Writing MCAT for only McMaster? question?

[sprinkles]

Hello everyone,

 

I have a bit of a random question that might seem quite odd

 

So heres my vague 'plan' I've been thinking about the past few days...might be totally stupid Ok so I am planning on applying in the next application cycle to McMaster and *only* to McMaster. Being honest I'm not counting on getting in the first time round but would like to be able to go through the process. I know that Mac's admission requires only the verbal reasoning part of the MCAT which leads to my odd question:

 

Is it possible to JUST write the verbal reasoning section?

 

I'm assuming not..... which leads me to my second question:

 

Mac says they do not look at other MCAT scores...but dont they? Even a glance? My plan was to study solely for the VR so that I could ace it and not really spend much time for the other sections since its not required and Mac is the only school I'm applying to this cycle. But I was thinking...won't it be 'red flags' for the school if someone has like a 15 in VR but a really poor mark in everything else? I mean sure they say it has no impact...but wouldn't a surprisingly low mark hurt me?

 

But yes. I realize how odd this question is...but is it hypothetically possible to just write/study for the VR?

[thehumanmacbook]

This question has been answered before...use the search function.

 

Mac will only look at your VR score. In order to complete the MCAT though, you can't leave the other sections completely blank; just type in something or input guesses. You will not be red-flagged for say, a 1 in BS or PS.

 

But honestly, why not study for the whole thing while you're at it and give it your best shot?

[sprinkles]

I wasn't able to find anything with a search....if you could link me that would be great

 

And thanks for the input I will probably end up studying for it anyways (I mean sciences will be important for med school so I'll need to study it as some point) I was just thinking of putting more time on VR than anything else....

[imperfection]

Here ya go:

 

http://premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55577

[dassy]

You may only be applying to McMaster next cycle, but if you don't get it (knock on wood ) you may want to apply to more schools the cycle after. You don't really want to have to rewrite the entire MCAT again (and risk lowering your verbal if you got a really good score the first time round) for the other schools. I agree that you shoud devote a bit of your time to studying the other two sections and answering the questions. Especially since verbal can be a bit of a crapshoot in that sometimes you can get really lucky or get a really bad section. The highest I ever got on practice was 11, but I got 14 on the real thing. I know others who were averaging 12 and only got 8 on the real thing. Overall, just study a bit for the other sections so that if you want to apply to other schools later on you have the oppurtunity to.

 

But to answer your orignal questions: yes you can just write for the verbal, many have done it before. Just go through the other sections and click a few buttons

[HopeToBeGreen]

At one of the Mac info sessions this year someone asked if getting poor marks on the non-VR sections of the MCAT would affect your application. The answer was that Mac receives your scores for all the sections from the AAMC but they immediately discard the scores other than VR. The other scores are not even included in your application file so they absolutely will not affect your application.

 

Having said that, last year I was in exactly your position and i did study (somewhat) for the other sections. For me it was just a matter of pride that I wanted to get a respectable score.

 

However make sure you are clear in your own head that VR is what matters. Everything else is just 'recreational'. Know when to cut your losses on studying for the other sections so that you can focus on VR.

[sprinkles]

thanks everyone for your great replies! I dont have a science background and dont think I will have enough time to study for the Sciences but heres my plan:

 

- Write MCAT (with focus on VR) and apply for the next cycle in the Fall for 2013-2014

 

- While waiting to hear back from Mac I plan to be working full time **fingers crossed if everything works** and will be self teaching the sciences to myself and will probably take an evening Uni class or two if I can fit it in

 

- If Mac works out then great! If not I will probably re-write

 

But I really want to study the sciences really hard before getting in to med school (whenever that may be) because its so important! Especially for someone who hasn't taken science since high school. I know that Mac doesn't care if you do but I think any sensible person would take on the responsibility to catch themselves up only problem is the timing and that if you miss one year you end up post-poning (sp?) med school by like 2-3 years.

 

Thanks again everyone!

