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maanya88 said:
Hi all!
I am in as well....I took the Jan 30 exam and it was nothing like these AAMC exams....it was the hardest thing I had ever seen....So, I signed up for May 1st just in case...don't want to re-take but I will just have to wait till the scores come out in March.
Good Luck!
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Welcome Maanya! I've seen a lot of people really upset about that administration of the MCAT. Hopefully the scores will come out, you'll be pleasantly surprised and can cancel this one. :luck:
 
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good luck maanya! the waiting is always the hardest part. :)

trying to study, but has been hard since im still working fulltime and taking the TPR classes
 
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Hey all, joining the foray for May 1st! Hope i'm not too late! Gonna take a mammoth effort! Hope everyone does well!
 
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just switched from 0522 to 0501 w00t! Took the 0130 test but just in case... thinking to retake if below 35 since I'm aiming for CA schools. Is this a good idea?
 
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Cale said:
Yes. I've been studying about six hours a day. I'll often look at the University's website that I want to attend if I start losing my focus and drive. I'm definitely ready for the test to be over and to start the application process!
Click to expand...

Nice strategy to keep yourself focused. BTW, I am also taking the 5/1/2010 MCAT. However, it is going to be difficult to find time to study with my thesis/lab work. :( Meh, I will figure something out. Hoping for 35+ (lol, in my dreams) :D. I am using ExamKrackers first, but will probably move on to Pton Review Hyperlearning or Berkeleys afterwards. What is everyone else using?
 
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I hate to say this, because I know how much is riding on this MCAT score for me (older, poor undergrad, awesome master's degree at a state medical college) but i'm insanely unmotivated to study right now...I'm basically screwed....If anyone can offer some motivational tips they've been using I'd appreciate it.

I joined the game late, and am now floundering....

Thanks
 
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meesa said:
I am selling new PR MCAT books. BRAND NEW!!! 2010 EDITION!! These books are untouched and still in an unopened box.
They are excellent books with endless number of practice questions and passages. Anything you'll ever need for the MCAT.

Included:
Biological Sciences Review
Physical Sciences Review
Verbal Reasoning & Writing Review
Science Workbook
Verbal Workbook
In-Class Compendium (filled with passages)
Science Review Questions & Solutions booklet
Everything for $700obo shipping included

email me at [email protected] if you are interested
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LOLLLL you must be trippin if you think you can get 700 for those books. I just saw them on craigslist for 150.
 
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drknigt9 said:
I hate to say this, because I know how much is riding on this MCAT score for me (older, poor undergrad, awesome master's degree at a state medical college) but i'm insanely unmotivated to study right now...I'm basically screwed....If anyone can offer some motivational tips they've been using I'd appreciate it.

I joined the game late, and am now floundering....

Thanks
Click to expand...
For me, I read around some of the other threads here at SDN and get involved in some discussions. You come to realize that the people you're talking to are your competitors (and hopefully future colleagues). None of them - none of us - are sitting back and taking it easy. Everyone is pushing and giving it their all. We all have our moments of burnout or procrastination, but are you OK with letting someone else get ahead of you like that?

Another thing to try is making a plan or a list and then keeping to it.

I'm envious of people who have nearly all day to study for the MCAT. I'm in a graduate program that has me in a lab for good chunks of the day. My lab PI is understanding of the fact that I'm studying, but there's also a very high expectation that people spend gobs of time in the lab (most people get in between 9:30 and 10, and don't leave until 7-8). I'm trying to be better about finishing all of my work and leaving by 5, but it's a fine balancing act - I need my study time, but I also need a stellar letter of recommendation.
 
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I'm a bit behind too, right now my motivation is to be caught up by St. Partick's day, so that I can drink green beer and try not to think about wavelengths!
 
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Hey everyone. Just checking in. I'm behind too and agree whole-heartedly that studying for the MCAT sucks! Hope everyone can find their way back on track. Less than 2 months... :scared:
 
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So someone on pre-allo posted a link to khanacademy. I think we all need to check it out!

And if I haven't said before, I'm using wikipremed for my MCAT prep and I think it's awesome.
 
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nwdmd said:
WHat are gunner activities? Does asking that question make me a gunner? : )
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Gunners are the extreme go-getters. What makes them more extreme than your standard go-getter is that they're willing to engage in malicious acts against their competitors. A wiki is something that anyone can edit or post information to - this is a prime target for gunners to post "disinformation" to in an effort to weaken their competition and ensure their own success.

Asking what gunner activities are doesn't make you seem like a gunner at all - just like someone who would otherwise be a ripe target for one. Don't make your trust easy to attain, and always be skeptical. It isn't paranoia if they're really out to get you :laugh:
 
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maanya88 said:
Hi all!
I am in as well....I took the Jan 30 exam and it was nothing like these AAMC exams....it was the hardest thing I had ever seen....So, I signed up for May 1st just in case...don't want to re-take but I will just have to wait till the scores come out in March.
Good Luck!
Click to expand...

