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Hey Everyone!
Using this plan (<--Click), I went from 30th Percentile to 90th Percentile!
HERE IS AN UPDATED ARTICLE How I Went from 30th to 90th Percentile (<--Click) I WROTE ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF MY STUDY PLAN
***UPDATED 2021 100 DAY MCAT SCHEDULE*** CLICK HERE for an updated version incorporating more modern resources. Created by the SDN team based on all of YOUR advice on various pages. Looks awesome!
I created a 2015 adaptation from @SN2ed's and @mcatjelly's study plans. I tried to eliminate some of the physics not covered in the new MCAT and am open to suggestions! I'll also probably combine some of the days if I can get through the chapters quicker than expected.
Key points: Practice is important! Don't read too much about Verbal strategy, just practice and hone your skills. REVIEW EVERYTHING! Always question why you missed something and always question why you got it right. Review should take as long as the actual passage, test, etc.
**I keep getting questions about why I RECOMMEND the pre-2015 books, this is inaccurate. It is not that I recommend pre-2015 MCAT books. I used pre-2015 MCAT books because that was all that was available to me when I was studying for the 2015 MCAT, and it worked fine for me.
**PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS BECAUSE I KEEP GETTING REPEAT QUESTIONS: The Kaplan column was adapted from mcatjelly's schedule specifically for individuals that only have Kaplan books and do not want to buy the entire set of materials I used. I did not personally complete mcatjelly's study plan, nor did I study using that. I only used their plan to adapt mine to Kaplan materials. Though I do not recommend the Kaplan books. They are too detailed. The MCAT is more broad!! Don't focus on details.
- Materials I Incorporated:
-SN2ed Complete Set (<-- CLICK AND READ) (BR Verbal not necessary) YOU MUST READ THIS PLAN FOR MINE TO MAKE SENSE- I used Pre-2015 BR books
-2015 Kaplan Study Books & On-Demand Course (optional - only added for individuals that already have Kaplan books) - Not recommended. Too detailed.
-NextStep Psychology and Sociology Strategy and Practice book 2015
You can buy these off of Ebay, Amazon, or you can get them here: For Sale and Advertisements
Here are some updates that you can make to the plan:
- Add AAMC practice question packs the 2-3 weeks before your MCAT. This is a great way to become comfortable with the way the authors write.
- You do not necessarily need three different CARS/Verbal resources. You can use the AAMC question packs, EK101 (though these seem easier than the new CARS section), TPRH Verbal Book
- Think of this plan as a checklist. You can rearrange it however you want
- Realize I posted this plan before I even took the MCAT. I was still trying to make sense of the 2015 MCAT
- Taking forever to read through a chapter? I mostly watched Khan Academy MCAT section to learn a lot of the material then skimmed the chapters for anything Khan Academy did not cover. Then I went and did passages. REVIEW YOUR PASSAGES. Review your mistakes. Review the questions you got right. Spend a lot of time figuring out how you can eliminate answer choices. LEARN to beat the test.
- Don't focus on minute details. The MCAT is BIG PICTURE.
- YOU MUST KNOW YOUR AMINO ACIDS! Here are the two quiz sites I used to learn them (I literally did these every other morning for three months). Click here for structure and Click here for abbreviations
- I made an equation sheet as I was studying. Memorized the equation sheet. Then reproduced the equation sheet on the scratch paper given to me during the tutorial time allotted. I found this very useful.
**Please read all of my responses. It is important to learn the skill of self-learning and researching. I continue to get repeat and ill-researched questions. Remember to review SN2ed's stuff as well. I promise reading these things WILL help you!
You will do A LOT of reading, researching, and planning before you start taking the MCAT. Remember, AAMC recommends a minimum of 300 hours of studying.
I think the biggest takeaway from all of this is ADAPT these materials to your learning style. PRACTICE. Be tenacious!
Good Luck Everyone!
Using this plan (<--Click), I went from 30th Percentile to 90th Percentile!
HERE IS AN UPDATED ARTICLE How I Went from 30th to 90th Percentile (<--Click) I WROTE ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF MY STUDY PLAN
***UPDATED 2021 100 DAY MCAT SCHEDULE*** CLICK HERE for an updated version incorporating more modern resources. Created by the SDN team based on all of YOUR advice on various pages. Looks awesome!
I created a 2015 adaptation from @SN2ed's and @mcatjelly's study plans. I tried to eliminate some of the physics not covered in the new MCAT and am open to suggestions! I'll also probably combine some of the days if I can get through the chapters quicker than expected.
Key points: Practice is important! Don't read too much about Verbal strategy, just practice and hone your skills. REVIEW EVERYTHING! Always question why you missed something and always question why you got it right. Review should take as long as the actual passage, test, etc.
**I keep getting questions about why I RECOMMEND the pre-2015 books, this is inaccurate. It is not that I recommend pre-2015 MCAT books. I used pre-2015 MCAT books because that was all that was available to me when I was studying for the 2015 MCAT, and it worked fine for me.
**PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS BECAUSE I KEEP GETTING REPEAT QUESTIONS: The Kaplan column was adapted from mcatjelly's schedule specifically for individuals that only have Kaplan books and do not want to buy the entire set of materials I used. I did not personally complete mcatjelly's study plan, nor did I study using that. I only used their plan to adapt mine to Kaplan materials. Though I do not recommend the Kaplan books. They are too detailed. The MCAT is more broad!! Don't focus on details.
- Materials I Incorporated:
-SN2ed Complete Set (<-- CLICK AND READ) (BR Verbal not necessary) YOU MUST READ THIS PLAN FOR MINE TO MAKE SENSE- I used Pre-2015 BR books
-2015 Kaplan Study Books & On-Demand Course (optional - only added for individuals that already have Kaplan books) - Not recommended. Too detailed.
-NextStep Psychology and Sociology Strategy and Practice book 2015
You can buy these off of Ebay, Amazon, or you can get them here: For Sale and Advertisements
Here are some updates that you can make to the plan:
- Add AAMC practice question packs the 2-3 weeks before your MCAT. This is a great way to become comfortable with the way the authors write.
- You do not necessarily need three different CARS/Verbal resources. You can use the AAMC question packs, EK101 (though these seem easier than the new CARS section), TPRH Verbal Book
- Think of this plan as a checklist. You can rearrange it however you want
- Realize I posted this plan before I even took the MCAT. I was still trying to make sense of the 2015 MCAT
- Taking forever to read through a chapter? I mostly watched Khan Academy MCAT section to learn a lot of the material then skimmed the chapters for anything Khan Academy did not cover. Then I went and did passages. REVIEW YOUR PASSAGES. Review your mistakes. Review the questions you got right. Spend a lot of time figuring out how you can eliminate answer choices. LEARN to beat the test.
- Don't focus on minute details. The MCAT is BIG PICTURE.
- YOU MUST KNOW YOUR AMINO ACIDS! Here are the two quiz sites I used to learn them (I literally did these every other morning for three months). Click here for structure and Click here for abbreviations
- I made an equation sheet as I was studying. Memorized the equation sheet. Then reproduced the equation sheet on the scratch paper given to me during the tutorial time allotted. I found this very useful.
**Please read all of my responses. It is important to learn the skill of self-learning and researching. I continue to get repeat and ill-researched questions. Remember to review SN2ed's stuff as well. I promise reading these things WILL help you!
You will do A LOT of reading, researching, and planning before you start taking the MCAT. Remember, AAMC recommends a minimum of 300 hours of studying.
I think the biggest takeaway from all of this is ADAPT these materials to your learning style. PRACTICE. Be tenacious!
Good Luck Everyone!
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