30+ MCAT Study Habits- The CBT Version

[FeatherPen]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
33-35 O-T

2) The study method used for each section
EK "Complete Study Package" and EK 1001's and EK Verbal (All Subjects)


3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
All Examkrackers

4) Which practice tests did you use?
AAMC, 2 Kaplan, 1 EK that came with the "CSP"

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biology

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
Do not get overly comfortable with a specific set of writing utensils or scrap paper. My scrap paper was neon pink, and my pencil was of the non-mechanical variety. Earplugs can be very useful depending on the testing center, as well.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
6 weeks, 8 - 12 hours per day. Weeks 1-4.5 were content review. The last 11 days consisted of 11 practice exams. 1 day of rest before the exam.

[Jumpman04]

1) Your individual scores and composite score

11 PS, 10 VR, 10 BS - P
COMP: 31P


2) The study method used for each section

Verbal: EK 101 Passages, BR Verbal Passages

Bio: TPR Hyper Review, TPR Science Workbook, EK Bio Book, EK Audio Osmosis, Kaplan Premier 2010

Chem: TPR Hyper Review, TPR Science Workbook, EK Audio Osmosis, Kaplan Premier 2010

OChem: TPR Hyper Review, TPR Science Workbook, EK Orgo Book, EK Audio Osmosis, Kaplan Premier 2010

Physics: TPR Hyper Review, TPR Science Workbook, EK Physics Book, EK Audio Osmosis, Kaplan Premier 2010, my college physics book for few examples...

Full-Length Tests:
->Bought all 8 AAMC tets (you HAVE to buy them all. essential practice)
->Downloaded a bunch of Kaplan practice tests from some website. Stop at FL-6 cause after that, they begin to be really unrepresentative of the real test.

3) What was your undergraduate major?

Finance. Thought it would be fun/easy/exciting but it definitely wasn't easy. Some of the +300 level courses take a lot of intensive reading/understanding that will take time away from your science classes...

4) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Work on topics you have problems with in the final weeks! DO NOT put it off. I know it's the easier path to take, but bite the bullet and make it your strongest points.

5) How long did you study for the MCAT?

~2 months for about 8-10 hours a day... I got a 17 on my first practice test before i did any content review. Started fully with content review, then jumped onto TPR Science Workbook (a life-saver if you need practice with passages), then finished with 3-4 weeks of Full lenght tests mixed with content review.

[mathsciencedude]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
Test date: 8/25/2009; VR 10 PS 13 WS M BS 10 Total 33M

2) The study method used for each section
I did not develop any type of study regimen. I completed courses in physics, physiology, chemistry, and social sciences in my undergraduate curriculum. In those courses, I did not just do the minimum amount of work to earn an "A" grade. I read outside sources, seeking insights from other textbooks and journals to delve deeper into the underlying concepts. This way of learning helped me to retain the information 3-4 years later.


3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
None

4) Which practice tests did you use?
I took a practice AAMC Test (PR #3) 2 years ago. Interestingly enough, my results from the AAMC test #3 were the same as my actual 8/25/09 MCAT, with the exact same breakdown for each section.

On a side note, I took a Kaplan diagnostic at one of their events a few weeks after I took the 8/25 MCAT and scored the same thing as my actual MCAT, with the same breakdown. Kaplan's diagnostic as well as AAMC practice tests are predictive of what you will score on an MCAT, all else remaining constant (i.e. no prepping/studying).

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biomedical Engineering, minor in Mathematics, 3.92 GPA

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Be confident in your strengths, recognize your weaknesses, and use your strengths to counteract those weaknesses. When taking the actual MCAT, on the science sections skip around to a topic in which you have a working knowledge of its concepts. Use this knowledge to guide you through those questions. For instance, I never took a full year of general biology. I did complete courses in organic chemistry and physiology. I searched for all questions that involved physiology and organic chemistry and focused on answering all of those questions correctly.

For verbal, you can miss about 10 questions and sill obtain a 10. I focused all of my efforts into 5 passages, neglecting 2 passages, and it worked for me.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
I did not study for the MCAT (see 2 above). Take learning seriously. Do not just learn for a grade. Do learn for learning's sake.

Best wishes,

m_s_d

[myusernam3]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
Test date: 9/4/2009 B:15, P:13, V:10, 38Q

2) The study method used for each section
For verbal, i read and tried to understand the passage as a whole, no stupid PR strategy. For BS and PS, just try to see which passages u'll have to read like a verbal passage and which passages u can attack with ur outside knowledge.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
TPR Hyperlearning, AAMC, Examkrackers verbal

4) Which practice tests did you use?
AAMC TPR

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Physiological Sciences

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Study hard and nail ur strenghts. What i mean by taht is, for example, i suck at verbal. and so to make sure i can maximize my score i ensured i'd do good on PS and BS. Lastly, if your scores arent getting to your goals, be patient. it will get there as long as your goals are reasonable.


