Breaking Down the MCAT: A 3 Month MCAT Study Schedule

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SN2ed

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Written by SN2ed.

Downloadable MCAT Calendar iCAL and XML versions: http://www.studentdoctor.net/3-month-mcat-study-schedule/
(Click the events for more details)

Everyone please keep the questions to this strategy AND READ ALL OF THE FIRST FOUR POSTS.

Do NOT start this schedule late. You will burnout. There have already been numerous posts & threads on people starting late, trying to rush through the material, and burning out quickly.
Check the Update log in the last post for any changes.

I noticed that some people are claiming they wrote this guide to scam people out of money. Let me make this clear, I have not and will not be selling anything related to this guide. If you see a poster trying to sell books saying they wrote this schedule, do NOT buy from them. They are attempting to take your money away on false pretenses. Additionally, this guide has only been and should only be posted on SDN. I have not posted this guide anywhere else. Furthermore, SDN is the sole MCAT/medical forum I visit and the only forum where I use the screen name SN2ed. I never imagined this thread would be popular enough to warrant this kind of attention. The contents of this thread (and any other on SDN) cannot be replicated and re-hosted on any other forum, blog, or website without prior consent of both the author and SDN.
Make sure you read ALL of the opening posts, including the FAQ, before posting questions.

To begin with, check out these two threads:

Why Diagnostics are Worthless: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=557231

MCAT and a Heavy School Workload Don't Mix: Stop rushing to take the MCAT:http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=602186

Can I accomplish this schedule with a part-time job or school?

Very unlikely. I highly recommend you devote 3 months to the MCAT. There may be a few that could follow this schedule and work part-time, but chances are it would not end well. You are FAR more likely to burn out if you try to study for the MCAT using this schedule and go to school or take a part/full-time job.

Furthermore, I've yet to see a valid reason for students (ie. not non-trads) to not take the MCAT in the summer.

Will following this guide guarantee me a +30?

Sadly, there are no guarantees on the MCAT. I certainly hope it helps you, but I can't say whether or not you'll hit your target score.

Should I take the MCAT before finishing my pre-reqs?

There's no point in doing so. You have to take them anyway. Hence, you might as well go into the test with your pre-reqs completed. Yes, this includes the English pre-req.

Any tips for retakers?

Check out the thread I made on the subject: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=754682

Remember to check out the third and fourth post FAQ.

Anything else before I start?

CONFIDENCE. Through all of the troubles and hardships you'll face, approach everything with confidence. You must constantly attack this test. The MCAT is merely a stepping stone on your journey.

Also, this is just a guide I made up. It is my opinion on what a study schedule should resemble. I'm sure there will be people that disagree with parts of this schedule or the whole thing. This schedule can easily be adjusted for 4 months instead of 3. I don't suggest starting heavy studying 5 months+ from your test date. Keep it to 3-4 months. If you start too soon, it will be a waste of time and resources.

Remember to use the search function on these forums. Tons of questions have already been asked and answered.
Lastly, please give credit to me, SN2ed, if you post this elsewhere. I put a ton of work into it.

Materials:

- Berkeley Review (BR) General Chemistry
- BR Organic Chemistry
- Examkrackers (EK) Biology for non-detailed approach OR The Princeton Review Hyperlearning (TPR) Biology/BR Biology for a detailed approach (In the schedule, I will use EK Bio because most prefer a non-detailed approach)
- BR Bio
- BR Physics
- EK 1001 series, excluding EK 1001 Bio (i.e. do NOT buy EK 1001 Bio)
- EK Verbal 101
- TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook or Berkeley Review Verbal
- AAMC Full Length (FL) #3-5 and 7-11 (AAMC #6 is not available at the moment)

You're using EK Bio for content review and BR Bio for passages. If you need more detail during in your content review, refer to BR Bio.

You can pick up the BR books from their website: http://www.berkeley-review.com/TBR/home-study.html
Also, check out the For Sale section on here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=230 All of the above, except for the AAMC FLs show up from time to time. I've regularly seen a complete BR set go for under $100 on there. Whenever you buy used, MAKE SURE THE PASSAGES ARE UNMARKED.

To buy the AAMC FLs: http://www.e-mcat.com/

Bare Minimum Set-up:

$245 for AAMC FLs (http://www.e-mcat.com/)

$240 for BR Physics, O-chem, Gen Chem, Biology (http://www.berkeley-review.com/TBR/home-study.html)

$26 for EK Verbal 101 (http://www.amazon.com/Examkrackers-MCAT101-Passages-Verbal-Reasoning/dp/1893858553)

$30 EK Bio (Amazon product ASIN 1893858626)


Prices vary on TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook, search the For Sale forum on here for copies. They regularly show up. You should be able to get one for under $50.

