The Official August 15, 2014 MCAT Thread

[axa5780]

Hey guys, I'am signed up for this date. I didn't find a thread for August 15th, so here it is. Let's make this a fun experience, and hope we all come out the other end satisfied with our score.

Materials:
PS: BR Physics, NOVA Physics, BR Chemistry, EK 1001 Chem & Phys
BS: EK Biology, BR Biology, EK 1001 Biol
Verbal: EK 101, TPR Verbal

Extras: TPRH SW, WIkiPremed Flashcards & videos. All AAMC FL plus all Kaplan FL.

Lets do this.

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[texan2414]

Bumping this!

I am signed up for this date as well.

 

[Frantz]

Signed up on Aug 15 too!. study materials. Kaplan, NOVA physics, examkrackers 1001 all subjects and examkrackers content review books.

any suggestion on study tips or study schedules?

 

[RjcroIII]

Signed up for this date also!

 

[gkdubey]

Hey, I've decided not to take the MCAT and I have all my books to sell. I literally have everything you need for SN2ed. All TBR, TPR, EK, 35 different FL's from all the companies, and so much more. Email me at: [email protected]. If you guys wanna buy it. Good luck to all of you!

 

[toogoofy]

let see who can actually complete the entire sned2 schedule

Materials: TBR4dayzz, TPR verbal, EK 1001's,

 

[silverturtle]

This is my test date too! Planning to officially start this Saturday when I'm done with my finals.

 

[K1NG]

Planning on taking this date with you guys! I'll be retaking as I got a 28 my first time. I'll be applying this cycle as well so hopefully it wouldn't be too late to update schools on my new score.

 

[axa5780]

Planning on taking this date with you guys! I'll be retaking as I got a 28 my first time. I'll be applying this cycle as well so hopefully it wouldn't be too late to update schools on my new score.

Hey man you got any advise since you've already taken it? Anything you're doing different?

 

[K1NG]

Def going to take more practice tests this time. I only took 4 AAMC FL's first time around in a span of 2 weeks and studied for a month and a half prior to that. I'm planning on using SN2ED's schedule this time.

Biggest thing is to just stay focused and stick with it. Don't get caught up in the little details. Everything will pay off in the end if you put work in and trust your plan.

 

[TiredPreMed]

I plan to start studying this Friday after finals. What about everyone else?

 

[silverturtle]

I plan to start studying this Friday after finals. What about everyone else?

saturday after finals

 

[axa5780]

I plan to start studying this Friday after finals. What about everyone else?

Started a couple of weeks back.

 

[K1NG]

Changed my date to August 1st.. good luck guys!

 

[Skittsie13]

I'm signed up for this date as well. Going to do sn2ed's 3 month schedule, along with full time summer research at my university. I'm using the books for that schedule but replacing all the EK books with TRPH Science Workbook. I finished Day 1 this afternoon and had really mixed results on the physics passages... one perfect but the rest were like ~60%. So we'll see how it goes.

 

[TiredPreMed]

Just completed Day 4 of Sn2ed's schedule and I will also be starting a Kaplan prep course the first week in June. Is anyone else following the 3 month schedule or doing a prep course?

 

[zachdwphoto]

My test day as well!!! So far I have stuck with Sn2ed's schedule. I started early though. (may 5)

 

[cafeverona]

I'm signed up for this date as well. I'm following SN2ed's schedule without any commitments and man, it's tough! Maybe I'm getting too bogged down in the content material, but I've found that reading some chapters, going through Chad's videos, making flashcards, and taking notes takes forever! Sometimes I can't even finish reading the chapter because my review of the previous days passages is so long! I think the biggest thing is to keep moving forward, so I plan on just pushing through and maybe skimming the content if necessary. The most important thing imo is practice!

 

[zachdwphoto]

Is anybody finding it hard to complete reading all the chapters again in one day? AND doing the EK questions for them? (Day6)

Yes I have found this tough. What have you done to cope with this? Mostly I have been highlighting important material the first time through, then making flash cards (of the highlighted) the second time through. I still feel like I am taking too long to review though.

 

[zachdwphoto]

I'm signed up for this date as well. I'm following SN2ed's schedule without any commitments and man, it's tough! Maybe I'm getting too bogged down in the content material, but I've found that reading some chapters, going through Chad's videos, making flashcards, and taking notes takes forever! Sometimes I can't even finish reading the chapter because my review of the previous days passages is so long! I think the biggest thing is to keep moving forward, so I plan on just pushing through and maybe skimming the content if necessary. The most important thing imo is practice!

What are Chad's videos? I am not familiar with them. Please tell

 

[sillyjoe]

I am taking it the 15th as well. I am on day 10 of SN2ed and have found it VERY hard to not fall behind. The only redemption is it seems like the chapters get shorter after the first couple! Good luck everyone!

