SN2'd first day

[TexasSurgeon]

EDIT: This was supposed to be a thread about the first day of SN2. However as with all intelligent life, things evolve. This thread has now become a support page for people following the SN2 plan. You can think of it as Alcoholics Anonymous for people studying to take the MCAT using the SN2 plan.

EDIT July 1, 2014:
If you are interested in @mehc012's Anki Deck, DO NOT SEND A PM. Here is the link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7if6wgaif98rkoa/mehc012 SN2edCh4s.apkg
**A NOTE: @mehc012 and several others (myself included) want to tell you guys that studying from another person's deck will probably not be as beneficial to you as creating your own cards. Yes you can take advantage of @mehc012's generosity, but you won't get the same advantage. Study the material. Create cards as you go along. You will find it more helpful to your studying. **

EDIT July 22, 2014:
The following is @TBRBiosadist's official MCAT Verbal Reasoning Strategy:
@TBRBiosadist's strategy that got [him] from a 7 average to scoring 13-15 average..

Spend the bulk of your time reading. Up to 3 minutes per passage.

• Read the first and last paragraph thoroughly to begin with. Understand what the authors main point will be because 90% of questions require nothing more than a general idea.
• After this, read the entire passage slowly enough where you dont feel like you need to reread sentences for understanding.

Next is just answer questions, there is a few tricks here that work about 90% of the time

• Unless the passage is asking you about a specific detail, dont look back. READ EVERY ANSWER THOROUGLY AND THEN Answer what makes sense from the general point of the passage. Its very easy to prove a wrong answer to be somewhat correct if you dig hard enough, dont. Answer what your gut says and move onto the next question, dont contemplate to much. With that being said...
• Answer like you were dropped on the head as a child. Alot of times if Im arguing between two answers, there is the answer that is 100% correct, and one that is 90% correct. Be an idoit and choose the one that seems like it is correct. However.....
• "Always" is a word to avoid. If an answer uses this word, or definites like it, it is something to avoid. I would say 80% of the time the wishy washy answer is more correct then the highly affirmative one. This leads to my final point....
• 100% of the time you are not actually looking for the "right" answer in verbal, this isnt PS or BS where 1+1 almost always equals 2 (unless we are talking about the different sedimentation values for Ribosomes). In verbal you are looking for the answer that isnt wrong. Often times an answer will seem very "right" but one aspect of it is clearly wrong, as compared to an answer that isnt wrong, but doesnt seem as right as that answer, these are meant to fool you. Choose the answer that isnt wrong.

I understand that I few of these tips may be at odds with each other. Ultimately you must adjust slightly for each passage, but it comes down to one thing. Read thoroughly. Read every sentence in the passage. Read every question. Read every answer. Then the correct answer will be fairly obvious. This may seem like it takes longer, but it takes much less time than skimming, and then trying to find the correct information later.

Or to summarize in one sentence

Understand what the hell the author is arguing

EDIT July 26, 2014:
@DoctorInASaree uploaded a guide to Verbal Reasoning. If you're interested, it's worth a look. Here is the link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2byivymmqwlvjms/MCAT VR Primer DRSAREE.pdf

EDIT 2, July 26, 2014: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/sn2d-first-day.1074344/page-52#post-15510851
________________________________________________
Just finished the first day of SN2...man is it long and exhausting.

The first day is BR physics chapter (translational motion) + 1/3 of the passages. I felt like I wasn't able to apply the stuff I read into the stuff I was tested on.

Has anyone felt this way when following the schedule? It just seems like the contents of the chapter didn't really stick in my head when I took the practice passages. Will this improve over time?

EDIT 3, March 4, 2015:

For verbal, if you are feeling lost and confused, I highly highly recommend you to look into the MCAT Strategy Course by @Jack Westin. I've been working with him, and nothing comes close to his course and teaching. It's a strategy course, so it will cover everything, not just the VR/CARS section.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mehc012]

This is great encouragement. The turbo solutions and MCAT shortcuts they offer are amazing and it takes some practice to fully utilize them. The difficulty of questions are over my head right now (1.5 weeks into the schedule), but I feel like from reading thousands of posts on here that BR is more difficult than the AAMC full lengths or the actual MCAT itself. Guess it's better practice to have BR's difficult questions when the real thing comes around?

