Is It Me Or Do You Not Need So Much Info. For The Mcat??

[xxbruinxx]

hi

so i took this class at DREW early this year...it's a MCAT prep class i was accepted into and was taught by hy doyle (he's supposed to be somewhat famous for being a good test-taker, and scoring well just based on test-taking skills)

anyway, i feel that you don't need so much information for the mcat. JUST THE BASICS...around april, i saw all these posts from people posting mnemonic devices to memorize this and that and what not, granted some of them you should know, but again, JUST THE BASICS

my question: am i being too simplistic about this whole thing? am i completely underestimating the test?

I took the mcat this april, and felt that i shouldn't have spent time reading those TPR bio/chem, etc. books...they're just way too much info, and info that i don't need

i really feel that all you need is PRACTICE, get your strategy down, and know the basics

please let me know
thank you

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[sacrament]

Man, I've been saying this for years. And every time, crazy indignant pre-meds shout me down. The fact is this: studying for the MCAT brings vastly diminishing returns after a couple of weeks.

 

[Kateroni18]

hi

so i took this class at DREW early this year...it's a MCAT prep class i was accepted into and was taught by hy doyle (he's supposed to be somewhat famous for being a good test-taker, and scoring well just based on test-taking skills)

anyway, i feel that you don't need so much information for the mcat. JUST THE BASICS...around april, i saw all these posts from people posting mnemonic devices to memorize this and that and what not, granted some of them you should know, but again, JUST THE BASICS

my question: am i being too simplistic about this whole thing? am i completely underestimating the test?

I took the mcat this april, and felt that i shouldn't have spent time reading those TPR bio/chem, etc. books...they're just way too much info, and info that i don't need

i really feel that all you need is PRACTICE, get your strategy down, and know the basics

please let me know
thank you

Well, I do think people forget about the fact that in the end the MCAT is a critical thinking test and because of that there is a ton of information at your disposal in the passages that you just have to be able to use. I got an 11 on Bio on my first TPR diag because I was taking the time to read the info I didn't know...and I didn't know anything about kidneys, digestion, hormones, nervous system, etc. There are some questions that flat out require you to have memorized stuff though, so I think people would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[xxbruinxx]

any other thoughts on this...do people just over-study simply for a sense of security?

 

[sacrament]

any other thoughts on this...do people just over-study simply for a sense of security?

People who take the MCAT invariably overstudy because only pre-meds take the MCAT, and pre-meds are the most neurotic nutballs on the face of the planet. I studied for roughly two weeks, a few hours a day. I would not have done a bit better if I'd studied another single day, let another weeks or months longer. It's absolutely crazy what some people do to prepare for this thing. The above poster is absolutely correct: it's a critical thinking test. You have to know some physics formulas, and you have to know some o. chem mechanisms. You can memorize this stuff in a couple of days. I knew nothing, zero, nada about human physiology or anything else that can remotely be construed as being medically-related, I had taken no bio classes yet (saved those for the very end of my college career), and had only reviewed the bio stuff in a Kaplan book, and I got an 11 on the bio section. And I'm no genius.

This isn't to imply that the test is easy. It's far from easy, it's a relatively hard test. I walked out of that thing feeling like I'd been hit by a train. But part of what makes it pretty hard is that it's difficult to prepare for. You need a brain in your noggin' or else your months of hard-core studying won't help you one iota. (Now Step One is a different story altogether... you could be a troglodyte and ace that test if you'd studied for six months.)

 

[DoctaJay]

Okay,seeing as how I'm starting my studies for the MCAT on June 4th. What BASICS do I need to focus on. Cause my plan was to review information in biology, chemistry, orgo, and physics for may like like 2 weeks. Then to alot of practice tests.

 

[wetlightning]

Okay,seeing as how I'm starting my studies for the MCAT on June 4th. What BASICS do I need to focus on. Cause my plan was to review information in biology, chemistry, orgo, and physics for may like like 2 weeks. Then to alot of practice tests.

sounds good...i would do a solid foundation review of core concepts, 2 weeks should be sufficient IF the material is fresh for you...if not, give yourself a bit more time.

then, hit the practice questions...and "read around the questions" that you miss...that was the best advice i've ever heard, given to me by my parents, who are both physicians. apparently this is how they aced both steps of the usmle so, if you miss a question, reinforce the underlying concept behind it. before you know it you will pick up huge quantities of info, especially specific details that you might not get from a broad review.

good luck!

 

[xxbruinxx]

yea

i'm in a similar situation, where i'm trying to plan out my study for the august mcat...again, i'll be doing it myself, not with a review course or anything, but would you recommend the EK books over tpr?

I definitely want to do a lot more practice; which brand (EK, TPR, KAPLAN, ETC.) writes questions in similar level/style as the actual test?

thanx

 

[ohsocrafty22]

August 2002 MCAT: I studied for the MCAT rather than practicing for the MCAT...that is, I tried to memorize the material Princeton Review had determined to be of utmost importance. I scored a 25.

