Breaking Down the MCAT: A 3 Month MCAT Study Schedule

[SN2ed]

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)


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

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[DreamingPremed]

I would register now. The longer you wait, the farther you may have to travel for an available seat.

 

[SN2ed]

BennieBlanco:

What you might want to do is split up the BR passages because, like you said, they're good for nailing the concepts. Perhaps something like this:

Phase 1: 1/3 BR passages + GS + Kaplan topicals + 1/2 TPRH SW
Phase 2: 2/3 BR passages + 1/2 TPRH SW + AAMC/BR FLs

There really isn't a clear winner. If I had to ditch something, I'd leave off the Kaplan topicals or do them early on since I just didn't think they good. I would replace it with the TPRH SW any day of the week. A second possible change would be the split with the BR passages. You could swap those numbers.

Yet another option would be doing the BR passages first and finishing with the TPRH SW. My concern with this is that the workbook doesn't contain an even distribution of practice passages. It also doesn't have as many passages as it first appears. It is due to its imbalanced nature that I would complete TPRH SW before the BR passages. Doing so, the mistakes that show up during the lower tier practice material can be nailed down with BR. Overall, it would be better going from the weaker material to the stronger so you don't lose your edge. Plus, if the weaker is insufficient, you always have your stronger stuff waiting for an extra boost.


jayj305:

I think the best spot for the three month schedule would be swapping out the non-Bio EK 1001 days for TPRH SW (an example non-Bio EK 1001 is day 6). Another option would be slowly working through the TPRH SW as you go through the chapter reads. For instance, on BR Physics Chapter #1 +1/3, add the relevant TPRH SW passages to the day's work. Continue on and finish the TPRH SW before the last month.

For the 4 month schedule, I'd work on the SW through days 62-87 along with your other passages.


rsmithjr42089:

What's your question? I read it, but you don't seem to be asking me anything other than when to sign up which would be as soon as possible. Seats can fill up VERY quickly.

 

[BennieBlanco]

BennieBlanco:

What you might want to do is split up the BR passages because, like you said, they're good for nailing the concepts. Perhaps something like this:

Phase 1: 1/3 BR passages + GS + Kaplan topicals + 1/2 TPRH SW
Phase 2: 2/3 BR passages + 1/2 TPRH SW + AAMC/BR FLs

There really isn't a clear winner. If I had to ditch something, I'd leave off the Kaplan topicals or do them early on since I just didn't think they good. I would replace it with the TPRH SW any day of the week. A second possible change would be the split with the BR passages. You could swap those numbers.

Yet another option would be doing the BR passages first and finishing with the TPRH SW. My concern with this is that the workbook doesn't contain an even distribution of practice passages. It also doesn't have as many passages as it first appears. It is due to its imbalanced nature that I would complete TPRH SW before the BR passages. Doing so, the mistakes that show up during the lower tier practice material can be nailed down with BR. Overall, it would be better going from the weaker material to the stronger so you don't lose your edge. Plus, if the weaker is insufficient, you always have your stronger stuff waiting for an extra boost.

Thx again. One of the few people on SDN who can compare strength of all different prep companies well.

Invaluable. Later

 

[DreamingPremed]

going from your other responses, in regards to using "weaker" material first as practice before exhausting the really good resources such as BR....do you think it is a good idea to do verbal passages first from lower tier sources such as Kaplan before the BR and TPRH passages? Since I'm doing the 4 month variation, I will need more passages to average 3 a day.

Thanks!

 

[123 Maestro]

can somebody explain this (Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 4) does it mean reviewing Fl and all 1/3 chapter 4 for BR subjects? Thanks

 

[rsmithjr42089]

My question was if it would still be as effective if I extended the content review days by adding an extra break day/week (to allow for classwork ect)?

 

[SN2ed]

DreamingPremed:

If you have to use the weaker verbal material, then yes, use it first. Times like these I REALLY wish there was a 500 passage verbal book made by the AAMC. That thing would sell like crazy. They could charge $150 and it'd still be bought in large numbers.

rsmithjr42089:

Your schedule has deviated heavily from my own, so it's up to you to make a schedule work for you. As it stands, you'll be burned out if you follow my schedule. Furthermore, though I'm guessing it's different at your school (since you mention having a light semester), those classes were some of the toughest at my college. Biochem in general is usually a hard class.

