A Systematic Approach to Conquer the new MCAT: A 101-Day MCAT Schedule

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littlebear92

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A Systematic Approach to Conquer the new MCAT: A 101-Day MCAT Schedule


Hi guys!

I’m taking the dreaded new MCAT on June 19th and made this schedule to help me keep on track. ALL the other schedules I have seen have been overwhelming/had a lack of break days (resting your brain is VERY important!) so I decided to build my own personal schedule from the ground up! This schedule is very doable, because of the plethora of break days, for even those who will be working part-time (I myself will be working in a lab during my studying). On a side note, make sure that you are doing AT LEAST 2 CARS passages every single day in order to get a hang of this section; Remember, practice makes perfect (well maybe not for CARS, but why not try? :p)!

Oh, and one more thing: please leave me feedback on the positives and the negatives you see in my schedule; constructive criticism is always welcome but please don’t be too harsh since I spent a lot of time making this schedule. :)


So, enough talk! Here’s my schedule (including materials):


Materials:

(Mandatory)

· Examkracker’s 9th edition Complete Study Package (Will be used as primary source for content review. It may seem too concise to some, but trust me, doing practice questions is MUCH MUCH MUCH more important than memorizing every single fact. I can't stress this enough.)
· Any combination of 14 full-length practice exams (I’m using AAMC Official Sample Test, 5 Next Step Full Length Exams, and 8 Princeton Review Full Length Exams)
· EK101 Verbal Reasoning Book
· TPRH Verbal Workbook or the new CARS Workbook if you have access to it (not sure how many of the passages are new)
· The Berkeley Review Biology Book II (if you are weak in Biochemistry)
· Official AAMC Sample Exam
· Free Next Step Half-length Diagnostic Exam
· Next Step Strategy and Practice Books Complete Set
· AAMC Official Guide
· WIKIPEDIA and KHAN ACADEMY are your friends – Use them!

(Optional)

· The Berkeley Review Complete Home Study Package for supplementation (newest edition recommended)
· TPR Psych/Socio for supplementation (Highly Recommended since it is a new section)
· Official AAMC Question Packs (Highly Recommended)


And now it begins…

Day 0: Skim over the Official Guide to the MCAT and then take NS Half-Diagnostic exam
Day 1: EK Physics Chapter #1 + 30 min in-class exam
Day 2: EK Chem Chapter #1 + 30 min in-class exam
Day 3: EK Pysch Chapter #1 + 30 min in-class exam
Day 4: EK Bio1 Chapter #1 + 30 min in-class exam
Day 5: Re-read this week's chapters (Days 1-4) very thoroughly and supplement with The Berkeley Review as needed. Also, review exam questions.
***From now on, after each week's reading, there will be an abbreviation in the form: "Re-read chapters + review exams”***

Day 6: Re-read chapters + review exams + read lectures i and ii from EK MCAT Reasoning Skills
Day 7: AAMC Official Sample Test
Day 8: Review AAMC Official Sample Test and NS Half-Diagnostic exam
Day 9: Break

