testimonials of SN2ED's schedule HERE!

epsilonprodigy · Dec 21, 2010

I have been coming the threads, doing searches, etc. and have found very few status-post MCAT posts regarding SN2ED's schedule. I will most likely do his schedule this time around (it's my retake) but first, I would really like to hear more from the folks who have used it.. the good, the bad, the ugly and ESPECIALLY if it caused a significant change in your scores.

SN2ED, please don't be offended by this post. It's not to discredit you at all, I think I speak for us all when I say that your hard work on the schedule and many other things on the boards is immensely appreciated. I just want to be sure that I go about this thing optimally.

* COMBING, I've been COMBING the threads. Gawd, what is my problem today?!

tartrate · Dec 21, 2010

It's not really anything gimmicky, special, or magical.

It's basically using the TBR books, one chapter a day, then doing the AAMC tests. There are some additional recommendations, which are optional (EK Bio, EK1001, etc).

If you're a retaker with anything less than a 30, SN2's outline is more than enough to get you past that point, but it depends on you more than anything else.

You should "comb" the 30+ thread. You'll see people have used all sorts of schedules and materials and have still done well.

SN2ed · Dec 21, 2010

I've been meaning to do something like this, but got too busy. I searched through the 30+ and my schedule thread and found these.

A couple important points to keep in mind:

1. While I provide a schedule to help people, one's score is the result of their hardwork. For instance, you could have the best schedule and the best material, but if your work ethnic is bad, none of that matters.

2. Another thing to keep in mind is that the scores are likely to be posted in a similar manner to the MCAT Club threads. So I'd expect more scores posted by people that are really happy or mad with their results (usually more happy posts than mad).

protonate said:
1) Your individual scores and composite score
PS=14 VR=09 WS=O BS=12 Composite=35O

2) The study method used for each section
For BS+PS I followed SN2ed methodolgy with the following exceptions:
-Used TPR hyperlearning for content review
-Did not bother to use the 1001 series of EK-I substituted it for TPR workbook discretes
-So I used a combination of TPR science workbook and TBR passages
For WS, the first time I practiced was on test day lol
For verbal: English is my second language so I suck at it. I did 3 passages every morning from TPR and EK.
3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
-TPR
-TBR
4) Which practice tests did you use?
AAMC 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10. AAMC 8 had the exact same breakdown as AAMC8.
5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biology
6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
Be confident in yourself. If I can do it, you can!
7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
Over the summer while having a full time job.
Please send me a PM if you want more info.

Techmed07 said:
1) Your individual scores and composite score
PS=10 VR=12 WS=O BS=11 Composite=33O
2) The study method used for each section
I did not take an diagonostic test untill I was little bit in to SN2ed method. I found that even focusing on one section (PS) full time it was too much. I switched to EK and was able to actually finish it before I started a 6 week intensive MCAT course. The course was great but the classroom time (which was mandatory) took up 3 hours of my during the work week. Coupled with seminars and guest speakers...well you get the picture. I started verbal prep the semester before I took my MCAT. I ran through all the EK 101 before I started my Kaplan prep... looks liked it helped scored in the 95.5-98.8 percentile.

At the Kaplan prep camp, we took a diagnostic the first week (I got a 25) and than every subsequent week we took a Kaplan full length under timed and test like conditions (the last week we took two). I guess this helped with getting use to Kaplan exams. In terms to AAMC.. well that is a different story.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
EK, TBR and Kaplan- Physics, Biology, Chemistry (more EK than anything)
VR- Kaplan, EK, TPR (Did all Kaplan sectional tests, and the whole EK verbal).
WS- Kaplan... I know my score is horrible.. but believe me it could have been worst.

4) Which practice tests did you use?

Kaplan Diagnostic- 8,8,9--> 25
Kaplan Full Length I- 9,9,8----> 26
Kaplan Full Lengh II- 8,11,9---> 28
Kaplan Full Length III 9,10,12----> 31
Kaplan Full Length IIII 9,10,9------> 28
Kaplan Full Length VI- 8,10,11---->29
AAMC 3------------------- 7,10,9------26
AAMC-5--------------------8-9-10----26
Kaplan Full Length 6---10-11-12- 33
AAMC-6---------------------10-12-11----33
AAMC-7------------------8,9,11--------------28
AAMC 8------------------10,10,11----------31
AAMC 9-------------------12,9,10----------31
AAMC 10-----------------11,8,11--------30

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biology, I was fresh out of Cell Biology so I was legit for the BS section..or so I thought.
6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

My SAT score

480 Math, 620 VR, 520 WR, 12-Writing Sample

If I could with these score.. Score in top 12-8% of test takers in the country the first time. You can too.. Believe in yourself.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
May--->September. (4ish months).

