January 2012 MCAT...Is it too early for this Thread

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Sailor Senshi Dermystify

Sailor Senshi Dermystify

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Is anyone taking the MCAT in January 2012? I know it's pretty early but I just wanted to know whose down with me :).

Hopefully, I will have time to come back to the States during my vacation break to take this exam. I will probably start some light studying in August :D
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mcloaf said:
Odd, I've performed much better on my AAMC's--but I believe that's because I took the Kaplan ones first, so they were probably my break in.

What is it that's getting you on the AAMC's?
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I think part of it is timing. Also, I got roughly the same number wrong on the AAMC as Kaplan. So I need to pray for a harder test. Also, I took AAMC #11 first, and that was my best score(28). Seems like people say that AAMC 11 is most like the real thing?
 
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HELP1104 said:
I think part of it is timing. Also, I got roughly the same number wrong on the AAMC as Kaplan. So I need to pray for a harder test. Also, I took AAMC #11 first, and that was my best score(28). Seems like people say that AAMC 11 is most like the real thing?
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That's what they say, though not having taken the real one yet I can't tell you for sure. There were some big parts of my PS studying I was surprised not to see on #11, but I guess that's unavoidable when you're responsible for so much information.

Are you losing most of your points in the verbal?
 
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I just finished up the AAMC 11, and I thought I got rocked by it! However, I ended up doing around my average. I got a PS 8/VR 11/BS 10.

But that definitely seemed way harder than every other test. I have a couple days to regroup and try to get that 30.. ugh
 
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I just finished AAMC #11... My average dropped exactly two points in every section. I wish I had taken it a week ago... *sigh*
 
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callmebob said:
I just finished AAMC #11... My average dropped exactly two points in every section. I wish I had taken it a week ago... *sigh*
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Honestly, this close to the exam it's probably just stress. I know it's easier said than done, but try to take it easy and not let the thing mess with your head too much. If you've put in the time to prepare, and it sounds like you have, then you should be ok as long as you manage stress and keep a level head.


What are people bringing to the test (I know you need a valid ID, duh)? I've got a ~30 minute drive to my testing center (which for some reason is located in a suburb outside the city center... :confused: ), so to be there by 7:30 I figure I'm getting up at 5:30 so I can make a big breakfast and plenty of coffee, wake up a bit, maybe do a couple warm up VR passages before I hit the road. I figured I could bring a five-hour energy and some protein bars to pound during my break before the essays. What are y'all planning?
 
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Thanks... I didn't sleep well last night due to a big storm... so I think that explains a lot of my performance drop.

I'll be bringing an ID, water, two PB&J sandwiches, some raisin bread, and some ibuprofen. Go easy on the energy drinks, unless you've been taking practice exams with them. The same probably holds true with taking practice VR passages before the test...
 
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callmebob said:
Thanks... I didn't sleep well last night due to a big storm... so I think that explains a lot of my performance drop.

I'll be bringing an ID, water, two PB&J sandwiches, some raisin bread, and some ibuprofen. Go easy on the energy drinks, unless you've been taking practice exams with them. The same probably holds true with taking practice VR passages before the test...
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Well, I haven't been taking practice exams with energy drinks, however I generally am drinking coffee at a consistent rate from when I wake up to around 1 pm (I'm a Seattle-ite, comes with the territory I guess)--I figure if I can't bring a travel mug into the exam, energy drink will be the next best thing.

And yeah, I'm sort of on the fence about doing some passages before I leave. The idea would be to flex the old logic muscles and get some blood flowing, as 5:30 AM is not exactly my regular wake up time (though I've been getting up extra early all week to try and shift my sleep schedule back a bit so I can fall asleep before midnight [graduated six months ago and I'm still on a college sleep schedule, oops]). On the other hand it would not be ideal to tank on some passages and make myself feel bad before I show up for the test. I guess I'll just play that one by ear and see how I'm feeling the morning of.
 
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mcloaf said:
Well, I haven't been taking practice exams with energy drinks, however I generally am drinking coffee at a consistent rate from when I wake up to around 1 pm (I'm a Seattle-ite, comes with the territory I guess)--I figure if I can't bring a travel mug into the exam, energy drink will be the next best thing.
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I'll definitely recommend drinking energy drink before the actual day.... while sitting and studying or doing couple of practices today or tomorrow... I am also a coffee person also (Peet's!), but whenever I drink 5hr/Red bull I get supper jittery if i'm sittin still and not moving around... makes it hard to concentrate.

(all I'm saying is to try it while your sitting still... I can't sit still after drinking energy drinks! I think some coffee can do me some good right about now :D)
 
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Ssina said:
I'll definitely recommend drinking energy drink before the actual day.... while sitting and studying or doing couple of practices today or tomorrow... I am also a coffee person also (Peet's!), but whenever I drink 5hr/Red bull I get supper jittery if i'm sittin still and not moving around... makes it hard to concentrate.