***From now on, the EK 30 min exams will be abbreviated by a “30”***

Day 10: EK Physics Chapter #2 + 30 + 1st 1/4th Official AAMC Physics Question Pack
Day 11: EK Chem Chapter #2 + 30 + 1st 1/4th Official AAMC Chem Question Pack
Day 12: EK Psych Chapter #2 + 30 + 1st 1/4th Official AAMC CARS Question Pack
Day 13: EK Bio1 Chapter #2 +30 + 1st 1/4th Official AAMC Biology Question Pack
Day 14: Re-read chapters + review exams
Day 15: Re-read chapters + review exams
Day 16: Next Step FL #1
Day 17: Review Next Step FL #1
Day 18: Break
Day 19: EK Physics Chapter #3 + 30 + 2nd 1/4th Official AAMC Physics Question Pack
Day 20: EK Chem Chapter #3 + 30 + 2nd 1/4th Official AAMC Chem Question Pack
Day 21: EK Psych Chapter #3 + 30 + 2nd 1/4th Official AAMC CARS Question Pack
Day 22: EK Bio1 Chapter #3 + 30 + 2nd 1/4th Official AAMC Biology Question Pack
Day 23: Re-read chapters + review exams + do lecture ii 30 min in-class exam from EK MCAT Reasoning Skills
Day 24: Re-read chapters + review exams + do lecture 1 30 min in-class exam from EK MCAT Reasoning Skills
Day 25: TPR FL #1
Day 26: Review TPR FL #1
Day 27: Break
Day 28: EK Physics Chapter #4 + 30 + 3rd 1/4th Official AAMC Physics Question Pack
Day 29: EK Chem Chapter #4 + 30 + 3rd 1/4th Official AAMC Chem Question Pack
Day 30: EK Psych Chapter #4 + 30 + 3rd 1/4th Official AAMC CARS Question Pack
Day 31: EK Bio1 Chapter #4 + 30 + 3rd 1/4th Official AAMC Biology Question Pack
Day 32: Re-read chapters + review exams
Day 33: Re-read chapters + review exams + do lecture 2 30 min in-class exam from EK MCAT Reasoning Skills
Day 34: NS FL #2
Day 35: Review NS FL #2
Day 36: Break
Day 37: EK Physics Chapter #5 + 30 + Final 1/4th Official AAMC Physics Question Pack
Day 38: EK Chem Chapter #5 + 30 + Final 1/4th Official AAMC Chem Question Pack
Day 39: TBR Psych Chapter #5 + 30 + Final 1/4th Official AAMC CARS Question Pack
Day 40: EK Bio2 Chapter #1 + 30 + Final 1/4th Official AAMC Biology Question Pack
Day 41: Re-read chapters + review exams
Day 42: Re-read chapters + review exams + do lecture 3 30 min in-class exam from EK MCAT Reasoning Skills
Day 43: TPR FL #2
Day 44: Review TPR FL #2
Day 45: Break
Day 46: EK Chem Chapter #6 + 30 + 20 questions from The Official Guide to the MCAT
Day 47: EK Bio2 Chapter #2 + 30 + 20 questions from The Official Guide to the MCAT
Day 48: EK Chem Chapter #7 + 30 + 20 questions from The Official Guide to the MCAT
Day 49: EK Bio2 Chapter #3 + 30
Day 50: EK Bio2 Chapter #4 + 30 + 20 questions from The Official Guide to the MCAT
Day 51: EK Bio2 Chapter #5 + 30 + 20 questions from The Official Guide to the MCAT
Day 52: EK Bio2 Chapter #6 + 30 + 20 questions from The Official Guide to the MCAT
Day 53: Re-read chapters + review exams
Day 54: Re-read chapters + review exams + do lecture 4 30 min in-class exam from EK MCAT Reasoning Skills
Day 55: Break
Day 56: NS FL #3
Day 57 Review NS FL #3
Day 58: Break

***In-depth Biochemistry Review (Optional)***

Day 59: TBR Bio Chapter #7 + 1st ½ passages
Day 60: TBR Bio Chapter #8 + 1st ½ passages
Day 61: Re-read TBR Bio Chapter #7 + 2nd ½ passages
Day 62: Re-read TBR Bio Chapter #8 + 2nd ½ passages