Total = $541 + TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook

Set-up with EK 1001:

$18 EK Physics 1001 (http://www.amazon.com/Examkrackers-1001-Questions-MCAT-Physics/dp/1893858189)

$20 EK O-Chem 1001 (http://www.amazon.com/Examkrackers-1001-Questions-Organic-Chemistry/dp/1893858197)

$19 EK Chem 1001 (http://www.amazon.com/Examkrackers-1001-Questions-MCAT-Chemistry/dp/1893858227)

Total = $598 + TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook

Possible Book Replacements:

If you're having a hard time finding the TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook, BR is an okay replacement. Well, there's not much of a choice left. Again, I HIGHLY recommend you hunt down the TPRH Verbal Workbook.

TPRH is a great choice for content review in all subjects, however, you still need the BR books and EK 101 Verbal for their practice passages. TPRH does not have enough practice passages, though the Workbooks are still great resources.

A Little Bit more about TPRH books:

If you're looking for the Science or Verbal Workbooks, your best bet is through the For Sale forum on here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=230

You can also find the full TPRH set in the For Sale. People usually sell the whole set together.

If you want the content books, they're available on Amazon.

Yes, these books are the same as the TPRH content review books. The only difference is that these books, unlike the class content review books, contain some practice passages. I believe it's 3-4 passages per chapter. It's not enough to just stick with these books and some FLs, but it's nice to have a few passages thrown in.

About the EK 1001 series:

It is a good idea to get the complete EK 1001 series. I thought they really helped me nail down my understanding of the various topics. Through using the physics especially, I found that I didn't understand some things as well as I would like. Furthermore, for whatever reason, they helped me visualize the problem in my head and made the equations intuitive to use.
Too many people neglect their basic understanding which could be bolstered by EK 1001. They think they have a strong grasp, yet when those fundumentals are tested, one's weaknesses become more apparent. Plus, doing more timed practice problems is always a good thing.

The only negative for the non-bio and VR practice books is that they aren't in the right format (unless you think of them as tons of discretes).
However, it is significantly easier to spot your content weaknesses with EK 1001 because they aren't passages. You don't have to worry about if you messed up due to a failure to synthesize multiple ideas or the passage was worded strangely. When you mess up on EK 1001, you know it's due to a content weakness. Lastly, this problem would be alleviated by the BR books and EK content books containing practice passages. There are also the practice tests that you will be taking.
I suggest you get the above materials 1-2 months in advance! It takes awhile to get your BR books! You don't want to be missing your materials when you're about to start this schedule. Also, older content review books are usually okay, just don't go too far back (past 5 years old).
Lastly, sign up for your MCAT as soon as possible. Seats fill up months in advance.

Timing:

- ALWAYS complete your practice problems under TIMED conditions
- For BR passages: 6-7 minutes per passage, work towards 6 minutes
- For the EK 30-minute exams….well 30 minutes
- EK 1001, except Bio series: 30 seconds to 1 minute per question
- EK Verbal 101/TPR Verbal: 6-7 minutes per passage, work towards 6 minutes
- AAMC FLs: Use their timing


Notes:

- Do NOT retake old practice material
- Thoroughly review ALL of your practice problems. Review your problems the day AFTER you take them. Don't even look at the answers until then. If there's a break day, review your problems on the day after your break.
- Remember to round like crazy for any math problem
- Always use process of elimination with your answer choices
- Before you begin this schedule, count the number of verbal practice passages (101 from EK + however many in the TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook). Divide the number of passages by 70 (total days - the number of break days AND FL days). That number is the number of verbal passages you should be taking per day. I'm hoping that number breaks down to at least 3 passages per day. Ideally, you should take 4-5 verbal passages per assigned day. You do NOT take verbal passages on break days OR FL days.
- If you don't want to get the EK 1001 series, spread out the second 1/3 of BR practice passages over 2 days. Again, I recommend you get the EK 1001 books that are listed.
- If your practice test score is not within your target range after 2-3 tests, you should consider delaying. If you delay, go over your weaknesses again and complete an in-depth analysis of what went wrong.
- If you have enough money, you could adjust the schedule to fit in more practice tests. I didn't include that many to keep the cost down.
- If your test is in the morning and you're not a morning person, start getting used to waking up early when you start taking practice tests.
- Try to practice under as realistic as possible conditions when you take your practice tests. In other words: wake up early enough to be able to drive to your center; eat a meal you would eat before a test; follow the proper timing; and if you're really into it, you could even drive around for about the same time it would take you to get to your test center.

