Need help making a study schedule

[ACE28]

It's September 2008 now. I plan on taking the MCAT on MAY 2009. I bought the comprehensive EK package. Along with all the EK 1001 series and 16 mini MCATS. I have 8 AAMC paper practice test but can buy more CBT practice tests if need be.

I will be attending school full time from now (September 2008) till I take the test (May 2009). Taking Genetics, Microbio, Animal Phys and Biochemistry.

What is the best way to plan my study schedule? I was thinking spending all of Christmas break (~ 4 weeks) doing content review and taking practice tests every weekend till the test in May. How does this sound?

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[SN2ed]

I think your best bet would be to first get a feel for your classes. Then, after a month, revisit this question and take a more serious approach. There's no real point in making a schedule now if you don't know how tough your class load will be. In the meantime, I suggest you pick up the last four AAMC CBT and the three CBTs that Berkeley Review offers non-students. Once you start taking practice tests, do the first four AAMC tests on paper to gain some stamina. After those are done, alternate between the AAMC CBTs and BR CBTs.


About your idea, I don't like myself. You should try to concentrate your practice tests much closer to the actual test date. Starting around a month before you take the test, you should take a practice test every other day or every three days.

 

[ACE28]

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate it. What do you think about the schedule below?

Go over the entire EK comprehensive review during January (winter break) and make note cards.

From February to April (during the semester) review note cards and finish the EK 1001 series and 16 minis.

Then in May (Beginning of Summer) take an AAMC practice test every other day until test day at the end of the month.

June: Submit AMCAS

 

[SN2ed]

When in May were you going to take the test? Anyway, just make sure you have a month filled with FLs. After you finish your content review in January you might want to consider doing this:

Try getting a hat and writing every single MCAT PS and BS topic onto a piece of paper. Then when you're ready to practice PS, put all the PS topics into the hat. Draw three pieces of paper and connect the topics together. In addition to connecting them, come up with what a passage might look like and what kind of questions you might get. If you can't do this, go back and review each of the three sections. Rinse and repeat.

My main problem with your study program is I don't think you have enough practice problems. The most important prep you can do for the MCAT is taking tons of TIMED practice problems. If you can afford it, you should try to also get the Berkeley Review books. The good thing with this approach is that it will give you access to the top books in every category and should provide enough practice problems. For the record, BR is good in everything except Bio and Verb which are the two subjects EK is strongest.

 

[ACE28]

OK, will definately save atleast one month for full lenght practice exams.

However, I thought doing all the EK 1001 series and 16 mini MCATs during the school year would be enough practice until I start taking practice exams?

I get the sense from SDN that the TBR physics and chemistry are particularly good. If I do buy TBR books, what would be the best way to combine them with EK books. Especially with my schedule?

Thanks again for your advice.

 

[futuredoctor10]

Yeah I think doing all the EK 1001 series is great practice, but for Physics, General Chemistry, and Orgo they are only discretes and not passages I believe. [Only EK 1001's Bio book is in passage format with discretes mixed in, so I have heard from SDN]

So SN2ed probably meant to do more timed practice passages in addition to your discretes that will come in the EK1001 books.

 

[SN2ed]

Yeah I think doing all the EK 1001 series is great practice, but for Physics, General Chemistry, and Orgo they are only discretes and not passages I believe. [Only EK 1001's Bio book is in passage format with discretes mixed in, so I have heard from SDN]

So SN2ed probably meant to do more timed practice passages in addition to your discretes that will come in the EK1001 books.

Yeah, pretty much. The EK 1001 Bio and Verbal 101 are in passage format, but the others are not. I still think the other books are good, you just need actual passage practice.

If you do buy the BR books, here's what I suggest. You should use the Br books for content review in all subjects except Verb (well there really is no content review for this) and Bio. However, if you find yourself needing an in-depth Bio review, move on to BR. Regardless of which books you choose for content review, do all of the MCAT practice offered in all of the books under TIMED conditions. By the way, you should be doing all of your practice problems (yes, even the EK 1001 discretes) under TIMED conditions.

I strongly suggest you pick up all of the BR books and tests for your self-study schedule.