About This Blog

Hey friends!

If you're reading this, then it means you have found yourself in one of the most unenviable positions of the pre-med world: studying for the MCAT. Trust me, I feel your pain. I took this test twice: first in September 2014 (on the old exam) and again in May 2015 (on the new and dreaded updated exam).

Why, you rightfully might ask, would I want the advice of someone who took the test twice? Well, here's your answer. The first time around, I studied my butt off for three months. I took a course, bought extra books to study from, did 19 practice tests (no that is not a typo, I went that crazy) and had my crazy-smart, extremely gifted boyfriend (who scored a 37...damn him) tutor me in the my weakest areas and guide me (from his own now-removed and quite excellent pre-med blog) on the do's and don'ts of the MCAT. My average score was around a 35, the lowest practice test score I ever got was one 31, and I even scored three 39's in a row. But on test day, things just did not go my way, and I got a 29 (73rd percentile), doing far worse than I ever imagined my worst case scenario score could be.

Flash forward to 9 months later, and here I am writing this advice blog. Why? Because I picked myself up off the ground somehow, made a plan so I could incorporate the best study schedule into my already-packed senior year, and vowed that no matter what at the end of this entire process I would be able to say I gave it my absolute best. That led to me scoring a 514 (130 on Physical and 128 on CARS, Bio, and Psych sections...91st percentile and very rough equivalent to 34-35 on the old test) on the new MCAT.

This is why I am writing this blog. I can speak to the select few students who have or will have taken both the old and new exams, as well as the vast majority who are looking for help on the new MCAT. I can serve the role of my wonderful ex in that, while I may not have scored in the 97th percentile like he did, I did pretty darn well and can feel comfortable in offering my opinions and tips on how to do well on this exam. Finally, I hope I can serve as a feel-good story and source of hope for anyone out there struggling with this exam. This exam is a B***H to take. It's meant to separate the men from the boys, to test you mentally, physically, and emotionally, and to determine if you have what it takes to cut it as a doctor. While standardized tests may not be your thing (and in my opinion are a terrible indicator in what kind of doctor you will be...but that's an argument for another day), the point is you have to take this exam, and knowing that there are people like me who struggled through and ended up okay may be the thing that gets you through this insanity.

So strap in, buckle up, and let's do this thing!

P.S. Feel free to post comments or send me emails if there's any topic or question you would like me to cover that I didn't touch on. I'll try to do my best to be as thorough as I can, but hey, we're all human.

**Update: 04/25/16: Since starting this blog last year, I have completed 99% of the medical school application process. I did four interviews, which resulted in one rejection, one acceptance, and two wait lists (TBA after April 30th when the drop date happens). 



~Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard~