The Official May 8, 2014 MCAT thread

[southpawcannon]

Yep, that just happened. And no, I'm not studying tonight. Are you cray cray? Just watching college football and opening my box from Berkeley Review that finally arrived. Prep commences tomorrow!

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[StarFall]

I'm cutting it close with materials still coming in.. Might have to push back to the May 31st date. Materials coming in by Jan 27th, Monday. Anyone recommend that I push it back to 5/31 instead of 5/8? I have done no studying yet and I just graduated this past December.

 

[southpawcannon]

I'm cutting it close with materials still coming in.. Might have to push back to the May 31st date. Materials coming in by Jan 27th, Monday. Anyone recommend that I push it back to 5/31 instead of 5/8? I have done no studying yet and I just graduated this past December.

When are your materials expected to arrive? Are you working or will you have any other commitments?

 

[StarFall]

When are your materials expected to arrive? Are you working or will you have any other commitments?

Materials should be in by the last Week of Jan giving me almost 15 weeks for the 14 week (3 month) plan for the 5/8 date, but about 18 weeks for the 5/31 date.
I will have no other serious commitments besides a couple of trips to NY and applications to complete.

 

[OneDoctor]

Hello all,

Here is my post in SDN! I've been waiting so long for someone to create this thread. Let's keep this thread active and motivate each other.

Which resources are you guys using and what score are you guys aiming for?

Let's keep this up !

 

[StarFall]

Hello all,

Here is my post in SDN! I've been waiting so long for someone to create this thread. Let's keep this thread active and motivate each other.

Which resources are you guys using and what score are you guys aiming for?

Let's keep this up !

I'm planning to use the setup SN2ed set up but am still looking for some of the books (TPRH Verbal and BR Series). Looking to score 29-36 being realistic.

 

[southpawcannon]

I think 5/8 should work just fine for you. If these couple of trips are just a few days long you shouldn't have much to worry about. Afterall, you'll need a little break and self-reward here and there to keep your wits about ya.

Materials should be in by the last Week of Jan giving me almost 15 weeks for the 14 week (3 month) plan for the 5/8 date, but about 18 weeks for the 5/31 date.
I will have no other serious commitments besides a couple of trips to NY and applications to complete.

 

[Dahling]

Hi everyone checking in ! I am going to try to stay active in this thread would anyone like to share there study schedule I'm overwhelmed ifk where to start all I have are Ek and Kap books

 

[StarFall]

I think 5/8 should work just fine for you. If these couple of trips are just a few days long you shouldn't have much to worry about. Afterall, you'll need a little break and self-reward here and there to keep your wits about ya.

Thanks for the insight. Hopefully I can keep 5/8 and not have to fall back to 5/31.. And yeah I'll have some time to light study but not grind when I travel.

 

[StarFall]

Hi everyone checking in ! I am going to try to stay active in this thread would anyone like to share there study schedule I'm overwhelmed ifk where to start all I have are Ek and Kap books

Not sure about Ek and Kap books but look at SN2ed 3 or 4 month schedule. I'm sure you could replace some of the books in there.

 

[Dahling]

Not sure about Ek and Kap books but look at SN2ed 3 or 4 month schedule. I'm sure you could replace some of the books in there.

Thank you !

 

[gonnamakeit13]

Hello everyone! I'm taking the test on this day as well,just subscribed to this thread. Anyone started studying yet?

 

[OneDoctor]

I will be using a modified version of the SN2ED (I can't spend all the hours the schedule requires). First time taker. I will start studying on January 10th. I will be taking only 1 course this semester, but spending around 25 hours volunteering and doing research. I'll be aiming for a ~35.

What about you guys?

 

[gonnamakeit13]

I will be using a modified version of the SN2ED (I can't spend all the hours the schedule requires). First time taker. I will start studying on January 10th. I will be taking only 1 course this semester, but spending around 25 hours volunteering and doing research. I'll be aiming for a ~35.

What about you guys?

I am in the same boat as you, I'm doing research and taking biochem lab only along with volunteering. What books do u plan on using?

 

[southpawcannon]

Two easy classes (6 hrs total) and working part-time 24 hrs/week. I made sure I set my semester up so that the MCAT gets priority.

 

[OneDoctor]

I am in the same boat as you, I'm doing research and taking biochem lab only along with volunteering. What books do u plan on using?

TBR for Physics, GChem, and OChem. TPR for Biology. My plan is to read 2 chapters / day instead of one but leave all the passages for the end. Trying to do 2-3 verbal passages / day as VR is my biggest weakness. How about you?

