MCAT -- Parental advice needed

Apr 23, 19 7:31

Post #1 of 25 (1333 views)

The few of you who pay attention to my ramblings might recall my middle daughter is at CWRU getting a Bio-Med Eng. Degree / pre-med. She is finishing up soph year. She is a highly self motivated, bright kid. (Currently has a 4.0 at case - worst grade so far she has a 89.9 in 2nd semester O-chem 85 and up is an A, she feels miserable cause she had a 95 but got a 79 on one test, oh the shame...)

But she is so hyper busy, Student Govt, Track, Research, Job, and full time student that sometimes things get pushed. I think MCAT might be one of those things. I know nothing about it. She wont listen to me anyhow, but thought if there were things she should be doing or what not, I could drop hints/ suggestions ask if she has looked into. This summer looks to be a slower one for her, staying on campus and only doing research full time (Last year she had a full time job and took night classes for her EMT) so maybe she can do some stuff for the MCAT???

I don't even know when you normally take MCAT or how far in advance you sign up, or start prepping... so any insights would be helpful. Yeah I could google it, but thought some more reliable?? sources would be better. Besides need to keep my post count up (oh and before anyone else says it yeah some might see this is some sort of backdoor brag, but not really its my kid not me).

Anyhow what you got?

Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [DavHamm] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 7:36

Post #2 of 25 (1309 views)

Typically, you don't bother with the MCAT until your junior, senior year.
If she wants to do something useful for a med school application, she might want to look into shadowing, or volunteering work that aligns well with the med schools she's targeting.
I've been on admission committees, and you see a lot of kids with excellent GPA, and MCAT scores. But often times, shadowing is lame (I shadow my uncle, my mom, my cousin etc.) and volunteering is worse.
But every so often you see a kid with volunteering work that really impresses, and that makes a huge difference.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [Francois] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 7:43

Post #3 of 25 (1291 views)

Francois wrote:

Typically, you don't bother with the MCAT until your junior, senior year.
If she wants to do something useful for a med school application, she might want to look into shadowing, or volunteering work that aligns well with the med schools she's targeting.
I've been on admission committees, and you see a lot of kids with excellent GPA, and MCAT scores. But often times, shadowing is lame (I shadow my uncle, my mom, my cousin etc.) and volunteering is worse.
But every so often you see a kid with volunteering work that really impresses, and that makes a huge difference.

So shadowing is lame, unless it isn't? ;)

What about being an EMT on a ambulance? Working for money as a tech in a hospital? Having a huge donor write your letter of recommendation? Interviewing well?

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [DavHamm] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 7:53

Post #4 of 25 (1272 views)

for $75,000 i'll take the test for her. and get her on the varsity football team.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [Francois] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 7:56

Post #5 of 25 (1259 views)

Thanks,
So far she sat in on (shadowed) a something like 12hr surgery where they were connecting electrodes to this paralyzed guys muscles so they can control them. part of the research she had been volunteering on. She volunteers on the school EMT service, had to turn down a full time EMT job this summer, cause she just landed some research project thing (paid summers, start summer after soph year research through Sr. year end with published paper).

Maybe she could do some shadowing in the evenings down there this summer. Probably the one thing she will be weakest in.

So if you take it Junior year, what kind of prep would you do the summer before? Online resources?

Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [DavHamm] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 7:59

Post #6 of 25 (1250 views)

well if she's that motivated and got her EMT, maybe she should just go whole hog and get her LVN and RN before med school. I heard of that idiocy around here.

RayGovett
Hughson CA
Be Prepared-- Strike Swiftly -- Who Dares Wins- Without warning-"it will be hard. I can do it"

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [windywave] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 8:01

Post #7 of 25 (1247 views)

windywave wrote:

Francois wrote:

Typically, you don't bother with the MCAT until your junior, senior year.
If she wants to do something useful for a med school application, she might want to look into shadowing, or volunteering work that aligns well with the med schools she's targeting.
I've been on admission committees, and you see a lot of kids with excellent GPA, and MCAT scores. But often times, shadowing is lame (I shadow my uncle, my mom, my cousin etc.) and volunteering is worse.
But every so often you see a kid with volunteering work that really impresses, and that makes a huge difference.

So shadowing is lame, unless it isn't? ;)

What about being an EMT on a ambulance? Working for money as a tech in a hospital? Having a huge donor write your letter of recommendation? Interviewing well?

