Compilation 509+ MCAT Study Habits

[supremus]

Use the template below:

1) Your individual scores and composite score
2) The study method used for each section
3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, TBR, etc)
4) Which practice tests did you use? (Optional: include scores)
5) What was your undergraduate major?
6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Krabbeman]

Definitely Congratulations to you on the wonderful score!! I am just like you in that I have to study and work hard to get the good grades.

Did you ONLY do just 4 passages a day or did you do your 4 and then some more? What was your avg number of completed passages each day/week? What about practice problems?

How long did it take you to do thorough review for the practice passages, p. problems, and each FL?

Do you think you, or a person in general, could not take the Kaplan course, just use the Kaplan sets, and still do just as well?

Did you use the old Kaplan books or the new ones?

Is this your first time taking the exam or is it a retake?

Thank you for sharing your tips with us!!

Thanks so much!

I typically did just the 4 passages a day in the beginning (when I was doing mostly content review during the course). HOWEVER, Kaplan had a ton of practice "mixed in" so you were never doing just content. It tested you while you were studying content (if you followed what they told you to do correctly anyways). I would say in the beginning.... Try to focus maybe 25-40% of your time on practice. Then, when you finish that, start doing FLs. At this point, you are only doing content on what you miss on the FLs and you should be doing mostly practice. So during this half of your studying, I suggest inverting that to 60-75% practice... hope that helps. Sorry I could not give you a definite number, but to answer your questions directly, no, those 4 passages were not the ONLY passages I did each day. But they sometimes were on a handful of days.

So as a general rule (this is only what I found from my own studies) it took me about as long to review any given practice session as it did to actually do that practice. In other words.... be ready spend one entire day doing just your 4 passages and reviewing your FL towards the end of your studying (if you follow my schedule).

The only thing about Kaplan was that it made it easier to know what to do and gave you amazing strategies.. They took away the brain work from figuring out what to do next and lent you loads of support and realistic practice. Plus, you could trust them because they are experts who have studied the MCAT for years. As a Kaplan employee, I can tell you they sincerely want you to do well. But as evidenced by the plethora of people who do well without Kaplan, clearly it is not totally necessary to do well. As long as you have good materials/practice and put in your time, you should be fine.

New books!

First time Test taker.

You're welcome, I hope this helps some people.

KM

 

[twinBqt]

ok cool! Is the study guide and are the strategies included in the new Kaplan sets (minus taking the course)?

 

[Krabbeman]

ok cool! Is the study guide and are the strategies included in the new Kaplan sets (minus taking the course)?

Yeah and no. You will get the CARS strategy if you get the CARS books. The study guide is tailored to each student, it suggests different review material depending on how you did on your last FL. So you would not get the "study guide". But truly, just get thru the books as fast as you can, and keep doing those practice passages each day. Once you finish switch to FLs, and you will be fine. Really the study guide just gives you extra practice in areas where you need it. But if you are able to pick those areas out yourself, and do extra passages on those topics, then you're still golden. You can replace the Kaplan videos that come with the class with Khan academy- they are just as good.

 

[Trident14]

How much time do you spend reviewing?

I have been studying 6 hours per day for the last 3 month....I have taken 5 TPR FL, Score (496-503), I have also taken 2 Next step exams I got 504 0n both (125 on cars)...I used to get only 123 on TPR FL tests. I don't know if 2 Points is an actual improvemnet just a test anomaly. Im taking the MCAT this friday (8/21). I don't know If i should do more FL practices, do you have any recommendations for me?

 

[tlacey2323]

Thanks to all for your advice thats already contained in this thread. I don't know much about the new style MCAT so any advice would be great. THanks!

 

[bruins2016]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
C/P: 132
CARS: 130
B/B: 131
P/S: 127
Composite: 520 (98th)
2) The study method used for each section
For C/P, B/B, and P/S, I simply did content review with EK followed by a ton of passages from pretty much any resource I could find, which were:
TPR Science Workbook (MCAT 2015 version)
All of the NextStep Strategy and Practice Books (These FL sections were tough, but I felt they were actually very good practice)
AAMC Official Guide
AAMC Study Packs
All of the FL's listed below
In addition, for P/S, I watched a lot (but not all of) the Khan Academy videos and took notes on them. I wish I had used all of the passages online through them, and finished watching all of the sociology videos. In addition, the glossary in the back of the TPR Psych book was useful in the final few days for me to make sure I had at least a passing idea of the definition of the key words mentioned throughout the book. As you can see, my P/S score was the lowest. However, as someone who has never taken a psychology or sociology class, I'm fine with what I ended up with (and it's not even a bad score...not about to complain haha)
3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, TBR, etc)
C/P:
Read through the EK Chemistry/Physics manuals, and did all the passages from the new MCAT 2015 TPR Science Workbook for the Ochem and GenChem questions. I did a few of the physics passages, but a lot of them seemed low yield to me, since they were extremely calculation based. Even though ochem is also relatively low yield, most of the passages were short. For any mechanisms that had given me trouble and I saw repeatedly popping up, I watched the corresponding Khan Academy videos and did a couple Khan passages. *ALSO* Even though the AAMC question packs are a different format to the current test, they're good for content review and reviewing concepts-especially those that you may need more practice on.
CARS:
Everyone has their own tricks here. The one that I found to work for me was to make sure I understand what each paragraph adds to the passage right after I read it. Instead of reading through and just saying "oh, ok", I forced myself to read critically and give a little summary at the end of each paragraph. The pace of reading slowed down, overall, but I would answer the questions much faster. This took me from a 9 on the old test to a 130, so I'd say it helped me out. I also read the EK advice on CARS, but I felt it didn't add much.
B/B:
Like for C/P, I read the corresponding EK books (Bio I and II), and then dove into the 2015 TPR Science Workbook bio passages. Honestly, I'm not sure how much these helped me. Sure, it's good to get a lot of bio practice for basic molecular biology and physiology memorization, but these passages don't really make you think critically like the real test will. In my opinion, I was most prepared for this section by my biochem course, as well as the several upper division molecular biology courses I had taken. The courses allowed me to be immersed in literature of the field, and taught me how to quickly analyze data and understand how research is approached and carried out. If you have time, take a molecular bio upper division course before taking this test. If not, read at least a few research articles that utilize common molecular bio techniques. This test truly has changed to favor molecular biology, and I believe that a lot more premeds in the future will be majoring in it in lieu of physiology....just wait. As with C/P, the AAMC question packs were good at reinforcing all of the content for various topics.
P/S: Honestly, there's probably better strategies out there besides mine. I started by reading the EK Psych book and quickly realized that it was severely lacking in information. I got a TPR Psych book, and really only used it for the FL's and the glossary at the big. Most of my psych studying came from Khan academy videos and my notes on them. Most of the concepts in psychology are relatively easy to memorize, but I personally think you need to be careful to not overlook sociology. I think that may have come back to haunt me a bit on my test. It's nice that the new Science Workbook by TPR has P/S passages in it, so get your hands on those if possible.
4) Which practice tests did you use? (Optional: include scores)
Kaplan 1: 503
TPR Demo: 503
TPR 1: 504
TPR 2: 507
EK1: 80%
EK2: 77%
EK3: 77%
EK4: 79%
NS1: 513-127/128/130/128
NS2: 509-128/127/128/126
NS3: 514-128/128/129/129
AAMC FL Take 1 (1st FL taken-1.5 months before test): 88%-93/87/86/81
AAMC FL Take 2 (3 days before test): 95%-95/94/95/95
OG: C/P-90% CARS-87% B/B-80% P/S-77%
5) What was your undergraduate major?
Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology
6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
You might notice a pattern, but make sure to do passages, passages, and more passages. Content review is important and memorization is certainly still needed for some questions you'll see on test day, but understanding the format and style of passages and questions is your most valuable asset.
Before you take this test, make sure part of the time you spend studying is fully dedicated to the MCAT!! When I took the old version, I was in school the whole time while studying, and barely pulled out a 30, which is still a decent score, yet I knew I could improve. This time around, I still did some studying during school, but also blocked off the first 6 weeks of my summer for strictly MCAT studying. Use the morning/afternoon to study, and unwind during the evening. This will prevent the burnout that happens to so many people. Lastly, give yourself at least one day off a week. Seriously. Just. Do it.
7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
A little over three months. I was also fresh out of biochem when I started studying, which was a huge help. I started off using the NextStep schedule, but felt that they spent too much time overall on content review.
(April 16th-July 17th)
If you want to see my study schedule for the last month or so leading into my test, just let me know! Hope this helps, and good luck!!!

