Lots of questions. Please guide!!

I wouldn't recommend taking any courses to prepare for the new section of the MCAT. I think most people are predicting that medical schools will not care what score you get in it. Just like the writing section now. Plus, you probably won't remember anything from this course by the time you take the test.

for study strategies, you just have to find what works for you. A lot of people rely on very inefficient methods to get A's. Not everyone has good enough memory to study quickly and retain it. It will also vary based on the style of testing. Try to find old tests or practice problems from your professor to get an idea of what the questions are like. They may be very different from the questions in the book.

I recommend getting a feel for how your professors teach and what they tell you to expect as far as exams go. Mastering a book isn't a guarantee you'll have mastered what the prof tests, especially if they include lecture material. Also, I'm not sure what they'll be asking as far as the psych section goes, so a 101 course isn't a bad start, but isn't necessarily going to teach you what you need to know for that MCAT section. AAMC and test prep companies will probably soon start rolling out more info about that, if they haven't already.

powerfetish said:

I want to start by thanking you guys for taking the time to guide me.

So, I took a research-oriented Bio class as a freshman first semester, but now I am taking the real pre-req. Bio class next semester. We are using the Brooker book. Should I study Biology the same way I studied for AP Biology by making notes? Currently, for the first three chapters, I read the chapter in detail, then made very detailed, pertinent study guides, reviewed the study guide, and then finally answered the back-of-the-chapter questions. I am able to achieve a basic mastery of the topics, but I feel as if my method is inefficient. I will be taking a lot of science classes next semester, researching, volunteering, living alone, etc. so I was hoping that someone could tell me the most effective way to comprehend Biology chapters. Should I also buy the book's tes tbank from online sellers because I was thinking that I should use the book's test banks for practice instead of making notes. Will this be more effective than my prior approach?

Also, I will be taking the course Principles of Psychology that is PSY 101 to prepare for the Psychology portion of the new MCAT. Will this course be sufficient prep, or do I need to take more advance Psychology courses?

Thanks again for helping me guys!!

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It is good to be meticulous at first and then try to make your study methods more efficient later on. You will find later on, through college, that reading the book and "every detail" is low yield (however, keep what you are doing for now). A more effective method would be to print out the lecture notes, go over it before class, then go over it after class, and then look into the books for detail the lecture notes you don't understand. When you take more classes, you might find professors that not follow the books very much. The high yield material is usually stuff that is gone over in class. The low yield material will be all the miscellaneous material in the book that has not been mentioned in class.

My suggestion is the following:
1) Continue what you are doing for now
2) Now integrate what I have mentioned in the paragraph
3) This means printing the powerpoint/lecture notes (if there are any)
4) Skim over the note before class and make question points for material you don't understand or have questions on
5) Listen to lecture to see if these question points are answered and add in extra detail from the lecture
6) Review the material after class.
7) Those questions not answered from the lecture notes (whether printed or written in class) look in the book for answers to these questions
8) Have mini reviews at the end of the week for all the material (nothing too intense)
9) Study for the exam (use the best study techniques in your arsenal)
10) Take the exam and get the results back
11) From there, see what way of studying was most effective (was just looking at the notes enough or was reading every detail in the book necessary?)
12) Use the most effective strategies from here on out.


As for the Psychology class, I have no idea how the concepts on it will be reflected on the new MCAT. I feel bad for your situation because you are facing a new monster of an exam.

Hopefully the study tips have helped you though.

Whoa....

Stay calm and no one will get hurt.