(all I'm saying is to try it while your sitting still... I can't sit still after drinking energy drinks! I think some coffee can do me some good right about now :D)
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Peet's eh? Safe to say you're in the Bay?

Energy drinks don't make me jittery unless I drink several of them, so I should be ok--I'm not planning on trying to shotgun like three red bulls in the hall before I start.
 
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The time has finally arrived! Good luck to everyone who will be taking the test this month. You have done all that you can to best prepare yourself, and now you should be taking the time to relax and laugh a little. You will do great!

Just take the advice that is given in this song! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W24RyhtX1qA
 
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CaptainAZ said:
I just finished up the AAMC 11, and I thought I got rocked by it! However, I ended up doing around my average. I got a PS 8/VR 11/BS 10.

But that definitely seemed way harder than every other test. I have a couple days to regroup and try to get that 30.. ugh
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ughhh you and me both...what are you doing to regroup???any suggestions?
 
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AAMC 11 rocked me yesterday too. Got a 13/9/12, which was quite a bit lower than I was expecting. Upon reviewing it, I had probably two problems wrong total in the sciences that weren't completely careless mistakes. During verbal, I felt really burned out and couldn't concentrate at all.

I took a lot of yesterday and today off, and it helped a lot. Just finished TPR Hyperlearning verbal test 1 and got a 37/40.

So my advice to anyone worried would be to REST. Take a day (if taking it Friday) or two (if Saturday) off. The extra knowledge that you might (but probably won't) gain during that day is not worth feeling burned out during the actual test.
 
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Bauman1535 said:
AAMC 11 rocked me yesterday too. Got a 13/9/12, which was quite a bit lower than I was expecting. Upon reviewing it, I had probably two problems wrong total in the sciences that weren't completely careless mistakes. During verbal, I felt really burned out and couldn't concentrate at all.

I took a lot of yesterday and today off, and it helped a lot. Just finished TPR Hyperlearning verbal test 1 and got a 37/40.

So my advice to anyone worried would be to REST. Take a day (if taking it Friday) or two (if Saturday) off. The extra knowledge that you might (but probably won't) gain during that day is not worth feeling burned out during the actual test.
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I would like to add my name to the list of people who got rocked by AAMC #11. I originally wasn't going to take it, but decided this morning that I might regret it if I didn't. Got a 11/10/11, which is below my average. I think I spent at least 5 minutes on one question early in the PS, which completely threw me off. I just can't seem to cut my losses. I also got a stellar 6 out of 6 question wrong on one BS section.:laugh: I'm chalking it up to burn out.
 
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is anyone else an hour and a half away from the testing center?! really not looking forward to that drive...before, or after
 
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TheWeeIceMan said:
I would like to add my name to the list of people who got rocked by AAMC #11. I originally wasn't going to take it, but decided this morning that I might regret it if I didn't. Got a 11/10/11, which is below my average. I think I spent at least 5 minutes on one question early in the PS, which completely threw me off. I just can't seem to cut my losses. I also got a stellar 6 out of 6 question wrong on one BS section.:laugh: I'm chalking it up to burn out.
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Which bio passage was it, the Ebola one? I heard horror stories about that one but I ended up doing okay on it.

And I'm thinking burnout is definitely the cause for a lot of us. The solution for me is to numb my brain with three hours of South Park tonight. :p
 
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Bauman1535 said:
Which bio passage was it, the Ebola one? I heard horror stories about that one but I ended up doing okay on it.

And I'm thinking burnout is definitely the cause for a lot of us. The solution for me is to numb my brain with three hours of South Park tonight. :p
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Haha, yeah, it was the Ebola passage. First time I've ever just started yelling in the middle of a test.

I cannot wait to walk out of the testing center on Friday. I'll have to take up a hobby or something to fill in all of my new found free time.
 
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Ssina said:
looooool south to be exact!
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Hahaha. There's a Peet's that opened close to my house in Seattle, I had to do a double take the first time I saw it. I thought they must have been lost...now I'm just waiting for a Starbucks to open next door.
 
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TheWeeIceMan said:
I would like to add my name to the list of people who got rocked by AAMC #11. I originally wasn't going to take it, but decided this morning that I might regret it if I didn't. Got a 11/10/11, which is below my average. I think I spent at least 5 minutes on one question early in the PS, which completely threw me off. I just can't seem to cut my losses. I also got a stellar 6 out of 6 question wrong on one BS section.:laugh: I'm chalking it up to burn out.
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I would kill for your score on the actual test date.. :(

AAMC #11 10/11/11 here...

