The Official August 15, 2014 MCAT Thread

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axa5780

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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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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!!

39??? That's an incredible place to be starting at!! Nice job!
 
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!!

wow your scores are just amazing!
someone is getting 40+ this coming august!
how many practice exams have you done so far?
and how are you studying? reading concepts and solving problems? or just reading concepts?
 
@medbound18 @acemcatthissummer thanks so much guys!! :) I was so thrilled when I submitted the test and got the results that I burst into tears haha.

I've only done AAMC 3 so far, which I've heard is almost misleadingly easy so I'm trying not to be too optimistic. I'm about ten days behind on the 3 month sn2ed (still have one chapter left from each book... Optics kills me) and I want to finish content review before attempting AAMC 4. I've been following the basic outline of his schedule - read the chapter and do the first 1/3rd, come back later, skim the chapter, and complete the 2nd 1/3rd of problems. So both content review and passages; I feel like it's critical to do both. I've been really slacking on verbal but it's usually been my strong point in past standardized exams.
 
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^ Congrats on your score!

I just took AAMC 3 and scored a disappointing 27 (9/10/8) with a goal score of 34. @medbound18, this is after I completed all of my content using SN2ed. Today is the last day to reschedule with the reduced rate, and I'm not sure if I should just sign up for another one or wait until I go through my test tomorrow and see what mistakes I've made/end up paying $100 more. Any advice???
 
Hey All,

I'm new to SDN. Just finished my kaplan prep course and have started attacking the full lengths. So far I have seen some good improvements from my diagnostic. I scored a 30 (9,11,10) on kaplan FL1, and a 34 (13,9,12) on kaplan FL2. However, today I scored a 27 (10,6,11) on kaplan FL3!!! I bombed the verbal which i found really difficult to finish in time. Anyone else experience a drop in the Kaplan FL 3?
 
Hey All,

I'm new to SDN. Just finished my kaplan prep course and have started attacking the full lengths. So far I have seen some good improvements from my diagnostic. I scored a 30 (9,11,10) on kaplan FL1, and a 34 (13,9,12) on kaplan FL2. However, today I scored a 27 (10,6,11) on kaplan FL3!!! I bombed the verbal which i found really difficult to finish in time. Anyone else experience a drop in the Kaplan FL 3?
wait til you get to Kaplan 4 and 5. maybe it's because of burn out, but they're very tough. I'm probably going to stick with AAMC tests and Kaplan's section tests from now on.
 
^ Congrats on your score!

I just took AAMC 3 and scored a disappointing 27 (9/10/8) with a goal score of 34. @medbound18, this is after I completed all of my content using SN2ed. Today is the last day to reschedule with the reduced rate, and I'm not sure if I should just sign up for another one or wait until I go through my test tomorrow and see what mistakes I've made/end up paying $100 more. Any advice???

If it was me, I would stick with the August 15th date. I know how it seems like time is just flying by and there's not enough hours in the day to prepare, but if you put in the work during this next month I think you can rock it come test day. A 27 on AAMC 3 is a great starting point! I only got a 22 when I took it, you're already in a better position than I am. AAMC 3 is an older, easier test, so your next score is likely to stay the same, or only fluctuate a couple points. That's okay. Just expect that going into it so you won't feel super discouraged if that's what happens with AAMC 4. Then for these next couple of weeks leading up to test date, take as many of the AAMC exams as you can, but allow yourself sufficient time in between them to review the entire exam thoroughly and not get too burnt out. I am taking one a week, but I started taking FL exams earlier this summer so that I could fit all of them in. Just do what you can.

You can do this! There is SO much content for the MCAT, its simply just unrealistic (for me at least) to be able to know everything 100%. However, we all for the most part have topics that we prefer, that when we get a passage on it, we feel comfortable and can answer almost all the questions correctly. Know THOSE topics 150%. For the topics that you are just really struggling on, obviously spend time reviewing it and learning it as best you can, but be okay with knowing it maybe only 75%. That's how I am approaching things.

Keep working hard, put in the time every day (maybe take a day off here and there), and you'll get there. At this point, now that you've gotten through all the content, I think your most valuable tool will be taking practice tests and any other practice passages/questions of course, but more importantly reviewing them.

Having said all of that, if August 15th feels so close to the point of it making you so anxious you can't really focus on studying, then push it back. $100 is worth the peace of mind to be able to focus on studying and get a good score. Just keep in mind that means your scores will be back even later (if you're applying for 2015).

Hope that helps. Hang in there!
 
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If it was me, I would stick with the August 15th date. I know how it seems like time is just flying by and there's not enough hours in the day to prepare, but if you put in the work during this next month I think you can rock it come test day. A 27 on AAMC 3 is a great starting point! I only got a 22 when I took it, you're already in a better position than I am. AAMC 3 is an older, easier test, so your next score is likely to stay the same, or only fluctuate a couple points. That's okay. Just expect that going into it so you won't feel super discouraged if that's what happens with AAMC 4. Then for these next couple of weeks leading up to test date, take as many of the AAMC exams as you can, but allow yourself sufficient time in between them to review the entire exam thoroughly and not get too burnt out. I am taking one a week, but I started taking FL exams earlier this summer so that I could fit all of them in. Just do what you can.

