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The GRE/MCAT Mega-Thread - Ask Related Questions Here!

wizekrak

wizekrak

Bluelight Crew
Joined
Feb 20, 2000
Messages
4,250
MCAT

Well the title says it all. Next summer I'm writing my MCAT, taking May to August to study for it and write it at the end of August. Friends tell me just to crank over as many old exams as possible and to take a prep course.

Any Bluelighters have any words of wisdom regarding this 8 hour slice of hell?
 
Oh man. My brother took the MCAT quite a while ago, and I distinctly remember him coming home, commenting on how the test made him want to kill himself, and proceeding to take shots of vodka in his room by himself.

I myself will be taking the test in 2 years, so you probably know much more about it than I do. But from what I've heard:
1) The best way to study for the MCAT is also the best way to get a high GPA, study like crazy for your science classes as they come.

2) As your friends already said: Something like 80% of doctors report having taken prep courses for the MCAT. People who take the prep course score highter. Thus, take a prep course.

3) Not only crank over as many old exams as possible, but after you get good at it, practice going through the entire 8-hour test a couple of times (not at the last minute). Pretend you are actually taking the MCAT. This will prepare you psychologically for taking an 8 hour long science-intensive high-stress test. I would guess that a shitload of otherwise smart people who don't do very well on the test do so not because of the level of difficulty of the test, but because of the length and high stress. In fact, I've heard the test was designed that way due to the importance of being able to handle that stuff when in Med school. Thus, as well as studying, train yourself mentally for that.
 
I took the MCAT in April 2005, scored a 36R. I used Kaplan review and it was a great investment.

If you want to score well you need to dedicate your life to the test; seriously,

There are many studies out there that show strong correlation btw. MCAT performance and Medical school performance so medical schools put a lot of weight into your score. My MCAT performance helped counterbalance my crappy GPA and I've got 5 interviews for 2006 admission.

For more info, check out the forums on www.studentdoctor.net.

Good Luck.
 
Was wondering what the average score one gets on the GRE, I am planning on taking it in a couple of months. The school requires atleast a 900 on the GRE. How does that score compare with others, or the national avg??

Thanks
 
This page can give you info regarding what % of people score at what level on the GRE...just look under GRE/educators/get test details and dig around (sorry it wouldn't link very well!). A score of 900 would be somewhere in the middle but would not be that impressive. Make sure you don't assume the minimum to be the median or mean that most people that get into the school have...generally that's just the cutoff point at which they will look at the applications.
 
What discipline are you going into? What uni? Different departments may or may not care about the verbal/quant/writing sections.
What are the average scores of students at the department to which you're applying? I'd aim for better than those. :)

ebola
 
oh...and a note of methodological frustration:
notice the leftward skew of scores in the quantitative. A perfect score is 92nd percentile? give me a fucking break...
:)

ebola
 
Gre Vs. Mat

So the school I am applying for offers both tests as a means for admission in their program. I am wondering if anybody has taken the MAT (miller analogies test) I am wondering how it compares to the GRE???
 
The GRE/MCAT Mega-Thread

oh yes, i AM frustrated; what pisses me off is:

* unless you're really smart, it's all just luck; if you are not lucky there will always be a few really hard questions that fuck up your score; a friend of mine sat the test a few times and in the math section she scored between 640 (average) and 780 (almost perfect), how ridiculous is that? i got a perfect 6.0 in the argumentative section, but i know that this will be almost impossible to repeat with different questions; these results mean fuck all, yet are treated as the climax of all objectivity in assessing candidates' abilities

* 140 dollars fee is just too much, but the real scandal is that the refund is only 60 dollars if you cancel the appointment, and if you sit the test but cancel your scores you get nothing back (although they dont have to pay people to mark the argumentative section in that case); and a fucking 15 dollars fee for each additional score reports plus a 6 dollar service fee... jesus
 
They--ETS--claim a moderate correlation between GRE results and success in grad school. I'm taking a break from studying right now (headache). If you're looking to take it again Barron's guide is decent. I sympathize.
 
>>They--ETS--claim a moderate correlation between GRE results and success in grad school.>>

From what I know, the grad departments are well aware of this. At least Berkeley Sociology uses the GRE as a first-pass screening mechanism. Applications with bad GREs get a second look to see if other aspects of the applicant outweigh the poor GREs.

My beefs with the GREs
1. Performance on analogies has little face validity. It makes me wonder if I'm actually being tested on my ability to prepare for tests. :)
2. The math section is too fucking easy. Everyone does very well, which distorts the percentiles. IIRC, 730 was 75th percentile.
3. The analytical writing section, on which I did best, is largely ignored by most departments. :)

>>unless you're really smart, it's all just luck>>

Even if you're really smart, luck and preparation matter a great deal. I improved my scores in each section by 100 pts. just by doing a testing prep book (I'm not trying to say I'm really smart here). I did not have any of my practice essay attempts scored.

ebola
 
God forbid that one's viability as a grad student be based upon your undergraduate performance.

The GRE is a crock of shit.:X
 
>>God forbid that one's viability as a grad student be based upon your undergraduate performance.>>

Then again, with varying levels of grade-inflation (Harvard, I'm looking in your direction!), it's rather hard to compare between institutions. That could be why you give a statement of purpose and perhaps a copy of your thesis though. :)

ebola
 
Lots of practice and acclimating yourself to marathon test taking conditions can dramatically improve your score. 730 is 75th percentile? Shit! I would hope graduate institutions would factor that sensitivity into their deliberations. Is one wrong 90th percentile or something? I don't hardly think one or two questions is a fair or reliable way to separate the top tiers from the rest.
 
Oh yeah...they most definitely take that into account. I don't have the stats off hand, but I think a perfect score on the math is something like 94th percentile. :)

ebola
 
My question with the GRE is why, if you are applying for a PHD program in say literature, must you complete or score well in the math sections? There some areas of study where one could see the math section being relevant (other than math and sciences), but if you are continuing education in fine arts or any languages, it seems quite silly.

For these reasons I am worried about the GRE. I have barely taken a math course in five years. :(
 
Don't worry, Admissions will look at both the verbal and mathematical sections and weigh your scores appropriately. The math section is pretty elementary, you won't be tested on anything you didn't already cover in high school (they will however try to trick you). Barron's GRE review booklet is what I'm using and it seems to cover the math section well (I've heard their math review is actually more difficult than the GRE questions).
 
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