***END CONTENT REVIEW***

Day 63: Break
Day 64: TPR FL #3
Day 65: Review TPR FL #3
Day 66: Break
Day 67: NS FL #4
Day 68: Review NS FL #4
Day 69: Break
Day 70: Full Section 1 NS Chemistry/Physics Strategy and Practice Book
Full Section 1 NS Biology/Biochemistry Strategy and Practice Book
Full Section 1 NS Psychology/Sociology Strategy and Practice Book
Day 71: Review all Section 1
Day 72: Break
Day 73: Full Section 2 NS Chemistry/Physics Strategy and Practice Book
Full Section 2 NS Biology/Biochemistry Strategy and Practice Book
Full Section 2 NS Psychology/Sociology Strategy and Practice Book
Day 74: Review all Section 2
Day 75: Break
Day 76: TPR FL #4
Day 77: Review TPR FL #4
Day 78: Break
Day 79: Full Section 3 NS Chemistry/Physics Strategy and Practice Book
Full Section 3 NS Biology/Biochemistry Strategy and Practice Book
Full Section 3 NS Psychology/Sociology Strategy and Practice Book
Day 80: Review all Section 3
Day 81: Full Section 4 NS Chemistry/Physics Strategy and Practice Book
Full Section 4 NS Biology/Biochemistry Strategy and Practice Book
Full Section 4 from NS Psychology and Sociology Strategy and Practice Book
Day 82: Review all Section 4
Day 83: Break
Day 84: NS FL #5
Day 85: Review NS FL #5
Day 86: Break
Day 87: TPR FL #5
Day 88: Review TPR FL #5
Day 89: Break
Day 90: TPR FL #6
Day 91: Review TPR FL #6
Day 92: Break
Day 93: TPR FL #7
Day 94: Review TPR FL #7
Day 95: Break
Day 96: TPR FL #8
Day 97: Review TPR FL #8
Day 98: Go over any content that you feel you may be rusty on, or just rest and relax!
Day 99: Rest and relax. Do nothing MCAT-related; I cannot stress this enough.
Day 100: MCAT!!!

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Where can I get the TPR FLs? I bought the Psych/Soc and CARS TPR books and it says something about 3 FLs on the cover. How can I get the other ones?
 
Since there are two biology and CARS AAMC question packs, do you suggest doing 1/4th of both on the day labelled:

Day 12: EK Psych Chapter #2 + 30 + 1st 1/4th Official AAMC CARS Question Pack
Day 13: EK Bio1 Chapter #2 +30 + 1st 1/4th Official AAMC Biology Question Pack
 
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Did anyone have success with this schedule? I'm taking my exam 9/23 with 90 days left so I'll probably double up a few days to catch up.
 
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Damn. You guys who follow these schedules must have absolutely demolished the MCAT. Hats off for having this work ethic. I studied for 19 days about 4 hours per day on avg and finished content review the night before my test, so I feel like a POS in comparison lol. fortunately I still feel very good about how things went (june tester). I can't imagine if I had put this much dedication forth.
 
I ended up not using the Kaplan 528 and the Next Step materials. I will probably edit this schedule once I am done with my applications.
 
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I ended up not using the Kaplan 528 and the Next Step materials. I will probably edit this schedule once I am done with my applications.

Any particular reason you didn't use the NS material? What did you end up using instead? Your schedule seems pretty solid so I'll probably just stick to what you've already laid out.
 
I can say for sure that Berkeley Review was more than enough after having taken the exam. I simply just felt like I didn't need the NS books. lol.
 
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I can say for sure that Berkeley Review was more than enough after having taken the exam. I simply just felt like I didn't need the NS books. lol.

So I'm currently following your schedule at the moment and I plan on taking the exam either August 21 or September 3. If i just used EK to study for chemistry, bio, orgo, physics, CARS (along with the aamc question packs) and psychology, then use the Berkeley Review for more Bio/Biochem, would that be a good method?
 
I'm currently on day 33, about to take NS 2 tomorrow, and I'm a bit nervous this far. My 30 min exams have all been 10~13. My AAMC official was 43, 71, 55, 56 being roughly 502 before studying began. NS 1 was 493, and TPR 1 was 495.

I'm hoping tomorrow will be a bit better.

Any tips/advice to get 30 mins a bit higher and FLs higher? It honestly seems much of the study material is secondary compared to how the passages and questions are formulated, leaving mostly a strong reading comprehension ability as king. Not to mention all the official question packs which I seem to also do reasonably well on and getting better.

Is it just the tests, NS and TPR, being harder than the real/official thing?

Thanks.

*Edit: 499 on NS 2, so a reasonable upward trend I guess.
 