 

[cafeverona]

I think it'll be hard for everyone at the start of the schedule, just because we're not used to the way MCAT tests us yet. Hopefully, it'll get better!

And Chad is this awesome dude who made vids on all the topics of the MCAT so people like me could understand the material better. It's like Khan Academy. Really great stuff for the PS sections!

 

[toogoofy]

im on day 17 of sn2ed and thus far the review days have not gotten any easier haha especially day 15 and 16. there are just SOOOOOO many passages and SOOOOO many chapters to reread

but i definitely think its been helpful and my scores have been improving lately. good luck everybody!

 

[sillyjoe]

im on day 17 of sn2ed and thus far the review days have not gotten any easier haha especially day 15 and 16. there are just SOOOOOO many passages and SOOOOO many chapters to reread

but i definitely think its been helpful and my scores have been improving lately. good luck everybody!

How do you find it compared to the first re-read? I am just a few days behind you and I am literally putting in 8-12 hours a day...

 

[toogoofy]

I'm under the impression that the re-reads are always going to take a while if you do them completely. I think I'm going to do the problems first and then just review the areas I tend to make mistakes in.

 

[Frantz]

question for this who are taking the aug 15th mcat, are you guys applying to schools this year or next yr?

 

[sillyjoe]

I am applying this year for the first time and am non-trad. I figure it is like this: Take the time to do the SN2ed correctly and you will get a good enough score to make up for the relatively "late" application

 

[ddc150]

Let's do work guys. Shooting for the stars

 

[denise9]

To those doing Berkeley Review passages... what are you aiming/getting in scores for the individual passages? Out of 7 questions? I usually get 2 or so wrong but sometimes can just bomb a passage

 

[sillyjoe]

To those doing Berkeley Review passages... what are you aiming/getting in scores for the individual passages? Out of 7 questions? I usually get 2 or so wrong but sometimes can just bomb a passage

For a while I was focusing on this and trying to figure it out. For now focus on the content review and understanding why you bombed a passage when you did to beef up on the content you are weak in. Only start worrying about your scores once you take some practice FL's IMHO.

 

[vantheman]

We will all be competing against each other haha. I hope you guys all do well, but not as well as me

 

[summersea]

Hi I am registered to take the August 1st MCAT but due to some personal issues i think i may need to postpone it and was wondering if anyone would be looking to switch for their August 15th date?

 

[runningmandoctor]

August 15th is my 21st birthday...

 

[toogoofy]

 

[Frantz]

is anyone struggling with studying for physics like i am. any tips on getting physics concepts down??? and its really hard to bring up my verbal score too

 

[curiousity2013]

is anyone struggling with studying for physics like i am. any tips on getting physics concepts down??? and its really hard to bring up my verbal score too

Yes, I am as well. I feel pretty good about Bio, Verbal and Ochem but definitely struggling in physics and some gen chem ;(

 

[Ambidextrous50]

Hey guys! I am also taking the exam on the 15th! I am struggling a bit with timing on the verbal section. I have EK 101, where i find myself not completing 2 passages almost every time. Any remedies? Kaplan strategy says that there is lots of guessing involved with verbal past critical thinking and predicting. Thoughts? Thank You!

 

[prettyNURSEtoMD]

I rescheduled. I was in NO way going to be ready in 37 days. Good luck to you all!

 

[Frantz]

@prettyNURSEtoMD are you an RN. I am an RN too and I'm feeling the same way. I feel nowhere near ready but if i take it any later i am looking to matriculate in 2016 which sucks…i don't wanna wait any longer

@curiousity2013 yeah i am freaking out. i feel like there is no way for me to learn all this physics stuff by the test date.

 

[prettyNURSEtoMD]

@Frantz Yes I am a nurse. I plan on matriculating in 2016, so I'm okay with this late test date. I feel like if I don't do well in October, I'll test again in January, and if push comes to shove again in February.

 

[medbound18]

Hey guys! I am also taking the exam on the 15th! I am struggling a bit with timing on the verbal section. I have EK 101, where i find myself not completing 2 passages almost every time. Any remedies? Kaplan strategy says that there is lots of guessing involved with verbal past critical thinking and predicting. Thoughts? Thank You!

I'm not familiar with EK, but Kaplan suggest you make a "map" while you read, jotting down notes after each paragraph. I personally find that takes up too much time. (Probably works well for some though). My approach is to read carefully and highlight key words as I read. Choose words that capture the idea of the paragraph so that if you need to go look up information later, you don't waste time re reading the entire passage to find where that info is. Look for opinions (either the author's or whoever the author is writing about), contrasts, and cause/effects. Just don't go crazy highlighting or it will make things harder. I try to read a passage in 3-3.5 minutes, then spend ~5 minutes on the questions. Others spend more time really carefully reading the passage and then breeze through the questions. Play around with timing and see what works best for you. If you get stuck on a question, just pick an answer, mark it, and come back after the rest of that passage's questions. If you are still wasting time on it, just move on and you can maybe come back at the very end. I know I had to break my habit of getting stuck on one particular question. You just don't have time for it. An hour seems like so long but for 7 passages it flies by!

