I took a prep course with 100 students and we all averaged 490s for our first full-length exam. Many of us scored below 80 percentile. The fact that you scored a 508 on your first FLE then jumped to a 517 on your next FLE show that you are way beyond the average student even before you started studying. Congrats!
Your journey to achieving a 527 must have been filled with hard work and dedication. Watching your study plan video has already taught me so much about the MCAT journey and what it takes to succeed. Thank you for sharing your insights!
Loved this video! Such a fun and positive outlook for such a daunting task like the MCAT. I really like your mindset! Some important take aways: 1. Her starting score (diagnostic) was higher than average: 506. A lot of people struggle to even get 500 (the average score). 2. She didn't take some of the pre-reqs for the MCAT and still managed a decent starting score and ending score. Motivational, but important to note. These are probably the biggest takeaways to prevent unrealistic goal setting :). she's a very impressive test taker and congrats on this score!
ALSO! not to mention that 5/6/2020 "diagnostic" was a 3rd party. I cannot think of a single 3rd party exam that's not heavily deflated in its score. She probably was baselining at like an AAMC 514 which is an INSANE score to get without any practice. She's clearly brilliant, she got her undergrad Columbia AND got into their MD program. Also not to mention she cranked out 1.5 months of 6+ hours a day of studying. She is brilliant AND has endurance! It's amazing she works to reach her full potential. She is an inspiration to us all :-)
This was honestly the best and most helpful video I've seen on MCAT prep so far. I'm a current Pre-Med in my sophomore year, and this was so clear and straight forward! Thank you so much!
Congratulations young lady! My son graduated Columbia in 2019 and I ran into your blog while he was still a student. We’re all about Columbia and proud of what he accomplished . He certainly didn’t score 100%, but he’s now finishing up his second year of med-school after taking a gap year.
This was a super helpful and insightful video, thank you so much! It's definitely helped me find a starting point on how to approach studying for this exam. Your score is seriously so amazing, and wishing you the best of luck in your medical journey!!
Congrats!! A very impressive score, all the more amazing considering you self-studied so much! Just wondering, why did you just upload your reaction video + tips now? If it were me, a 527 would have knocked me unconscious for a year and a half, but there might be a less hyperbolic reason :~)
I really like your insight on this. Just started studying for the MCAT I have in a month's time. I am thinking about reading over the Kaplan chapter summaries for content review since I've already taken all the necessary classes for the MCAT. I'm going to try to focus on taking a ton of MCAT practice exams, though!
Thanks for letting me know about AK lectures, I've been doing Kaplan as non-premed with no STEM background and while I've improved in most areas the chem, biochem, ochem stuff hasn't improved much yet.
i dont have time to do any serious studying for mcat during semester because keeping my 4.0 demands all of my time. I studied for mcat when I could devote 100% of my time to it.
Great video! Can you please share how many practice exams did you take (timed, untimed)? Also, in comparison to your studying for the SAT how differently did you study for the MCAT? Any skills or content that was similar? Can you perhaps make a video about this.....Thanks. Congrats!
i subscribed to your channel a few months back (right after watching j one video of yours) and today i came across this video of yours. I'm in my senior year of high school rn and ill be going to college this fall. the goal is to become a physician. any advice for an incoming freshman on the pre med track? getting a 527 on the mcat would be an absolute dream come true and i would do anything for it. please keep uploading all pre med and med related videos!! sending sm love, you're amazing and so inspiring
aw thank you Sindhu!! You are so sweet and I’m hoping to put out more med content soon! Congrats on getting into college-I hope you have the best experience 🥰🥰
I would say the most important thing is to just truly understand the concepts in your undergrad courses because it all comes back for the MCAT. I didn't truly understand physics in undergrad and it definitely came back to bite me on the MCAT. Do you have a dream med school?
Have you been struggling with MCAT exam, if it your first attempt or more than once, if you're too busy you can schedule a study. Get to Mrs Margaret for MCAT assistance, I'm so happy I finally passed my exams thanks to her. she's got a phenomenal qbank that guides you okay.
Wow 527 is amazing! can i check how you balanced your time? did you manage to incorporate personal life/hobbies into this schedule? how frequently did you take breaks?
When I took the MCAT (which I did twice), I was working full time. So scheduling to see friends and do fun things was crucial. I scored a 506 and 512. When do you plan to study?