Took a week or two off because the test got me down. It ended up being a much needed rest!

erskine said:
I can finally post here

1) Your individual scores and composite score
PS=13 VR=11 BS=15 Composite=39P

2) The study method used for each section
Attempted to follow SN2ed's 3 mo schedule but this was compacted into ~8 weeks of content review plus lots of BR passages and then ~2 weeks of FLs and practice passages due to poor planning on my part (IE vegas trip + food poisoning=little mcat studying). I had also borrowed some Kaplan material from my library the month before, which I just browsed over and re-familiarized myself with some of the content. During my official content review, I would read the designated section (one/day), do 4-5 practice passages, and then review them. I would alternate subjects and after reading 1 chapter in all of the books, I would take a day to review everything from the past few days. Couple verbal passages a day on the side. Last 2 weeks was doing more practice passages (i probably only finished 2/3 of all the ones i had) and FLs. Was a little burned out at the end.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
BR for Gchem, Physics, and Ochem. EK and EK 1001 for Bio. EK 101 for verbal. I had BR for verbal as well but after doing a few tests decided to ditch it.

4) Which practice tests did you use?
AAMC FL 3-10, and 3 kaplans. Kaplans were all low thirties, and AAMC average was 36.5

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biology

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
Practice passages definitely help to develop your test-taking skills like the ability to think under stress, time management, not being freaked out by weird questions, and wise guessing. Background knowledge is only part of getting a good score. I highly recommend BR- their passages really helped me. BR science questions are probably a good estimate of what the actual mcat will have (maybe BR is a little harder) and EK 101 verbal passages are about the same difficulty (maybe EK is a little harder) but the actual MCAT will have longer verbal passages (EACH passage 1-2 paragraphs longer).

Try and replicate the test day as much as possible when doing the FL practice. I think a healthy diet can work wonders on cognitive abilities. I was also a little burned out before my actual test day from the 11 FLs in 2 weeks time before, but I'm thinking that this actually might've helped my score. Being slightly fatigued on test day alleviated most of my anxiety and it allowed me to concentrate specifically on each passage, forgetting the past sections. I didn't let any challenging questions get me down- I gave it my best shot and moved on. I highly doubt I would've scored so high (around 2.5 pts higher than aamc average) if I had been completely well-rested since I know my test-taking apprehension would've been through the roof. Just something to consider for other slightly-neurotic test takers.

I graduated last year so I didn't have too much going on except the mcat, which I think definitely helped. Being able to exclusively focus on the sciences involved with the MCAT was helpful in being able to remember everything. Plus, this means I took the mcat after all my upper div sciences, like genetics, mo bio, biochem, ecology, developmental biology, etc..., which aren't necessary but definitely helped me answer a few questions on my actual mcat that weren't mentioned in my review books.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
10 weeks officially, probably around 4 hours a day during content review, then ~10 hours/day during the last 2 weeks. I also was reviewing some Kaplan material the month before, checked out from the public library- the new Kaplan premier program book, just to refresh general chem and general bio concepts.

loveoforganic said:
I used this schedule from the first day. I didn't really keep up with all of the verbal practice, and I was burning out a little at the end and decided not to do any hat trick, but other than that followed it to the T. I'll get my scores in two days, and will post them here. I kind of agree with SN2ed though, in that one or two examples of scores is essentially irrelevant. Unless one were take a matched sampling of say, 200 students following this schedule, 200 students following their own self study schedule, 200 students following each different class, then crunching all the numbers when the MCAT comes back, the scores you do see mean nothing really.

I feel like it was a great schedule.

loveoforganic said:
35 n. 12/11/12

mattnumbernine said:
I posted earlier in this thread, and ended up following this program for the 4 month variation. I took a full class schedule that was not terribly difficult while studying in the fall.

I got back my scores today and was satisfied with a 33P (12 PS 10 VR 11 BS).

I just wanted to post this because when I was first starting out I hadn't seen anyone claim that they had used this program while in school. It can be done as long as you don't have too many other commitments.

