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What I am doing this summer to prepare for medical school
This summer, I am Volunteering and working alongside doctors at Yale New Haven Hospital. Volunteering at Yale New Haven Hospital to research Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is an eye-opening experience! I assist with data collection, patient interactions, and literature reviews, gaining invaluable medical knowledge and research…
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How I use Google Calendar and Notion to balance my life as a pre-med student
Hi everyone! My name is Annie Tran. I go to Indiana University, majoring in human biology. As a pre-med student, I prioritize academics, but I also make sure to dedicate time to my hobbies and social events to avoid burnout. To keep my life balanced and organized, I rely on two tools: Google Calendar and Notion. Google…
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My Summer 2024
Hello everyone! My name is Lauren and I am a senior at FSU. I have been an SBA with kaplan alittle over a year now! It has been so fun to grow with my fellow peers! I would like to take a moment to talk about what my Summer 2024 looks like! I plan to graduate this fall, so it is definitely coming sooner than later flooding…
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Ask a Medical Student Anything: What should I do over the summer?
Hi there! I’m Madison, a medical student in the Northeast in their fourth year of medical school. Today, I’m going to discuss how you should approach your summer! The medical school application process can be stressful – between undergraduate classes, extracurriculars, research, shadowing, and studying for the MCAT, it is…
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To Gap or Not to Gap: The Post-Undergrad Dilemma for Pre-Meds
Hi fellow pre-meds! I’m excited to share that I’ve just graduated as a Bachelor of Science majoring in Human Biology and Immunology, with a minor in Psychology! As many of us toss our caps into the air and bid farewell to undergrad life, a pressing question looms: Should we dive straight into medical school, or take a gap…
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My Pre-Med Summer
Hey all! It's Sydney from The University of Alabama! I'm a SBA at UA about to enter my senior year as a chemistry major on the pre-med track, which basically means I'm at the busiest summer I've ever had. I'm in the middle of the process of applying to medical school, and I hope to have my primary application submitted to…
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Summer: Pre-Med Edition
Hi everyone, it's Brooke from Georgia Tech. As a rising 4th year, this is my last summer of undergrad (in denial about this😭)… so I wanted to take some time to dive into what I did during my three summer breaks: My 1st summer, I decided to study abroad in Europe at a satellite campus in Metz, France. I spent three months…
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Which one do you prioritize?
Hi everyone! I’m Abby, a pre-med student at the University of Houston. Between my studies and my involvement with organizations, I’ve often heard the classic college saying: "Sleep, Social Life, or School—Pick Two." This phrase is something many of us can relate to, especially as pre-med students with jam-packed schedules.…
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Summer Plans
At the beginning of this summer, I did an abroad program for Public Health in Madrid. It was an amazing experience and I learned so much about the healthcare field! I am currently studying for the MCAT with the help of Kaplan!! It's definitely a long, hard process, but I am so grateful for all the resources and guidance…
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Pre-Med Success: Balancing Books and Beyond
Hi everyone! I’m Abby, a pre-med student at the University of Houston, majoring in Public Health with a minor in Biology. When I'm not buried in textbooks, I’m working as a Member Relations Officer for the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA). Today, I want to talk about something that many pre-med students struggle…
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Pre-Med Success: Balance Books and Beyond
Hi everyone! I’m Abby, a pre-med student at the University of Houston, majoring in Public Health with a minor in Biology. When I'm not buried in textbooks, I’m working as a Member Relations Officer for the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA). Today, I want to talk about something that many pre-med students struggle…
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My Summer!! #SBAGiveway
My summer so far has been filled to the brim with activities, whether it be studying for the MCAT (which I'm taking in August, wish me luck), shadowing a Neurologist at Jackson Memorial Hospital, or working on campus at the University of Miami! It's been quite a packed summer for me, and stressful at times as the MCAT…
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Summer full of MCAT!
This summer I'm using Kaplan's Live Online course to study for my MCAT in July. It's been a long and wild ride, but I'm feeling more and more prepared every day :) I'm so excited to start school back up and hopefully be done with MCAT studying!
