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MEGA - Grades! Majors? Graduation!!!

My AGPA is near the lower end of the cutoff and I really need to get my EC's into high gear. I'm transferring into a program (psychiatric nursing) that should get me in as my school has a special consideration category for people who have professional experience.

A friend of a friend got in with a 28 and a similar GPA as me. I live in Canada and basically have a shot at my provincial school only. Out of province spots are few and extremely competitive, on the plus side all Canadian medical schools are good schools.

After talking to my doc I'm not going to rewrite, at my school all four sections are waited equally so with my 28Q (composite 9.75) I actually outscored my buddy who had a 30N. I have a couple friends who scored mid 30's and one who broke 40 which is absolutely insane. If I'm going to lose a couple points physical is the place to do it.

I know there's at least 1 more Bluelighter who wrote this August.
 
i'm sitting next august. i actually started studying last weekend. i can't believe i'm starting studying for an exam i won't be taking for 10 months. jeez. i've been out of school for a wee while though, so i'm relearning loads... Probably will be sitting a diagnostic exam in a month or two, i'll let you know how it goes.

Any advice or tips? I'm still kind of sifting through everything in a murk...

Congrats - you've made it this far, best of luck!
 
The AAMC login for initial MCAT registration isn't valid for accessing your score. You need to re-register to access it. They'll mail it to which ever schools you apply to but not to the applicant directly.

As for advice, the MCAT is now computer based, no more pencil and paper so you'll have to get used to staring at a screen for 5 hours (at least it isn't 8 hours).

AAMC should be releasing some computer based practice tests I assume. I took the Kaplan course over the summer and found that their practise exams helped me prepare for the real thing. Practise verbal reasoning daily, sit down and do 3 passages a day with about 9 minutes per passage. Exam Krackers (yes it's spelt with a K) publishes a good book for verbal although I didn't use it myself I've heard good things.

Bone up on your genetics, microbio, molecular bio and biochem. Almost all of the biological section was directly related to humans or bacteria. Know your physics inside and out, know your "electrical" physics and waves.

Do as many practise problems as possible, there are 7 or 8 AAMC exams floating around out there on the internet.

Start early and stick to a schedule, the World Cup sidetracked me for a month or so. Also quit any drinking and drug use well before the exam. I even quit coffee so that I wouldn't be dependant on it when I wrote as I didn't want to have to pee halfway though a section.

Thanks fairnymph, hopefully all goes well.
 
Yeah, I figured that out, thanks wize. So I got my scores and I am VERY pleased, I did way better than I had hoped/thought based on how dismal I felt when I left the test. 39O, w00t, I now have an actual shot at med school.

Name: *****
Middle Name: *******
Last Name: *****
SSN: ***-**-****
Series: 32
Test Date: 08/19/2006
Verbal Reasoning (VR): 14 Percentile Range: 99.9 - 99.9
Physical Sciences (PS): 12 Percentile Range: 89.1 - 94.4
Writing Sample (WS): O Percentile Range: 41.6 - 57.2
Biological Sciences (BS): 13 Percentile Range: 94.6 - 98.3
Total Score: 39O Percentile Range: 98.9 - 99.3
Gender: Female
DOB: **/**/****
State of Residence: MA
Non-Standard Conditions: N
Test Format: Paper
 
Yep the extracurriculars are equally as important as the MCAT and GPA. I have a great connection at the Deaf Center in my town as well as one at a nearby hospital so I'll be getting heavily involved in both this winter. I wouldn't mind getting some research experience as well, it would be nice to get my name on a paper although I don't know if I can make the time commitment this summer. This winter will the be the season for politicking.
 
Hey Plurred or anyone else --

I have all the KAPLAN study materials (which I actually never really used, so I can't vouch for them) as a digital file. I also have AAMC MCAT tests 7 and 8, these are made up of actual old MCATs and are excellent study material. You have to buy them, normally. They have the answers in the back. I DID write on them (in pencil).

