Berkely Review Physics/ Gen Chem

[msd848]

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I was wondering how people have been performing on the passages at the end of each section... I keep getting around a half right in chemistry.. and I don't know if this is good or bad...

 

[Forkit]

I was wondering how people have been performing on the passages at the end of each section... I keep getting around a half right in chemistry.. and I don't know if this is good or bad...

It's bad....step your game up.

 

[LeftyUM]

I've been missing 0-1-2. If its a topic that I'm weak on, maybe 3 on some.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I was wondering how people have been performing on the passages at the end of each section... I keep getting around a half right in chemistry.. and I don't know if this is good or bad...

The average person misses about 3 per passage in the general chemistry and about 2.5 to 3 per passage on the physics. It will vary from chapter to chapter, but those are pretty generic averages. The average student goes on to get about a 10.5 to 11 on the PS section, so it sounds like you are pacing out to be about a 9 to 9.5 on the MCAT.

BUT!!!!, the most important thing is that after trying the question a second time and reading/processing the answer explanation, that you would get that question (or a similar question) right the next time you see it.

Keep in mind it's where you're headed, not where your at that matters (unless of course you're in quicksand or a shark tank covered in lambchops).

 

[Forkit]

The average person misses about 3 per passage in the general chemistry and about 2.5 to 3 per passage on the physics. It will vary from chapter to chapter, but those are pretty generic averages. The average student goes on to get about a 10.5 to 11 on the PS section, so it sounds like you are pacing out to be about a 9 to 9.5 on the MCAT.

BUT!!!!, the most important thing is that after trying the question a second time and reading/processing the answer explanation, that you would get that question (or a similar question) right the next time you see it.

Keep in mind it's where you're headed, not where your at that matters (unless of course you're in quicksand or a shark tank covered in lambchops).

It should be noted that BR is much harder than the actual MCAT.

 

[rocketbooster]

I'm like 2/3rds of the way through the organic, chem, and physics books. There are a few things that need to be answered about your practice tests before I can give you an accurate assessment.

1) Are you taking the practice passages in a quiet area where you can concentrate?

2) Which round of passages are you doing? Are you doing the 1st 3rd, 2nd 3rd, or last 3rd batch of passages?

Here's why these questions matter:

1) For myself, I miss 0-1/passage when I'm doing them in a quiet area and not being disturbed. When I'm trying to work the passages in between things, such as during downtime in my research, I miss 2-3 because ppl consistently will ask me something and break my concentration. It's really easy to misread question stems when you are not fully focused.

2) The passages are designed to be done in a certain order. Email BR and ask them to send you the syllabus of the BR class. The last passages are supposed to be done after ALL of the content review is completed because they test multiple concepts, not just the one chapter you just read.

Even in the first passages assigned to be done after your first read of the chapter, you'll sometimes come across a few questions that require another chapter's concepts to answer.

If you're missing 3-4 questions/passage during the 3rd round of passages, then you need to review everything again haha.

Also, don't worry about timing passages until the 2nd and 3rd batches of passages. Try to finish in a reasonable time during the 1st passages, but don't be as concerned with finishing in a timely manner.

 

[HoorayForAHock]

For reference, I have only just finished the Section III of Gen Chem, but I have learned some valuable things about BR from the little time I've spent.

First off, you have to give yourself up. I found that when I tried to "do it my way" instead of following the logic of BR I would do poorly. For example, if you come across a concept that you think you know, but BR does it differently, do it their way. It really seems like they have made it their business to find the most efficient thought processes to excel. If you buy into them, and rearrange your mental paradigms you WILL improve by leaps and bounds.

Second, I am going through the section rather slowly. 2-3 days per section (although I haven't had Gen Chem in class for about 4 years). This allows me time to make the conceptual connections that are also necessary to excel. For every example and practice problem I am analyzing to see all the different connections that need to be made to come to the right answer. For example, I just got done with solubility and Ksp. The connection between molar solubility and Ksp didn't seem logical to me at first, but as I really worked on (both in my mind and on paper) the different tricky aspects just started to click. However, to fly through content review (assuming that its a weak area) won't help you. You can't answer a question until you have made the connections between concepts that are so important.

