Advice!!!

TheBoneDoctah · Jul 24, 2013

So I took AAMC #3 and scored 7/6/7 (20) after watching Chad's Videos for chemistry and physics (and the associated quizzes with it). I took AAMC #3 primarily without doing any practice passages or anything (however I know 20 is a horrible score). I missed at least 5 physics questions only because I didn't remember the formulas (I hadnt gotten to that part in my Chad's Videos yet. I am finishing physics review tonight). I also haven't done any biology review yet.

My plan is to work problems in Berkeley Review, do 5 verbal passages a day, and do a practice exam every 3 days until test day.

How does this sound? Can I make up the ground in time? My goal score is at least a 30.

athockey7 · Jul 24, 2013

when is ur exam... im assuming this year

finish content before u do any more practice exams because they are too valuable to "waste"

also I have watched several chad's videos and for me personally, although they are great, i do not think they are enough for sole content review but that is just me.... idk..
i feel u learn more if it is written in text. plus chad does not cover every detail tbr goes into which i think can be beneficial

also u need to be doing passages. simple.

and u havent studied bio yet? and u plan to do this in this short amount of time from scratch ....

if u can finish all of ur content in time, then take another practice test. if that is good continue on if u hell bent on taking the exam at this date. if it is still lower than u want than cancel/void ur exam.

and im feelin this thread is a little trolly...idk :laugh:

disregard trolly comment.. i see ur posts from earlier 🙂

TheBoneDoctah · Jul 24, 2013

Thanks for the advice. Not trying to troll...I am just tying to get advice cause after that test, I was really discouraged. I felt as if I knew more than I did. I took EK 1H practice exam that they include (paper version) and scored 8/7/8 (23) and I heard that that exam was supposed to be way harder...so idk what happened today. I thought I was gonna score 25+ at least.

My exam is scheduled for August 16th.

athockey7 · Jul 24, 2013

yea i mean if u have not touched ur bio content yet, and still require more attention towards ur p.s. as well... i do not know if the 16th is ideal

if u are not applying this cycle i would consider delaying possibly, unless for some reason today u just panicked and did not perform like u should have

TheBoneDoctah · Jul 24, 2013

athockey7 said:
yea i mean if u have not touched ur bio content yet, and still require more attention towards ur p.s. as well... i do not know if the 16th is ideal

if u are not applying this cycle i would consider delaying possibly, unless for some reason today u just panicked and did not perform like u should have

I am applying this cycle. Well...I was supposed to.

MedOldAge · Jul 25, 2013

SynapticDoctah said:
I am applying this cycle. Well...I was supposed to.

Postpone till Jan 2014 and apply next cycle.

Don't take MCAT unless you are ready..........it is pointless.

BerkReviewTeach · Jul 25, 2013

I think the biggest problem here is a common one. A big problem in many study plans is the disproportionate emphasis on review and the minimal emphasis on practice. If all you do is read text or watch videos, then you get a false sense of security that you know the material, because it looks and feels familiar. But doing well on the MCAT requires learning how to translate their questions into ones that fit the pool of information in your head, and that comes only from practice and problem solving.

Use whatever review tools you like, but make that only about 20% of your preparation time. Do passages, questions, and post-exam debriefing with the remaining 80% of your preparation time.

MedOldAge · Jul 25, 2013

BerkReviewTeach said:
I think the biggest problem here is a common one. A big problem in many study plans is the disproportionate emphasis on review and the minimal emphasis on practice. If all you do is read text or watch videos, then you get a false sense of security that you know the material, because it looks and feels familiar. But doing well on the MCAT requires learning how to translate their questions into ones that fit the pool of information in your head, and that comes only from practice and problem solving.

Use whatever review tools you like, but make that only about 20% of your preparation time. Do passages, questions, and post-exam debriefing with the remaining 80% of your preparation time.

+++ The choice of words is the best comment I have seen.
Hope it will not get buried as time goes by.

TheBoneDoctah · Jul 25, 2013

BerkReviewTeach said:
I think the biggest problem here is a common one. A big problem in many study plans is the disproportionate emphasis on review and the minimal emphasis on practice. If all you do is read text or watch videos, then you get a false sense of security that you know the material, because it looks and feels familiar. But doing well on the MCAT requires learning how to translate their questions into ones that fit the pool of information in your head, and that comes only from practice and problem solving.