Additionally, loveoforganic was not attempting this schedule with nearly as much as you:

"1) The workload is, overall, very manageable. I still volunteer ~20 hours a week, spend plenty of time with the gf, exercise, etc. I had originally planned on trying to work full time during the schedule, but in hindsight I would agree with what SN2ed said will say that that would have been a very bad idea."

There's a big difference between going through my schedule with only a volunteer position vs what you're doing (volunteer, job, full time school and research). You're pretty much doing the exact opposite of what I recommend. While I'm sure a VERY small handful of people can do all that, most can not and would pay the consequences.



Just a warning, I'm going to be gone for a few days starting tomorrow.

 

[skyblue2000]

How long would you suggest a person without a science background (just the basic pre-reqs) should study per week for the MCAT?

I'm planning on writing my MCAT on May1st, and my exam period ends April 23rd! So I will be studying from january onwards...along with my course load (15 hours a week), and at least about 20 hours of ECs...

 

[TurkSurg]

SN2ed,
I decided to follow your 4-month study plan, but I have a couple questions.
First of all, I will be using the books that you recommended: BR for PS, TPRH Bio (non detailed), EK 1001 bio, EK 101 verbal, TPRH verbal wkbk, and I also have the EK verbal book in case I need some extra passage problems.
So here are my questions:

1) Since TPRH bio book seems to be longer than EK bio, should I go with 2 chapters per day on the days for biology or just keep it to 1 chapter just like in your schedule?
2) Since I bought TPRH science wkbk, should I work my practice problems from this book or do you strongly recommend buying the EK 1001 books?
3) For the 4-month study plan, am I supposed to calculate the total verbal passages in EK 101 and TPRH verbal and divide it by 90 (the day before AAMC's) or 63 (the day before AAMC's in the 3-month study plan)
4) I don't know if this is a good question to ask but do you think spending 1.5 - 2 months of doing just Fl's is a better option? I'm just not sure if 1 month is a long time to do just FL's.

Thanks.

 

[TurkSurg]

Also, do you think AAMC 3-10 plus 10 Gold Standard FL's are enough for me to practice FL's? or should I try to get Kaplan's FL's instead of GS. If not, I'm planning to complete the AAMC's first and then move onto GS.

 

[skyblue2000]

Hey SN2ed!

You really are like the guru of MCAT prep and helpful advice, so I thought I'd ask you what you thought about my (over-reaching) schedule for next semester...

I'm taking mostly pre-req courses in the upcoming semester:

Physics II
General Chem II
Human physiology II
An independent study

Per week I planned:
Class hours: ~18 hours
Work/research hours: ~15 hours
Shadowing/Volunteering: ~6 hours
Total study hours: ~20 hours
MCAT hours: ~28 hours

Grand total: 87 hours a week

Leaving me with 25 hours left in the week (I subtracted my 8 hours of sleep)...I know that isn't much to do everything else..but i'm hoping I can suck it up for 4 months! I also estimated above for school and work, so hopefully my actual "work" hours will per week rather than more.

Specifically, I worked my schedule out to be the following:

With Monday, Wed, Friday normally being:
class: 6 hours a day
Study: 3 hours
MCAT: 2 hours

Tuesday, Thursday:
Work/Research: ~8 hours <-- hoping I can sneak in time to study while at work! Not sure yet
MCAT: 4 hours
Study: 2 hours

Saturday, Sunday:
MCAT: 7 hours -- Probably going to take FL on Saturday and review in Sunday
Study: 3 hours


I know you don't recommended studying for MCAT alongside schoolwork. However, seeing as how I will be studying for school material that is mostly stuff related to MCAT material, I was hoping it would add to my studying, instead of deterring me from it. So I guess my over-arching question is, do you think it is feasible to write the MCAT May 1st?

Do you see any glaring mistakes or oversights in my schedule?

Also, I bought the TPR and EK books (I bought them before I saw the posts about BR being so much better)..and I'm wondering (considering my course load), would you recommend the non-detailed EK books, or the more detailed TPR books as the primary material to study from?

One more question: Do you recommend just reading the material, or actually taking notes while reading as well?

I feel a bit overwhelmed after reading all these posts, and I would really appreciate your help!

