Yet Another April MCAT advice seeker

[Pinki]

I WAS going to wait and rip open the paper envelope this week, but I just couldn't hold off and had to get my scores. PS 7, BS 9, VR 11 S. Can you tell I was a double major liberal arts gal? Truth is, I'm rattled and extremely bummed. Just feel sooooo grey right now.......

I apologize, but my post-bacc school doesn't have a stellar prehealth advisor, thus my addiction to SDN. Therefore these questions may seem pretty hardcore, but you guys are the most in the know.

So here goes the infamous questions -

1. With a 3.9 post bacc GPA, current ECs, 8 years of post grad experience as a journalist (dammit, yes I'm 30!) and one research project, do I even bother applying this cycle with an unbalanced 27. I've got my app almost done and will be ready to submit it in about 2 weeks. Should I wait until after the August MCAT?

2. AND that leads me to the obvious - I should study my arse off and take the test in August, right?

3. What do my SDN cohorts recommend as far as materials to bring up the PS? Brain transplant? Seriously, any good materials aimed at Chem or Physics?

I'm not soliciting a pep talk - I just need some realistic, practical insight.

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[Sweet Tea]

IMO, you should apply this cycle but take the August MCAT, and make sure you apply to lots of schools (especially schools known to smile upon non-tradtional students). study study study for august, and then study some more.

then again, my whole theory about this application thing is that you don't know if you don't try. but i would take the august mcat if i were you.

check out the mcat forum for study advice. i took kaplan and HATED their ps review, but loved the examkrackers books. i owe my 10 PS to examkrackers. i know a 10 isn't stellar, but it's good for me!!!

good luck!!

 

[laviddee]

HEY fredonia.. yes i know it's impossible to hold off on finding out your scores-- when everyone on SDN is posting their scores.. and you feel like the only kid without a lollipop.

well you sound like a great candidate, and you're also non-traditional so you WILL stand out. No doubt you have experiences that us little tykes (well i'm 25) still have yet to learn. So there is no questioning your maturity!

But- I must ask- what did you get on your previous aamc practice tests?? did you do better on those and for some reason just got a low score in physics??

I think, you should apply and retake the exam in august. after you take the exam and get your scores- you can send a letter to the school letting them know of your improved scores!

For physics- what helped me ALOT was NOVA's MCAT Physics book- the author is Biehle and undoubtedly it will help you out. I bet if you go through the entire book and do all the problems, you'll push it up to at least a 10.
do you think physics was your problem? or general chemistry? or both???
dave

 

[Pinki]

Honestly, I had a rough go of it in PS. I truly don't know how this happened, because I'm very consciencious about details, but I miss bubbled and discovered it at the 5 minute mark. Luckily I had all the answers in my test booklet, so I went back and was able to feverishly correct all but the last 10 before time was called. Put Bs on those in the last 20 seconds. I was shaking and sweating - it was the closest I've come to a panic attack in my entire life, and I've been in some really hairy situations (gunfire, fires, riots) in my career.

But I admit neither gen chem nor physics are my strong suits, and I seem to have a signficant lack of confidence/mental block/hangup about physics. My only B in post bacc/premed classes. I took TPR, and scored two 9s on my last diags. Just hoping August brings similar results. I'm just concerned I'll go down in BS, but that seems to be all re-takers chief fear.

So what sort of letter do I write? Anyone else done this and gone up enough to alert where you've applied?

 

[Pinki]

Honestly, I had a rough go of it in PS. I truly don't know how this happened, because I'm very consciencious about details, but I miss bubbled and discovered it at the 5 minute mark. Luckily I had all the answers in my test booklet, so I went back and was able to feverishly correct all but the last 10 before time was called. Put Bs on those in the last 20 seconds. I was shaking and sweating - it was the closest I've come to a panic attack in my entire life, and I've been in some really hairy situations (gunfire, fires, riots) in my career.

But I admit neither gen chem nor physics are my strong suits, and I seem to have a signficant lack of confidence/mental block/hangup about physics. My only B in post bacc/premed classes. I took TPR, and scored two 9s on my last diags. Just hoping August brings similar results. I'm just concerned I'll go down in BS, but that seems to be all re-takers chief fear.

So what sort of letter do I write? Anyone else done this and gone up enough to alert where you've applied?

 

[Pinki]

Honestly, I had a rough go of it in PS. I truly don't know how this happened, because I'm very consciencious about details, but I miss bubbled and discovered it at the 5 minute mark. Luckily I had all the answers in my test booklet, so I went back and was able to feverishly correct all but the last 10 before time was called. Put Bs on those in the last 20 seconds. I was shaking and sweating - it was the closest I've come to a panic attack in my entire life, and I've been in some really hairy situations (gunfire, fires, riots) in my career.

But I admit neither gen chem nor physics are my strong suits, and I seem to have a signficant lack of confidence/mental block/hangup about physics. My only B in post bacc/premed classes. I took TPR, and scored two 9s on my last diags. Just hoping August brings similar results. I'm just concerned I'll go down in BS, but that seems to be all re-takers chief fear.

So what sort of letter do I write? Anyone else done this and gone up enough to alert where you've applied?

Good lollipop analogy, Dave. Although my candy isn't too sweet right now!