Bad at physics...

[Mkif586]

Hi there. I am a rising senior who plans to take the mcat upcoming summer. My main issue is physics, I don't recall anything from the class and even then I didn't learn much because the professor most of the time was speaking about his research rather than teaching us (but it was easy A sequence). So my physics knowledge is very dismal. I am aiming for 500-505 range to get into DO but it still requires roughly 2/3 correct on the C/P section. Any advice how can I improve my situation? I know that mcat physics is different from the class because it is more conceptual rather than computational. Any help is appreciated.

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[drbatsandwich]

UWorld. I did legit zero traditional content review and used UWorld and official AAMC materials to learn content while practicing questions. Jumped from a 123 to a 128 on CP from my first attempt in 2019 to second in 2020 after 2 months of full time practice problems. Had I actually done content review.. who knows, maybe I could’ve scored closer to 520 but I’m happy with my 510 and the 11 point jump in score from first test (pre-UWorld) to second.

 

[GreenDuck12]

The physics questions youll encounter on the MCAT will be questions you can answer in 90 seconds or less. There won’t be a long series of calculations to get to the answer like you likely encountered in undergrad. Instead, they’ll focus on testing concepts, orders of magnitude, and comparing equation transformations where the components are presented in unintuitive ways. Know the equations and the terms that increase or decrease a final result, pay special attention to terms that have exponents, be very comfortable manipulating equations algebraically, and memorize high yield equations. Some topics are more common, such as electronics, magnetism, optics, etc, than others.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Are you just assuming that you'll bomb the physics section or have you taken a practice test yet? If you haven't, then you might surprise yourself with how much you actually know.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[crandmat]

My physics classes helped zero when I was studying for the mcat; Just use UWorld and anki to memorize equations/relationships and youll be solid.

 

[PlsLetMeIn21]

TBR Physics! No need for anything else. I legit tried everything for physics and nothing will teach you how to use common sense and get right answers more than TBR, at least for physics. There's something like 1500 questions and their explanations are pure gold.

The test will focus on applying concepts, especially if they pertain to something in biology. Like Greenduck said, they love orders of magnitude and they'll make you compare variables, how changing one impacts the others. I had to compare variables that related via a square root or a square many, many times, so know how to look at an equation and see how the terms relate. I concur that you need to master electronics, magnetism, and optics. Nothing I have ever seen or done will simplify lenses and mirrors like TBR's way. Get that *$%@ down cold.

 

[zorcandpals]

FWIW i'm pretty sure you can basically get all of the physics questions wrong and still do pretty well on C/P given how little its weighted.