7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
From June 15th 2009, to September 3rd 2009.


Goodluck to all!

[cdeagle68]

1)PS=12 VR= 09 WS=Q BS=11 Composite=32Q

2) I used ExamKrackers and Princeton Review books and online material- The classroom is a little too simple for the real MCAT.
#1 difference between my first time preparing with Kaplan and second time was I studied how I would normally study for an exam at school. The first time I took it I would just read the material and go over my mistakes. The second time I took notes on the material that wasn't common knowledge or had details that needed to be retained (mostly from physical sciences) and notes on why I missed answers. Then, a few days before the exam I went over these things until I had them down.

3) Examkrackers and Princeton Review books and online material.

4) Which practice tests did you use?
Princeton Review definitely has the most realistic tests, and they provide you with the AAMC ones. Trust me, you will fail hardcore on some of these exams (esp. the first Princeton ones. I think they try to scare you in to studying insanely hard.) and do extremely well on others, but most of them are in the middle and will be what you're looking at.
<Watch out for Kaplan Tests. I was doing well on those the first time around, but obviously my first MCAT score didn't correspond to those scores.>

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Bio and Psych.

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
Verbal takes a lot of practice and even then, it is still hit or miss. #1 get used to doing it in time, and second when the real thing throws a curve at you- ain't nothing gonna break your stride, ain't nothing gonna slow you down, Oh, no... you've got to keep on moving.

Also I felt horrible coming out of the exam. There was a whole passage on BDE, and I never read more than a line or two about it while studying for the exam. So try not to worry about it. Also, they are really good about following the score release schedule, so no sense in panicing before that date.

ExamKrackers 101 passages are a little too simple and don't have the philisophy or humanities passages that will definitely twist your noodle while reading. The Princeton passages are great and Kaplan aren't too shaby either.

Tutoring is a waste of time and money. They will only explain what is already explained to you.

7) I studied 6 months- First 3 months about 20 hours, since I was really busy with other things. Second 3 months- about 8 hours a day with a day or two off a week.


If you have any questions or need any advice, let me know. Hey, honestly, I'm not the brightest apple, but if I can do it, I'm pretty sure anyone can.
My email is cdeagle68@hotmail.com, put "MCAT advice" in the title, so I'll catch it.

[brandnew1]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
12 P, 11 V, 10 B (33R)

2) The study method used for each section

Physics: Used Berkeley Review for GChem and Physics. Honestly they do wonders. I considered physics to be by far my weakest subject entering my studies, however towards the end I was hitting 13 and 14 on my AAMCs. Obviously I did not hit that high on the real thing, however I am very happy with a 12.

Verbal: Nothing much other than doing some of the passages out of the Princeton Review. Honestly this is the hardest section to improve in and I'm probably a bad guy to get advice from concerning VR. I started out with a 10 on both of my diags (before any practice) and only improved a point... I know that an 11 is a solid score but there really wasn't any special technique. I'm a very fast reader which helped me out on timing a lot but also caused me to miss some details that ended up tripping me up on a few questions so it kind of hurt and helped me.

Biology: Read through the Princeton Review book bio section a few times. Tried doing some of the EK Biology 1001 but found it rather redundant. Bit disappointed in my score on this section; I did not have a strong bio background going into the test however that hasn't hindered most others in my position. My best advice would be to read a lot of upper level molecular genetics stuff as that seems to be heavily emphasized. Also GET the BR Orgo book (the one mistake I made was not ordering those). There were 3 orgo passages on my exam and I was woefully underprepared for them.

Writing: nothing at all. Just went over Princeton's guidelines for the WS the night before.


3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
I started out with the TPR bookset so in the beginning I was using the TPR books for all 3 sections. I ditched the TPR physics after my scores were coming back extremely low and switched to BR. My scores skyrocketed after that. Used EK 101 passages for VR, these helped a lot. For BIO I just used the TPR book.

4) Which practice tests did you use?

