MCATS and All That

BY: Kaberi Dasgupta

“Ah, but a man’s reach should xceed his grasp, or what’s a feaven for?” - Robert Browning

A worthy aspiration. Writers, octors, lawyers, politicians, psy- hologists, social workers... de- ermined to better the world (at past when they begin their ca- eers), to have a tangible im- act...

However, in order to attain is goal, even the most ambi- ous individual is compelled to e a little more short-sighted an Browning would suggest. is then that one enters the orld of MCATs, LSATs, OATs, MATs, GREs, DATs...

For the uninitiated, the above obably appear to be meaning- ss combinations of the letters of he alphabet. Had anyone asked e in my freshman year when I as taking the MCATs, I would nve replied that I had no partic- ar fondness for cats and had no ans to take any anywhere! Lit-

e did I know that the MCAT,

Medical College Admissions st, would become the sole focus my life for two months a few ars later.

The first step on the road to MCAT success involved a “How to” book. (“How to Prepare for the MCAT”, “How to Pre- pare for the GRE” are the sorts of books that typically substi- tute for the “How to Repair Your Lawnmower” and “How to Get Rich” books on post-graduate shelves.) After a moderately- depressing completion of one of the diagnostic tests provided in the handbook, one proceeds to bring down introductory course material from the attic.

As I was working in Ottawa as a research assistant for the first three months of the summer, I be-

came acquainted with a number of MCAT veterans from across Canada. Over the dinner table they would recount the MCAT

- written during a bout of mononu-

cleosis, the MCAT written at 40 degrees Celcius, the MCAT writ- ten in the middle of examination week, and the MCAT the morn- ing after a big party. Such anec- dotes inevitably arose awe in pre- MCAT individuals.

My own adventure truly be- gan, however, after my return

from Ottawa. Armed with some invaluable books given to me by an Ottawa friend, I was soon trapped in my room, emerging only for the occasional meal. (I only noticed that my family had deserted me for a two-week vaca- tion when the meals stopped ap- pearing automatically.) The days slowly merged with one another... breakfast... MCAT... lunch .. MCAT... supper ... MCAT ... sleep ... MCAT ... breakfast ... Finally... Saturday, 17 September - the day that would be the fourth year of Mulroony’s term, the first day of the Seoul Olympics, the day of the MCAT.

The exam was scheduled to begin at 8:00 AM, Robertson 104. At 7:00 AM I decided to phone Security to find out when the li- brary would open.

“Hello, I’m writing the MCAT at Robertson today. Could you

tell me when the building will be opened?”

“Yeah, just a minute.” Brie pause. “10:00 AM.”

“10:00 AMI!” Near-cardiac arrest. “The exam is supposed to begin at 8:00 AM all across North America!!! What do you mean...”

“Oh. All right. We’ll open the library right now.”

What if no one was in there

to administer the exam? What if

(Be ZEE SNk we ee DSrosa

OF WASTE Peopucrsy

"Thursday, October 6, 1988

the exams did not arrive? These were the questions that plagued me as I brushed my teeth with a nervous energy that threatened to undo my orthodontist’s work. Of course, other people have writ- ten the exam here, I tried to re- assure myself.

Fortunately, my fears were dissolved at 7:45 AM when I saw the sign “MCAT” on Robertson 104. All I had to do was write the test...

Eight and a half hours later, I emerged from the room- a post- MCAT person.

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