When I entered college three years ago, I took a free practice MCAT offered by Kaplan.
Three years later, I took a practice MCAT again. This time, I was trying for real. I had been in college for three years already, so I had to do better– right?
Apparently not. After three years of schooling, my score raised only by a nominal point.
Unlike during my freshman year, where I could just brush it off…
…I can’t really ignore it now.
Since I’m graduating college in a year, I actually have to think about my future now. Part of this has become studying for the MCAT, also known as the Medical College Admission Test. Among all of the grad school exams, the MCAT is particularly notorious. It is long, hard, demands a great deal of memorized knowledge, and is designed to weed out the weak.
The weak, including me.
So I registered for one of Kaplan’s online MCAT courses.
I knew that I would have to study hard for this exam. It covers organic chemistry, general chemistry, biology, physics, and verbal reasoning– all subjects that I have struggled with in the past. But I was still a little shocked when I received my Kaplan review books in the mail.
I was even more shocked when I started to read the material.
As it turns out, I haven’t learned 50% of the content I’m supposed to know for the MCAT, ever. The other 50% I studied years ago. In between my full-time internship and increasingly time-consuming half-marathon training, I continued to study.
My first MCAT class rolled around.
Try as I might, I could not keep up.
But as life got in the way, even the weekends failed me.
Falling so behind started to get to me.
There was only one thing to do.
So now, I’ve bought myself a little more time (literally, as changing your MCAT test date costs $65) to prep for this exam. In other words, I’ve delayed my inevitable collapse until October.
Maybe I should go into business instead.
I bet you’ve learned a lot. Perhaps it’s simply not the things needed for the MCAT. After all, unless university has been easy, it did require some mental work (which hopefully means you learned something).
Have you considered using Anki or other SRS to help with study? Not that anything beats just exposing yourself to the material over and over again. Maybe this story will inspire you: http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/blog/success-storykinda-srs-and-the-power-and-value-of-memory ? Maybe not. I can never get around to using SRS. orz
You know, I haven’t heard of Anki or SRS before your comment. I just downloaded the Anki app, though– the spaced repetition technique sounds really neat. Anything that’ll help me study is gladly welcomed! Now to find some MCAT flashcards to download…
DO B-SCHOOL IT IS AWESOME AND WILL TEACH YOU SO MUCH ABOUT BEING A REAL PERSON
I DON’T KNOW HOW TO BE A REAL PERSON!! I ONLY KNOW HOW TO BE A SCIENTIST
Best of luck for the exam!
Hopefully all goes well for you these coming months. 🙂
Thank you! I’ll do my best. 🙂
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I also cram school, commuting, artwork, job, and side jobs to keep the bills paid. I gave up lots of things I can’t afford or don’t have time left to include, years ago. Your story actually inspired me not to be discouraged. As long as I keep going I will eventually finish. I guess I blended the running comic with the studying comic, but thanks for them both.
Life can get tough, without a doubt. Keep hanging in there! I’m glad my comics helped, even if only a little. Thank you for reading them, and good luck!
They helped more than I realized at first, because I woke up this morning with that beleagered runner’s determined face in my mind, and I chuckled before I got up. Thanks again.