Thanks to SN2ed for the program, and best of luck to everyone else.

mattnumbernine said:
I took a 4 class schedule.

Introductory Statistics-about 1 hour work/week
Perception Psychology-No work except for the weeks of the three tests
Independent Study/Neuro Research-About 10 hours/week, mostly in the morning at the local teaching hospital
Introductory to Business-About 2 hours/week

I also play Division 1 baseball, which took up about 15 hours a week in the fall.

I put aside about 2-3 hours/day to do MCAT stuff. Obviously, my schedule was a bit hectic, but I also had all of my 5 week winter break to polish up on stuff. I never fell behind on the readings, and felt like I reached an information saturation point about 2 weeks before my January 30th test day.

cpufreak3 said:
I just wanted to chime in on this thread.

I followed this schedule (though I simplified it ALOT) and got a 35.

I just want to thank you for laying everything out.

drfancypants said:
yet another reminder that SN2 is a hero. i owe my 38 to this lesson plan. 8 months ago i knew nothing about the mcat; this plan gave me the confidence to resist the intimidation i'd feel from kaplan, PR, et al, and i'm pretty sure i did better studying on my own. i had to be flexible to suit my personal schedule and other demands, but it was an excellent framework. thanks!!

Colbare said:
I apologize in advance, this is a bit of a long one but worthwhile for somebody I hope.

Finally got my scores and I can say after all of it I'm happy the way it turned out. I didn't know I wanted to be a doctor until basically the last few pre-reqs and so my grades in those classes were definitely sub-par, C's and B's mostly. I wasted 3 of the early AAMC FLs and averaged a 22 before I did any studying. I knew going into this I wasn't coming from as solid of a background as most in these forums, but I put in the hours and did the best I could. My average PS was 5, VR 8, and BS 9.

Practice Scores:

I attached a spreadsheet of practice passage BR scores I made during the schedule. I basically just multiplied my percentage by 15 and put the numbers in to get an estimate and watch trends.

Gold Standard: I did 3 Gold Standard plus the remaining 5 AAMC tests. I wanted to do BR FLs but I didn't have time to wait for my mailed money order to go through (their ordering system is absurd). I did GS first and scored PS-7 VR-6 BS-9 ->22, PS-8 VR-8 BS-9 ->25, and PS-9 VR-8 BS-9 ->26. I was pretty demoralized, but I heard the GS were pretty hard compared to the real thing.

AAMC: #5: PS-9, VR-8, BS-10 ->27, #6: PS-9, VR-10, BS-10 ->29, #7: PS-8, VR-6, BS-10 ->24, #8: PS-9, VR-10, BS-9 ->28, #9: PS-10, VR-9, BS-10 ->29.

July 8th MCAT: PS-9, VR-9, BS-11 ->29 N

I definitely did zero writing practice and consequently bombed that part, but I think they have a better sample of my writing in the essays I've done for them anyway. I improved my score by 7 points on AAMC tests using this guide and can honestly say I followed it nearly word for word minus the hat trick due to near burn out at the end. Thanks SN2ed for everything, this guide has been epic to say the least. Good luck to everyone and I hope I've helped some decide how they want to prepare for this test.

Ranger Doc said:
SN2ed,

I just want to say thanks so much for your work in putting this plan together and sharing with everyone. I followed the 3-month plan almost exactly. It was tough, no doubt. But completely worth it. I got a 39R. I love you man!

Couglar said:
Just wanted to stop in and say thanks! I'm a Canadian so I'm dealing with tough VR and WS cut offs, and by using this guide and doing some serious WS practice I scored a 32R (11/11/R/10- PS/VR/WS/BS)!! The guide works great, thanks again!

islanders11040 said:
I used Sne2d 3 month review course with the Berkely review which i highly reccommend

2.5 weeks into studying got 23 on free Princeton review practice test

i took a free kaplan test 6-7 weeks into studying and got a 27

AMCC practice. I took them in order the month before the real mcat with a practice test every 3 days

3-26
4-29
5-29
6-31
7-28
8-30
9-29
10-33

9/3 2 pm
Actual 32P 11-10-11

I am happy the score and i actually did better than my average. The score i was most happy with was verbal 10. it aamc 3,4,5 i got 6,7,8 in VR so i was definitly able to improve it with practice. I left the last page in the PS section blank by mistake and that had 3 questions. maybe could have got a 33 but im not gonna stress over it. Im happy with the score i got since i felt pretty low about it when i found out i left the last page blank and the overall difficulty of the test. My summer of studying wasnt a waste and im never gonna open a MCAT book again. I have a 3.16 gpa 32P mcat score and am trying to go D.O incase anyone was curious. This mcat score may be what makes me a competitive applicant.

phonyreal98 said:
Hey SN2ed, just wanted to say thanks for this! I used your schedule and just got my scores back and I just wanted to let you know that I'm thrilled with my score!