Thank you

 

[SN2ed]

skyblue2000: I do not recommend you study for the MCAT with your course load, ECs, etc. You're basically going against everything I recommended. You're in school, have a job, haven't finished your pre-reqs, and you're volunteering; things don't get much worse. At this point, you're setting yourself up for failure. Take your time. The MCAT and medical school aren't going anywhere.


eez:

TPRH Bio is a detailed review. EK Bio is the only non-detailed book.

1. Depends on how much longer. If it's a few chapters more, keep with 1 chapter a day.

2. You should be fine without them, but you will need to complete your content review set. You're missing a Gen Chem and O-chem book. Get BR for these.

3. Here's the way to do it:

- 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 67 (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.

No, you will not have as many passages per day. That's one of the biggest weaknesses of a 4 month schedule. You might want to start taking verbal passages once you hit the second month and go with the normal 3 month schedule for verbal only. In other words, divide the number of passages by 67 and start taking them in the second month. I'd prefer the option to take 3-4 passages per day for the entire 4 month schedule (minus break days and FL days), however, there aren't enough verbal passages.

Another option is getting BR verbal as well and using all three resources. Hopefully that would give you enough for a 4 month schedule.

4. Depends on the number of FLs. Since you're taking a large number of practice tests, a month is not sufficient. Follow the same format as the three month schedule and add on practice tests. Your schedule should look like the 3 month schedule with a 4th month similar to the last month in the 4 month schedule.

Take the GS tests first and the AAMC FLs last. Keep in mind that GS tests aren't good in verbal and your score will likely be a couple points lower than normal.

 

[TurkSurg]

Thanks I appreciate it

I made a schedule and posted it in MCAT discussions page. Please give me your advice on it.

 

[skyblue2000]

skyblue2000: I do not recommend you study for the MCAT with your course load, ECs, etc. You're basically going against everything I recommended. You're in school, have a job, haven't finished your pre-reqs, and you're volunteering; things don't get much worse. At this point, you're setting yourself up for failure. Take your time. The MCAT and medical school aren't going anywhere.

I know I'm doing a lot...however, things like my job, it's not fixed 15 hours a week, sometimes it can be none, sometimes the full 15.

However, I really do not want to wait until the summer to study and then write it, because the later I get, the chances of me being accepted (I'm canadian) are so slim. I am already taking a 5th year...so waiting another year, would be terrible (for me). I should have had my pre-reqs done before, but I was thinking that because I'm taking them now, it would be helpful for studying, not the other way around.

(Btw, I already took gen chem II, but I got a bad grade so I recently got it approved to drop and re-take it).

 

[SN2ed]

I know I'm doing a lot...however, things like my job, it's not fixed 15 hours a week, sometimes it can be none, sometimes the full 15.

However, I really do not want to wait until the summer to study and then write it, because the later I get, the chances of me being accepted (I'm canadian) are so slim. I am already taking a 5th year...so waiting another year, would be terrible (for me). I should have had my pre-reqs done before, but I was thinking that because I'm taking them now, it would be helpful for studying, not the other way around.

(Btw, I already took gen chem II, but I got a bad grade so I recently got it approved to drop and re-take it).

Then you'll simply be waiting another year because of a bad MCAT. I don't see how your chances are slim anyway. It sounds like you're impatient and trying to justify taking the MCAT under such poor conditions. Take the MCAT in the summer when you can devote your time to it. During the year off, continue to build your application. Finally, apply early with a strong MCAT and tons of ECs.

 

[BWSTW]

Does anyone know how quickly BR process orders? I know their shipping takes 5-6 biz days, but I was wondering how quick their turn around is.

Thanks!

 

[NoCrystalStair]

Hello all, and hello SN2ed! As a newcomer to SDN, I have been following this thread for the past week or so. I tried to extract answers from previous posts and replies. I still have a few discrete, possibly individual based questions.

My situation is as follows: I am a recent graduate, currently in my year off from academic work. I have a very flexible and non-demanding job. I have close to five days "off" and then I work on weekends, mostly in the evening. With that said, I have mapped out a 3-month schedule that will begin on Monday.

I will not have the BR phys, chem, and ochem books until later in the week (hopefully) and for now, I have all of EK books (so EK bio and EK 101 verbal are covered). I have Kaplan material and access to their online material (for now). I should have TPR hyperlearning verbal by Monday. SN2ed, I plan to follow your schedule as close as possible, and what do you suggest I do for the first 5 days to stay on track?