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Isn't the rate of Rxn is the rate of the slow step or do have to write the overall equation
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Weight Training… for CARS?
Part 1 What does weight training have to do with CARS? Are we suggesting that you ditch the dumbbells and start lifting automobiles to get swole? More power to you if you can handle that kind of weight load, but the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section of the MCAT actually rewards your ability to carry a very…
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Personal Satement
I'm struggling in trying to focus on studying while I don't have my personal statement ready. I don't even know how to start writing it. Any advice on personal statement.
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Happy Monday!
Just a little encourage-mint on this Monday✨ morning :)
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Start With Heart: Personal Statements ❤️📄
A crucial part of your medical school application is your personal statement. We took a look at the Community to find some awesome advice our instructors have shared. Start with heart! Showcase your passion on why you want to go to medical school from our own Claudia Mikail. Here’s all of Claudia’s advice: “You want your…
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🎓🎉 Congratulations to the Class of 2024! 🎉🎓
Interrupting our pre-med goodness with a reason to celebrate! Today we raise our virtual hats to celebrate the remarkable Class of 2024. 🌟👏 To all graduates, your hard work, determination, and resilience have brought you this far and as you step into the next chapter, we are grateful to be part of it here in the Kaplan…
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What are the Components of the Medical School Application? 🤔 Part 2 of 2
Did you miss part one? Check it out here: What are the Components of the Medical School Application Part 1? After submitting your primary application, the next stage of the application process involves completing secondary applications for the individual medical schools to which you’ve applied. Most medical schools will…
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What are the Components of the Medical School Application? 🤔 Part 1 of 2
The medical school application is a lot like a growing embryo, undergoing several stages of development before achieving its final form. The first step is the primary application. If you’re applying to allopathic (M.D.) medical schools in the U.S., you’ll complete the AMCAS application. If applying to osteopathic (D.O.)…
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How long before my test date should I set my study end date for?
Hi, My test date is on August 2nd and I'm building my study schedule for the summer. I am doing the MCAT live online prep course and the schedule builder feature asked me when I wanted to finish studying. Is there an ideal time I should set this for? I currently picked June 31st under the impression that would include…
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Meme Monday
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The 2025 Medical School Application Season Has Officially Opened
Hi, my name is Maria Lofftus, and I am a Kaplan Medical School Admissions Consultant. Today, the 2025 medical school application season opened. Below is a list of important AMCAS-associated dates, links to valuable AMCAS resources, and how to learn more about the TMDSAS and AACOMAS application processes. Important…
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Ask a Medical Student Anything: What do you wish you knew before applying to medical school?
Hi there! I’m Madison, a medical student in the Northeast who just started their fourth year of medical school. I’ve spoken to a number of premedical students over the years, and it made me reflect on things that I wish someone had told me before I applied. I discovered a lot of this stuff from browsing forums, and unless…
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Does picking a major in pre-med feel a bit like being stuck in a box? 📦🩺🥼
You're not the only one! Break free from the box — click here to learn more about the preferred major myth. Then, share your major and story below 😊✨
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Salt Bridge Purpose in Galvanic Cells
Hi! After searching and googling, I couldn't find a good answer for why the salt bridge is important in the Galvanic Cells. From what I have found, all answers mention salt bridge prevent the unbalanced charge difference caused by electrons (e) moving from the anode to the cathode where they interact with the ion that has…
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Let's talk about the pathway to medical school!
Want to hear from a formal med student on her path to med school? Check this video out and let us know your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
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can someone please review my personal statement?
I'm applying this year, I would send it to whoever responds.
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Comprehensive Prep: What’s the difference between Teacher-Led and On-Demand? 🤔
Let's paint a picture: You're gearing up for your MCAT prep. It's not about 'if' or even 'when' you'll take the MCAT—you may already know that part. The challenge now is 'how.' How do you start studying? If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. According to the AAMC, 65% of test-takers in 2023 had difficulty determining…
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✨️Free MCAT QBANK!!!!🙌🏽
Want a chance to win a free 3 month MCAT Qbank subscription? Just add a profile picture and you're automatically entered to win! If you already have a picture uploaded or you're looking for more ways to enter, every post or comment you make will earn you a new entery. Read more here.