Here are my practice exam scores for anyone looking for a reference (which is something I found really helpful):

Real Thing: 12, 11, 10 (33)

In chronological order:

TPR 1 5, 10, 6 (21)
TPR 2 6, 6, 7 (19)
TPR 3 8, 10, 9 (27)
TPR 4 8, 10, 10 (28)
TPR 5 8, 9, 9 (26)
TPR 6 7, 9, 11 (27)
TPR 7 9, 9, 11 (29)
TPR 8 8, 8, 10 (28)
TPR 9 10, 10, 9 (29)

AAMC 3 11, 10, 10 (31)
AAMC 4 11, 10, 11 (32)
AAMC 5 11, 12, 11 (34)
AAMC 6 11, 11, 11 (33)
AAMC 7 13, 11, 12 (36)
AAMC 8 12, 11, 12 (35)
AAMC 9 13, 13, 10 (36)
AAMC 10 14, 9, 13 (36)


5) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
Do not get discouraged over lower test scores initially. Wait until you have completed your content review before you even consider judging yourself as ready or not. Also do not be afraid to alter your test taking strategies til you find something you're comfortable with; the time for sticking to a format will be during the actual MCAT, you can mess around with your timing mechanisms as much as you like during your practice tests.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
3 months, probably 3-4 hours per day on average. Started off going 6-7 hours per day but really burnt out towards the end and I was lucky if I got in 3 hours per day in the last few weeks. DO NOT hesitate to take days off towards the end if you feel burnt out; others have said this many many times on here, however it is true. Taking a day off or two really re-energizes you and puts that sense of urgency back in your head. Nothing is worse than feeling tired or dejected while forcing yourself to study for an exam that may still be a few weeks away.

[sivar1215]

1) Your individual scores and composite score

9 P, 7 V, 8 B: 24 N 7/2/09
10 P, 12 V, 10 B: 32 M 9/10/09


2) The study method used for each section

Physics: Used Princeton Review and EK for content review first time around. Also used the TPR workbook to do practice problems. Reread the TPR book for the second exam and focused in on the sections that were giving me trouble on the practice exams.

Verbal: Used TPR workbook and some EK 101. I believe that the Gold Standard Practice tests that I used the second time around really helped me, not because of their difficulty, but because they allowed me to practice more under timed conditions.

Biology: Read the TPR text and EK text the first time around. I also did practice passages from the TPR workbook. The second time around I reread the TPR book and focused in on the sections that were giving me trouble (Renal Physiology, Effects of certain hormones, etc.)

Writing: Did not do much, as is evidenced by my writing score


3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

I used the TPR hyperlearning series and the EK text. However, the second time around I picked up a Kaplan Premier Program text (just to get a different approach to the same material) and the AAMC's official guide to the MCAT. The second time around I also did not look at any EK materials and solely focused on the TPR books when I needed to learn something in great detail. I would also listen to the Audio Osmosis CDs for both exams.

4) Which practice tests did you use?

1st time around I used AAMC Tests 3-6, 8 and 10. I was averaging between 24-29 on these exams; with an upward trend towards the end.

2nd time around I used Gold Standard Exams 1-8, which I was averaging between 27-30 on. The physical science sections on these exams were more calculation intensive that the AAMC ones, and definitely helped me out a lot. The bio sections were on par with the AAMC exams, and the verbal was easier, and scaled accordingly. I also took AAMCs 7 and 9 which I received 27s on. However, this time around I realized that I was messing up on some of the very easy questions, about 2-3 in each section, and just needed to focus more, which I believed played a major role on the day of my 2nd MCAT.


5) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Make sure to have a very good grasp of all of the content before you take the exam. The first time I rushed through the content review in order to take as many practice exams I could take. Although practice exams are essential in order to build stamina and confidence on the real thing, you need to develop a thorough understand of all the material as well.
Also, don't give up on yourself. I felt like my first score was not indicative of my level of preparation for the MCAT at the time. The extra month that I spent studying between the first and second exams allowed me to hone in on my weak points (stoichiometry, electrostatics, etc.) and practice them well.

I believe that the big difference in my verbal score could be attributed to being more focused on the second exam. I was feeling very nervous and jittery during the first exam and wasn't able to maintain a clear train of thought throughout the passages. Wearing the headphones also helped me by blocking out all of the background noise which may have been contributing to my nervousness.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

For the first exam, I studied from May to mid June for about 3-4 hours a day. For the final two weeks I took the practice exams and went over my mistakes. I probably studied for about 4-5 hours a day during this time.

For the second exam I studied from early Aug (the time I got my scores back) to early September. I studied approximately 5-6 hours a day during the first 2 weeks and about 7-8 hours during the next two weeks. I also took the practice exams while I was doing the content review in order to make the most out of my time.

[landerman]

Your individual scores and composite score
22L June 18 2009
30M Sep 10 2009

What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
All Examkrackers but got frustrated with EK 101 verbal.

Kaplan in class as well as online course materials. All of the quizs and lessons.

College textbooks for all subjects when needed

Which practice tests did you use?
All AAMC, Kaplan 1-9, most of the EK 30 min exams. Alot of kaplan materials online.

