Breaking Down the MCAT: A 3 Month MCAT Study Schedule

[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

 

[drfancypants]

Question is: does this 3 month study schedule work for someone who never learned the pre-req material well to begin with? Or do I need to do something completely different? Any advice?

There's a reason this schedule is only 3-4 months instead of a year: much of what you learn as you study will be sort of forgotten within 6 months, without regular practice at least. My point is... I think the experience with most people (well, at least with myself) is that most of the specific concepts from, say, general chemistry are pretty long gone by the time we sit down and open the review books. I had taken gen-chem as a postbac student in 2008-2009, but studying for the MCAT in 2010 made me feel like i was studying it for the first time. In fact, I found the MCAT prep quite a bit of fun; reviewing the stuff a second time made everything start to click together. Gen-chem and biology made a lot more sense to me now that I had some ochem under my belt.

I think you should have faith in the BR/EK regimen, so long as you put in the hours. Read carefully, and do all your practice problems, and you might find yourself understanding concepts better now than you might have a few years ago.

also, when you do run into trouble, I found khanacademy.org extremely beneficial.

 

[SN2ed]

yet another reminder that SN2 is a hero. i owe my 38 to this lesson plan. 8 months ago i knew nothing about the mcat; this plan gave me the confidence to resist the intimidation i'd feel from kaplan, PR, et al, and i'm pretty sure i did better studying on my own. i had to be flexible to suit my personal schedule and other demands, but it was an excellent framework. thanks!!

That's great to hear. Congratulations.

 

[Colbare]

I apologize in advance, this is a bit of a long one but worthwhile for somebody I hope.

Finally got my scores and I can say after all of it I'm happy the way it turned out. I didn't know I wanted to be a doctor until basically the last few pre-reqs and so my grades in those classes were definitely sub-par, C's and B's mostly. I wasted 3 of the early AAMC FLs and averaged a 22 before I did any studying. I knew going into this I wasn't coming from as solid of a background as most in these forums, but I put in the hours and did the best I could. My average PS was 5, VR 8, and BS 9.

Practice Scores:

I attached a spreadsheet of practice passage BR scores I made during the schedule. I basically just multiplied my percentage by 15 and put the numbers in to get an estimate and watch trends.

Gold Standard: I did 3 Gold Standard plus the remaining 5 AAMC tests. I wanted to do BR FLs but I didn't have time to wait for my mailed money order to go through (their ordering system is absurd). I did GS first and scored PS-7 VR-6 BS-9 ->22, PS-8 VR-8 BS-9 ->25, and PS-9 VR-8 BS-9 ->26. I was pretty demoralized, but I heard the GS were pretty hard compared to the real thing.

AAMC: #5: PS-9, VR-8, BS-10 ->27, #6: PS-9, VR-10, BS-10 ->29, #7: PS-8, VR-6, BS-10 ->24, #8: PS-9, VR-10, BS-9 ->28, #9: PS-10, VR-9, BS-10 ->29.

July 8th MCAT: PS-9, VR-9, BS-11 ->29 N

I definitely did zero writing practice and consequently bombed that part, but I think they have a better sample of my writing in the essays I’ve done for them anyway. I improved my score by 7 points on AAMC tests using this guide and can honestly say I followed it nearly word for word minus the hat trick due to near burn out at the end. Thanks SN2ed for everything, this guide has been epic to say the least. Good luck to everyone and I hope I’ve helped some decide how they want to prepare for this test.

 

[shinny04]

I used all AAMCs to practice on for last month exam. I did bad. Which other practice exams I can use that are close to the actual exam?

 

[pfaction]

Realistically speaking as a pharmacy student, I will be attempting to do this two summers from now, in my fifth year. I will be finishing school right around the middle of May. I will try to take the MCATs in late August. I will be doing this from scratch, with minimal review. Do you think this will be possible? I have forgotten a lot, A LOT about these subjects, but I am extremely dedicated. In addition I have the PT job, which I will do on the "break days".