 

[gonnamakeit13]

TBR for Physics, GChem, and OChem. TPR for Biology. My plan is to read 2 chapters / day instead of one but leave all the passages for the end. Trying to do 2-3 verbal passages / day as VR is my biggest weakness. How about you?

I'm terrible at verbal,I plan on doing 3 passages(times of course) a day mostly from BR.If I have enough time I'll do EK 101 as well

I'm changing the books for content review from SN2 schedule.I'm using EK for eveything except for bio, using BR. Have u looked at cracking, that book is very concise but it gives u a decent idea of the topic.I'm reading through it now.
I mostly plan on doing a lot of practice questions as I learn better that way.
Hopefully I stay focused and motivated throughout this few months

 

[OneDoctor]

I'm terrible at verbal,I plan on doing 3 passages(times of course) a day mostly from BR.If I have enough time I'll do EK 101 as well

I'm changing the books for content review from SN2 schedule.I'm using EK for eveything except for bio, using BR. Have u looked at cracking, that book is very concise but it gives u a decent idea of the topic.I'm reading through it now.
I mostly plan on doing a lot of practice questions as I learn better that way.
Hopefully I stay focused and motivated throughout this few months

I'm worst when it comes to verbal, trust me. Let's stay positive, we both will improve

It seems like you are doing exactly opposite to what the majority of people here on SDN do .. the only EK book recommended is Bio and the only TBR book not recommended is Bio lol but I'm kidding, you gotta do what works best for you !

I will probably have to give up EK1001 for Kaplan's stuff too..

Have you already started studying? Hows your science background? It's been a few years since I took my pre-reqs so hopefully I can survive lol

 

[StarFall]

What Verbal books does everyone have/plan to use?
I plan on using EK 101 Verbal and the TPRHyperlearning Verbal Workbook. Should I supplement with an additional book?

 

[Dahling]

I'm not sure , I actually took the MCAT already with out studying... Just bc I needed a score for a program and my verbal was a 10 ... I honestly don't get how to study for the verbal section

 

[OneDoctor]

What Verbal books does everyone have/plan to use?
I plan on using EK 101 Verbal and the TPRHyperlearning Verbal Workbook. Should I supplement with an additional book?

Those are the best verbal books after the official AAMCs resources. You won't need any additional books unless you need extra help.

 

[OneDoctor]

I'm not sure , I actually took the MCAT already with out studying... Just bc I needed a score for a program and my verbal was a 10 ... I honestly don't get how to study for the verbal section

a 10 without studying ... I will consider myself very lucky if I get a 10 after 3 months lol

 

[Dahling]

a 10 without studying ... I will consider myself very lucky if I get a 10 after 3 months lol

Someone told me it's because I'm a "smartass" and I honestly read through the passages thinking wtf r u trying to tell me lol . Just imagine the writer of the passage is that friend that talks a lot and you have to filter the extra words and question y she added them lol .... But yea I really want to get like a 13 since my baseline is a 10 ..... But those sciences fml ....

 

[StarFall]

I'm not sure , I actually took the MCAT already with out studying... Just bc I needed a score for a program and my verbal was a 10 ... I honestly don't get how to study for the verbal section

Wow! That's great. Double digits is always good. As for studying, I'm not sure. Unless your an english major or something related, I feel like it's all about recognizing patterns and using test skills.

Those are the best verbal books after the official AAMCs resources. You won't need any additional books unless you need extra help.

Thanks! I guess I will hold off on more verbal books. My SAT reading score was not up to par compared to my other scores, so I'm hoping these two books will be enough.

 

[OneDoctor]

I know for sure that my VR baseline is like a 5 or a 6

 

[gonnamakeit13]

I'm worst when it comes to verbal, trust me. Let's stay positive, we both will improve

It seems like you are doing exactly opposite to what the majority of people here on SDN do .. the only EK book recommended is Bio and the only TBR book not recommended is Bio lol but I'm kidding, you gotta do what works best for you !

I will probably have to give up EK1001 for Kaplan's stuff too..

Have you already started studying? Hows your science background? It's been a few years since I took my pre-reqs so hopefully I can survive lol

Why are u giving up EK1001,can you not use it as a supplement?
I am from a pure science background,doing undergrad in biology.Having said that I still suck at bio passages which is why I chose use TBR for bio, In my opinion it is better to know more than less however,I have been criticized repeatedly in SDN for using TBR for bio
I haven't started studying yet,projected starting date the 6th of Jan.Still waiting for my school to open so I can hog a little space in my school's library and focus. How about you?

