The Official 01/30/2010 MCAT club!

[G1SG2]

Ah, I can't believe I registered for this test again. Thought I was done with it...retaking sucks. Maybe 2010 will be my year

[IndianVercetti]

Originally Posted by praesto7

Having a brilliant day!
registered for...... the 29th. 8am.
Does this mean i'll be parting from my mcat crew?
Biochemistry exam 3 tomorrow, then the intense mcat days and nights re-commence.
good luck to all!

Its 1 day apart, big deal. I just saw a new thread was started for 1/29/10, but we're pretty much all in the same boat.

These next 3 months are going to play a HUGE role in defining our careers for the rest of our lives. We may have been lazy or done poorly in some classes, but this is something that is clearly in our control right now.

Let's prepare for this thing like there's no tomorrow. Let's get the score we want in January so we can avoid a retake and start our apps very early and have time to write great personal statements, secondaries, etc.

Opportunity doesn't always strike twice.

[unDRdog]

Originally Posted by G1SG2

Ah, I can't believe I registered for this test again. Thought I was done with it...retaking sucks. Maybe 2010 will be my year

I'm sure it will..

[BestDoctorEver]

I have sent a $65 check since 10/10/09 to order TBR physics set. As for now, they have not even withdrawn the money from my account. I called them last friday, the person who answered the phone took my info and said he will call me back on saturday. So far, I got no calls from them yet. I try to call them today (monday) and No one had f... answered the phone; all I am getting is to leave stupid messages if wanna register for the TBR class in California. I am done studying everything else except physics; time is running out as I am planning to take the MCAT in January. Are there other people experiencing such problem? What should I do now? Any suggestions will be appreciated...

[G1SG2]

Originally Posted by BestDoctorEver

I have sent a $65 check since 10/10/09 to order TBR physics set. As for now, they have not even withdrawn the money from my account. I called them last friday, the person who answered the phone took my info and said he will call me back on saturday. So far, I got no calls from them yet. I try to call them today (monday) and No one had f... answered the phone; all I am getting is to leave stupid messages if wanna register for the TBR class in California. I am done studying everything else except physics; time is running out as I am planning to take the MCAT in January. Are there other people experiencing such problem? What should I do now? Any suggestions will be appreciated...

Checks take longer...you should have sent a money order. If I remember correctly, it takes them 10 days to actually process your check before they begin to process your order and actually ship it out. Keep calling them to check up on the status of your order.

[G1SG2]

Originally Posted by unDRdog

I'm sure it will..

Thanks buddy

[BestDoctorEver]

Originally Posted by G1SG2

Checks take longer...you should have sent a money order. If I remember correctly, it takes them 10 days to actually process your check before they begin to process your order and actually ship it out. Keep calling them to check up on the status of your order.

Thanks... I will keep calling them. However, 21 days after sending them a check goes beyond my patience.

[LALAKERS24]

Signed up to take the MCAT. Starting my studying as of today, whewww.... Good luck to all!

[praesto7]

Originally Posted by G1SG2

Ah, I can't believe I registered for this test again. Thought I was done with it...retaking sucks. Maybe 2010 will be my year

My edit:

Ah, I can't believe I registered for this test again. Thought I was done with it...retaking sucks. 2010 will be my year

[JFK90787]

Registered. Ugh the wait is the worst part, I want to take this test now

[IndianVercetti]

Originally Posted by praesto7

My edit:

Ah, I can't believe I registered for this test again. Thought I was done with it...retaking sucks. 2010 will be my year

Are you a New Yorker? Is that a picture of Central Park? If so, Yankees are going to win the World Series, which is good luck. I hope you're not a Mets fan.

[ifility]

Seriously can someone please tell me what they are using to prepare for the verbal? Kinda getting scared here.

[BestDoctorEver]

Originally Posted by ifility

Seriously can someone please tell me what they are using to prepare for the verbal? Kinda getting scared here.

Exam Krackers verbal 101. Verbal is by far the most difficult section in that test. It's either you master it or you dont, nothing in between. You are not alone... I am getting pretty scary scores on it as well.

[praesto7]

Originally Posted by IndianVercetti

Are you a New Yorker? Is that a picture of Central Park? If so, Yankees are going to win the World Series, which is good luck. I hope you're not a Mets fan.

Yes,
Yes,
Yes They Are,
Good luck all around, of course,
And I am, of course, a Yankees fan

Nice catch

[robbinblue458]

hey guys just reg. for jan 29th 8am! are you guys excited for the exam?!?!

[G1SG2]

Originally Posted by praesto7

My edit:

Ah, I can't believe I registered for this test again. Thought I was done with it...retaking sucks. 2010 will be my year

[unDRdog]

Originally Posted by praesto7

My edit:

Ah, I can't believe I registered for this test again. Thought I was done with it...retaking sucks. 2010 will be my year

Think of how much less taxing the whole experience will be. We know whats coming this time. If you dont mind me asking what was your AAMC practice averages last time around...did they deviate from your real score?