 

[nolookpass]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
C/P: 132
CARS: 130
B/B: 131
P/S: 127
Composite: 520 (98th)
2) The study method used for each section
For C/P, B/B, and P/S, I simply did content review with EK followed by a ton of passages from pretty much any resource I could find, which were:
TPR Science Workbook (MCAT 2015 version)
All of the NextStep Strategy and Practice Books (These FL sections were tough, but I felt they were actually very good practice)
AAMC Official Guide
AAMC Study Packs
All of the FL's listed below
In addition, for P/S, I watched a lot (but not all of) the Khan Academy videos and took notes on them. I wish I had used all of the passages online through them, and finished watching all of the sociology videos. In addition, the glossary in the back of the TPR Psych book was useful in the final few days for me to make sure I had at least a passing idea of the definition of the key words mentioned throughout the book. As you can see, my P/S score was the lowest. However, as someone who has never taken a psychology or sociology class, I'm fine with what I ended up with (and it's not even a bad score...not about to complain haha)
3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, TBR, etc)
C/P:
Read through the EK Chemistry/Physics manuals, and did all the passages from the new MCAT 2015 TPR Science Workbook for the Ochem and GenChem questions. I did a few of the physics passages, but a lot of them seemed low yield to me, since they were extremely calculation based. Even though ochem is also relatively low yield, most of the passages were short. For any mechanisms that had given me trouble and I saw repeatedly popping up, I watched the corresponding Khan Academy videos and did a couple Khan passages. *ALSO* Even though the AAMC question packs are a different format to the current test, they're good for content review and reviewing concepts-especially those that you may need more practice on.
CARS:
Everyone has their own tricks here. The one that I found to work for me was to make sure I understand what each paragraph adds to the passage right after I read it. Instead of reading through and just saying "oh, ok", I forced myself to read critically and give a little summary at the end of each paragraph. The pace of reading slowed down, overall, but I would answer the questions much faster. This took me from a 9 on the old test to a 130, so I'd say it helped me out. I also read the EK advice on CARS, but I felt it didn't add much.
B/B:
Like for C/P, I read the corresponding EK books (Bio I and II), and then dove into the 2015 TPR Science Workbook bio passages. Honestly, I'm not sure how much these helped me. Sure, it's good to get a lot of bio practice for basic molecular biology and physiology memorization, but these passages don't really make you think critically like the real test will. In my opinion, I was most prepared for this section by my biochem course, as well as the several upper division molecular biology courses I had taken. The courses allowed me to be immersed in literature of the field, and taught me how to quickly analyze data and understand how research is approached and carried out. If you have time, take a molecular bio upper division course before taking this test. If not, read at least a few research articles that utilize common molecular bio techniques. This test truly has changed to favor molecular biology, and I believe that a lot more premeds in the future will be majoring in it in lieu of physiology....just wait. As with C/P, the AAMC question packs were good at reinforcing all of the content for various topics.
P/S: Honestly, there's probably better strategies out there besides mine. I started by reading the EK Psych book and quickly realized that it was severely lacking in information. I got a TPR Psych book, and really only used it for the FL's and the glossary at the big. Most of my psych studying came from Khan academy videos and my notes on them. Most of the concepts in psychology are relatively easy to memorize, but I personally think you need to be careful to not overlook sociology. I think that may have come back to haunt me a bit on my test. It's nice that the new Science Workbook by TPR has P/S passages in it, so get your hands on those if possible.
4) Which practice tests did you use? (Optional: include scores)
Kaplan 1: 503
TPR Demo: 503
TPR 1: 504
TPR 2: 507
EK1: 80%
EK2: 77%
EK3: 77%
EK4: 79%
NS1: 513-127/128/130/128
NS2: 509-128/127/128/126
NS3: 514-128/128/129/129
AAMC FL Take 1 (1st FL taken-1.5 months before test): 88%-93/87/86/81
AAMC FL Take 2 (3 days before test): 95%-95/94/95/95
OG: C/P-90% CARS-87% B/B-80% P/S-77%
5) What was your undergraduate major?
Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology
6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
You might notice a pattern, but make sure to do passages, passages, and more passages. Content review is important and memorization is certainly still needed for some questions you'll see on test day, but understanding the format and style of passages and questions is your most valuable asset.
Before you take this test, make sure part of the time you spend studying is fully dedicated to the MCAT!! When I took the old version, I was in school the whole time while studying, and barely pulled out a 30, which is still a decent score, yet I knew I could improve. This time around, I still did some studying during school, but also blocked off the first 6 weeks of my summer for strictly MCAT studying. Use the morning/afternoon to study, and unwind during the evening. This will prevent the burnout that happens to so many people. Lastly, give yourself at least one day off a week. Seriously. Just. Do it.
7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
A little over three months. I was also fresh out of biochem when I started studying, which was a huge help. I started off using the NextStep schedule, but felt that they spent too much time overall on content review.
(April 16th-July 17th)
If you want to see my study schedule for the last month or so leading into my test, just let me know! Hope this helps, and good luck!!!

For a person who hasn't taken biochem, what materials would you recommend? I plan on using the Kaplan biochemistry book alongside the Khan videos/questions. I also plan on doing TBR Biology book II questions. Do you have any recommendations on how to study for biochem for a person who hasn't taken it.

Thanks.

 

[nolookpass]

Also is it not beneficial to do the old AAMC practice exams?

 

[bruins2016]

For a person who hasn't taken biochem, what materials would you recommend? I plan on using the Kaplan biochemistry book alongside the Khan videos/questions. I also plan on doing TBR Biology book II questions. Do you have any recommendations on how to study for biochem for a person who hasn't taken it.

Thanks.

I think you have all the content covered with what you listed. Khan+Kaplan should definitely get it done. But what you need is practice. When I took biochem, my prof posted tons and tons of practice questions, which helped me nail down the material. Is there any possibility of you taking a biochem course?

Also is it not beneficial to do the old AAMC practice exams?

Well, from what I've heard (and noticed somewhat myself), the old AAMC practice exam passages are contained within the "new" question packs. Once again, good for nailing down some concepts, but not the greatest if you're looking for material that resembles what the actual test will look like.

 

[twinBqt]

Yeah and no. You will get the CARS strategy if you get the CARS books. The study guide is tailored to each student, it suggests different review material depending on how you did on your last FL. So you would not get the "study guide". But truly, just get thru the books as fast as you can, and keep doing those practice passages each day. Once you finish switch to FLs, and you will be fine. Really the study guide just gives you extra practice in areas where you need it. But if you are able to pick those areas out yourself, and do extra passages on those topics, then you're still golden. You can replace the Kaplan videos that come with the class with Khan academy- they are just as good.

Thanks Krabbeman this is very helpful!

1) Your individual scores and composite score
C/P: 132
CARS: 130
B/B: 131
P/S: 127
Composite: 520 (98th)
2) The study method used for each section
For C/P, B/B, and P/S, I simply did content review with EK followed by a ton of passages from pretty much any resource I could find, which were:
TPR Science Workbook (MCAT 2015 version)
All of the NextStep Strategy and Practice Books (These FL sections were tough, but I felt they were actually very good practice)
AAMC Official Guide
AAMC Study Packs
All of the FL's listed below
In addition, for P/S, I watched a lot (but not all of) the Khan Academy videos and took notes on them. I wish I had used all of the passages online through them, and finished watching all of the sociology videos. In addition, the glossary in the back of the TPR Psych book was useful in the final few days for me to make sure I had at least a passing idea of the definition of the key words mentioned throughout the book. As you can see, my P/S score was the lowest. However, as someone who has never taken a psychology or sociology class, I'm fine with what I ended up with (and it's not even a bad score...not about to complain haha)
3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, TBR, etc)
C/P:
Read through the EK Chemistry/Physics manuals, and did all the passages from the new MCAT 2015 TPR Science Workbook for the Ochem and GenChem questions. I did a few of the physics passages, but a lot of them seemed low yield to me, since they were extremely calculation based. Even though ochem is also relatively low yield, most of the passages were short. For any mechanisms that had given me trouble and I saw repeatedly popping up, I watched the corresponding Khan Academy videos and did a couple Khan passages. *ALSO* Even though the AAMC question packs are a different format to the current test, they're good for content review and reviewing concepts-especially those that you may need more practice on.
CARS:
Everyone has their own tricks here. The one that I found to work for me was to make sure I understand what each paragraph adds to the passage right after I read it. Instead of reading through and just saying "oh, ok", I forced myself to read critically and give a little summary at the end of each paragraph. The pace of reading slowed down, overall, but I would answer the questions much faster. This took me from a 9 on the old test to a 130, so I'd say it helped me out. I also read the EK advice on CARS, but I felt it didn't add much.
B/B:
Like for C/P, I read the corresponding EK books (Bio I and II), and then dove into the 2015 TPR Science Workbook bio passages. Honestly, I'm not sure how much these helped me. Sure, it's good to get a lot of bio practice for basic molecular biology and physiology memorization, but these passages don't really make you think critically like the real test will. In my opinion, I was most prepared for this section by my biochem course, as well as the several upper division molecular biology courses I had taken. The courses allowed me to be immersed in literature of the field, and taught me how to quickly analyze data and understand how research is approached and carried out. If you have time, take a molecular bio upper division course before taking this test. If not, read at least a few research articles that utilize common molecular bio techniques. This test truly has changed to favor molecular biology, and I believe that a lot more premeds in the future will be majoring in it in lieu of physiology....just wait. As with C/P, the AAMC question packs were good at reinforcing all of the content for various topics.
P/S: Honestly, there's probably better strategies out there besides mine. I started by reading the EK Psych book and quickly realized that it was severely lacking in information. I got a TPR Psych book, and really only used it for the FL's and the glossary at the big. Most of my psych studying came from Khan academy videos and my notes on them. Most of the concepts in psychology are relatively easy to memorize, but I personally think you need to be careful to not overlook sociology. I think that may have come back to haunt me a bit on my test. It's nice that the new Science Workbook by TPR has P/S passages in it, so get your hands on those if possible.
4) Which practice tests did you use? (Optional: include scores)
Kaplan 1: 503
TPR Demo: 503
TPR 1: 504
TPR 2: 507
EK1: 80%
EK2: 77%
EK3: 77%
EK4: 79%
NS1: 513-127/128/130/128
NS2: 509-128/127/128/126
NS3: 514-128/128/129/129
AAMC FL Take 1 (1st FL taken-1.5 months before test): 88%-93/87/86/81
AAMC FL Take 2 (3 days before test): 95%-95/94/95/95
OG: C/P-90% CARS-87% B/B-80% P/S-77%
5) What was your undergraduate major?
Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology
6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
You might notice a pattern, but make sure to do passages, passages, and more passages. Content review is important and memorization is certainly still needed for some questions you'll see on test day, but understanding the format and style of passages and questions is your most valuable asset.
Before you take this test, make sure part of the time you spend studying is fully dedicated to the MCAT!! When I took the old version, I was in school the whole time while studying, and barely pulled out a 30, which is still a decent score, yet I knew I could improve. This time around, I still did some studying during school, but also blocked off the first 6 weeks of my summer for strictly MCAT studying. Use the morning/afternoon to study, and unwind during the evening. This will prevent the burnout that happens to so many people. Lastly, give yourself at least one day off a week. Seriously. Just. Do it.
7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
A little over three months. I was also fresh out of biochem when I started studying, which was a huge help. I started off using the NextStep schedule, but felt that they spent too much time overall on content review.
(April 16th-July 17th)
If you want to see my study schedule for the last month or so leading into my test, just let me know! Hope this helps, and good luck!!!

