34 MCAT Answering Questions!

[dxcrunner]

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Have questions about preparing for the MCAT? Ask away. I am happy to share my knowledge.

 

[Cawolf]

Sure I'll bite.

What do you wish you had focused on more?

 

[dxcrunner]

Sure I'll bite.

What do you wish you had focused on more?

I wish I would have focused more on both of the following:
1) Study verbal reasoning more (it was my lowest score @ 10 an my sciences were 12s). It is so easy to push off studying for verbal because it is hard and boring, but you can make a huge difference by studying it. Also, it is easy to get distracted looking at how much science material there is to know. I spent 90% of my time on science and 10% on verbal. My unbalanced score reflects that.

2) Study over multiple days for exams so you actually learn the material and remember it long term. Yes, studying the night before will get you an A, but you forget it all in 2 days. Had I actually studied the material to remember it long term, I would have reviewed for the MCAT, not studied.

 

[justadream]

How much time should I finish with while doing the AAMC FLs to be able to cope with the calc-heavy REAL MCAT?

I can usually finish with about 10 minutes to check my answers so I guess on the real test, I won't have time to check my answers.

 

[dxcrunner]

I took the MCAT two times. The first time I voided my score because I definitely wasn't ready for it, and recently took it my second time. In neither case was the exam calculator heavy. However, one exam to the next isn't always the same. As long as you practice everything without using a calculator and find ways to shorten math (like rounding on problems where the answer choices are not close) you will do fine. I think the AAMC FL's are a great example of what the real test is like, and they seemed to be more math heavy than my two real exams. Also, keep in mind a really really difficult math question is worth the same amount as a really easy "find the definition in the passage." It is okay to skip questions and come back.

The biggest key to the MCAT is you MUST have confidence in your ability to perform well. Going into the test worried about not finishing or forgetting formulas will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It is a mental game more than it is anything. Best of luck with your studies!

 

[justadream]

The biggest key to the MCAT is you MUST have confidence in your ability to perform well. Going into the test worried about not finishing or forgetting formulas will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It is a mental game more than it is anything. Best of luck with your studies!

Yes I agree with this but this is so hard to do. I'm already so nervous when I do my practice tests (AAMC FLs). And when I'm nervous, my reading comprehension skills decrease faster than volume flow rate does when radius is decreased (Poiseuille's Law lol).

 

[techfan]

How much O-chem did you encounter? I feel like there is a lot material when reviewing, but I felt like the last time I took it (2010) there was like 1 passage.

 

[dxcrunner]

How much O-chem did you encounter? I feel like there is a lot material when reviewing, but I felt like the last time I took it (2010) there was like 1 passage.

There were 1.5 passages on the exam about it. One was pure organic chem, the other was split 50/50 with biology. I would focus on oxygen and nitrogen chemistry including sugars, and you will be golden. There is so much organic chem, but compared to nitrogen and oxygen chemistry, there really are not many questions outside of that.