[unDRdog]

Originally Posted by BestDoctorEver

Exam Krackers verbal 101. Verbal is by far the most difficult section in that test. It's either you master it or you dont, nothing in between. You are not alone... I am getting pretty scary scores on it as well.

Dont sweat the verbal..i was scoring 6-7 on EK until i stopped timing myself and really learned how to dissect the passages and recognize patterns,phrases, etc...my scores jumped to 10ish pretty quickly after that. Then its just a matter of fine tuning your timing. I was consistently in the 12's after that. My goal and hope is that verbal will offset a potentially less that stellar PS/BS section. But then again...thats kinda a defeated mentality...LOL...I take that back...i'm going to destroy all sections!!!! Name it claim it!!

[g3grl]

Heyyy, i'm just joining this thread. I'm freaking out now since I'm officially registered. I took the MCAT back on sept 12 and I didn't do so great on the verbal... I had my mind set on re-taking it ever since.. but it's been almost 2 months and I haven't started studying again. I know 3 months is more than enough time but I'm just starting to get really worried because my class load is somewhat intense and I'm a HUGEEEE procrastinator!! and a lot of people I have talked to said I might be pushing it. Anyway, any advice for the Verbal? I REALLY suck at this! I did just a few of the EK 101 passages for my previous test but still didn't get where I wanted but I wasn't too strict with myself either.

[unDRdog]

Originally Posted by g3grl

Heyyy, i'm just joining this thread. I'm freaking out now since I'm officially registered. I took the MCAT back on sept 12 and I didn't do so great on the verbal... I had my mind set on re-taking it ever since.. but it's been almost 2 months and I haven't started studying again. I know 3 months is more than enough time but I'm just starting to get really worried because my class load is somewhat intense and I'm a HUGEEEE procrastinator!! and a lot of people I have talked to said I might be pushing it. Anyway, any advice for the Verbal? I REALLY suck at this! I did just a few of the EK 101 passages for my previous test but still didn't get where I wanted but I wasn't too strict with myself either.

Verbal seems to get 7 outta 10 ppl. I'm going to post something i wrote while trying to help someone out. Let me preface this by saying that i'm no ultimate authority in Verbal. Many ppl are better than me and used a diff method of study. I'm just telling you what worked for me... This is how i did it. As you know verbal is just one of those things that you either get it or you dont...but once it clicks...you got it for good!! GL

First i just backed way away from the watch on my wrist and figured out how to read the passage without the clock in my face! This wil allow you to really look yourself in the mirror and understand where your screwing up. I found that staying "above the passage" was my way of not getting bogged down in the crap. I always felt so troubled by the details and not being able to remember what i read two to three sentences ago, etc etc.. really messed my big pic game up. This was the key for me. I try and stay interested in whatever they are talking about and understand what they mean/or are thinking. Get away from the details and you should drastically improve. The more questions you practice without the clock the more you are able to analyze the question stems. Soon you will develop an intuition about what kinda question they will be asking and can read with the confidence of " o yeah, this whole paragraph shows that the author supports the legalization of drugs",, (eg) I honestly believe that initially getting the hang of it without the time is critical. Then i just got a simple little strategy in my head of 8 min per passage..(give or take) This means i should be ab 1/2 done with the passage in 2 min and finished in 4, leaving 4 min to answer 5-8 question. Thats how i did and think you could see dramatic score increases in as little as 3-4 days!!

[IndianVercetti]

Originally Posted by g3grl

Heyyy, i'm just joining this thread. I'm freaking out now since I'm officially registered. I took the MCAT back on sept 12 and I didn't do so great on the verbal... I had my mind set on re-taking it ever since.. but it's been almost 2 months and I haven't started studying again. I know 3 months is more than enough time but I'm just starting to get really worried because my class load is somewhat intense and I'm a HUGEEEE procrastinator!! and a lot of people I have talked to said I might be pushing it. Anyway, any advice for the Verbal? I REALLY suck at this! I did just a few of the EK 101 passages for my previous test but still didn't get where I wanted but I wasn't too strict with myself either.

Obviously I'm by NO means an authority on verbal, but I think I'm half-way alright at it. I got a 10 on a practice verbal I did, but then again, I never really considered myself that good at reading comprehension or reading in general. I actually forgot where I read this hint, maybe EK, but it said to read the passage as if you were a Harvard English professor. You should read the passage absolutely convinced that you will know exactly what is going on. I guess this is the logic of, if you expect good things, good things will happen.