What was your undergraduate major?
Biology

Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Study!!! Every question you get wrong you should spend time going over why it was wrong and i know its hard but dont get frustrated by worng answers rather use the explanations for the questions to help you learn the topic better.

How long did you study for the MCAT?
I started studying for the MCAt in the summer of my sophomore year and studied throughout my junior year while taking a full time course load. I then took the MCAT after scoring on high 20's on practice tests (AAMC and Kaplan included). I was very upset with my low score of 22! but i continued on even after looking into Caribbean schools and studied all the material all over again and eventually too the 9/12 exam and scored a 30 and increase of 8 points! All i can say is that hard work actually paid off and if you put the right amount of effort in you will definitely succeed.

[Westwood]

Your individual scores and composite score
P-12, V-11, B-12, WS- M...35M! Sep 4th, 2009

What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

I only used Examkrackers, including 1001 questions and verbal 101

Which practice tests did you use?

AAMC 3 P6,V11, B8 - 25
AAMC 7 P11, V11, B9 - 31
AAMC 9 P11, V11, B11 - 33
AAMC 10 P12, V11, B10 - 33

and the free ones from all the prep companies

What was your undergraduate major?

Kinesiology both cGPA and sGPA around 3.93, I took the MCAT after my 2nd year. It's interesting to note that I have taken no English courses (evident in my writing score), no organic chem, only one semester of gen chem, and only one semester of physics.

Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Stay active while studying. If I hadn't gone to the gym for an hour every day I studied i would have gone crazy.

How long did you study for the MCAT?
Throughout the whole summer I left an MCAT book in my bathroom for some bathroom reading. At the end of the summer I studied for 5-6 hours a day for 3 weeks.

I felt like CRAP coming out of the exam, and was predicting P 8-9, V 11-12, and B 8-9, so I don't think you can place a lot of weight on how you feel coming out.

Good luck, I hope this post helps people as the many before this have helped me

[Slack3r]

Your individual scores and composite score
31S - 12 BS, 12 VR, 7 PS


What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

Biological Sciences: TPR Hyperlearning. Re-read the whole bio section and went through all the individual problems. When doing problems/practice tests, I would look for trends on the types of topics I was missing and would go back and further review those sections. I took abridged notes of the entire bio content review, nothing major (maybe 3-5 pages for the whole section), just writing down little reminders of things I usually miss.

Physical Sciences: TPR Hyperlearning and EK Chem 1001. Easily my worst section, my physics lectures in undergrad were very scant with the content and "broad picture" and focused more on plug n' chug problems. I ended up focusing my studies on mostly the math side and neglected content. (DO NOT do this) It shows; my whole PS section was content based basically, very little math. I found the EK book to not be very helpful and just stuck to doing problems from the Hyperlearning books. I'd recommend focusing your studies on learning the material and broad concepts over stressing the formulas. Most of the math is intuitive once you understand why you're doing it anyway.

Verbal: I didn't practice this section beyond doing practice tests. Don't try and learn someone else's strategy (i.e. TPR), they're mostly BS anyway. Figure out what works best for you. Verbal, I feel, you either know or you don't.

Writing: Also didn't practice this. I don't really see how you can.

Which practice tests did you use?

Started using the TPR tests, but they seemed pretty useless and not at all like the real thing. Ended up switching to the AAMC ones and did all 9.

What was your undergraduate major?

Physiology/Anatomy

Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Don't overwork yourself and be sure to maximize your time. People say they study for 8 hours/day spend a majority of that wasted. 2-3 hours of intense, uninterrupted studying is much more effective than half-assing it for 8 hours and burning yourself out. Lock yourself in a room for 2-3 hours and focus on content review and mastering the material. Formulate connections between similar material in your head and think about potential relationships and questions that might be asked; the MCAT is all about synergy between concepts. Try and target concepts you're consistently missing while doing practice problems; there's no way to know everything but you can help to eliminate as many weak areas as possible. Stay focused, but don't be afraid to take a night off. You're your own worst enemy on this test, don't let it psyche you out.

How long did you study for the MCAT?

About 3 weeks, 2-4 hours/day with a night or two off per week. By the last few days I was doing only practice tests.

[trackcutie25]

Your individual scores and composite score

36Q - 12 BS, 11 VR, 13 PS

What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

PS: I started out using EK and the PS 1001 books, but in the end broke down and bought TBR for both Physics and Chem. I have not yet taken Physics 2 and hadnt taken Gen Chem in 6years, so I needed some extra help and the passages in TBR helped me learn to incorporate what I better.

BS: I used EK and only the Orgo 1001 book.