 

[LeoGer]

SN2ed, I hope you've found a way to make money from this. Especially if you answer all of the questions like the one above. I didn't know people could be so dependent.

 

[pfaction]

SN2ed, I hope you've found a way to make money from this. Especially if you answer all of the questions like the one above. I didn't know people could be so dependent.

I'm simply asking for his advice, I don't want him to tailor a study schedule for me. I'm asking if he thinks his regimen will work on my schedule.

 

[LeoGer]

Sure, Mr. Independent. And you've definitely done your own research considering the advice he has for you is in his first post.

 

[MCATMadness]

to anyone that used SN2ed's study plan.....

how did you actually study the chapters? did you preread/skim the chapter and then create outlines? did you use or make flashcards for memory? did you create diagrams? im having trouble with retention of material.

anyone have any insight?

 

[Colbare]

I just read the chapters per the schedule. I spent a lot of time reviewing the previous days passages, that's where I usually picked up on things if I didn't quite understand from the reading alone. Do EK 1001 also so you get plenty of practice with all the equations you'll need to have memorized.

 

[Ghayoour]

Hey SN2ed, I am taking my exam in jan 28 or 29th. I wanted to get a head start on my MCAT study so i was wondering if you can help me out. I have all the material that your study guide requires except BR verbal, and i also have EK study package.

My question is how do you recommend i should start? Review till end september with EK study package while doing the 1001 series till end of september, and then jump to 4 month study or should i study the EK stuff till end of octuber and then jump to 3 month study guide?

I am only taking 10 credits in college and 2 of those classes are 100 lvl (college requirment), so they are breeze.

 

[MLK25]

I know this might be a stupid question to ask on SDN but how do you actually study for the MCAT? This test covers so much concepts, how do you manage to retain all that information? I have the EK Complete MCAT Guide along with the TPRH Complete MCAT guide. Somebody help......🙁

 

[ForumMember]

I'm about to take my test in less than a week and adjusted this guide to fit my studying habits. It seems to have worked out well so far. Thanks Sn2ed for giving me a good place to start in my studies when I really had no idea how to prepare for this exam!

Only thing I'd change is not reading TBR Biology (at least the first book). I felt like my college courses did not cover physiology well, and I felt weak on it compared to other subjects. I read through TBR Bio book 1 in a little over a day (8-10 hrs of reading), and I thought it explained it much better than EK (which I read a lot earlier in my studies.) I really liked how it would combine different topics, this helped me to see the "big picture" more clearly (example presenting aldosterone/ADH in kidney function section and FSH/LH in reproduction section). I thought it was pretty obvious when I didn't need to remember a specific name, but just understand the general idea.

I did start reading book 2, and I don't think this book is necessary to read if you have a good basis from your college courses (too many details, and the main ideas you probably already know)

So, if anyone else is having a little trouble with physiology or needs a refresher I highly recommend spending a day to read TBR book 1.🙂

 

[ModernAlchemist]

Hey SN2ed, I am taking my exam in jan 28 or 29th. I wanted to get a head start on my MCAT study so i was wondering if you can help me out. I have all the material that your study guide requires except BR verbal, and i also have EK study package.

My question is how do you recommend i should start? Review till end september with EK study package while doing the 1001 series till end of september, and then jump to 4 month study or should i study the EK stuff till end of octuber and then jump to 3 month study guide?

I am only taking 10 credits in college and 2 of those classes are 100 lvl (college requirment), so they are breeze.

I asked a variation of this about a month back. He said to definitely do the 3 month plan because the 4 month compromises effectiveness to decrease the amount of time you spend per day. He recommends that you do not do anything except light studying until you start the program. He also told me I could work on my reading skills for verbal by reading certain types of articles until I start the program but not much else. Hope this helps.

 

[Ghayoour]

iMEDatUCI

Thank you for replying i really appreciate it. I guess i will just do light studying from ek till i get into the 3 month study guide.

