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December, 2024

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Who's going to write the MCAT

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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
What'd you think of the new 2015 revisions?

- BIology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Biochemistry
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Sociology

I'm not sure whether to be scared or not.

Walking into this thing will suck, no prep courses or guides because it's no new. Much more critical thinking though, I think i'm ok with that. But still, sort of frightening.

Was considering doing the 2014 edition this summer, but I don't have Ochem or physics. I know physics would be fairly simple to teach myself, but ochem might be a bit tougher.

Not to mention I have a 1.5 month practicum in the summer, wouldn't have enough time to study...
Nov 12 2013 2:50AM
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THUNT836
Posts: 1393 - Karma: 1,033
ochem will be impossible i'm telling you that right now. the new material on mcat 2015 is mostly social sciences which is easy as shit once you understand the basic concepts (i'm a sociology major). everyone will ace that new section if they arent certifiably retarded so it really wont be all that different to prepare for

i'm taking 2014 next winter as a senior and then will take 2015 if i bomb it (but i dont plan to)
Nov 12 2013 3:09AM
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Edward.
Posts: 9366 - Karma: 445
You're in a tough situation here. Keep in mind, you have until late January of 2015 to take the current version though, and usually 2-4 months, ~3-5 hours a day is the best way to study. Also keep in mind that only a tiny portion of the biology section is devoted to O-chem. If I were you I would avoid the 2015 MCAT at all costs, unless if you were to take it a couple years later when different companies are proven to have better studying materials. Luckily I'll be studying over the summer of 2014 for a September MCAT, so if I do poorly I will be able to retake in January.
Nov 12 2013 11:01AM
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imakestickerz
Posts: 477 - Karma: 673
you need to know all of that to be a monorail conductor?
Nov 12 2013 11:30AM
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Wompuscat
Posts: 818 - Karma: 380
I'm taking the MCAT this spring. I know the preparation books I have through Kaplan have already added sections that are prepping you for the social sciences that will be in 2015. I bought those books last winter, so anything you find nowadays should include the new stuff you need to know.

O-Chem, yeah, you're not gonna be able to teach yourself all of it in time for the test. Not saying you cant do that, it's exactly how I learned orgo actually. Never went to lecture, just read the book and did problems. However, it takes a LONG freaking time to do that, so it's best to just do it as a scheduled class. I'd recommend taking at least physics 1 first, but you can teach most of physics 2 to yourself relatively easy. I had a friend do it over the summer and he didn't have too much trouble.

I'm glad I'll have enough time in 2014 to take it a couple times if need be, but I wouldn't stress too much going into 2015 if that's when you take it.

Nov 13 2013 12:58AM
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Spen
Posts: 335 - Karma: 59
I'll hopefully be taking it in 2016. But I'm just now hearing about revisions. shit.
Nov 13 2013 1:57AM
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,507
it's going to be 90 mins (i think) longer which sucks, but i think they may ease up on a few topics, so we'll see.
Nov 13 2013 2:07AM
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
Yea man estimated to me 7hrs
Nov 13 2013 2:11AM
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
Yea, I agree. Think I'm going to do ochem through correspondence. Not sure what to do about physics though...
Nov 13 2013 2:12AM
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
Honestly. I feel like it shouldn't be underestimated, I hear VR is pretty tough right now.
Nov 13 2013 2:13AM
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
I think I'm going to take it in jan as well. Do ochem over the summer and start teaching myself physics now. I have

Examkrackers
Princeton review
Berkeley review
Good standard MCAT prep

So I plan on following those guides and supplementing with khan academy and a shit ton of practice questions. Quite nervous to embark on this shift journey of studying. But I really want to steer clear of the 2015 mcat.
Nov 13 2013 2:15AM
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Wompuscat
Posts: 818 - Karma: 380
Verbal is EXTREMELY difficult right now. Honestly, its the portion that screws everyone. At least from all my friends that have taken the test, about 20 people, have all agreed on that.

Anybody saying anything on the MCAT is easy, don't listen to them. You guys realize the average matriculant scores approximately 31 on the MCAT. The maximum score is 45. So that means the majority of extremely intelligent people that get into medical school score in the 60% range. That means the test is designed to absolutely destroy you. Just prepare, and do the best you possibly can do.
Nov 13 2013 4:38PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
werd. i took it and am applying to schools now, as long as you have above or equal to a 3.5 GPA, and 3.5 science GPA, and get liek a 29 or higher on the mCAT, you iwll get in somewhere
Nov 13 2013 4:59PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
unless you have like no extracurricular and can't write for shit
Nov 13 2013 5:00PM
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,507
That number keeps rising every year.
Nov 13 2013 5:01PM
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
A couple things here...

Unless something has drastically changed in the past few years, the verbal section is the easiest BY FAR. Like, not even a close comparison.

