Need advice, using TPR SW passages or BR passages for learning content

[phixius12345]

Hey all, so I'm learning content primarily through practicing passages, and then thorough review after each passage. I was wondering, if anyone had any advice on which passages would be best to learn content from.

TPR Science workbook or TBR passages? I've been using TBR passages, but I feel like they focus much more on strengthening your logic / test taking skills (which is great), but a lot of the time I can figure out an answer without knowing the content just based on the way questions are asked etc.

Would I learn most of my content if I continue using BR passages? Or would it be better to use princetons Science workbook to solidify my content? I've heard that they are more straightforward but I feel like they have less passages to practice and learn from. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

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[premedkid1994]

if you want to focus on high yield topics...BR, without a doubt.
I have Science Workbook Hyperlearning and didn't go through it after like a few passages in chem. Their questions are mostly asked how they will NOT be asked on your real mcat exam. But it is great for content, nonetheless. However, I prefer BR for really hammering down content and their practice passages from their books are second to none compared to other test companies.

 

[premedkid1994]

I'm not that good in chem, already went through EK once. So I will finish every passage in BR's two gen chem books before my exam on Aug 5th. I just finished 3 chapters today. I already feel better in areas I wasn't that confident in.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Hey all, so I'm learning content primarily through practicing passages, and then thorough review after each passage. I was wondering, if anyone had any advice on which passages would be best to learn content from.

TPR Science workbook or TBR passages? I've been using TBR passages, but I feel like they focus much more on strengthening your logic / test taking skills (which is great), but a lot of the time I can figure out an answer without knowing the content just based on the way questions are asked etc.

Would I learn most of my content if I continue using BR passages?

I am SO glad you are talking this approach, because learning and reviewing content in context works great. One of there things students find hard to adjust to is that we write our phase I and phase II homework sets to have students miss questions. There is both cognitive science evidence on learning and our personal experiences as teachers over the years to support that students retain far more material when they miss questions and then review the answer explanations thoroughly than when they read text.

I know it sucks emotionally to keep getting so many questions wrong, but if you can change your perspective such that you don't care about those scores or missed questions (don't see it as a review test; see it as an extension of the text), then you'll be happier and get more out of those passages. As for content, if you keep doing the the 25-question sets in phase I and phase II, then you'll have pretty much all of the content you need for the MCAT. The MCAT writers give you a great deal of information in the passage, so be happy with your progress if you are mastering test-taking logic and skills, sauce you'll need that more on your actual MCAT than information memorized from flashcards.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

I am SO glad you are talking this approach, because learning and reviewing content in context works great. One of there things students find hard to adjust to is that we write our phase I and phase II homework sets to have students miss questions. There is both cognitive science evidence on learning and our personal experiences as teachers over the years to support that students retain far more material when they miss questions and then review the answer explanations thoroughly than when they read text.

I know it sucks emotionally to keep getting so many questions wrong, but if you can change your perspective such that you don't care about those scores or missed questions (don't see it as a review test; see it as an extension of the text), then you'll be happier and get more out of those passages. As for content, if you keep doing the the 25-question sets in phase I and phase II, then you'll have pretty much all of the content you need for the MCAT. The MCAT writers give you a great deal of information in the passage, so be happy with your progress if you are mastering test-taking logic and skills, sauce you'll need that more on your actual MCAT than information memorized from flashcards.

Just curious what is a respectable amount of questions to be missed after phase I, phase II and eventually phase III for someone who is trying to get at least a 514 on the MCAT? In my first chapter I got 11/25 right on the first go around and 18/25 the second time but used POE.
EDIT: also I use the strategy where I try the questions the second time after a bit without knowing what the correct answer is, only that I got the answer wrong the 1st time.
It seems like most times I eliminate my answers down to the two best options which is alright but not enough I am hoping I can improve fairly quickly with more practice

Also how have you guys determined what amount of missed questions correlate with the various ranges in MCAT scores you have posted in you books?

Thanks for your time!

 

[premedkid1994]

Just curious what is a respectable amount of questions to be missed after phase I, phase II and eventually phase III for someone who is trying to get at least a 514 on the MCAT? In my first chapter I got 11/25 right on the first go around and 18/25 the second time but used POE. It seems like most times I elminate my answers down to the two best options.