 

[medbound18]

^Another thing, which applies to all sections, is really trying to be present in the passage you are reading. If you're reading through a passage while still flustered/freaking out about/fixated on the previous one that maybe just kicked your butt, the passage you're on now is going to suffer. Easier said than done because its nerve-racking to come across a passage that is particularly difficult for you. Everyone is going to have one or two subjects/passages that are just really, really hard for them, including the verbal section. Just get through it as best you can and clear your mind for the next task in front of you. Freak out for 5 seconds, but thats it! It's very distracting to have all that negative energy in your mind while you're trying to solve through science and verbal questions. I really think my scores have improved because I've made an effort to do this. Hope that helps!

 

[cafeverona]

How's everybody doing?

I'm on SN2ed's schedule, and because of some days I needed to catch up/a late trip back from Europe, I decided to cut out all my scheduled break days. Thankfully, I haven't really experienced a real burn out because there's simply no time for that. I did cut out the EK1001 questions because I felt those didn't help me at all.

I'm taking my first practice test next week, and I'm trying to fit it in before Wednesday, which is our last day to reschedule w/ the reduced price. Anybody else open to rescheduling, and if so, how much later are you planning on taking it?

 

[acemcatthissummer]

i am dying here. I feel like rescheduling only that I can't.
31 days remaining peoples!!!!!!!!

And I still have all of Ochem left, half of bio and physics left. And the highest I have gotten on any verbal is 8.
And I have done only 1 practice exam so far and didnt bother reviewing it cause I got very bored half way.

OMG I feel like I am going to get killed.

PLUS i work full time 40hours/week.

How are rest of your doing??
Some of you are acing as seen in some of the comments above.

I have not studied for the past 2.5 weeks. I just did not even open any books. WHY? Just cause I am feeling so scared and so much anxiety. I dont know whats wrong with me.

NEED MOTIVATION>>>>> HELP.

 

[Skittsie13]

Hey everyone! glad to see the thread is getting more active. I've been attempting sn2ed with doing research 40 hours/week... Naturally, I'm a little over a week behind. I have the last chapter left in each of the TBR books (except bio, I'm using TPR and also have one chapter left). I decided to stick the original schedule and take AAMC 3 yesterday and scored a 39 (even breakdown). Research ends in two weeks so hopefully I can get caught up. I've been omitting a few things from the schedule: the EK 1001 problems (planning on replacing with TPRH SW but honestly haven't cracked it open yet), the hat trick, and any verbal besides TPRH (I'm about halfway through it). Good luck to everyone with studying!!

 

[Frantz]

i am dying here. I feel like rescheduling only that I can't.
31 days remaining peoples!!!!!!!!

And I still have all of Ochem left, half of bio and physics left. And the highest I have gotten on any verbal is 8.
And I have done only 1 practice exam so far and didnt bother reviewing it cause I got very bored half way.

OMG I feel like I am going to get killed.

PLUS i work full time 40hours/week.

How are rest of your doing??
Some of you are acing as seen in some of the comments above.

I have not studied for the past 2.5 weeks. I just did not even open any books. WHY? Just cause I am feeling so scared and so much anxiety. I dont know whats wrong with me.

NEED MOTIVATION>>>>> HELP.

you are not alone and i am in the same predicament as you! i guess we just have to stay strong and push ourselves!

 

[denise9]

Anyone taken a first practice test after content review? How'd it go?!

 

[cafeverona]

I'll be taking mine tomorrow! Fingers crossed...

 

[curiousity2013]

I am halfway through BR physics, Gchem, Ochem and two EK101 verbal tests. I don't really like the EK101 Biology so I think I will try to read through BR Bio instead. Does anyone have an opinion on that? I still have not taken a FL test but I am going to take my first one next week when I hopefully get done with the second half of the BR series. Starting to freak out that I won't finish everything in time though

 

[medbound18]

I took AAMC 3 back in early May as my diagnostic, with no MCAT specific studying for it, and scored a 22. I spent the month of May and the first week or so of June just studying the content from the Kaplan topical books and doing the end of chapter quizzes. Just pure content studying. Then, I took AAMC 4 in early June and scored a 21. Yikes. HOWEVER, this is apparently not uncommon, so if this happened to you too, don't freak out. AAMC 3 is an older, easier practice exam, so your score on your next exam is likely to stay the same, only go up a few points, or even go down like mine. There's a big difference in studying the content and applying it in the exam. Don't be discouraged. Since then my scores have gone up to a high of 29.