Advice needed

[gkdl823]

Hello,

 

I am a 4th year BSc student graduating in 2011. My GPA is somewhat competitive, depending on the way schools calculate it (eg. recent 60 credits or wGPA would give me around 3.85, versus overall GPA which gives me around 3.75:( ). My extracurricular activities and volunteer work are also alright - not outstanding, but not bad. The most prominent one would be music, which I've studied seriously for about 14 years now. I've achieved provincial and national standards, and have attended summer music festivals and masterclasses, studying with well-known musicians and professors in Canada.

 

Medicine has always been what I've wanted to get into. However, the MCAT has been one of the biggest BEASTS I've ever had to face! I recently took it for my first time a month ago and did not feel well about VR, so decided to plan a rewrite. I scheduled the rewrite a couple days from today, so that I would receive my marks for my 1st attempt before writing it (and to see how much exactly I bombed VR lol). However, it was not VR that shocked me, but the writing sample. VR went better that expected, but writing sample... an M?! I expected an O at the very, very least. Because I least expected this, I had focused my studying for the rewrite on VR and PS. I don't believe I can improve my WS score in a few days, and am coming to a conclusion that this rewrite is a no-no.

 

I think I will apply for schools in Alberta only (I'm an Alberta resident) this year, JUST IN CASE, and rewrite next year, so that I have more time to improve my MCAT score. However, I graduate next year, and am wondering what I should do next September, when I have no school? I don't want to go into grad studies. Should I take a year of Open Studies and stay in school? Perhaps improve my GPA (although I'm pretty certain I can through my 4th year anyways)? Should I work/volunteer/travel? I'm taking this as an opportunity (although an M is pretty heartbreaking and I'd rather NOT take a year off) to strengthen my application, such as doing summer research.

 

For those of you who graduated and took a year (or more) off before being accepted to medicine, what would you suggest? What was beneficial, and what strengthened your application?

 

Any feedback was be greatly appreciated.

[changster]

Don't feel too bad, I got a 7 on VR for my first attempt O.o, but it was kinda expected since I missed the entire last passage.

 

I think you should take an extra year, the 5th year, of open studies. Grad school is a huge commitment and if you don't want to do it, I would highly recommend you not to. Actually I'm doing my 5th starting September. I'll be taking less than full course load and also take up a part-time job just to keep myself busy. This way, you'll have more time to relax and also to focus on preparing your applications.

 

Good luck!

[Dr.Henderson]

Being able to improve your WS in a few days largely depends on where your weaknesses were. If you're a good writer, then there certainly is the possibility of improving within a few days. You need to ask yourself if you approached the written sample in the appropriate way: i.e. did you address each of the tasks within your essays, did you provide clear examples to support your arguments, and did you provide a rational, logical resolution principle to finish off with? Something as simple as deviating from any of the tasks could give a good writer a poor score.

 

However, if its actually the mechanics of your writing then that will obviously take more time to address. Hopefully its the former rather than the latter, and good luck to you!

[gkdl823]

Being able to improve your WS in a few days largely depends on where your weaknesses were. If you're a good writer, then there certainly is the possibility of improving within a few days. You need to ask yourself if you approached the written sample in the appropriate way: i.e. did you address each of the tasks within your essays, did you provide clear examples to support your arguments, and did you provide a rational, logical resolution principle to finish off with? Something as simple as deviating from any of the tasks could give a good writer a poor score.

 

However, if its actually the mechanics of your writing then that will obviously take more time to address. Hopefully its the former rather than the latter, and good luck to you!

 

 

Thank you! I think I will rewrite this Friday, since I plan to write again next year anyway, and it doesn't hurt to get more experience.I think it was mostly the supporting examples I had trouble with. I could not think of one for my second essay and ended up using a hypothetical example. Should I be including examples for the thesis paragraph as well, or just for the anti-thesis?

[gkdl823]

Don't feel too bad, I got a 7 on VR for my first attempt O.o, but it was kinda expected since I missed the entire last passage.