Also how have you guys determined what amount of missed questions correlate with the various ranges in MCAT scores you have posted in you books?

Thanks for your time!

honestly the chem/physics books tests aren't that bad. If you are getting 11/25, you should go back and reread the chapter imo.
The biology 2 book on the other hand... thats a whole diff story loll

 

[Chromium Surfer]

honestly the chem/physics books tests aren't that bad. If you are getting 11/25, you should go back and reread the chapter imo.
The biology 2 book on the other hand... thats a whole diff story loll

It's been a while since I took some of these classes especially physics because I took them for dual enrollment in high school and I have only gone through phase I of chapter 1 since I just started studying. But thanks for the input I'm definitely prepared to grind for this test. Best of luck when you take it!

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

For the typical student (talking about the classroom course because that is who I can track), a 14/25 on Phase Is for physics and chemistry is par for the course and the average student pulls about 128 in the C/P section. So if you are averaging 56% on Phase I, 62% on Phase II, and 67% in Phase III, it would be reasonable to expect a 512. For a 514, you should be pulling 15 to 16 out of 25 on Phase I, 16 to 17 out of 25 on Phase II, and 40/59 on Phase III.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

Does this breakdown hold true for all sections?
Also how should a student who is trying to score 516 and 518 be scoring?

Thanks for your input so far!

Edit:
I am not at home right now but so if I look in the books the # of questions right and therefore percentage correct that leads to the score ranges listed need to be replicated in all three phases?

Also how did you guys determine the amount correct that leads to a particular subsection score etc?

 

[Chromium Surfer]

@BerkReviewTeach sorry to bother you and I just found the scale I was alluding to that is in the gem Chem book. How accurate is this, and how was it determined?

Based on this scale it seems like I need to score a 20/25 to average a 128 or so and if extrapolated to all 4 sections that would be a 512. Also if it is accurate would I then need to get about 80% right on phase III, or are these estimates deflated?

Thank for your time and sorry for all the questions!

 

[Chromium Surfer]

Update got a 15/25 on my second phase I so a little better
@BerkReviewTeach is it bad to refer back to the chapter during phase I's or is that par for the corse whereas in the ensuing phases you don't refer back to the chapter? Sorry for inundating you with all these questions!

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Does this breakdown hold true for all sections?
Also how should a student who is trying to score 516 and 518 be scoring?

Thanks for your input so far!

Edit:
I am not at home right now but so if I look in the books the # of questions right and therefore percentage correct that leads to the score ranges listed need to be replicated in all three phases?

Also how did you guys determine the amount correct that leads to a particular subsection score etc?

That scoring suggestion is general and applies overall to both chemistry sections and physics. For biology, the second book is definitely harder than the first book, so there is a little more give in the curve. The scales in the books are generic based on how people have scored on the actual MCAT compared to their homework scores. Those curves are very good in the 126 to 130 range, but they start to lose reliability once you drop below 125 (just not enough data points).

@BerkReviewTeach sorry to bother you and I just found the scale I was alluding to that is in the gem Chem book. How accurate is this, and how was it determined?

Based on this scale it seems like I need to score a 20/25 to average a 128 or so and if extrapolated to all 4 sections that would be a 512. Also if it is accurate would I then need to get about 80% right on phase III, or are these estimates deflated?

Thank for your time and sorry for all the questions!

The scale in the books for Phase II puts 19.5/25 (78%) in the middle of 128. I believe that scale is too harsh, but there to keep people pushing forward. The scale for the practice exams (Phase IIIs) puts 43.5/59 (73.7%) in the middle of 128, which is a little more realistic but slightly on the harsh side. The same scale is listed for all Phase IIs, so I don't think they intended it to be exact for each chapter.

Update got a 15/25 on my second phase I so a little better
@BerkReviewTeach is it bad to refer back to the chapter during phase I's or is that par for the corse whereas in the ensuing phases you don't refer back to the chapter? Sorry for inundating you with all these questions!

Referring back as needed during the homework is fine. That is part of the learning. You should not do that on Phase III though, as those are designed to be taken like a practice exam (for the full 95 minutes).