I also took the January 30th exam and it was rediculously hard. I scored it on the off chance it was a 30+ and I ended up with a 27R. I might be able to get into a few schools with that, but I know I can do better so I signed up for May 1st! I am reviewing kaplan books for content as well as EK question books for chem and physics (my weakest). I don't feel I need a ton of review with Bio since I never drop below a 10 anyway, even on the practice. Good luck to everyone!
 
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For those of us taking the May 1 exam, how many times have you felt like throwing your computer off your 10th floor balcony during/after a full length practice?

I'm currently at 2, with my o/u (-110) set at 4 by the end of studying. Takers? ;)

Just remember, once you finish crushing the exam, it's time to crush your primaries while you wait for the scores. Once confirmation of said crushing is received, crush your secondaries and interviews. Then, the real work begins.
 
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This is John Wetzel from WikiPremed. I hope the moderators are okay with me commenting for something like this. I just thought I should weigh to clarify that the name was chosen because it is a creative commons licensed work. The content at WikiPremed exists in the same space as Wikipedia in terms of licensing, and many of the content objects rely on Wikipedia as starting points, such as the crossword puzzle prompts. Many of the images in the Image Archive for teachers, for example, originated at Wikimedia Commons. However, WikiPremed is not a user editable resource. It is way too deliberate a learning program for that kind of thing. However, we do plan to introduce collaborative elements in a very judicious way in the future, and the possibility of student generated MCAT passages is something we are thinking about. But that is future tense. Any element of collaboration that would be sensitive to malicious intent would probably be by invitation only for folks in the premedical education community.

I am a bit downcast that having 'wiki' in the name might be a detriment. But it's too late now! So it goes! Good luck in your studies!

All the best.
 
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Hey guys, so when do you all plan to start taking practice tests? and how many?

Like 1-2 a week starting now?

I exhausted all of my Kaplan practice tests and now im on to AAMC ones.

Also, how many hours per day are you all studying?
 
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uniquerabbit said:
Hey guys, so when do you all plan to start taking practice tests? and how many?

Like 1-2 a week starting now?

I exhausted all of my Kaplan practice tests and now im on to AAMC ones.

Also, how many hours per day are you all studying?
Click to expand...

I've been taking FLs throughout my schedule. I've been taking a FL about every other week. Next week I'll be taking them every weekend until the date of the test. I've got so many exams... I might as well be using them. Dunno about you, but I don't have time to be doing two FLs a week (though, if you have enough tests and have the time to do so, go for it).

As far as studying goes, I've been using the EK books and go through one lecture per day. This usually takes me an hour or hour and a half.
 
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Just moved my test from April 10th... figured I could use the extra few weeks for some extra FL's
 
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How's everyone doing on the practice exams? I've taken 2 so far and haven't done great yet. I hope that begins to change in the upcoming weeks.
 
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7nut12 said:
How's everyone doing on the practice exams? I've taken 2 so far and haven't done great yet. I hope that begins to change in the upcoming weeks.
Click to expand...

I hope to start practice exams this week. 1 maybe 2 per week. Have you been thoroughly reviewing your tests and reading explanations to both the questions you missed and those you got correct? Evidently that's supposed to be the most helpful part of FLs.
 
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uniquerabbit said:
Hey guys, so when do you all plan to start taking practice tests? and how many?

Like 1-2 a week starting now?

I exhausted all of my Kaplan practice tests and now im on to AAMC ones.

Also, how many hours per day are you all studying?
Click to expand...

Plan to finish content review by 1st-2nd week of April. Then it will be a FL every 2 days or so. Most AAMC, but might do Kaplan just for the harder questions.
 
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Is anyone in this club from Cali? I'm trying to register, but there isn't a date for may 1st...for all of May for that matter...does that mean that date is full?? ahhhh I'm panicking :(
 
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Piccino said:
Is anyone in this club from Cali? I'm trying to register, but there isn't a date for may 1st...for all of May for that matter...does that mean that date is full?? ahhhh I'm panicking :(
Click to expand...

Yes it is full. But people usually give up their seats as the test date nears. So keep on checking.
 
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I was signed up for april 17th, but my verbal just isnt going up enough and my PS is still lower than i want, so i guess 2 weeks more should be enough to help with that?
 
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JohnWetzel said:
This is John Wetzel from WikiPremed. I hope the moderators are okay with me commenting for something like this. I just thought I should weigh to clarify that the name was chosen because it is a creative commons licensed work. The content at WikiPremed exists in the same space as Wikipedia in terms of licensing, and many of the content objects rely on Wikipedia as starting points, such as the crossword puzzle prompts. Many of the images in the Image Archive for teachers, for example, originated at Wikimedia Commons. However, WikiPremed is not a user editable resource. It is way too deliberate a learning program for that kind of thing. However, we do plan to introduce collaborative elements in a very judicious way in the future, and the possibility of student generated MCAT passages is something we are thinking about. But that is future tense. Any element of collaboration that would be sensitive to malicious intent would probably be by invitation only for folks in the premedical education community.

