Essays:
Steps Taken:
1. Read prompt
1a. Open ended question what do I do T_T. Proceed to 2.
1b. Who comes up with these things... Proceed to 2.
2. Can't think of anything to write...
3. Head keyboard, head desk, head keyboard
4. Epiphany!
5. No wait that sounds horrible. *throws in trash*
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Success!
For those looking for tips:
Make sure if any admissions office offers to or if you decided the people there sounded nice to ask them what you can improve if you don't get in the first time.
My personal statement was good enough that I felt I could re-use it the second time (I think my brain would have exploded trying to come up with a new one that sounded as good...). Changed most of my secondary essays though. If you re-apply, make sure that if there are things you can improve to improve them. With essays, if you think you will only end up making it sound more bland or otherwise worse, I would say focus on improving other areas unless you are told that your essay was lacking. But at the same time, be careful if you do this.
MCAT Thoughts:
5 hours of DOOM
I hate verbal... (did not study this part nearly enough >_>) (Writing fantasy stories in your free time does not help your verbal score. It may, however, help you come up with creative things to say on the writing section. Maybe.)
Yay for my score being carried science! I love my science professors.
Apparently I can write just fine but can't figure out when I'm supposed to go super analysis mode and when not to...
Much sleep and food required afterwards. And probably before too.
Thank goodness I didn't have to re-take this for my new application.
For those looking for tips:
I did a LOT of practice tests. I used an online resource by Gold Standard. Especially if you are short on time, looking through practice tests and finding where you can improve the most and where you are weakest is the best. I didn't really end up having time to improve my verbal score because I was freaking out about if I knew enough/knew everything for the science sections. I did manage to improve my science scores. Really should have spent more time figuring out the inner workings of the verbal section though.
Interview Thoughts:
Exciting?
Happy?
Scary?
Nerve wracking?
Definitely all of the above.
For those looking for tips:
The interview is definitely very important. If you make it here make sure you practice and do well. Try to practice with people who know what the interviews are like. I didn't get to my first time around and ended up wait-listed everywhere. I still felt like I had some trouble with interviews earlier on the second time around but I definitely improved with more time, experience, and seeking help from Purdue's new pre-professional advising office.
College Courses:
Overall, learned a ton and had a lot of great professors. There were definitely some more challenging classes and more easy ones. Even when the course is hard... if the professor was awesome it didn't matter. I did have a few professors that I had trouble with. Fortunately they usually were in classes with multiple professors so the damage was decreased. But I did slave over notes and textbooks and lose brain cells to my desk and keyboard...
For those looking for tips:
It's important to find your own learning style. AP courses helped me with this. Also... never give up. Even if the exam questions look like they're written in Martian or Elfish or whatever... At least there is a chance if you try! And the internet is a really, really nice resource if your textbook and notes aren't helping you.
No applications have been submitted yet during this cycle.
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