General Guidelines for Reviewing:

- Go over EVERY question. Both the ones you got right and the ones you got wrong.
- Reviewing should take 2-3 times longer than taking the timed practice problems.
- If your tests are fluctuating, it is due to the different topics on the various tests. In other words, you have some glaring weaknesses that when targeted, nail you, badly. You have to find out what those weaknesses are because they are evident by your scores. Do NOT dismiss any wrong answer as a "stupid mistake." You made that error for a reason. Go over your tests again.
- You might want to consider making a log for all of your post test results where you work through the questions below. Doing so, you'll be able to easily notice trends.

Some things to go over when reviewing:

1. Why did you get the question wrong? Why did you get the question right?
2. What question and passage types get you?
3. How is your mindset when facing a particular passage?
4. Are you stressed for time?
5. Where are your mistakes happening the most? Are they front loaded? Are they at the end? All over?
6. What was your thought process for both the questions you got right and the ones you got wrong?
7. For verbal, what was the author's mindset and main idea?
8. Did you eliminate all of the answer choices you could from first glance?
ex. You know an answer should be a positive number so you cross out all of the negative number answer choices.
9. What content areas are you weak in?
10. Why are the wrong answers wrong and the right answer right?
11. How can you improve so you don't make the same mistake again?

Hat Trick:

Get a hat and write every single MCAT PS and BS topic onto a piece of paper. Then, when you're ready to practice PS, put all the PS topics into the hat. Draw two or three pieces of paper and connect the topics together. In addition to connecting them, come up with what a passage might look like and what kind of questions you might get. If you can't do this, go back and review each of the three sections. Rinse and repeat.

The hat trick days are important because they aid you in synthesizing the various topics together. On the MCAT, you utilize this skill for every passage because MCAT passages combine topics. Furthermore, you may also discover content weaknesses that you will need to go over.

PS Topic List: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/85562/data/ps_topics.pdf
BS Topic List: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/85566/data/bstopics.pdf
Page to get topic lists if you don't want to directly download the pdf: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/preparing

Here's a rough example using Distillation, Mendelian Genetics, and Lipids:

You are studying a Mendelian inherited recessive genetic defect of a lipid receptor. A defect in this receptor prevents the uptake lipids in the body and can cause several negative effects, such as, atherosclerosis due to fat build-up in arterial walls.

To test for the concentration of lipids in a patient's blood, you design a distillation experiment.

1. Given a couple where the male is Ll and the female is ll, what is the chance the child will have the defect?

2. What kind of solvent should you use to test the concentration of lipids?

3. What type patient would have the highest boiling point elevation?

4. If the trait exhibited incomplete dominance, which patient is likely to be Ll? Boiling point information here.

5. Which cell component requires lipids?

Verbal Help:

Check out Vihsadas's verbal guide and the other guides found in the MCAT Guide sticky
Vihsadas's Guide: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=6022602&postcount=96
MCAT Guide Sticky: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=602154

Arithmetic Tricks:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=528674&highlight=Arithmetic Tips Tricks
 
Last edited:
I am a nontraditional applicant preparing for the MCAT. My strategy is to use the Kaplan MCAT Premier resource as a master along with the Schaum's 3000 problems series (Physics, Chemistry and Bio) for content review as well as AAMC CBT's. Is this enough? HELP!
 
Thanks for the day to day study program.This definitely makes studying for the mcat more organized and much easier.However, I was wondering if you could shed more light on reading "1/3 of corresponding passages" because I'm looking at my EK Bio and BR Bio and I'm clueless as to what I have to do in regards to that statement.Once again thanks for the post.
 
SN2ed and rest,

can anyone please suggest which book would help with learning the strategy of how to tackle verbal passages. I am going through Kaplan and BR right now, but am getting bogged down by just reading through them! Would you suggest one of those two or EK or the hyperlearning?

PS - does the hyperlearning verbal workbook contain only passages or strategies as well?

Thank you all in advance!
 
I'm pretty good at the bio basics. Would it then be okay to just use EK 1001? I already have the book and wouldn't want to spend more money on BR bio if possible.
 
SN2ed and rest,

can anyone please suggest which book would help with learning the strategy of how to tackle verbal passages. I am going through Kaplan and BR right now, but am getting bogged down by just reading through them! Would you suggest one of those two or EK or the hyperlearning?

PS - does the hyperlearning verbal workbook contain only passages or strategies as well?