I am a bit downcast that having 'wiki' in the name might be a detriment. But it's too late now! So it goes! Good luck in your studies!

All the best.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for setting this wikipremed up. I am overseas and it is really the only accessible resource that I could find that is comprehensive enough
for content review.

I was really struggling with Physics mainly so I watched the whole series and feel much better (I will make a donation for sure!).
 
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So I haven't officially signed up for the May 1st exam but I think I will be ready. I was initially aiming for April but nowhere ready.

I finally finished the whole content review (phew!) and it was so hard. It really sucked all my time and energy. I haven't begun my practice exams yet but will be starting this week.

I'm most worried about PS (mainly due to Physics) and Verbal. I'm still around 8-9 on Verbal but hoping I can bring it up a couple of points by May!
 
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Not too good. My drive to study is languishing, and despite my goal to get out of lab no later than 5 PM I find myself in there until 6 or 7. I'm exhausted when I come home and can barely get through material in a timely manner. Business as usual. I feel like I can't focus on both the small details of the MCAT material and the small details of my research area. (Personal rantings from a graduate student...) I'm still on-track to take the May 1 MCAT, technically, but am considering pushing it back. I want this to be the last time that I take it.

Anyone have any positive energy to share? Any other researchers out there want to commiserate?
 
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Snowbeavers said:
Thanks a lot for setting this wikipremed up. I am overseas and it is really the only accessible resource that I could find that is comprehensive enough
for content review.

I was really struggling with Physics mainly so I watched the whole series and feel much better (I will make a donation for sure!).
Click to expand...

Hi Snowbeavers. I'm glad the course is helping you. In making the videos there was definitely a concern that the teaching wouldn't come across in the way it does in small group session. I wanted to make sure you knew that there are a few sets of the physics videos that appear at the very end of the course, in case you missed those, in modules 17, 18, and 19, as well as those in the first half of the course.

At this stage with the course the main body of physics, general chemistry and organic videos are on the site, and about half of biology. I am aiming to get the biochem and molecular genetics sections on the site in the next week or so with the physiology following soon after. Finishing the biology has been slower than I had hoped. As far as I can tell, the leading edge of students who are taking the course in the comprehensive way are in the seventh or eighth module, so nobody has run into the unfinished videos yet, but I know there will be a sigh of relief when everything is on the site.

One other thing, with my live students, we did a triple time cycle through physical sciences at the very end of the course, going through the same slideshows but in quick review. (Throughout review, getting as many fast content review cycles as possible to complement the main, deep review is incredibly important) I should be able to get those quick-review videos onto the site in module 20 in the next couple of weeks too. It's been over ten years of work to make this course, so I am used to things taking a heck of a long time, but I know everyone wishes I could get things done faster. My family is needing me a lot lately, so it is hard to find a balance.

One quibble. If you forgive me, it makes me uncomfortable when people call the $25 thing as a donation. It's more like tuition on the honor system. Despite being open access and having the goal of being a positive benefit for people, I guess you could say, Wikipremed is a for-profit educational enterprise, at least technically :laugh:. I don't want people to think that it is a non-profit charity.

By the way, for everyone taking the May test, at this stage, six weeks before the exam, I just want to say it is really important for you to be able to sit down with a blank sheet of paper and outline physics, chemistry, organic chemistry, and biology comfortably, and as you do it, that you are able to picture the conceptual field of each topic and have a clear sense of the basic fundamentals. You've been tunneling through the mountain for months. Be sure to walk around it a few times. As you get ready to take a lot of practice exams over the next month, you need to be gaining confidence in your sense of your knowledge base as a structure. What I mean is that breaking through happens when you can get around the physical and biological sciences and see the whole as a coherent structured array of concepts, when you can say physics is mechanics, waves, thermodynamics, electricity & magnetism, light & optics, modern physics, nuclear physics, or one level deeper, that mechanics is kinematics, newton's laws, momentum & impulse, work & energy, rotation, harmonic motion, elasticity & fluid mechanics. Practice tests need to be about practicing your knowledge base as a kind of performance in giving yourself the ground to interpret whatever MCAT passage arises. For the AAMC, the MCAT is a stand-in for the general act of scientific interpretation. Six weeks before test day needs to be about mapping the phenomena in MCAT passages onto your mental outline. When you can say, okay, this passage is fluid mechanics, and your mind replies by putting you into a field of reference where the referents are density, pressure, archimedes law, pascal's law, the flow of an ideal fluid, continuity of volume flux, bernouli's law, etc. Take a moment when the passage first introduces itself to find it in the outline and relate the context of the fundamental knowledge to yourself, to orient yourself. Making phenomena coherent in the light of the basic concepts is what this is about. What I am getting at is that MCAT preparation is a practice of mastering a discipline of using a knowledge base to interpret the world around you in a very self-consciously structured way. I hope this makes sense.
 
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