RichardParker said:
Hi SN2ed,

I wrote my MCAT on Jan 29 and just got my score back, 35R. I followed the 4 month schedule. I want to thank you for the study schedule and all the useful tips you posted.

Also thanks to Berkeley review books, really helped me in orgo and gen chem. If you were a girl I would definitely be thinking long term.

Thanks
RP

LastPolarBear said:
Thanks SN2ed for the schedule. Really great stuff on here. I also took the 1/29/11 test and got a 31. I did it while on a light schedule of school work. Improved my score by 7 points. Thanks again brother. YOU DA MAN!

diamethuel said:
Another thanks for the schedule. I took the Jan 29 MCAT and here are my results using (more or less) your plan.

34Q (12ps, 10vr, 12bs) on real thing.

Average of AAMC's was 33.88
AAMC 3 12/26/2010 - 37 (13ps, 9vr,15bs)
AAMC 4 1/3/2011 - 29 (10ps, 9vr, 10 bs)
AAMC 5 1/6/2011 - 36 (13ps, 11vr, 12bs)
AAMC 7 1/13/2011 - 33 (12ps, 8vr, 13bs)
AAMC 8 1/15/2011 - 33 (12ps, 8vr, 13bs)
AAMC 9 1/18/2011 - 33 (12ps, 9vr, 12bs)
AAMC 10 1/22/2011 35 (12ps, 10vr, 13bs)
AAMC 11 1/26/2011 34 (13ps, 9vr, 12bs)

MCAT guy · Dec 21, 2010

tartrate said:
It's not really anything gimmicky, special, or magical.

It's basically using the TBR books, one chapter a day, then doing the AAMC tests. There are some additional recommendations, which are optional (EK Bio, EK1001, etc).

If you're a retaker with anything less than a 30, SN2's outline is more than enough to get you past that point, but it depends on you more than anything else.

You should "comb" the 30+ thread. You'll see people have used all sorts of schedules and materials and have still done well.

Best MCAT advice ever: Stop searching for the best plan or books. Get anything and master it. BR, EK, whatever. SN2's schedule is good because it has structure. There is no magic formula.

Start studying. Aim for mastery!

epsilonprodigy · Dec 22, 2010

Thanks guys! It's official- I have found ZERO poor reviews. And I'm assuming if someone was mad, they'd be all over the boards with it

Ordering my stuff today then!

SN2ed · Dec 22, 2010

Let me just reiterate that MCAT success rests solely on the individual. Though I certainly hope my schedule helps someone succeed.

Evergrey · Dec 22, 2010

I followed SN2ed's schedule but modified it for my own purposes (had tighter time constraints). Really like others said it's no secret.. you just gotta put the hours and practice in! I scored a 35R (12P/11V/12B) so it definitely worked for me! If you do anything though, make sure you take ALL of the practice tests. I did not finish taking them and I do feel that it hurt my score.

Techmed07 · Dec 22, 2010

Sn2 method is remarkable and well-thought out. After going through one physical science section with Sn2 method. I was able to score a 25 on the Kaplan Diagonistic, putting me in a great position to score at least a 30+. He/She has created a schedule that mimics the best aspects of $1000+ prep companies. Sn2 takes the best MCAT prep sources that the market can provide and creates a comprehensive plan that allows the individual to leave no stone unturn. The strengths of this program can be found in the fact of the detail provided, the scruntity used to pick the prep booklets, and its importance placed on "post-game" analysis. This MCAT program is not for the faint of heart, it is intense and requires unyielding focus.. However, Sn2 does provide rest days built into the schedule. This program is for anybody who wants to score at least a 30 on the MCAT. This program will help you regardless of your science background or aptitude ( I scored very poor on the SAT and ACT). Sn2 method is the gem of the MCAT thread on Student Doctor Network. My only wish is that I followed this program to the letter. I am positive I would have scored a 35+. Good luck on your MCAT endeavors :luck:

GooseWing · Jan 17, 2011

adenine · May 10, 2011

I just got my scores back, and received a 30M - I'm positive I would not have done as well without this plan of study! Thanks for the guide!

nixm01 · Aug 11, 2011

BUMP -

Any new testimonials to offer?

coyotelime · Aug 12, 2011

Taking my MCAT in 15 hours.