There are so many questions that it makes it difficult. But I actually made a full video on how I went through them all. Let me know if you have any questions? ua-cam.com/video/vNA_gbAHT3M/v-deo.html
Hi when doing uworld, did you do ~40 questions per section each day or 40 questions overall with a mix of every subject? I'm on the "Hard" phase and have finally finished reading Kaplan. Would you suggest doing uworld/JW everyday and FLs every week? I know you dedicate two days after each FL for review but I'm unsure how to fill my other days.
just to be clear, you essentially self-studied orgo, biochem, psych/soc all in one month?? could you please elaborate on how many hours you spent and any other resources you used besides the ones mentioned in the video?
Thank you for this video. You said you study 6h/day. Did you study one class a day or multiple class? If yes how many classes per day? Please share with us. Thank u Did you finish all the QBank of uworld? How many questions you did per day?
Hi!! Thank you for your questions! :) just published a newsletter post that hopefully answers them: www.getrevue.co/profile/carolinechen/issues/mcat-guide-to-the-100th-percentile-1207038
I took the MCAT while working full time. I had to devise a whole color coded excel sheet for how I was going to study over my planned 6 months. My schedule is listed in the description ua-cam.com/video/vNA_gbAHT3M/v-deo.html
Hiiii, Newbie here already love your videos. However, the website for your guide got shut down. Is it relocated anywhere? I would love to see it ! Edit- website found it don't mind me 🤦🏾♀️
Did you just watch every AK lecture there was for ochem and biochem? How did you go about using AK lectures to self study? Also what anki deck did you use?
Hi JS! Ochem was definitely the hardest for me. I used a mix of AK Lecture videos and 3rd party/AAMC practice problems. The videos gave me a basic familiarity, and the practice problems showed me what I didn’t know. The most gains come from reviewing practice problems/exams! Some people may use Anki to remember the different type of Ochem reactions, but I didn’t find that very helpful for myself. Hope this helps! :)
Curious...the date of the MCAT was Sept 2020, that is 1.5 yrs ago which is really early. You are going to Columbia now so what is your game plan for applying to med school? Did you apply this 2022 calendar year?
Thanks for your useful tips! Very logical and reasonable. I'm considering taking the MCAT, I don't even have a B.S. and don't plan on finishing school. I've dropped out of 5 schools at this point. I've always had a passion for medicine and biology. Maybe I could use my MCAT percentile as leverage during an interview. I'd rather focus on running my own corporation and being self employed. I wish you luck in your medical journey. Remember to focus on Empathy. The MCAT does not test for empathy. Empathy is the most important skill in medicine and directly impacts the revenue (and health) of your clients if you start your own practice. I would define Empathy as simply seeing the world through the clients eyes and asking yourself questions they would ask. 🙂
When I was studying for it, you needed to get the bundle for more AAMC type questions. Third party are good for content but not for the question style. Do you have any resources that you plan on using?
There is no such thing as the 100th percentile. If you scored better than everyone that took the test you would be in the 99th percentile. Why? Because you didn't score better than yourself. I would expect my (future) doctor to know this.
Well there is on her score report LOL Obviously the AAMC does rounding, but there's only a handful of students who've ever taken this exam who have scored as well or better than her.
@@PrimeDiam Ummm ... I'm an attorney, not a physician, so no MCAT score to report. I do have an affinity for statistics and probability, though, and thus my remark about the non-existent 100th percentile. Not sure how far you want to take this, but I enjoy the repartee.
Awesome I got a 523 on my first try.. proud of all test take.. no matter what you got this 🎉🎉🎉
A 527 MCAT score is legendary! Excellent work! 😍 Especially since you self-taught yourself most of the subjects!
thank you Taylor!! So nice of you ☺️☺️
I took a prep course with 100 students and we all averaged 490s for our first full-length exam. Many of us scored below 80 percentile. The fact that you scored a 508 on your first FLE then jumped to a 517 on your next FLE show that you are way beyond the average student even before you started studying. Congrats!
She was a Columbia University UG
AK lectures singlehandedly carried me through biochem, I can't recommend his channel enough!!
Your journey to achieving a 527 must have been filled with hard work and dedication. Watching your study plan video has already taught me so much about the MCAT journey and what it takes to succeed. Thank you for sharing your insights!
Loved this video! Such a fun and positive outlook for such a daunting task like the MCAT. I really like your mindset!