Exactly. You don't do TBR to mimic the real deal...that's what your FLs and other AAMC materials are for. You take them to really put yourself through your paces and get comfortable with MCAT material presented in passages, even when you don't know everything.

 

[mike36]

Thanks for the input everyone. Yeah, I think I'm going to just read TBR chapters and do those passages. I have a biology major, so I'm not really worried about this section, but it seems weird to do questions from a different book than where my content review is coming from. I guess I can still do the practice questions in the EK book, but it's just too confusing trying to figure out which passages to do in TBR that match up with the right chapters in EK. And then they are ridiculously hard compared to the superficial review that EK gives you.

 

[shnarf9892]

Right now, it is verbal that is kicking my butt. I try different strategies and nothing seems to stick...which isn't good considering it isn't like physics where you can go and do more practice problems and memorize equations. I never have enough time to answer the questions completely, and I keep drawing faulty conclusions.

 

[shnarf9892]

Oh, @mike36 This might help with the TBR and EK stuff. This person went through and matched all the EK 1001 questions to the appropriate TBR chapters.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/ek-1001-matched-to-tbr-how-to-supplement-ek-bio.1021208/

Also, SN2ed has a post on the front page of his study schedule thread that matches up the TBR bio passages with the EK bio chapters.

 

[mehc012]

Oh, @mike36 This might help with the TBR and EK stuff. This person went through and matched all the EK 1001 questions to the appropriate TBR chapters.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/ek-1001-matched-to-tbr-how-to-supplement-ek-bio.1021208/

Also, SN2ed has a post on the front page of his study schedule thread that matches up the TBR bio passages with the EK bio chapters.

Yeah, but you're still trying to do passages which cover a lot of details after reading material which does not.
I personally felt that it took just as much time to flip around and find the linked passages as it did to just read TBR, only with a lot less reward.

 

[vanillabear55]

Thanks for the input everyone. Yeah, I think I'm going to just read TBR chapters and do those passages. I have a biology major, so I'm not really worried about this section, but it seems weird to do questions from a different book than where my content review is coming from. I guess I can still do the practice questions in the EK book, but it's just too confusing trying to figure out which passages to do in TBR that match up with the right chapters in EK. And then they are ridiculously hard compared to the superficial review that EK gives you.

Yeah I think I'm going to do this too

Yeah, but you're still trying to do passages which cover a lot of details after reading material which does not.
I personally felt that it took just as much time to flip around and find the linked passages as it did to just read TBR, only with a lot less reward.

I think I'm just going to stick with the TBR like the rest of the subjects.

Are you guys going to use the EK chapter tests or EK 1001? I know the method says to not use the bio EK 1001, but I was just curious.

 

[mehc012]

Yeah I think I'm going to do this too


I think I'm just going to stick with the TBR like the rest of the subjects.

Are you guys going to use the EK chapter tests or EK 1001? I know the method says to not use the bio EK 1001, but I was just curious.

I used neither for Bio...TBR had plenty of passages, I didn't see the need for more passages.

 

[TXhopeful]

Are you guys going to use the EK chapter tests or EK 1001? I know the method says to not use the bio EK 1001, but I was just curious.

I bought the 4-book set off eBay for a steal ($30 shipped), and I feel like it would be a shame to waste them, so if I find I need more practice when I get to doing my FL practice tests in a few weeks, then I'll use them.

 

[ayocaptain628]

Seems like this thread is dying out! Props to @mehc012 for keeping it alive and giving advice
Hope everyone's mcat studying is doing well especially those who aired concerns about not being able to balance mcat and school. speaking of which, I have a neuropharmacology exam soon D: *im screaming*

 

[Surgeon45]

Hey guys, I'm not sure if this question was asked but when using TBR how do you retain the info? I find that I'm forgetting most of what I studied 2 weeks ago and taking detailed notes takes up a LOT of time.