The other questions I have pertain to the study model itself:
1. In what order should I follow the study schedule on a daily basis? I planned to do the following: Read the chapter, Break, 3/4 Verbal passages, Review verbal from the day before, Break, BR chapter questions or EK 30 min, and lastly, Review chapter ?s from day before.

2. Do you reread EK Bio chapter on the same day that the previous 4 BR chapters are read? If not, when should you reread EK bio and then complete the EK1001 for bio.

3. On the 62nd day, when you phase into completing the last 1/3 of BR and 2nd 1/3 of EK, are you expected to stretch the work out over 2 days? Should I dedicate the first day to BR and the second day to EK?

Thanks, to first and foremost SN2ed, I think this has to be one of the *best* threads under the Pre-med forum. It has moved me into action and boosted my confidence. I am looking forward to 3/27/10 MCAT.

 

[SN2ed]

Hello all, and hello SN2ed! As a newcomer to SDN, I have been following this thread for the past week or so. I tried to extract answers from previous posts and replies. I still have a few discrete, possibly individual based questions.

My situation is as follows: I am a recent graduate, currently in my year off from academic work. I have a very flexible and non-demanding job. I have close to five days "off" and then I work on weekends, mostly in the evening. With that said, I have mapped out a 3-month schedule that will begin on Monday.

I will not have the BR phys, chem, and ochem books until later in the week (hopefully) and for now, I have all of EK books (so EK bio and EK 101 verbal are covered). I have Kaplan material and access to their online material (for now). I should have TPR hyperlearning verbal by Monday. SN2ed, I plan to follow your schedule as close as possible, and what do you suggest I do for the first 5 days to stay on track?

The other questions I have pertain to the study model itself:
1. In what order should I follow the study schedule on a daily basis? I planned to do the following: Read the chapter, Break, 3/4 Verbal passages, Review verbal from the day before, Break, BR chapter questions or EK 30 min, and lastly, Review chapter ?s from day before.

2. Do you reread EK Bio chapter on the same day that the previous 4 BR chapters are read? If not, when should you reread EK bio and then complete the EK1001 for bio.

3. On the 62nd day, when you phase into completing the last 1/3 of BR and 2nd 1/3 of EK, are you expected to stretch the work out over 2 days? Should I dedicate the first day to BR and the second day to EK?

Thanks, to first and foremost SN2ed, I think this has to be one of the *best* threads under the Pre-med forum. It has moved me into action and boosted my confidence. I am looking forward to 3/27/10 MCAT.

Since you have more than 3 months remaining, I think you should just wait until you get your materials in.

1. I would stick to the daily schedule. Remember that you're actually doing more everyday than what's strictly listed. For instance, you should be going over what you listed roughly everyday for ~2 months.

This is not to NoCrystalStar, but just in general, make sure you read ALL of the first 4 posts.

2. Yes, you re-read both the EK chapter and the BR chapters on the same day.

3. Yes, it's stretched over two days to both take the problems and review them. You will also be reviewing your practice FL once you start them. I suggest you evenly split up the work between everything you're supposed to do.

Thank you for the compliments.

 

[bball]

Hi SN2ed,

I took the Sept 4 MCAT and my test scores were PS 12, VR 8, and BS 13. Obviously, verbal is where I need the most help, so I was wondering what other books you would recommend other than EK to prepare for verbal.

Sort of another random question as a sidenote: Are there any schools that will "superscore" MCATs. That is, if I receive an 11 on verbal the next time I take it, but do worse on PS and BS, will they combine my second verbal score with my original BS and PS scores?

Thanks,
bball

 

[NoCrystalStair]

Since you have more than 3 months remaining, I think you should just wait until you get your materials in.

1. I would stick to the daily schedule. Remember that you're actually doing more everyday than what's strictly listed. For instance, you should be going over what you listed roughly everyday for ~2 months.

This is not to NoCrystalStar, but just in general, make sure you read ALL of the first 4 posts.

2. Yes, you re-read both the EK chapter and the BR chapters on the same day.

3. Yes, it's stretched over two days to both take the problems and review them. You will also be reviewing your practice FL once you start them. I suggest you evenly split up the work between everything you're supposed to do.

Thank you for the compliments.

