Int. student preparing for MCAT in Sept. 2015 (for first time) some questions about prep. Thanks.

[dushash]

I took pre-requisite courses 5 years ago in North America and a lot is forgotten. Then I went to my home country and only recently I came back and started to settle down a bit (there was an immigration aspect of it - it's another story not really relevant right now). Currently preparing for September 12th 2015 MCAT. I started taking prep course with Kaplan 1 month ago. Only later I realized I could have saved money, bought books and Q-bank and studied myself. It's still good that I got started though. My diagnostics score was 489 (untimed, yes very poor) and a lot of questions I was guessing because I simply had no knowledge on that stuff. It's now a month since I started studying and I'm around 2/3 through the content review. Among others things still have most of Biochem to cover (I never took Biochem course) so it goes slowly for me - it's basically learning, not review for me.

Recently (2 days ago) we took a first Full Length MCAT and I did untimed test and scored 500. Now I keep hearing that MCAT is not a knowledge test, but it seems to me that after my 2/3 content review I really improved my score (though I was still guessing many questions - I guess those were 1/3 of content not covered yet). So this is my first surprise - I think content knowledge is fundamental - correct me if I'm wrong. Our teacher says to put emphasis on Qbank and practice questions rather than read content review. He says to only glance over content and only look at summary at the end of each chapter and read content only if it's not familiar to you. I think it's not a good idea. (I just don't understand how I can skim content and focus on practice questions if all my material was taken 5 years ago and I have many blank pages, like Biochem which I never even took in the first place]. This really seems odd to me - I guess he is just saying that like a usual "mantra" maybe he didn't even looked into my situation (though I explained to him why I was going slow on content review and sacrificing question practice time in favor of content review). What do you guys think? Am I right covering fundamental stuff first or not?


I'm looking forward to finish my content review in next 2 weeks and then try FL MCAT again to check score. This time I'm going to take a timed FL MCAT. My question is after I finish content review in 2 weeks, is it ok to take FL tests every 3 day and review it and work on mistakes in between? This way I will have plenty of time doing all AAMC FL's and maybe some more FL from Kaplan. Will I be burned out this way or it's ok?

Thank you.

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[Glazedonutlove]

I took pre-requisite courses 5 years ago in North America and a lot is forgotten. Then I went to my home country and only recently I came back and started to settle down a bit (there was an immigration aspect of it - it's another story not really relevant right now). Currently preparing for September 12th 2015 MCAT. I started taking prep course with Kaplan 1 month ago. Only later I realized I could have saved money, bought books and Q-bank and studied myself. It's still good that I got started though. My diagnostics score was 489 (untimed, yes very poor) and a lot of questions I was guessing because I simply had no knowledge on that stuff. It's now a month since I started studying and I'm around 2/3 through the content review. Among others things still have most of Biochem to cover (I never took Biochem course) so it goes slowly for me - it's basically learning, not review for me.

Recently (2 days ago) we took a first Full Length MCAT and I did untimed test and scored 500. Now I keep hearing that MCAT is not a knowledge test, but it seems to me that after my 2/3 content review I really improved my score (though I was still guessing many questions - I guess those were 1/3 of content not covered yet). So this is my first surprise - I think content knowledge is fundamental - correct me if I'm wrong. Our teacher says to put emphasis on Qbank and practice questions rather than read content review. He says to only glance over content and only look at summary at the end of each chapter and read content only if it's not familiar to you. I think it's not a good idea. (I just don't understand how I can skim content and focus on practice questions if all my material was taken 5 years ago and I have many blank pages, like Biochem which I never even took in the first place]. This really seems odd to me - I guess he is just saying that like a usual "mantra" maybe he didn't even looked into my situation (though I explained to him why I was going slow on content review and sacrificing question practice time in favor of content review). What do you guys think? Am I right covering fundamental stuff first or not?


I'm looking forward to finish my content review in next 2 weeks and then try FL MCAT again to check score. This time I'm going to take a timed FL MCAT. My question is after I finish content review in 2 weeks, is it ok to take FL tests every 3 day and review it and work on mistakes in between? This way I will have plenty of time doing all AAMC FL's and maybe some more FL from Kaplan. Will I be burned out this way or it's ok?

Thank you.

You need to tldr this

 

[dushash]

Ok so long story short: Do you finish content review first and then do Q-bank practice questions, passages and FL or you do it simultaneously?

My teacher says I should do practice questions and passages and Q-bank even not having finished content review. I think it makes little sense to be guessing answers if you don't know fundamental material.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

Ok so long story short: Do you finish content review first and then do Q-bank practice questions, passages and FL or you do it simultaneously?

My teacher says I should do practice questions and passages and Q-bank even not having finished content review. I think it makes little sense to be guessing answers if you don't know fundamental material.

I knew the material so I did questions first. Do what works for you

 

[dushash]

Ok then, I'll finish content review first before doing questions and FL's. Thanks.

Another question: taking 1 FL per 3 days is ok or too much?

 

[Dreamstoo]

Ok then, I'll finish content review first before doing questions and FL's. Thanks.

Another question: taking 1 FL per 3 days is ok or too much?

I'm personally trying to do 1 FL a week (mostly because there is about a 6-7 day time in my remaining days that I won't have more than 2-3 hours to do MCAT prep/questions). Every 3 days is pretty hectic considering the exam is longer.

 

[dushash]

I'm personally trying to do 1 FL a week (mostly because there is about a 6-7 day time in my remaining days that I won't have more than 2-3 hours to do MCAT prep/questions). Every 3 days is pretty hectic considering the exam is longer.

I think you are right, I should reconsider. 1 in 5-6 days more like it.