Thank you all in advance!

buddy, USE THE SEARCH. I know your new but can you not be so lazy and search. To answer your question EK101 is a must and their strategy is the best, but do use what works for you.



BloodySurgeon Verbal Guide- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=509702

QofQuimica & Shrike - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=516521

30+ MCAT Study Habits- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=503250

Tips for MCAT Studiers- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show....php?p=3719232

A Very Good Verbal Guide - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=206944

mterp45 - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=526316

Vihsadas Verbal Guide- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...2&postcount=96

Bozz- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=499207

gecko45- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=499808

Rabbit36- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=578461

Official Please Help Forum - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=535393
 
I'm pretty good at the bio basics. Would it then be okay to just use EK 1001? I already have the book and wouldn't want to spend more money on BR bio if possible.

use that book and if you aren't scoring well on the aamc tests use different resources. People have used things for bio other than TBR and got 40s so depending on how well your doing use as much or little as you thing best b/c no one is going to be able to tell you what to do better than you.
 
Thanks,

I am relatively new at this website indeed. It wasn't a question of being lazy... just not knowing that I could use the search engine for my specific questions, I am sure a ton of people have had the same questions. Thank you for letting me know. 🙂
 
I was wondering what your suggestion would be if I had already taken all the AAMC practice tests last year, but I'm starting to study again for the MCAT this summer. Should I not look at any of the old AAMC and only get the Berkeley? OR should I do both? Also, I've already been through the entire EK verbal book last year, so again I'm running into the same problem.. suggestions? Thanks in advance =)
 
SN2ed and others,

Could you describe with more specificity the added value of doing both the 1001 books for all subjects along with the TBR books? Of the 1001 books, are any of more value than the others?

I have worked through about 1/2 of TBR passages from a previous MCAT attempt last summer, but decided to postpone to this summer for a test scheduled June 18. Recently, I've been working through passages I didn't do last summer, and plan to finish the remainder over the next month. In addition, I have all the TBR CBT exams and 2-3 fresh AAMC exams.

Throughout my studies, I have made an active effort to learn for memory, teaching myself the material, using chalkboards, whiteboards, whatever helps. I have also worked with tutors on a regular basis and worked to bridge connections between the subjects. For the first time, I feel like "I'm seeing how it all fits together and how the world really operates." What would be your advice?

Thanks.
 
SN2ed,
I'm using your 3-month study plan and kind of behind due to my final exams. I will be done with my content review by June 1st. My exam is June 17th.
I have the TBR 1-7 CBTs and AAMC 3-10 FL exams. Starting June 2nd, I can do a FL each day and still be on time by June 17th (with my last FL being on the 16th). Do you recommend doing this (taking a FL each day and review the answers on the same day)?
Or should I not use the TBR FL's and just do the AAMC's (this way, I will have 1 day to take the FL and review the answers on the following day, according to your schedule)?

Thanks.
 
If your ranking for FL's is
1. AAMC #7-10
2. BR #1-7
3. Kaplan #1-6/GS #1-10
4. AAMC #3-6
5. TPR
6. Kaplan #7-10

Why then is BR or Kaplan not substituted in for the AAMC #1-6 within the schedule?

Also, I was wondering about the timing of the re-reading of the chapters? Why is it recommended to re-read them within a couple days of originally reading them? Couldn't it be of more benefit to re-read them later on within the schedule, when the material isn't as fresh? For example, when reading BR Physics Chapter 1 on day 1 + day 6, wouldn't you be more prone to forget this material by day 70 than if the 2 readings were more spaced out?

Just some questions. Thanks so much for the schedule! 🙂
 
geh926:

Currently, I'm considering including BR FLs because this last batch of test takers (from around Jan 2010 on) thought they were very helpful. When I made this guide, there weren't as many opinions on BR FLs. Although the people that did use them, liked them, I didn't think there were enough reviews to warrant using them. Additionally, even now the consensus on here is to take all of the AAMC FLs. However, if you want to substitute BR FLs for the early AAMCs, do it. What I'll probably do is write in BR FLs under the material substitutions section.

For your second question, although it's not obvious at first glance, the whole last month is basically review and application of everything you've learned. Not to mention the work you'll put in during your post-practice review, especially if you are rusty.

