Writing sample?

[Cerberus]

How important is this shiz and how did you prepare for it? I havent even looked at any of practice samples yet.

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[emily69]

The writing sample doesn't count for s*** as far as I know.

I wouldn't mind trading in my "S" for a "O" - in return for a 14 on a science section. That would have been more effective for my application.

I wouldn't worry about it, seriously. Just follow the formula they teach you at MCAT classes. One thing is to try to write neatly.

Good luck!

 

[Cerberus]

Originally posted by emily69
One thing is to try to write neatly.

Good luck!

I'm screwed

 

[Robz]

Writting section is worthless. Completly worthless. Concentrate way more on the other sections.

 

[ForceField]

Originally posted by Cerberus
How important is this shiz and how did you prepare for it? I havent even looked at any of practice samples yet.

Some medical schools use the writing sample to wipe their butts with.

 

[hanselthemedic]

I recieved an N and wasn't even asked about it during interviews. Be careful about your caffine intake over the lunch break though, I think my essay ended up being a two page sentence.

 

[Cerberus]

Glad to hear all this since I'd just sorta planned on "winging it"

 

[docmemi]

NOOOOOOOOO NOOOOOOOOO NOOOOOOOOOOO NOOOOOOO, the WS DOES COUNT. YESSSSS YESS IT DOES.

...if you get like 7, 8 or 9 on your VR, they will look at your WS. If you get a very high WS, above O or P, it will help you a lot.

YES YES YES IT COUNTS.

 

[dookbloo]

i got a q without ever practicing. all you need to do is write neatly, use proper grammar, and follow the simple strategy given by princeton review--theres like a paragraph that explains exactly how to do it. also, if you want to really overprepare, you can preselect a topic. the headings are usually open enough that you can mould it into whatever topic you want. even if you do get a really low score, it still doesnt matter. i know a guy who got a 37L.

 

[docmemi]

...yea he got a 37!! if you get a low verbal score (below 10), your WS can help. i dont care, dont listen to me.

 

[taehong81]

I got 9 on verbal and N on writing and no one asked about it in any of my interviews. WS does not matter.

 

[MErc44]

if it doesn't matter why the hell did I have to waste an hour of my time last april 26th? I think its bullsh%t also because they give it to some grad student in proctorville Iowa, (haha I wonder if anyone will get that) to grade and it's totally subjective or is it objective. To study for it would be a joke.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Originally posted by dookbloo
i know a guy who got a 37L.

I know a guy with an even higher numerical score and the same writing score.

 

[tugbug]

Interviewers have told me that the WS score is not much of a factor UNLESS you really blow it and/or get a low score in VR.

Use an eraseable pen for neatness and at least practice a few to get the hang of it... Dont mess up a good score with a J, just to save a few hours of practice.

 

[TheFlash]

The writing sample is utterly worthless. Unless you badly bomb both the WS and VR section, which raises a severe red flag. One of my interviewers didn't even know that a writing sample existed on the MCAT. Take that for what it's worth.

 

[Adapt]

It means everything. My R is the only thing from my MCAT score that I can be proud of.

 

[docmemi]

i dont understand you people. you say it doesnt matter unles you do bad on the verbal....well, then it matters!! IF you do POORLY on VR, your WS can help you. YES IT CAN HELP YOU IF YOU DO WELL ON IT...O OR P AND ABOVE. (obviously if you have incredibly high sciences and vr, then ur writing wont matter that much). WHY WOULD IT BE ON THE MCAT IF IT DIDNT MATTER?

 

[CalBeE]

Try to do well in the writing part regardless of what you hear. A small number of schools actually do look at your writing score.

However, if you get a respectable Verbal score, your English course grades are good, and your essays are fine, I can't imagine a low writing score keeping you out.

 

[scrabbler]

I'm really bad at writing timed essays because it takes me forever to get started and I never feel like I have enough time. I feel like the grading process on the writing sample is pretty random, but it's easy for them to give you a low score if you write very little, so I took like 3 questions and practiced writing the answers under the time constraints so I got used to how much time I had. What's 1 1/2 hours to practice writing something down even though you think the topic is really dumb?

 

[AlternateSome1]

Originally posted by docmemi
WHY WOULD IT BE ON THE MCAT IF IT DIDNT MATTER?

Because the adcoms and the test makers don't agree on what is necessary for acceptance into a medical school?

I got a 34L. The only person who asked me about it was my premed advisor, and he told me he didn't think it would matter.

~AS1~

 

[ad_sharp]

The writing section matters....a little. I think that the writing section is nothing more than a safety valve to help prevent people who cannot communicate at all from an easy acceptance to medical school. I didn't study for the writing section at all and got a P. Not great, but it proves that I can at least communicate efficiently enough to be understood. I doubt that anything above the 20th percentile would draw a red flag at any school. However, it may make the difference between you and someone that scored very close to you. Still, time is better spent preparing for BS and PS. Only practice for it if you feel like you really need it. I don't concider myself to be a great writer and I have horrible doctor-like handwriting. There's nothing that I can do to make my scribble neater.

This sounds like a stupid method, and it probably is but here's how I approached the writing section: I wrote a quick outline to organize my thoughts at first. Then, I proceeded to write very short sentences. I used very few compound sentences to prevent punctuation errors and run-on sentences. I took the concervative route by thinking that errors would hurt me more than short sentences. Childish, I know.

 

[LP1CW]

Some schools have a minimum writing score needed. For instance, I know that the University of New England Coll. of Osteo. requires an M. So, if you have a 34L you're not getting in.

And there are other schools too. Don't discount this section. Also, you can easily get a high score with just a little bit of effort. I'd be bothered to have a J,K,L or an M. It doesn't take a skilled writer to get a good score.

 

[drlexygoat]

No, the writing sample is not THAT important. I

I only believe the sample matters if you're at either extreme end. For instance, I wrote my arse off and scored a T this past August. I've had 3 interviewers ask about it.

Do I think my T got me in? No. Do I think it may have helped a smidge? Yes.

Bottom line: don't get a L or M..... it's a tiny blemish you don't need to draw attention to.

 

[celticmists18]

do not worry about the writing sample, you have enough to deal with on that test. as long as you can form a sentence and answer the question you will score fine. I didn't do so swift (N), but I got an 11 on VR (which ended up being my best section) and counteracted the whole thing by getting a glowing LOR from my literature professor.

 

[Eraserhead]

I think it does matter. Its the only way to explain all of my success with a 9 verbal.... the S made up for it I'm sure.

 

[drlexygoat]

.

 

[Super Rob]

I took a great deal of care in preparing for the writing sample and was very happy with the work I produced on the actual exam.

The sample graders beat me up (below average score).

Got more interview offers than I could accept and have gotten acceptances and waitlists.

I regret preparing for the WS.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Let's just say if you have decent English class grades and a good personal statement, the importance of the writing sample is tiny compared to the numerical portions.

 

[CaptainJack02]

When I was taking the test, I thought of the writing sample as a nice break after the physics. I needed to muster all the energy I had for bio(i'm an engineering major ) so I thought of it as a nice little energizer.

Just write an organized essay. What matters is clarity. ANyway, it's nothing to stress out over. THe other sections are WAY WAY WAY more important.