SN2's schedule is awesome. It's a commitment. You will find out within the first 1-2 weeks if you can motivate yourself to study. If not, it may be wiser to invest in a prep course. TBR content is too much but it really hits the concepts(and the not so important details) hard. If you think you have a great grasp from your prereqs, you may consider using EK for content and doing TBR passages. Their passages are the best hands down. They teach you not to freak in ANY kind of MCAT passage(there was some crazy one about proportional chambers on one of the FLs and I just looked at it was like well I've had worse in TBR shrugged and somehow got them all right), and undoubtedly assist you in developing that intuition that enables you to eliminate 1-2(if not 3!) of the answers right off the bat, leading to less time per question and increased chances of picking the right answer.

The bulk of SN2's schedule is TBR, which is why I wrote a lot on it. If you are willing to put forth the effort, I would definitely do it! I felt like giving up in the first week, but looking back I am so glad I kept going and followed through. Regardless of how I perform tomorrow, I have learned an incredible amount of information and revamped my thinking methods.

PhaseShift11 · Aug 12, 2011

The beauty of his schedule is that it's not something unnatural. I think a lot of his more subtle points are actually understated yet quite helpful. Things like doing BR and EK passages in 6-7 minutes instead of the 8.5 you get on the real MCAT. When you practice passages in 6-7 minutes, and you get a longer passage on verbal on the real thing, the timing should work out so that you finish it anyway. That stops any complaints about how the real verbal is longer, or the real passages were longer.

Another thing he stresses is the rotation of topics and the review the following day. This helps because when you almost "redo" the question by looking at it with a cool head, you can identify whether you made a mistake or whether you actually didn't understand. If you do a test and immediately jump back in to see your mistakes you won't really identify why you made that mistake as well.

I did SN2ed's method but I compressed it, doing multiple chapters in one day because I didn't have enough days. I'll tell you - it was hard doing 2 chapters of organic chem (each 40 pages) from TBR in one day, along with verbal practice, both orgo chapters' practice, reviewing yesterday's passages, and so forth. But if you stick with it you're guaranteed to do well.

SN2ed · Aug 12, 2011

PhaseShift11 said:
The beauty of his schedule is that it's not something unnatural. I think a lot of his more subtle points are actually understated yet quite helpful.

Exactly. There are more things going on in this schedule than most people realize. However, it ultimately is just a schedule. It's up to the individual to put in the work.

Swagster · Aug 17, 2011

nixm01 said:
BUMP -

Any new testimonials to offer?

I just read that epsilonprodigy, the OP, improved 11 points on his retake (25 to 36). I think that's one great testimonial right there.

Thanks to SN2ed for all the great and well-thought posts at SDN. They are a gift from the heavens. Like so many people, I based my study schedule on SN2ed's wisdom.

I have to confess that like epsilon, I didn't take it as face value when I started. I'm naturally a skeptic, so I bought all of the books I could find used and went through the first few chapters of each before deciding what combination I was going to use. It ended up being almost exactly what SN2ed recommends. As a few posters in this thread have already stated, it's basically doing a chapter a day from TBR and adding in some EK and TPR here and there. TBR gives a great foundation and the best passages bar none. Their explanations are pure gold. When you follow this up with EK questions you get your information fine tuned. TPR helps to fill in any weaknesses you might have and they have the best verbal passages.

I'll know for sure in a little over a month how well it worked. For now all I can say is that if I score anywhere even close to my AAMC averages, I'll be smiling for months.

Thank you SN2ed for everything.

epsilonprodigy · Aug 18, 2011

Yes indeed I did. I cannot express:
1) How vastly different and better this schedule is compared to any one test prep company alone

2) How effective it is in actually converting you over into the "MCAT way of thinking." This is paramount.