Everything was spaced out to help reinforce the material through repetition. During the week you first encounter the material, plenty of repetition is needed to make it stick. The time you put in then should help your recollection when you see the material again in the last month. If you forgot some of the earlier material, you'll be seeing it early enough in the last month to fix any problems.
 
geh926:

Currently, I'm considering including BR FLs because this last batch of test takers (from around Jan 2010 on) thought they were very helpful. When I made this guide, there weren't as many opinions on BR FLs. Although the people that did use them, liked them, I didn't think there were enough reviews to warrant using them. Additionally, even now the consensus on here is to take all of the AAMC FLs. However, if you want to substitute BR FLs for the early AAMCs, do it. What I'll probably do is write in BR FLs under the material substitutions section.

Previously you've said that TPR CBTs are hard to rank due to inconsistent opinions. I was just wondering if your opinion is still the same. Have there been enough people who thought their CBTs are similar to the MCAT? Also, if you've gathered enough info, how would rank their CBTS? Are they similar to Kaplan where some CBTs (1-6) are much better than the rest?
Thanks again
 
I was wondering what your suggestion would be if I had already taken all the AAMC practice tests last year, but I'm starting to study again for the MCAT this summer. Should I not look at any of the old AAMC and only get the Berkeley? OR should I do both? Also, I've already been through the entire EK verbal book last year, so again I'm running into the same problem.. suggestions? Thanks in advance =)

I was half way through the EK verbal last year..And my weakest part is verbal.
What books should i get? to practice verbal passages?

Thanks

Sorry for not searching and being lazy.
 
SN2ed, I just wanted to follow-up with you regarding my experience with your study plan. I followed it to the letter in all aspects except the Hat Trick, which I didn't really understand how to apply. I've been scoring 31-36 on all my AAMC full-lengths (4-10), with an average of 33.4.

I've taken the actual MCAT twice before and gotten 27 & 28. I will take it again for the third (and last!) time this Saturday, 5/22. I will follow-up with my score when I receive it. The major mistake I made on the first two iterations was not doing enough practice problems. I only took one full-length, AAMC 3. I focused solely on content review, which simply didn't cut it. I was stubborn and didn't want to pay for prep materials, but I learned my lesson. In short, anyone reading please learn from my mistakes.

Thanks again for this wonderful study plan, and I look forward to reporting back with my official score!
 
skyhook: Wow you only took AAMC FL 3 for BOTH previous tries? Well, at least you had some AAMCs to use this time since you are not supposed to retake practice material which includes FLs.
 
SN2ed, is the BR Biology set absolutely necessary? I just have the EK Biology book. I've taken the Kaplan MCAT course (terribly expensive) and thus am looking to save $ wherever possible. However, if it is necessary, I'll definitely fork out the money.

Thank you so much for this study schedule/guide!
 
Hey Sn2ed, or any one who has followed his schedule, could you perhaps break down which BR Bio passages correlate with which EK Bio lectures? The way I've been trying to do it leaves some EK lectures with very few corresponding passages, but others with way too many (like 8-9/day vs 1-2/day).
 
Hey Sn2ed, or any one who has followed his schedule, could you perhaps break down which BR Bio passages correlate with which EK Bio lectures? The way I've been trying to do it leaves some EK lectures with very few corresponding passages, but others with way too many (like 8-9/day vs 1-2/day).

This is what doctoroftha313 wrote in this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=9660729

I'm wondering this myself. I'm using EK for content review, and so it seems easier just to go through the EK 1001 passages since it corresponds with the lectures. But I'm going to try BR as well. If you're interested here is a list of EK lectures and the corresponding BR passages:

EK Lecture
TBR

1
Molecular Biology; Cellular Respiration
1-13, 6-3, 6-8, 6-9, 6-12, 6-14, 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 7-6, 7-7, 7-8, 7-9, 7-10, 7-11, 7-12, 7-13, 7-14, 7-15, 8-1, 8-2, 8-3, 8-4, 8-5, 8-6, 8-7, 8-8, 8-9, 8-10, 8-11, 8-12, 8-13, 8-14, 8-15
2
Genes
6-13, 9-1, 9-4, 9-6, 9-7, 9-8, 9-9, 9-10, 9-11, 9-12, 9-13, 9-14, 9-15, 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-4, 10-5, 10-6, 10-7, 10-8, 10-9, 10-10, 10-11, 10-12, 10-13, 10-14, 10-15
3
Microbiology
6-1, 6-4, 6-5, 6-11, 6-15
4
The Eukaryotic Cell; The Nervous System
Eukaryotic Cell: 6-2, 6-6, 6-7, 6-10
Nervous System: 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-6, 1-7, 1-8, 1-9, 1-10, 1-11, 1-12
5
The Endocrine System; Reproductive System
Embryo: 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6, 4-7, 4-8, 4-9, 4-10, 4-11, 4-12, 4-13, 4-14, 4-15
Endocrine: 5-7, 5-8, 5-9, 5-10, 5-11, 5-12, 5-13, 5-14, 5-15
6
The Digestive System; The Excretory System
Digestion: 3-2, 3-3, 3-4, 3-5, 3-6, 3-14, 3-15
Excretory: 3-7, 3-8, 3-9, 3-10, 3-11, 3-13
7
The Cardiovascular System; The Respiratory System
Circulatory: 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4, 2-7, 2-8, 2-9, 2-10, 2-13, 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, 5-4, 5-5, 5-6
Respiratory: 2-5, 2-6, 2-11, 2-12, 2-14, 2-15, 7-5
Lymph: 3-12,
8
Muscle, Bone, and Skin
1-14, 1-15, 3-1
9
Populations
9-2, 9-3, 9-5

