Official 8/5/09 MCAT thread

[radhika]

Hi everyone!!

August 5th is comming up soon! 2 months away!!! hope everyone has started reviewing!

This will be my third and final time...the first time i was expecting a lowins score and got a 24...the second time i was hitting 28 on the practice tests from aamc (practice tests 8,9 and 10)....but totally blew it on the exam and got a 22....so i have 1 FINAL shot....im not too nervous because i do know most of the material......thats my story!

good luck everyone!!!!!!

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[Gunner10]

I wrote yesterday as well and totally did not have this passage... it could easily have been experimental? I did have a passage though about Earth and its iron core and the entire passage had theory based questions, no calculations whatsoever. I was really hoping that was an experimental passage, lol. Did anybody else have this passage?

 

[quynhhuong]

I wrote yesterday as well and totally did not have this passage... it could easily have been experimental? I did have a passage though about Earth and its iron core and the entire passage had theory based questions, no calculations whatsoever. I was really hoping that was an experimental passage, lol. Did anybody else have this passage?

I had this passage. I totally guessed on the whole thing. so sad.....

 

[Crick3t]

Hey, this isn't a 'topic sharing' thread or anything, I was just wondering what you guys thought of the August 5th, 2009 MCAT in the 8am section.

I ended up completely redefining my 'best' and 'worst' sections on that test. I felt like my strongest, verbal, ended up being the most difficult, while biology seemed to be much easier.

Anyone else feel that way? Or feel anyway at all? Funny how things work, sometimes.

 

[korsibor]

PS was very bad indeed.(What happened to kinematics questions?) I ran out of time on like 3 questions. But the VR and BS were okay.

By the time I got to VR, people around me were starting the WS, tapping away at their keyboards...so distracting. And the earmuffs they provide you produce an annoying echo. Anyway I'm personally looking to retake. Does anyone know when I'll be permitted to register again?

That's what happened to me on 7/2. Apart from the noise from the keynard, the guy next to me I suspect had tourette's syndrome. He had to clear his throat about every 10secs. I just couldnt concentrate. I made I big mistake not voiding the test

 

[RogueUnicorn]

probably going to be moved soon..

 

[ksmi117]

probably going to be moved soon..

Yep... I'm merging this thread with the official 8/5/09 thread in the MCAT forum.

 

[Schemp]

Hey, this isn't a 'topic sharing' thread or anything, I was just wondering what you guys thought of the August 5th, 2009 MCAT in the 8am section.

I ended up completely redefining my 'best' and 'worst' sections on that test. I felt like my strongest, verbal, ended up being the most difficult, while biology seemed to be much easier.

Anyone else feel that way? Or feel anyway at all? Funny how things work, sometimes.

i felt strong in all three sections, but moreso in biology. i ended up feeling i did best on verbal this time, and worse on biology. really hard to say for sure though since missing problems always seems to be due to things you didn't even realize you didn't understand.

 

[quynhhuong]

I found this in the 8-6-09 thread. Seems like not many people take the 8-5-09??? Let's refresh our memory!
Who remembers the passages? (Hopefully not breaking any MCAT Discussion Law with this-kept it fairly vague)

PS: (Random Order - Rearrange/Reword if you recall more accurately)

Passage 1:
Passage 2:
Passage 3:
Passage 4:
Passage 5:
Passage 6:
Passage 7:


VR: (Random Order - Rearrange/Reword if you recall more accurately)

Passage 1:
Passage 2:
Passage 3:
Passage 4:
Passage 5:
Passage 6:
Passage 7:


BS: (Random Order - Rearrange/Reword if you recall more accurately)

Passage 1:
Passage 2:
Passage 3:
Passage 4:
Passage 5:
Passage 6:
Passage 7:

 

[drzing]

i only had 3 people taking the test at my center (pittsburgh pa) so i had my own row of computers....it was very quiet and wonderful

 

[ksmi117]

Just a reminder... please do not post any MCAT specifics. Your account will be put on hold for a week if you post anything that the moderation staff deems too specific.

The MCAT forum rules

Read them, follow them.

 

[mrlucky0]

I have read the rules and the following constitutes GENERAL INFORMATION:

There was a BS passage about: the movement of monocytes, sympathetic/parasympathetic system, peptide synthesis, cystic fibrosis, island-dwelling lizards.

On the VR passages about: geopolitics of land and sea (so bad!), Alexander Graham Bell and the invention of the telephone (so easy right?!), a poet-writer talking about movies and events (I don't think I understood the point of this passage until the very end.)

That's all I can offer

 

[Hemichordate]

sympathetic/parasympathetic system

I bet that was easy.

 

[Schemp]

I bet that was easy.

Actually it wasn't. There was one question I remember that was one of the typical parasympathetic/sympathetic questions but none of the options were the ones you'd immediately think of. I'm really strong on the effects of the autonomic nervous system but I'm not even sure I got that one right.