bruins2016, Congratulations on your score!!! I noticed you said you took the old MCAT. Did you use the 2013 TPR SWB back then to do your practice problems? if so, can you tell me if it is the same as the new 2015 Mcat TPR SWB??? If the 2013 and 2015 versions are different, do you think its still ok to use the 2013 version (what I have) to study for the new MCAT??

Also, I am SO happy that I finally found someone who can advise on which books are better for P/S between EK and TPR!!! Per your post, you didn't mention using the NS books, only the FLs? If possible, can you provide advice your experience in determining which company book (TPR or NS) is better for studying P/S and why??

 

[nolookpass]

I think you have all the content covered with what you listed. Khan+Kaplan should definitely get it done. But what you need is practice. When I took biochem, my prof posted tons and tons of practice questions, which helped me nail down the material. Is there any possibility of you taking a biochem course?



Well, from what I've heard (and noticed somewhat myself), the old AAMC practice exam passages are contained within the "new" question packs. Once again, good for nailing down some concepts, but not the greatest if you're looking for material that resembles what the actual test will look like.

Unfortunately I won't be able to take biochem. Were the Khan academy questions not sufficient? I do plan on using Berkeley's bio book who h had molecular concepts for problems.

 

[drink02]

could you please post your daily schedule for each month? thank you and huge congrats!!!

1) Your individual scores and composite score
C/P: 132
CARS: 130
B/B: 131
P/S: 127
Composite: 520 (98th)
2) The study method used for each section
For C/P, B/B, and P/S, I simply did content review with EK followed by a ton of passages from pretty much any resource I could find, which were:
TPR Science Workbook (MCAT 2015 version)
All of the NextStep Strategy and Practice Books (These FL sections were tough, but I felt they were actually very good practice)
AAMC Official Guide
AAMC Study Packs
All of the FL's listed below
In addition, for P/S, I watched a lot (but not all of) the Khan Academy videos and took notes on them. I wish I had used all of the passages online through them, and finished watching all of the sociology videos. In addition, the glossary in the back of the TPR Psych book was useful in the final few days for me to make sure I had at least a passing idea of the definition of the key words mentioned throughout the book. As you can see, my P/S score was the lowest. However, as someone who has never taken a psychology or sociology class, I'm fine with what I ended up with (and it's not even a bad score...not about to complain haha)
3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, TBR, etc)
C/P:
Read through the EK Chemistry/Physics manuals, and did all the passages from the new MCAT 2015 TPR Science Workbook for the Ochem and GenChem questions. I did a few of the physics passages, but a lot of them seemed low yield to me, since they were extremely calculation based. Even though ochem is also relatively low yield, most of the passages were short. For any mechanisms that had given me trouble and I saw repeatedly popping up, I watched the corresponding Khan Academy videos and did a couple Khan passages. *ALSO* Even though the AAMC question packs are a different format to the current test, they're good for content review and reviewing concepts-especially those that you may need more practice on.
CARS:
Everyone has their own tricks here. The one that I found to work for me was to make sure I understand what each paragraph adds to the passage right after I read it. Instead of reading through and just saying "oh, ok", I forced myself to read critically and give a little summary at the end of each paragraph. The pace of reading slowed down, overall, but I would answer the questions much faster. This took me from a 9 on the old test to a 130, so I'd say it helped me out. I also read the EK advice on CARS, but I felt it didn't add much.
B/B:
Like for C/P, I read the corresponding EK books (Bio I and II), and then dove into the 2015 TPR Science Workbook bio passages. Honestly, I'm not sure how much these helped me. Sure, it's good to get a lot of bio practice for basic molecular biology and physiology memorization, but these passages don't really make you think critically like the real test will. In my opinion, I was most prepared for this section by my biochem course, as well as the several upper division molecular biology courses I had taken. The courses allowed me to be immersed in literature of the field, and taught me how to quickly analyze data and understand how research is approached and carried out. If you have time, take a molecular bio upper division course before taking this test. If not, read at least a few research articles that utilize common molecular bio techniques. This test truly has changed to favor molecular biology, and I believe that a lot more premeds in the future will be majoring in it in lieu of physiology....just wait. As with C/P, the AAMC question packs were good at reinforcing all of the content for various topics.
P/S: Honestly, there's probably better strategies out there besides mine. I started by reading the EK Psych book and quickly realized that it was severely lacking in information. I got a TPR Psych book, and really only used it for the FL's and the glossary at the big. Most of my psych studying came from Khan academy videos and my notes on them. Most of the concepts in psychology are relatively easy to memorize, but I personally think you need to be careful to not overlook sociology. I think that may have come back to haunt me a bit on my test. It's nice that the new Science Workbook by TPR has P/S passages in it, so get your hands on those if possible.
4) Which practice tests did you use? (Optional: include scores)
Kaplan 1: 503
TPR Demo: 503
TPR 1: 504
TPR 2: 507
EK1: 80%
EK2: 77%
EK3: 77%
EK4: 79%
NS1: 513-127/128/130/128
NS2: 509-128/127/128/126
NS3: 514-128/128/129/129
AAMC FL Take 1 (1st FL taken-1.5 months before test): 88%-93/87/86/81
AAMC FL Take 2 (3 days before test): 95%-95/94/95/95
OG: C/P-90% CARS-87% B/B-80% P/S-77%
5) What was your undergraduate major?
Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology
6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
You might notice a pattern, but make sure to do passages, passages, and more passages. Content review is important and memorization is certainly still needed for some questions you'll see on test day, but understanding the format and style of passages and questions is your most valuable asset.
Before you take this test, make sure part of the time you spend studying is fully dedicated to the MCAT!! When I took the old version, I was in school the whole time while studying, and barely pulled out a 30, which is still a decent score, yet I knew I could improve. This time around, I still did some studying during school, but also blocked off the first 6 weeks of my summer for strictly MCAT studying. Use the morning/afternoon to study, and unwind during the evening. This will prevent the burnout that happens to so many people. Lastly, give yourself at least one day off a week. Seriously. Just. Do it.
7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
A little over three months. I was also fresh out of biochem when I started studying, which was a huge help. I started off using the NextStep schedule, but felt that they spent too much time overall on content review.
(April 16th-July 17th)
If you want to see my study schedule for the last month or so leading into my test, just let me know! Hope this helps, and good luck!!!

 

[bruins2016]

bruins2016, Congratulations on your score!!! I noticed you said you took the old MCAT. Did you use the 2013 TPR SWB back then to do your practice problems? if so, can you tell me if it is the same as the new 2015 Mcat TPR SWB??? If the 2013 and 2015 versions are different, do you think its still ok to use the 2013 version (what I have) to study for the new MCAT??

Also, I am SO happy that I finally found someone who can advise on which books are better for P/S between EK and TPR!!! Per your post, you didn't mention using the NS books, only the FLs? If possible, can you provide advice your experience in determining which company book (TPR or NS) is better for studying P/S and why??

Thanks! I did use the old one for the old MCAT, and yeah, there's a ton of overlap between the two books. I'd say go ahead and use the old version, but try and get your hands on the Psychology section of the new version. It's more 30 passages for you to do! I did use the NS Strategy and Practice books (but didn't finish all of the CARS one). I'll post the schedule of my last month, and you'll see how I incorporated them. I can't say whether or not the NS content review is better than TPR, since the NS books I used were only passage based (with a glossary in the back).

Unfortunately I won't be able to take biochem. Were the Khan academy questions not sufficient? I do plan on using Berkeley's bio book who h had molecular concepts for problems.

Since I had just taken biochem, I barely watched any Khan for biochem. Specifically, I only really remember watching vids on the Pentose phosphate pathway. Seemed to do a good job covering it. If you watch all their vids, you may end up being overwhelmed by too much information. If you're up for it, go for it haha.

could you please post your daily schedule for each month? thank you and huge congrats!!!

Thank you!! I only have my schedule for a little bit more than the last month, since that's the only time I made a schedule for
For the most part, my time before the schedule was spent doing content review, and some TPR Science Workbook passages.
The exam review days may seem crazy, but I would at most spend 3 hours reviewing one test. It generally ended up being ~2 hours each. Feel free to let me know if anything is confusing. There's some random notes at the end on last minute topics I was hitting, but I'm too lazy to delete them lol

 

[twinBqt]

Bump to @drink02's request

 

[twinBqt]

Thanks! I did use the old one for the old MCAT, and yeah, there's a ton of overlap between the two books. I'd say go ahead and use the old version, but try and get your hands on the Psychology section of the new version. It's more 30 passages for you to do! I did use the NS Strategy and Practice books (but didn't finish all of the CARS one). I'll post the schedule of my last month, and you'll see how I incorporated them. I can't say whether or not the NS content review is better than TPR, since the NS books I used were only passage based (with a glossary in the back).