You can do this! There is SO much content for the MCAT, its simply just unrealistic (for me at least) to be able to know everything 100%. However, we all for the most part have topics that we prefer, that when we get a passage on it, we feel comfortable and can answer almost all the questions correctly. Know THOSE topics 150%. For the topics that you are just really struggling on, obviously spend time reviewing it and learning it as best you can, but be okay with knowing it maybe only 75%. That's how I am approaching things.

Keep working hard, put in the time every day (maybe take a day off here and there), and you'll get there. At this point, now that you've gotten through all the content, I think your most valuable tool will be taking practice tests and any other practice passages/questions of course, but more importantly reviewing them. Review goes for any FL, subject tests, topical tests, etc., any kind of practice passages. Review, review, review. This is where you will see what content you're missing and can then plan your content review accordingly. I have a "content review" day built into my study schedule now. Just once a week, but you could do more. I make a note of a specific topic from bio, physics, gen chem, and orgo that I feel like I need to cover again, and that's my study day on Sundays. If applicable, I make study sheets, and then make copies of it with different parts blanked out.

Having said all of that, if August 15th feels so close to the point of it making you so anxious you can't really focus on studying, then push it back. $100 is worth the peace of mind to be able to focus on studying and get a good score. Just keep in mind that means your scores will be back even later (if you're applying for 2015).

Hope that helps. Hang in there!

Thank you so much! I honestly think I just freaked out a bit (...ok, a lot). It's tough going on SDN and seeing people scoring 35's and up on their first practice exam! It makes me feel like I'm really stupid, but I think I just have to hang in there like you said. And I definitely agree with your comment about knowing some topics less than others--there is just WAY too many things they can test on, and in this last month, it is best for me to focus on practicing and reviewing rather than learning every detail.

Thanks again and good luck on your end!
 
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wait til you get to Kaplan 4 and 5. maybe it's because of burn out, but they're very tough. I'm probably going to stick with AAMC tests and Kaplan's section tests from now on.
I had the exact same experience. I am glad to know that someone else did too...hoping that 3 was a fluke instead of 1 and 2!
 
Hey All,

I'm new to SDN. Just finished my kaplan prep course and have started attacking the full lengths. So far I have seen some good improvements from my diagnostic. I scored a 30 (9,11,10) on kaplan FL1, and a 34 (13,9,12) on kaplan FL2. However, today I scored a 27 (10,6,11) on kaplan FL3!!! I bombed the verbal which i found really difficult to finish in time. Anyone else experience a drop in the Kaplan FL 3?
I had pretty much the exact same experience, so I am glad to know I am not the only one. I am hoping 3 was and fluke and that 1 and 2 were not!
 
I'm taking it on 15th too.
Actually I was planning to take the exam on July 12th but I ended up voiding it because I didn't feel ready at all. I found out my stress level on the test day and hours of sleeping the night before playing major roles on my performance. It's crucial to maintain your stress level where you don't get so relaxed nor overwhelmed during the test for the best performance. Plus, you MUST sleep at least 7 hours the night before, I can't stress enough how important it is. It might seems pretty obvious but trust me, watch out for these two little tips.
About the material, science sections are not that bad for me, I get about 10 wrongs on TBR subject timing tests. Basically I take TBR subject tests after I study them throughly. If I get under 80% of the questions right, I do 1001 questions. Except for Bio because TBR bio seems unnecessarily and ridiculously detailed.
But the verbal is still a disaster for me. English is my second language so it's a bigger problem. I can't really get my mind together and read a lot these days but I work on passages as much as I can. I go through 3,4 passages from TPRH every morning and analyze ever question as throughly as possible. Then I take one EK exam. The thing is I have done more than half of EK exams before as I was getting ready for the first exam. But I can't trust any other verbal passages other than TPRH and EK so I prefer redoing EK's and try to adjust my strategy while timing myself. I'm going to go over AAMC S.A passages in two weeks and get a better feeling about those too.
I'm hopping my strategy works out well. My problem is that I didn't have that much time studying so my current schedule is somewhat compact, about 10-12 hours a day. Half verbal, half science of any kind.
So how are you guys are doing? What are your strategies? What's your plan for next 3 weeks?
By the way, I've done AAMC 3-8 last month but I'm gonna redo them on the last week in addition to 9-11 to get my timing fixed. Do I sound nervous? Oh hell yea...
 
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Worried about all the people complaining about how the recent MCATs have been so calculation heavy. Doing arithmetic quickly is my weak area. However, one of my friends recently took the MCAT (about 2 months ago) and she said the PS math is "verrry basic." So that's giving me hope, lol.

I still haven't taken my first FL. I plan on doing it on Sunday, and will do about 3 practice tests per week leading up to the 15th. I've been following a VERY modified form of sn2ed. I'm currently completing all of the passages in TBR orgo, physics, and g chem, averaging about 80% combined. I'm also doing all of the bio passages out of the tprh workbook. I plan on working through as many physics, g chem, and O chem passages from there, too, that I can with the time I have left. I haven't really been doing verbal practice because I got a perfect reading comp score on the SAT and was scoring 13s-14s on the first few practice verbal tests in EK 101 and tprh verbal, so I'm just hoping my knack for it won't necessitate more practice. But I guess I'll see how I do on my first practice test on Sunday, and will know whether I should try to shove in some verbal practice or not.