Shadowing isn't lame per se. Re-read what I wrote :-) Often times, you'll just see kids who didn't even bother and shadowed a family member in a private upscale practice...
EMT, and tech do teach you a lot. Huge donor LOR works great too, especially at USC, if you like rowing.
Interviewing well is essential. Unless you say you want to be a pathologist ;-)

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [DavHamm] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 8:03

Post #8 of 25 (1241 views)

Most very good students will do fine with minimal prep, if they aced the corresponding courses. Princeton review and the like are good options too.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [DavHamm] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 8:08

Post #9 of 25 (1234 views)

It sounds like she really has her stuff together and I'm sure she'll attack her MCAT prep with the same vigor she appears to everything else. She probably doesn't need Dad's help anymore, except with the bills ;-).

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [DavHamm] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 8:29

Post #10 of 25 (1205 views)

Unless things have changed... Spring of Junior year or Fall of Senior. I took a specific preparatory class through Kaplan for the DAT. They also do MCAT. It was the single most important thing I did to get ready for and do the best I was capable on the test.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [NormM] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 10:10

Post #11 of 25 (1140 views)

Yes, Kaplan practice tests were the bomb for me. I had to go to a Kaplan brick and mortar place for that, but I assume it's all on-line now. I'm sure the student knows way more about this than Dad believes. And if she doesn't and she does bad in the Spring (Jr year) she can take it again in the Fall (Sr year), unless things have changed, as you said. I turned my kids loose when they went to college. I pay the bills and expect them to make progress towards graduation. I've never seen a report card.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [NormM] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 10:32

Post #12 of 25 (1114 views)

I also took the Kaplan course for the MCAT. Its not so much that the course fed me what I needed but more like it helped to jump start my need to properly prepare for the test. I used the Kaplan provided books to study for the MCAT and found them very useful to quickly summarize topics needed for the MCAT

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [Slowman] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 11:10

Post #13 of 25 (1084 views)

Slowman wrote:

for $75,000 i'll take the test for her. and get her on the varsity football team.

Already on the Varisty track team and will run out of eligability before Med school. Though I could see her trying out for a Rugby team if where she lands has one.. Actually interesting thought, I wonder if she has thought about picking up another sport when in Med school. She could step on some College VB teams but will be 4 yrs out of the sport by then. I think Rugby would be more her place with her speed and upper body strength..

Oh thanks for the offer, but I'm pretty sure she would score higher than you on the test. LOL

Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [Spiridon Louis] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 11:14

Post #14 of 25 (1077 views)

Spiridon Louis wrote:

It sounds like she really has her stuff together and I'm sure she'll attack her MCAT prep with the same vigor she appears to everything else. She probably doesn't need Dad's help anymore, except with the bills ;-).

Sad but true... Heck I get a text last week, going to get foot x-ray'd told Case will reimburse you. This out of the blue I'm like ah ok what happened, oh 3 weeks ago had a Hammer hit it, really hurts to walk. So yeah she doesn't need me.. (Sad crying face) .. of course yesterday can you send a check for $550 to the landlord for the summer, I don't have a check book, so yup for money she needs me..

Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [DavHamm] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 11:15

Post #15 of 25 (1075 views)

I didn't do any specific prep for MCAT but that was a long time ago. Daughter number only is going to take it this summer sounds a lot like your daughter she is just finishing first year. A lot of it is basic science stuff so doesn't hurt to take when the subject matter is fresh get it out of the way. I would say do it this summer. I had a kid in my practice who is in med school now (third year) who taught prep course for it seems like a lot of kids are doing that but not so sure how necessary it is likely depends on how much value med school puts on mcat. When I took it the scuttle was that they didn't care much they just wanted to see you got a decent score.

They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [DavHamm] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 11:15

Post #16 of 25 (1075 views)

Ok, Thanks all for the replies sounds like not much for me to do..

OH except see if she is thinking about Rugby while in Med school...

Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [DavHamm] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 12:08

Post #17 of 25 (1037 views)

DavHamm wrote:

Ok, Thanks all for the replies sounds like not much for me to do..

OH except see if she is thinking about Rugby while in Med school...

She won’t have a time for a competitive team sport. She’ll have time to workout sometimes but unless she’s a genius or can memorize instantly she won’t have time.

Med school makes undergrad look like a joke. Med school should be for med school. I’m not saying she won’t have time for fun. There is but if she wants to get where she wants to go, studying is the most important thing.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [Grant.Reuter] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 12:33

Post #18 of 25 (1021 views)

Grant.Reuter wrote:

DavHamm wrote:

Ok, Thanks all for the replies sounds like not much for me to do..

OH except see if she is thinking about Rugby while in Med school...

She won’t have a time for a competitive team sport. She’ll have time to workout sometimes but unless she’s a genius or can memorize instantly she won’t have time.

Med school makes undergrad look like a joke. Med school should be for med school. I’m not saying she won’t have time for fun. There is but if she wants to get where she wants to go, studying is the most important thing.

Yeah I don't see here doing a sport, just joking around.

Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [DavHamm] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 12:59

Post #19 of 25 (998 views)

DavHamm wrote:

Grant.Reuter wrote:

DavHamm wrote:

Ok, Thanks all for the replies sounds like not much for me to do..

OH except see if she is thinking about Rugby while in Med school...

She won’t have a time for a competitive team sport. She’ll have time to workout sometimes but unless she’s a genius or can memorize instantly she won’t have time.

Med school makes undergrad look like a joke. Med school should be for med school. I’m not saying she won’t have time for fun. There is but if she wants to get where she wants to go, studying is the most important thing.

Yeah I don't see here doing a sport, just joking around.

Just giving you a heads up. The amount of time she’ll think she’s gonna have for anything, is going to be exponentially more than she’ll actually have. I would set her up with that expectation. It is a major culture shock for a lot of people on the time commitment. It just depends on the type of student she is.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [Grant.Reuter] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 13:22

Post #20 of 25 (978 views)

Grant.Reuter wrote:

DavHamm wrote:

Ok, Thanks all for the replies sounds like not much for me to do..

OH except see if she is thinking about Rugby while in Med school...

She won’t have a time for a competitive team sport. She’ll have time to workout sometimes but unless she’s a genius or can memorize instantly she won’t have time.

Med school makes undergrad look like a joke. Med school should be for med school. I’m not saying she won’t have time for fun. There is but if she wants to get where she wants to go, studying is the most important thing.

Grant, funny you mention that about the comparison of med school to undergrad. I remember after we finished biochem (in med school), one of my class mates remarked "well, we just blew thru my entire undergrad biochem degree in six weeks". Its like drinking from a fire hose.........but I loved those years so much. It was exciting learning all this knowledge

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [eye3md] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 13:40

Post #21 of 25 (964 views)

Yeah I dropped out after about a year and a half I couldn’t keep up. I understood everything we were learning but recalling it in the time we had to memorize just was impossible for me. It was an expensive but smart choice for me.

For comparison purposes, if I remember right I think the week I left we had something like 30 hours of class plus labs. There is nothing you can do in undergrad to prepare yourself for that insanity.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [eye3md] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 13:52

Post #22 of 25 (956 views)

I was a total party boy in under grad, fraternity president and the whole shabang. I made good enough grades to get into med school and I barely studied. I figured in med school all I would do is study so it should be a piece of cake, me being so smart and all. I learned 2 things really quickly: 1) everyone in medical school is really smart. 2) I had neither the tools nor the disciple to study all the time. It took me all of the first year to figure it out and I almost didn't make it. I told my wife right before first semester exams that I thought I was gonna fail out. I buried myself in it and passed, by the barely. It was really scary there for a while. Year 2 was better and once we got in the hospital I was a rock star. I'd like to think I set some kind of record for rise in class rank over 4 years. But man, it is a real grind at the beginning, especially if you don't have good study habits.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [Grant.Reuter] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 13:58

Post #23 of 25 (954 views)

Med school was a funny experience IMHO. I found undergrad harder maybe I worked too hard making sure I got in? One thing that was good was the concepts were not particularly abstract it was mainly just memorizing a lot. The general consensus among those I hung out with was it was easy to stay in than to get in. But I hung around with a pretty low key crowd. On purpose.

You met a lot of really interesting people. The guy I shared apartment with for years 2-4 I only saw studying in the week or two before exams. He was either chasing women, playing volleyball or doing research for one of the chiefs of orthopedics. In lectures I often sat beside a guy who was swimming varsity. 100m specialist. Said he swam about 50K a week. My fiancé at the time also in med school studied a lot harder than I did. She made the honor role I missed by a few percent. But she was a lot more stressed. On the flip side it must have been hard for some. We had a suicide every year.

They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [Spiridon Louis] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 18:30

Post #24 of 25 (887 views)

That’s how I felt my first year was too. I wasn’t close to failing but I sure wasn’t close to doing decent either. Honestly I think I would have been fine if we started in the hospital in year 2. The straight book studying was too much. We had a preceptorship between year one and year two and minus me wanting knock the doctor out who I was set up with she actually was really impressed on thought I did a great job.

You could very much tell the people in my class who got in without ever talking to another person in undergrad. My guess is they struggle when they start talking to patients, it’s hard to make someone comfortable when you have the personality of a wall.

Re: MCAT -- Parental advice needed [len] [ In reply to ]

Apr 23, 19 18:31

Post #25 of 25 (883 views)

We had a guy in our class commit suicide like a week or two before graduation. That one shocked me, to be that close to done and want to end it all is horrible.

Our Partners

transition-DOT-area-AT-slowtwitch-DOT-com

Advertise with us

©1999-2024 Slowtwitch, Inc., and Slowtwitch.com
Reproduction of material from any Slowtwitch.com page
without written permission is strictly prohibited.