I modified the schedule in the following ways:

I did the EK 1001 questions after reading the TBR chapters. Only then would I attempt the passages.
Instead of rereading the chapters before doing the second and third set of passages, I would re-read my notes and consult TPR to fill in any blanks. TPR is a little more simplistic, but sometimes this is what you need.
For topics I had particular trouble with, like electrochemistry and genetics, I also did most of the passages in the TPR science workbooks. Do not be afraid to focus less on topics you know you're strong in, even if this means cutting out some recommended material in favor of something you know you need practice on!
I spent an epic amount of time going over completed passages. Hours. I actually sort of incorporated the hat trick into this: as I went over answers, I'd explain to myself "why" and then try to relate it to other concepts. I'd think of different spins that could have been put on the question, like if it was an apparatus-type question, I'd say, "OK, the purpose of the stopper on the beaker is to keep the gas in. This means the moles were constant. Therefore, an increase in pressure would have to be attributable to an increase in temperature. This would mean the molecules were moving faster, in other words, the bonds were recoiling more quickly, as though they had a greater "spring constant," etc. etc."

Also, just in general:

I characterized my mistakes. By this, I mean that I actually created categories and assigned each wrong answer to a category. Most of the time, I found that my mistakes were because I didn't pay enough attention to something in the question stem itself, or I overextended the implications of an answer choice.
I paid attention to the diagrams and equations, and very little attention to the actual prose of the passages. This is particularly important in PS when time is of the essence.

I will post on the 30+ thread soon but am trying to do 50 things at once, so I don't think my post would be very organized/helpful at this point.

study pray love · Jan 4, 2012

hey guys,
I'm kind of concerned about tracking progess while doing teh sn2ed sched.

To elaborate my concern: if you do the first 1/3rd of physics chp 1 passages and score 60%. then you do the 2nd portion of the 1/3 passages later and score 60%, does that mean you didn't improve? Then again, logically, you probably won't see vast improvement after doing and reviewing 4 passages..How do you know if you are going in the right direction?

How did you guys track your progress while doing the sn2ed sched since you don't take practice tests until the end portion?

any input would really be appreciated! thanks

TheWeeIceMan · Jan 4, 2012

study pray love said:
hey guys,
I'm kind of concerned about tracking progess while doing teh sn2ed sched.

To elaborate my concern: if you do the first 1/3rd of physics chp 1 passages and score 60%. then you do the 2nd portion of the 1/3 passages later and score 60%, does that mean you didn't improve? Then again, logically, you probably won't see vast improvement after doing and reviewing 4 passages..How do you know if you are going in the right direction?

How did you guys track your progress while doing the sn2ed sched since you don't take practice tests until the end portion?

any input would really be appreciated! thanks

In my opinion, you should be more concerned about understanding the concepts in the passages then the scores themselves. At this stage, it's about both content review and building the ability to tackle "MCAT style" passages, which I believe TBR is great at. For the record, I frequently get 60% correct on passages and my AAMC scores thus far have been far and away better then when first took the MCAT. In short, you're fine. Concentrate on thorough review of both correct and incorrect questions and wait until you get to the AAMCs to avaluate progress. Good luck.

MrNeuro · Jan 4, 2012

study pray love said:
hey guys,
I'm kind of concerned about tracking progess while doing teh sn2ed sched.

To elaborate my concern: if you do the first 1/3rd of physics chp 1 passages and score 60%. then you do the 2nd portion of the 1/3 passages later and score 60%, does that mean you didn't improve? Then again, logically, you probably won't see vast improvement after doing and reviewing 4 passages..How do you know if you are going in the right direction?

How did you guys track your progress while doing the sn2ed sched since you don't take practice tests until the end portion?

any input would really be appreciated! thanks

TheWeeIceMan said:
In my opinion, you should be more concerned about understanding the concepts in the passages then the scores themselves. At this stage, it's about both content review and building the ability to tackle "MCAT style" passages, which I believe TBR is great at. For the record, I frequently get 60% correct on passages and my AAMC scores thus far have been far and away better then when first took the MCAT. In short, you're fine. Concentrate on thorough review of both correct and incorrect questions and wait until you get to the AAMCs to avaluate progress. Good luck.

I'm personally spending extra time to make sure i understand the reading and then going to passages knowing that i really understood every example and what they did and why the did it....So when it comes to the 2nd 1/3 of TBR I'm doing more EK 1001s and really reading not skim reading the second time through

411309 · Jan 4, 2012

From taking SN2's advice on using tbr for GC and physics, my PS score has went from a 5 to around a 9-11.

study pray love · Jan 4, 2012

Thanks for the input guys

ColeSmalls said:
From taking SN2's advice on using tbr for GC and physics, my PS score has went from a 5 to around a 9-11.

do you know that because you have been doing practice FLs throughout the sched or you are estimating? How do you decipher and track your improvement/ progress?

