BERKELEY REVIEW scores/discussion

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capn jazz

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Just like the EK Verbal 101 thread, this is a thread to talk about how you're doing with the TBR passages. I don't know how people are generally going through these, but I'm doing Phase I and II after reading the chapter, and saving Phase III for after I finish all content review.

I'm currently working on Gen Chem.

Chapter 1:
Phase I: 27/41 = 66% = 10
Phase II: 10/20 = 50% = 8 (ouch!)

Chapter 2:
Phase I: 29/37 = 78% = 11
Phase II: 28/33 = 85% = 13

So far I LOVE the book. I hated Gen Chem and I'm enjoying reading this and I really feel like it's helping me grasp the topics. Hopefully future chapters will continue this trend...

Now it's up to you guys! Keep this thread alive!

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meh, i try to find fun in work, its not fun to be brooding all the time.

Agreed.

Then again, work time is work time for me. Play time is play time.

It was a good chapter though. Don't let me stop you from having fun, wasn't my intention.
 
Reading through it right now... so far it's been great combined with the O-Chem Ch #1 acid/base section at conceptually explaining what drives acidity.
 
What happened to everyone taking the CBT exams?
I just took 6 and got a high 36 (every score was 1 off from 13+) 12,12,12. I found the verbal pretty easy, I thought I did better on physical and bio had some cracky amino acid questions.
 
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What happened to everyone taking the CBT exams?
I just took 6 and got a high 36 (every score was 1 off from 13+) 12,12,12. I found the verbal pretty easy, I thought I did better on physical and bio had some cracky amino acid questions.

When is your exam?
 
After missing a few questions off of NMR recall, not in the passage, it got me thinking about BR a bit.

My notes on NMR shifts from BR (list of 15+, I don't think I wrote them all):

  • 3 things
    • integration
    • splitting pattern
    • shift value
      • RCH3 - 1.0 ppm
      • RCOCH3 - 2.1 - 2.5 ppm
      • ArCH3 - 2.5 ppm
      • RCCH (triple) - 2.5 ppm
      • RNH2 - 1-3 ppm
      • RNHCH3 - 2-3 ppm
      • RCONHR (amide) - 5-9 ppm
      • RCH2X - 3.0-3.8 ppm
      • RCO2CH3 (ester)- 3.5 -4.0 ppm
      • C=CH2 - 5.0-5.8 ppm
      • ROH (alcohol) - 1-5 ppm (b)
      • ArOH (phenol) - 4-7 ppm (b)
      • ArH - 7.0-7.4 ppm
      • RCOH - 9.0-9.8 ppm
      • RCO2H - 10-12ppm
EK NMR shifts from their book (list of 0):


EK probably needs to add some, but it seems BR could remove a few too.

Same with weak acids.

My notes from BR (list of 17 or so):

  • **Strong acids (w/ pKa)
    • Hydrochloric (HCl) -7
    • Hydrobromic (HBr) -7
    • Hydroiodic (HI) -9
    • Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) -9 (pKa1)
    • Nitric acid (HNO3) -2
    • Perchloric HClO4 -10
  • Weak acid only partial dissoc, hence small Ka (< 1)
    • they define weak as pKa 0-14
    • Trichloroacetic acid Cl3CCO2H 0.64
    • Dichloroacetic acid Cl2HCCO2H 1.27
    • Sulfurous acid H2SO3 1.82 (pKa1)
    • Chlorous acid HClO2 1.9
    • Chloroacetic acid ClH2CO2H 2.82
    • Hydrofluoric acid HF 3.15
    • Nitrous acid HNO2 3.41
    • Formic acid HCO2H 3.74
    • Acetic acid H3CCO2H 4.74
    • Carbonic acid H2CO3 6.36 (pKa1)
    • 4-nitrophenol 4-O2NC6H4OH 7.15
    • Hypochlorous acid HClO 7.46
    • Hypobromous acid HBrO 8.72
    • Ammonium NH4+ 9.26
    • Hydrogen Cyanide HCN 9.32
    • Hypoiodous acid 10.66
EK (list of 0):


I really enjoy BR, but I think one flaw is getting to deep into details. Students like myself suffer a bit from this, as we like to know everything. One area BR could improve in is either condensing or telling students what to focus on, rather than just spitting out everything. I realize the skill of the good student is to figure this out on your own, but it would be nice for some help.
 
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can someone taking the actual live class at the westwood location pls PM me. I have been trying to contact them for days, left messages and got no returned calls. I would like to come in and actually buy the home study books in person but want to make sure they have some before I come. or at least know what the hours are befre making the trip. thanks!!
 