NOTE: The notation tells which chapter and which passage in TBR Bio. For example: "5-3" means BR chapter 5, passage #3.

I came up with this breakdown on my own, but feel free to comment if you think a particular passage should belong in a different lecture.

EDIT: I'm having trouble formatting the above, but it should be pretty self-explanatory.
 
Thank you apc! Your post was very helpful. Although there's still the problem of evenly dividing up the passages, at least I know which passages correlate with which chapters.
 
i took the PR mcat course over the summer and then again this winter. I admit I am not doing ALL of the practice problems but I have been doing them.

I'm taking 5 classes right now and I'm signed up for the JUNE MCAT.

Over the summer, my highest practice score was 21.

I just took AAMC #3 today and got a 16!!! I was a little distracted and took longer breaks and paused once or twice during the test, but I have less than a month left and I am totally sad.

I'm really aiming for 30+....sigh what should I do?

Is it possible to do a lot of practice passages/tests and get my score up by 15 pts in 3 weeks??? Do scores usually go up gradually or is there a sudden increase somewhere during studying?
 
I don't think that would be the case for me.
I did think getting used to AAMC FLs was the reason but
still only minor fluctuations at around 3 points.

15 points? Hm.. I know for me I can't do that.
 
SN2ed: I noticed in the past, you used to recommend the BR Bio book to study for the biology portion of your study schedule. Since then, you have replaced it with EK and recommended people use the TPRH Bio book for a detailed approach. Could you just elaborate on the rationale behind ranking these two books ahead of BR Bio?
 
Just started your schedule today! One thing I think should be added is to read the EK Math/Verbal strategies on your first day.

Sorry, what is the full name of this book and where can I find it? Would like to purchase...

SN2ed and all fabulous thread, thanks so much!
 
Biology: 1. EK Bio (for content) + BR Bio (for passages and further topic depth if needed) 2. TPR Hyperlearning, detail oriented 3. Kaplan

Physics
: 1. BR 2. Nova 3. TPR Hyperlearning 4. EK/Kaplan

Verbal: 1. EK Verbal + EK 101 Verbal 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. BR 4. Kaplan (Avoid if possible)

Organic Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

General Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

Extra Practice Material: 1. TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook + TPR Hyperlearing Science Workbook, good source of practice passages 1. AAMC Official Guide to the MCAT Exam (most representative material available) 2. EK 1001 series, helps nail down basics


SN2ed You wrote this in one of your other threads about what books to use for each subject but then in this thread you wrote the following below.
Im a little confused and was wondering if you could please clarify. Is the first suggestion more for practice passages, while the second suggestion is more for content review?? Thanks for the help!



Which do you prefer strictly for content, TPRH or BR?

The key to MCAT success is not content review, it's taking tons of timed practice passages and thoroughly reviewing those passages. If you really want an exact breakdown in terms of content review, it'd probably be something like this:

Bio: TPRH
O-chem: TPRH, a good number prefer BR
- In the past, more people preferred BR. Both TPRH and BR are probably about equal with style preference being a large factor.
Verbal: TPRH
- Verbal is basically entirely practice-based so this doesn't really count. For verbal practice, TPRH easily beats BR.
Gen chem: BR, some prefer TPRH
Physics: BR, some prefer TPRH

Again, you can't go wrong with either. For the money, BR is better because it contains practice passages which are vital for success and far more important than content review.
 