Verbal: EK and the 101 passages book although I didn't complete them all. This was my best section and I didn't focus much on it. Probably why its my lowest score, even though it was my best in every practice exam.

Writing: I did not study at all, just made sure to answer all the prompts during the test.

Which practice tests did you use?

I used the AAMC exams (3,4,5,7,8,10). I skipped some randomly just in case I had to retake.

What was your undergraduate major?

Economics....hated it

Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Remember that this is a critical thinking test! Yes there are some discretes and you do need background knowledge, but all the detailed knowledge is only going to get you maybe 2-3 more questions right. Focus on knowing all the basics and how they can all interelate to each other. Thats why I particularly liked EK.

Depending on how long its been since you studied will depend on how much time you need to review. I hadn't had any science stuff in 3+ years, so I devoted about three months. When you feel you need a break, take a break. I took a 2-3 week break because I was getting severely discourged and came back better than ever.

I cannot emphasize enough taking practice tests! Nothing will compare to working through these. The test is a reasoning test more than a knowledge, ESPECIALLY BS. Most of the answers you need are right there in the passage, use your common sense!

How long did you study for the MCAT?

I studied the whole summer, but ebbed and waned on intensity. I followed the EK study schedule But I finished it with a month left to do my own review. I put in 3-4 hours/day sometimes skipping and having to catch up to stay on schedule in the first month. Moved to 6-7 hrs/day including weekend for 3 weeks...burned out. Took 2 weeks off, went back to studying 6 hrs, until the week before. Then goofed off.

[raab32]

Your individual scores and composite score
34S - 11 PS, 10 V, 13 BS

What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

Content Review for BS and PS

• During content review for BS and PS, I mainly used Examkrackers review notes. Overall, I found these to be well-suited for me as they provided very concise conceptual reviews. Their review books had a helpful set of discrete questions at the end of each section that helped me begin to hone my critical thinking skills. These books also have 30 minute exams which are written in an MCAT-like format. Admittedly, I only did a few of these but they are definitely good review questions and are worth your time.
• For the conceptual material that I had some trouble with (for example, electromagnetism and optics), I consulted my physics textbook. This helped me a lot because I realized the material was definitely a lot easier the second time around. If you are having problems with the basic concepts of a topic, do yourself a favor and grab a textbook. (Note: I've also heard that TBR has great conceptual review for physics and chemistry topics, so this might be a good avenue to go down as well... I can't speak for it because I didn't use TBR.)
• I also used EK Audio Osmosis to reinforce material during my commutes to and from work. Really, really helpful for reinforcing things you review. Rewind and play back as much you need to.

Verbal

• For verbal, make sure you don't use Kaplan's strategy. This has been discussed many times on the forums and I'm sure you can find a lot of information about it, but the very basic idea is that they essentially feed you an entirely unnecessary strategy. I used Examkrackers' verbal "strategy", which is not so much a strategy as it is an intuitive approach to the verbal section. With that said, I am a bit disappointed with my verbal performance (10 on the section) because I was averaging ~11-12 on my verbal sections. But I found EK's strategy was by and large the best approach if you need some help with the section.

Practice Questions during Content Review

• In terms of practice questions, I used EK 1001 Chem and EK 1001 Physics to help master the material. I also used a bit of EK 1001 Bio, which actually functioned as a sort of content review because it helped reinforce many concepts. I also went through some of Kaplan's Sectional Tests. I found Kaplan to be more numbers-based, but this helped me understand the application of many concepts. These sectionals were a bit challenging, but definitely helped me transition from content review to practice tests.

Writing Section

• Lastly, for the essays, I simply followed a three paragraph strategy that a friend of mine told me about. I think this might be a Kaplan thing. But I literally went over this two days before the MCAT... just make coherent points and you should be fine.

Which practice tests did you use?

Started off with a couple of Kaplan exams that my friend let me use and then switched to the AAMCs. Did all of them except for one. They were pretty good in terms of what question types to expect on the actual MCAT. My average on these exams was ~37-38, so I didn't perform as well as I was expecting to... again this is probably because of verbal.

What was your undergraduate major?

Biology with a concentration in neuroscience

Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Don't be intimidated! I was very nervous about the exam as I started my content review. This is understandable because it's daunting to review all of your pre-med classes. But the test is definitely more focused on how well you know the concepts and how well you can manipulate them in your head. Keep this in mind as you study. If you're getting bogged down by details that seem trivial, they probably are.

Very important: as you study, always ask why. Keep the big picture in mind. Why is the pH going down in a given system? Why are enzymatic processes being negatively affected in the framework of a given inhibitor? You need to approach the material with intellectual curiosity because this is overwhelmingly what is tested on the exam. I reviewed content and would find myself hopping around wikipedia learning more and more and developing a good sense of the big picture.

