Will my MCAT study strategy prove harmful in the long-run? Thoughts?

[clothcut]

I'm probably going to take the MCAT next April (applying next year, too), so I have a lot of time until then. What I'm doing now seems unorthodox, but basically I am reading through the all the EK books (following the 10 week schedule) but in terms of questions, I'm only doing Verbal. I'm taking OChem II/Phys II right now, so I don't really have time to spend hours going through Physics and Bio practice problems. I'd rather focus on getting an A in these classes. I'm also trying to read the Economist/Nature regularly until then.

My logic is that if I focus strictly on content until about November (by then I will have read all those books), I'll have the content down foundation-wise/conceptually (or at least be familiar with it) and then from November to April, focus on a more intensive study-schedule (perhaps the Sn2ed one) w/ questions, as by then I'll just have part-time work. I've taken everything but GChemI a year ago or less so its not too alien. Although, it seems that I suck at Physics, so I want to understand the concepts first before tackling questions.

Anyway, does this seem reasonable? Thanks!

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[Roxas]

I'm also taking it in April, and I guess my strategy is somewhat similar. I enrolled in a TPR online class from Jan-mid March. I'm in physics 1 and Genetics right now, so also trying to do well in those classes. For now I'm just going over content, and doing 1 verbal passage from EK 101 a day. Once I hit next semester (I'll be in physics 2 and cell/molec bio) I'm gonna start hammering the TPR workbooks and maybe some of the TPR diags/FLs to be ready for April.

 

[Dianyla]

I think it's quite reasonable, but would add a tiny caveat that it depends on what kind of learner you are. For me, reading only is kind of a waste of time. I have to be actively engaged in it to really learn and remember the knowledge, and the best way to do this is to do questions.

The ExamKrackers "1001 questions in..." series is great. I also highly recommend the official AAMC Self-Assessment packages.

 

[SN2ed]

Reading through the content won't hurt you, but it won't help much either. Your time would be better spent focusing on your classes and building up your ECs. Also, don't just go for an A, aim for content mastery in your classes. Doing that will be of far greater use by the time you have to study for the MCAT. Finally, definitely do NOT take any verbal passages. That's a complete waste of a limited resource. There are only two good resources outside of the AAMC material and that's not really enough for 3 months let alone for more than 5.

I would keep reading various articles and trying to summarize the article and the author's point of view.

 

[PocketJacks]

This is actually a great idea! Because when the time comes for the actual studying, you'll know most of the basics and won't really waste much time going over content. This will allow you to just spend most of the day doing passages/practice which is essential for the MCAT (+ it'll identify your weaknesses).

 

[newmember1]

Reading through the content won't hurt you, but it won't help much either. Your time would be better spent focusing on your classes and building up your ECs. Also, don't just go for an A, aim for content mastery in your classes. Doing that will be of far greater use by the time you have to study for the MCAT. Finally, definitely do NOT take any verbal passages. That's a complete waste of a limited resource. There are only two good resources outside of the AAMC material and that's not really enough for 3 months let alone for more than 5.

I would keep reading various articles and trying to summarize the article and the author's point of view.

This guy knows what he is talking about. I have pretty extensive (unfortunately) experience with the MCAT. The biggest mistake people make is just reading content. Reading content and memorizing equations is time NOT well spent for the MCAT. Better yet do something like this.

Now to November:

Get your hands on secondary TPR material. Read their books or take a class. At the same time do every single problem in the science workbook. Yes, every single problem and there are 1000s or problems.

November to April:

Practice tests galore and TBR passages. No more reading at this point (don't even open content review book). All you focus on passages, if you get something wrong that is the only time you go back to content. Equations aren't memorized, they're utilized (I hereby patent that phrase). All AAMC are to be done at this point. All TBR gchem and physics and if you would like ochem are to be done also. I also recommend Kaplan or Princeton tests if you can. Again, get in regime of passages. But you have to be doing passages from day 1 (not months into your studying).

Verbal:

I disagree. It's never to early.

Now to December: do the crappy stuff. LSATs, GREs, EK101, TPR online stuff, and the passages in TPR verbal wk book (not the tests in the back of it which are good).

December to test: tests in TPR wk book, Kaplan materials (if you can), TPR in class compendilum, and of course all and anything you can get from aamc (including all 3-10 tests and 1&2 and 6) along with the "official guide". AAMC is the best practice by far.

 

[Roxas]

This guy knows what he is talking about. I have pretty extensive (unfortunately) experience with the MCAT. The biggest mistake people make is just reading content. Reading content and memorizing equations is time NOT well spent for the MCAT. Better yet do something like this.

Now to November:

Get your hands on secondary TPR material. Read their books or take a class. At the same time do every single problem in the science workbook. Yes, every single problem and there are 1000s or problems.

November to April:

Practice tests galore and TBR passages. No more reading at this point (don't even open content review book). All you focus on passages, if you get something wrong that is the only time you go back to content. Equations aren't memorized, they're utilized (I hereby patent that phrase). All AAMC are to be done at this point. All TBR gchem and physics and if you would like ochem are to be done also. I also recommend Kaplan or Princeton tests if you can. Again, get in regime of passages. But you have to be doing passages from day 1 (not months into your studying).

Verbal:

I disagree. It's never to early.

Now to December: do the crappy stuff. LSATs, GREs, EK101, TPR online stuff, and the passages in TPR verbal wk book (not the tests in the back of it which are good).

December to test: tests in TPR wk book, Kaplan materials (if you can), TPR in class compendilum, and of course all and anything you can get from aamc (including all 3-10 tests and 1&2 and 6) along with the "official guide". AAMC is the best practice by far.

Thanks for the advice man, I will def get crackin on this

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Reading through the content won't hurt you, but it won't help much either.

This is advice made of pure platinum!

If you ask people who have taken the MCAT, most will tell you it's about passages and thoroughly reviewing them afterwards. If you ask people getting ready to study for the MCAT, they'll tell you about all of the reading they plan to do. This is because in school we are taught to study content and read, read, read! But the MCAT is not like school exams; it's a timed multiple-choice exam where the writers are trying to intentionally present material you know in an unfamiliar way. An important skill is the ability to quickly recognize basic information in a weird passage, and this skill does not come from content reading.

I know it's unnerving to not read pages and pages of content review, but the truth of the matter is that you'll get just as good of a review in terms of content and even better test preparation if you do passages first and then look back at the content for any subjects that caused you trouble. Passages first, then read only the material you need!

The very best way to prepare for a timed test that covers mounds of material is to learn the thought process by doing tons of timed passages and then going over your logic after you're done.