Thank you very much for publishing the study schedule. I am planning on taking the mcat on sep 3rd. I was wondering how many hours on average should my study day consist of?
 
additionally, I know you suggested getting the br for o.chem, g.chem, physics. Is tprh just as good as br when it comes to content review?
between ek101 and pr science workbook, do i have enough practice or do i still need br? (I apologize if this last question is redundant)
 
Guys I'm in a little dilemma here...so I'm at 1.5 weeks at this schedule and I'm already a few days behind. I find my self talking the whole day to read a chapter then having to finish up the 1/3 passages the next day and also going ahead with the next chapter the same day. I feel like I'm getting behind more and more everyday. I didn't even finish half way through the review day where you have to reread all the chapters again so I decided to just skip that and move on with the next chapters. I have a feeling that I will have to use up most of my break days to get back on track...I already pushed my test date from July 31 to August 20 just so i could fit this schedule in. What do I do...any tips on how to be a little bit more efficient?
 
reese07: What's taking you so long to get through a chapter? Starting off I had difficulty finishing in a reasonable amount of time but by the 3rd week it went much smoother. Start earlier in the day, minimize distractions, and learn to read with more energy and focus so you move through the chapters faster. My first 2 review days took me literally from about 7 am to 11 pm with only a lunch break. The next one I read faster, started at about 6 am, and finished by about 5 pm. What are your ECs? I only work 1 day a week (on break day) and volunteer 4-5 hrs a week at a free clinic.
 
SN2ed,

I know you've said multiple times that two month study schedule is not possible, but what if I did not do any Verbal whatsoever (except in FLs obviously)? Would it be possible to do it in ~60 ish days?

I didn't prepare for Verbal this time around either, and it worked out fine. The dense passages and timing are the issues for me in the sciences (and the concepts aren't as concrete because I waste too much time debating between two answer choices). And I get lost easily on the denser parts where I don't follow as well. I was doing 10s on the AAMC but they were weak 10s, and it was exposed during the MCAT (thick dense bio passages especially).

So if I get rid of Verbal, maybe combining a few chapters on concepts I am really good with (almost never missed a question on those topics on AAMC FLs)?
 
You might save about an hour each day by taking out any verbal practice. You could probably do all the content review in ~60 days so if you don't need the testing practice you could try that. Or risk burning out and use break days to do content so at the end you have some time to do FLs.
 
Thank you very much for publishing the study schedule. I am planning on taking the mcat on sep 3rd. I was wondering how many hours on average should my study day consist of? The reason I ask is because Its taking me way too long to finish a chapter and do the practice and I would like to set a benchmark in order to model my behavior accordingly.


additionally, I know you suggested getting the br for o.chem, g.chem, physics. Is tprh just as good as br when it comes to content review?
between ek101 and pr science workbook, do i have enough practice or do i still need br? (I apologize if this last question is redundant)
 
SN2ed,

I know you've said multiple times that two month study schedule is not possible, but what if I did not do any Verbal whatsoever (except in FLs obviously)? Would it be possible to do it in ~60 ish days?

I didn't prepare for Verbal this time around either, and it worked out fine. The dense passages and timing are the issues for me in the sciences (and the concepts aren't as concrete because I waste too much time debating between two answer choices). And I get lost easily on the denser parts where I don't follow as well. I was doing 10s on the AAMC but they were weak 10s, and it was exposed during the MCAT (thick dense bio passages especially).

So if I get rid of Verbal, maybe combining a few chapters on concepts I am really good with (almost never missed a question on those topics on AAMC FLs)?

What's a weak 10?
 
Lots of guessing, barely making 10s (e.g, every time I'd miss a 9 by a couple questions). Had a lot of weakness (made up by some areas where I rarely got anything wrong).
 
I had no work, only volunteer, plenty of ample time just for MCAT prep.
For me, reading the chapters entailed reading it at least 3 times.
First time, just skim through them, no marking, not doing the questions. Just skim.
Second time, this is time slowly, mark things, underline, and do the questions.
Third time, do an overall read over, jotting down separately things you know you should memorize (equations etc)
Then do the passages after taking a break.
===============================
Now if I did burn out for the day and couldn't bear taking the passages, here's what I did:

First in the morning, do your verbal.
Do the passages you should've done yesterday, and correct it afterwards.
Take a rest.
Start the chapter for the day, reading it 3 times.
============================
Please do take your break days. I'm a Christian and I changed all my break days to be Sundays. And on that day, I thought nothing about MCAT and just focused the whole day on God. It really helped me calm down and actually I got deeper into my spiritually 🙂 An equal relaxing break day is crucial! 96 days is a loooong time.

Also, I ran every other day after dinner, or at least tried to. I loved the endorphine rush that pumped my spirits up to study well into the night. Yes, I took the WHOLE day, sometimes spent average pure 11 hours of studying time because I was a slow reader (maybe just low IQ whatever), and sometimes slept 4 hours, with 2 hours after lunch.