 

[MCATMadness]

im following SN2ed's schedule... and im drowning!!

im typing up notes while i read - outlining and color coding info. this is how i learn best for my other classes. but this whole process is taking me far too long. i put in about 10 hours outlining 1 30-page chapter of physics and another 9 hours to outline a 29-page chapter of gen chem. im using BR books (per SN2ed).

today, im going to do the passages from each section... so i guess i will see how well i learned the material.

my question is this: do you guys recommend note taking or am i wasting my time??? i have a lot of trouble retaining and organizing info by just reading it. so i thought taking notes each day and then reviewing the notes on the "re-read" days would be best. but now im not so sure!

help please!!!

 

[wild2taz]

im following SN2ed's schedule... and im drowning!!

im typing up notes while i read - outlining and color coding info. this is how i learn best for my other classes. but this whole process is taking me far too long. i put in about 10 hours outlining 1 30-page chapter of physics and another 9 hours to outline a 29-page chapter of gen chem. im using BR books (per SN2ed).

today, im going to do the passages from each section... so i guess i will see how well i learned the material.

my question is this: do you guys recommend note taking or am i wasting my time??? i have a lot of trouble retaining and organizing info by just reading it. so i thought taking notes each day and then reviewing the notes on the "re-read" days would be best. but now im not so sure!

help please!!!

i used the BR books and took notes over every section, basically 1 printer page for every section in br bio and half a page for the physics and gen chem. i skipped BR bio book 2 because it is way to detailed and instead went over the topics in EK bio which i found very helpful and straight to the point. to answer your question about retaining info i think its best to take hand written notes but not to detailed, don't copy word for word out of book lol, it will help to memorize if you reword things

 

[PodiatricADDICT]

How many hours should we spend each day studying?

 

[MCATitis]

WOw, thanks for the study guide, I guess I will break it down to study for 7 months, since I don't have 3 months to devote in mcat. However, the verbal strategy seems to target at people who are good at verbal to a certain extent. I am a slower than average reader, and my MCAT in verbal is terrible. I wonder if devoting in reading for 7 months will help me to increase my verbal score? any advice?

 

[111111111111111]

Okay EK bio sucks. I can't believe I went with EK Bio over BR bio!

 

[Silverfalcon]

How many hours should we spend each day studying?

There is no correct answer for this.

http://more.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=721534

 

[UIUCstudent]

Just a little confused. So lets say for example:
Day 15: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam

Do we re-read all of this week and last week's chapters? and for EK1001, we do the first third for this week's chapter and the second third of the passages for last week's chapters?

 

[SN2ed]

Just a little confused. So lets say for example:
Day 15: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam

Do we re-read all of this week and last week's chapters? and for EK1001, we do the first third for this week's chapter and the second third of the passages for last week's chapters?

Just the previous week's chapters. So for Day 15, it would be the chapters completed on Day 9-13. For EK 1001, you do the first 1/3 for that week's chapters. So for Day 15, that would be the first 1/3 in EK 1001 for Day 9-13's chapters. Rather than EK Bio 1001, you'll be taking the EK Bio in class exam.

Do you finish the EK 1001 books?

You only complete the first 1/3 for most of the EK 1001 books. This is so you have extra practice for concept specific problems. If you want, you're free to go through more.

Day 6: Re-read ALL of the previous week's chapters (Day 1-5). This means you re-read the ENTIRE chapter again for both BR Physics chapters 1 & 2, BR Gen Chem chapter 1, BR O-Chem chapter 1, and EK Bio chapter 1. Additionally, work through corresponding EK 1001 sections for the chapters you worked through last week (Day 1-5). 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. Lastly, complete the in-class exam for EK Bio chapter 1. From now on, this day's work will be abbreviated: "Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam"

 

[MCATMadness]

Just the previous week's chapters. So for Day 15, it would be the chapters completed on Day 9-13. For EK 1001, you do the first 1/3 for that week's chapters. So for Day 15, that would be the first 1/3 in EK 1001 for Day 9-13's chapters. Rather than EK Bio 1001, you'll be taking the EK Bio in class exam.