 

[AC09]

Hey guys, so I'm trying to decide whether or not to retake the MCAT on September 12th. 8/5 was my first time and it felt terrible compared to the AAMC practice tests. Time seemed so much faster and I froze up after the first couple passages on physical sciences. I didn't answer any questions completely randomly but I definitely didn't have time to think some over much at all (especially the passage about the earth formation). Is it normal for the MCAT to feel so much harder than the practice tests? Is the curve more generous than the practice tests? Normally I have about 10 questions per section marked on the practice tests but this time I had about 20. Have any of you retaken an MCAT only a month after your first one?

One last question -- can entire passages be experimental or just a question here and there? Thanks!

 

[stockraider]

Actually it wasn't. There was one question I remember that was one of the typical parasympathetic/sympathetic questions but none of the options were the ones you'd immediately think of. I'm really strong on the effects of the autonomic nervous system but I'm not even sure I got that one right.

i thought that was easy, but i have a really really bad quality of missing the passages that i think are easy...it could be deceptively easy.

 

[drzing]

Hey guys, so I'm trying to decide whether or not to retake the MCAT on September 12th. 8/5 was my first time and it felt terrible compared to the AAMC practice tests. Time seemed so much faster and I froze up after the first couple passages on physical sciences. I didn't answer any questions completely randomly but I definitely didn't have time to think some over much at all (especially the passage about the earth formation). Is it normal for the MCAT to feel so much harder than the practice tests? Is the curve more generous than the practice tests? Normally I have about 10 questions per section marked on the practice tests but this time I had about 20. Have any of you retaken an MCAT only a month after your first one?

One last question -- can entire passages be experimental or just a question here and there? Thanks!

if your applying this year definetly then i would say that you wait a couple of days, and if you dont feel confident then take it again...but if you do then dont.

if your not applying this year, wait till january at the earliest

 

[kgrotic]

I have read the rules and the following constitutes GENERAL INFORMATION:

There was a BS passage about: the movement of monocytes, sympathetic/parasympathetic system, peptide synthesis, cystic fibrosis, island-dwelling lizards.

On the VR passages about: geopolitics of land and sea (so bad!), Alexander Graham Bell and the invention of the telephone (so easy right?!), a poet-writer talking about movies and events (I don't think I understood the point of this passage until the very end.)

That's all I can offer

Also on BS, transesterification and extraction passages.

On VR, there was the passage on kindness research, Dr. Seuss (seriously), and growth cycles of forests. I don't recall the poet-writer passage that you mentioned, mrlucky0.

As for PS, there was the worker on a plank, primordial earth conditions, gas adhesion, and something involving antimony. That's all I can remember.

 

[Rockytop00]

 

[inov8ive]

So, i took the 8/05 mcat- and i am so so soo relieved you guys thought the physics section was hard. I was shaking by the end of it. i marked like 15 questioned. I was getting 11-12 on my practice - i hope the curve works out ok for this time.

I thought bio and verbal were definitely more doable. I'm not so sure I thought the sections were easy as such, but they were not as hard as physics.

And btw- for you guys who had someone doing the writing section during your verbal- THE SAME THING happened to me.. and it was sooo annoying. Those noise cancellation headphones are useless> they just make the noise echo even more

 

[inov8ive]

"After I left the test site my mind started turning, and naturally I have figured out that I've missed atleast 4 questions. As time goes on I get reminded of those damnable questions and I think "oh I could go Google that and see if I was right!" Now I'm convinced I'm gonna get my scores and just DIE! Haha! But isn't that the way of the pre-med? My doctor friend was telling me how it's normal to freak out and how he was there 30 years ago, doing the same thing we all are doing. So yea... I use to txt my orgo professor like 5 minutes after our exams and ask him how I did... I knew waiting for the scores on this one was gonna be far worse than actually taking the exam!"[/QUOTE]



I kept thinking about the questions too- the moment i left the exam center i replayed that stupid physics section in my head again and again. Ughhh.. why do they make us wait for a month! it's on the computer! can't they score it in like two days and just send the writing score later

 

[mrlucky0]

Does anyone remember the PS (passage) question where there was a mirror with six sides? It was either the 2nd or 3rd passage. I looked at that question was like wtf?!

 

[lawyerdoc2b]

Does anyone remember the PS (passage) question where there was a mirror with six sides? It was either the 2nd or 3rd passage. I looked at that question was like wtf?!

I rember the question. It was an eight sided mirror. My thoughts exactly - WTF? I did a WAG on it (wild as_ guess)

 

[Gunner10]

I think we all had diff material

 

[Schemp]

I think we all had diff material

nope. mostly we had the same things. i have talked with a few people who had a different passage here and there, but it seems like at least 80% of mine has been the same as everyone else i've talked to.

 

[drzing]

i want my score....like right now

 

[Rockytop00]

 

[tmcleavor]

I have a photographic memory of sorts and have been able to write out almost every question and check my work. Its a curse.

 

[drzing]

little over 3 weeks till we get our scores.