Have you emailed Todd? He is really awesome and set up a time to sell me my books a few months back.

Check out these links for their tentative summer schedule in Westwood.

http://www.berkeley-review.com/TBR/register/UCLA1su10.pdf

http://www.berkeley-review.com/TBR/register/UCLA2su10.pdf

http://www.berkeley-review.com/TBR/register/UCLA3su10.pdf

You kind of have to get lucky and hope they haven't rescheduled class when you decide to show up. But I'm pretty sure that they always keep a stock of books in their office. You might be better off showing up right before or right after class.
 
June 17th.

Does anyone find the TBR bio easier than AAMC? My Avg. TBR is around 12 but my AAMC has been stagnant at 11. (Just took AAMC5 and got 13,10,11)

first time I've heard this. I use TPR/EK Bio1001 mix
 
I actually went through that section today. It was all good until the talk about logs and stuff. Then I was like ?_?

yeah i sucked at those too, the best is to just memorize the log values. (in approximation of course)

Log1 = 0
Log2 = 0.3
Log3 = 0.5
Log4 = 0.6
Log5 = 0.7
Log6 = 0.8
Log7 = 0.85
Log8 = 0.9
 
yeah i sucked at those too, the best is to just memorize the log values. (in approximation of course)

Log1 = 0
Log2 = 0.3
Log3 = 0.5
Log4 = 0.6
Log5 = 0.7
Log6 = 0.8
Log7 = 0.85
Log8 = 0.9

just memorize log2 and log3 and log10, everything else can be calculated.
 
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just did reaction rate section,
got 25/35.
:(
made a lot of mistakes but
hopefully, the score gets beter

Some stuff I ace, some stuff I score how you did.

When I do, I redo the passages a few days later and maybe even to TPR passages in a similar area.

Don't stress over scores. The question to ask, is why are you missing each question. Then you can correct and get more right later.

Post gaming/notes/learning from error/developing strategy > score on sectionals
 
thanks don!
i hope the BR helps me to ace the MCAT
(because i heard a lot of people saying the BR is harder than the AAMC)
 
quick question:
how does doppler approximation work.?
i was doing some EK 1001 physics
and when i was reading the explanation,
they told me to use approximation, which i dont understand.
like
why would they use it, and why cant i get the same answer
when i use the whole equation?
 
quick question:
how does doppler approximation work.?
i was doing some EK 1001 physics
and when i was reading the explanation,
they told me to use approximation, which i dont understand.
like
why would they use it, and why cant i get the same answer
when i use the whole equation?

This is just understanding that fractions like: 87/29, are approximately 90/30, or 3.

Almost all of PS uses this skill, you will have situations like 1177/895, you need to see that is near 1200/900 or 4/3, advanced levels is using > or < signs on top of this, then you can really hone in on answers. There should be a thread called MCAT math you may want to read up on.

If you tell me the exact question #, I may be able to help more.
 
14,8,12 on test 7. This verbal is pretty ridiculous. I mean to go from a 12 to a 7 then to a 12 then to an 8...
 
Has anyone seen the answer explanations in the TBR VR book? They are huge!

EDIT: I just roughly counted the words in the first passage of one of the tests I took. 900+ words! The rest were 600+ and averaged around 750~. No wonder I have no time!

EDIT: Has anyone seen the raw score conversion for the TBR VR book?
 
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Has anyone seen the answer explanations in the TBR VR book? They are huge!

EDIT: I just roughly counted the words in the first passage of one of the tests I took. 900+ words! The rest were 600+ and averaged around 750~. No wonder I have no time!

EDIT: Has anyone seen the raw score conversion for the TBR VR book?

I'm sort of gambling on VR.

I will only be using AAMC FLs for verbal practice, but I may take them multiple times. Due to time constraints I had to decide on this.

I have EK101 but will not do any passages from it. One person scored very high with this strategy, I hope it works.

also I would take no weight in the BR VR score, just use it as practice. A 6 or a 15 will not translate on the AAMCs. Use the AAMCs to gauge yourself.
 
I'm sort of gambling on VR.

I will only be using AAMC FLs for verbal practice, but I may take them multiple times. Due to time constraints I had to decide on this.

I have EK101 but will not do any passages from it. One person scored very high with this strategy, I hope it works.

also I would take no weight in the BR VR score, just use it as practice. A 6 or a 15 will not translate on the AAMCs. Use the AAMCs to gauge yourself.

Dude, I really think you should do at least 3 passages from 101 just to have a rough idea of where you are at. You don't want to get to the aamc's and find out that verbal is a real weakness for you.