Since I had just taken biochem, I barely watched any Khan for biochem. Specifically, I only really remember watching vids on the Pentose phosphate pathway. Seemed to do a good job covering it. If you watch all their vids, you may end up being overwhelmed by too much information. If you're up for it, go for it haha.


Thank you!! I only have my schedule for a little bit more than the last month, since that's the only time I made a schedule for
For the most part, my time before the schedule was spent doing content review, and some TPR Science Workbook passages.
The exam review days may seem crazy, but I would at most spend 3 hours reviewing one test. It generally ended up being ~2 hours each. Feel free to let me know if anything is confusing. There's some random notes at the end on last minute topics I was hitting, but I'm too lazy to delete them lol

Thanks for this!!

 

[hayden29]

I have been studying 6 hours per day for the last 3 month....I have taken 5 TPR FL, Score (496-503), I have also taken 2 Next step exams I got 504 0n both (125 on cars)...I used to get only 123 on TPR FL tests. I don't know if 2 Points is an actual improvemnet just a test anomaly. Im taking the MCAT this friday (8/21). I don't know If i should do more FL practices, do you have any recommendations for me?

I hope your MCAT went well. What I meant by review is the time spent analyzing what you missed and what you got correct on your practice exams and practice questions. Improving is not always about the volume of practice but the quality. Hopefully you do not have to retake the MCAT, but if you do try to spent a lot of time on understanding why you made mistakes or why you were correct and make adjustments as necessary. Good luck!

 

[tenblackalps]

1) 520 (129 PC/130 CARS/131 BB/130 PS)

2) Kaplan 7 book set, supplemented with Exam Krackers for my weakness (general chemistry)

3) For each section I used Kaplan 7 book set, Exam Krackers (gen chem mostly), Khan Academy passages (A huge help! I thought they were above a cut above in difficulty compared to the mcat), Khan Academy videos (mostly for intricate bio concepts like actin/myosin/tropomyosin/sarcoplasmic reticulum, etc.). For physics I memorized every equation in the Kaplan book and wrote them down from memory once a day. I also wrote drew out every amino acid everyday. For each book in the Kaplan set, I made all bolded terms into a quizlet for each book and reviewed one quizlet every day (thus all 7 books each week). I also purchased the question packs and did all of them except 1 of the CARS packs. For any question I missed (I did all the Kaplan questions in the 7 book set, about 50% of Khan passages, and the practice tests) I kept a journal where I wrote out the explanations for questions I missed and read it every day. I actually did not do any CARS practice outside of the qpacks and practice exams. I love reading autobiographies, politics, and foreign newspapers and also listen to a TON of talk radio/ science podcasts which I think helped me too. Find any way to read or listen and make it part of every day!

4) I used 3 TPR (bought the TPR psych book only for the tests), 3 Kaplan, 1 AAMC, and 0.5 official guide. I started out at around 502 on both Kaplan and TPR and my highest score was a 506 on TPR#2 the week of the actual test. I scored an 83% average on the official AAMC test about 2.5 weeks out from the test.

5) Engineering

6) Believe in yourself! Always during studying but especially during the exam! I spent both 10 minute breaks during the exam scarfing down a banana and swig of ice coffee then going to the restroom to tennis fist pump in the mirror of the handicap stall, telling myself over and over again that I could do it. I can't emphasize positivity enough. Positive thinking is a powerful tool and if you believe you can do it you will!

Also, don't study the day before the test. The night before the test I went to bed at 9:30 and was fresh the following morning, it definitely helped. The MCAT schedule is a long grind so I think the key is to enjoy studying the material. I loved going through my study schedule and gaining the feeling that I had mastered the material for myself, not really for the purpose of taking the mcat. Also, I tried to connect my studying with other things I was doing. For example, if I was eating, I would think "where in my body will this food be digested? the lipids? the proteins? the nucleic acids?"

7) How long did you study for the MCAT? 10 weeks, 65 hours a week

Future test takers, good luck, and like I said, believe in yourself!

 

[nolookpass]

I think you have all the content covered with what you listed. Khan+Kaplan should definitely get it done. But what you need is practice. When I took biochem, my prof posted tons and tons of practice questions, which helped me nail down the material. Is there any possibility of you taking a biochem course?



Well, from what I've heard (and noticed somewhat myself), the old AAMC practice exam passages are contained within the "new" question packs. Once again, good for nailing down some concepts, but not the greatest if you're looking for material that resembles what the actual test will look like.

Do you know by any chance if it's worth buying the question packs if I have the older exams already? I have the 7 older practice exams from E-mcat.

 

[remedy23]

Do you know by any chance if it's worth buying the question packs if I have the older exams already? I have the 7 older practice exams from E-mcat.

I feel like it's worth it only because you get to see what AAMC handpicked as important for the new exam. I feel that's a huge plus. Also, it might not be worth all that time doing old exams because they aren't true to the current format. The question pack is a condensed version that you can go through quickly to get the most out of it in a short period of time, in my opinion.

 

[Sarahka74]

For those who've taken the test: How important is it to learn/know how to read and understand research papers? My test is next year and I'm wondering if I should begin read them?

 

[ElectricNoogie]

For those who've taken the test: How important is it to learn/know how to read and understand research papers? My test is next year and I'm wondering if I should begin read them?

Read and understand your average peer-reviewed Bio science article? No, not that to that extent. However, after taking the exam, having dozens of students take the exam, and talking with AAMC reps about the exam, I will tell you it will help if you focus on simpler articles.

The most direct skill needed for this new exam appears to be data interpretation, be it in a figure, table, graph or chart. Statistical reasoning and understanding significance are much more important that seeing some brand new complex pathway or phenomena (as most bio sci articles are).

Ask your professors to recommend some basic, review articles or older papers that are more simple. Anything with line charts, tables, and AAMC like figures are best. There are a few threads students have started about compiling AAMC like papers. As for what you can do right now, the Khan academy has already done a decent job in some of their passages of presenting data tables and figures for you to inerpret. The bonus is they also have questions, which a research paper will not.

The file attached to this post has organized all the Khan Passages by AAMC content category. This will make it easier to use them effectively.

Good luck!

 

[Sarahka74]

Read and understand your average peer-reviewed Bio science article? No, not that to that extent. However, after taking the exam, having dozens of students take the exam, and talking with AAMC reps about the exam, I will tell you it will help if you focus on simpler articles.

The most direct skill needed for this new exam appears to be data interpretation, be it in a figure, table, graph or chart. Statistical reasoning and understanding significance are much more important that seeing some brand new complex pathway or phenomena (as most bio sci articles are).

Ask your professors to recommend some basic, review articles or older papers that are more simple. Anything with line charts, tables, and AAMC like figures are best. There are a few threads students have started about compiling AAMC like papers. As for what you can do right now, the Khan academy has already done a decent job in some of their passages of presenting data tables and figures for you to inerpret. The bonus is they also have questions, which a research paper will not.

The file attached to this post has organized all the Khan Passages by AAMC content category. This will make it easier to use them effectively.

Good luck!

Thank you!
Would you know about how to find those online? Or some of those threads? I looked and found 1 or 2 threads on sdn but they are no longer active and didn't post any article links. Also, you commented on graphical interpretation but what would you suggest for the new research design aspect?

 

[beachadventure]

This gives me full confidence! Thanks for sharing! Good luck everyone!!!

 

[Johnny Appleseed]

I have a bunch of study material for the old MCAT. Do you think that material is still beneficial to study? I am almost a year out from the test and want to get started studying, but I'm not sure how relevant this old material is. For example would it be worth the time and effort to study Verbal Reasoning passages from review books published in 2011, or is this to far outdated? Thanks!

 

[Medgrant]

I have a bunch of study material for the old MCAT. Do you think that material is still beneficial to study? I am almost a year out from the test and want to get started studying, but I'm not sure how relevant this old material is. For example would it be worth the time and effort to study Verbal Reasoning passages from review books published in 2011, or is this to far outdated? Thanks!

Yes, of course. A lot of the material is the same as before. You should search on SDN or google what changed for the newer MCAT so that you aren't studying an unnecessary topic. I am currently using older books to prep at the moment.

 

[Johnny Appleseed]

Yes, of course. A lot of the material is the same as before. You should search on SDN or google what changed for the newer MCAT so that you aren't studying an unnecessary topic. I am currently using older books to prep at the moment.

My material is from the berkley review published in 2011. Is your material enough or are you going to invest in new stuff?

I've looked at the changes and can't decide if it's worth it to buy a whole new set of material. I did invest in a biochem book.

I really need to get a 509+, so I'm willing to spend the money if needed.

 

[ChrisMack390]

^don't neglect psych/soc.

 

[Johnny Appleseed]

^don't neglect psych/soc.

Any suggestions on which prep material is best for this section?

 

[ChrisMack390]

I haven't taken the test yet, so not really. Im using Kaplan + Khan.

 

[torontopharm]

Any suggestions on which prep material is best for this section?

Check out the reddit thread link posted by @mcatjelly .
The general consensus is that TPR is the "best" but others have found success using Kaplan/Khan etc. EK seems to be the least recommended for Psyc.