 

[drzing]

so what are yall all doin to pass the time?

 

[lawyerdoc2b]

The scores of the August 5th MCAT are officially scheduled to be released on the Tuesday following the Labor Day holiday. Same as the August 6th MCAT. Two MCATs this Summer before August 5th were actually released a day or two early. I'm wondering if AAMC will relase our scores on the Friday before the holiday?

I'm planning on checking. I have no actual knoweldge of exactly when the scores will be released so don't consider this though as even a rumor. Just hoping for my scores.

Regardless, three weeks from today we will all know our scores.

Hope springs eternal.

 

[drzing]

nahh i dont think theyll come out early...there were not alot of people who took the test on the 5th so it onlyh really makes sense for 5th and 6th to be released at the same time

 

[Gunner10]

I believe the ppl who wrote on July 30th and July 31st both get their scores on Sept 1st... so if their scores release early, I think chances are ours will too.

 

[mimi2kul]

am organising a big B-day party for my one year old son and woking full-time. hopefully that gets my mind off this MCAT score thing. i dreamt i had an 18.....God forbid evil things. lol.lol

 

[tmcleavor]

Did everyone have the PS passage about the oil tanker

 

[drzing]

i hope we get our scores early, even though im not counting on it..

does anyone know if med schools get them before we do? i hope so cus i got all my apps waitin on mcat to get in

 

[lawyerdoc2b]

i hope we get our scores early, even though im not counting on it..

does anyone know if med schools get them before we do? i hope so cus i got all my apps waitin on mcat to get in

For D.O. schools, you must go on-line when posted and authorize release to AACOMAS. For M.D. schools, I have no idea.

 

[Emo378]

Less than two weeks left for results!!!!

 

[drzing]

sept 8 cant come fast enough

 

[Rockytop00]

Anyone else notice how our August 5th thread has half the responses of other threads? Not sure what that means... did less people take that MCAT?

 

[drzing]

i had three people take the test total at my test center. nobody took it 8/5, most took it either 7/31 or 8/6

 

[Rockytop00]

 

[Schemp]

Hmmm, I wonder what that means for the curve. I imagine most people did not want to wake up early for the 8/5 test. I think the 8/6 test was at 12:00 noon while our's was at 8:00 am. If most students wanted the 8/6 test, then I bet the 8/6 test filled up quicker and had way more test takers in total. It is reasonable to assume that a more prepared student would signup for the test farther in advance, which means perhaps a good portion of the 8/5 takers were last minute signups or retakes, and it would be reasonable to assume less prepared for the MCAT... which would be favorable for the curve if there is a lot of low scores due to a large portion of not so well prepared people and a small total amount of test takers.

The other side of that is perhaps all the smart people signed up for the 8:00am test because they felt they would perform better in the AM instead of the afternoon, with less people and a higher percent of smarties, the curve would be unfavorable with lots of high raw scores.

I'm just hypothesizing here... no offense if you did sign up late, were retaking it, or if you are a smartie!

But seriously, there could be something to the time of day and total amount of test takers vs the raw scores and averages among the test takers.

It's not curved, it's scaled. They already have the score ranges set up - how people perform as a group has no bearing on the absolute scores. If it did MCAT scores would be basically meaningless.

 

[Rockytop00]

It's not curved, it's scaled. They already have the score ranges set up - how people perform as a group has no bearing on the absolute scores. If it did MCAT scores would be basically meaningless.

Ah ha! You know I think I knew that, but somehow in all my obsessing over this thing I forgot that it was scaled and not curved!

 

[radhika]

sooooo unfair, the scores come up a few days before my b-day, couldn't it have been afterrrrrr

how's everyone doing?, im busy at school......

 

[NotSur]

i totally thought scores came out this saturday. just figured out it's another week from now.

 

[drzing]

i totally thought scores came out this saturday. just figured out it's another week from now.

only 1 week from yesterday/today!!...i dont know about yall but ive been too busy with school and applying and stuff to worry about my scores...hahaha ask me next week and it will def be a different answer..lol

pretty pumped now to gettem and be done with it...ive already applied so im just gonna go ahead with what i got. no more mcat for me.

 

[drzing]

oh yea, have you guys heard mileys new song "Party in the USA"? its amazing

 

[Rockytop00]

Yay! September 8th is sooo much closer!

 

[NotSur]

Yay! September 8th is sooo much closer!

Is that a good thing?

 

[lawyerdoc2b]

The day after Labor Day our scores are scheduled for release. It sure ruins a three-day holiday. I had an anxiety atttack today and tried to sign up for the September 12th MCAT just in case. There were no seats available. Its just as well. I either improved my score from last January or I didn't. The eight schools to which I have submitted applications all say that my applications are complete BUT they are on hold pending receipt of my updated or most recent MCAT scores.

Sadly, other people are receiving interview invitations and I am in this holding pattern hell.

Nothing to do but check AAMC MCAT every day, wait, hope and pray.