04/24/09 mcat club

[Bernoull]

I started this thread for those taking the MCAT on 04/24/09, I searched this site but couldn't find any thread for this test date. I just registered today, and I'm looking forward to 2.5 months of cranium-busting so that I can put this "four-letter-word" behind me once and for all!!!!

So sign up people and lets support, motivate and try to keep each other sane!! Best of luck to everyone testing on this date and any date for that matter!!!!!!!!!!

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[Bernoull]

I have a feeling that my test location will get cancelled, apparently I'm the only one registered for 4/24/09..

Where's my 4/24/09 MCATers at?????

 

[Forkit]

Count me in. I was thinking of taking it on the 18th but the 24th sounds better

 

[docbrill]

April 24 is the BIG DAY for me! Good luck to everyone!

 

[Jessica Stone]

I'm in too! Doing content reviews and finishing up on my pre-requisites. How do you feel about this exam?

 

[ziggyd0c]

i'm in!

planning to be done with content review by the end of february and then spend march/april doing practice, practice, practice!

 

[Bernoull]

Good to see all of you signing on..

I'm currently finshing content review (technically I've covered everything, however I finished bio, phy and inorgo back in july-sep '08, but I had postpone MCAT study to focus on school since fall '08 was a tough semester for me).

I recently completed Orgo, so my plan is to refresh/review bio,chem n phy b4 end of february and march/april will be purely problem-solving and FLs.

I was curious whether anyone here incorporates FLs into there content review. I don't because I feel it's not an accurate measure/indicator until u've covered all your bases. But a counter-argument could be that u're training urself for actual testing conditions (stamina, focus etc) which is important too.

 

[docbrill]

Good to see all of you signing on..

I'm currently finshing content review (technically I've covered everything, however I finished bio, phy and inorgo back in july-sep '08, but I had postpone MCAT study to focus on school since fall '08 was a tough semester for me).

I recently completed Orgo, so my plan is to refresh/review bio,chem n phy b4 end of february and march/april will be purely problem-solving and FLs.

I was curious whether anyone here incorporates FLs into there content review. I don't because I feel it's not an accurate measure/indicator until u've covered all your bases. But a counter-argument could be that u're training urself for actual testing conditions (stamina, focus etc) which is important too.

I don't incorporate full length's either. I will be done with content review by the middle of March (approximatelly 1 month before the exam), and then start taking practice tests. However, I took Kaplan diag two months ago (i think I got a 23 or something). I don't want to waste AAMC exams prior to covering all or at least the majority of the material I have two weaknesses, verbal and bio. I wish the bio section was 50 or more percent organic chemistry, I get like 85% + questions correct without having done any organic chem review! The bio is a different story though, my score mean is about 8 (EK), hopefully that's due to my lack of "exposure" to biology.
Anyway, how is everyone else's studying going?

 

[LeftyUM]

Hey all, count me in! I'll be done with content review in the next 2 weeks, then its time for the final.....stretch (a long stretch but itll fly) Quick question, about when did all of you start your content review?

 

[VCU07]

Count me in....I have been studying since last October or so while working full time. For some reason I can't seem to raise my score. I don't think it is all content, but more so the question format of the test. So, I am trying to practice, practice, practice. GL to everyone!

 

[msd848]

I am also taking the mcat on april 24th... i'm still working on content review.. still have to cover examkrackers biology... BR organic chem... and a half of BR gen chem... i plan to start doing practicing exams a month b4 the exam... a lil sooner... is anybody on the same page.. or am i behind?

 

[docbrill]

I am also taking the mcat on april 24th... i'm still working on content review.. still have to cover examkrackers biology... BR organic chem... and a half of BR gen chem... i plan to start doing practicing exams a month b4 the exam... a lil sooner... is anybody on the same page.. or am i behind?

I also have to cover half of BR gen chemistry. Also, I have covered five chapters from Kaplan O. Chem (nine more to go), and I still have to cover half of BR physics and three chapters from EK biology. So, I will start doing practice tests maybe 40 days before the exam.

 

[pbenbrownMD]

Count me in on the 24th of April....

This is my second time taking the test and im planning on it being the last time. I've been doing content review for around 2 1/2 months now and I'm just about done (things have been a little slow due to school and work) but getting ready to hit those full lengths hard-core in the next month and a half.