I just want to get 30 and no more!
 
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I keep second guessing myself and it's costing me precious points! Follow your instincts. Don't second guess. AAMC 11: 11/13/11
Damn it! I could have gotten a 38 if I had trusted myself.
 
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Wow, did you guys get this email? Probably. The website they mention has to be this one, right? Here's an excerpt:


The AAMC is committed to enforcing the terms of the Examinee Agreement. As stated in the agreement, we reserve the
right to investigate any alleged violation and we send reports documenting our findings directly to medical schools. In
addition, actions that violate the agreement could subject you to a civil lawsuit or criminal charges. Last year, the AAMC
investigated several individuals who posted lists of MCAT topics on a Web site frequented by examinees. This week we
filed a lawsuit in British Columbia against two individuals in connection with a cheating scheme
 
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Maxine450 said:
Wow, did you guys get this email? Probably. The website they mention has to be this one, right? Here's an excerpt:


The AAMC is committed to enforcing the terms of the Examinee Agreement. As stated in the agreement, we reserve the
right to investigate any alleged violation and we send reports documenting our findings directly to medical schools. In
addition, actions that violate the agreement could subject you to a civil lawsuit or criminal charges. Last year, the AAMC
investigated several individuals who posted lists of MCAT topics on a Web site frequented by examinees. This week we
filed a lawsuit in British Columbia against two individuals in connection with a cheating scheme
Click to expand...

Yeah. When I read that my first thought was "SDN?"
 
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Daamn is this from the pdf file!? the email I got was a bit nicer and sweeter!

Guess they don't know I'll be erasing anything and everything MCAT related with various alcoholic solutions for 3 days straight starting sat night!

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
 
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Good luck everyone. Tomorrow will be my second time taking it. I have one very important piece of advice for everyone - don't drink too many energy drinks or vitamin waters or gatorades. You'll be on the last section reading a passage about kidneys with an extreme urge to go pee. It definitely doesn't help your concentration.
 
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Hope everyone that is taking it today did great. I will be taking it tomorrow... Eeekk! What did you guys do during your last day before exam day? I can't get myself to stop looking over stuff, and I would go out but the weather is terrible! Help help help!!!! Advice plzz for a first time taker!?
 
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do we need to do the 24 hour conformation? I got the email but when I went to the site there is nothing there to do.
 
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Mozoh123 said:
Hope everyone that is taking it today did great. I will be taking it tomorrow... Eeekk! What did you guys do during your last day before exam day? I can't get myself to stop looking over stuff, and I would go out but the weather is terrible! Help help help!!!! Advice plzz for a first time taker!?
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also a first time taker. weather here is pretty terrible too. stay in watch a light-hearted movie. DONT look at stuff, its only gonna be detrimental
 
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UTSAPremed said:
do we need to do the 24 hour conformation? I got the email but when I went to the site there is nothing there to do.
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my friend who took it this morning couldnt find anything on the website. and she was fine. pretty sure they didnt update the website or something
 
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UTSAPremed said:
do we need to do the 24 hour conformation? I got the email but when I went to the site there is nothing there to do.
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I couldn't find anything about confirming your registration on their website either.

It's probably just a way for AAMC to create more test day anxiety.

I don't understand it. You've paid for the exam. It's too late to modify your registration. And they don't hold up the exam to wait for you to arrive so why do they need us to confirm that whether or not we will be coming? What difference does it make to them?

note: I hate AAMC
 
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I thought it was kinda strange, especially some of the wording on verbal. I'm hoping I at least maintained a 30
 
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Hey can you guys tell is wat you that about the sections
PS: hard fair...etc what you think you got
VR:hard fair...etc what you think you got
BS: hard fair...etc what you think you got

Ahhh taking it tomorrow thanks!
 
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menogo said:
Hey can you guys tell is wat you that about the sections
PS: hard fair...etc what you think you got
VR:hard fair...etc what you think you got
BS: hard fair...etc what you think you got

Ahhh taking it tomorrow thanks!
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I'm pretty sure the test tomorrow will be different but I thought the test was more weird than anything else. Probably closest in style to the last 2 AAMCs. Sorry I'm not much help, but good luck and remember to think positive. Chances are that you know more than you give yourself credit for :)
 
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UTSAPremed said:
LMAO...sums it up right. I am taking the test tom but I remember the first time I took the MCAT and walking out of the testing center I thought I got hit by a truck. And all of the examinees looked and felt the same too.
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The thing is, when I took the MCAT last year I felt a lot better walking out of the test, and ended up getting a score that is probably less than what I got on this one. I think there is some sort of weird, direct relationship between how prepared you are and how terrible you feel walking out of the exam.

(That will be the last time I reference a direct or inverse relationship, ever)
 
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