silvrsleuth Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 i'm always a little nervous posting, in case a thread already exisits and i missed it - applogies if that's the case! someone told me recently that it's possible to write only one section of the MCAT - is that true? i wouldn't be ready to write the sciences sections, but if i want to apply to mcmaster, and they only look at the verbal reasoning section, could i just write that section and apply this year? or do you have to write the whole thing? i've emailed some people involved with MCAT, but they haven't gotten back to me. anyone know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamP Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 You could leave all the PS and BS sections blank and just fill out the Verbal. That being said, the science sections aren't that bad, they are moreso a test of critical thinking and reading than they are abstract scientific knowledge. You should just write the entire thing, you'd be surprised how well you may do. That being said, if you fully skip the Physical Sciences, you won't be tired out at all, you could spend all your energy on Verbal, then quit. I never really felt that tired after my Physical sciences (scored 11) so I don't think it affected my verbal marks (scored 13). So yeah my convoluted advice would be, if your going in there, spending the 250 just write the entire thing even if you don't feel fully prepaired for the science (i know I didn't). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Yeah adamP is right, you cannot just walk in and write the one section but you can chose not to right parts of the test. Cost is the same etc have you scheduled your test yet? Generally it is not a good idea to put all your eggs into one schools basket, but if you aren't ready, you aren't ready Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 You could leave all the PS and BS sections blank and just fill out the Verbal. .......So yeah my convoluted advice would be, if your going in there, spending the 250 just write the entire thing even if you don't feel fully prepaired for the science (i know I didn't). (10 characters) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP_gooner Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 well, if you only wrote the VR the first time and needed to write again, the good thing is that your mark will certainly increase...... not a brilliant plan though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldnk Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Sure. You could also pay to write the test and not show up. You could also go in and answer C for every multiple choice question. Or just answer the odd questions. Or go in and try and throw your monitor at another person writing the test. All of those have one thing in common with the idea of just writing the Verbal section...they are bad ideas. Your MCAT score is your cumulative score, not your best score from each section. You can't score a 14 in Bio in 2004, a 13 in PS in 2005 and a 12 in Verbal in 2007 and then apply to Med School with a 39. If you are going in to write the test but you aren't ready you have two legitimate options. 1 - Defer the test and write at a later date 2A - Write the test and see how you do. Use it as a learning experience 2B - Write the test knowing you aren't relying on this test to get into Medical School and maybe the lack of pressure helps improve your score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsleuth Posted June 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 i probably should have said that the reason i can't write the science sections is because i haven't taken those science courses... i have a high school level education in those areas, and it's been awhile since highschool. so i know exactly how well i'd do i'm an older student, and for me, time is of the essence. i wanted to write just the one section, so i could apply to mcmaster as soon as possible (this year). i'm going to be starting some science courses in the fall, but this way, i would at least have one application in, and if i didn't make it, i would be re-applying the next year (with the full mcat) anyway. but, from what i'm gathering, that's not really a good idea (?). even if mcmaster won't be looking at the other scores? or will they look to see that i didn't complete them? I'm sorry, but this is all pretty new to me and i'm trying to make sure i've got a firm grasp on things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamP Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 will they look to see that i didn't complete them? I'm sorry, but this is all pretty new to me and i'm trying to make sure i've got a firm grasp on things. That's actually a reasonable question, it's stated that they are only considering the VR score so I think you can trust them on that. That being said my original point which has been echoed is that you might do better on the sciences than you may think, even if you don't have the background it doesn't hurt (at all) to try, plus if you just get 9s (or even less (which is I believe <40th percentile)) you can still apply to u of t, so you are now open to two schools this cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 I don't think you should just bank on one school...McMaster is known to be completely stochastic with their admissions process lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 I don't think you should just bank on one school...McMaster is known to be completely stochastic with their admissions process lol. Yeah, avoid closing any door if at all possilbe The more schools you can met the requirements for an interview the better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavanshir Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 Are you serious? McMaster will accept it if you only do the verbal on the MCAT? Since when? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 Are you serious? McMaster will accept it if you only do the verbal on the MCAT? Since when? Well before they didn't use the mcat at all, but starting next year they will require the verbal reasoning score to be completed on the mcat for admissions (along with everything else of course they need ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 i probably should have said that the reason i can't write the science sections is because i haven't taken those science courses... i have a high school level education in those areas, and it's been awhile since highschool. so i know exactly how well i'd do i'm an older student, and for me, time is of the essence. i wanted to write just the one section, so i could apply to mcmaster as soon as possible (this year). i'm going to be starting some science courses in the fall, but this way, i would at least have one application in, and if i didn't make it, i would be re-applying the next year (with the full mcat) anyway. but, from what i'm gathering, that's not really a good idea (?). even if mcmaster won't be looking at the other scores? or will they look to see that i didn't complete them? I'm sorry, but this is all pretty new to me and i'm trying to make sure i've got a firm grasp on things. Have you decided on your plan? p.s. Go for it all; even if you do badly in some sections, it'll be a great learning experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xi88 Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 i probably should have said that the reason i can't write the science sections is because i haven't taken those science courses... i have a high school level education in those areas, and it's been awhile since highschool. so i know exactly how well i'd do i'm an older student, and for me, time is of the essence. i wanted to write just the one section, so i could apply to mcmaster as soon as possible (this year). i'm going to be starting some science courses in the fall, but this way, i would at least have one application in, and if i didn't make it, i would be re-applying the next year (with the full mcat) anyway. but, from what i'm gathering, that's not really a good idea (?). even if mcmaster won't be looking at the other scores? or will they look to see that i didn't complete them? I'm sorry, but this is all pretty new to me and i'm trying to make sure i've got a firm grasp on things. I dont think you should only consider McMaster. Getting into med at all is quite a lottery, so the more places you apply to the more likely you will get in. Ottawa and NOSM for example doesnt require the MCAT at all. It doesnt hurt to write the other sections anyway with whatever knowledge you have. Do a little studying beforehand, maybe buy a MCAT book and read over the science sections (MCAT science is mainly basic concepts and application). You never know, you might meet the cutoffs for some other schools too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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