Good luck to everyone...

 

[McFlojoDPT]

Well, here I go. I studied for this beast two years ago, decided not to take it, got myself into PT school and now I'm back on the road again. April 24th, the day I'll either grow to love or hate. I'm going to try some self study this time. Enough writing, I better go hit the books now.

Good luck everyone, I hope to see some of you sitting next to me next year.

 

[Sleight]

I am taking it too! I am almost done with content review and have taken two practice tests and not done as well as i wanted to so I think I will wait until I am done with content...I have also been doing EK 101 verbal and I am going to start 1001 q's after I finish content...it just never ends...

 

[HawkeyePostOp]

hello all. Got my Jan 30th score: 30R.
Just registered for 4/24

 

[workforsuccess]

hello all. Got my Jan 30th score: 30R.
Just registered for 4/24

I'm in as well- I'm in the same boat as you mate . My verbal score was not at all satisfactory. So gotta take it again. I'm hoping it will work out well this time. Good luck everyone .

 

[yluo2]

hey guys, i'm taking it on this date too, is the verbal most appropriately imitated by EK 101?

 

[FML]

in the same boat as the other two, just got results from 1/30/09.. a 31R but I was avg a 35 for AAMC practice tests, my verbal was barely acceptable lol (a 9)

as of right now, idk where to even start studying, think i;ll do content review for 4-5 weeks (along with verbal 101) and practice tests only for the last 2 weeks.

so I'm in the same boat.... bring on 4/24! (last day of classes for me but get to delve straught into final exams right after mcat yay!)

 

[workforsuccess]

That Jan 30 MCAT was a bummer- I was averaging 35-36 on my aamc practice tests and the real one was nothing like any of 'em. I've spent my whole spring break reviewing the topics again. I have no idea how to improve the verbal score though. Got a 9 the first time. But that Jan 30 verbal was a killer- the passages were waaaaaaaay too long. Hopefully this one will be much more similar to the practice tests.

 

[FML]

That Jan 30 MCAT was a bummer- I was averaging 35-36 on my aamc practice tests and the real one was nothing like any of 'em. I've spent my whole spring break reviewing the topics again. I have no idea how to improve the verbal score though. Got a 9 the first time. But that Jan 30 verbal was a killer- the passages were waaaaaaaay too long. Hopefully this one will be much more similar to the practice tests.

my sentiments exactly. but i didn't thnink the verbal was too bad when I took it, but the 9 certainly proved otherwise...
but you are ahead of me, I'm not starting review til tomo, I'm gonna sulk a little more today lol

 

[workforsuccess]

hey guys, i'm taking it on this date too, is the verbal most appropriately imitated by EK 101?

Well, it really varies- the verbal I had was much much harder than the EK tests. I got 11+ scores on all of the EK tests and the real one sucked. However, I think that it is safe to say that the EK tests are the closest imitations of the real verbal (apart from the aamc practice tests ofcourse ).

 

[docbrill]

Ok, so I did my first practice exam today (AAMC 4), but I feel like I wasted it because I had the solutions on (BIG MISTAKE). It's not that I changed answers, but I looked sometimes to see if it is right or wrong. I am pretty sure that's cheating


Anyway, I scored 33, which is probably like 26. I still have to review 2 chapters from BR PHY and 1 EK BIO. After next week, I will do mostly practice passages and take the rest AAMC's and maybe one or two GS full lenghts. I feel like my biggest problem is biology, I scored an 8 on this one (11 initially, but because I had solutions on, I estimated an 8), and I scored a 7 on another aamc bio which I took separately. On BIO EK 1001, I usualy get around 9. I just made a detailed study schedule for the next three weeks, so hopefully this will help. If you guys started with low bio and improved slowly, please let me know what materials you used.

How is everyone else's studying going? Are you doing practice tests? Let's keep the motivation up

 

[Bernoull]

Ok, so I did my first practice exam today (AAMC 4), but I feel like I wasted it because I had the solutions on (BIG MISTAKE). It's not that I changed answers, but I looked sometimes to see if it is right or wrong. I am pretty sure that's cheating


Anyway, I scored 33, which is probably like 26. I still have to review 2 chapters from BR PHY and 1 EK BIO. After next week, I will do mostly practice passages and take the rest AAMC's and maybe one or two GS full lenghts. I feel like my biggest problem is biology, I scored an 8 on this one (11 initially, but because I had solutions on, I estimated an 8), and I scored a 7 on another aamc bio which I took separately. On BIO EK 1001, I usualy get around 9. I just made a detailed study schedule for the next three weeks, so hopefully this will help. If you guys started with low bio and improved slowly, please let me know what materials you used.