 

[Chromium Surfer]

That scoring suggestion is general and applies overall to both chemistry sections and physics. For biology, the second book is definitely harder than the first book, so there is a little more give in the curve. The scales in the books are generic based on how people have scored on the actual MCAT compared to their homework scores. Those curves are very good in the 126 to 130 range, but they start to lose reliability once you drop below 125 (just not enough data points).



The scale in the books for Phase II puts 19.5/25 (78%) in the middle of 128. I believe that scale is too harsh, but there to keep people pushing forward. The scale for the practice exams (Phase IIIs) puts 43.5/59 (73.7%) in the middle of 128, which is a little more realistic but slightly on the harsh side. The same scale is listed for all Phase IIs, so I don't think they intended it to be exact for each chapter.



Referring back as needed during the homework is fine. That is part of the learning. You should not do that on Phase III though, as those are designed to be taken like a practice exam (for the full 95 minutes).

Thanks for your reply! If you dont mind me asking what are realistic numbers to shoot for during practice for someone who is trying to score a 516 or a 518? Thanks for your time!

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Thanks for your reply! If you dont mind me asking what are realistic numbers to shoot for during practice for someone who is trying to score a 516 or a 518? Thanks for your time!

To get into the 518+ zone, you need to be in the 85 to 90% correct range on average across the sections. You'll need to be a little higher on the B/B section given that most test takers have strong backgrounds in that area.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

To get into the 518+ zone, you need to be in the 85 to 90% correct range on average across the sections. You'll need to be a little higher on the B/B section given that most test takers have strong backgrounds in that area.

Whew thats going to be a tough one! If Im shooting for the 515-517 range what would you say? These books are excellent by the way! I have a 3,7sGPA and a 3.8cGPA and I learn from my mistakes pretty well so I think with some dedicated practice I should be okay.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

If you are learning from your mistakes and know in your heart you'd get the question right if you ever saw it again, then I would bet the over if the Vegas line for your score was 516.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

@premedkid1994 what were your thoughts about the Biology 2 book?

 

[premedkid1994]

prolly the best book (if you never took biochem like me...lol) along with ochem book #2 for biochemistry and molecular biology. The one chapter that has A LOT of details is the chapter on Pathways. I used Kaplan for pathways. But I really enjoyed reading chapter one (micro/molecular), enzyme kinetics, and the genetics chapters. I still have to compete a lot of passages but I got time. This whole month is dedicated to passages and practice exams only lol @Chromium Surfer

 

[Chromium Surfer]

If you are learning from your mistakes and know in your heart you'd get the question right if you ever saw it again, then I would bet the over if the Vegas line for your score was 516.

I'm sorry I'm not familiar with betting terminology. But basically you are saying if I learn from my mistakes then there is a good chance I will be able to get a 516.

I apologize I'm trying to formulate a sound strategy and to figure out the appropriate benchmarks to gauge my progress!

Final question: so would averaging a 21/25 and a 42/50 be consistent with scoring a 516?

 

[Chromium Surfer]

prolly the best book (if you never took biochem like me...lol) along with ochem book #2 for biochemistry and molecular biology. The one chapter that has A LOT of details is the chapter on Pathways. I used Kaplan for pathways. But I really enjoyed reading chapter one (micro/molecular), enzyme kinetics, and the genetics chapters. I still have to compete a lot of passages but I got time. This whole month is dedicated to passages and practice exams only lol @Chromium Surfer

Good luck, you got this!

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I'm sorry I'm not familiar with betting terminology. But basically you are saying if I learn from my mistakes then there is a good chance I will be able to get a 516.

I apologize I'm trying to formulate a sound strategy and to figure out the appropriate benchmarks to gauge my progress!

Final question: so would averaging a 21/25 and a 42/50 be consistent with scoring a 516?

If you keep pulling a 21/25 on our homework passages, then you would project our to about 518.

And the gambling term of over/under deals with betting on whether the actual result will be higher or lower than some number they put out. I'd bet on you getting 517 or higher.

 

[premedkid1994]

If you are learning from your mistakes and know in your heart you'd get the question right if you ever saw it again, then I would bet the over if the Vegas line for your score was 516.

