I flew into Pheonix this past weekend to take my first (hopefully last) official MCAT exam. I took the advice of many followers from my previous posting and am pleased to say that it helped.
On Friday (the day before my exam), I spent the day in my hotel room watching the NBA playoffs. As the sun went down, I decided to visit the hotel Jacuzzi for a bit. I have never been a “Jacuzzi person,” so that lasted for 10-15 minutes.
Before going to bed, I decided to do something that I had recently been neglecting; I began reading the bible. No, I am not going to press the bible in this posting, but what I will acknowledge is the fact that after reading, my anxiety and intimidation toward the exam became merely obsolete.
I suppose, if I could offer one bit of advice to any non-traditional premed taking the exam, it would be to remember what brought you to this point in your life. We, as non-traditionalists, have “a reason” for choosing the path towards medicine. Remind yourself that regardless of your personal religious beliefs, there is a reason why your life’s journey has brought you to this point.
Over the past four years, I have become so consumed in the struggles of undergraduate academia, that at times, have lost focus on the “big picture.”
So, the night before my exam, I recollected on my life’s journey, and the events that have led me here. That being said, I came to realize that if this is what I am meant to do, for the greater good of humanity, I have no reason to be afraid. Period.
I would love to discuss my experience of actually taking the MCAT, but the truth of the matter is this; I honestly remember very little of how it was. I don’t know if that is a good thing or not, but I know that the moment I clicked “begin,” the concept of intimidation was no longer an issue.
Yes, ALOT of what I studied was never mentioned in the exam, and some topics were a bit more challenging than anticipated. But after taking several practice exams in the past, I like to believe that I have developed a good sense of making “educated guesses,” when necessary.
If anyone has any questions about preparation, the BIGGEST piece of advice I will give is simple. TAKE PRACTICE EXAMS, TAKE PRACTICE EXAMS, AND TAKE PRACTICE EXAMS!!! If you suck at verbal reasoning (like I do), read passages until you are blue in the face. I wish I had begun reading earlier on in my prep work, but what’s done is done.
In conclusion, for those of us wishing to become future physicians, think long and hard about WHY you have chosen this path. If your motivations are humble and sincere, I believe that things will work out in YOUR best interest. I don’t have a stellar GPA, nor will I probably have an epic MCAT score, but like many of you non-traditionalists, I have a reason. Don’t lose sight of your goals. Best of luck to everyone. RAK CHAZAK!!!
Awesome words of encouragement for us. Thank you for sharing!
What’s the GPA, if you don’t mind telling? I’m curious where I stand in the grand scheme of things…
Thank you for the words of wisdom!! I will take them to heart!! 
ok…12 years ago, I got straight C’s at UC Irvine. Spent most of my time slacking off and chasing girls when I was 18. 12 years later, those grades continue to hinder my GPA, but hey, this is my life. My overall is around 3.3-3.4ish. The way I see it, I am not competing with the other student. I am competing against the university. The beauty of being a non-traditionalist is that a GPA doesn’t even come close to describing who we are. I like to think that many other people feel the same.
To those who are “that” concerned about their stats like I sometimes am, I just remind myself, “believe that if this is my path, there is no reason to fear or be uncertain of the hurdles along the way. Just get it done!!!”
I have realized that many premeds don’t particularly like talking about their stats. It almost appears that talking about political affiliations is more appropriate than grades. I don’t care discussing any of my academic and non-academic characteristics. If anyone has any questions, I don’t mind discussing. Why wouldn’t I help out??
Thank you for these Divinely inspired words of wisdom. I’ll refer to them often as I prepare for the MCAT. Actually, I’m working on my dissertation, I defend next month and after writing more than I ever thought possible, I can’t wait to take a test, and more tests :)!
No need to wish you luck because it won’t be necessary. When you are ready to begin studying and taking practice tests, let me know. I would love to be of service. : )
Thank you so much! Will do 