My name is Vaishnavi P. and I am a junior chemistry major at Washington & Jefferson College pursuing a combined medical program with Lewis Katz School of Medicine. The first time I took the MCAT I scored 92nd percentile 516 (128/125/131/132). I missed the minimum CARS score for my BA/MD program so retook the exam and scored 97th percentile 520 (132/126/131/131). I am well versed in 3rd party resources as I used Kaplan, UWorld, and Blueprint to self-study for my exam.

I have served as a teaching assistant for introductory biology at my school for 3 years. Through this position, I truly learned the power of good instruction. I enjoyed working with over 80 students 1-on-1 and in small groups. I continually asked for their feedback and coached them to success. I also have worked as a tutor at the W&J Writing Center. Through this experience, I learned how to meet students where they are at in their academic journey. It is important to be compassionate and build a supporting environment for students so that we can build trust in each other. I also received extensive training in pedagogical practices. I have coached 30 students to date. For the past year, I have volunteered as a personal tutor for middle school students with learning disabilities in Washington, PA. Through this experience, I empowered students to build effective learning and test-taking skills that are paramount to success in the classroom and real world.

I understand how frustrating this exam can be. I took it twice despite being happy with my first score. I believe you do not need to know everything on the MCAT to succeed. Knowing how to take the exam is just as important as knowing what is on the exam. The MCAT is preppable and one of the best ways to learn is to view this exam as a fun challenge. Breaking down complex material made my MCAT prep easier and enjoyable which I will strive to do for you.