 

[GhostNote]

Hi there. Long-time lurker here; this is my first post. I’ve gotten so much great information off of this site, I figured I was long past due to give back.

[I should note here that I’m much older than your average pre-med — 39 — and I think this conveyed both advantages and disadvantages, which I’ll try to touch on at the appropriate time.]



1) Your individual scores and composite score

PS: 127
CARS: 132
BS: 131
Psych: 132

Total: 522 (99th percentile)



2) The study method used for each section

All sections: I did every practice test I could get my hands on, especially the stuff released by the AAMC.

As well, a few friends and I did a course here in LA called Swartwood. I do NOT recommend this course. They are incredibly disorganized, paranoid, and outright bizarre. None of us — not one of us — was glad we took this course. (I do think that their method makes sense for CARS, though. I’ll explain below.)


PS: This has always been my Achilles heel (due to various reasons including the fact that I have some weird mental problem with basic arithmetic… I’m quite capable of adding 2 + 3 and getting 6). So, I pushed myself harder in this section than in any other. Luckily, it was more conceptual and less math-y than I expected, though you do have to have those equations memorized, because you never know which one will come up!

I made flash cards for the equations. The physics stack was huge, but I just made myself drill it (alone as well as with friends). The gen chem stack was not so big. I also glanced over solubility rules and such just to make sure I remembered them, but didn’t memorize them flat-out.

Other than that: practice practice practice. I went back over anything that felt rusty from my classes, and really tried to avoid plug-and-chug. What do I mean by this? I mean that, tempting as it was at times, I never allowed myself to just throw in an equation and get a result without knowing why that was the result. This is very very important for the MCAT style of reasoning.

Also (and this applies to both PS and BS), I memorized the **** out of the amino acids. I used a couple of ipad apps — both entitled “Amino Acids," helpfully — and tried to be able to recognize them whether they were drawn in bond-line, 3D, “old-school” Lewis-ish notation, etc. As well, there are some unique features to certain amino acids, such as glycine being achiral and ambivalent, or proline causing kinks in peptide chains. Know those. And know the single-letter codes! I messed up on that.


CARS: This is one of the places where I think my age came in handy. I’ve been a lifelong reader, so I had a sort of store of “crystallized knowledge” upon which to draw. Other reading-oriented friends (though younger) had a similarly good time with CARS. I’ll admit to not really studying for this section, other than by doing the practice tests.

A passing familiarity with a wide variety of subjects is a boon, but it’s admittedly difficult to learn “a little about a lot” without having time. With that said, however, there is a method (gleaned from Swartwood) that can help those among you who don’t have time for a lot of casual reading (and as pre-meds, that’s probably most of you): Keep it stupid!

I took notes that were really, really dumb. Like, first paragraph: “guy likes Rembrant.” Second paragraph: “Other guy thinks first guy sux.” Literally, I wrote stuff like that. Just try to boil each paragraph down to its essential characteristic, in the most childish, unremarkable terms possible.
Also, If you find a metaphor used over and over again in a passage, hone in on that. It’s probably important.

For some context, I have a super math-oriented friend who hates reading, and using the stupidity method, he was able to boost his scores considerably over time. He just had to stop trying so hard.


BS: See above regarding the amino acids. Applies to both sections. Other than that, I refamiliarized myself with cellular stuff, DNA/RNA, basic physiology. The kidney can be kind of complex, make sure you understand what's going on there. Also, know what actions take place in which part of the digestive system. I was a psych major, so I already had a passing familiarity with neuro stuff, but they definitely seemed to like this topic as well.

But definitely, definitely study a lot of biochem. They went hard on it. Know the essentials: which steps of glycolysis are irreversible, for example. Anything unusual or that ”sticks out,” try to memorize.

We made flash cards for the hormones, cell types, and steps in spermatogenesis and oogenesis.


Psych: I was a psych major (having completed my major only two years ago), so I was kind of ”psyched” on this section.
I did the practice tests and made sure to memorize key terms (as laid out in the ExamKrackers books).



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

As mentioned above, we did every (relevant) AAMC test. They put out bundles collected from older tests; we did those. The 120 questions; we did those. The “actual” practice tests; definitely did those. Some parts we did twice, just in case.

Otherwise: The ExamKrackers books were great, though I feel they were a bit lax in the biochem department. Also, they seemed to be guessing a bit in psych, but I think that was the case with everybody. As time goes on and more tests are released, prep companies will get a better feel for what that section looks like.

We also had some tests from Swartwood, which were… okay, I guess. They were riddled with typos and often had wrong answers. Also, they couldn’t get their act together in time to give us computer-based tests, so we did them on paper. And out of order. With long-ass breaks. And sometimes not all the same sections on the same day. Kind of wack, but it got us thinking about the material, so it was still sorta useful in that sense.

Khan academy has some great info and good practice tests, but they’re way too broad in scope. They need to narrow it down a bit (which I’m sure will happen with time). But I found their stuff useful for finding out more about specific topics about which I was confused or felt under-prepared. In other words, come to Khan somewhat primed and be targeted, otherwise you could get lost in the mountain of information.

Princeton has one free test, and we did that. It was horrible. Horrible! Demoralizing. Awful. And 90 times harder than the real MCAT. Like, it was crazy.

One thing that was useful was that we combined material to simulate test conditions. So, we’d take 52-ish questions from an old AAMC Physics section, same from old Verbal and Bio sections, and combine them with ExamKrackers psych to make a “whole” test. It was a way to not only study material, but to get the timing down. More about this later.



4) Which practice tests did you use? (Optional: include scores)

Oops. See above.

I don’t remember my scores. I feel like they were decent, but lower than on test day overall, with the possible exception of the 120 questions. Those were hard.



5) What was your undergraduate major?

Psych, with a few extra neuro courses thrown in for good measure.



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

Yes:

I think that some of the prep companies may be overestimating the complexity of the questions on the MCAT. They’ve all been racing to catch up to the new format and stylistic changes (some small, some big), and it’s a bit chaotic out there. But one thing I noticed was that most of their material was harder than the actual MCAT. So, don’t be discouraged if your practice scores are less than you want/expect. Stay strong and keep working! You CAN do this, it’s doable. And you may just be surprised by the outcome.

My exam had a heavy biochem emphasis in both the PS and BS sections. Study that ****. If you haven’t taken a course in it, you;ll be at a disadvantage, but can probably still learn the essentials.

Definitely memorize the amino acids!

I definitely think that some random “experimental” problems turned up. If it’s not covered in the practice materials (or the AAMC syllabus, which I barely touched), try quickly and move on. For example, if something were to show up about (hypothetically) about diffraction gratings where they don’t give you any equations (hypothetically), I wouldn’t sweat it.

Also, remember: On test day, everyone is just as nervous as you are! So even though the test is not “curved” as such, your percentile may end up being higher than you think.

I found that the psych threw a lot of people off. I think as more universities acclimate to this new MCAT, they’ll put more premed-oriented psych classes in place. In the meantime, focus on the terms, and the rest is critical thinking. And a lot of common sense.

(Actually, that may be a good thing to focus on: Figure out what parts of psych diverge from common sense, and make sure you remember those.)

PS: I never took a sociology course, nor did I take social psych. Ain’t necessary.

Watch out for fatigue during CARS. Have a small snack beforehand, even if you’re not hungry. Pee, even if you don’t think you have to.

And speaking of that stuff, have a good breakfast, lots of protein. I had eggs and a piece of fruit. Little bit of caffeine. (I had too much caffeine during lunch and was over-jacked on the bio section, so be careful)…

This is important: If your test is at 8am, get up early way in advance! I wanted to make sure I had zero “fuzz” on the brain at 8am, so I practiced getting up earlier and earlier as time went on. By the week before the test, I was waking up at 5:30 every day. it sucked but I think it helped, because I was well into mid-morning by the time 8am came around, and had had time to eat properly, shower, and feel generally as fresh as possible.

GET THERE EARLY. Rushing will throw you way off, emotion- and stress-wise!

Also, and this is very important (IMHO)… review your tests with your friends/study buddies! We went over everything that any of us (3 or 4 of us) got wrong, and it was immensely helpful. Guaranteed, someone in your group will see something differently, have some insight, or otherwise be able to point out something you missed. And it will stick.

One last thing: The highlighting was slightly different on the real test. You have to click an extra time to highlight and de-highlight things, for some reason. Not a game-changer, but slightly annoying.



7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

Prep course Feb-May (took it May 22nd), ramped up big time towards the last week. Then barely studied on the second-to-last day before the test, other than to go over some equations. Day before, went to the movies, relaxed.

 

[CanadaDrToBe]

1) Your individual scores and composite score

Total: 509
C/P - 126
CARS - 128
Bio - 127
Psych 128

2) The study method used for each section

I came from a very non-traditional route so my study strategy reflected that. I have never taken physics, biochemistry or anatomy / physiology courses and my chemistry / psychology courses were taken a decade prior so I planned to learn the materials from scratch. I also had to work full time and be a single parent to my children during this time.

I started learning the materials using the M Prep course. I chose them because they had prerecorded sessions available online and their materials were out earlier than the majority of the other learning companies. I would listen to a lecture, take notes and then expand on those notes using other sources such as Khan academy, Kaplan test prep books and Wikipedia / google as required.

For CARS - I simply amped up my reading and changed what I read on a daily basis.

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

I used M Prep, Khan Academy and Kaplan for all sections. For CARS, I read some alternative novels, news reports and studies at random.