 

[mehc012]

Hey guys, I'm not sure if this question was asked but when using TBR how do you retain the info? I find that I'm forgetting most of what I studied 2 weeks ago and taking detailed notes takes up a LOT of time.

Anki! ! Check out my sig, or just search for my username + Anki, for more info!

 

[Surgeon45]

Anki! ! Check out my sig, or just search for my username + Anki, for more info!

Thank you so much! I've never used Anki before but I'll definitely try this today and update on how it goes

 

[txlonghorn2314]

Heyy yall just saw this thread and figured I would join! I am currently on day 10 and exhausted lol Anyone else taking jan 23? I scored a devastating 7/6/8 on my Aug. 27th...but can attribute it to me getting married, lacking discipline, and overall not following any structured plan in any way (sometimes went 2-3 weeks not doing any studying). I was really confused though cause my AAMC average was a 10/8/9...but either way I'm determined to wreck this thing. If anyone wants to skype/study just PM me. It's definitely difficult to stay positive sometimes

 

[vanillabear55]

@txlonghorn2314 Taking it Jan 15th, currently on day 8 (I fell behind because of getting sick and other things) so I'm going to have to do a few double days/sacrifice break days. This is rough....

 

[shnarf9892]

I'm pretty behind as well. Which hereby means I should get off the computer and get back to the 1/3 and 2/3 of physics chapter 3 that I need to do.

 

[TXhopeful]

Day 22 for me. Still discouraged, getting around 50-70% on the passages for physics, chemistry. Right now I'm only behind on 6 passages for physics chapter 3, so I'll consider that a great thing!

 

[vanillabear55]

Day 22 for me. Still discouraged, getting around 50-70% on the passages for physics, chemistry. Right now I'm only behind on 6 passages for physics chapter 3, so I'll consider that a great thing!

Ugh me too! I seem to be doing decently in the biology passages, despite the material not matching up 100%, but the orgo passages I either do great on, or miserably... absolutely no middle ground haha

 

[TexasSurgeon]

My thread still lives on. Yes.

Glad you guys are able to pick this up and use it for your own schedules. There's a wealth of information in this thread, and also a lot good memories.

 

[TBRBiosadist]

Not saying anything of worth here, just popping in to say hi.

 

[Thoroughbred_Med]

My thread still lives on. Yes.

Glad you guys are able to pick this up and use it for your own schedules. There's a wealth of information in this thread, and also a lot good memories.

Hey man! It looks like you ended up taking the test after all. When do you get your scores back? Hope you managed to get that 30+ like we were talking about.

I'm scheduled for Jan. 13th

 

[pbrocks15]

Hi everyone! I took a break from SDN after taking my MCAT. Hope everyone is doing well.

I was wondering if there was a calendar where I can find out what day I get my scores back? Does anyone know?

 

[mehc012]

Hi everyone! I took a break from SDN after taking my MCAT. Hope everyone is doing well.

I was wondering if there was a calendar where I can find out what day I get my scores back? Does anyone know?

Yeah, check AAMC. I'm on my phone or I'd find it for you!

 

[TXhopeful]

Moving
+ SN2 schedule
+ Owning a business
Absolute misery

#FML

 

[pbrocks15]

Yeah, check AAMC. I'm on my phone or I'd find it for you!

Ah found it! I was looking around but just not close enough! Thanks!

hope all is well everyone!

 

[NeuroMaster316]

Thank you so much! I've never used Anki before but I'll definitely try this today and update on how it goes

+1 to Anki but be careful memorization isn't everything! You really have to understand the different concepts and link them together. While there certainly was a good amount of memorization Qs on my MCAT, there was also a ton of analysis to be made and there were intertwining concepts that you had to have fully understood during your study period.

 

[NeuroMaster316]

Btw a big thank you to @mehc012 for the Anki cards, they really helped during my study period and filled in a few gaps.