Some important take aways:
1. Her starting score (diagnostic) was higher than average: 506. A lot of people struggle to even get 500 (the average score).
2. She didn't take some of the pre-reqs for the MCAT and still managed a decent starting score and ending score. Motivational, but important to note.
These are probably the biggest takeaways to prevent unrealistic goal setting :). she's a very impressive test taker and congrats on this score!
ALSO! not to mention that 5/6/2020 "diagnostic" was a 3rd party. I cannot think of a single 3rd party exam that's not heavily deflated in its score. She probably was baselining at like an AAMC 514 which is an INSANE score to get without any practice. She's clearly brilliant, she got her undergrad Columbia AND got into their MD program. Also not to mention she cranked out 1.5 months of 6+ hours a day of studying. She is brilliant AND has endurance! It's amazing she works to reach her full potential.
She is an inspiration to us all :-)
You didn't take organic chemistry, but before you ever started studying you got a 125 on chem? Amazing
This was honestly the best and most helpful video I've seen on MCAT prep so far. I'm a current Pre-Med in my sophomore year, and this was so clear and straight forward! Thank you so much!
The fact that you self-studied so much motivates me that this is possible!!! Thank you!
Congratulations young lady! My son graduated Columbia in 2019 and I ran into your blog while he was still a student. We’re all about Columbia and proud of what he accomplished . He certainly didn’t score 100%, but he’s now finishing up his second year of med-school after taking a gap year.
Thank you so much!! That’s awesome!! Wishing your future doc the best with his clinical years ✨😄🩺🥼
This was a super helpful and insightful video, thank you so much! It's definitely helped me find a starting point on how to approach studying for this exam. Your score is seriously so amazing, and wishing you the best of luck in your medical journey!!
thank you for your very encouraging words caroline, they really mean a lot during these stressful times
i have actually no words. i strive to be like this😭
I am so glad you're 4 years older than me, good luck to those of y'all applying to schools at the same time as her.
Dang 100th percentile! Lit 🔥
Loved your videos! Very relevant for individuals prepping for MCAT.
Thanks for the advice, Caroline. Appreciate it as I start my MCAT prep.
Congrats!! A very impressive score, all the more amazing considering you self-studied so much! Just wondering, why did you just upload your reaction video + tips now? If it were me, a 527 would have knocked me unconscious for a year and a half, but there might be a less hyperbolic reason :~)
I really like your insight on this. Just started studying for the MCAT I have in a month's time. I am thinking about reading over the Kaplan chapter summaries for content review since I've already taken all the necessary classes for the MCAT. I'm going to try to focus on taking a ton of MCAT practice exams, though!
Best of luck Shawn!!
i wonder how did you do
Thanks for letting me know about AK lectures, I've been doing Kaplan as non-premed with no STEM background and while I've improved in most areas the chem, biochem, ochem stuff hasn't improved much yet.
Bow to the legend.
These are great tips. I wish your video was around 38 years ago when I took my MCATs 😂
😄😄
Thank You for the tips and that google doc was absolutely amazing. I will be using it.
Super super proud of you!! Get it girl!! 🥳✨
Thanks Pao!!! 😻😻😻
Thank you so much for making this video, it was very organized 😊
Thanks so much for this video, really inspiring. Wish you all the best on your med school journey!
Thank you so much!!
Omg I knew I recognized you from somewhere lol we were in genetics and society together!
Hahaha hi Rebecca!! 😄😄
This is an amazing video. Really impressive. Thanks a lot! And congrats again on your score :)
thanks Nikolas!! appreciate it! Good luck studying 😸😸
521 on Kaplan is insane
Congratulations!!
Thanks Monica!! 🥰🥰
Omg, this video is just so unique and Matches my current situation. Thank you so much. I appreciate it! ♥️🙏🥰
Best of luck!! So glad the video helps!
i dont have time to do any serious studying for mcat during semester because keeping my 4.0 demands all of my time. I studied for mcat when I could devote 100% of my time to it.
Need more MCAT videos from you! 😩
Great video! Can you please share how many practice exams did you take (timed, untimed)? Also, in comparison to your studying for the SAT how differently did you study for the MCAT? Any skills or content that was similar? Can you perhaps make a video about this.....Thanks. Congrats!
hi! Truly appreciated your guidance:) I wanted to ask that does junior year mean the 3rd year of your undergrads?