4) Which practice tests did you use? (Optional: include scores)
I used 2 Examkracker full length exams

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Computer Science - completed 8 years ago.

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
Plan out your study schedule well ahead of time. It takes much longer than you think. Expect burnout periods and give spaces in your schedule for those periods. Don't try to cram. Maintain consistency in your study schedule rather than trying to push through as quickly as possible.

One thing I wish I had done is more practice questions. I only started doing practice questions 1 month before the exam.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
Oct- May, 1-2 hours a day 5 days a week. Ramped up in June / July to 3 hours a day 6 days a week.

 

[HooksHook]

1) 129/129/130/130 = 518

2) C/P -- I am the worst at physics, so I dedicated a ton of time to understanding the basics and memorizing equations and doing practice problems as much as I could. I started and ended my overall study schedule with physics. Chemistry was better -- for ochem, do as many problems as yu can. For biochem, same approach as physics basically. If you don't have a lot of him, seriously just memorize everything about amino acids

CARS -- read whenever you have the time. I'm talking news articles, short stories, books, reviews, etc. a lot of cars is being able to pay attention throughout the whole passage so you can really get what the main point is

BIO -- Think of the body as a bunch of systems, and then study each system in a chronological context. Makes **** a lot simpler and easier to memorize. Most prep books already teach the digestive system this way (going in order from eating something to excreting it). Apply it to other systems. force chronology onto things that might not seem to have it (ex: nervous system - sense something, physically responding to it). I hope this makes sense.

P/S -- Accept you won't know all the terms, but don't use that as an excuse to not try to learn all the terms. It'll be like trying to cram the dictionary into your head, but go for it anyway because the more terms you get exposed to, the easier it'll be to guess if you have to. Absolutely know people like Erikson, freud, piaget, etc. and the big experiments. you'll know what they are because they appear on almost every practice test

3) EK and Khan passages for everything (Khan passages = amazing)
TPR books for physics and psych (don't really think it did much good though. wouldn't recommend TPR for actual studying, just for the practice tests)

4) 6 TPRs that came with books, including free demo (throughout study time) -- scores ranged 503-515
Next Step 1/2 length diagnostic (before any studying) -- 502
EK2 -- 84%
AAMC full length (two days before actual exam) -- 80%

5) Undergrad major -- History, minor in public health

6) Seriously, do what works for you. Just make sure it's actually working and you're not subconsciously going easy on yourself. The first time I took this test, I studied longer and read more prep books, but I got a 29 because I didn't do enough problems or really force myself to study things I didn't understand/really hated (physics). I know it's easy to let SDN get in your head about stuff you should be doing, but always double check to make sure you have your sanity and confidence. it'll be what keeps you going and what keeps you from ending up ill and half crazy the day of the exam.

7) 2 months. 6-9 hours a day on weekdays, 2-5 hours on weekends. Know your limit so you don't burn out. I started saving in advance and was lucky to get support from my parents so that i wouldn't have to work during those two months.

I should mention I didn't take a prep course, both the first time I took the mcat and this time.

 

[Free411]

Hey!

I scored a 130/132 (97%) on the bio section of the 8/6/2015 MCAT.

I thought that section wasn't as bad as people were making it out to be. The key to doing well is efficient reading and thinking skills. Try to think of the passages as being a files full of information and the information is sorted using labels. Each label represents a paragraph and its main idea. You should only read a passage with specific intention of pulling out information for a question. Other than that there is no real reason to read the information in the passage.

Strategy: (Each passage is a file)
1. Read the first sentence of every paragraph. (Read the labels)
-I did this because most science paragraphs follow basic paragraph structure, so the main idea is generally the first sentence.
-This gives you a sense of what information is in your file and where it is should you need to come back and read the document/paragraph/passage in more detail
- should take no more than 40-45 seconds; this is a quick skim
-This allowed me to mentally map where things were for efficiency.

2. Read the questions word for word very closely. Look for tips and key words
-Keep an eye out for buzz words that tip you off to what label you need to go back to.

3. Quickly scan your the file for the labels to find which paragraph(s) have words/ideas related to key words in step #2
- This is where you spend time actually reading the information in more detail, but know you reading will be more focused and you will know what you are looking for rather than getting confused by information that you would never need anyway.
-For example, if the second paragraph deals with the symptoms of down syndrome (label = symptoms); then if you read a question that asks you to determine the outcome of a person with three 21 chromosomes (that would be a tip), you know where to go (straight to paragraph 2, because you knew the label)...this is a simple example but it works for more complex questions too.

4. POE
- once you pull the relevant information from the passage, POE the answer options and profit!

Trust me, my average time per passage was like 4-6 minutes.

 

[trimethylpurine]

1) Your individual scores and composite score

PS: 127
CARS: 126
BS: 130
Psych: 131

Total: 514 (91st percentile)



2) The study method used for each section

All sections: Practice, practice, and practice. Then practice some more.


PS: This was rough for me. But I just mainly did practice passages on areas I was weak on. Like I was pretty weak in electrochem and electricity, so I did a lot of practice problems in TBR and if I was really weak, I would do EK 1001.


CARS: I thought I did better than this, but apparently not. I did 3 passages every morning right after I wake up from EK101 and TPRH.


BS: Generally a strong area for me as I just took biochem. Get your hands on as many experimental passages, KA was very useful here. TBR was great for non-experimental bio passages.


Psych: I haven't taken psych for 3 years, but it was somehow my strongest. My advice is get your hands on all definitions and memorize as much as you can. Not as much critical thinking as other sections and passages a lot shorter than CARS. EK, TPR, and people's post on SDN were helpful here.



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

EK + TPR psych for content review. I really liked the NS strategy books for section length practice tests.



4) Which practice tests did you use? (Optional: include scores)

EK 1-4, Kaplan 1-2, and TPR 1-2



5) What was your undergraduate major?

Molecular Bio



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

Tons of practice, but practice right. Work on your weaknesses and work in a setting that best resembles testing environment.

I'm usually a deep sleeper, but I only got 2 hours the night before the test. I still pulled off a decent score, but be aware that this happens to quite a few people, so prepare accordingly.


7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

4 months, 30-35 hours a week while work part time.

 

[Dr.TonySoprano]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
512. 129/127/129/127
2) The study method used for each section
I took the Kaplan course and only used the Kaplan materials for studying. For CARS, I enrolled in a speed reading course called eyeq advantage. It's online. I did the exercises every morning before I would start studying science content and doing practice problems.
3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, TBR, etc)
Kaplan. I watched a lot of the MCAT Channel courses because I felt they were a good review without having to read anything, just listen.
4) Which practice tests did you use? (Optional: include scores)
I did about 4 Kaplan tests and I took the AAMC FL and did the Q packs. I did not complete the AAMC official guide questions. I scored around 508s-509s on the Kaplan tests after they made the scoring adjustment. On the AAMC FL, I scored 85, 75, 81, 83
5) What was your undergraduate major?
Neuroscience. This major really helped for the MCAT because I didn't have to study very hard for a couple of the Psych chapters. However, I had not taken Intro to Psych (since AP class in 10th grade) nor Sociology.
6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
Make a study plan early on and have enough time to do a FL length every week for the last few weeks. You should not take too many because they will burn you out quickly and may make you more concerned than you need to be. Have a well balanced life: go to the gym, go on dates sparingly, go to the beach, play basketball. This was a retake from my 28: 10/6/12 and I think what helped this year was to be less anxious overall and going to the gym on a regular basis.
7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
Mid-May to August 5th (test date).


This is pretty general. Feel free to ask questions if you are enrolled in a Kaplan course.

 

[FutureDoc3094]

.

 

[FutureDoc3094]

1) 129/129/130/130 = 518

2) C/P -- I am the worst at physics, so I dedicated a ton of time to understanding the basics and memorizing equations and doing practice problems as much as I could. I started and ended my overall study schedule with physics. Chemistry was better -- for ochem, do as many problems as yu can. For biochem, same approach as physics basically. If you don't have a lot of him, seriously just memorize everything about amino acids

CARS -- read whenever you have the time. I'm talking news articles, short stories, books, reviews, etc. a lot of cars is being able to pay attention throughout the whole passage so you can really get what the main point is

BIO -- Think of the body as a bunch of systems, and then study each system in a chronological context. Makes **** a lot simpler and easier to memorize. Most prep books already teach the digestive system this way (going in order from eating something to excreting it). Apply it to other systems. force chronology onto things that might not seem to have it (ex: nervous system - sense something, physically responding to it). I hope this makes sense.

P/S -- Accept you won't know all the terms, but don't use that as an excuse to not try to learn all the terms. It'll be like trying to cram the dictionary into your head, but go for it anyway because the more terms you get exposed to, the easier it'll be to guess if you have to. Absolutely know people like Erikson, freud, piaget, etc. and the big experiments. you'll know what they are because they appear on almost every practice test

3) EK and Khan passages for everything (Khan passages = amazing)
TPR books for physics and psych (don't really think it did much good though. wouldn't recommend TPR for actual studying, just for the practice tests)

4) 6 TPRs that came with books, including free demo (throughout study time) -- scores ranged 503-515
Next Step 1/2 length diagnostic (before any studying) -- 502
EK2 -- 84%
AAMC full length (two days before actual exam) -- 80%

5) Undergrad major -- History, minor in public health

6) Seriously, do what works for you. Just make sure it's actually working and you're not subconsciously going easy on yourself. The first time I took this test, I studied longer and read more prep books, but I got a 29 because I didn't do enough problems or really force myself to study things I didn't understand/really hated (physics). I know it's easy to let SDN get in your head about stuff you should be doing, but always double check to make sure you have your sanity and confidence. it'll be what keeps you going and what keeps you from ending up ill and half crazy the day of the exam.

