all of the details, then the basics are like second-nature to you. So yes, I agree that genetics, biochem, molecular bio, physiology, immunology, and other upper level bio classes can be very beneficial. I'm pretty sure my bio score was about 2 points higher than it would have been without some of these classes. That being said, if I hadn't studied, I'd have scored a 25.
I would totally do that. Just to see if someone would run onto SDN and make a post about it. Pretty good chance of that happening since I'm visibly URM too, lol.mmm, once I'm in med school, I'm gonna say that I got a 21 on the MCAT. And they will call me the Blackjack. Yes.
On the other hand, they might crucify me if my real score actually came out...eek!
I took it in April. I wouldn't base it solely on the fact that i'll have more knowledge. I regularly scored between 30 and 32 on the AAMC practice tests so 33 isn't much of a stretch. If it's not looking good around January (for admissions) I will become a psycho about the MCAT and begin my preparations to kill it. A 33 is basically a certainty, but i'm hoping for a lot more. Especially since my entire life will be delayed a year.