[skarletstarlet]

Hi sprinkles. I met a very nice second year MD student at McMaster who told me she left all the sciences sections blank. Now, since someone on here said you can't do that, I'm not sure what she meant. Maybe she just put anything into the fields. This is what I am planning on doing as well because my schooling doesn't allow for me to take chemistry (well actually, my school offers orgo chem 1 but not 2, biology without labs, physics only distance ed, etc).

 

[thehumanmacbook]

^you need to put in at least ONE entry. Guess on one question.

[medbat]

I'm probably going down a rocky road here... but to be honest - to the poster two above this one - it makes me very uneasy that you want to be a physician but only have a high school understanding of science.

 

I guess it never occurred to me until now that McMaster's process essentially allows people who don't know science to get accepted...

[sprinkles]

I'm probably going down a rocky road here... but to be honest - to the poster two above this one - it makes me very uneasy that you want to be a physician but only have a high school understanding of science.

 

I guess it never occurred to me until now that McMaster's process essentially allows people who don't know science to get accepted...

 

Is this addressed to me?

[medbat]

Addressed to nobody in particular. But you're welcome to respond if you have an opinion!

[sprinkles]

Yah it is something to 'worry' about when it comes to people potentially getting in without any science background but there is a big reason why Mac does it and thats because they see no difference in outcomes.

 

To write the MCAT all you need is first year university sciences....some in the forums have even indicated writing with just high school sciences....but at the end of the day its up to you the individual to take the responsibility to learn it I think...in a way I think its Mac's 'secret' admission test...they are a PBL system that FOCUSES on students taking responsibility for their education and LEARNING what they need to. Its like that with the sciences....they are assuming that if they do not KNOW something they will go and LEARN it!

 

And it clearly works. Personal story: My chiropractor is amazing - she is the 3rd one I tried...all of the ones before were horrible but she is the best. So I was talking to her and telling her about all my bad experiences with former chiros and discussing her 'story' so to speak and the surprising part? All my former chiros had science backgrounds but SHE didn't! She has been part of my inspiration! She explained to me that it was very hard at first...she had to work 3x as hard as anyone else (she had never even taken a single high school bio class!) She explains that at first nothing made sense...but then after a while everything started to click for her and long story short through all her hard work she ended up graduating at the top of her class....and like I said she is one of the best doctors I have ever had.

 

It just goes to show that **you** have to be the one pushing for it and working for it. Thats why Mac is so great! It gives you the chance to actually get in and STUDY LIKE A CRAZY PERSON (with the flexible schedule) thats why GPA is so important to them and they make no exceptions. They want to see your work ethic. It doesn't matter what you studied as long as you can prove you CAN and are WILLING to and are DEDICATED (thus volunteering)

 

Ok its almost 2:30 am...I'm going to stop ranting haha

[medbat]

Yah it is something to 'worry' about when it comes to people potentially getting in without any science background but there is a big reason why Mac does it and thats because they see no difference in outcomes.

 

To write the MCAT all you need is first year university sciences....some in the forums have even indicated writing with just high school sciences....but at the end of the day its up to you the individual to take the responsibility to learn it I think...in a way I think its Mac's 'secret' admission test...they are a PBL system that FOCUSES on students taking responsibility for their education and LEARNING what they need to. Its like that with the sciences....they are assuming that if they do not KNOW something they will go and LEARN it!

 

And it clearly works. Personal story: My chiropractor is amazing - she is the 3rd one I tried...all of the ones before were horrible but she is the best. So I was talking to her and telling her about all my bad experiences with former chiros and discussing her 'story' so to speak and the surprising part? All my former chiros had science backgrounds but SHE didn't! She has been part of my inspiration! She explained to me that it was very hard at first...she had to work 3x as hard as anyone else (she had never even taken a single high school bio class!) She explains that at first nothing made sense...but then after a while everything started to click for her and long story short through all her hard work she ended up graduating at the top of her class....and like I said she is one of the best doctors I have ever had.