Lastly, once you get one wrong and figure out why, commit to never getting another question wrong for the same reason. Write them out, analyze what concepts didn't connect, and REVIEW these mistakes until you know that if a similar question pops up, you will immediately recognize it as if you saw it on America's Most Wanted.

That is my strategy for excellence. Some people aren't willing to put in that much for a stupid test, but that is my advice if you want to excel. See you on the other side of 40.

 

[Ari1584]

I am also using TBR and was wondering the scoring of the bio passages. I was a bio major and received one B in all of my bio classes, and always seemed to have a good grip on everything. But when i am going through TBR...i get SO many wrong and it usually comes down to picking between two choice and i pick the wrong one! I am scoring around a 9 in these sections and am getting very discouraged. I am retaking in april so i def am running out of time. Are these bio passages really THAT hard? Or is it just me 🙁

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I am also using TBR and was wondering the scoring of the bio passages. I was a bio major and received one B in all of my bio classes, and always seemed to have a good grip on everything. But when i am going through TBR...i get SO many wrong and it usually comes down to picking between two choice and i pick the wrong one! I am scoring around a 9 in these sections and am getting very discouraged. I am retaking in april so i def am running out of time. Are these bio passages really THAT hard? Or is it just me 🙁

DO NOT freak out about Bio at all. You're doing just fine if the scale says you're at a 9. The guy who wrote most of the biology text and passages is an hardline old schooler with the mentality that you learn more from going over things you got wrong than any other way. His passages and questions are written in a way where the average person pulls 4/7 per passage and walks out with more knowledge than before.

You should note that on some of the more frequently tested subjects (kidney, female hormone ccyle, etc...) that the questions are not quite as butt kicking as the genetics and molecular biology material.

 

[ilubse7en]

^
that's nice to here, because, i am studying so hard on bio (it's my only strength and still pulling only ~9
i'm doing wonderful at other TBR workbooks, always pulling 12 and over with lowest 10.
TBR is great~~~

 

[Zona Pellucida]

I love these books for Organic and Gen Chem...

I've been scoring 10-13s so far .. I have basically completed book 1 for Gen Chem and Orgo.. so half way done.

It seems like even if I don't fully understand something in the chapter areas that on the test part I still get it right as it just "makes sense" from the information given in the passage, even if I don't fully understand what is going on.

I hope this is how the MCAT is haha.

 

[docbrill]

The BR is definitely the best for gen chem and physics. I am usualy getting 11s and sometimes 12s. Their logic makes perfect sense to me. However, I did the PS section from AAMC 3 and got a 9 (one point away from 10). Even though I was only half-way through the material review when I took it, now I am kind of worried! I've read that BR is harder than the actual exam, so I expected to score at least 11 on the AAMC. Is there anyone who has scored lower (2 or more points) on the actual MCAT PS section than their average BR score?

 

[rocketbooster]

The BR is definitely the best for gen chem and physics. I am usualy getting 11s and sometimes 12s. Their logic makes perfect sense to me. However, I did the PS section from AAMC 3 and got a 9 (one point away from 10). Even though I was only half-way through the material review when I took it, now I am kind of worried! I've read that BR is harder than the actual exam, so I expected to score at least 11 on the AAMC. Is there anyone who has scored lower (2 or more points) on the actual MCAT PS section than their average BR score?

.......................that doesn't mean jack. go ahead and waste some more full length CBT AAMCs before completing all the content review like you just did. do you think AAMC3 ONLY tested on the half of BR material you've thus far gone over? of course not. go check your mistakes on AAMC3. I'm sure you missed more questions on material you haven't covered yet in BR.

do not not not not not not NOT NOT NOT take full length practice tests until you're done with content review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! especially AAMCs...there are only 8 AAMCs and they are the best score indcators to the real thing. save those until the last month before your real test!