 

[mehc012]

Btw a big thank you to @mehc012 for the Anki cards, they really helped during my study period and filled in a few gaps.

Glad they were useful!

 

[lazyindy]

Haven't visited this thread in a while, thought I'd drop in to say hello and give an update of my progress so far.

my practice AAMCs have been 42, 40, 41, 40, 44, 39, 41, 43. Test is on friday, hoping to score big time!! wish me luck guys

 

[vanillabear55]

Haven't visited this thread in a while, thought I'd drop in to say hello and give an update of my progress so far.

my practice AAMCs have been 42, 40, 41, 40, 44, 39, 41, 43. Test is on friday, hoping to score big time!! wish me luck guys

Whoa, what's your secret? Awesome scores!

Good luck but you don't need it haha

 

[lazyindy]

Whoa, what's your secret? Awesome scores!

Good luck but you don't need it haha

Thorough knowledge of every single concept, practicing under strict timed conditions, reducing anxiety during exam, and not overthinking. Haha I know this doesn't help much but I will write up my own 'guide' to studying for the MCAT soon after I take it on friday. Or maybe a few days after hibernating

 

[vanillabear55]

Thorough knowledge of every single concept, practicing under strict timed conditions, reducing anxiety during exam, and not overthinking. Haha I know this doesn't help much but I will write up my own 'guide' to studying for the MCAT soon after I take it on friday. Or maybe a few days after hibernating

Haha understandable- I look forward to reading, especially that anxiety part.

 

[vanillabear55]

so like...how do other people score on the TBR passages? I grade some passages and feel like a total *****...most of the time

 

[TXhopeful]

so like...how do other people score on the TBR passages? I grade some passages and feel like a total *****...most of the time

Usually between 50-70%, although I did score a 14% on one passage the other day. Shortly after crying, I closed the book and took a nap.

 

[shnarf9892]

Lately (after not reading anything for like 3 weeks straight) I've been doing the 2nd 1/3 of the end of chapter questions and I'm getting consistently 67%, where as when I do the questions right after I read the chapter, I'll get 80-90% correct. I need to work more in Anki so I retain the information better. It didn't help that I was away from all MCAT material (minus verbal) for 3 weeks. My own fault, too.

Don't focus on all the negative stuff! Constantly remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing! The end result will be so worth it! Your scores can only go up from here.

How long does everyone have? I've got a seat for January 8th. Less than 2 months! O_O

 

[vanillabear55]

Usually between 50-70%, although I did score a 14% on one passage the other day. Shortly after crying, I closed the book and took a nap.

Naps solve everything! This is generally what seems to happen with me too haha

Lately (after not reading anything for like 3 weeks straight) I've been doing the 2nd 1/3 of the end of chapter questions and I'm getting consistently 67%, where as when I do the questions right after I read the chapter, I'll get 80-90% correct. I need to work more in Anki so I retain the information better. It didn't help that I was away from all MCAT material (minus verbal) for 3 weeks. My own fault, too.

Don't focus on all the negative stuff! Constantly remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing! The end result will be so worth it! Your scores can only go up from here.

How long does everyone have? I've got a seat for January 8th. Less than 2 months! O_O

Anki has become my new best friend haha

I'm currently on a studying break, I'm somehow sick...again (that's twice in the 20 days I've been using Sn2- coincidence? I think not...) so I'm trying to sleep/relax/recover rather than try to read and retain anything with a fever.

I'm scheduled for Jan 15th, it used to feel so far away and all of a sudden it isn't haha, if a spot opens up closer to home I might switch to the 23rd, but I'm really pulling for a 1pm exam so I don't worry about sleeping the night before

 

[shnarf9892]

Anyone else falling drastically behind? I burned through my pre-planned "extra days" SUPER fast.

 

[mehc012]

Anyone else falling drastically behind? I burned through my pre-planned "extra days" SUPER fast.

Yup...that's the way of SN2ed. You fall behind and scramble for 3 straight months!

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Anyone else falling drastically behind? I burned through my pre-planned "extra days" SUPER fast.