@BerkReviewTeach Hello sorry last question! I am completing the Gen Chem 1.1 end of chapter test untimed. I'm getting ~78-83% of the questions right. What is the average percentage right that students get for the phase iii exams? Maybe I'm tripping and book 2 exams are tougher but I don't think gen chem 1.1 is tough at all.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

If you keep pulling a 21/25 on our homework passages, then you would project our to about 518.

And the gambling term of over/under deals with betting on whether the actual result will be higher or lower than some number they put out. I'd bet on you getting 517 or higher.

Ah okay that makes sense haha thanks for the clarification.

So then getting about 19/25 right is more consistent with a 516 then.

Either way I'm going to aim to get the highest score possible!

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

@BerkReviewTeach Hello sorry last question! I am completing the Gen Chem 1.1 end of chapter test untimed. I'm getting ~78-83% of the questions right. What is the average percentage right that students get for the phase iii exams? Maybe I'm tripping and book 2 exams are tougher but I don't think gen chem 1.1 is tough at all.

I'm going strictly by students in the class (because I can see their numbers). The average student gets about 40/59 on physics and general chemistry practice exams, and about 20/30 on organic chemistry Phase IIIs. Our average classroom student is pulling 128.1 on the C/P section so far.

 

[premedkid1994]

I'm going strictly by students in the class (because I can see their numbers). The average student gets about 40/59 on physics and general chemistry practice exams, and about 20/30 on organic chemistry Phase IIIs. Our average classroom student is pulling 128.1 on the C/P section so far.

Ok thank you for your response! appreciate it.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Ok thank you for your response! appreciate it.

You're doing great and from the posts I've read, it's clear you have a strong understanding of the material and how to answer questions. You are going to be in that high scoring group, no doubt about it.

For some reason, there are fewer people at SDN using BR books than back in 2014. But the ones that are using them are seriously kicking butt on the exam. Maybe it's a self-selecting process, where people wanting an easy study routine are scared away and the people who accept you need to work hard use them and learn the tricks and strategies. It doesn't feel good to get as many wrong on the practice materials as our students get, but it pays off in the long run because you master the art of test-taking while learning some cool strategies and short cuts.

You'll have an advantage in many areas such as acid and bases, electrochemistry, optics, fluids, and translational motion where the BR method is so different from everything else and significantly faster. Good luck and keep plugging away.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

You're doing great and from the posts I've read, it's clear you have a strong understanding of the material and how to answer questions. You are going to be in that high scoring group, no doubt about it.

For some reason, there are fewer people at SDN using BR books than back in 2014. But the ones that are using them are seriously kicking butt on the exam. Maybe it's a self-selecting process, where people wanting an easy study routine are scared away and the people who accept you need to work hard use them and learn the tricks and strategies. It doesn't feel good to get as many wrong on the practice materials as our students get, but it pays off in the long run because you master the art of test-taking while learning some cool strategies and short cuts.

You'll have an advantage in many areas such as acid and bases, electrochemistry, optics, fluids, and translational motion where the BR method is so different from everything else and significantly faster. Good luck and keep plugging away.

This is exactly why I decided to go with Berkely after I had already bought a Kaplan set. My thought process is is that by challenging myself in practice and learning from all my mistakes the real day will just be a walk in the park.

This semester I started doing practice tests outside of my classes and doing practice problems that were not even provided by our professor. This resulted in me getting over a 4.0 for the semester and averaging an A on the first two tests in physiology when the class average was mid to low 60s.


I'm hoping for a similar result on the MCAT

 

[Sarahka74]

You're doing great and from the posts I've read, it's clear you have a strong understanding of the material and how to answer questions. You are going to be in that high scoring group, no doubt about it.

For some reason, there are fewer people at SDN using BR books than back in 2014. But the ones that are using them are seriously kicking butt on the exam. Maybe it's a self-selecting process, where people wanting an easy study routine are scared away and the people who accept you need to work hard use them and learn the tricks and strategies. It doesn't feel good to get as many wrong on the practice materials as our students get, but it pays off in the long run because you master the art of test-taking while learning some cool strategies and short cuts.

You'll have an advantage in many areas such as acid and bases, electrochemistry, optics, fluids, and translational motion where the BR method is so different from everything else and significantly faster. Good luck and keep plugging away.

Is there a phase system for your biology books? I have the 2013 edition but there don't appear to be phases listed