I certainly reviewed the first few posts prior to mapping out my own schedule. I was looking for an opinion on how I should organize my daily layout, for example, on chapter reading days. Which order of completion works best for MCAT studiers? Maybe doing a verbal passage (first task of the day) followed by chapter reading works for some people. Seems like micromanaging, but I like to be aware of different methods of study. I am well aware of the fact that each day will have an unique format.

I chose Monday (tomorrow) to begin studying based on the 96 day schedule. With that said, I have decided to begin practicing verbal passages until I receive the remaining material.

Thanks for your help SN2ed. I hope to have great results to announce.

 

[skyblue2000]

How many passages does BR books have per chapter? If your supposed to do 1/3 at a time...because TPR has about 6 per chapter for bio, 4 for orgo, 15 for gchem, and 5 for physics-but 4 physics chapters have only 1 passage. I'm wondering if this a considerably less than BR because I have TPR, EK, and u borrowed McGraw hill from a friend (for extra passages and tests only).


I don't know if this would be enough passage practice....

Thanks!

 

[TurkSurg]

How many passages does BR books have per chapter? If your supposed to do 1/3 at a time...because TPR has about 6 per chapter for bio, 4 for orgo, 15 for gchem, and 5 for physics-but 4 physics chapters have only 1 passage. I'm wondering if this a considerably less than BR because I have TPR, EK, and u borrowed McGraw hill from a friend (for extra passages and tests only).


I don't know if this would be enough passage practice....

Thanks!

BR passages range from 10-14 passages per chapter.

 

[TurkSurg]

Since you have more than 3 months remaining, I think you should just wait until you get your materials in.

1. I would stick to the daily schedule. Remember that you're actually doing more everyday than what's strictly listed. For instance, you should be going over what you listed roughly everyday for ~2 months.

This is not to NoCrystalStar, but just in general, make sure you read ALL of the first 4 posts.

2. Yes, you re-read both the EK chapter and the BR chapters on the same day.

3. Yes, it's stretched over two days to both take the problems and review them. You will also be reviewing your practice FL once you start them. I suggest you evenly split up the work between everything you're supposed to do.

Thank you for the compliments.

SN2ed, I have a question from your study plan. On the "review" days, is it better to just review the 1/3-passages or review the whole thing (read the chapter, go over in-chapter problems, AND review the 1/3-passages) ?

 

[skyblue2000]

How many passages does BR books have per chapter? If your supposed to do 1/3 at a time...because TPR has about 6 per chapter for bio, 4 for orgo, 15 for gchem, and 5 for physics-but 4 physics chapters have only 1 passage. I'm wondering if this a considerably less than BR because I have TPR, EK, and u borrowed McGraw hill from a friend (for extra passages and tests only).


I don't know if this would be enough passage practice....

Thanks!

BR passages range from 10-14 passages per chapter.

Oh Wow...so considering there is a large difference between the number of passages available...would it be better to save the passages until the last "1/3 questions" (and only for gchem I could possibly break it down to doing 1/3s throughout the course of studying)? I could still break the FSQs down to 1/3s and do those throughout the study schedule.

 

[skyblue2000]

Hey SN2ed,

I was wondering do you recommend taking notes while studying? Or making like a cheat sheet with equations....I was thinking of doing this but I don't want it to become a crutch.

 

[SN2ed]

Just a reminder, I will not answer non-schedule related questions.


NoCrystalStair: I don't have a suggested order for the day's activities. I'd mix it up how you want. The key is to just get everything done. Well, the one thing that needs to be done in order are the chapter practice passages. You should read the chapter before you take that chapter's practice passages.

eez: I'm think you're talking about the review days in the last third, right? During those review days, you don't need to re-read the chapter unless you feel it's necessary. For instance, say a particular topic is still giving you trouble, then you should probably re-read the topic.

skyblue2000: TPRH Workbooks are not even close to enough. You need far more practice passages than that. Skimping on the practice passages is not an option for any good schedule. If you would normally take notes while studying, then take them. I do suggest you keep a log of your post-practice review.

I don't suggest you make an equation sheet. I think it's good that when you mess up because of an equation, you're forced to go back to the chapter. I believe it makes it stick better the next time. You also shouldn't need equation sheets since taking tons of practice problems should burn them into your head.

 

[TurkSurg]

Just a reminder, I will not answer non-schedule related questions.