Be able to look at the science material from a bird's eye view and recognize the vast interconnections of everything. It becomes less of an exam being studied for and more of a mind-blowing intellectual tour de force.

How long did you study for the MCAT?

My exam was on 9/12/09. Started content review around the end of June/beginning of July while working full-time in a neuroscience lab. Probably the best job to have while studying for the MCAT because of multiple hour incubation times. Perfect for getting in some review during the day. Started practice exams during mid-August and did those up until a couple days before the exam.

If you have any more questions, shoot me a PM - I'd be glad to help you out.

[caseofthemndays]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
first time PS9 VR10 BS10 WSO =29O
2nd time PS11 VR12 BS11 WSM =34M

2) The study method used for each section
Kaplan books, EK for verbal

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
Examcrackers for verbal. Tried sticking to the Kaplan method the first time around, and it just wasn't my style. If you feel you need to look back in the passage to find something, do it. Writing the "theme" of the passage was completely useless for me. Brought my score up two points, honestly, by abandoning the kaplan method and just doing what felt right. Kaplan was good for sciences. Completely neglected the writing sample the second time around (it shows )

4) Which practice tests did you use?
AAMC only. I think I made it through 3-10

5) What was your undergraduate major?
MCD Bio.

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
practice practice practice. Go over your mistakes on practice exams. And bring snacks to the test. I'm really bad about forgetting to eat, especially breakfast. But it's really important on test day.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
Planned on studying for 6 months, but really only got around to it the last 4 weeks.

[Crazy CAT]

Originally Posted by AggieSean

) Your individual scores and composite score

MCAT: 11PS 11VR 11BS P (33P)

2) The study method used for each section

PS: Being a physics major helped tremendously. For anyone who can, take a class in optics, it'll help a lot, and will help develop the kind of problem solving skills necessary for the MCAT. As far as study materials:
1. Kaplan's material review was great, but their practice materials (the online quizzes, full-lengths, subject tests) sucked. I didn't like them at all and thought they were way too involved.
2. For practice problems, I had hand-me-down Princeton Review stuff, and used their science workbook. For me, my weakpoints were fluid mechanics, electrochemistry, and acids/bases. So I would study all the material in the Kaplan books, and then do ALL of the passages in Princeton's book.
3. The week before the MCAT, I never really had time to sit down and take more full lengths, so I took 5 AAMC old PS sections (Kaplan gave us access to ALL AAMC practice tests as part of our course) just to get a feel for what the real thing would be like.

VR: Honestly, didn't study a whole lot for this. I had EK101, Kaplan's workbook, and TPR's workbook, but didn't use them too much. I maybe did 7 passages from EK, and 30 passages out of the TPR book (Kaplan's verbal stuff is kinda worthless, in my opinion). Verbal has always been a strong point for me (740 Verbal SAT), so I devoted more time to....

BS: Eek! My weakest section. I had AP credit for Bio 101 and 102, and the only other bio. classes I took were a year of physiology and organic chemistry. Needless to say, I had to hit this one hard. I read and took notes on every chapter in the Kaplan book, used all of the Kaplan flashcards, read and took notes on many of the Kaplan chapters AGAIN, did practice EK bio passages and for my weakest areas (Micro, Molec. Bio, Biochem, and some Organic stuff), I read the TPR review books and took notes. By the way, for each chapter I read and took notes on, I pasted helpful pictures into the 5-subject notebook where I was taking notes. It helped a lot just to be able to flip through it when I needed a visual aid (I'm a very visual person).
So, as far as practice passages, again I pretty much didn't do any Kaplan stuff, and I did just about EVERY biology and organic chemistry passage and standalone question in the TPR science workbook. And again, the week before the MCAT, I did AMCAS BS sections. I made an 8 on the first one (which wigged me out, seeing as it was the thursday before the test and had been making 12-13), but settled down and things got better.


WS: Didn't even study. All I knew is that if I did exactly what the prompt told me, I'd get a P. And that's just fine with me.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

PS: TPR, AAMC
VR: TPR, EK, AAMC
BS: TPR, EK, AAMC
WS: None

4) Which practice tests did you use?

Kaplan and AAMC

5) What was your undergraduate major?

Physics with a math minor

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Kaplan full lengths are good indicators of how you'll score on the real deal (you are scored according to how everyone else does, just like the real thing), but AAMC tests are probably more indicative of the kind of content and weirdness (haha) you'll see on the MCAT.

