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View Full Version : Life Changing Exams in the Playground



Thes Hunter
2008-06-07, 09:36 PM
I am about to re-take the MCAT after a 4 year hiatus. I have basically forgotten all the physics, Gen chem and Orgo that I need to know for the exam. The bio parts I got down, given that I have a master's degree in medical physiology now.


However I am ill prepared but still need to take it THIS NEXT Friday. I need to take it to get a score, any kinda score. Since my old MCAT expired last year. :smalleek:

I will take it again, in August just before Gen Con. Hopefully with a bit more prep. :smallcool:

I am trying to view this as a practice round, since I am doing decently on the practice exams. But I am still stressing.

Hopefully Friday the 13th will continue to work it's positive mojo for me.


So anyone else lining up to take the MCAT, LSAT, DAT, GRE, GMAT, SAT, ACT or any other major life changing standardized exam?


Misery <3 company. :smallbiggrin:

OwlbearUltimate
2008-06-07, 11:03 PM
I had a state test that decides if I pass high school. This year's subject was physics, and to the honors classes (me) the test was easy. The practise tests were an absolute joke, but this one had a few difficult questions. I have no other standard tests, but I do have a 20% grade project due Wendesday, and a test on a book I have not finished Monday. Not to mention finals all next week, which will make-or-break my grade. And then, right after, a camping trip. Does anyone know the stress level it actully takes to kill someone?

Rawhide
2008-06-07, 11:27 PM
ACT = Australian Capital Territory?
TLA = ?

(ie. what do all those acronyms mean?)

ZombieRockStar
2008-06-07, 11:28 PM
Going to take the GRE sometime late this year. I want to do my MA in the States...specifically at Case Western Reserve. All I can say is....what the hell? The basic exam is unbelievably simple and the English comp is so ridiculously...comprehensive. It's so simple that all they're testing is whether I know anything about a given text or not...they're not asking any analysis or anything. Just identification questions, really. But, at the same time they expect me to know everything (well...everything Greek, British and American...maybe some French and German if I'm lucky 9_9).

I feel at a disadvantage because I haven't really studied American lit. Never read Hawthorne, for instance. At least my study plan is simple...read insanely over the next six or so months. I hope CWR's admissions office also takes a look at the undergrad thesis I'm doing and evaluates me on more than test scores.

Jack Squat
2008-06-07, 11:48 PM
Well, I'm going to be taking the test for my motorcycle license in the next month or two, not exactly standardized, but life changing all the same.

Although my parents are not letting me do more than practice around the neighborhood for awhile. This has something to do with my dad getting in a wreck (someone rearended him) his first summer having a bike, and being thrown into the oncoming lane. But hey, I can't afford a bike at the moment, so it's my mom's bike, her rules.

Thes Hunter
2008-06-08, 12:07 AM
So anyone else lining up to take the MCAT, LSAT, DAT, GRE, GMAT, SAT, ACT or any other major life changing standardized exam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_standardized_tests_in_the_United_States)?


Smart arsed aussies :smalltongue:

Of course being a Trogican, I only really know about Trogican exams: But let me clarify for those of you not from Trogland.


MCAT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MCAT) - Medical College Admissions Test - For those silly souls desiring to be an MD. (aka, an allopathic physican (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allopathic_medicine))
LSAT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_School_Admission_Test) - Law School Admissions Test - For those souls brave enough to face lawyer jokes for their remaining days.
DAT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_Admission_Test) - Dental Admissions Test - For those people wanting a career looking into peoples mouths.
GRE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduate_Record_Examination) - Graduate Records Examination - For anyone wanting to go to Grad school, though there is a wide variety of individual subject tests.
GMAT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMAT)- Graduate Management Admissions Test - For those peeps who want to get an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) like Roy.
SAT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAT) - Scholastic Aptitude Test - For those peeps wanting to go so college on the west and east coasts of Trogland.
ACT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACT_%28examination%29) - the letters not really standing for anything - Is for those peeps who want to attend college in the middle of Trogland.