 

[gonnamakeit13]

I'm not sure , I actually took the MCAT already with out studying... Just bc I needed a score for a program and my verbal was a 10 ... I honestly don't get how to study for the verbal section

Wow,10 is awesome for VR

 

[Dahling]

Wow,10 is awesome for VR

Thank you ! when i received my scores back I was caught of guard though bc I did a BS in bio and my science scores sucked ... i thought i was going to do well in physics because i did really well in my physics college courses... but nooo i honestly looked at one practice test the night before i took the real test and i realized the physics portion was mainly passage based ... ive always been the type to just skim through text book pick out the formulas break them down , see how they relate to each other and put them back together .... and presto A+ in physics butt noooooo MCAT wants to be diffrent

 

[gonnamakeit13]

Thank you ! when i received my scores back I was caught of guard though bc I did a BS in bio and my science scores sucked ... i thought i was going to do well in physics because i did really well in my physics college courses... but nooo i honestly looked at one practice test the night before i took the real test and i realized the physics portion was mainly passage based ... ive always been the type to just skim through text book pick out the formulas break them down , see how they relate to each other and put them back together .... and presto A+ in physics butt noooooo MCAT wants to be diffrent

Couldn't agree with you more!No matter how well you did in your undergrad science classes,MCAT is entirely conceptual based and not so much as crunching numbers
U must be a genius to have done only one practice test the night before the exam what are u doing differently this time around?

 

[OneDoctor]

Why are u giving up EK1001,can you not use it as a supplement?
I am from a pure science background,doing undergrad in biology.Having said that I still suck at bio passages which is why I chose use TBR for bio, In my opinion it is better to know more than less however,I have been criticized repeatedly in SDN for using TBR for bio
I haven't started studying yet,projected starting date the 6th of Jan.Still waiting for my school to open so I can hog a little space in my school's library and focus. How about you?

I won't have enough time to do EK1001 but I wish I could tho!

Same, I will be starting around January 9th (just like you, waiting for the libraries to open and things to settle down again).

 

[Dahling]

Couldn't agree with you more!No matter how well you did in your undergrad science classes,MCAT is entirely conceptual based and not so much as crunching numbers
U must be a genius to have done only one practice test the night before the exam what are u doing differently this time around?

Actually study ... Take tons of practice test.... Stay active on this forum and off Instagram .... Leave no stone unturned !

 

[southpawcannon]

If there's anything I've learned so far it's to give plenty of buffer days. You may wake up after a crappy night of sleep and get only a portion of your studies done, or like me right now, be sick-and you just wont feel like doing practice passages. It was a sure fail yesterday.

 

[OneDoctor]

If there's anything I've learned so far it's to give plenty of buffer days. You may wake up after a crappy night of sleep and get only a portion of your studies done, or like me right now, be sick-and you just wont feel like doing practice passages. It was a sure fail yesterday.

No worries, it happens to all of us. Stay positive, we still have plenty of time ! Hope you recover fast

 

[Dahling]

hey LET make our own daily MCAT affirmations that we repeated everyday before studying for the MCAT... here is an Example...
They’re effective because when you repeat them, you’ll come to believe them. Once you believe them, you’ll feel more confident, more able and everything that previously seemed out of reach (or challenging) will be a great deal less so. Here’s the catch though; you have to repeat your affirmations every day. If you’re a student, here are a few affirmations that you can use to HELP yourself succeed!



1. “I find studying enjoyable and rewarding.”



2. “I am a successful student.”



3. “I have the power to learn and understand ANYTHING.”



4. “My academic efforts are opening doors for me.”



5. “Everything I encounter is a lesson and teaches me something.”



6. “I believe in, have trust in and have confidence in, myself.”



7. “I never, ever, give up!”



8. “My skills and knowledge make me a great student.”



9. “I am committed to expanding my mind and reaching for the top.”



10. “My studies and efforts are making me a better person.”

 

[southpawcannon]

hey LET make our own daily MCAT affirmations that we repeated everyday before studying for the MCAT... here is an Example...
They’re effective because when you repeat them, you’ll come to believe them. Once you believe them, you’ll feel more confident, more able and everything that previously seemed out of reach (or challenging) will be a great deal less so. Here’s the catch though; you have to repeat your affirmations every day. If you’re a student, here are a few affirmations that you can use to HELP yourself succeed!



1. “I find studying enjoyable and rewarding.”



2. “I am a successful student.”



3. “I have the power to learn and understand ANYTHING.”



4. “My academic efforts are opening doors for me.”



