MCAT Frustration
August 05 2006
Studying for the MCAT is not a fun experience. The biology, organic chemistry, and verbal reasoning are all lovely and happy, and I've hardly had to look at them. Then there's the general chemistry and physics section.
Did mention that it's been over two years since I last looked at general chemistry? Or that it's been one year since physics? And that I hated every blasted second of both of them? And therefore, promptly forgot both of them?
The most frustrating part is that I would like to go to a really good school. To do this, I need to make ~12 (out of 15) on the chemistry/physics section. On practice tests, I've averaged from 9.5-10.5 on the chem/physics--good enough to get me into ETSU (esp. with the other high scores) but not Vanderbilt, Duke, or Washington U, for example. I can get the 9.5-10.5 by virtue of conceptual knowledge I've had repeated over and over again--and a fair number of lucky guesses. Granted, I seem to guess consistently well every time, but I'd rather not depend on that. The problem is in the math and the (needless!) required memorization of equations. Does anyone actually remember the flow rate equation, or the one for free energy of a molecule, for final velocity when you don't know time, or where to place an object in front of a lens to make a virtual image three times larger than the real object?
I'm supposed to be able to recall all of this, and more, at a moment's notice. Little to no reference of equations. No calculator usage. And throw in the concepts (again, that I haven't looked at in 1-2 years) on top of this. The next two weeks (test on Aug. 19) look like one big gaping chemistry/physics-driven maw, ready to swallow me and my educational dreams whole.
Did mention that it's been over two years since I last looked at general chemistry? Or that it's been one year since physics? And that I hated every blasted second of both of them? And therefore, promptly forgot both of them?
The most frustrating part is that I would like to go to a really good school. To do this, I need to make ~12 (out of 15) on the chemistry/physics section. On practice tests, I've averaged from 9.5-10.5 on the chem/physics--good enough to get me into ETSU (esp. with the other high scores) but not Vanderbilt, Duke, or Washington U, for example. I can get the 9.5-10.5 by virtue of conceptual knowledge I've had repeated over and over again--and a fair number of lucky guesses. Granted, I seem to guess consistently well every time, but I'd rather not depend on that. The problem is in the math and the (needless!) required memorization of equations. Does anyone actually remember the flow rate equation, or the one for free energy of a molecule, for final velocity when you don't know time, or where to place an object in front of a lens to make a virtual image three times larger than the real object?
I'm supposed to be able to recall all of this, and more, at a moment's notice. Little to no reference of equations. No calculator usage. And throw in the concepts (again, that I haven't looked at in 1-2 years) on top of this. The next two weeks (test on Aug. 19) look like one big gaping chemistry/physics-driven maw, ready to swallow me and my educational dreams whole.