A question for LostInStudy (LIS)

[protonate]

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Hey!
I am about to prep with following SN2ed's methodology but relying heavily on TPR books like you (use them as sole source for content review). As you say that the workbook is good, would you approve on the following adjustments (inferred a little bit from some of your posts:
1.On the night of the lecture reading, do all of the science workbook problems/passages and review the following day
2. On the review days (i.e when we reread), work through the 1001 series problems
3. The following day (when we're supposed to do the second 1/3 of TBR passages), I do 1/2 of the correspondingTBR passages since I haven't touched any yet. BTW my cycles are 4 days (Mon-Th), break on friday, review Saturday and do passages on Sunday
4. During the FL phase, I do the second 1/2 of the TBR passages
5. For BIO, in addition of doing the science workbook passages I do some of the EK bio 1001 series passages as it helps nail the basics.
Do you think that these modifications are good?

Thanks again and congrats on your tremendous score!

 

[LostInStudy]

Hey!
I am about to prep with following SN2ed's methodology but relying heavily on TPR books like you (use them as sole source for content review). As you say that the workbook is good, would you approve on the following adjustments (inferred a little bit from some of your posts:
1.On the night of the lecture reading, do all of the science workbook problems/passages and review the following day
2. On the review days (i.e when we reread), work through the 1001 series problems
3. The following day (when we're supposed to do the second 1/3 of TBR passages), I do 1/2 of the correspondingTBR passages since I haven't touched any yet. BTW my cycles are 4 days (Mon-Th), break on friday, review Saturday and do passages on Sunday
4. During the FL phase, I do the second 1/2 of the TBR passages
5. For BIO, in addition of doing the science workbook passages I do some of the EK bio 1001 series passages as it helps nail the basics.
Do you think that these modifications are good?

Thanks again and congrats on your tremendous score!

To start off, I would post that in SN2ed's thread and ask him since he has had much more feedback and knows a ton more about what someone can handle from his schedule or not.

Second, I used TPR heavily for content for Biology and Physics only (their 2 best content sections). For O. Chem content and G. Chem content I used TBR because they are simply the best, better than all the rest (like the song).

Here's my view on the whole do the passages one day and review them the next day thing: I wouldn't and didn't do it. Maybe for verbal but not for the sciences. The reason is that you have to treat the MCAT studying as two completely different phases. The first is where you learn and master the necessary material (content review) and the second is where you do everything else (learn to speed up more, learn to pace yourself, stamina, test taking strategies, etc) or basically the little things. With that in mind, you need to do your passages and practice the same day or within a day of your lecture review to make sure you've mastered it and hammered it in. Here's what I did as far as material since so many people seem to ask, I started with reading the lecture, then EK 1001 problems (getting the basics and subtleties down), then I did the TPR science workbook problems for that topic, then I did TBR phase I passages. I did that everyday during content review for about a month and a half. I've posted the phases for TBR passages in the Berkeley review discussion thread. I would then do all the phase II passages at the end of the week.

I would do the EK Bio 1001 questions first (because they're not TRULY passage based) and then I did the TPR bio passages, which were amazing by the way. Also I would encourage anyone else to respond, my way was an obvious yet unorthodox way to study for the MCAT and OP should get as many different opinions as possible to see what could work for you. My way worked for me, but I'm certain it won't work for everyone else. You have to evaluate what kind of student you are, what you know and don't know, and what you need. I think the self evaluation is the hardest part of it all. After you have the figured out, put on your blinders and charge full steam ahead.

I'm currently working on my massive 30+ thread post, I'm about 15% done but have put in on hold until at least june to finish and work on my app.

Hope this helps,

-LIS

 

[TheMightyBoosh]

Here's my view on the whole do the passages one day and review them the next day thing: I wouldn't and didn't do it. Maybe for verbal but not for the sciences. The reason is that you have to treat the MCAT studying as two completely different phases. The first is where you learn and master the necessary material (content review) and the second is where you do everything else (learn to speed up more, learn to pace yourself, stamina, test taking strategies, etc) or basically the little things. With that in mind, you need to do your passages and practice the same day or within a day of your lecture review to make sure you've mastered it and hammered it in.

So are you saying that on your first phase you didn't time yourself when doing practice passages?

 

[LostInStudy]

Nope, very lightly. I don't think when you're learning the material you should time yourself strictly and I think even BerkReviewTeach has said it a few times. Just learn and master the material first. Once your problem solving skills and knowledge develop speed picks up. This doesn't mean I sat there and spent 10-15 mins on problems. I would work through at my own pace and if I couldn't solve something, moved on and came back in the end. If I couldn't figure it out at the end, I just guessed. I hated flat out guessing so that fueled my need to tear apart questions and learn everything I could from them.

Basically I looked at the clock when I started and finished. If I spent less than 8-9 mins on a passage, good and if I didn't then I just kept mindful of that for next time and tried to figure out why I spent so long. That's about it. The rest just picks up with practice and as you acquire skill.

Hope this helps,

-LIS

 

[TheMightyBoosh]

Nice. I'll probably experiment during my first week of studying with what you did and what Sn2ed recommends doing and see what works for me. If anything I might time myself the first time around, doing all the questions I can and then take the time to complete whatever I couldn't get through on the next day before reviewing.

 

[LostInStudy]

Let me clarify myself. The first phase was content plus practice passages and questions. The second phase was Full length (FLs) practice tests. I had a lot of time to work on the little things during FLs, so if you're taking less FLs then I guess you could start timing half way through content review. But basically I did a passage and then reviewed. Did the next passage and reviewed. Wash, rinse and repeat as needed. I wanted to learn something from each passage as I went along and not do a whole bunch and end of making a similar mistake on the topic 4 different times between review. For Ek 1001, I did 1/3 of the questions and then reviewed. Started over and did 2/3 and reviewed. Wash, rinse and repeat. Simple yet effective.

And yes, I'm totally stalking the first ever thread with my name on it.

Hope this helps,

-LIS

 

[TheMightyBoosh]

Haha don't let the fame get to your head now... you don't want to end up as a one hit wonder 🙂

 

[FollowTheMoney]

Does the TPRH Science Workbook go in any particular order? Like do the chapters match up with a particular set of passages? Btw, LIS did you find only the Bio practice helpful from the workbook or everything?

 

[LostInStudy]

Everything but Bio especially. Yes, in the beginning they list what TPR chapters go with which passages.

And yes, my head can't fit through the door right now. Kidding. I'm not the guy who sang "had a bad day." Refuse to be that guy. Good advice.

Hope this helps,

-LIS

 

[TheMightyBoosh]

Yea nor would you wanna be like the guys that sang "Funky Town". They didn't get very far after that song and neither did disco.

And thanks for the advice.

 

[FollowTheMoney]

Everything but Bio especially. Yes, in the beginning they list what TPR chapters go with which passages.

And yes, my head can't fit through the door right now. Kidding. I'm not the guy who sang "had a bad day." Refuse to be that guy. Good advice.

Hope this helps,

-LIS

Haha thanks again! I owe you one! 😀