April 2004 MCAT: I reviewed some of the material, but I focused most of my time taking practice tests. More importantly, after taking any given practice section of a test, I reviewed my answers and figured out why I got individual questions wrong. I put in the same amount of time as I did for the first test. I scored a 34P.

My advice for the MCAT...PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=03221

 

[doctorjoy]

I agree with post here. When I did the MCAT the first time I tried memorizing formulas and facts without a lot of practice. This time around I plan to take lots and lots of practice tests and analyze why this answer is wrong or right (especially for verbal). Now for the sciences I am using the Audio Osmosis and Standard deviants for an overall review and practice practice practice.

 

[Tranceradu]

that's exactly what i did wrong the first time as well.

now i'm going to concentrate on actually understanding the info. i already have the Kaplan books from last time, and I'm getting the EK stuff and a bunch of aamc tests.

is there other stuff out there that can be helpful? my main problem is verbal. did poorly on it. would the EK verbal material be any good?

 

[xxbruinxx]

so since i've already taken the april mcat, how do i practice?

for this past one, i mainly just focused on the aamc tests...didn't do practice passages from the review books. are these recommended? are they written in a style/level of the actual mcat?

thanx

 

[RAD11]

When you guys say just review the BASICS, do you think that the Foundation Reviews from Kaplan is enough of the "basics"? This time I'm switching gears .....I'm taking the 10-week study approach by Examcrackers, because I feel like they somewhat give you more test taking strategies vs. to re-studying all of my Kaplan materials. But do you think the Kaplan Foundation Review is enough to study from and then start taking practice test galore?

 

[DOUBLEDIGITSII]

HEY XXbruinxx! I was in that class also this year. I took the april mcat and felt that PS section extra hard and felt like I should have read through the whole passage but I still managed to finish. Verbal was good except for the fact that I may have misbubbled a passage and did not go back to check. BS was easy. But i am freaking out over PS and VB.

I think having a good understanding of the concepts (ek materials)helps to figure out the questions versus just memorizing formulas. But I also wish I would have mastered the stratagies that we learned in that class. My fate will be revealed tomorrow. The scores will determine Med or grad school.

Good luck restudying. if you need to, that is.

hi

so i took this class at DREW early this year...it's a MCAT prep class i was accepted into and was taught by hy doyle (he's supposed to be somewhat famous for being a good test-taker, and scoring well just based on test-taking skills)

anyway, i feel that you don't need so much information for the mcat. JUST THE BASICS...around april, i saw all these posts from people posting mnemonic devices to memorize this and that and what not, granted some of them you should know, but again, JUST THE BASICS

my question: am i being too simplistic about this whole thing? am i completely underestimating the test?

I took the mcat this april, and felt that i shouldn't have spent time reading those TPR bio/chem, etc. books...they're just way too much info, and info that i don't need

i really feel that all you need is PRACTICE, get your strategy down, and know the basics

please let me know
thank you

 

[LabMonster]

Man, I've been saying this for years. And every time, crazy indignant pre-meds shout me down. The fact is this: studying for the MCAT brings vastly diminishing returns after a couple of weeks.

I agree with sacrement. I pounded out 6 practice exams and I don't think it helped. I took the test cold in Aug 2000 and got a 30 - just because I could think through it.

Looking back at the April exam, I just wish I would have studied some more inorganic chem since it has been so long (7 years).

Bone up on your weak points and take a few practice exams. I think the key to the MCAT is to be relaxed and think.

 

[NRAI2001]

TPR does give excessive info. Their review books are meant for people whom may have forgotten many of the concepts, not for the person that learned them well in class and just needs the most basic overview. Kaplan or EK serve better for the person whom wants less details and more to the point basic info.

Oh and taking the test this April, the only things I needed that were actually detailed portions of TPR was from Chapter 5 organic and a few other chapters. But mostly, everything was in the passage. Like the immunology and glutamate synthase passages I had. Those both had all the stuff in the passage. For this kind of examples, TPR's compendium is better then anything, but for review with less details, stick with Kaplan or EK

I ve read both Princeton Review Books and Berkeley Review books, haven't taken any practice exams yet (plan to start taking practice exams next week). But if you think TPR books are excessive, wait to you look at Berkeley review books. They take it to a whole new level. The TPR books seem really really easy after reading the TBR books (especially the g chem & o chem books).

Like I said I haven't taken any practice exams yet, but the few random passages I did here and there, it seems like TPR was too simple and didn't cover the material well enough.

It also depends on what score your realistically looking to get. If you have a really good GPA you may not need a very high score, but if your like me and your GPA is a bit on the lower side you ll be aiming for a high score. The way I feel about it is better to be over prepared than under prepared.

 

[LabMonster]

good luck with your scores.

Thank you.