5788401 · May 22, 2012

Hey

Just wondering. For those of you who followed the Sn2ed schedule and did well. Did you guys all do the hat trick by coming up with your own passages and questions? Or did you guys just chose random topics and did content review.

SN2ed · May 22, 2012

5788401 said:
Hey

Just wondering. For those of you who followed the Sn2ed schedule and did well. Did you guys all do the hat trick by coming up with your own passages and questions? Or did you guys just chose random topics and did content review.

The hat trick is based on integrating your content knowledge across various topics. Simply reviewing the content again isn't targeting the same goal as the hat trick.

5788401 · May 22, 2012

SN2ed said:
The hat trick is based on integrating your content knowledge across various topics. Simply reviewing the content again isn't targeting the same goal as the hat trick.

I totally agree with what you are saying. It's just how do I judge whether I'm connecting the random topics right? or that my questions and passages are actually MCAT-like questions and passages?

Also how many passages and questions should we aim to do for each set of the 3 topics and within what time frame do you recommend?

Hopefully, I'll get the hang of this with practice!

Buttafuoco · May 22, 2012

I wasn't able to use his schedule due to work and time constraints but I feel like his post helped me a lot- I ended up buying several books- EK 101, 1001 series, and TPRH that I was able to use for content review and practice that really helped me find weak spots and familiarize myself with the format and how best to attack passages.

docmayer · May 23, 2012

I'm having a really hard time getting a hold of BR material. I need some advice. My weak spot is verbal. I have EK101 and TPRH verbal - this brings me to about 144 passages, so about 2/day. I need as much practice as possible.

1. Would it benefit me to use BR verbal as well (gives me 115 more passages)?
2. If I can not get BR, is it fine to use Kaplan for the sciences (and the EK 1001 stand-alone questions)?
I took the course last year, so I have all the books, as well as their QBank and Topical/Subject tests and got 12BS and 10PS. Would this be an ok substitute for BR passages and sciences?

Thank you

MedPR · May 23, 2012

Schedule saved my life. It made sure I went through all the material and in a productive way. Result was a 33Q (11/11/11)

bauhinia123 · Sep 11, 2012

This schedule was incredibly helpful to me. I followed it meticulously except for the hat trick and the EK 1001 books, which I have used only once due to time constraint. Thank you SN2ED for creating this schedule and sharing it with the rest of us.

Bomikepa · Sep 12, 2012

so for those of us with the TBR physics books with a acutal 52 q exam at the end of each chapter, are we supposed to not do these as a entire exam and break them down like this?

First 1/3: Review Passage #1; Practice Exam Passage: #1, 4, 7
Second 1/3: Review Passage #2; Practice Exam Passage: #2, 5
Final 1/3: Review Passage #3; Practice Exam Passage: #3, 6

and also, the other tbr books have 100 q at the end of each section like the chem and bio and ochem and they have about 10-13 passages or so. So with Sn2ed schedule you dont do all the passages right? just 1-7 according to the first, second and third?

im just trying to clarify thats all!

thanks all

QuantumFlame · Sep 12, 2012

SN2ed is amazing. I followed the schedule almost exactly, except without the hat trick and I stopped EK1001 about halfway through my schedule.

AAMC Practice Test Average: 40
Actual: 39Q (14-11-14)

BerkReviewTeach · Sep 12, 2012

QuantumFlame said:
SN2ed is amazing. I followed the schedule almost exactly, except without the hat trick and I stopped EK1001 about halfway through my schedule.

AAMC Practice Test Average: 40
Actual: 39Q (14-11-14)

Congratulations! That is a fantastic score. If you interview anything like the way you post here, thoughtful and considerate, you'll be in the same percentile in terms of interview ranking.

BKN89 · Sep 13, 2012

Sn2ed's schedule was fantastic. It is logically laid out, and it makes sense. I highly recommend it without hesitation, and I found that being able to take the plan and mold it to my needs was far more helpful than a formal course would have been (and for a fraction of the cost).