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for watching! :)
I think you may be one of the only people I know who beat my score, albeit by a point. Congrats.
Can you please give more details regarding how you studied for biochem? Also it is absolutely INSANE that you scored a 506 on your diagnostic!!!
Thanks so much Mayisha!! Just published a post on this :) www.getrevue.co/profile/carolinechen/issues/mcat-guide-to-the-100th-percentile-1207038
i subscribed to your channel a few months back (right after watching j one video of yours) and today i came across this video of yours. I'm in my senior year of high school rn and ill be going to college this fall. the goal is to become a physician. any advice for an incoming freshman on the pre med track? getting a 527 on the mcat would be an absolute dream come true and i would do anything for it. please keep uploading all pre med and med related videos!! sending sm love, you're amazing and so inspiring
aw thank you Sindhu!! You are so sweet and I’m hoping to put out more med content soon! Congrats on getting into college-I hope you have the best experience 🥰🥰
I would say the most important thing is to just truly understand the concepts in your undergrad courses because it all comes back for the MCAT. I didn't truly understand physics in undergrad and it definitely came back to bite me on the MCAT. Do you have a dream med school?
Hoping to score in the 120-125 range for my MCAT! Just started studying, and I plan to take the MCAT in April.
Have you been struggling with MCAT exam, if it your first attempt or more than once, if you're too busy you can schedule a study. Get to Mrs Margaret for MCAT assistance, I'm so happy I finally passed my exams thanks to her. she's got a phenomenal qbank that guides you okay.
+132......
3615......
2951......)
Wow 527 is amazing! can i check how you balanced your time? did you manage to incorporate personal life/hobbies into this schedule? how frequently did you take breaks?
When I took the MCAT (which I did twice), I was working full time. So scheduling to see friends and do fun things was crucial. I scored a 506 and 512. When do you plan to study?
I can’t wait to see what you do in your career, your next video should be “why medicine.” I know it’s the notorious medical interview question.
+132......
3615......
2951......)
Thank you!
Impressive
OMGGG! 527!!!
😸😻😽
Congratulations!! Mine sharing how you got thru the uworld qbanks? :)
Hi HuiYing! Thanks for your Q! Just published a post on this: www.getrevue.co/profile/carolinechen/issues/mcat-guide-to-the-100th-percentile-1207038
There are so many questions that it makes it difficult. But I actually made a full video on how I went through them all. Let me know if you have any questions? ua-cam.com/video/vNA_gbAHT3M/v-deo.html
Hi Caroline. Congratulations. Which materials did you use to study for each section of the MCAT?
did u study Andrey K's entire orgo chem playlist or did u just watch his videos along side the Kaplan books?
Love from pak 🇵🇰💓🌈
Is the MBBS graduate allowed to do the MCAT ?
FOR ADMISSION PROCEDURES IN HARVARD OR JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY I WANT TO DO MY MD program
What I’m learning is to take.the effing.exams.
Hi! Nice score you have there. But I do have a question!
Do you actually do anything else after taking those practise exam on the same day?
Hi! I’d either take a break for the rest of the day or start reviewing the exam (only if I felt up to it) 🙂
Great study tips, Caroline, thanks for sharing! Gooc luck to all my fellow students out there!!
I'm planning to buy the MCAT set, does it matter if I buy the 2022-2023 or 2024-2025. is there like a syllabus change time to time ???
Hi when doing uworld, did you do ~40 questions per section each day or 40 questions overall with a mix of every subject? I'm on the "Hard" phase and have finally finished reading Kaplan. Would you suggest doing uworld/JW everyday and FLs every week? I know you dedicate two days after each FL for review but I'm unsure how to fill my other days.
The MCAT test is really frustrating, I can't believe I failed again after studying so much🥺🥺😓😭😭
Well I've taken the exams for the second time now and still didn't succeed, i wonder how those who succeeded did it
You will pass everyone has their own season, just keep praying and believe you will receive
I used some, Hollier & Venetia Clark review and read Leik Books, And my result came back failed 😓😓😓
I saw someone say she could be a scammer i couldn't stop laughing, really people say a lot of shit these day's
She doesn't have a Facebook page, an Instagram page, or a UA-cam channel, why?
just to be clear, you essentially self-studied orgo, biochem, psych/soc all in one month?? could you please elaborate on how many hours you spent and any other resources you used besides the ones mentioned in the video?