NoCrystalStair: I don't have a suggested order for the day's activities. I'd mix it up how you want. The key is to just get everything done. Well, the one thing that needs to be done in order are the chapter practice passages. You should read the chapter before you take that chapter's practice passages.

eez: I'm think you're talking about the review days in the last third, right? During those review days, you don't need to re-read the chapter unless you feel it's necessary. For instance, say a particular topic is still giving you trouble, then you should probably re-read the topic.

skyblue2000: TPRH Workbooks are not even close to enough. You need far more practice passages than that. Skimping on the practice passages is not an option for any good schedule. If you would normally take notes while studying, then take them. I do suggest you keep a log of your post-practice review.

I don't suggest you make an equation sheet. I think it's good that when you mess up because of an equation, you're forced to go back to the chapter. I believe it makes it stick better the next time. You also shouldn't need equation sheets since taking tons of practice problems should burn them into your head.

Sorry if I worded it incorrectly but if you look at your plan I'm talking about the following days: Day 6, 15, 23, 31 ...
This is where you say Reread chapters + EK 1001
So basically, when you say reread do you mean just redo the passages again or start all over from the beginning?

For example:
Day1: read TBR physics, answer in-chapter problems, answer first 1/3
Day2: TBR genchem + first 1/3 (same as Day1)
Day3: TBR orgo + first 1/3 (same as Day1)
Day4: EK bio + corresponding 1001 problems (same as Day1)
Day5: Redo just the first 1/3 of all the chapters? OR re-read TBR physics, genchem,orgo, EK, re-answer all of the in-chapter problems, and re-do all of the first 1/3?

 

[SN2ed]

Day 6: Re-read chapters and work through corresponding EK 1001 sections for the chapters you worked through. For instance, BR O-Chem chapter #1 goes over Organic Structure & Bonding; hence, complete the Molecular Structure in the EK 1001 O-Chem. The topics probably won't match all the time, but go with the best fit. Also, only do every third problem/passage in the EK 1001s. From now on, this day's work will be abbreviated: "Re-read chapters + EK 1001"

On these days you're supposed to re-read ALL of the previous week's chapters AND go through the corresponding EK 1001 sections.

You will NEVER retake any practice problems.

 

[TurkSurg]

Day 6: Re-read chapters and work through corresponding EK 1001 sections for the chapters you worked through. For instance, BR O-Chem chapter #1 goes over Organic Structure & Bonding; hence, complete the Molecular Structure in the EK 1001 O-Chem. The topics probably won’t match all the time, but go with the best fit. Also, only do every third problem/passage in the EK 1001s. From now on, this day’s work will be abbreviated: “Re-read chapters + EK 1001”

On these days you're supposed to re-read ALL of the previous week's chapters AND go through the corresponding EK 1001 sections.

You will NEVER retake any practice problems.

I see. Just wondering, why shouldn't we never retake practice passages (besides knowing the answer to the problem in the 2nd approach)?

 

[SN2ed]

I see. Just wondering, why shouldn't we never retake practice passages (besides knowing the answer to the problem in the 2nd approach)?

It's similar to why you should never retake FLs, albeit on a smaller scale. Plus, using this guide, you'll have plenty of practice passages to take. You shouldn't need to retake any.

Should I retake FL X?

I don't suggest it for a few reasons. First, your score will be inflated. This alone negates the predictive power of the test. If you don't need it to gauge where you are, fine, retake them. For instance, you could simply be going over the problems again to, as others have mentioned, understand the thinking behind it. However, if you are using it as a practice FL, don't.

One of the most important aspects of a FL is that it's material you've never seen before. It forces you to quickly analyze an unknown passage, tap into your knowledge, and answer questions you've never seen. If you knew exactly what was going to be on the test, it would take away from the somewhat frantic experience of getting that weird passage. It also makes you more relaxed overall because you know what's coming. Unfortunately, you will not have the luxury of either on the test. You will have to deal with weird passages. You will have to get out of your comfort zone of knowing what's ahead.

Then, you get into the timing issues which you MUST get down before the test. When you have prior knowledge of the material, you miss the chance at gaining more experience with the clock. Too many people underestimate the effect of the timer. Again, you have to get used to it and retaking problems won't help.

Think of the whole thing like sports practice. Sure, you go over some standard plays again and again to get a feel for them. However, to practice for a real game, you have a scrimmage match or an exhibition game. The other team doesn't tell you what plays they're going to run. If they did, it would eliminate the usefulness of the scrimmage or exhibition game.