And one should also mention:

TOEFL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TOEFL) - Test of English Fluency as a second Language - For non-native speakers wishing to show that they know English grammar better than more native speakers.
PCAT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pcat) - Pharmacy Admissions Test
VCAT - Veterinary Admissions Test



But please by all means do not take the above list as a sign that these are the only exams we can talk about. They are just a few examples. People please feel free to add your own

A test to decide if you can graduate from high school or not is pretty life changing.

Skippy
2008-06-08, 12:41 AM
Tomorrow I'm doing the admission exam to University. I left High School three years ago, so I guess I'm going to need a great effort in my memory. Wish me luck everyone.

SDF
2008-06-08, 06:14 AM
I'm taking the MCAT and GRE next year in hopes of getting into a Ph.D/MD program at Johns Hopkins. The rest of my transcript looks awesome, so at this point I'm kind of hopeful :P

Thes Hunter
2008-06-11, 09:17 PM
I guess there aren't as many people out in the world cramming their little brains full of as much information as they can for months on end.

But peoples, this is also a wish peeps luck thread... you don't have to be going through this self-flagellation in order to post here. :smalltongue:



I had a state test that decides if I pass high school. This year's subject was physics, and to the honors classes (me) the test was easy. The practise tests were an absolute joke, but this one had a few difficult questions. I have no other standard tests, but I do have a 20% grade project due Wendesday, and a test on a book I have not finished Monday. Not to mention finals all next week, which will make-or-break my grade. And then, right after, a camping trip. Does anyone know the stress level it actully takes to kill someone?


So you have to know physics to pass highschool these days? Man I would have failed!

And the stress level that actually kills someone is higher than I have right now, so it must be pretty high.



Going to take the GRE sometime late this year. I want to do my MA in the States...specifically at Case Western Reserve. All I can say is....what the hell? The basic exam is unbelievably simple and the English comp is so ridiculously...comprehensive.


Good luck mate with all the reading, and the exam when you take it. But dude... better you than me. English... it burns us......</golem voice>



Tomorrow I'm doing the admission exam to University. I left High School three years ago, so I guess I'm going to need a great effort in my memory. Wish me luck everyone.

It's a little late, oops. But I am sure you did well. And admissions commitees like people who have more maturity when they apply for school.




I'm taking the MCAT and GRE next year in hopes of getting into a Ph.D/MD program at Johns Hopkins. The rest of my transcript looks awesome, so at this point I'm kind of hopeful :P

As I have said before, you are making all the right moves, and I am sure you will get the spot in John Hopkins like you want. Good luck with your courses this year and your studying for the exams. If you want any advice, I'll give you what I can.




---


This is probably the last time I will post before I take my exam on.... Friday the 13th dun dun DUN! :smalleek:

So wish me luck, I think I am going to need it.

I wonder if they will let me take a rabbits foot into the testing center.....

Rawhide
2008-06-11, 09:26 PM
I guess there aren't as many people out in the world cramming their little brains full of as much information as they can for months on end.

Hey! Just because my tests aren't standardised doesn't mean I'm not cramming...

MandibleBones
2008-06-11, 09:27 PM
My wife's about to take her WAPS test for E-5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weighted_Airmen_Promotion_System), if that counts. I assure you she's been likewise cramming her head full of knowledge of debatable utility for quite some time now. On that note, we wish that you would indeed break a leg.

Wayril
2008-06-11, 09:39 PM
It's not standardized, but my multivariable calc final this morning sure felt like it was life-changing. It wasn't very hard but I didn't know how to do the first problem and I stressed out more than I did for any SAT or AP exam.

Well, in the spirit of mutual suffering, good luck everyone. :smallsmile:

I feel like a hypocrite for saying this, but remember to get lots of sleep the night before.



Never read Hawthorne, for instance. At least my study plan is simple...read insanely over the next six or so months.

Oh you're not missing out on much there. The Scarlet Letter is tolerable, but The House of the Seven Gables is such a painful read (avoid if possible)

Anyway good luck with all the reading, and more importantly good luck on the test.


Hopefully Friday the 13th will continue to work it's positive mojo for me.


Lucky number 13 FTW!

