Most MCAT advice online is written for pre-meds, who have no decision to make. Pre-AAs do. Tiffany explains why she chose the harder test on purpose. Then everything else: what the test is, the three-pass system that worked, what didn't, the costs, test day, accommodations timelines, and the 24 hours after.

THE STUDY

Monroe, K. S., Amerson, L., Bundy, W., Greene, Y., Jarvis, G., Stever, J., & Patel, G. P. (2024). Pre-admission standardized tests and the relationship with anesthesiologist assistant student performance: A retrospective analysis. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 15, 815-819. https://doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S480696

RESOURCES TIFFANY USED

• Kaplan MCAT books;use lib gen .vg for pdf downloads
• Professor Eman & Yusuf Hasan on YT
• AnKing MCAT: MileDown + Pankow for P/S
• Anki iOS app
• UWorld MCAT QBank
• AAMC Official Prep
• Jack Westin's Chrome extension
• MCATbros or MCATatalyst P/S docs
• Practice FLs: dry erase booklet & generic foam earplugs

Connect with us on IG, TikTok, & YT: @PreAAPathways | preaapathways.com

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Every logistical detail here, including dates, fees, program requirements and what a test score does or does not do at a given school, was checked in September 2026 and changes. Verify it at the source, for your list, before you act on it.

Adrienne and episode guest Stephanie Rauda break down the GRE from the perspective of non-traditional pre-AA applicants. They discuss the GRE over MCAT, how the current exam is structured, and what helped improve their scores. They also discuss timing, costs, score reporting, study resources, testing formats, and how to approach the exam while balancing work, prerequisites, and application preparation.

Key topics

• Why Stephanie chose the GRE over the MCAT
• How school-specific requirements affect the GRE-versus-MCAT decision
• The current GRE format, scoring scale, and adaptive sections
• Analytical writing expectations and time-management strategies
• Why GRE quant can be harder than expected
• Study tools including GregMat Plus, PrepSwift, vocabulary review, and targeted math practice
• Test fees, retakes, score reports, CASAA codes, and accommodations
• In-person testing compared with at-home proctoring
• How to schedule the GRE around application deadlines
• Advice for non-traditional applicants who are balancing work, school, and application preparation

Timestamps

00:00 — Introducing Stephanie
01:10 — Making the Decision: GRE vs MCAT
05:20 — Current GRE structure and scoring basics
06:24 — Analytical writing section
08:33 — Why GRE quant can be challenging
09:29 — GRE cost, retakes, and score-report fees
10:16 — Sending GRE scores through CASAA
12:23 — What GRE scores may be competitive
15:41 — GRE Study tools that helped
18:45 — Fee reduction and GRE accommodations
19:29 — In-person GRE testing-center experience
20:18 — At-home GRE testing experience
23:29 — Receiving GRE scores
28:00 — Advice to past selves about the GRE
29:49 — Stephanie’s GRE score breakdown
31:30 — Closing thoughts

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

Code: Z7GAV35MD6QTOFCQ

Hold onto your textbooks pre-anesthesiologist assistants! There’s a wild legal saga unfolding that impacts your future funding. Get the scoop, stay sharp, and skip the legal rollercoaster — or at least scream with your eyes open.

In this episode:

• The latest updates on federal court stalling the "narrower professional degree list" law
• How these legal hiccups impact pre-AAs
• Practical Steps and actions you can take right now as a Pre-AA
• Why engaging in advocacy is more important than ever for future anesthesiologist assistants
• How the fight over professional degree definitions controls your funding and status

Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome to the wild world of pre-AA legislation

00:20 - The federal court stay explained: pause, not endgame

01:00 - How the "Rise Final Rule" shrank professional degree definitions — and how courts put it on hold

01:40 - What this legal pause means for your student loans and funding limits

02:20 - Adrienne’s perspective on why the list jumped from 11 to 29 fields

03:00 - Impact of the court stay on loan limits: what’s changed on paper

04:00 - The end of Grad Plus loans

04:45 - How the federal caps, income, savings, and co-signers shape your financial future

05:30 - The critical importance of reading official documents yourself

06:20 - How you can kickstart advocacy today as a Pre-AA

07:10 - Why your voice matters in rulemaking and litigation

08:00 - Final recap: stay informed, get involved, and protect your future

Resources & Links:

• Ready-made Pre-AA advocacy letters
• StudentAid.gov Federal Student Loan Limits
• American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAAA) Advocacy Page
• The Formal Update to the List of Professional Degree Programs Due to Court Order (Electronic Announcement, June 29, 2026)
• StudentAid.gov — Big Updates: Loan Limits Interim Exception (eligibility for continuing borrowers)
• StudentAid.gov — Big Updates: Student Borrower Scenarios (find the example closest to your situation
• StudentAid.gov — Big Updates hub (overview of all OBBBA/RISE changes)
• National Student Loan Data System - Use if you have a history of already borrowing federal student loans

Remember: Voices create change, so don’t wait for the diploma to start speaking up. Your future depends on it.