Just experiment to get to your ideal studying habit.
One thing that kept me going was for me, this was all or nothing. I messed up my college grades, I just didn't want to do that live like that, thinking I've already reached my studying efficiency.

Yes, I was also behind schedule and had to catch up but I kept my break days, even if that meant sleeping less for the weekdays. I needed that rest.

For AAMC FL, I averaged around 29~35 and didn't really feel good after MCAT, didn't get the score yet.
 
I had no work, only volunteer, plenty of ample time just for MCAT prep.
For me, reading the chapters entailed reading it at least 3 times.
First time, just skim through them, no marking, not doing the questions. Just skim.
Second time, this is time slowly, mark things, underline, and do the questions.
Third time, do an overall read over, jotting down separately things you know you should memorize (equations etc)
Then do the passages after taking a break.
===============================
Now if I did burn out for the day and couldn't bear taking the passages, here's what I did:

First in the morning, do your verbal.
Do the passages you should've done yesterday, and correct it afterwards.
Take a rest.
Start the chapter for the day, reading it 3 times.
============================
Please do take your break days. I'm a Christian and I changed all my break days to be Sundays. And on that day, I thought nothing about MCAT and just focused the whole day on God. It really helped me calm down and actually I got deeper into my spiritually 🙂 An equal relaxing break day is crucial! 96 days is a loooong time.

Also, I ran every other day after dinner, or at least tried to. I loved the endorphine rush that pumped my spirits up to study well into the night. Yes, I took the WHOLE day, sometimes spent average pure 11 hours of studying time because I was a slow reader (maybe just low IQ whatever), and sometimes slept 4 hours, with 2 hours after lunch.

Just experiment to get to your ideal studying habit.
One thing that kept me going was for me, this was all or nothing. I messed up my college grades, I just didn't want to do that live like that, thinking I've already reached my studying efficiency.

Yes, I was also behind schedule and had to catch up but I kept my break days, even if that meant sleeping less for the weekdays. I needed that rest.

For AAMC FL, I averaged around 29~35 and didn't really feel good after MCAT, didn't get the score yet.


Great post.
How long did it take you finish the Review/Ek problems day?
Did you do all of the EK problems for each section?
Thanks.
 
apc:
Those were the worst. I believe I'd stay up until 3~4AM on Saturday nights to finish them all. If I couldn't, I'd overflow a subject to Monday or so.
I think the trick is not to go on a guilt trip because you didn't finish the day's task.
As for the EK section, yeah I did all of the 1/3, I think most of the time.
I'd always get nervous correcting them because sometimes I'd get so many wrong.. kinda threw me off for the first few weeks.
 
Hi SN2 ( and anyone else that would have some input)

I didn't sign up for a review course because I have full faith in your study guide, but that also means I don't have a general strategy about how to approach a passage. Disregarding verbal (there's already 10 guides out there on this), how do you approach a standard physical science/biologic science passage?

Do you read the prompt once at a steady pace, and then go straight to the questions? Or do you skim the questions first, and then read the passage? What do you guys do? Whatever strategy I use, I want to practice it every time from the start.

Right now, I'm just reading the passage and answering questions like normal. I feel as if it is important not to skip over the passage, because even if you know the material well, the passage might contain some obscure term that has direct relevance in the questions.
 
SN2ed,
I'm preparing to follow your guide. I've read this whole thread and saw you said verbal hasn't changed that much in the last couple years.

-But I have the TPRH Verbal workbook 1998. Would it be best to get a more updated one?

Thanks!
-Dave
 
Sorry if you've already answered this question, but just to make sure, we are never supposed to do the "third 1/3" BR passage according to your schedule, correct?

I see the first 1/3 and the second 1/3, and I assume that we just skip the third 1/3?
 
Day 62: Last 1/3 of BR passages for Chapter 1
Day 63: Last 1/3 of BR passages for Chapter 1
- From now on, I will abbreviate the last 1/3 of BR as 1/3. I will include the chapters to cover.
 
SN2ed,

Thanks for all the help. I just had a quick question as I start you suggested 3 month plan.

I am studying for the beast during the summer but this summer I also got into a competitive research program at my school. That means 35 hrs/week of lab work. What do you suggest I do? I have the weekends to myself and all.

Thanks
 
Can I accomplish this schedule with a part-time job or school?

Very unlikely. I highly recommend you devote 3 months to the MCAT. There may be a few that could follow this schedule and work part-time, but chances are it would not end well. You are FAR more likely to burn out if you try to study for the MCAT using this schedule and go to school or take a part/full-time job.
 
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