Not sure if you feel that you are truly skilled in verbal, but it's not a bad idea to get some sort of diagnostic.

Or if you feel that ek wouldn't provide a good diagnostic, maybe do passages from the official guide if you haven't already.

-Boosh
 
Dude, I really think you should do at least 3 passages from 101 just to have a rough idea of where you are at. You don't want to get to the aamc's and find out that verbal is a real weakness for you.

Not sure if you feel that you are truly skilled in verbal, but it's not a bad idea to get some sort of diagnostic.

Or if you feel that ek wouldn't provide a good diagnostic, maybe do passages from the official guide if you haven't already.

-Boosh

I took a diagnostic (AAMC) a while back before I started studying, can't remember if I got a 10 or 11.

Can't say I'm weak or strong, somewhere in between. I think with practice I should be able to hit 10+ which for VR is fine by me.

I'm counting on will and focus, combined with AAMC familiarity. We'll know what that is worth after July 8.

Basically I know I can improve my science abilities much more than VR. So if I really work hard on BS/PS that could gain me 3-5 points. Working hard on VR may only gain me 0-1 point (also, I guess it could be -3 points if you really think about it).

In 6 weeks I'm doing BR Ochem/chem/Physics and TPR/EK1001 Bio split (won't complete all of 1001 though, just weak areas) and weak areas in Physics on TPR passages.

Add 15 FLs too. There is only so much time. Completing all this is 6 weeks is a pretty quick pace.
 
just completed Electric Circuits section for Physics.
did 3 passages,
16/21, ~76% = ~12?
maybe haha
oh well, this section wasnt that bad,
pretty comfortable with it.

*guys, im taking my mcat on august 4th, when should i complete the content review by?
im still have little bit left for chem and physics (completed bio).
you think im late?
 
I took a diagnostic (AAMC) a while back before I started studying, can't remember if I got a 10 or 11.

Can't say I'm weak or strong, somewhere in between. I think with practice I should be able to hit 10+ which for VR is fine by me.

I'm counting on will and focus, combined with AAMC familiarity. We'll know what that is worth after July 8.

Basically I know I can improve my science abilities much more than VR. So if I really work hard on BS/PS that could gain me 3-5 points. Working hard on VR may only gain me 0-1 point (also, I guess it could be -3 points if you really think about it).

In 6 weeks I'm doing BR Ochem/chem/Physics and TPR/EK1001 Bio split (won't complete all of 1001 though, just weak areas) and weak areas in Physics on TPR passages.

Add 15 FLs too. There is only so much time. Completing all this is 6 weeks is a pretty quick pace.

I took AAMC CBT3 and got a 10 in VR pretty easily. Then I took a few more AAMCs and went from 7-11. No matter how good your sciences are, you dont want a 7 in verbal. A 7 is entirely possible without practice. Im doing verbal to make me more consistent, not to gain points.
 
I took a diagnostic (AAMC) a while back before I started studying, can't remember if I got a 10 or 11.

Can't say I'm weak or strong, somewhere in between. I think with practice I should be able to hit 10+ which for VR is fine by me.

I'm counting on will and focus, combined with AAMC familiarity. We'll know what that is worth after July 8.

Basically I know I can improve my science abilities much more than VR. So if I really work hard on BS/PS that could gain me 3-5 points. Working hard on VR may only gain me 0-1 point (also, I guess it could be -3 points if you really think about it).

In 6 weeks I'm doing BR Ochem/chem/Physics and TPR/EK1001 Bio split (won't complete all of 1001 though, just weak areas) and weak areas in Physics on TPR passages.

Add 15 FLs too. There is only so much time. Completing all this is 6 weeks is a pretty quick pace.

Yea you know best what you need to work on. I'm counting on more than a 1 point improvement in verbal for myself, so I'm putting my faith in tons of passages.

Good luck.
 
I took AAMC CBT3 and got a 10 in VR pretty easily. Then I took a few more AAMCs and went from 7-11. No matter how good your sciences are, you dont want a 7 in verbal. A 7 is entirely possible without practice. Im doing verbal to make me more consistent, not to gain points.

What about an 8? lol.

I'm practicing, just only using AAMCs. I've heard good and bad things about EK101. The answers can be more arguable than AAMCs and the scores can be lower. If I had time I would probably do it, but I'm basically doing a variation of SN2's 3 month schedule in 6 weeks...

I guess we'll see what happens.
 
I took AAMC CBT3 and got a 10 in VR pretty easily. Then I took a few more AAMCs and went from 7-11. No matter how good your sciences are, you dont want a 7 in verbal. A 7 is entirely possible without practice. Im doing verbal to make me more consistent, not to gain points.