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Top 5 FAQ - Question 2: How to determine if I need tutoring?
Hey Kaplan Pre-Med Community! My name is Angeleigh, and I am an enrollment counselor at Kaplan. My team helps thousands of students each year with getting started on- or changing the course of- their MCAT prep journeys. One of the most common questions we get asked is "Is private tutoring right for me?". So, how do you…
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Top 5 FAQ - Question 1: How/When should I build a study plan?
So, study planning, eh? We all know it’s important, but it also feels like such a chore, and anyway can’t we just follow the document someone linked on Reddit? (Spoilers: No) What makes it especially tough for me (aside from confronting the reality that I already have way less time for studying than I maybe wanted) is that…
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Free MCAT Event Tomorrow! (4/9) @ 7pm EST
Greetings Pre-Med Fam! I'll be hosting a free MCAT event tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7pm EST. In it we'll work though a passage and several MCAT questions as well as talk about schedule building and test day planning. Please join if you're available and want to talk shop! The event can be found on our events page at it says…
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Tomorrow is Score Release Day!
How is everyone feeling? Let us know in the comments :)
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Things to do while you wait for AAMC to release your scores🫠🫠🫠
Waiting is hard. Luckily, we've compiled a list of things you can do while you wait for your scores. Keep it going in the comments below😂… 🏃➡️Marathon the longest movie series you can find.🍿 By the time you're done, you might have forgotten about the scores entirely.🤷🏽♀️ 🍳Try out a new recipe for every cuisine you can…
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🚨New Giveaway Alert!‼️🚨 📸Pre-Med Spring Profile Picture Giveaway🎁
✨Spring Giveaway✨🎁 We're giving away One (1) three-month access pass to Qbank prep for the MCAT exam ($199 value)!🎉 To enter all you have to do is add a profile picture to your account during the promotion period of Friday, April 5, 2024, at 12:00 am CT through Friday, April 26, 2024, at 12:00 am CT. Here's how to do that:…
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🚨❓Ask Us Anything with Maria Lofftus, Admissions Consultant: Clinical vs Research Experience
Hi, my name is Maria Lofftus and I am a Kaplan Medical School Admissions Consultant. I am often asked by applicants which is more important to a medical school admissions committee, research, or clinical experience. They also want to know what makes a good clinical experience. Of all the components of your medical school…
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❓️Ask Us Anything❓️- When are you "done" with content review? 📖
As an instructor, I hear a lot from students about their MCAT study plans, past and present, and there's always a question that comes up. "If I set aside 4-6 months for MCAT studying, how much of that should be dedicated to content review?" And it's a valid question! Since the MCAT covers SO much ground, the number one…
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Ask Us Anything! With Claudia Mikail, MD, MPH, & Kaplan Medical School Admissions Consultant
Hi, my name is Claudia Mikail, MD, MPH, and I'm a Kaplan Medical School Admissions Consultant. A common question we get is "Do I need to take all med school required courses (like physics and sociology) before I take the MCAT?" The MCAT is a lot like life. There’s an ideal way to prepare for it and a real way to prepare…
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Free Webinar TONIGHT! Topic: How/Why to gain clinical experience abroad✈️🌍
Atlantis is a company that facilitates opportunities to travel abroad and build your healthcare application. Hear from a panel consisting of Atlantis alumni who spent time during summer break gaining clinical experience. The panelists will discuss this program and answer your questions. This webinar is relevant for any…
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Happy Meme Monday!😊
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❓What’s a Good MCAT Score? - Answered by ME, Logan, a Kaplan instructor 👨🏫😊
The MCAT is an important exam that is required for acceptance to most medical schools in the US and Canada. As you embark on your MCAT journey, you might find yourself asking: What’s a good MCAT score? Unfortunately, there isn’t one simple answer to point to saying, “this is it – the GOOD score!” Really, the question of…
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Ask Us Anything! - When should I take the MCAT?
