Advise Before Starting TPR 123-Hour MCAT Prep

[Dr. Hopeamine]

Hey guys!

Just finished my last semester before I apply for med. I am taking the MCAT in August and I have a TPR class starting at the end of May. What can I do to prepare for the class before it actually starts?

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[TheaterOfTheme]

Read the books they gave you!


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[Doctor_Strange]

I would read the books with no clear agenda. Just get comfortable or familiarize yourself with the one subject you are weakest in--don't do anything else. Take a practice exam if you have access first and let that guide you. Or take the Kaplan practice exam that is free and then go from there. Begin setting a daily schedule for yourself, i.e. when to wake up, lunch meals, etc. Personally, routine is key.

 

[rayeray]

Be ahead of the game! i recommend doing the homework and all the extra material. that helped me alot.

Also bring tons of colorful pens for the bio class.

the cars strategy is not for everyone, but it is totally up to you.

Good luck!

 

[deleted812153]

Practice problems >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> reading the books

 

[pseud0]

I would literally recommend memorizing the Kaplan Quicksheets and then doing every single practice test and problem you can do and reviewing mistakes thoroughly over reading books. I learned the hard way.

 

[Chris07]

I really liked the TPR course, although when I took it a year ago I felt the psych/soc classes left something to be desired.

While it's convenient to be able to watch recordings of the classes at a later time if something comes up and forces you to miss, I can't stress enough how important it is to be present and on time for "class". Recordings are great but I found it more valuable to be watching love and being able to participate.

Also the practice sections are really important. Do as many as you can. Don't be like me and try to "save some for later". I found myself with no time to go back and finish the question sets that I saved for later.
Also, it's important to take the full lengths as they suggest...right at the start (you'll do awful), in the middle, and at the end. Use their extra full lengths and the aamc ones in the last few weeks after class and you should be set.

Their full lengths are actually a bit harder than the real thing so don't be discouraged if your scores are crap initially.

 

[DameJulie]

Practice problems >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> reading the books

Also the practice sections are really important. Do as many as you can. Don't be like me and try to "save some for later". I found myself with no time to go back and finish the question sets that I saved for later.

I want to implement this "practice, practice, practice" into my study plan. How many FL/passages/prep companies books have you guys completed? Wondering what would be a realistic count of passages per day/week.
I am kinda greedy, I know it's not realistic in 3 months but I hope to exhaust at least one prep company's resources (e.g. For TPR, that would be all 11 FLs).

 

[Spr1ngrolls]

I just finished this course about a month ago. Yes, the material is important and interesting but ultimately it is NOT whats most important. Please heed my advice and start taking practice tests within the first 2-3 weeks. I pushed them all and am finding that i'm really struggling although I know all the content. The actual content you have to know for the MCAT is not challenging (assuming you've been through a pre-med curriculum), however, learning what and how the MCAT likes to ask question is a HUGE learning curve.

Also, I wish someone had told me this before starting TPR, so I'm telling you this now. TPR's practice tests are incredibly difficult compared to all other available materials and they severely deflate your scores. Do NOT let this get you down, push through them. I feel like I really hit a wall when I was trying to take these tests cause they were just awful time after time. Try your hand at all the actual AAMC material after a couple rounds of being knocked down by the TPR exams, it's REALLY not actually as hard as they make it sound.

 

[DameJulie]

I just finished this course about a month ago. Yes, the material is important and interesting but ultimately it is NOT whats most important. Please heed my advice and start taking practice tests within the first 2-3 weeks. I pushed them all and am finding that i'm really struggling although I know all the content. The actual content you have to know for the MCAT is not challenging (assuming you've been through a pre-med curriculum), however, learning what and how the MCAT likes to ask question is a HUGE learning curve.

Also, I wish someone had told me this before starting TPR, so I'm telling you this now. TPR's practice tests are incredibly difficult compared to all other available materials and they severely deflate your scores. Do NOT let this get you down, push through them. I feel like I really hit a wall when I was trying to take these tests cause they were just awful time after time. Try your hand at all the actual AAMC material after a couple rounds of being knocked down by the TPR exams, it's REALLY not actually as hard as they make it sound.

When you take the course, were you able to follow their rigorous schedule? Especially with the FL that takes place every other week.
When I took the course over the summer, we met for 3 hours for 4 days a week. There's an enormous HW assigned after every class. As the typical pre-med, I always attempted to do the "optional" homework and soon fell behind on schedule. Taking a FL every other weekend just makes me want to scream.

 

[Spr1ngrolls]

When you take the course, were you able to follow their rigorous schedule? Especially with the FL that takes place every other week.
When I took the course over the summer, we met for 3 hours for 4 days a week. There's an enormous HW assigned after every class. As the typical pre-med, I always attempted to do the "optional" homework and soon fell behind on schedule. Taking a FL every other weekend just makes me want to scream.

Long story short, no. Like I said, it was extremely difficult for me to keep up with everything. Typically I'd take days where I didn't have class and use those to do a few practice passages where I knew I was strong in. For portions that I knew I was particularly weak in (aka physics), I put that off until the end. A FL every other weekend is actually an excellent pacing plan, I promise you once you get in to it they actually aren't that bad. It's moreso going over EVERY single mistake that is time consuming (but probably the best way to study and target your weak points).

 

[Anonymous.2]

Hi! I am taking the TPR Ultimate Class this summer (class just started beginning of this week). I was wondering after having taken the course, if you had any advice to what materials we should focus on, and which materials we can put as less priority? There is just a massive amount of practice problems and reading to be done for each class, and having class for 3 hours everyday has been difficult to keep up with the work