How is everyone else's studying going? Are you doing practice tests? Let's keep the motivation up

I wouldn't worry too much about ur Bio score since you haven't completed ur review. As you stated, FLs with solutions on is a BAD IDEA, so the next FL w/o "solutions on" will be a better gauge of ur preparedness. Personally Bio is my strong suit since Biology was my undergrad degree and I recently "RE-LEARNT" Orgo (it was painful but i'm glad it over!!). I think Biology's pretty conceptual and some things you need to memorize (hormones/endocrinology for example). Currently my schedule is pretty ******ed - f/t work/grad school/MCAT- so I'm taking 3 wks off work towards end of MArch through mid April and I plan on taking a FL every other day and do a thorough review the days in between.

 

[michelle918]

count me in for the 4/24.

havent done any FLs yet, i plan on starting by next weekend.

How do you study for physics??!! It's been too long since my freshmen year physics.... =( Do you just read the book and do problems until you get it? I read the EK physics and did most of the 1001 problems, but still not confident AT ALL. please help?

 

[FML]

for physics, I would try and understand concepts fully first before going onto problems

I thought EK was good for conceptual stuff for physics but I've heard people use lots of outside sources as well

 

[yessira]

I think that for physics, practice is everything. The key is to make sure you are never surprised by what they ask of you. If you've practiced enough, every question that you may encounter will be one you have done before.

 

[baylorbear333]

well originally i was planning on taking it 4/18. turns out i'm taking it 4/24! I'm just now taking my first full length practice tomorrow. Probably a bad decision on my part to wait this long but from here on out I'm just doing full lengths, as many as I can get in. How is everyone else doing on the studying?

 

[ziggyd0c]

well originally i was planning on taking it 4/18. turns out i'm taking it 4/24! I'm just now taking my first full length practice tomorrow. Probably a bad decision on my part to wait this long but from here on out I'm just doing full lengths, as many as I can get in. How is everyone else doing on the studying?

also just starting my FLs. i'm gonna be working on those as well as the EK 1001 questions in biology and physics, and EK 101 verbal passages from here on out. when i find a concept that i keep messing up on, i'm gonna hammer it into my brain. it's crunch time!

 

[baylorbear333]

wow. So I just did my first FL. 21. Better than my diagnostic, but still a little discouraging. I'm hoping the scores keep going up??? Is that how it went for everyone else? I guess I'm just going to keep reveiwing and reviewing, especially Physical sciences and bio. I did pretty ok on the VR.
I'm sick of this test already.

 

[ziggyd0c]

holy crap, i just took my first FL and scored a 40

it was AAMC #3, the free one. does anyone know if #3 is much easier than the others? i can't believe i scored that high! i guess i'll have to see how the next one goes, planning to take another in a couple days.

 

[Sleight]

I am in headache nation right now! I just realized that the MCAT is a little over a month away!! Anyone else freaking out about that? Feeling a bit nauseous right now!! Just finished content review...still working on memorizing everything of course bc that is an on going process but we will see...working on 1001 right now...yikes...

 

[Bernoull]

holy crap, i just took my first FL and scored a 40

it was AAMC #3, the free one. does anyone know if #3 is much easier than the others? i can't believe i scored that high! i guess i'll have to see how the next one goes, planning to take another in a couple days.

Congrats on a phenomenal score. I think ur score is an accurate reflection of ur preparedness. I took aamc 3 kast year b4 content review n scored a 24. Keep it up!!

 

[drareg]

this verbal is a tough one, im killin bs and ps but this verbal is like all over the place , how do i score consistently with this?

 

[plee87]

wow. So I just did my first FL. 21. Better than my diagnostic, but still a little discouraging. I'm hoping the scores keep going up??? Is that how it went for everyone else? I guess I'm just going to keep reveiwing and reviewing, especially Physical sciences and bio. I did pretty ok on the VR.
I'm sick of this test already.