So, when is the best time to take the MCAT? Ultimately, it’s when you’re ready. The question now becomes, “When is the best time to be ready?” Well, that could be any time for anyone; you’ll have to look into your own calendar and think about your own goals to make that determination. A bit daunting, yes? In this post,…
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Test Day is coming on March 9 - last minute suggestions
With Test Day coming on March 9, what should you be doing to prepare over these last few days? Here are some veteran Kaplan teacher suggestions: Take your final practice test (AAMC 5, called the Free Scored Sample Exam) 1 week before your test date. Don't cram in the last few days - if you don't know it by now, you won't…
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What's your major, and does it matter to admissions?
Hi all! If you haven’t seen me around, I’m Madison, a rising fourth year medical student in the Northeast. Most of my life now is electives, research, studying for Step 2, and making sure my cats don’t cause indescribable chaos – which is a fair bit different from how things were in undergrad! Today, I’m going to talk…
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Did you get your scores back on Friday?
If you got your scores back on Friday or have recently taken the MCAT, what advice would you give to your former self about the exam or what tip would you share with a friend about your experience? Let us know in the comments!
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Happy Meme Monday!
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MCAT Registration for July-September 2024
Hello Folks, Registration for the MCAT for July-September 2024 opens at noon today (2/27) at noon Eastern. Here is a link on information and to the registration page:
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Happy #MemeMonday😂
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🚨MCAT Score Release For January 18th Test Takers🚨
Today, the AAMC released the scores of the 1/18 test takers. Did you take the test last month? If so, let us know how your experience was, and feel free to share any advice you have for those testing next in the comments below.
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How's your MCAT prep journey going? 😅 #MemeMonday
Are you just starting out and feeling the excitement, or knee-deep in study materials and feeling the pressure? Share your stage of preparation and support each other through the rollercoaster ride to success! 🚀
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Discover the Doctor in You: 5 Steps to Jump-Start Your Med School Application (Step 5)
Welcome to Step 5 of our "mini-series!" So far we've talked about Who You Are, What You Do, Where You Are, and Why You're Interested in Medicine. Now we'll focus on When You're Applying. If you plan on submitting your application in Spring 2024 for entrance to medical school in Fall 2025, now is a good time to get started…
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Personal Statements
Any tips or advice on writing a personal statement. I don't want it to sound to "story-like" but also not boring as well. How do you balance the two?
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When Should You Take the MCAT?
Thank you for attending our event on when to take the MCAT! What are some key insights or takeaways that you gained today? Share in the comments below!👇 As a bonus, here is a free practice test you can take to see where you're at.
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Discover the Doctor in You: 5 Steps to Jump-Start Your Med School Application (Step 4)
Hi, all, hope you had a great weekend! So far we've talked about Who You Are, What You Do, and Where You Are. Step 4 will focus on Why You're Interested in Medicine. Clearly articulating why you want to devote your life to this career is paramount to a powerful application. It's not enough to simply state your desire to…
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Discover the Doctor in You: 5 Steps to Jump-Start Your Med School Application (Step 3)
So far we've talked about WHO YOU ARE and WHAT YOU DO. Now it's time to explore… WHERE YOU ARE: Where did you grow up? Did you face any challenges in that environment? What were your experiences with healthcare? What worked well? What didn't? Where did you go to college? How was it different from home? How did you adjust…
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Event Discussion: MCAT Prep Week -Mastering Metabolism Workshop 📚
✨Tonight, expert MCAT instructor @Ae-Ri led night 3 of our MCAT Prep week with tonights topic: "Mastering Metabolism".✨ In the comments below, let us know what you found most helpful from today's session.💬 Don't forget to tune in tomorrow for night 4 when we will be discussing "How to Conquer CARS".💻
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Discover the Doctor in You: 5 Steps to Jump-Start Your Med School Application (Step 2)
Hi, all, hope you've been having a great week! Ready to continue your application prep? The first step was to think about WHO YOU ARE, what's important to you at a core level, and how this will direct your work as a physician. The second step is to analyze WHAT YOU DO. How do you spend your time? Which activities make you…
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Event Discussion: MCAT Prep Week - Acid/Base Chemisty Workshop🧑🔬🧪
We're so glad you joined night 2 of MCAT Prep Week where the topic was Acid/Base Chemistry. What was an interesting or helpful thing that you learned in this evening's session?