Welcome to SN2

 

[TXhopeful]

Ditto to all of the above about falling behind. Then you try to compensate with double days, reach a breaking limit, and stare at the wall to try and clear your mind after 8+ hours of studying. God forbid your mother trying to call you during that time period and ask "How's studying going?". Total meltdown

 

[vanillabear55]

Ditto to all of the above about falling behind. Then you try to compensate with double days, reach a breaking limit, and stare at the wall to try and clear your mind after 8+ hours of studying. God forbid your mother trying to call you during that time period and ask "How's studying going?". Total meltdown

this is scarily relatable.... yet somehow comforting haha

 

[TXhopeful]

this is scarily relatable.... yet somehow comforting haha

There is much sharing of burdens with this schedule! And wearing the same clothes (pajamas) for 3 days, haha.

 

[ayocaptain628]

so i just took my first practice test today. (#10 b/c i wanted to know what the more "recent" ones were like)
umm, i'm sort've confused. i didn't really think it was that bad??

i haven't even finished taking my prereqs (physics) but it seems a lot can be intuited from the passages.
literally, all i did was go straight to the questions and then find the pertinent info from the passage and worked from there.

now i'm concerned that the practice tests are too "different" from the actual ones.
can anyone who has taken the MCAT say if they thought the actual MCAT was like the practice test in terms of being able to intuit a lot of info from the passages?
pls n thx^^

 

[mehc012]

so i just took my first practice test today. (#10 b/c i wanted to know what the more "recent" ones were like)
umm, i'm sort've confused. i didn't really think it was that bad??

i haven't even finished taking my prereqs (physics) but it seems a lot can be intuited from the passages.
literally, all i did was go straight to the questions and then find the pertinent info from the passage and worked from there.

now i'm concerned that the practice tests are too "different" from the actual ones.
can anyone who has taken the MCAT say if they thought the actual MCAT was like the practice test in terms of being able to intuit a lot of info from the passages?
pls n thx^^

Yup. The MCAT really isn't a content exam so much as a passage-based one. And yes, the real deal is near-identical to the practice exams.

I always felt it went like this:
You need a basic grasp on content in order to score above the bottom tier (cutoff somewhere in the mid-upper 20s for 'you are missing content knowledge').
Once you attain that, your score is pretty much dependent on your test-taking skills up through the high 30s.
Finally, if you are maxing out your test-taking skills and starting to plateau, knowing tons of minutiae can push your score through the 38+ region.

 

[TheOneAndOnlyJamesFranco]

Hey guys, quick question about anki and mehc012's brilliant decks!

So weeks ago I discovered the deck titled "mehc012 Sn2EDCh4s" and have been working through that.... but recently discovered the newer deck "MCAT madness (2014)"...

I just downloaded the "2014" deck, but is this any different? and if so, if I have added the deck, has it changed the previous Sn2ed deck? should I study these concurrently?

JUST NOTICED THIS ACTUALLY... PS - If you downloaded the first half of my deck, once you import this one simply search for the tag 'shared' and delete those cards, and you should be able to merge everything perfectly! There will be a few (<30) duplicates because I changed the format of some cards to enable typing...when you run into those, just delete whichever version you dislike.

Is what I am referring to the "1st half?"

Thanks! just trying to use my last 44 days with anki as efficiently as possible!

 

[ayocaptain628]

Hey guys, quick question about anki and mehc012's brilliant decks!

So weeks ago I discovered the deck titled "mehc012 Sn2EDCh4s" and have been working through that.... but recently discovered the newer deck "MCAT madness (2014)"...

I just downloaded the "2014" deck, but is this any different? and if so, if I have added the deck, has it changed the previous Sn2ed deck? should I study these concurrently?

JUST NOTICED THIS ACTUALLY... PS - If you downloaded the first half of my deck, once you import this one simply search for the tag 'shared' and delete those cards, and you should be able to merge everything perfectly! There will be a few (<30) duplicates because I changed the format of some cards to enable typing...when you run into those, just delete whichever version you dislike.

