Revising my Study Schedule

[YLFounder]

Hello everyone!

I plan on taking the MCAT in January of 2015. This summer I will be taking Organic 2 and Physics 1 at my school. Before you say anything, my school does 4 month semesters now, so the summer semester will not be condensed.

I started making a study schedule and decided to fill out the AAMC Outlines for the MCAT, but there is just so much information on there that it seemed like a waste of time after one week. I'm now thinking of a study schedule along these lines:

May-July: Regular EK books and reading the lectures and doing the passages.
August-October: 1001 Question Books.
November-December: AAMC MCAT Assessment Package.

(I will also be taking a Kaplan MCAT class which will span from September-December)

I'm trying not to overload on MCAT studying as I have a heavy schedule this summer and in the fall too. Does this seem reasonable? Where should I change or tweak the schedule? All advice and comments are greatly appreciated.

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[ciestar]

Personally, I would consider purchasing the TPRH science and verbal workbooks, they're wonderful. Passaged based prep is probably the best way to go. Maybe get EK 101 for more verbal.

 

[YLFounder]

Is EK 1001 not passage-based? I haven't gone through the books, so I don't know.

 

[ciestar]

Is EK 1001 not passage-based? I haven't gone through the books, so I don't know.

There are no passages in the 1001 books. Orsay actually writes a brief preface stating his reasons why.

 

[derrick rose]

In my opinion, I think you should hold back a bit in the summer with the passages, but do TBR for content. As you have a long ways to go til the MCAT, you really want to keep things fresh! So I suggest that you do TBR for content (But use EK for Biol) and TAKE NOTES AS YOU GO.

Once you are in the August-October range, you should review all of the sections in the EK books (skimming) + TBR and do some questions from the end sections of TBR on same days of corresponding sections!

When November comes along, thats when you start taking FLs, and then further target your weaknesses by using the EK 1001 series! Keep in mind, there are other things to solidify your thinking. Flash cards are a good investment. Watching some videos online as well. For me personally, Audio Osmosis is a great way to get some MCAT information (and humour) into your head while in the car.
Good luck!

 

[YLFounder]

The only reason I'm shying away from TBR is because it is so expensive. I picked EK because it's a bit cheaper, and my textbooks are also really detailed.

 

[barthelona]

The only reason I'm shying away from TBR is because it is so expensive. I picked EK because it's a bit cheaper, and my textbooks are also really detailed.

There is a "For Sale" thread (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...or-sale-forum-all-ads-will-be-deleted.894884/), which is where I got my TBR books for relatively cheap. I think it was worth it!

 

[derrick rose]

Thats a shame! TBR is a phonoemenal resource for both material and questions. Nevertheless, it is just a source of reassurance! Nobody said it couldn't be don't with EK, but its worth mentioning that TBR is hands down the best choice.

If you are going to stick with EK, I think you should really stack some supplementing material with it then. Like Wikipremed, Chad's videos, and even Khan academy! Whatever you can get your hands on thats free (since money is the limiting factor here). The reason why I say this, is that sometimes condensed isn't better. TBR is a very superior prep book for many because people are forced to sift through unnecessary content and pick whats useful and what isn't. Its a mode of active learning that both strengthens your learning, and expands your learning to new lengths. I am note a fond believer of measuring progress of studying with time; however, it is a good indicator of more active learning. For example, if you spent 2 hours on a chemistry section in EK, but 5 hours in TBR for that exact same section, it would be fair to say that your learning was more progressed from TBR!

Overall message: EK does not give you enough time to retain the information. You should always go to multiple sources to continue getting exposure to the content, which could have been accomplished by grinding through thick TBR content.

 

[Jepstein30]

The only reason I'm shying away from TBR is because it is so expensive. I picked EK because it's a bit cheaper, and my textbooks are also really detailed.

Both TBR and TPR are well worth the investment. EK isn't really a great resource to use on its own because it has very limited practice passages. EK1001 should not be used at all as a general resource IMO. It's not MCAT level questions so it's fairly useless unless you're drilling weaknesses. You should also stay away from using your textbooks to study for the MCAT. They contain too much information and again, won't present the material the way you'll see it on the MCAT. The review books know how the MCAT looks and are specifically designed with it in mind.

You also won't need two months for the Self-Assessment package. A week.. at most. You should spend a decent chunk of time on taking practice exams (1-2 months pre-test). Click the link below for more advice on putting together a study plan. I'd focus on your classes over the summer and not worry about the MCAT until September. You'll do more benefit that way.

Oh, you're taking a Kaplan class. I'd stick with their stuff and not worry much about using EK additionally. Make sure to utilize Kaplan's topical and section tests.. those are the best resources they offer!