Stupid question again...

[baylormed]

How does studying correlate with MCAT scores???? I have heard some ppl say they studied a lot and still didn't make that high of a score.

I want to get a very, very good score to help my chances, if possible something in the 40's region. Do you guys think if I just study, study, study and do practice problems/exams over and over I can get such a high score?
What did you guys do to get good scores?
I'm taking a prep course offered by my university that uses Kaplan materials and is actually taught by professors as opposed to just students. I also have a Princeton Review book and a Kaplan MCAT 45 book I plan to use.

What would you guys recommend??

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[shantster]

I recommend you to the 30+ study habits sticky at the top of the forum. It has people's scores, how much they studied, what they studied, etc.

 

[McGillGrad]

The MCAT reflects on your reading comprehension, speed and how well you understood and integrated your basic sciences courses.

Thus, the less you have of the aforementioned qualities, the more you will need to study to compensate.

 

[NapeSpikes]

40+ is high expectations, a feat only a select few can accomplish. So unless you break mid thirties on your first full-length practice test, it may not be possible, even with crazy amounts of dedicated study time.

 

[ND2005]

40+ is high expectations, a feat only a select few can accomplish. So unless you break mid thirties on your first full-length practice test, it may not be possible, even with crazy amounts of dedicated study time.

My Kaplan diagnostic was a 27, and my first full-length was a 30. You can improve your score a lot from the early goings.

 

[NapeSpikes]

Dang! That is awesome. A rarity, I'm sure, but mad props anyway. OP, forget my other message then. Ask ND2005 to be your tutor.

 

[masterMood]

how do you improve reading comprehensino and speed? the way i see it is that the mind reads at a certain pace and can understand at a certain pace as well. speedreading courses tell you to not say it in your mind internally but to just look at the words like images (like for example when you see an image that is the red light you don't erad it you just know to stop) but i find this very hard to do. and when i read too fast i don't remember what i read and i don't thik i really understand what i'm reading.

 

[McGillGrad]

how do you improve reading comprehensino and speed? the way i see it is that the mind reads at a certain pace and can understand at a certain pace as well. speedreading courses tell you to not say it in your mind internally but to just look at the words like images (like for example when you see an image that is the red light you don't erad it you just know to stop) but i find this very hard to do. and when i read too fast i don't remember what i read and i don't thik i really understand what i'm reading.

The more you read, the more adept you become. This is why it is important to major in a subject that you enjoy. You read because it interests you and it helps comprehension, ergo high GPA.

Comprehension is related to focus and speed is related to how often you read. Once you read certain words enough times over and over again, they are instantly recognized and processed, which allows more time to digest new words that are the meat of the context in the passage.

When I read my chapters/notes/review for the first (of 7-8 times), I focus on the context words and skim over common words that appear often. This gives me a feel for subject without being bogged down. This allows me to read very quickly but not without some small gaps in detail. With the MCAT, I slow down a little, but due to my constant practice, I read almost as quickly and retain the pertinent information. Then I attack the questions and look back when necessary.

 

[MoosePilot]

I don't believe the average person can break 40 no matter how hard they study. I think it takes test taking talent and a lot of intense, focused studying.