7) 2 months. 6-9 hours a day on weekdays, 2-5 hours on weekends. Know your limit so you don't burn out. I started saving in advance and was lucky to get support from my parents so that i wouldn't have to work during those two months.

I should mention I didn't take a prep course, both the first time I took the mcat and this time.

Which practice questions did you utilized when studying for chem/physics? Thank you!

 

[HooksHook]

.

 

[JTDSB]

First of all congrats on the score! I'm taking mine in January of 2016 so fingers crossed. Quick question regarding your study habits - did you complete one subject completely before moving to another, or did you study bits of multiple subjects at a time?

 

[AnnaRH]

Hi, thank you all for your honesty about how to prepare for, study, and take the "new" MCAT exam. I have my undergrad degree (still need to take a few more science pre-reqs before I apply to med school) and I am aiming to take the April 2016 MCAT. I have found, through standardized testing, that I do my best studying off of a tablet (vs a text book), through videos (visual learner, strictly word-passages just don't do it for me, at least until I have concepts down), and with picture-filled diagrams/pamphlets (again, I am a visual learner). What would any or all of you recommend to buy for Kindle/tablet MCAT study guide books? Khan Academy Vids worth it? Would you suggest buying any books online (i.e. from Amazon) that have clear pictures and diagrams to explain principles in detail for the "new" MCAT? (I see that Kaplan makes Kindle accessible e-book versions of the MCAT review, but I have not yet bought any pending your suggestions.) Thank you in advance for your time, I am very much appreciative of any help!!

 

[HooksHook]

.

 

[HooksHook]

.

 

[Doctorinthemaking100]

I bought the TPR books and was wondering if I should supplement them with any other study materials?

 

[studentdocftw]

I used Kaplan's full set which prepared me well for P/C and B/BC. CARS I feel is more of an inherent skill, but can definitely be tweaked with practice (EK 101 Verbal). I did not feel particularly prepared for P/PS, and based on what people have said, I'd recommend using Khan Academy/TPR for that section. So all in all, Kaplan for P/C, B/BC, EK 101 for Verbal Practice, and Khan Academy/TPR for P/PS. Other than that, take the 2 AAMC Fls available under timed conditions, and kick ass.


1) Your individual scores and composite score
131/126/130/127; 514

2) The study method used for each section
Used Kaplan for everything, read above for advice on CARS and P/PS

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

4) Which practice tests did you use? (Optional: include scores)
AAMC FL (83% overall)

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biochemistry, definitely helped. With this new MCAT, I see a decrease in Bio majors and an increase in Biochem majors for pre-meds.

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
Confidence, Preparation and Patience. Those are the 3 words you should remember throughout this entire process. Prepare adequately (I took the old MCAT 2x, did not prepare nearly enough), be patient with how long this preparation may take (don't make the same mistake I did, only take the exam when you've covered EVERY single topic on the outline), and show up confident on test day. Also, implement some positive thoughts throughout the test (Yes, I took EVERY break, went to the restroom and literally looked at myself in the mirror and told myself, "You got this!"). I truly believe this calmed my nerves. Good luck!

7) How long did you study for the MCAT
~2.5 mo

 

[Username555]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
Chem/Phys - 128, CARS - 128, Bio/Biochem - 128, Psych/Soc - 129

2) The study method used for each section
For every section except CARS, I read through the Kaplan books at least once, highlighting the important stuff. Then I printed out AAMC's MCAT outline and I read the books a second time, this time following the order provided on the outline. I found this second read to be more helpful because the AAMC's outline did a good job of listing related topics after one another.

I spent the most amount of time with the Biochem because because I hadn't taken biochem before I took the MCAT. Since the science sections are mostly biochem, it would probably be very helpful to take the class. But the Kaplan book did a very good job of telling you what you needed to know.

I didn't "study" for CARS at all, I figured I would just practice with the Kaplan tests.

After this, I went back and if there were some topics that I still didn't feel comfortable with, or just topics that I thought would be high yield on the test, I read them carefully. This was probably most helpful because there wasn't as much information this time around so I was able to spend a lot of time looking at these chapters.

Throughout this studying, I probably took a practice test once every 2 weeks, and towards the end I took one a week. The tail end of my prep was just taking practice tests/practice sections and reviewing my tests, including questions I got right, each night.

3) What materials you used for each section

I used the Kaplan 7 book review for all of the sections. I watched a few Khan Academy videos on metabolism when I didn't feel like studying, but this did nothing for me because I literally had the video open in one window and games open in the other. You could use it as passive studying if you're actually gonna pay attention I guess, but I didn't.

4) Which practice tests did you use?

I took about 6-7 Kaplan practice tests, the Kaplan diagnostic, a few Kaplan section tests, the free Next Step Prep half length diagnostic, the AAMC full length practice test, and a few random tests/questions I found online. I also did an MCAT question of the day each morning from MCAT Prep or something like that, but I found Kaplan's question of the day, which I didn't use until like the week before the test, to be way more relevant.

Although the scores I got from the Kaplan practice tests were not at all reflective of my real scores (practice scores were significantly lower for every section), I feel that it is currently the best material out there for the new test, considering the lack of material the AAMC has put out so far. Kaplan's questions are not straightforward at all and they try to trick you, but I found the style and length of passages from the Kaplan full lengths to be similar to the real test. It's a good way to familiarize yourself with the test format, but don't look too much into the scores.

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Bio

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

I have two major tips. The first is to spend more time practicing and less time with content review. There's no replacement for learning the content well, but with any standardized test, getting familiarized with the style and the question types you will receive goes much further than studying.

At the beginning I did mostly content review and didn't take many practice tests, and my scores either stayed stagnant or went down. Near the end I started taking more tests and kept up with content review, and I noticed that my scores steadily went up. Becoming familiar with the style and format will help more than simply trying to memorize the books.

It might be annoying to take a 7 hour test once a week or even multiple times a week, which is what I did at the end, and at these times I found section tests to be helpful. This still gave me good practiced and improved my test taking skills but it only took an hour and a half of my day. I would use individual section tests to focus on your weak sections. I did this mostly for CARS but also Chem/Phys.

The second major tip I have is RELAX. I think this is the biggest thing and it sounds cliche but it actually makes such a difference. Every time I finished a Kaplan test I freaked out because I was getting around 500 every time, sometimes below 500. As I reached the end of my prep, I did the AAMC practice materials and got more comfortable because these were much more straightforward than the Kaplan materials I was using.

I think a big thing for me on test day was that I was relaxed the whole time. I was kinda anxious when I got to the test center, but I used the 10 minute tutorial to calm myself down before beginning the test. I'm pretty sure this was the reason I performed relatively well. I never scored above 127 on any section of a practice test, and usually my scores were 124-125. On the real thing, I got 128 on 3 sections and 129 on the last. I think being calm and collected throughout the test helped me a lot.

7) About 2.5 months, about 5-6 hours a day of actual studying, and in the last month I added about an hour a day of reviewing old tests.

 

[Mubangaeu]

1) Overall Score: 520 (98th percentile) PS: 131 CARS: 130 BS: 131 Psych: 128

2) Study Method: Physical Sciences has always been my weakest subject area, so I used both Kaplan and TPR books for these to make sure I fully covered the material since I had a poor foundation. I read each of the books a few times making notes as I went along and mostly focused on concepts, relationships between variables, and memorizing formulas for this section.
CARS I didn't study for other than the practice tests since I thought my time was better spent learning science content.
Biological sciences I spent most of my study time on; I read the Kaplan bio book multiple times until I felt comfortable explaining each topic, and also read through my notes from the biochemistry course I took the semester leading up to the test- I don't think I would have succeeded on this section without having taken that course, but I also did not have a science background so this may not apply to everyone. I memorized all the amino acids, hormones, enzymes, etc using flashcards and writing out different pathways multiple times.
Behavioral sciences I used TPR + Kaplan + glossary for intro to sociology text + Khan Academy videos to cover all my bases with it being a new section. I wrote out flashcards to memorize all of the terms in Kaplan. If I were taking the test again, I would probably have taken an intro psych/soc course or at least read a textbook as there were topics on my test that I had not seen in any of my prep materials.

3) Study Materials: Kaplan 7 book 2015 set**, Kaplan 528 book (didn't find this very helpful, it seemed mostly strategy based), TPR Chem/Phys, TPR Behavioral Sciences, Lehninger Biochemistry, intro to sociology textbook glossary, Kaplan online practice tests, AAMC FL, AAMC questions packs, AAMC Official Guide Questions, Khan Academy videos (mostly psychology and some biology)
** I didn't use the CARS book at all, and the orgo book I didn't spend much time on either. The other subjects I read through multiple times each until I was confident about the material and did all the practice questions. For physics, I picked out the formulas I thought would be most biologically relevant and memorized a sheet of them for the test; I found this more helpful than doing the practice problems in the Kaplan physics text.

4) Practice Tests: I used the online Kaplan FLs that came with the course, along with their initial half-length diagnostic. Also took a TPR FL, AAMC FL, and the AAMC Official Guide as a half length.