Use whatever review tools you like, but make that only about 20% of your preparation time. Do passages, questions, and post-exam debriefing with the remaining 80% of your preparation time.

Do you think if I studied for
8-10 hours a day doing practice passages in BR that that would give me enough time? My exam is scheduled on August 16. Also, if I were to push it back
Till September, but score 30+, would I still have a good chance at DO schools? My GPA is 3.3-3.4ish with great EC and LOR

Spinach Dip · Jul 25, 2013

BerkReviewTeach said:
I think the biggest problem here is a common one. A big problem in many study plans is the disproportionate emphasis on review and the minimal emphasis on practice. If all you do is read text or watch videos, then you get a false sense of security that you know the material, because it looks and feels familiar. But doing well on the MCAT requires learning how to translate their questions into ones that fit the pool of information in your head, and that comes only from practice and problem solving.

Use whatever review tools you like, but make that only about 20% of your preparation time. Do passages, questions, and post-exam debriefing with the remaining 80% of your preparation time.

Bingo. Practice tests >> Content review

Well said.

The_Sunny_Doc · Jul 25, 2013

Have to say I disagree just a bit if we're talking about Physics. When I studied Physics and undergrad, I did a ton of highly visual note taking and hand drawn illustrations that stayed with me a lot longer than the practice problems. It's why I got almost all the Physics problems on the PS of the practice tests I took, even if my Gen Chem calculation problems tanked the score. You have to UNDERSTAND the why in Physics. It's not monkey work, unlike calculating molality or stoichiometry.

Chad's videos aren't the best for Physics. First of all, you're watching him doing the thinking, and second of all, his visuals are abysmal. No colors, no details. If you can hand draw and diagram out the concepts, they'll stick in your mind forever. If you just take p-tests, you won't "get it." Take a p-test and use that as a guide to point you to the right places in EK or TBR. Then, READ what the books say about the concepts and look at the diagrams they include. EK has far better visuals for this, but their explanations can be lacking. Google images has great physics diagrams for almost every concept. Print out a pic, write the necessary formulas on it, and watch a video of the problem happening (ex: an animation of the Doppler). That way, you can "watch" the problem happening in your mind during the test. Takes only a few seconds to think through a problem that way. This method takes time though. You might not be able to improve your Physics score dramatically in a few weeks if that is your goal.

TheBoneDoctah · Jul 25, 2013

sunnymd01 said:
Have to say I disagree just a bit if we're talking about Physics. When I studied Physics and undergrad, I did a ton of highly visual note taking and hand drawn illustrations that stayed with me a lot longer than the practice problems. It's why I got almost all the Physics problems on the PS of the practice tests I took, even if my Gen Chem calculation problems tanked the score. You have to UNDERSTAND the why in Physics. It's not monkey work, unlike calculating molality or stoichiometry.

Chad's videos aren't the best for Physics. First of all, you're watching him doing the thinking, and second of all, his visuals are abysmal. No colors, no details. If you can hand draw and diagram out the concepts, they'll stick in your mind forever. If you just take p-tests, you won't "get it." Take a p-test and use that as a guide to point you to the right places in EK or TBR. Then, READ what the books say about the concepts and look at the diagrams they include. EK has far better visuals for this, but their explanations can be lacking. Google images has great physics diagrams for almost every concept. Print out a pic, write the necessary formulas on it, and watch a video of the problem happening (ex: an animation of the Doppler). That way, you can "watch" the problem happening in your mind during the test. Takes only a few seconds to think through a problem that way. This method takes time though. You might not be able to improve your Physics score dramatically in a few weeks if that is your goal.

I've noticed this. I got way more out of the BR book for AC circuits than I did from Chad.

Advice!!!

TheBoneDoctah

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athockey7

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TheBoneDoctah

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athockey7

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TheBoneDoctah

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MedOldAge

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BerkReviewTeach

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MedOldAge

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TheBoneDoctah

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Spinach Dip

Delicious with nachos

The_Sunny_Doc

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TheBoneDoctah

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