Don't worry too much about that. According to my Kaplan instructor, your progression in practice tests is more exponential than linear. So you'll have a couple practice exams where they're near your diagnostic, but then it'll get better once you get used to the questions. I got a 22 on my first one, but then got a 28 on the second one. Hopefully it'll keep increasing.

 

[Bernoull]

I don't know if anyone here is going through this, but I'm developing "MCAT OCD" I can't stop applying these science concepts to the stupidest of things.

This afternoon, I'm at the library and the janitor drove by in a "motorized sweeper" and the noise it made got louder n louder as it got closer, obviously right. The thing is this has happened billions of times b4 with other machines and I always did wat any normal person would do - IGNORE IT. But today, subconsciously i asked myself is that da doppler effect, then i thought no, it's not, it's just sound intensity, which increases as radius decreases, but then again i thought, the observed freq had to be higher since the source was getting closer... So I finally slapped myself to get out of this insanity!!! I think im losing it

 

[drareg]

I don't know if anyone here is going through this, but I'm developing "MCAT OCD" I can't stop applying these science concepts to the stupidest of things.

This afternoon, I'm at the library and the janitor drove by in a "motorized sweeper" and the noise it made got louder n louder as it got closer, obviously right. The thing is this has happened billions of times b4 with other machines and I always did wat any normal person would do - IGNORE IT. But today, subconsciously i asked myself is that da doppler effect, then i thought no, it's not, it's just sound intensity, which increases as radius decreases, but then again i thought, the observed freq had to be higher since the source was getting closer... So I finally slapped myself to get out of this insanity!!! I think im losing it

haha i have been doing the same thing!

 

[drareg]

I don't know if anyone here is going through this, but I'm developing "MCAT OCD" I can't stop applying these science concepts to the stupidest of things.

This afternoon, I'm at the library and the janitor drove by in a "motorized sweeper" and the noise it made got louder n louder as it got closer, obviously right. The thing is this has happened billions of times b4 with other machines and I always did wat any normal person would do - IGNORE IT. But today, subconsciously i asked myself is that da doppler effect, then i thought no, it's not, it's just sound intensity, which increases as radius decreases, but then again i thought, the observed freq had to be higher since the source was getting closer... So I finally slapped myself to get out of this insanity!!! I think im losing it

haha i have been doing the same thing!

 

[JokerMD]

da doppler effect, then i thought no, it's not, it's just sound intensity, which increases as radius decreases, but then again i thought, the observed freq had to be higher since the source was getting closer...

just to learn something from this, the situation you experienced WAS the doppler effect right?

also, what do you mean sound intensity increases as radius decreases??

im studying sound right now, so just wondering

 

[ziggyd0c]

just to learn something from this, the situation you experienced WAS the doppler effect right?

also, what do you mean sound intensity increases as radius decreases??

im studying sound right now, so just wondering

the difference in PITCH that you experience as something goes by you is the doppler effect (frequency is higher than normal when coming toward you and lower than normal when moving away from you).

sound intensity (loudness) decreases by a factor of 1/r^2

 

[Bernoull]

just to learn something from this, the situation you experienced WAS the doppler effect right?

also, what do you mean sound intensity increases as radius decreases??

im studying sound right now, so just wondering

Technically I experience two phenomena:
1. Increasing Intensity (Power/Area), since area decreased, I increased. As ziggydoc rightly stated.

2. Doppler effect, distance between source and observer decreased therfore observed frequency increased. I gotta admit the higher pitch (due to increasing frequency) WAS NOT perceptible though, but that's another topic.

This discussion has me thinking (i'm sorry) ... when Intensity changes but Power is constant, the Doppler must also happen!!! In other words when I changes bcos of a change in radius freq has to increase or decrease hence the Doppler Effect....

 

[JokerMD]

This discussion has me thinking (i'm sorry) ... when Intensity changes but Power is constant, the Doppler must also happen!!! In other words when I changes bcos of a change in radius freq has to increase or decrease hence the Doppler Effect....

hmm...im not sure. i was always under the impression that doppler had to do with moving sound sources or moving detectors. simply shifting position from a to b (but not taking velocity of movement into account) doesn't seem to be "doppler-ish." But i may be completely wrong...