Wow I'm really starting to freak out. I never want to have to take this damn test again, so I need to make a really good score. I'm aiming for at least a 34. If I make under a 31 I'll retake.
 
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suppose we do have a month post test before scores come out to work on them... anyone else feel like we're at a huge disadvantage being complete so late or is the SDN hype to be largely ignored with a quick turnaround on 2ndaries?
 
suppose we do have a month post test before scores come out to work on them... anyone else feel like we're at a huge disadvantage being complete so late or is the SDN hype to be largely ignored with a quick turnaround on 2ndaries?

Nothing you can do. People do get in when applying when we are. Just do the best you can with your mcats and essays.
 
Guess Ill contribute my scores so far
AAMC #3
(14/11/15) 40 (messed up verbal :/)
AAMC #4
(15/15/15) 45 (nice trend)

Ill post aamc 5 after i take it tomorrow
Using tbr and tprh for verbal
TBR average prior to 3/3s=90%~
TBR 3/3 avg=98%
TPRH Verbal was averaging only 70% at the start but im now up to about 97%
 
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Guess Ill contribute my scores so far
AAMC #3
(14/11/15) 40 (messed up verbal :/)
AAMC #4
(15/15/15) 45 (nice trend)

Ill post aamc 5 after i take it tomorrow
Using tbr and tprh for verbal
TBR average prior to 3/3s=90%~
TBR 3/3 avg=98%
TPRH Verbal was averaging only 70% at the start but im now up to about 97%

ActiveSelfreliantGrackle.gif
 
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If you want I can crosspost my verb strategy from another thread that Im very active on
 
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here ya go
My Verb strategy that got me 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
 
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here ya go
My Verb strategy that got me 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

This is great. Thanks!

Basically 3 weeks left... I'm pretty nervous
 
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here ya go
My Verb strategy that got me 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



Ok so read the first and last para first?
and then entire passage?
so when reading the entire passage do you read the first and last para again?
and all this be done in 3 mins?
 
Guess Ill contribute my scores so far
AAMC #3
(14/11/15) 40 (messed up verbal :/)
AAMC #4
(15/15/15) 45 (nice trend)

Ill post aamc 5 after i take it tomorrow
Using tbr and tprh for verbal
TBR average prior to 3/3s=90%~
TBR 3/3 avg=98%
TPRH Verbal was averaging only 70% at the start but im now up to about 97%
OMG
what are you like genius?
sighhh this just makes me feel more bad about myself..
 
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In on thread... I'll be taking with you guys.

AAMC scores so far.

AAMC 7 - 33
AAMC 8 - 32
AAMC 9 - 37

Taking 10 and 11 next week. Lets do this
 
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Do you guys know if it's ok to make an equation sheet while the tutorial timer is going on?
 
For reals... I've taken my 8th fl and am plateuing around 36-37.. friggin verbal... tryna push myself, but sometimes i feel like zoolander I'm taking crazy pills lol
 
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Anyone know what percentage of OChem is in BS for 2014?
Is Bio:Ochem 50/50 or less ..like 75/25?
are you guys putting lots of emphasis studying for ochem? or just bio generally?
 
Anyone know what percentage of OChem is in BS for 2014?
Is Bio:Ochem 50/50 or less ..like 75/25?
are you guys putting lots of emphasis studying for ochem? or just bio generally?

Enough that you should put good effort to o-chem. All it takes is one o-chem passage to destroy that section if you don't know it. I HIGHLY suggest TBR O-chem.

edit: just noticed. love that username.
 
Enough that you should put good effort to o-chem. All it takes is one o-chem passage to destroy that section if you don't know it. I HIGHLY suggest TBR O-chem.

edit: just noticed. love that username.

HAHAHA thanks!
Just trying to make that username a reality.
Lets see if that happens.
Only 19 more days remaining.
 
maybe I should stop visiting SDN site so much and START STUDYING!!!!:boom:

k guys I am not visiting this site at least for rest of today and tomorrow. Hopefully get some solid studying done!

GOODLUCK TO ALL :luck:
 
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i almost feel like pushing my mcat to Aug27 since thats the last day you can write mcat to apply for next year.
except its just that I can't.
I know I should NOT even tell myself that, that option even exists!
 
general Question: how long does it take you all while going over a verbal section? I spend way too long reading the explanations because I read explanations for every question. Even then, it takes me much more than an hour! I think I am wasting too much time this way. How do you all generally approach going over answers for verbal section? and how long does that generally take you?
 
takes me about 40 minutes, which is bout how much each section takes me for review, so ill spend roughly 2 hours reviewing an aamc. Mind you i miss only about 0-4 problems per section, but I like going over things im unsure about
 
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AAMC 7
(15/15/14) that bs had about 3-4 orgo passages, ridiculous, and there was a fair amount of random knowledge needed (thank you medical shows)
 
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