 

I think you should take an extra year, the 5th year, of open studies. Grad school is a huge commitment and if you don't want to do it, I would highly recommend you not to. Actually I'm doing my 5th starting September. I'll be taking less than full course load and also take up a part-time job just to keep myself busy. This way, you'll have more time to relax and also to focus on preparing your applications.

 

Good luck!

 

Thanks for your reply! I actually ended up with an 8 in VR, which was surprising, because I was hitting 6's all the way before the exam. I think I got only two 10s out of the gazillion tests I'd done (finished that entire EK book too ). I find that the more I practice, the worse I do.... I have no idea why lol probably because my brain tires out.

[future_doc]

Relax your brain from this time forward. Lots of wisdom!!

[charmer08]

Thank you! I think I will rewrite this Friday, since I plan to write again next year anyway, and it doesn't hurt to get more experience.I think it was mostly the supporting examples I had trouble with. I could not think of one for my second essay and ended up using a hypothetical example. Should I be including examples for the thesis paragraph as well, or just for the anti-thesis?

 

You need to include examples for both the thesis and the anti-thesis paragraph. Are you using a strategy for the writing sample? A strategy will help you keep your essay organized.

 

As for the examples, a hypothetical example should not be a problem. A 5/6 on the essay is still possible with a hypothetical example. You should be able to get a 3/6 of your addressing all the three tasks. So make sure you are addressing all the three tasks.

[gkdl823]

You need to include examples for both the thesis and the anti-thesis paragraph. Are you using a strategy for the writing sample? A strategy will help you keep your essay organized.

 

As for the examples, a hypothetical example should not be a problem. A 5/6 on the essay is still possible with a hypothetical example. You should be able to get a 3/6 of your addressing all the three tasks. So make sure you are addressing all the three tasks.

 

 

I used the big huge Kaplan book to study and used their strategy to write the essays, which is pretty much planning out your essay before beginning to write. It helped with coherence and addressing the three tasks, I believe, but it didn't require me to give an example for the thesis. Other people had also told me that I only needed a supporting example for the antithesis. I guess that was yet another place where my essay would have been weakened.

 

Has anyone used a private tutor for just the essays? I think it would help to get them marked (it's really hard to mark them myself) with someone to guide me in the right direction. I'm also thinking of taking a prep course next year to help with my test-taking skills. I find that I have problems finishing the PS section on time, and I don't believe it's greatly due to lack of knowledge. Should I take a prep course or just get a tutor for the writing section?

 

Thanks everyone for your feedbacks!

[charmer08]

I used the big huge Kaplan book to study and used their strategy to write the essays, which is pretty much planning out your essay before beginning to write. It helped with coherence and addressing the three tasks, I believe, but it didn't require me to give an example for the thesis. Other people had also told me that I only needed a supporting example for the antithesis. I guess that was yet another place where my essay would have been weakened.

 

Has anyone used a private tutor for just the essays? I think it would help to get them marked (it's really hard to mark them myself) with someone to guide me in the right direction. I'm also thinking of taking a prep course next year to help with my test-taking skills. I find that I have problems finishing the PS section on time, and I don't believe it's greatly due to lack of knowledge. Should I take a prep course or just get a tutor for the writing section?

 

Thanks everyone for your feedbacks!

 

Well, that does make sense not giving an example for the thesis paragraph since they dont ask for one but the writing sample examples (or sample essays) on aamc do provide an example for the thesis paragraph. Plus your thesis paragraph might be too short if you dont include an example. So it might be better to provide an example for the thesis paragraph. Search up TPR's format for the essays!

 

The prep course helps you to review all the stuff - they don't help with the test taking skills. It might be a waste of money for you to take up a course.

 

A tip for the physics section: you shouldn't be spending more than 1-2 mins on the passage. Only skim through the passage. For the physics passages, most of the time you only need the numbers.

 

In my opinion, the writing sample instructors are kinda useless too. They'll just make sure you are using their strategy/format. Why not just submit some essays to the TPR's live essay grader? Its a much better cheaper alternative. Kaplan might have an essay grader too.