I had the EXACT same problem...took AAMC3 got a 10. Didn't bother studying verbal for a month or so then as I went through the rest of my AAMCs I was in the 7-11 range.
I wish I would have put my original MCAT off for another month as I still felt shakey on verbal when I took it, but am now starting to get consistent and even climb a little in my scores.
 
I had the EXACT same problem...took AAMC3 got a 10. Didn't bother studying verbal for a month or so then as I went through the rest of my AAMCs I was in the 7-11 range.
I wish I would have put my original MCAT off for another month as I still felt shakey on verbal when I took it, but am now starting to get consistent and even climb a little in my scores.

Man I really hope I start off with a 10 once I get to aamc 3. So far my ek verbal scores are in the 6-7 range. Good thing I have another month or so before I get to FL's.
 
I had the EXACT same problem...took AAMC3 got a 10. Didn't bother studying verbal for a month or so then as I went through the rest of my AAMCs I was in the 7-11 range.
I wish I would have put my original MCAT off for another month as I still felt shakey on verbal when I took it, but am now starting to get consistent and even climb a little in my scores.

What did you get on the real thing? For VR that is...
 
I just did the Digestion chapter for bio. I did okay but one of the questions was asking which Vitamins, by name, were fat soluble and which weren't. It made me laugh because that happens at least 2-4 times per chapter where they ask you a ridiculous question that you don't need to know unless you're in physiology, probably not even then. A good laugh.
 
I just did the Digestion chapter for bio. I did okay but one of the questions was asking which Vitamins, by name, were fat soluble and which weren't. It made me laugh because that happens at least 2-4 times per chapter where they ask you a ridiculous question that you don't need to know unless you're in physiology, probably not even then. A good laugh.

BR has some flaws, but they do have the best passages. It is probably their attention to detail that makes their passages amazing, but then also adds truly nonessential material.

I agree with you though. I feel bad for the students who don't understand that they go into too much depth (I originally was getting lost in details).
 
I've done Phase I and II for everything except Bio and I think it's a skill you have to develop if you haven't yet. I've also done a lot of practice so you get an sense for what is important and which questions you can look at as just pure bullcrap that don't count because they wouldn't show up.

It's like basic knowledge, passage knowledge, and logical reasoning to a conclusion based on the previous two. That's what all the questions on aamc are based on, nothing more.
 
So in terms of verbal pretty much TBR is just good as practice since it doesn't seem comparable enough to what we'll actually see. I'm doing all these tests first and then going to try and do TPR Verbal workbook and then lastly the EK 101 as my prep before doing FL's.....I've looked around all over the forum to add to it but it seems just straight up practice/ analyzing mistakes and trying to adapt to it and getting better is the only way, right?

btw, I agree that the rather long explanations for answers is pretty funny. an explanation of one question can take a whole page, haha.
 
anyone else think the 'momentum' part of section IV just blowed? I thought it was very poorly explained.
 
Yea I had a tough time with that section too. I think this is one area of physics where you really have to do a lot of practice problems and build an intuition on how to answer the questions.
 
I just finished the last passage for Phase 1 of Fluids and Solids in Physics II. I noticed though that the first question in that passage required outside knowledge (info from the electric circuits chapter). I thought Phase 1 was only supposed to ask questions based on the material taught in that same chapter?
 
I just finished the last passage for Phase 1 of Fluids and Solids in Physics II. I noticed though that the first question in that passage required outside knowledge (info from the electric circuits chapter). I thought Phase 1 was only supposed to ask questions based on the material taught in that same chapter?

I feel like sometimes they expect you to have a very basic understanding of outside material during phase I.

Question for people who have been studying for a longer than I have/have taken the MCAT and are just looking through this thread for fun...did you guys notice your phase scores improving after awhile of studying/practicing? If so, how long did it take? I've been studying for several weeks and I have not noticed any improvement in my phase scores and it's a bit discouraging (although this could be due to the fact that my scores are already very good...generally in the 11-12 range...but I'd like to average 13+ by the time I start doing FL's in about 6 weeks or so...).