5. “Everything I encounter is a lesson and teaches me something.”



6. “I believe in, have trust in and have confidence in, myself.”



7. “I never, ever, give up!”



8. “My skills and knowledge make me a great student.”



9. “I am committed to expanding my mind and reaching for the top.”



10. “My studies and efforts are making me a better person.”

All great affirmations. By the way, I see you are in Atlanta. Go to GSU and have Dr. Eilertson by chance?

 

[DrFLAGATORS]

never thought to make studying affirmations. good idea. I copied it and put it up on my bathroom mirror.

Started studying a couple days ago. Lets do this!

 

[Dahling]

Yes to GSU ! and no i did not get a chance to take a class w/ the famous Dr. Eilerson... and i graduated a year early i was suppose to be c/o 2014 ..... but i am just now doing the whole MCAT thing bc i did joint enrollment in HS w/ no advisment and ended up starting college w/ 32 credit hours...and guess what they were all the non science req .... so my whole college schedule has been off and my semesters as a freshman looked like this : Bio1 chem1 physics1 molecular cell1 ..... it was hell

All great affirmations. By the way, I see you are in Atlanta. Go to GSU and have Dr. Eilertson by chance?

 

[Dahling]

oh and one more tip ...use your timer on your phone ...so if you plan to study 5 hours a day set your timer for 5 hours and stop it every time you get up and go to the bathroom, check a text msg..or even blow your nose..... this way you really studied for 5 hour

 

[Derpz]

In on this... Started studying a week ago. Plan to do ~5 weeks of content + some end of chapter problems then go full bore w/the Spinach Dip method. I took a Kaplan diagnostic a year+ ago 3/4ths of the way through Fall semester Phys1, Bio1, & Chem1 and got a 29 (PS-7 VR-13 BS-9). Have since wrapped up the pre-reqs but feel like my physics is weak despite A's in it. Also feel like it's the easiest section to beast on and get a 13+ w/serious studying.

Cranking through NOVA's physics right now, plan to finish it off in the next 5 days, then work a chapter a day from my mix of TBR - Ochem, Chem, Physics & EK Bio (I count 37 chapters total). Saving 5 days for spring break goofing off on a beach w/maybe two hours of practice problems a day if I'm lucky/disciplined

Have some super smart friends taking it this month that have been beasting on CBT's getting 40+...plan to grill the hell out of them as soon as they take it for pointers.

Stay strong everyone! 125 days to go!

 

[southpawcannon]

I'd say put your phone aside and not even use it as a time reference. You'll be instagramming,. facebooking, selfiespacing, whatever all day. Phones and especially social media is a distraction with focused studying. I bought a stopwatch the other day and plan to use it while keeping my phone at a safe distance.

 

[gonnamakeit13]

I'd say put your phone aside and not even use it as a time reference. You'll be instagramming,. facebooking, selfiespacing, whatever all day. Phones and especially social media is a distraction with focused studying. I bought a stopwatch the other day and plan to use it while keeping my phone at a safe distance.

Unlike others I'm easily tempted and I know the moment I touch my phone all I'll do is TEXT & PLAY GAME
I need to get a timer ASAP

 

[FourEyes91]

That's actually a really good idea. I just ordered a stopwatch/timer from eBay, 5 bucks.

 

[StarFall]

I'm hoping I can stick to a 45min straight study then a 10-15 min break strategy or something similar.

 

[OneDoctor]

Love how you guys are all well motivated and ready to start ! I will start with you guys on January 10th !

 

[Dahling]

Just put down my first five hours :-/ .... Since were making the 10th the official start date about we all try to take a practice test by then and we share are baseline if you want

 

[southpawcannon]

I won't do a practice for baseline until my first FL in early March. Not as fresh with the content as many of you are

 

[OneDoctor]

Just put down my first five hours :-/ .... Since were making the 10th the official start date about we all try to take a practice test by then and we share are baseline if you want

Yeah I also believe diagnostic tests are useless. I won't be able to break 25, my score will probably look like this: 7/4/5. I will do my content review (no questions/passages except the in-chapter examples) quickly, then take a diagnostic test to know where I am, and then start doing questions every day!

 

[23premes]

Same, holding off from taking any exams until I have all content down super well


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[Paul Darlington]

I registered for the April 24th exam but decided to postpone to this date because I am taking a semester load of classes. I am using Kaplan course and this is of course my second time taking. Guys we can do it, MCAT is only a test, if others have been able to do it, we can also do it so let the journey begin!

 

[southpawcannon]

FWIW I despise the wordiness of some of these passages.