Also, like I said in another post here, my problem when the MCAT in general is that I tend to let one tough question in a passage bog my mind down, and prevent me from thinking clearly through the remaining questions in a passage. I was doing some practice problems, and pretty much most of the questions I get wrong are in clumps (meaning they're based on the same passage). Especially in verbal where the curve is so steep, it's pretty important that we don't let one tough question stop us from thinking clearly for another question on the same passage.

I'm also trying to read random articles daily. I know a lot of people say it's useless, but I doubt it can hurt?

[Lena2214]

Friend just registered for this session...I am on board to help her....just wanted to say good luck to everyone else!!!!!!!!

[medhoney]

hey guys! i'm a retake for the january test date too. i'm in cali. anyone want a study partner??

[BestDoctorEver]

Does anyone know any books that do a good job in explaining ACIDS/BASES and Acid-Base Equilibria (Neutralization-Titration)? I am using my old Chemistry textbook and I am having trouble understanding this chapter. Please someone help !!!

[michiganman31]

Decided to go with 1 PM on 1/30/2010.

About 3 months, gonna go to the library now. Good luck studying everyone, don't procrastinate! Easier said than done, I know.

[g3grl]

THANKS those are both really helpful advices. My strategy has always been to read the questions before reading the passage, but I guess that got me distracted in searching for the answers instead of getting the main ideas. And from the very start I would time myself because I wanted to train myself to finish and am such a slow reader... I'm really going to take your advice and work on the passages without worrying about time... hopefully this works for me too!

O an another question- what books do you guys recommend using? I have the entire EK set & the PR books. For Verbal I have the EK 101 Passages but have already used like 5 previously.. n I want to save what I have left for later.. so any other books good for verbal? Also for practice exams, I have already done all of the AAMC exams unfortunately.. I am going to take them again but feel like they won't be an accurate indicator... any advice on what I should do?

GOOD LUCK everyone!!

[unDRdog]

I know its early but has anyone started taking any practice tests to gauge where they are? Especially the re-takers....are you guys/gals testing yet. I took a Kaplan FL ( I dont like these) and did ok. I'm ordering TBR CBT at the end of this month. Howz everybody's averages looking?

[IndianVercetti]

Anyone have any hints about absorbing the information in science passages better? I'm doing some practice problems, and it seems that half, if not more of the questions have their answers right in the passage; but I struggle so much to absorb what the passage is saying quickly. Like for example, there was one passage about a freezing/melting experiment, followed by questions about this experiment. The questions weren't hard, but it's tough to quickly understand what the experiment involved after only a single read.

[Baboo Bhaiya]

unDRdog.. this is some great advice

[BestDoctorEver]

Originally Posted by BestDoctorEver

Does anyone know any books that do a good job in explaining ACIDS/BASES and Acid-Base Equilibria (Neutralization-Titration)? I am using my old Chemistry textbook and I am having trouble understanding this chapter. Please someone help !!!

Can someone suggest some books please?

[unDRdog]

Originally Posted by BestDoctorEver

Can someone suggest some books please?

Hands down TBR They have an Acid Base chapter with 10 passages and a titration buffer chapter with 10 passages. Study these and they cant trick you on the real thing. Kaplan sucks with Acid Base and EK is lame...TBR!

[KingstonPre]

If anyone can help me with the Bio section outlines(strategy, need-to-knows) I can help with Gen Chem & Verbal notes... PM me.

I have outlines and notes.

[StarryNights]

Anyone using Princeton Review materials for prep? Do they have an individual verbal workbook with full lengths like Kaplan? Is it helpful? I'm running out of material for verbal...already did 8/11 of the Kaplan full verbal tests. I have the EK101, but saving that for month leading up to the test. Thanks.

[Insulinshock]

just signed up. lets do this dance.

[g3grl]

Originally Posted by StarryNights

Anyone using Princeton Review materials for prep? Do they have an individual verbal workbook with full lengths like Kaplan? Is it helpful? I'm running out of material for verbal...already did 8/11 of the Kaplan full verbal tests. I have the EK101, but saving that for month leading up to the test. Thanks.

I have the PR Verbal Workbook and have done only a few passages from it. I don't like it very much.. it isn't very comparable to the actual MCAT passages.. much harder and structure it so you have to use their tools! I'm pretty much stuck on the same thing as you- I only have like 6 passages from the EK 101 I haven't used and want to save that and don't have any other resources. The Kaplan book your using.. did you get that with a classroom course or at a bookstore? If so, can you please post the ISBN. I'm searching for other verbal books.. I'll let you know if I have any luck.

[JFK90787]

Originally Posted by StarryNights

Anyone using Princeton Review materials for prep? Do they have an individual verbal workbook with full lengths like Kaplan? Is it helpful? I'm running out of material for verbal...already did 8/11 of the Kaplan full verbal tests. I have the EK101, but saving that for month leading up to the test. Thanks.

Yes they have a verbal workbook. I have no idea how many passages are in it, I haven't used it yet

[g3grl]

O n I don't know if PR sells an individual Verbal books.. I received mine with the book set for the classroom course. It has about 40+ passages and 4 full tests.

[IndianVercetti]

New home, same destiny.
Had to say it.

[StarryNights]

Originally Posted by g3grl

O n I don't know if PR sells an individual Verbal books.. I received mine with the book set for the classroom course. It has about 40+ passages and 4 full tests.

The verbal book that I am using is actually an older edition, which I got from the classroom course. I was taking Kaplan course last summer (so it's from 2008 with 11 full tests), but then underestimated how much time I'd have to devote to studying for it and ended up pushing the test back to this year. Kaplan lets you retake the course if you're not ready so I just put my account on hold for a year and reactivated it this summer. Kaplan just redid their books, added color to everything and also sent me a new set. The new 2009 verbal book only has 6 full tests but quite a few passages are different so I'll move onto that after I finish the 2008 ones, I guess.

[IndianVercetti]

We can't let the March MCAT thread get more active that this one...

[Artimacia]

I'm getting sick sucks

[Cedric]

Originally Posted by Artimacia

I'm getting sick sucks

Me too, got lots of cough and a little fever, after getting drunk few days ago

[unDRdog]

Is anyone else finding it difficult to make time to study...I'm only getting in ab 3 hours a day for MCAT...THIS SUCKS...freakin school is demanding soooo much time. I hate it. I need to become a better manager of my time. Any body come up with an efficent method to impliment MCAT studying into the semester?

[praesto7]

Originally Posted by unDRdog

Is anyone else finding it difficult to make time to study...I'm only getting in ab 3 hours a day for MCAT...THIS SUCKS...freakin school is demanding soooo much time. I hate it. I need to become a better manager of my time. Any body come up with an efficent method to impliment MCAT studying into the semester?

I 'm having a lot of trouble too. I cut down on sleep but it's slowly getting to me.

This may apply more to re-takers but here is my suggestion:
If you know certain topics fairly well, use your study time to practice those topics with passages- don't just exhaust the content studying from the book. You can know it all-- but without knowing how it is going to show up on test day, you won't exercise your full potential.

[Rose1Line]

Howdy Everyone ,
K, so i'm officially on board for the January 30th exam . I have been studying EK but my physics is horrible, so I just ordered TBR set. It's my last hope....

[Artimacia]

I had to have blood work done on Friday, hopefully nothings wrong

I've been getting about 2 hours of mcat a day (maybe less ) but now I'm uping it to atleast 3 hours a day

[IndianVercetti]

Originally Posted by unDRdog

Is anyone else finding it difficult to make time to study...I'm only getting in ab 3 hours a day for MCAT...THIS SUCKS...freakin school is demanding soooo much time. I hate it. I need to become a better manager of my time. Any body come up with an efficent method to impliment MCAT studying into the semester?

Me too. I can't say I'm doing much more than what you are, but what I do is force myself to do MCAT prep before I even touch my school work. I really can't see myself NOT studying enough for my classes, so I'll find time for that after the MCAT work. I think most of us would find time to prepare for our classes, but we may tend to procrastinate for the MCAT

[unDRdog]

Originally Posted by Artimacia

I had to have blood work done on Friday, hopefully nothings wrong

I've been getting about 2 hours of mcat a day (maybe less ) but now I'm uping it to atleast 3 hours a day

I hope your OK!!! that sucks your not feeling well. Yeah i studied all summer starting in May -Aug and was averaging 5ish but when i was peaking was getting around 7-8...I was a machine!! LOL...but now with school and stuff its a dif story. I'm busting my tail today and tomorrow to get ahead in my classes and then resume MCAT studies after that time. We will have a month during winter break but we all know that bt xmas, new years and just life its going to be hectic. Again, wouldnt worry too much about the blood thing...stay focused on the number 35+

[Insulinshock]

Is anyone else not using a set schedule? I don't know how the rest of you work, but my life is way too hectic and unpredictable to say, "ok I'm going to study for two hours today, three hours on Friday, six hours on November 27, etc."

I have all my books, and I know I need to finish them plus take a set number of practice tests before a set date. As it stands right now with school I'm swamped so I study when I can, but not necessarily a set amount everyday. My goal is to finish Biology and organic chemistry, my best subjects, before December and then concentrate on physics and gen chem through the duration of December, before wrapping it all together the first four weeks of January, while concentrating on verbal consistently throughout.

Is anyone else taking this approach? I just think that sticking to a schedule is too hard right now, and as long as I get it done and feel confident with my level of expertise everything will work itself out.

btw I'm not the type of person who needs a schedule to stay on track. I'm very self-motivated.

[fly1346]

Just registered....

Time to annihilate this sucker!