Also, this is very important, if you take away anything from this post, get this:

When/if you walk out on test day feeling like you just got owned, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, I walked out feeling like I'd made a 20. Believe me, ignore the voices and just relax (easier said than done, I know). It is completely normal to leave the center feeling like you'll never get into med. school with the score you'll probably get. I dealt with this doubt for over a month and it really screwed me up. Don't let post-test shock take you over like I did, it seriously affected me. I'm not exaggerating or being over-dramatic. Just CHILL when you're done, and trust in your preparation (if you've been serious).

Also, there is a sweet median to hitting it hard on your weaknesses and playing to your strengths. For me, my strengths were Verbal and Physical, but my weakness was Bio, so for example, if it came between taking another hour to do physics problems or organic reactions, I went with organic. It isn't always easy because doing the things you're good at is a great confidence booster, but it can also impart a false sense of security. However, I knew also that a great score on physical sciences was definitely possible b/c it's graded easier and because of my background, so every now and then I'd be hardcore with physics and chemistry to do whatever I could to push the range of what I could possibly score. It didn't quite pan out for me like that on test day, but that's fine. I'm completely happy with my score and wouldn't retake for the world.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

3 months. Also, don't take 7 classes the same semester of your MCAT. Not cool. Not cool at all. If I had to do it over again, I would have taken a minimal load and been extra hardcore about everything. But that's okay. Honestly, I had been scoring 34-35 range on my practice tests, but I'm not gonna complain about my score, ESPECIALLY after the April 7th MCAT Nightmare.

thank you!
your post helps me a lot
i am also physics major with a math minor but with strong biology but super weak verbal!!!
i started cracking up the practice tests and man, they are way a lot easier than our major classes!

[lindsayb]

Before I say anything, I want to address a very important issue in taking the MCAT: having confidence in yourself and not comparing yourself to ANYONE ELSE. We are our own worst critics, and it is easy for the evil MCAT to steal your confidence. It's hard. It's meant to try to make you feel like a moron, but DON'T LET IT. You need to keep your head up. You have taken these classes, you have your head on straight, and you can do this. Don't scroll down this entire page and think that you are ****ed because 'everyone else' is getting 35+. The select few on this board are posting probably because they got a good score and are wanting to brag. Don't let their complexes make you feel like you are an idiot. My diagnostic score was a 17 foraplan class. You can raise your score. You can get into med school. If you get above a 30, have a pretty good GPA, do volunteer work or work hard in general, and get a solid, 30ish MCAT score you can get in. A premed advisor once told one of my friends, who had gotten a 30O on her MCAT and had a 3.3 GPA that she had no chance of getting into medical school and should find another career. Right now she is at CU Medical School, one of the best schools in the country for family medicine. So just remember, if you believe in yourself, what you are doing, who you are, and where you will go, you will be fine. JUST BREATHE.

1) Your individual scores and composite score
10, 10, 10, 30P

2) The study method used for each section
Kaplan class & online resources

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
Kaplan class & online study resources

4) Which practice tests did you use?
Kaplan 1-8, 2 AMMC tests

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Physiology

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Discipline yourself. Make a study schedule. Get a timer. Set it for the couple hours you are studying, and stop it for bathroom breaks.

Don't let the bastard get you down.


7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
2.5 months

[BennieBlanco]

Originally Posted by lindsayb

Before I say anything, I want to address a very important issue in taking the MCAT: having confidence in yourself and not comparing yourself to ANYONE ELSE. We are our own worst critics, and it is easy for the evil MCAT to steal your confidence. It's hard. It's meant to try to make you feel like a moron, but DON'T LET IT. You need to keep your head up. You have taken these classes, you have your head on straight, and you can do this. Don't scroll down this entire page and think that you are ****ed because 'everyone else' is getting 35+. The select few on this board are posting probably because they got a good score and are wanting to brag. Don't let their complexes make you feel like you are an idiot. My diagnostic score was a 17 foraplan class. You can raise your score. You can get into med school. If you get above a 30, have a pretty good GPA, do volunteer work or work hard in general, and get a solid, 30ish MCAT score you can get in. A premed advisor once told one of my friends, who had gotten a 30O on her MCAT and had a 3.3 GPA that she had no chance of getting into medical school and should find another career. Right now she is at CU Medical School, one of the best schools in the country for family medicine. So just remember, if you believe in yourself, what you are doing, who you are, and where you will go, you will be fine. JUST BREATHE.

1) Your individual scores and composite score
10, 10, 10, 30P

2) The study method used for each section
Kaplan class & online resources

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
Kaplan class & online study resources

4) Which practice tests did you use?
Kaplan 1-8, 2 AMMC tests

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Physiology

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Discipline yourself. Make a study schedule. Get a timer. Set it for the couple hours you are studying, and stop it for bathroom breaks.