If anyone wants a CD with the kaplan material and the two tests, I can send them to you, just pm me your address. I can also send anyone the kaplan info on CD or possibly upload it somewhere.
 
You can download AAMC practice tests 3-9 for free if you know where to look.

I got my score in the mail (along with percentile breakdowns) so I guess I was wrong about them not mailing them out.
 
Wow good showing fairnymph. And good job to everyone else for actually getting through that monster of a test. I'm probably going to be taking my MCATs in a year. I'm actually going to be done with all of my premed stuff by the end of this year (sophmore), so that I can take Genetics, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry in my Junior year; when I take the MCATS I will have those classes under my belt. Do you think this is a good idea; I am worried that it may be overkill and I should focus on having the basics down pat and take easier courses in my Junior year. Physics is not a concern. Basically, will more advanced knowledge of biochem cell bio and genetics be usefull or would it be better to just focus on the basics?

Also, thats interesting about the test being computer based now. What is that like?
 
There's a huge amount of cell bio and higher level genetics (molecular bio) on the MCAT at least when I wrote it. I'd suggest human phys as well.
 
i got my first practice MCAT back

26 - B6 V11 P9

i'm so stoked. i haven't taken any bio since 2000 and i only took it up to genetics, so the 6 is expected. also, i'm taking biochem and molbio so i should be able to bump that up pretty well.

study study!
 
hyperboreasghost said:
Wow good showing fairnymph. And good job to everyone else for actually getting through that monster of a test. I'm probably going to be taking my MCATs in a year. I'm actually going to be done with all of my premed stuff by the end of this year (sophmore), so that I can take Genetics, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry in my Junior year; when I take the MCATS I will have those classes under my belt. Do you think this is a good idea; I am worried that it may be overkill and I should focus on having the basics down pat and take easier courses in my Junior year. Physics is not a concern. Basically, will more advanced knowledge of biochem cell bio and genetics be usefull or would it be better to just focus on the basics?

Also, thats interesting about the test being computer based now. What is that like?
Click to expand...

genetics, cell bio and biochem will all help you on the mcat. although your knowledge of these subjects won't be directly tested, they all will help you with 'reading' bio (so to speak).

i don't get it, i'm using those three classes as my bio premed requirements...what are your pre-med bio classes?

computer based is a boon for all pre-meds. the test is offered 22 times a year and is only 5 1/2 hours instead of the normal 8ish. this is great.
 
If I have to rewrite I'd rather do pencil and paper.

I think having to look up and down from the screen to scrap paper to do physics calculations would be time consuming. While it's shorter I still prefer to write directly on my test paper.

As for premed prerequisites my school only requires 6 hours of biochem (biochem 1 and 2, although Bio, chemistry and organic 1 are prerequisite for biochem 2) and 6 hours of english. The english requirement is being revised and replaced by humanities.
 
Hey, do you guys think Cell Biology would help me on the MCAT?

I have the opportunity to take it next term along with physics II and Organic II. I'm thinking it might be too much to handle, as I heard cell bio can be rough. If I don't take it, I could spend the extra time volunteering, shadowing, and getting my CNA license.
 
You should be able to handle those 3 without too much trouble. Cell bio is basically memorization. It's much less work than organic or physics which are both problem based.

What does your cell bio class cover?
 
Ughhh I hate cell bio, so fucking boring. Traditionally I feel there is a lot of cell bio on the MCAT, but there wasn't as much as I was expecting on the August one.

In my school's bio core, winter term covers cell and developmental bio -- my two least favourite topics ever -- and then some basic physiology of a few systems.

I definitely think my genetics/physiology/immunology background was most useful for the MCAT bio section.

And Plurred - nice job on the PS and VR sections. I sent your stuff out last week via media mail (and found a few extra practice tests, princeton review I think), so it should arrive soon.
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^

got it all yesterday.

you are awesome. seriously, let me know if you want a hat or scarf or something. it is the least i could do.

thanks again.

and now i'm off to study. hooray
 
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