Is what I am referring to the "1st half?"

Thanks! just trying to use my last 44 days with anki as efficiently as possible!

if you go to the mehc012 sn2edch4 deck and then import the "mcat madness" deck,
it will automatically know which flashcards are duplicates and are in both decks so that you only get the new ones you are missing from the mcat madness deck.
that way it's all in one deck.

 

[TheOneAndOnlyJamesFranco]

Since they still appeared as two discrete decks, I ended up dragging the MCAT 2014 under the old deck so now it looks like this:

Sn2edCh4
---MCAT 2014 Madness

are they now properly merged?

ALSO, seeing that I just discovered the wonders of anki, any advice on how to cram all 2866 cards over 40 days while finishing up content review from TBR?

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

 

[mehc012]

Since they still appeared as two discrete decks, I ended up dragging the MCAT 2014 under the old deck so now it looks like this:

Sn2edCh4
---MCAT 2014 Madness

are they now properly merged?

ALSO, seeing that I just discovered the wonders of anki, any advice on how to cram all 2866 cards over 40 days while finishing up content review from TBR?

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Agh, no!

The second deck - 2014 Madness - is complete on its own.
The Ch4s deck is one I released about halfway through (with content only for Chs 1-4).

If you haven't started studying them yet, just start the 2014 Madness deck fresh.

 

[TheOneAndOnlyJamesFranco]

Agh, no!

The second deck - 2014 Madness - is complete on its own.
The Ch4s deck is one I released about halfway through (with content only for Chs 1-4).

If you haven't started studying them yet, just start the 2014 Madness deck fresh.

Thanks I will just be starting anew today

When you guys make notes/cards from handwritten text and/or typed text, do you guys just directly make each card one at a time within anki?

Has anyone thought about transcribing all notes into Word (or Excel in a binary fashion) so that copy and pasting into Anki would be extremely easy?

I just have many sources of notes and am looking for centrality!

 

[mehc012]

Thanks I will just be starting anew today

When you guys make notes/cards from handwritten text and/or typed text, do you guys just directly make each card one at a time within anki?

Has anyone thought about transcribing all notes into Word (or Excel in a binary fashion) so that copy and pasting into Anki would be extremely easy?

I just have many sources of notes and am looking for centrality!

You don't have to start anew...if you've already begun the Ch4s deck, there are instructions in the post for the Madness deck which describe how to merge them without duplicates - it's pretty straightforward!

I do one of two things - make cards one by one, or make a new template and then it generates cards for me from a small amount of entered information.

Some people do what you describe...but I don't take notes by hand or on the computer, so it doesn't help me at all. Actually, since you still have to type everything somewhere, I don't see how it would save any time at all, but that's just me. When I see people do this, it's usually because they're making a shared deck and using a Google Doc for collaboration.
To be perfectly frank, though, I type around 90-100wpm and have been using Anki for so long that I can navigate the entire program with the keyboard shortcuts, so my fingers never leave the keyboard when I'm in card-making mode, so I already find it 'extremely easy' and quick to make cards. If I were copy/pasting from Word, that would be all mouse-based and require flipping between programs a lot - aka 80x harder and longer, at least for me.
There are some macros to turn Excel grids into Anki cards, but I don't see the point...it's the same amount of typing with the same amount of navigation keystrokes (tab for next Field, Ctrl+Enter when you're done with the card) only it's harder to organize, harder to format, and I'm not sure how they handle separate Note types...PLUS they don't benefit from Templates the way I do.

I do, however, find digital copies of any books I am using, so I can copy/paste anyway, as well as screenshotting figures, etc.

 

[vanillabear55]

Anyone playing catch up after thanksgiving?

Exactly. You don't do TBR to mimic the real deal...that's what your FLs and other AAMC materials are for. You take them to really put yourself through your paces and get comfortable with MCAT material presented in passages, even when you don't know everything.

Would you suggest avoiding their full lengths? I unfortunately already took all the AAMCs (I was considering retaking a few, but did not want to rely too heavily on material I've seen already).