Ash123 Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Just wrote the MCAT on the 12th, mainly focused on CARS (ie: didnt't study the rest of the sections) since I'm only applying to Mac this year. I felt that I didn't as well as I could have because test anxiety set-in. I feel like now that I'm familiar with the setting, process, etc. I'd feeler calmer next time around.So am thinking of re-writing on the 23rd. Will it look bad if I do a re-write so soon after my initial date? Also next year I'm planning on applying more broadly, after writing the full exam so would it look bad that I have really two low overall scores (who knows if I'll even do well on the 1st full write....might have to attempt a fourth...Eek!)? Or Should I just wait and see my scores for this year and study for Casper in the meantime? GPA is 3.83 and am in-province for Mac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPatting Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Just wrote the MCAT on the 12th, mainly focused on CARS (ie: didnt't study the rest of the sections) since I'm only applying to Mac this year. I felt that I didn't as well as I could have because test anxiety set-in. I feel like now that I'm familiar with the setting, process, etc. I'd feeler calmer next time around.So am thinking of re-writing on the 23rd. Will it look bad if I do a re-write so soon after my initial date? Also next year I'm planning on applying more broadly, after writing the full exam so would it look bad that I have really two low overall scores (who knows if I'll even do well on the 1st full write....might have to attempt a fourth...Eek!)? Or Should I just wait and see my scores for this year and study for Casper in the meantime? GPA is 3.83 and am in-province for Mac. Hey I wrote today too and can sympathize with how you're feeling. I was suuuuuper nervous/stressed out especially during CARS (as I'm only applying to Mac this yr too + geared my studying towards that section) to the point where I was experiencing neck and back pain despite a very comfortable chair lol. I thought about trying to book a rewrite but have decided to wait it out and see what happens. Also it might be hard to book a place in Ontario for your rewrite should you choose to go through with it. At least that's what I heard, don't quote me on that Ultimately the decision is up to you because you know what is best for you. Unless you feel that you absolutely bombed it I would vote against a re-write, instead focusing on school + CASPer prep for now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash123 Posted September 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 The most frustrating thing was that I was feeling perfectly fine until a few min before the CARS passage and suddenly my mind was somewhere else and I couldn't focus, felt like I was on auto-pilot or something doing the questions. I can't even remember what half the passages were about! I'm just so mad at myself because I felt the passages weren't super difficult and that I could have done quite well had I been able to focus fully. Have you completely decided against a re-write or are you going to see how you feel in a week or so and then decide? Since my GPA isn't stellar I feel like I really have to do well on CARS and Casper to have a shot at Mac. Do you know when they release the preliminary percent scores? I don't want to spend another $300 on a re-write but feel like if I could do better it'd be money well spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPatting Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 The most frustrating thing was that I was feeling perfectly fine until a few min before the CARS passage and suddenly my mind was somewhere else and I couldn't focus, felt like I was on auto-pilot or something doing the questions. I can't even remember what half the passages were about! I'm just so mad at myself because I felt the passages weren't super difficult and that I could have done quite well had I been able to focus fully. Have you completely decided against a re-write or are you going to see how you feel in a week or so and then decide? Since my GPA isn't stellar I feel like I really have to do well on CARS and Casper to have a shot at Mac. Do you know when they release the preliminary percent scores? I don't want to spend another $300 on a re-write but feel like if I could do better it'd be money well spent. I seriously understand how you feel. I did the Physical/Chemical section prior to CARS just to sort of "warm up", but as soon as I got back from my first 10 minute break I completely froze up thinking about what this section's mark would mean toward my future in medicine; NOT the best thing to be thinking of when you have to be completely zoned in and "attacking" the passages as some people put it. And yeah, I agree with you I don't think most the passages were too bad which makes me even more frustrated with myself If it makes you feel any better you're in a better position than I am GPA wise as I'm sitting at a 3.73 currently, so I really had to do well on CARS + go all out on Casper. I may look into a possible re-write, if I can find one in Ontario but if not then I'll hope for the best and plan for the worst as the saying goes. I'm unsure when preliminary % scores will be released but I would start checking daily after 2 weeks or so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash123 Posted September 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Are planning on re-writing the full mcat in the future? My only other worry is how 3 scores (with 2 being very low) would