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Any update on how this schedule/strategy has worked out for you. I've been browsing over sound study schedules and honestly yours seems to be the best by far. I was wondering if you could update us on how you felt about this schedule after taking the exam and possibly what you scored.

Thanks!
 
I can say for sure that Berkeley Review was more than enough after having taken the exam. I simply just felt like I didn't need the NS books. lol.

Hi there, can you please let us know how well you did and letting us know what materials you actually used? I took my Sept. 23rd test and voided because of procrastination. I would really appreciate it if you can help me out so I can be prepared for the upcoming MCAT in January. Please & thank you!
 
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Yes!! It would be greatly appreciated if anyone who followed this schedule and now has a score can let us know how it went!
 
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Anyone? I might be retaking and this looks like a well put together schedule. I would like to hear people's experiences with it.
 
I'm also taking the January test and plan to start this schedule tonight. Any input from past test takers would be great!
 
I can say for sure that Berkeley Review was more than enough after having taken the exam.

I cannot thank you enough for stating this.

With all of the hype and craziness of the initial transition period to the new exam, many people started looking in all directions for things, especially if they had "2015" printed on the cover (not stopping to think that they were written in 2014).

Now as people have calmed down and more and more posters who actually took the exam are expressing their opinions, it ends up that the same materials SN2ed recommended before the change are the best there are for the new exam as well.
 
@littlebear92 @BerkReviewTeach A few questions! Is there a reason why you recommend the new edition of BR books (i'm sorry if that question was already answered)? I heard that the old BR books (2011) are sufficient. Do the new BR books have additional biochem/psych/social content? What other differences are there in the new books compared to the old books. I am completely willing to spend the money on the new books, but I just want to ensure that it would be worth it. Thanks!
 
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I also heard TBR (2011) would suffice. Not that it would be my only source of study material but, I would incorporate it along with EK and TPR. If you could shed any light on whether this is true that would be awesome. On another note Great Schedule truly appreciate it.
 
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I plan on taking my MCAT Jan 2017. I have taken all of my upper level sciences except Cellular Molecular Biology and Biochem II. Is it too early to start studying for the test at the end of this spring term? I don't want to start too late and be pressed for time. GREAT SCHEDULE BY THE WAY! This one doesn't seem to be as overwhelming as some that I have come across.
 
I plan on taking my MCAT Jan 2017. I have taken all of my upper level sciences except Cellular Molecular Biology and Biochem II. Is it too early to start studying for the test at the end of this spring term? I don't want to start too late and be pressed for time. GREAT SCHEDULE BY THE WAY! This one doesn't seem to be as overwhelming as some that I have come across.
Hi! I based my schedule off of this and got a good score. I started in late September and studied/prep until my test date in Jan. It was a good amount of time for me and allowed me some measure of flexibility in taking days off. Best thing about this schedule is that you start full-length practice early and regularly.
 
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To anyone that was wondering: I did an abridged version of this study schedule and scored a 520! I didn't use the NextStep Strategy and Practice Books, and I strongly recommend using Kaplan Biochemistry in conjunction to EK Bio1 material. I also only took 8 tests total. Best of luck!
 
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Am I just blind or does nowhere in the schedule of this plan incorporate the "required" EK 101 Verbal or the TPRH Verbal Workbook or the new CARS Workbook. These were all listed as mandatory, but I dont see them in the schedule.. What am I missing??
 
Am I just blind or does nowhere in the schedule of this plan incorporate the "required" EK 101 Verbal or the TPRH Verbal Workbook or the new CARS Workbook. These were all listed as mandatory, but I dont see them in the schedule.. What am I missing??

I believe at the beginning of the post, OP says to do at least 2 CARS passages a day. I'd up that to at least 3 passages/day, in my opinion, but that's how it was supposed to be implemented into your study schedule.
 
What's a good alternative to the question packs so early into the study process? I want to leave all the AAMC material closer to the end, but would still like to get some good practice in early in the process. I have access to TPR and EK books and can get any other good resources if needed.
 
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