Anybody have any tips on postgaming that they found particularly helpful? What I generally do is try to classify why I got each problem wrong (did I misinterpret information in the passage? did I not incorporate outside info correctly? or was it just a simple arithmetic error? etc etc) and I try to work through the solution (usually I write it out) and phrase the solution/reasoning in my own words...
 
lol,
i just did Circuit section on EK 1001 Physics
take a look at #826-841 with the diagram.
i thought (personally) it was the harderst one to interpret the circuit.
(not the question but the diagram)
 
22/26 in Electrochemsitry Phase I!
thats around 13 i guess :D
wioohoooo
and i got approximately 13 on bio as well
lets goooo
 
TBR CBT 9 36;14,10,12 . I gave myself the 14 even though it was probably borderline 13 (missed 5 and out of the 8 allowed for a 13). I hope the real thing goes like this...
 
After missing a few questions off of NMR recall, not in the passage, it got me thinking about BR a bit.

My notes on NMR shifts from BR (list of 15+, I don't think I wrote them all):
EK NMR shifts from their book (list of 0):

EK probably needs to add some, but it seems BR could remove a few too.

Same with weak acids.

My notes from BR (list of 17 or so) EK (list of 0):

I really enjoy BR, but I think one flaw is getting to deep into details. Students like myself suffer a bit from this, as we like to know everything. One area BR could improve in is either condensing or telling students what to focus on, rather than just spitting out everything. I realize the skill of the good student is to figure this out on your own, but it would be nice for some help.

You bring up an excellent point. There are some basic values you need, but the lists are overkill. I think their purpose in making the lists so big is to give you a table to work from when answering questions in the book, and not a list to memorize. Personally I think the problem lies in the fact that the books were written with a student in the class in mind, where they have the ability to guide them and point out what should be memorized and what is there just for reference. I think if they took some of the tables and pictures from their lecture handouts and added them to the books, it would help with exactly what you are suggesting.

just completed Electric Circuits section for Physics.
did 3 passages,
16/21, ~76% = ~12?
maybe haha
oh well, this section wasnt that bad,
pretty comfortable with it.

*guys, im taking my mcat on august 4th, when should i complete the content review by?
im still have little bit left for chem and physics (completed bio).
you think im late?

Great job on circuits. I always found them to be fun like a brain teaser.

For an August 4 exam, you should be done reviewing by around July 7, about 28 days before your exam. That will give you enough time to take plenty of exams and go over anything that bothers you on the exams.

TBR CBT 9 36;14,10,12 . I gave myself the 14 even though it was probably borderline 13 (missed 5 and out of the 8 allowed for a 13). I hope the real thing goes like this...

GREAT score on what is one of the hardest BR CBTs. You have put so much time in and have such a good attitude towards this exam that you'll be a high 30. When are you taking the exam?
 
You bring up an excellent point. There are some basic values you need, but the lists are overkill. I think their purpose in making the lists so big is to give you a table to work from when answering questions in the book, and not a list to memorize. Personally I think the problem lies in the fact that the books were written with a student in the class in mind, where they have the ability to guide them and point out what should be memorized and what is there just for reference. I think if they took some of the tables and pictures from their lecture handouts and added them to the books, it would help with exactly what you are suggesting.



Great job on circuits. I always found them to be fun like a brain teaser.

For an August 4 exam, you should be done reviewing by around July 7, about 28 days before your exam. That will give you enough time to take plenty of exams and go over anything that bothers you on the exams.



GREAT score on what is one of the hardest BR CBTs. You have put so much time in and have such a good attitude towards this exam that you'll be a high 30. When are you taking the exam?

Thanks! My test is on Thursday. Im going to swing by the test center on Wednesday and maybe stop by and say hi to Todd if hes in. Im trying to figure out who you are :D ... Roland?
 
Does anyone know why BR constantly drills Carbon 13 NMR?

So strange. It's not even a topic on the Bio topics list.

Are they planning on updating their books?

I just encountered another question requiring knowledge on C13 NMR shifts/reading peaks without any passage info...

this is just one piece:
absence of a peak above 175 ppm means compound can't be a carbonyl; absorbance above 180 ppm confirms structure must have a ring; etc
:thumbdown:

It's funny because I'm getting torn up on a few of these passages because I don't have C13 NMR shifts memorized or UV visible anti bond shifts memorized. wow.

Conjuaged dienes are above 200 nm on UV but carbonyls have a transition around 190 nm and an n-pi* transition around 260 nm. (I guess they ran out of questions to test).
 
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i just started doing the BR Verbal.
it seems like
passages are similar to the AAMC ones
but the questions are easier?
*also, where do i get the conversion table?
 
i just started doing the BR Verbal.
it seems like
passages are similar to the AAMC ones
but the questions are easier?
*also, where do i get the conversion table?

I havent been able to find the table. Though I found TBR VR longer with harder readings than AAMC. Though the questions are more obvious, they take a lot more time.

I couldnt find the table either :(
 
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