be looked at by the adcomms. Also are you considering doing the Casper prep course thing? Initially I was planning on it since I figured if I'm only applying to one school might as well give it my best shot but now I'm unsure as to if its really helpful since everyone says you really can't prep for it. So far to prep for capser I've been reading doing right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPatting Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Are planning on re-writing the full mcat in the future? My only other worry is how 3 scores (with 2 being very low) would be looked at by the adcomms. Also are you considering doing the Casper prep course thing? Initially I was planning on it since I figured if I'm only applying to one school might as well give it my best shot but now I'm unsure as to if its really helpful since everyone says you really can't prep for it. So far to prep for capser I've been reading doing right. Definitely will be re-rewriting next summer with all the sections if I don't get in this year/if my CARS score is <129, both of which are fairly likely. Are you a non-trad student like me by the way? Is that why you only wrote CARS? I attempted studying the other sections for the first few months, but decided to concentrate my energy towards CARS during the last 3 weeks or so before the test. I think I seriously underestimated the disadvantage I had for the sciences as I hadn't taken many of the recommended courses yet (trying to learn orgo + physics and biochem was absolutely brutal). So next year if I have to re-write I will be really giving it my all from the beginning of summer to the end hopefully getting a solid score so that I can apply broadly across Canada. As for the adcoms looking at the other sections, I think that only applies to US schools/the subjective assessment at U of C (supposedly). In other words, most Canadian med schools just look at your most recent score. For Casper I haven't really done my research on it thoroughly enough but I have been suggested to do as many timed sample prompts as possible, read Doing Right + other medical ethics documents and forming my own opinion on the big controversial topics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freewheeler Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 No prelim scores. That was only for the first number of test takers. You will have your scores released to you sometime in October (check online for the release date). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash123 Posted September 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Definitely will be re-rewriting next summer with all the sections if I don't get in this year/if my CARS score is <129, both of which are fairly likely. Are you a non-trad student like me by the way? Is that why you only wrote CARS? I attempted studying the other sections for the first few months, but decided to concentrate my energy towards CARS during the last 3 weeks or so before the test. I think I seriously underestimated the disadvantage I had for the sciences as I hadn't taken many of the recommended courses yet (trying to learn orgo + physics and biochem was absolutely brutal). So next year if I have to re-write I will be really giving it my all from the beginning of summer to the end hopefully getting a solid score so that I can apply broadly across Canada. As for the adcoms looking at the other sections, I think that only applies to US schools/the subjective assessment at U of C (supposedly). In other words, most Canadian med schools just look at your most recent score. For Casper I haven't really done my research on it thoroughly enough but I have been suggested to do as many timed sample prompts as possible, read Doing Right + other medical ethics documents and forming my own opinion on the big controversial topics. Yup, I am a non-trad as well! Without a traditional science background to boot. I also started out studying for the whole exam and then towards the lat 3-4 weeks realized that I would be better off focusing on CARS since I wouldn't be able to master all the material in time. I literally had the exact same problem of trying to cram all that orgo, biochem, physics goodness in just a few months time. Will definitely be starting as early as I can for next year;s prep. Are you considering taking any of the pre-req courses to make yourself eligible for Ottawa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPatting Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 Yup, I am a non-trad as well! Without a traditional science background to boot. I also started out studying for the whole exam and then towards the lat 3-4 weeks realized that I would be better off focusing on CARS since I wouldn't be able to master all the material in time. I literally had the exact same problem of trying to cram all that orgo, biochem, physics goodness in just a few months time. Will definitely be starting as early as I can for next year;s prep. Are you considering taking any of the pre-req courses to make yourself eligible for Ottawa? Yes I definitely will be taking the pre-reqs for Ottawa. During first year summer I took 1st year General Chem, was plannign on taking 1st year Bio in 3rd year summer and Orgo in 4th yr summer but looks like that all might have to be pushed back a year if I have to re-write MCAT next summer. But hopefully we both did better than we thought on CARS and manage to ace CASPER and get into Mac this year Isn't that wishful thinking haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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