Her parents read her science textbooks as bedtime stories since kindergarten. Just kidding, but I’m wondering as well!?!? 😊.
How many months did you study for the MCAT ?
How early do you have to register for the September Exam? How about the January exam?
Thank you for this video. You said you study 6h/day. Did you study one class a day or multiple class? If yes how many classes per day?
Please share with us. Thank u
Did you finish all the QBank of uworld? How many questions you did per day?
Hi!! Thank you for your questions! :) just published a newsletter post that hopefully answers them: www.getrevue.co/profile/carolinechen/issues/mcat-guide-to-the-100th-percentile-1207038
I took the MCAT while working full time. I had to devise a whole color coded excel sheet for how I was going to study over my planned 6 months. My schedule is listed in the description ua-cam.com/video/vNA_gbAHT3M/v-deo.html
Hiiii, Newbie here already love your videos. However, the website for your guide got shut down. Is it relocated anywhere? I would love to see it !
Edit- website found it don't mind me 🤦🏾♀️
Hi!! Yes I re-uploaded it to my website. here it is! www.carolinechen.me/mcat-study-guide
Academic weapon
Did you just watch every AK lecture there was for ochem and biochem? How did you go about using AK lectures to self study? Also what anki deck did you use?
I believe she used the Miledown anki deck.
@@mayisharahman565 thx, I rewatched the video and got that
For mcat degree is required or else can we take after 12th completion
Could u plz go over how u self studied ochem? I’m doing the same but I’m not sure on how to do it.
Hi JS! Ochem was definitely the hardest for me. I used a mix of AK Lecture videos and 3rd party/AAMC practice problems. The videos gave me a basic familiarity, and the practice problems showed me what I didn’t know. The most gains come from reviewing practice problems/exams! Some people may use Anki to remember the different type of Ochem reactions, but I didn’t find that very helpful for myself. Hope this helps! :)
@@CarolineChen thank you
@@CarolineChenamazing video thanks
Curious...the date of the MCAT was Sept 2020, that is 1.5 yrs ago which is really early. You are going to Columbia now so what is your game plan for applying to med school? Did you apply this 2022 calendar year?
Yep I applied this year :D
Thanks for your useful tips! Very logical and reasonable. I'm considering taking the MCAT, I don't even have a B.S. and don't plan on finishing school. I've dropped out of 5 schools at this point. I've always had a passion for medicine and biology. Maybe I could use my MCAT percentile as leverage during an interview. I'd rather focus on running my own corporation and being self employed.
I wish you luck in your medical journey. Remember to focus on Empathy. The MCAT does not test for empathy. Empathy is the most important skill in medicine and directly impacts the revenue (and health) of your clients if you start your own practice. I would define Empathy as simply seeing the world through the clients eyes and asking yourself questions they would ask. 🙂
How are you planning on studying for the MCAT?
Thoughts on a prep course?
Did you finish the uworld question bank?
Hiii there
Love the video
Wanted to ask if 12th score matters for giving mcat exam?
Did you get the aamc bundle or just the exams ?
When I was studying for it, you needed to get the bundle for more AAMC type questions. Third party are good for content but not for the question style. Do you have any resources that you plan on using?
Hi Simisoluwa! I got the AAMC bundle :) Good luck studying 😇
From which country you are?
I call it the MeowCAT
U did not-
I would sell my lung for a 527
You can't get a 100th percentile
Step 1. Be Asian
There is no such thing as the 100th percentile. If you scored better than everyone that took the test you would be in the 99th percentile. Why? Because you didn't score better than yourself. I would expect my (future) doctor to know this.
Well there is on her score report LOL Obviously the AAMC does rounding, but there's only a handful of students who've ever taken this exam who have scored as well or better than her.
It literally says it on the score report. No idea why you're so bitter. You either scored lower or never even took it in the first place.
@@PrimeDiam Yes, those are the only two possibilities.
@@jamesmoninger1982 If you scored a 527 or 528 then congratulations, you proved a reply wrong.
@@PrimeDiam Ummm ... I'm an attorney, not a physician, so no MCAT score to report. I do have an affinity for statistics and probability, though, and thus my remark about the non-existent 100th percentile. Not sure how far you want to take this, but I enjoy the repartee.
Would u mind checking your IG message boxes? I have further questions on study strategies 🥺