Welcome to the MCAT Forum

**Admin** · 24-03-2005, 06:04 PM

Welcome to the MCAT forum.

This forum is for people studying for the MCAT exam

**S.Rahman** · 15-04-2005, 08:11 AM

Hi,

I want to get into medicine in the fall of 2006... but I won't be writing my MCAT till April 2006. As a Canadian resident, can I send in my application to the UK schools this fall without yet having written my MCAT?

**AndreucciodaPerugia** · 29-08-2005, 02:15 PM

I would - i mean UK schools don't ask for it - so you wouldn't be penalized. plus depending on where you apply you might have to take another exam anyway e.g. BMAT or MSAT.

Good luck!

**The Caretaker** · 31-10-2005, 12:04 AM

btw what is the avearge age of MCAT candidates as i have tried some example papers and they are hard!

i am 17 and about to do the BMAT.

**The Caretaker** · 31-10-2005, 01:11 AM

i was asking about age not scores... sorry about this!

**AndreucciodaPerugia** · 31-10-2005, 01:20 AM

oops totally missed that. I'll delete that. Most ppl taking the MCAT are in their sohompre, jnr or senior year of college - which averages 19-22 at most campuses. However there are also a lot of ppl who decide to do medicine later on in life, or after graduating (without having been pre-med in college), so there were a bunch of ppl in their mid 20s at my administration, and maybe 10 or so over 30. Your scores are only valid for 3 years (2 years at some schools) so most ppl will take it just before they apply or when they're sure they'll apply in the next couple of years.

**Scottish Chap** · 17-12-2005, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by The Caretaker

btw what is the avearge age of MCAT candidates as i have tried some example papers and they are hard!

i am 17 and about to do the BMAT.

The key to the MCAT is practice more than anything else as the timing (or lack thereof) is the major issue. In the U.S., several professional companies charge students $1500 to 'teach' them MCAT strategy. More than 50% of my medical school class took one of those courses (on principal, I did not). BTW, I'm British and I work part-time teaching MCAT strategy for one of those prep. companies. I was 28 when I took the MCAT. All the best with your interviews in the U.K.

**GladtoB** · 17-12-2005, 03:19 PM

Wait. Don't want to pick a fight but what's the principle, then? Why do you teach for one, then?

I wanted to take one of those kaplan courses, because let's face it, access to all those practice materials definitely helps. I couldn't afford it but that's life. I emailed out at school to borrow any old prep materials off of people and then miraculously a girl who'd won a voucher for any Kaplan course (she was planning to take the GRE) gave it to me as she no longer needed it. That piece of paper was worth $1,500 and she just gave it to me. Wow. She could have sold it fo r $1,000 or even $1,400, but she chose to give it to me so I took the course. I have no regrets. I spent all of my free time at the center doing as many practice papers as I could - that really made the difference. From the beginning of the course until I got my final score back my score jumped 5 points (by fluke, I guess, I had got a high score on my diagnostic) and I was very happy with the extra points.

**Scottish Chap** · 17-12-2005, 05:44 PM

[QUOTE=GladtoB]Wait. Don't want to pick a fight but what's the principle, then? Why do you teach for one, then?

I enjoy teaching and the course is well-worth it if you have a lot of money, as you say. However, I think the fees are too high and so, on principle, I did not take the course. I just studied by myself. Know assuredly that the teachers do not get all the money that students pay. Most of my students are happy with the quality of the course.

**Scottish Chap** · 12-01-2006, 03:12 AM

Originally Posted by Raja_online786

Hi Guys:
I am premed student in usa. I have done well in the first two years of my undergraduatte degree. I had the GPA=3.4 My last year was not good at all. My GPA dropped to 3.2 as i made one C, and a D grade. Its cus i am suffering from a health issue that i am working on ( Its an undefined- not diagonosed- muscular disease). I am planning to Take MCAT in this April. I am taking Kaplan classes to do well on the test. Please let me know that WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF GETTING IN MED SCHOOL IN USA or UK. What score on MCAT i have to score to get in medical school. Thanks in advance.

You'll be able to gauge your U.S. chances better by visiting this forum: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=10 In general, a GPA of 3.5 and an MCAT score of >28 (no less than 8-9 in any one section) will make you fairly competitive in the U.S. and, as a rule of thumb, the lower the GPA, the higher the MCAT score should be to give you the best chance of success. Good luck.