The Official 3/23/13 MCAT Thread

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Redpancreas

Redpancreas

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Figured I'd start this one out. I'll be registering for the MCAT first thing tomorrow. Who else is taking it on this date? How do you all plan on studying over the school year?
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I am preparing to take the MCAT this summer so I could apply to Medical schools this round.

I'm looking for a study partner in the Chicago/Rogers Park/Evanston or surrounding areas to study alongside me.

I'm pretty flexible with my hours and location. We would probably meet at Starbucks, a library, or someplace conducive to studying.

Feel free if you have any questions or suggestions!

Thanks
 
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Not done with my primary yet.... School list is at 19..... Pretty excited for app season :)
 
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PreMedRookie said:
My situation is similar. I averaged about a 29 and never broke 31. On the real thing I got a 33, 11/11/11!!! so thrilled! Congrats on the 36...that's awesome!
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If you don't mind me asking, how did you feel about the test when you were done? My situation is similar. My AAMC avg is about a 29 with 31 being my highest. I just took the real deal last week and your post gave me some hope :) I left feeling like I got a 27...
 
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Hayley said:
If you don't mind me asking, how did you feel about the test when you were done? My situation is similar. My AAMC avg is about a 29 with 31 being my highest. I just took the real deal last week and your post gave me some hope :) I left feeling like I got a 27...
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To help give you some hope my HIGHEST score on the practice tests was a 29.... But on the real thing I got a 31! =) It all depends on how you perform on test day!
 
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Also I left feeling like I could have gotten anywhere from a 25 to a 34.... I was completely unsure and it was horrible...
 
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tinylilron said:
PS was AWFUL though... :-/ I just wanna get mid-30s and be done with the MCAT FOREVER!!!!
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PS was horrible for me. I am so nervous about what my score will be and I don't think I have it in me for a retake. I will be fine with a 30 (which isn't exactly a bad score after all) but PS may have killed me for getting a balanced score. I have an excellent gpa, a solid overall ap including some great LORs, so I just want this whole waiting game to be over, submit my ap, and move on.
 
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Sphenoid927 said:
PS was horrible for me. I am so nervous about what my score will be and I don't think I have it in me for a retake. I will be fine with a 30 (which isn't exactly a bad score after all) but PS may have killed me for getting a balanced score. I have an excellent gpa, a solid overall ap including some great LORs, so I just want this whole waiting game to be over, submit my ap, and move on.
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If someone gets a 29 do you think that they should definitely retake it for this application cycle? My focus seems so off and I think I need to devote more energy to the actual application. My PS is not ready yet. :-/ My GPA is 3.78 in biochemistry and psychology... I am applying to state schools and DO schools

University of Maryland is my goal because it is a great school and my SO and his family lives here
 
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tinylilron said:
If someone gets a 29 do you think that they should definitely retake it for this application cycle? My focus seems so off and I think I need to devote more energy to the actual application. My PS is not ready yet. :-/ My GPA is 3.78 in biochemistry and psychology... I am applying to state schools and DO schools

University of Maryland is my goal because it is a great school and my SO and his family lives here
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I am no expert, but to me a 29 is not necessarily a deal breaker. Of course, it depends on the school. What is the MSAR data on U of Maryland? You have a decent gpa. If your experiences, your PS, your LORs round out your application nicely, then I see no reason not to apply with say, a 29. Certainly for DO this should be okay, but I would not rule out MD by any means either. Obviously, 29 is not super competitive, especially if are you applying Harvard or WUSTL, but it could be perfectly fine for other schools that you have your eye on, especially if you have shown through your application that you are a human being with a good work ethic, etc.

I think that each applicant is different. Someone with an excellent application but a ho-hum MCAT may be more competitive than they think based on MCAT alone just as someone with a strong MCAT (and even strong gpa) but a ho-hum application may be less competitive than they think based on the overall application.

I say, focus on your application right now. The MCAT score will come(assuming you don't know yet. Late April tester like me?) and you'll know what you want to do when the time comes. We all know that the earlier you submit your application the better so it isn't a bad idea to put some quality time into honing it no matter what you decide on the MCAT. It's easy for us all to forget that the MCAT is just one component and that to make ourselves truly stand out we must paint a complete picture and the application is a great opportunity to really tell schools who we are not just what we have scored.

All my best to us all!
 
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tinylilron said:
I was advised not to apply to more than 20 schools... 30 might be overkill... but you should do what is right for you... :)
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Normally I'd agree, but the fiancee needs to get a job wherever I get in, so it's almost like a double application. Gotta increase the number of places she'll apply to... :)
 
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Captain Sisko said:
Normally I'd agree, but the fiancee needs to get a job wherever I get in, so it's almost like a double application. Gotta increase the number of places she'll apply to... :)
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Is she in a field that might limit her number of options per city? Just wondering, I can imagine some fields having more plentiful openings in any given city than others.
 
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gettheleadout said:
Is she in a field that might limit her number of options per city? Just wondering, I can imagine some fields having more plentiful openings in any given city than others.
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It's true, that's a fair point. She is marketable, in a field that's in demand. But if you consider my chances at any school at roughly 10% and hers in any city at 50%, we're already down to one in twenty. i pulled my chances out of my ass, but 50% for her field is generous, so i estimate that for flexibility we want to apply to twice the usual guideline number. our strategy is to have her apply in cities where i get invites and go from there.
 
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What does "We are currently marking as "RECEIVED" those transcripts that were delivered on May 28, 2013" on the AMCAS login page mean?

I've completed everything on my application but just left it as it is and just planned on logging in tomorrow (now June 10th) and submitting. Is there something else I should be doing to have it "received"?
 
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carboxylase said:
What does "We are currently marking as "RECEIVED" those transcripts that were delivered on May 28, 2013" on the AMCAS login page mean?

I've completed everything on my application but just left it as it is and just planned on logging in tomorrow (now June 10th) and submitting. Is there something else I should be doing to have it "received"?
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AMCAS has to change the received/not received. They are saying that they have made that change today for all transcripts they received in their office up to May 28th. They get so many transcripts that there is a backlog, so transcripts delivered after May 28 have not been processed, so those applicants cannot see if they have been received on their application. You don't need to do anything unless you think AMCAS should have received your transcripts before May 28, in which case you might want to order another from your institution, call AMCAS, or wait a few more days just to see.
 
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DaenarysDuhh said:
AMCAS has to change the received/not received. They are saying that they have made that change today for all transcripts they received in their office up to May 28th. They get so many transcripts that there is a backlog, so transcripts delivered after May 28 have not been processed, so those applicants cannot see if they have been received on their application. You don't need to do anything unless you think AMCAS should have received your transcripts before May 28, in which case you might want to order another from your institution, call AMCAS, or wait a few more days just to see.
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Ah, ok. Thanks
 
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Hey have any of you guys heard of dr. Flowers mcat prep? Our know any one that used it and had success??
 
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Hey guys- we're D-day plus 3 months! How's everyone doing with applications?

Been lurking the Q&A forum and I want to say, damn I forgot everything!

good luck to everyone!
 
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