Also, I don't quite remember how it's graded, but it is not just a straight percentage. I think it varies based on the test taken and, how, on average, kids answered the questions nationally. So, theoretically, you could get like a 40 but only miss 5-10 questions on the whole exam, maybe even less. I remember reading about how one year a 69/70 on the bio section was a 14. One question wrong and you lose "7%" of the score for that section.
Nov 13 2013 5:07PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
nah everyone is under this weird influence that you NEED a 32 MCAT and a 3.7 to get in. My dad is a doctor, and he has talked with a few deans of med schools and they say as long as you have a 28 you will be considered. a lot of places look for well rounded people, not just nerds. that's part of the reason they're changing the MCAT to include other parts


TL;DR
If you don't get a 32 on the mcat, don't be discouraged
Nov 13 2013 5:09PM
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
That's probabl subjective. I'd imagine if you read a lot and comprehend literature well and can also think critically, it shouldn't be extremely hard. But i'm not gonna act like a hot shot cause I'm sure i'll get wrecked.

As for the 3.5 GPA. Mine should be up around there. But i'm relying on wGPA. Ex) my weighted GPA applying to Queen's university should be a 3.9. My cumulative GPA is probably a 3.3 cause i literally did not give a shit about school for the first two years.

Anyways, i'm going to just fucking go for it. Taking orgo this summer via correspondence and I'm going to start teaching myself physics, chem, and bio right now. I want to be well prepped so i don't fuck up on the 2014 MCAT then end up having to rewrite the test with the 2015 edition.

My momma teaches medical students and she's been scouting advice for me haha, she always calls me and repeats what they had to say. Thanks momma.
Nov 13 2013 9:34PM
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coling
Posts: 1086 - Karma: -3
I took the mcat cold without studying a few years back (and without biochem) and got a 28. Too bad my uni gpa is shit. I might think of going to med school abroad sometime down the road. And take the usmle to practice in the us. Guadalajara has a good med school that has alot of graduates go practice in the us. Belize and the us virgin islands too. Id like to do it in the uk i dont know how hard it is to get in over there tho
Nov 13 2013 9:49PM
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
Dunno where you're from. But I know going to med out of country then getting back into Canada is very difficult
Nov 13 2013 9:52PM
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coling
Posts: 1086 - Karma: -3
Hard to get into canada? I thought canadian doctors sucked because all the good ones go to the us to make bank?
Nov 13 2013 10:07PM
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pinknamechick
Posts: 14 - Karma: 7
smoke weed bitch.
Nov 13 2013 10:08PM
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pinknamechick
Posts: 14 - Karma: 7
smoke weed bitch.
Nov 13 2013 10:09PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9218 - Karma: 5,402
I just took one in september and took a trial section on things they might want to include... you all better know your molecular biology techniques or at least how to interpret experimental data and draw conclusions about a system you've never seen before. for example one was a yeast two hybrid assay along with some immunoprecipitation results and some other stuff. of course you'll be like ooohhhh i know how that works then get to the test and only have 45-50 minutes to get through like 5 or 6 of those. i work in a cancer research lab so i know stuff but, yeah, take molecular bio and biochem it's the future of medicine.
Nov 13 2013 10:16PM
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Edward.
Posts: 9366 - Karma: 445
The best way to teach yourself o-chem is through a little booklet by David Klein called "Organic Chemistry as a Second Language". You will barely have to look at your textbook if you have it. Every concept you need to know is covered in the book and explained in the most comprehensive and simplest manner. Anyway, good luck to you, and make sure your MCAT studying doesn't get in your way of graduating with a good GPA.
Nov 13 2013 10:41PM
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coling
Posts: 1086 - Karma: -3
My guess is that alot of doctors do indeed smoke weed
Nov 14 2013 12:52AM
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Wompuscat
Posts: 818 - Karma: 380
Yeah, I knew it was graded differently, but I honestly didn't remember how it was and didn't feel like looking it up at the time.

That's really odd, I mean I guess it is open to interpretation. What you're more intelligent at per se. Literally all of my friends that started medical school in the last 3 years, and all my friends that took it this summer scored lowest on the Verbal Reasoning section. All said it was the part that really killed them.

I will re-take the MCAT if I don't score above 30 on my first attempt. I'm just glad they've now removed the writing portion.
Nov 14 2013 4:39AM
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reBlocke
Posts: 762 - Karma: 1,502
Seconding the recommendation for 'OChem as a Second Langauge'. Great book. OChem is hard, but keep in mind that the OChem on the MCAT is really superficial.
Nov 14 2013 8:34AM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
exactly. organic on the test is like 95% passages, where if you have any sort of reading comprehension you will be ok. they don't just throw reactions at you and ask for products and stuff
Nov 14 2013 9:18AM
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