Kaplan FL Scores: (not in order)
Diagnostic: 504
FL 3: PS:125 CARS:128 BS:125 Psych:127 Total: 505
FL 4: PS:125 CARS:127 BS:125 Psych:127 Total: 504
FL 5: PS:124 CARS:126 BS:125 Psych:127 Total: 502
FL 8: PS:125 CARS:128 BS:126 Psych:124 Total: 503
FL 9: PS:125 CARS:128 BS:126 Psych:124 Total: 503

AAMC FL: PS: 78% CARS: 91% BS: 88% Psych: 83%

AAMC Official Guide: PS: 80% CARS: 90% BS: 76% Psych: 90%

5) Undergraduate major: Marketing, but I completed a post-bac program this year which included all pre-reqs

6) Tips: Can't speak for every test day, but my exam had a heavy biochem emphasis on both science sections, so I would recommend spending a larger amount of time studying those concepts than say orgo reactions (definitely memorize amino acids!). Physics was supposed to be de-emphasized vs. the old test, but I still had a number of physics questions, so I wouldn't blow off studying that either. Overall I think the Kaplan books did a great job of covering pretty much everything with the exception of behavioral sciences, so I think they are a pretty safe bet.

7) Time Spent Studying: I completed a 1-year post bac premed program, so I had taken all of the prerequisite coursework + biochem in the year leading up to the test (May 2015). I also was enrolled in the Kaplan on site course this spring, but only really used their book set for content & FLs as I didn't find their strategies helpful. I started studying MCAT specific materials around January, took my first diagnostic in February, and took a practice test roughly once per week starting around March. In the last two weeks before the test I stopped taking practice tests and spent about 8-10 hrs a day studying content, and took the AAMC FL roughly 1 week prior to the test date.

I think your study advice is the best I have seen so far. Thank you for sharing.

 

[rained]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
CP: 131 CARS: 127 BS: 130 PS: 130; Overall: 518 (97th percentile)

2) The study method used for each section
In the beginning of the summer (around mid-May), I began a very thorough review of all of the material. Then, I zoned in on specific topics that I knew I was fuzzy/unfamiliar with, and I studied those further.
Afterwards, I started doing a ton of passages (mostly from the Berkeley Review and EK). I took TBR prep class, and we were assigned homework (passages given to us in class and within the review books), which I compiled into a schedule and followed throughout the summer. As for specifics...

3) What materials you used for each section
I used TBR, TPR, and EK books.
TPR: This was what I used for my general, comprehensive overview. It's extremely dense and has lots of extraneous information, but it covers pretty much everything you need to know.
TBR: Where the Berkeley Review seriously shines is the sheer amount of practice problems that they give you. For each topic within each subject, there are roughly 15 passages and 100 total practice questions. Many of them are tricky, many will make you facepalm because you thought you had the right answer, and all of them are helpful. The Berkeley Review helped me TONS for discrete questions and learning to navigate passages. The questions will make you think very critically, and they're significantly more difficult than the problems you'll see on the real thing on test day. It really prepares you for those WTF questions that you might not expect, and you'll have a reliable test bank of knowledge ready to be used. Admittedly, I hardly read the books for content (extremely dense and overly detailed), but I imagine that it could really help with reinforcing concepts. One of my Berkeley Review teachers openly admitted that she (almost) never read the books, her entire study schedule was based on practice, practice, practice.
EK: I read all of these books to reinforce what I already knew. Furthermore, the 30 minute practice passages are EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY helpful. The questions are unreasonably difficult (much more difficult than AAMC-level questions), but they prepare you for the few difficult questions you might encounter on test day. The star of these practice passages are the passages themselves. After taking the AAMC FL and the real thing, EK did (in my opinion) the best job of capturing the essence of what the new MCAT passages are all about. Many of their passages are experiment/biochem heavy, and reading through them and getting used to them really helped me tackle those types of passages on the real deal.

C/P: Typically one of my weaker sections because I suck at physics (sound, doppler, light, optics, I hate it all). But, very thankfully, there was a strong biochem and gen chem emphasis on my exam (two of my strongest subjects). My preparation for physics mostly consisted of reviewing using TPR and EK, and using the practice problems from TBR and thoroughly trying to understand the answers. Since biochem and gen chem are my stronger suits, I didn't review much, mainly used practice problems as my way of studying those subjects.
CARS: Also one of my weaker sections, as reflected by my score. I did really well on CARS for some of my practice FLs, and really poorly on others. I can't say much for CARS besides practicing helps a lot, and really grasping the main idea of each passage is the key to doing well.
BS/B: Pure memorization when it came to review for bio. No other way around it, really. As for ochem and biochem, my courses in each subject really solidified my understanding of both, so they weren't so much of a problem for me. Again, I'd like to emphasize that doing practice problems will ultimately determine how well you know the material, being able to regurgitate information just doesn't cut it. Furthermore, Khan Academy videos does an amazing job of organizing all of the biochem topics you need to know. If you're rusty on gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, fatty acid oxidation, etc etc, then use their videos. Know enzymes. You never know what kind of discrete questions you could get. *hint hint*
P/S: Honestly, I'm not sure what happened here. I put off studying for P/S very last minute, I spent 3-4 days before my exam memorizing all of the theories and terms I had studied/reviewed from TPR. Furthermore, I went to the Khan Academy video website and watched pretty much every single video on topics that I was uncomfortable or unfamiliar with. I also did all of the P/S Khan Academy passages. Somehow, I pulled that 130 out of my butt. Be prepared for more sociology than you would expect/be familiar with. Also, I treated some of the passages as almost a CARS/P/S combination, and that worked for me. It seemed as though the passage writers had opinions which could be used to answer the questions.. Not sure if anyone else felt the same way. Also, I have heard that P/S has a very generous curve, but I'm not sure how accurate that assertion is.

4) Which practice tests did you use?

TPR (3 free ones with review books): 502, 503, 503
EK (FL 1, 2, 3): 82%, 71%, 73%
TBR: 509, 511, 513, 515
AAMC Official Guide: 26, 26, 22, 22
AAMC FL: 86%, 83%, 85%, 80%

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Neuroscience

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
**Disclaimer: I am a terrible standardized test taker. In the past, I've lacked the discipline to study in the long term, and I'm really good at cramming for exams and waiting until the last minute. All I can say is that if you're anything like me, suck it up and put in the effort. It will go a long way.**

Cannot emphasize enough, PRACTICE > CONTENT REVIEW. No matter how much you feel like you've mastered the material, it doesn't matter if you can't apply it to AAMC-like question types. This is why practice is miles more important if you have the general concepts down.

Get into a habit of waking up as early as you would on test day and doing practice problems/ tests to mirror testing conditions. This will help you immensely and eliminate some of the nerves that might be associated with test day.

Eat healthy and don't drink too much caffeine (less than you would on a normal day) on test day. The adrenaline is plenty sufficient to keep you awake and wired. I drank too much coffee and was shaking for half of the test.

Did I mention you should do practice problems? Because you should.

7) 3 months, from mid-May to mid-August. 2 hours of classes per week for 5-6 days per week, and 6-7 hours of studying each day on top of that.

 

[Lina19]

1) 521 total 130 PC/129 CARS/130 Bio/132 Psy/Soc
2)Explicitly used Kaplan's materials and study guide for each section
3)I used only Kaplan and aamc material. Kaplan for content studying. Kaplan Q-bank and aamc Q packs for daily practice. Kaplan FLs 1-7. And AAMC FL right before exam. Also did the 120 Qs in the official guide to the MCAT.
4)Kaplan FLs 1-7 scoring ranged from 501-508. AAMC practice right before exam ~86%
5)Biology @ top 100 state school
6)I did every single little thing my Kaplan Course had to offer. I swear by them, they helped me so much. Which is why I now teach for them I strongly suggest taking a course. When you do, do every single reading, watch every single video, every practice Q they got. Suck everything you can out of that course.

My schedule was this. I followed their instructions to a Tee, except didn't just do "recommended" material, I did everything the course had to offer. around 5 hours a day. When the course was over, I still had 8 weeks till my exam. So I took a FL every weekend, and spent the rest of the week doing focused content on what I got wrong. And doing practice specific to that area. Thats it folks. I simply followed Kaplan, and did FLs after the course ended.

One thing I think REALLY heped.... do one practice passage from each of the 4 section EVERY DAY (except test days). I used the aamc Qpacks and official guide, and the Kaplan Q bank for these practice passages. Don't skip this ever. Do them. Do them Do them Do them. Oh one more thing. DO THEM. one P/C, one CARS, one BIO, and one Psy/soc every day.

5) 5 months for at least 5 hours a day...... yes folks... thats 5 x 30 x 5=750 hours... its actually more than that because FLs were 7 hours long.

Note: I'm not that bright... AT ALL. I do have a 3.99gpa, but thats only because I work myself to the bone!!!! Most people won't have to put in nearly 750 hours to do this well... probably around 300-350 from what I can see. BUT... if you're dumb like me... DON"T BE DISCOURAGED!!!! JUST WORK YOUR @$$ off. You can do it! WHO CARES IF THEY SAY 300-350 hours to prepare???!!! TRY TO DOUBLE THAT IF YOU KNOW YOUR NOT SMART!! I guarantee you can out work people smarter than you, and grab a disgusting score.

Good luck

Did you pay for the Kaplan course before it started? How did you have access to the course for so long?

 

[Krabbeman]

Did you pay for the Kaplan course before it started? How did you have access to the course for so long?

I bought a Kaplan Course (with a scholarship). It was originally like 2000, but with the scholarship I had it was about 800. It began in February, and went to May. And the site remained accessible until this month actually (September)