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Event Discussion: MCAT Prep Week - All About Optics
Thanks for joining our webinar first webinar of MCAT prep week "All About Optics"! Comment below to share some takeaways or any additional questions you might have.
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Don't Let This Be You! 😅 #MemeMonday
Don't let this be you! Check out all of the registration dates, test dates, and score release dates here. Did you register yet?👀 Write your test date in the comments below!
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Discover the Doctor in You: 5 Steps to Jump-Start Your Med School Application (Step 1)
Applying to med school? Struggling to understand what admissions committees are looking for? Aside from academic requirements, they appreciate applicants who genuinely know themselves and can convey their career vision effectively. In other words they value AUTHENTICITY. How do you capture that? By spending time reflecting…
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How do I improve "weaken/strengthen" and "inference" questions in CARS?
Hi everyone! I have taken the practice exams a couple times and I saw a pattern that my questions I usually get wrong talk about "weaken/strengthen" and "inference." I am wondering how to improve that with a different approach to the question or any tips is appreciated!
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Motivation and Despair
As an MCAT teacher, I answer a lot of emails along the topic of motivation. It's actually so beautiful when I get emails about this because it means the learner has moved past the posturing a pre-med often puts forth to look like they can do everything all the time - and that they even want to! Rather these emails I get…
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Maintaining 🧠 focus for the MCAT
Hi friends! Wow, how did the end of January come so fast? Time seems to fly, but do you know when it doesn't? When you're staring down an entire practice test, or reviewing a topic you've been dreading, or going through your last set of practice questions. You suddenly find excuses to clean your fridge or call a friend.…
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The MCAT and Lifelong Skills
"Why do I have to learn all this, anyway?" This is the quintessential question we've all asked during prep for the Medical College Admission Test®. The test has four sections: Chem/Phys, CARS, Bio/Biochem, and Psych/Soc. It has four section scores and one summative score created by adding them all together. It has over two…
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How to eat an Elephant
The MCAT can seem overwhelming, as it covers so much. It is easy to look at the elephant and say, I can never conquer that, falling into anxiety and giving up. However the way to eat an elephant, is one bite at a time. Start by focusing on the high yield principles, and build from there. It is impossible to know it all,…
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Navigating Uncharted Waters as a First-Gen Med Student
Stepping into the medical world as a first-gen student can often feel like joining a game mid-way, where everyone else seems to know the rules and you’re piecing them together step by step. It's exactly this adventure of 'not knowing what you don't know' that showcases your extraordinary resilience and empathy. These are…
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What to do about that topic you've been avoiding.....
We all know there's a massive amount of content that's tested on the MCAT, and most of us have several topics/sub-topics that we refer to as our "weaknesses". So what do you do to help strengthen those weaknesses before quizzing/testing yourself on those topics. Some folks like online videos, old text books, MCAT books,…
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To make or not to make: New Years resolutions
A new year, especially one that starts on a Monday, can be a great opportunity to set new goals for ourselves - new year, clean slate, new goals! But I'm not always very successful at keeping my resolutions; few weeks in and I start to slip up and fall back into doing what I was doing before. When I reflect on why, it's…
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10 Helpful Study Strategies for 2024!
