<p>ok, first let me say that i am NOT a premed student currently and i’m not even sure if that’s what i want to do later when i am in college. however, i am wondering if studying for the mcat is really worth it.</p>
<p>the reason i am asking this is because my father took the mcat when he was in college (he is not a doctor now, for other reasons) and scored very well on it. by very well i mean above 37, maybe even above 40. he didn’t study for it.</p>
<p>i think this could be because
a) he was an inherently good test-taker (he also got a 1590 or so on the SATs with no studying) or
b) the test was easier then (i kind of doubt this but it’s possible) or
c) studying for the mcat isn’t all it’s cracked up to be</p>
<p>so – is studying for the mcat really worth it? or is taking the classes pertaining to the subjects on the mcat enough for most people, as it was for him? or is he just a rare case? i would appreciate your honest opinions :).</p>
<p>I think your father is a rarity. I think that studying for the MCAT is a MUST. I’m currently preparing for the April MCAT, and I was stunned by my first practice test. It’s both knowledge- and problem solving-based. You will be presented with passages and have to deduce answers from the information given. I think it’s worthwhile just getting used to the format of the test. Plus, I learned some of the material on the MCAT (such as general chemistry) my freshman year. As a junior now, I barely remember the gchem, so I really need to study. I have many friends who have taken the MCAT and none of them have had a story like your father’s, so again, he must be amazing. :)</p>
<p>Just because your father is very intelligent and a great test taker doesn’t mean that everyone else is. Not everybody gets 37+ on the MCAT. In fact, I believe the national average score is 25. Clearly, not everyone does well, even if they studied. I think this proves that statement c) is false. Medical school is not easy, nor is the entrance exam.</p>
<p>Having been a Kaplan Instructor, and seeing where most students begin and what they end up with…I’d say that studying for the MCAT is not only REALLY worth it, but also necessary for a good score. For most students even just the length, and format is enough to result in poor scores even when they know the material well.</p>
<p>I don’t want you to think that I’m calling you a liar, but I’m somewhat skeptical as to what your father really scored. I’m not saying it’s impossible, just so rare that it raises eyebrows. I know there is no way for you to prove to me directly what he did or didn’t score, so it’s a moot point. While the SAT score is impressive, the quality of the test taking population of the MCAT is significantly, and a 37 is well into the upper 90’s percentiles (at least currently). It’s possible that since it’s a score relative to other test takers that in the years where larger numbers of less talented students took the test it would be easier to score higher.</p>
<p>However, all that said, I’ve always said that the test is one of critical thinking, and that if you were exceptional at that, you’d have a leg up. Knowing the science is important, but knowing how to use information appropriately is the real key. </p>
<p>Anyways bottom line is, that your father, if true, is the rare exception.</p>
<p>I’ve occasionally heard of a student taking a practice test cold and hitting a 36-ish score, but then… you should still study, because every point matters and studying could bring you up another couple points.</p>
<p>I also believe that preparation and studying and a review course are critical-to get used to the format, to review stuff you once knew but have forgotten etc…I took my physics course over a summer break at a state university near my home, and I can tell you, without a review of physics prior to the MCAT-I would have been screwed.</p>
<p>thank for the replies…this was pretty much what i was expecting to hear.</p>
<p>i should mention that he is now 60 years old, so this was quite a long time ago, and that when he took it he and his classmates were told specifically not to study.</p>
<p>That actually makes sense - more and more people are taking prep courses…if everyone took it cold, the results would likely be more representative of one’s inherent ability.</p>