 

[skyblue2000]

Hey SN2ed,


Sorry I didn't know about the non-scheduling related questions...

Thank you for your reply though, I appreciate it.

 

[DreamingPremed]

Hey,

Just to get things straight, am I suppose to do VR passages on days that I review FL exams?

Thank-you!

 

[SN2ed]

Hey,

Just to get things straight, am I suppose to do VR passages on days that I review FL exams?

Thank-you!

- 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 67 (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.

 

[TurkSurg]

- 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 67 (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.

Is it better to start with 101 book or TPRH for 3 verbal passages/day?

 

[SN2ed]

Is it better to start with 101 book or TPRH for 3 verbal passages/day?

I'd mix the two. So one day do 101, another TPRH, two days of 101, one day TPRH, etc. You'd probably have more 101 days since there are more passages in it.

 

[TurkSurg]

I'd mix the two. So one day do 101, another TPRH, two days of 101, one day TPRH, etc. You'd probably have more 101 days since there are more passages in it.

Yeah I was thinking about that too.
After a couple of weeks I will complete EK passage #1 and 2 so I can see my raw score. Do you think that score will be correct since I did 3 passages/day (rather than just doing all 7 at once)?

 

[SN2ed]

Yeah I was thinking about that too.
After a couple of weeks I will complete EK passage #1 and 2 so I can see my raw score. Do you think that score will be correct since I did 3 passages/day (rather than just doing all 7 at once)?

It will give you a good general idea of where you stand. Honing your technique everyday is better than 7 passages every 2-3 days. You need constant practice. The main problem with taking 3 passages per day is that your endurance isn't built up. However, you'll be building up endurance by taking tons of practice passages. If you take a close look, you'll even notice how I build test taking endurance. Lastly, you will have several days when you take FLs.

Now if there was some amazing verbal book with hundreds upon hundreds of passages, I'd suggest more per day. For now, we're stuck with what we've got.

 

[sunnyjohn]

SN2ed,

Thank you for the amazing schedule!

I see you've mentioned that this format is not really geared toward non-trads, those with a heavy course load or those that are working.

What if you HAVE to work though?

I've scaled back to the bare minimum at work and even left my Operating Room scrub gig to wait tables in order to take the leap. I make enough to keep the lights on and pay rent, but I GOTTA WORK.

I only work on the weekends Fri-Sat and Sunday. Could your schedule be tailored to fit into a 4 day format?



Thanks for your assistance.

 

[skyblue2000]

In the content review section: When it says 1/3 passage problems, does that also mean 1/3 of the FSQ as well? Or are you only doing FSQs in EK 1001 at the end of the week?

Thanks in advance

 

[SN2ed]

sunnyjohn: If you could devote those 4 days you don't work to the MCAT, then you might be able to do it. Unfortunately, you'll probably have to double up on the chapters per day. Once you hit the last month (FL time), go on the schedule for 4 days, work 3, schedule 4 days, work 3, etc. In general, you're going to have to fit the schedule around your work week. Keep your total MCAT time to 4 months.

skyblue2000: FSQ? Free standing questions?

I'll just go through by day examples.

Day 1: BR Physics Chapter #1 + 1/3 of the corresponding passages (1/3 of corresponding passages = 1/3 from now on)

After you read BR Physics Chapter #1, you then complete every third practice passages for BR Physics Chapter #1. If there are free standing questions within chapter #1, do them.

Day 6: Re-read chapters and work through corresponding EK 1001 sections for the chapters you worked through. For instance, BR O-Chem chapter #1 goes over Organic Structure & Bonding; hence, complete the Molecular Structure in the EK 1001 O-Chem. The topics probably won’t match all the time, but go with the best fit. Also, only do every third problem/passage in the EK 1001s. From now on, this day’s work will be abbreviated: “Re-read chapters + EK 1001”

Pretty much as it says.

Day 8: Complete second 1/3 of BR passages for the previous 4 chapters. I’m going to shorten this to: “Complete second 1/3 of BR passages”

Again, as it says, complete the second third of the BR passages for the previous BR chapters. In this case, you work through the corresponding questions to BR Physics Chapter #1 & 2, BR O-Chem Chapter #1, and BR Gen Chem Chapter #1.