Damn, this sound intensity stuff is really scaring me. TPR doesn't describe this inverse square law for intensity in their hyperlearning PS textbook
i wonder what else they've left out

 

[Bernoull]

hmm...im not sure. i was always under the impression that doppler had to do with moving sound sources or moving detectors. simply shifting position from a to b (but not taking velocity of movement into account) doesn't seem to be "doppler-ish." But i may be completely wrong...

Damn, this sound intensity stuff is really scaring me. TPR doesn't describe this inverse square law for intensity in their hyperlearning PS textbook
i wonder what else they've left out

You are absolutely right in that Doppler effect requires moving source and/or observer. I'll make 2 points to clarify.
1. Specifically the movement that is required is a relative one. If both source n observer have the same velocity ("vector definition": same direction and speed) their relative velocity is 0 therefore no doppler effect. Non-zero relative velocity is required for Doppler.

2. Back to my theory about changing Intensity (by ONLY changing radius) implies Doppler effect. (First by radius i mean distance b/t observer n source) For radius to change, there must be relative motion b/t observer and source and when that happens, by definition you have Doppler effect.

About sound Intensity, there's 2 things u want to know for the MCAT;

a)Intensity is directly proportional to A^2, f^2 and v and inversely proportional to r^2

b) Relationship b/t Intensity and Decibels: 10^x (change in Intensity) = x*10 (change in decibel). And of course they change in direct proportion - either increase or decrease together. That's pretty much it for intensity.

 

[baylorbear333]

Hey guys, just took my second FL (I know, i'm super behind on taking these. You wouldn't believe my life right now.) I got a 26. I'm pretty proud of that, all things considered. How much more do you think my score can go up before the 24th if I keep studying?

 

[Bernoull]

Hey guys, just took my second FL (I know, i'm super behind on taking these. You wouldn't believe my life right now.) I got a 26. I'm pretty proud of that, all things considered. How much more do you think my score can go up before the 24th if I keep studying?

That's a decent jump form your diagnostic (+5).. Zone in on ur weaknesses and u can improve ur next score. If it puts u at ease, I'm hoping to finish content review by saturday. I got 7 bio lectures to go. I haven't taken any FLs yet... I think a month of solid FLs and practice should be more than adequate...

 

[makingmd]

Well I have lots of clubs to join.

For now let's start w/ 2

The APRIL 24th MCAT Club & The 30+ Club. I turned 31 a month ago.

Looking forward to joining the 30+ MCAT club

I scored a 26, 24 and a 27 on 3 FL. I know I still have work to do, but I am ready. I am a re-tester also.

4 weeks from tomorrow!!!!

Good luck all.

 

[Sleight]

I am seriously starting to understand why people take this test during the summer...man it's a lot to do right now...finished content review, working on getting through 1001 stuff (mainly bio and verb bc I heard those were the best ones) then FL's...how do you guys find a 6 hour block in your day to take a full length? or do you take them in chunks? doesn't that defeat the purpose of using it go get used to the marathon?

 

[makingmd]

Certainly much less of a marathon then it used to be

I had to dive right in. I also work full time so there are some that I have had to split up in chunks. Do what suits you best.

Good luck!!

 

[yluo2]

hey guys I've taken some Kaplan FLs, Berkeley Review FLs, AAMC FLs,

I was wondering if you guys knew which company is the hardest in content and questions in their FL. I just want to take the hardest tests since it seems that the recent MCATs are not very representative of the AAMCs practice tests in difficulty I'm considering if buying Gold Standard or Princeton Review FLs is worth it.

 

[drareg]

hey guys I've taken some Kaplan FLs, Berkeley Review FLs, AAMC FLs,

I was wondering if you guys knew which company is the hardest in content and questions in their FL. I just want to take the hardest tests since it seems that the recent MCATs are not very representative of the AAMCs practice tests in difficulty I'm considering if buying Gold Standard or Princeton Review FLs is worth it.

the examkracker 1001 series is the most difficult for me, they are not fl and not passage based but i do ALOT worse on these than I do on any practice mcat i have taken. i average 35 - 38 on my aamcs but get about every 3rd question wrong on the 1001 series haha .... granted some of the questions are too specific but they are great concept clarifiers that will un doubtedley help you out on the actual test