 

It just goes to show that **you** have to be the one pushing for it and working for it. Thats why Mac is so great! It gives you the chance to actually get in and STUDY LIKE A CRAZY PERSON (with the flexible schedule) thats why GPA is so important to them and they make no exceptions. They want to see your work ethic. It doesn't matter what you studied as long as you can prove you CAN and are WILLING to and are DEDICATED (thus volunteering)

 

Ok its almost 2:30 am...I'm going to stop ranting haha

 

You know what - that was a good answer. If only the other applicants to Mac were as noble as you are, then I would have more faith in the system.

[skarletstarlet]

I'm probably going down a rocky road here... but to be honest - to the poster two above this one - it makes me very uneasy that you want to be a physician but only have a high school understanding of science.

 

I guess it never occurred to me until now that McMaster's process essentially allows people who don't know science to get accepted...

 

Just to have my own back, I have taken biology without labs. Is my lack of a physics credit worrying you? Maybe the fact that I made it through three years of my undergrad with two children under the age of two, acheiving high eighties and nineties mostly self-taught is stopping me from getting in

[inspiring-curmudgeon]

Yah it is something to 'worry' about when it comes to people potentially getting in without any science background but there is a big reason why Mac does it and thats because they see no difference in outcomes.

 

To write the MCAT all you need is first year university sciences....some in the forums have even indicated writing with just high school sciences....but at the end of the day its up to you the individual to take the responsibility to learn it I think...in a way I think its Mac's 'secret' admission test...they are a PBL system that FOCUSES on students taking responsibility for their education and LEARNING what they need to. Its like that with the sciences....they are assuming that if they do not KNOW something they will go and LEARN it!

 

And it clearly works. Personal story: My chiropractor is amazing - she is the 3rd one I tried...all of the ones before were horrible but she is the best. So I was talking to her and telling her about all my bad experiences with former chiros and discussing her 'story' so to speak and the surprising part? All my former chiros had science backgrounds but SHE didn't! She has been part of my inspiration! She explained to me that it was very hard at first...she had to work 3x as hard as anyone else (she had never even taken a single high school bio class!) She explains that at first nothing made sense...but then after a while everything started to click for her and long story short through all her hard work she ended up graduating at the top of her class....and like I said she is one of the best doctors I have ever had.

 

It just goes to show that **you** have to be the one pushing for it and working for it. Thats why Mac is so great! It gives you the chance to actually get in and STUDY LIKE A CRAZY PERSON (with the flexible schedule) thats why GPA is so important to them and they make no exceptions. They want to see your work ethic. It doesn't matter what you studied as long as you can prove you CAN and are WILLING to and are DEDICATED (thus volunteering)

 

Ok its almost 2:30 am...I'm going to stop ranting haha

 

Great answer!

 

However, almost nobody in the program (that I know of) studies like a crazy person. So that method of selection clearly doesn't work. We don't have formal exams, only CAEs (concept application exercises) which are a few short answer questions. Not very complicated, so people aren't forced to cram, like at other medical schools.

 

The strong point of Mac is that the program really teaches you to learn for your own knowledge, and that helps everyone, regardless of background. I know that once I hit clerkship, I'll have the skills to continue learning at a fast pace, even if I'm not peppered with constant lectures. That, in my opinion, is the true value of the system.

 

Having a science background myself, I find that my past degree really helped develop how I think, learn, and consolidate information quickly and efficiently. It also provided a solid base from which I can easily learn new medical information. I find that generally, people with a non-science background have to work MUCH harder to even keep pace with the curriculum, and are very unlikely to keep pace with a hard working student who has a science background. That being said, nobody expects you to be a superstar, and if you just want to pass, that can easily be done, regardless of background. The flexible schedule allows you to spend more time doing observerships in specialties you're interested in, and to take on research projects, extracurriculars, volunteering, clubs, etc. But if you have to spend all your time catching up, you end up sacrificing either parts of your education, or your CV.

 

That being said, students from other pedigrees bring a lot of useful skills to the program, and I quite enjoy working alongside them. Good luck with your application!