 

[vin5cent0]

Has anyone posted up the scores they got after following this? I looked through a few pages and didn't notice any. I'm putting a lot of faith into this study plan! Pretty much just asked for all the books the OP used for xmas

 

[SN2ed]

Has anyone posted up the scores they got after following this? I looked through a few pages and didn't notice any. I'm putting a lot of faith into this study plan! Pretty much just asked for all the books the OP used for xmas

loveoforganic posted his score. It was a 35N (12-11-12). This guide hasn't been around that long and was usually buried on the second or third page on the forum until it got a sticky a few months back. Unfortunately, once it got a sticky, the summer MCAT season (April through September) was basically over.

Also, remember this is a schedule. I've laid the ground work to help people stay organized and succeed, but success is still firmly planted in your hands.

 

[samanu]

SNS2ed,

Thank you for providing a study schedule. I am beginning to start studying for the test and I already have all the Examkracker materials; which I assumed would be enough. Is their study package significantly less better than the TBR on all the subjects(including verbal), or is it worth buying the TBR books on everything besides Bio as you mentioned?

Thanks

 

[tndoc12]

SN2ed,

I am planning on taking the MCAT this July. That means I will need to start studying this April which also means that I will still be taking my regular classes. Would you recommend me sticking with this study schedule or would you recommend me taking the Kaplan Online course?

 

[LALAKERS24]

Hey SN2ed! Thank you for your input ! So as per your advice, I have one last question, do you think it will be alright if after I finish my content review using PR and doing all the PR Workbook questions/passages.... and then after all that I start on the BR passages and then do the FL as you suggest.....So for example once all the PR stuff is finished:

Day 1- Do ALL BR passages for the Physics Section 1
Day 2- Do ALL BR passages for the Chem Section 1
Day 3- Do ALL BR passages for the O.Chem Section 1
Etc. until I finish all the BR Passages for all the Subjects....and then finally start FL's....


Do you think this is an ok strategy? I don't mind pushing my MCAT date a back a month or so if needed for me to complete the practice.... Do you think this will be efficient for the MCAT overall?

 

[loveoforganic]

SN2ed,

I am planning on taking the MCAT this July. That means I will need to start studying this April which also means that I will still be taking my regular classes. Would you recommend me sticking with this study schedule or would you recommend me taking the Kaplan Online course?

Going to emphasize something recently posted by SN2ed.

Also, remember this is a schedule. I've laid the ground work to help people stay organized and succeed, but success is still firmly planted in your hands.

It's ultimately your decision. Decide whether you feel you're capable of staying motivated and doing the work independently or if you need the structure of an instructor. If you've made the decision you need an instructor/classroom setting, research the various programs to decide what you feel is the best. Personally, I'm not a Kaplan fan, but it's certainly worked for people.

 

[LetsGo352]

Anyone know where we can get the TPR verbal book? I've been looking everywhere online and can't find it.

 

[SN2ed]

samanu: EK is good for the subjects I listed in the first post. For all the other subjects, BR is ahead by a LARGE margin. It's really no comparison.

trauma12: Again, I do not recommend studying while in school, so neither.

LALAKERS24: As long as that's TPRH, you're good.

You should mix up the BR passages with the FLs once you get close to your test similar to what I show in the last month of my schedule.



Random note to myself:

Verbal Workbook: 43 passages and 4 Practice Tests

Science Workbook:
-Physics: 425 discrete, 62 Passages
-Gen Chem: 92 discrete, 93 Passages
-Biology: 146 discrete, 87 Passages
-Organic: 138 discrete, 45 Passages

 

[mglyons22]

I have been following this thread for a week now, finally finished... I often felt I should be going over my study material instead of reading this thread, but it was captivating. I'm 26 a non trad, full time employee of the large hospital in Rochester MN, and a full time student just finishing my pre-reqs, my BS in Psych is BS. I know that I can't fulfill the time requirements set forth by SN2ed, and the amended versions, but this thread has been unfathomable in its usefulness. I just wanted to send a quick thank you to its contributors, it have been so great its unreal. I'll check back in and post my score, since this is the suedo-format that I will follow.

Cust1st............

 

[SN2ed]

mglyons22: Thanks for the compliments. I'm glad this thread has been helpful to so many people.


Since it's come up a number of times, I'll post a response to non-trads asking about full time jobs. Be warned that this will not be a schedule, but something I'm going to add to the FAQ portion of this guide.