Don't let the bastard get you down.


7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
2.5 months

or maybe the "select few" are trying to help others.

[JonSwan]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
PS = 12
BS = 13
VR = 12
W = R
Composite: 37R

2) The study method used for each section
a. Study EK material starting with worst subject (physics for me) and
moving to easiest (bio for me). After completing EK book for a
given subject, do several questions for each section of 1001
Questions. If questions seem easy, move on - if they are difficult,
do some more and review section in EK.
b. Listen to Audio Osmosis in free time
c. Write several practice essays
d. After finishing all EK books, take non-AAMC practice tests. Note
weak areas on test and review EK accordingly. Next, take AAMC
practice tests. Touch up on weak areas.
e. Skim all materials in the week before test. Stop and read if you see
something that you don't remember well.
f. Breathe, relax, dive in and take the test.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
PS: ExamKrackers, Audio Osmosis and EK 1001 Questions
BS: ExamKrackers, Audio Osmosis, Kaplan Organic Chemistry Edge and EK 1001 Questions
VR: 1001 Questions
W: ExamKrackers, practice essays (good to help get your timing down)

4) Which practice tests did you use?
2 Kaplan tests (ignore the score), EK (ignore the score), PR (ignore the score), all AAMC tests (THE single most valuable investment I made for MCAT prep - these are an absolute necessity!)

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biology and Psychology

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
Repetition is key. The more you see the material, the more it will soak in. I had several "A-ha!" moments after the 3rd or even 4th time through the material when I "got it".

Also, take the MCAT seriously, but not too seriously. Work up some confidence in yourself and take control of the process. Don't let the MCAT control you or it will take a dump on your soul.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
January - April: 1 hour/weekday, 2-3 hours/weekend-day
May: 8 hours (give or take)/day
Tested at end of May

[FishHungry]

1) Your individual scores and composite score

PS: 14, VR: 13, BS: 13 40S


2) The study method used for each section

Altius Test Prep tutoring/classroom course (only available in Utah; but they have some good resources on their website to help those doing self study from somewhere else). They gave us 20 tutoring sessions plus a ton of classroom sessions, I don't remember how many. I basically did everything they asked, went to every class and session, etc.


3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

Just the Altius materials and the AAMC tests Altius gives you. I did buy the EK 101 book, but after takiing a few I thought they were poorly written, so I stuck to Altius' stuff.

4) Which practice tests did you use?

Altius/AAMC only


5) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

If you are going to take a course, do a lot of research. Talk to students of your same aptitude/background who took that course. Be skeptical. It's just my opinion, but I think most courses aren't worth much and you can do better studyign on your own. I did take Altius because they are actually significanlty different than kaplan, PR or EK. Mainly due to the private tutoring you get and the fact that they have replaced the classroom lectures with live practice sessions where you are taking and reviewing real MCAT questions.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

About 6 months. That's another great thing about Altius, you can study with them for as long as you want for the same price. I was originally going to only study for about 3 months and take an early April exam. On my tutors advice I decided to study almost double that time and took the exam at the end of June.

[IndianVercetti]

Originally Posted by FishHungry

1) Your individual scores and composite score

PS: 14, VR: 13, BS: 13 40S


2) The study method used for each section

Altius Test Prep tutoring/classroom course (only available in Utah; but they have some good resources on their website to help those doing self study from somewhere else). They gave us 20 tutoring sessions plus a ton of classroom sessions, I don't remember how many. I basically did everything they asked, went to every class and session, etc.


3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

Just the Altius materials and the AAMC tests Altius gives you. I did buy the EK 101 book, but after takiing a few I thought they were poorly written, so I stuck to Altius' stuff.

4) Which practice tests did you use?

Altius/AAMC only


5) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

If you are going to take a course, do a lot of research. Talk to students of your same aptitude/background who took that course. Be skeptical. It's just my opinion, but I think most courses aren't worth much and you can do better studyign on your own. I did take Altius because they are actually significanlty different than kaplan, PR or EK. Mainly due to the private tutoring you get and the fact that they have replaced the classroom lectures with live practice sessions where you are taking and reviewing real MCAT questions.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

About 6 months. That's another great thing about Altius, you can study with them for as long as you want for the same price. I was originally going to only study for about 3 months and take an early April exam. On my tutors advice I decided to study almost double that time and took the exam at the end of June.

[unDRdog]

Originally Posted by IndianVercetti

My thoughts exactly

[muhali3]

Originally Posted by IndianVercetti

http://altiustestprep.com/default.aspx