Lord Omberous
2008-06-11, 09:43 PM
The SOLs (Standards of Learning) exams changed my life. Namely, they made me realize that I hate retarded, useless, simple standardized tests.

RTGoodman
2008-06-11, 09:49 PM
Well, I've got a while, but I need to start thinking about the GRE sometime soon. I'm taking a year off before starting grad school, but a lot of the places I'm looking at mean I'm gonna need a pretty good one. (I mean, I graduated with a 3.696 GPA [i.e., only one B in my whole undergraduate career] and a lot of various honors and such, but I'm willing to bet Harvard's Celtic Studies graduate program is going to still want me to have a decent GRE score.)

The last time I took a standardized test was the SAT, and that was like 4 years ago. Of course, I wasn't worried about that; I am a little worried about the GRE, because I don't really know much about it.

Speaking of grad school, anyone across the pond happen to know off-hand if I need to take any special exam to go to grad school in Ireland or the UK?

Also, best of luck to all of you preparing for tests!

phoenixineohp
2008-06-11, 10:23 PM
I have luckily not had to write one of the massive ones. Being friends with a lot of pre vet students, I get to see the stress. And then there is my pre medical friend. Oh my...

I wish you and anyone else in that sort of situation the best of luck. Break a brain! (Just not yours!)

H. Zee
2008-06-12, 01:28 AM
I'm taking a Geography GCSE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gcse) in about six hours. :smallsmile: Wish me luck. It's the last GCSE I'll ever take - I've done all the rest over the last month or so.

Zeb The Troll
2008-06-12, 02:07 AM
I'm taking the MCAT and GRE next year in hopes of getting into a Ph.D/MD program at Johns Hopkins. The rest of my transcript looks awesome, so at this point I'm kind of hopeful :PJust me being nosy here. If you get in, you'd be schooling here in Baltimore? If so, then I insist you let us offer you an in person celebratory dinner/drink/coffe when you start attending.

Good luck, everyone, on your tests.

Jack, have you taken any kind of course yet? If not I highly recommend taking something approved by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. I don't know about the test where you live, but here in Maryland I wouldn't have been able to pass it without some instruction. Not trying to stress you out or anything, but there's more to riding a motorcycle than doing laps in a parking lot. :smallcool:

*makes note that he promised to restart the Hog Goblins thread and hasn't done that yet*

LCR
2008-06-12, 02:15 AM
Luckily, I've already gotten into medical school, so the next big step would be the first part of the German equivalent of the USMLE next year.
And I should be studying for my biochemistry finals tomorrow, but really ... who needs cellular signal transduction ...

InaVegt
2008-06-12, 05:49 AM
Well, I'm not gonna do any soon.

However, I'm gonna get the results of a couple today *crosses fingers*

Tom_Violence
2008-06-12, 07:18 AM
I took the GRE back in January, even though I'm a Brit, because I was intending to be going to grad school in the US this September. But, plans have changed etc. etc., and even though I got a pretty good score I still reckon I can do better if I take another crack at it. :smallbiggrin:

leperkhaun
2008-06-12, 07:32 AM
SKT and PDG. Not really a general test, its used by the air force for promotion to NCO and SNCO ranks.

Tested for SSgt this year, its a big leap from airman to NCO.

The SKT is your career knowledge test. The PDG is about AF history and managment type stuff.

MandibleBones
2008-06-12, 08:37 AM
Tested for SSgt this year, its a big leap from airman to NCO.

Yeah. I missed the cutoff by about three weeks this year; I'll test next year. Got my fingers crossed for my wife, though.

Player_Zero
2008-06-12, 09:25 AM
Just took my first chemistry A2 exam. I failed miserably, and so I wrote 'Tony Stark', 'A box of scraps' or 'In a cave' for a good number of the questions.

True story. :smallbiggrin:

Arioch
2008-06-12, 09:37 AM
It's GCSE season at the moment in the UK. I've done almost all of mine - just part 1 of each of the sciences to go (for some reason they put parts 2 and 3 before part 1). I've also done three AS modules. Not so sure about how I did on them, but I'm confident on most of my GCSEs.

On the plus side, because of all this, my parents are paying for my 4e books. :smallsmile: