Best Study Method for Full Time Student?

[RadioCure]

Hi All,

This is my first post here on SDN and I'm a bit disappointed I didn't find this site earlier!

I'm hoping to make a decision in the next day or so of how I want to go about studying for the MCAT. I've read lots of things in many places, including some of the information here, but I'm hoping to get an opinion that's a little more tailored to my schedule.

I plan on starting my studies from early january until a May MCAT, about 4 months worth of study time. Basically, my question is if the 4 month schedule presented by SN2ed is reasonable for someone taking a 16 credit course load this semester. About how much time per day does that schedule take up?

My other 2 options are to enroll in the Kaplan classroom course, or to get the same materials as in the SN2ed schedule and just study the areas I need more work in as I have time to do so.

People here seem generally averted to Kaplan, but I'm wondering if that changes at all with me being on a relatively tight class schedule. The Kaplan course seems a bit less comprehensive, but might it be better for how much time I have to commit?

Any opinions or suggestions of how I should go about studying for the MCAT would be greatly appreciated!

[skyblue2000]

Originally Posted by RadioCure

Hi All,

This is my first post here on SDN and I'm a bit disappointed I didn't find this site earlier!

I'm hoping to make a decision in the next day or so of how I want to go about studying for the MCAT. I've read lots of things in many places, including some of the information here, but I'm hoping to get an opinion that's a little more tailored to my schedule.

I plan on starting my studies from early january until a May MCAT, about 4 months worth of study time. Basically, my question is if the 4 month schedule presented by SN2ed is reasonable for someone taking a 16 credit course load this semester. About how much time per day does that schedule take up?

My other 2 options are to enroll in the Kaplan classroom course, or to get the same materials as in the SN2ed schedule and just study the areas I need more work in as I have time to do so.

People here seem generally averted to Kaplan, but I'm wondering if that changes at all with me being on a relatively tight class schedule. The Kaplan course seems a bit less comprehensive, but might it be better for how much time I have to commit?

Any opinions or suggestions of how I should go about studying for the MCAT would be greatly appreciated!

I'm in the same boat! According to SN2ed, I think it takes about 5-6hrs a day...but he said that some days may be more heavy (like 8 hrs a day). That being said, I don't think it would be possible with a full course load (and especially if you're doing something extra).

So I think either you need to make up your own schedule, or take the break days out of SN2ed's schedule and stretch the material that way...I'm trying to do the latter right now..don't know how well it will pan out, but here's hoping!

If anyone else has any ideas, that'd be awesome!

[SN2ed]

From previous posters that have gone through my schedule, they have said full time schooling or work would not work with the schedule I laid out. One of them, I believe loveoforganic, initially thought it would be possible with a full time job, but after finishing it was glad he didn't. Another thing to keep in mind is that there are regularly 8+ hour days.

skyblue2000: Take out the break days, you'll burn out. Also, I don't think it will take 5-6 hours. Then again, you're already doing a myriad of things that go against my advice.

[skyblue2000]

Originally Posted by SN2ed

skyblue2000: Take out the break days, you'll burn out. Also, I don't think it will take 5-6 hours. Then again, you're already doing a myriad of things that go against my advice.

I thought I read on your post that your proposed schedule would take about 5-6hours on the practice days..depending on your reading pace?

I am going against your advice, however, I do still have it in mind, and am definitely trying to alter my plan to incorporate your suggestions while sticking to my deadline.

[SN2ed]

Originally Posted by skyblue2000

I thought I read on your post that your proposed schedule would take about 5-6hours on the practice days..depending on your reading pace?

I am going against your advice, however, I do still have it in mind, and am definitely trying to alter my plan to incorporate your suggestions while sticking to my deadline.

Yeah, 5-6.5 hours depends heavily on several factors. Once I gave more thought about it, I don't believe that's correct. For instance, reading speed will effect the timing, as will post practice review timing. Post practice review is highly variable and can take some people far more than the listed time.

The problem is you're ignoring the most important points. You're setting yourself up for failure in a very large way.

Edit: Alright, I better stop derailing the thread.

[eez]

it does take about 4-5 hours but the orgo book have like 50 pages per chapter which takes forever to finish lol

[IndianVercetti]

I think you should make your own plan, because you are an individual - who just like anyone else would obviously have a learning ability that is different from anyone else. SN2ed deserves a lot of respect for coming up with a thorough study strategy, but keep in mind that this is only his opinion. There are many correct approaches in how to study for the MCAT. You shouldn't feel as if his method is in someway the 'holy grail' of MCAT review - there are many different approaches that all will result in good performance.

Once again, I'm not trying to put-down SN2ed in anyway; what he has provided is phenomenal.

[RadioCure]

It seems like following Sn2ed's plan (or something close to it) is out of the question for me, as there is no way I can devote 5-8 hours a day to studying.

The question now becomes whether the Kaplan course is good enough to get me prepared or if I'm better off trying to create my own plan. I worry that making my own plan will be too disorganized and haphazard, since by definition I'll have to be doing only parts of all the books I buy. With Kaplan, I'll be able to complete all the things they find necessary to maybe get a more well-rounded review.

I'd also like to note that If I go with Kaplan, I'll definitely be getting the EK verbal since Kaplan's verbal seems to be bashed the hardest.

[MT2MD]

I wish I could follow Snd2ed's plan, but I work full time so it's very hard to find his schedule, but I did get all the books that he recommended.

Does anyone have the schedule for Kaplan, I want to see what it is like?

[MichaelRW]

Originally Posted by MT2MD

Does anyone have the schedule for Kaplan, I want to see what it is like?

What I found is pretty vague, but nonetheless it does break it down, day by day. You can check it out here on The Princeton Review website. Good Luck.

[MT2MD]

Snd2ed, is it possible to develop at 5 months studying plan for us working folks? I am out of school and can't afford not to have a full time job

Does anyone have a 5 months studying schedule they recommend?

[lostking243]

So I'm basically in the same boat as you, RadioCure. I'm taking the MCAT April 10 (and July 16 if I need to a second time). This is in order to apply EDP to my school of choice.
If I start studying now I will have time to do a complete content review (by mid April) and be doing FL's all along. So in one week I will do the content review in one chapter (in Berkeley Review)of all four subjects (physics, gen chem, o-chem, bio) and so some verbal reasoning. So that's four/five days then spend the sixth day doing a review of what I did that week. This will be under a 17 credit load.
I have read SN2ed's schedule and everything associated with it. I think this is a great thing for some people.
But on the other hand, I think alot of people see that schedule and think "to do well on the MCAT, a full time study schedule will be necessary."
So to answer your original question RadioCure, I think if you study a couple hours a day for the MCAT, while under a 16 hour load, you will be fine. You will have to work your butt off for a few months and resist burnout, but it is going to payoff.
So that's just my opinion coming from someone who is doing the same thing.

[Kalyx]

I have followed the thread with SN2ed's 3 and 4 month study plans and, as someone who *has* to study for the MCAT while working and taking courses, was dismayed by his discouraging words toward non-trad students.

But you know what? He is absolutely right! A study plan that frequently involves 8+ hours of studying in one day is absolutely crazy for those who have to juggle work, school, family, and extracurricular obligations.

WITH THAT SAID... SN2ed has dispensed invaluable advice for creating our own study schedules! He has hammered home the important points of spaced repetition (i.e. doing a third of passages now, then the next third a couple weeks later such that topics are continually revisited), reviewing FLs the day after they're taken, using a combination of content-based problems (from the EK series) and passage-based problems (from TBR and TPRH Workbooks), synthesizing concepts from different sections (the hat trick), doing verbal passages daily to build familiarity with the different kinds of question stems and intuition in answering them, and allowing for break days to prevent burnout.

These are important points to consider while developing an MCAT plan that suits your individual schedule and current commitments.

Where I disagree with SN2ed is his assertion that study plans exceeding 4 months are ineffective. I have known lots of people who've studied up to 6 months before their MCAT date. Because they all used spaced repetition, completed many passage-based problems and took plenty of FLs, yet continued to revisit important concepts, they retained all of the information they had packed in their heads during the initial "content review phase" of their plans. In addition, they seemed much happier about studying for the MCAT! They had incorporated MCAT study into their lives in a tolerable yet efficacious dose and consequently did very well on the exam.


~Kalyx

[lostking243]

SN2ed said he would try to make a study schedule for full timers so look for that... I'm sure it will be helpful in many aspects of MCAT philosophy.

[Snarkalark]

i'm actually in the exact same situation. i was planning on doing sn2ed's thing, but just studying on fridays, saturdays, and sundays (i basically have fridays off) and then kind of spreading an effective fourth day throughout the week. i'll have two weeks between when school ends and the mcat, so i was planning on saving most of the aamc tests until then and just putting my nose to the grindstone.

is there anyone who worked through a similar plan and can shed some light on its effectiveness? i could theoretically clip a four unit spanish course from my schedule to free up some time, but it would mean that i would be absolutely loaded for a semester next year, so i'm hesitant to do that.

[Kalyx]

Originally Posted by lostking243

SN2ed said he would try to make a study schedule for full timers so look for that... I'm sure it will be helpful in many aspects of MCAT philosophy.

Actually, I'm not sure he did... he said something about adding a FAQ for non-trads, but then warned that he would not be including a schedule.


~Kalyx