We understand that preparing for an exam can be stressful, but being ready involves effective study strategies, time management, and self-care. Here are some tips to help you feel more prepared: Create a Study Plan: Break down study material into manageable sections, allocate time slots for each topic, and prioritize based…
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Balancing Life and MCAT Prep📚️
Finding the right balance between your daily life and MCAT prep can be tricky. How did or do you balance your MCAT preparation with other commitments? Share your tips below!
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Doctor characteristics!
Hello hello! I know a lot of you out there are in the grind for the first upcoming test dates of 2024, and it's sometimes easy to lose sight of the fact that your goal isn't the MCAT, but medical school! To help you regain your focus, let's talk about the other metrics of what makes you an awesome candidate beyond just…
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What section of the MCAT do you feel the most confident in?
Let us know why you selected that particular section in the comments below and feel free to share any tips that could be helpful for someone who struggles in that section themselves.
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1766 - Peptidyl Transferase -
Let us know your answer to today's question of the day!
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1774 - Chylomicrons and VLDLs
If you haven't answered the question of the day yet, click the link then tell us how you did!
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1756 - Biochemical Reaction
Check out the question of the day, then come back here and let us know what answer you got!
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1817 - Polymorphisms and the DRD2 Gene
Let's talk about the question of the day!
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1837 - United States Population
On today's question of the day, we talked about the US population. What answer did you choose? Let us know in the comments below!
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1834 - Gender Role Experiment
Did you get the question of the day right? Chat in the comments and let us know!
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1785 - Second-Order Kinetics
Today's question of the day asks you to identify the rate law for the reaction shown. How did you do? Let us know your answer below!
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Brain Break Friday!🧠
What is your favorite study spot or environment to maximize productivity?
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1819 - Major Depressive Episode
Let's talk about the question of the day!
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1824 - Route Processing
How did you do on today's??? Share with us in the comments!
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1787 - Glycolysis
Check out today's question of the day!
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5 (+1) Ways to Improve Your MCAT Score!
Looking for ways to improve your MCAT score? Check out this helpful video by some of our top MCAT experts.🎉
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1779 - Fetal Circulation
Today's question of the day was on Fetal Circulation. Let us know what answer you selected and why.
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1829 - Culture
Today's question of the day talked about the differences in cultures. Let us know what answer you selected and your thoughts on the answer explanation. :)
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1801 - Patterns and Shapes
Did you answer the MCAT question of the day? Share your answer below and let us know what you thought of the answer explanation.
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Burnout: it's real and we need to discuss it
Are you planning to get in some extra MCAT study over the winter break? If you said yes, you're in good company - many MCAT students try to maximize the academic winter break to get in some extra MCAT practice. This can definitely be helpful, but we also want to be careful we don't try to study too much - don't go from…
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1771 - Muscle Pyruvate Dehydrogenase
If you haven't already, go answer the question of the day then come back and let us know how you did!
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1815 - Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
Let us know what you got as the answer to today's question of the day!
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1804 - Sleep Disorders
Today's question of the day asked to identify the sleep disorder described in the example. Did you get it right? Let us know in the comments and share your thoughts on the explanation.
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1804 - Fixed-Interval Schedule
A fixed interval schedule is a reinforcement method that provides a reward at consistent times. Today's question of the day asked about this method - did you get the right answer? Let us know in the comments!
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1764 - Cholesterol
Did you get the question of the day right? Let us know in the comments and share your thoughts on the explanation.
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1769 - Membrane Transport
Today's MCAT question of the day asked about membrane transport. How'd you do? Tell us in the comments below. :)
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1754 - α-helix
It's that time again! How did you do on the question of the day? Let us know in the comments! If you haven't answered it yet, click the link then come back to join the conversation and share what answer you got.
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Benchmark scores for your MCAT studies
Why is it important to have a benchmark score when building your study plan? A lot of students shy away from doing a practice test early in their studies. But here's a few important reasons why you should NOT procrastinate! Instead of feeling like you've got an infinite amount of content to review, your practice test can…
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MCAT Question of the Day ID #1806 - Partial Report Procedures
The question of the day is out! Let us know if you got it right and why or why not. :)