I made some modifications that were useful to me, and perhaps might be useful to others as well:

I didn't do the hat trick. I felt it was too time consuming, and I wanted to spend more time looking over my notes instead.
I stopped using EK 1001 a few weeks in. I felt that it was time consuming, but low yield for me personally. Instead, I spent the extra time reviewing the BR chapters and making sure there were no gaps in my knowledge (I like to read through things more than once).
During the final month, while I was doing AAMC's, I cut back on doing the 3/3 phase of passages. I still did plenty of them, but not every single one. This was because I wanted to spend a lot of extra time reviewing the mistakes I made on the AAMC's and making sure it didn't happen again. I also spent some of the extra time going back to clarify content that I was having trouble with.
I stretched my schedule to ~3.5 months because I gave myself weekends off, and picked up on Monday wherever I left off, which was sometimes in the middle of a 6 day 'unit'. This interruption didn't seem to detract at all from my studying.
This schedule is not for those with very weak content. You should be at least somewhat proficient in the topics before you use the BR books to review them. I knew I was weak in G-Chem and Physics so I spent ~1 month using my textbooks to review just those topics. It worked.

I was very happy with the results, and I think the main thing to keep in mind is that you can modify the plan to your needs. In fact, I highly encourage it. Good luck!

QuantumFlame · Sep 13, 2012

BerkReviewTeach said:
Congratulations! That is a fantastic score. If you interview anything like the way you post here, thoughtful and considerate, you'll be in the same percentile in terms of interview ranking.

I appreciate that! I've been in a daze the last few days, it almost doesn't feel real

By the way...your guide on selling used BR books has been invaluable. Thank you for putting the effort into providing that resource.

BerkReviewTeach · Oct 10, 2012

QuantumFlame said:
I appreciate that! I've been in a daze the last few days, it almost doesn't feel real
By the way...your guide on selling used BR books has been invaluable. Thank you for putting the effort into providing that resource.

I hope that guide is useful. It stems from getting tons of PMs asking which version was which. I seriously wish they would have changed the covers with each revision, but for some reason they love their stupid covers. They change the topics listed on the cover, so why not change the color or something while you're at it? I think enough time has passed since the major revision of physics that the older versions are few enough that in the Q&A forum people don't have to mention whether it's the odler book or newer book. But the overlap of the two was a pain for about a year. The organic chemistry book is the one I still get PMs about, so maybe it's time to update that list. I'll probably wait until the next printing of general chemistry to make any changes though.

starlight15 · Oct 11, 2012

I am so glad my friend showed me SN2ed's schedule before I started studying this summer. I had already planned on self-studying but I was clueless in terms of books to get, how to study, etc. SN2ed utilizes a great resource (TBR books, I didn't get a chance to get any of the EK ones) and helped me structure my study schedule so I can study efficiently (I tend to worry about the logistics of studying).

I am also glad I took the advice to not take any diagnostic tests or AAMCs until I was done reviewing.

AAMC Practice Test Avg: 37
Actual: 40R (14/12/14)

I am so thankful for SN2ed's schedule! I honestly believe that without a set schedule and outline, I would not have scored so well. I would have spent too much time worrying whether I was using my materials most efficiently and trying to plan out my days.

Emerge NC · Aug 4, 2013

I just want to give a huge thanks to sn2ed for putting in all the work to create this awesome schedule and give me the confidence I needed to do well on the test my first try. I got a 32 (11 PS 10 VR 11 BS) and am very satisfied. Did not have to spend +$1000 on a prep course. Loved the TBR books, followed the schedule pretty much to the T.

Also, for those apprehensive about starting the schedule during school, it is doable, I certainly did. That being said, your life will be hell for those months, but hey what better way to prep for med school? To give more specifics I was taking Ochem II, Physics II, and Genetics while working and volunteering totaling to 15 hours a week. The key for me was actually aligning my MCAT prep with what I was studying in class. For example if I was about to take a test on spectroscopy, I would do my normal class studying, then when it was time for MCAT prep I would skip ahead to the structure elucidation chapter. This helped me really grasp the concepts and made sure my gpa didn't suffer (got a 3.75). It also helped that I started the 3 month schedule two weeks in advance so I could take days of when I was feeling burnt out. Again this is doable, but you really have to have your **** really together. I am great with time management and still managed to hit the gym 3 times a week, spend time w/ gf, go out rarely, etc. Good luck to everyone and thanks so much SN2ed!!! You really have done a great service to the pre-med community

happymeal · Mar 3, 2014

Can anyone help me understand SN2ed study plan of 1/3? I'm keep seeing this 1/3 and I'm not sure what that means. Thanks so much!!!

testimonials of SN2ED's schedule HERE!

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