Do you finish the EK 1001 books?

You only complete the first 1/3 for most of the EK 1001 books. This is so you have extra practice for concept specific problems. If you want, you're free to go through more.

Day 6: Re-read ALL of the previous week's chapters (Day 1-5). This means you re-read the ENTIRE chapter again for both BR Physics chapters 1 & 2, BR Gen Chem chapter 1, BR O-Chem chapter 1, and EK Bio chapter 1. Additionally, work through corresponding EK 1001 sections for the chapters you worked through last week (Day 1-5). 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. Lastly, complete the in-class exam for EK Bio chapter 1. From now on, this day's work will be abbreviated: "Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam"

why not EK 1001 for Bio??? Why the in class exam for bio? when do we hit up EK 1001 Bio?!!

are the in class exams better than EK 1001 bio?

 

[SN2ed]

why not EK 1001 for Bio??? Why the in class exam for bio? when do we hit up EK 1001 Bio?!!

are the in class exams better than EK 1001 bio?

BR Bio is used in place of EK 1001 Bio for practice passages since they more accurately reflect the current MCAT. Again, EK 1001 Bio is NOT used in this guide. The EK Bio in-class exams are used because they're decent passages and correspond with the chapter you just read.

 

[MCATMadness]

Got it, thanks!

Another quick question... im working thru EK 1001 questions for the various subjects. what kind of scores should i be looking for to say that "ive pretty much mastered the material... and can move on from the EK 1001"???

in other words, what percentage on the 1001 books is considered average? or sufficient to move on?

 

[Focus2Day]

SN2ed, thanks a ton for this thread. I am a psychology major who is studying to take the MCAT. Your tips and day to day breakdown will help me immensely. I really appreciate your hard work. Most of the material on the MCAT is new to me, so the book suggestions and breakdown of subjects will surely assist me in compiling a good score.

Thank you!

🙂

 

[111111111111111]

BR Bio is used in place of EK 1001 Bio for practice passages since they more accurately reflect the current MCAT. Again, EK 1001 Bio is NOT used in this guide. The EK Bio in-class exams are used because they're decent passages and correspond with the chapter you just read.

Ughhhhh, I hate EK 1001 but I bought it when I read a much earlier version of this thread. And I'm too broke to buy TBR 🙁. I guess I'll just have to use the EK 1001 Bio.

 

[SN2ed]

Ughhhhh, I hate EK 1001 but I bought it when I read a much earlier version of this thread. And I'm too broke to buy TBR 🙁. I guess I'll just have to use the EK 1001 Bio.

That's fine. It's an alright book, but keep in mind that it's easier than the actual MCAT.

 

[MCATMadness]

SN2ed:

Please reply to my questions 🙁 i ask but no one answers 🙁

ps. your schedule is amazing 🙂 THANK YOU!!!!


Another quick question... im working thru EK 1001 questions for the various subjects. what kind of scores should i be looking for to say that "ive pretty much mastered the material... and can move on from the EK 1001"???

in other words, what percentage on the 1001 books is considered average? or sufficient to move on?

 

[Silverfalcon]

SN2ed:

Please reply to my questions 🙁 i ask but no one answers 🙁

ps. your schedule is amazing 🙂 THANK YOU!!!!


Another quick question... im working thru EK 1001 questions for the various subjects. what kind of scores should i be looking for to say that "ive pretty much mastered the material... and can move on from the EK 1001"???

in other words, what percentage on the 1001 books is considered average? or sufficient to move on?

Patience. It's not the end of the world because SN2ed didn't answer your question.

EK 1001 aren't really good for score indicators. Move away from them if you feel that you have mastered the topic/concept pretty well. Some found EK 1001 hard while others don't. Either way, they are not "truly" like MCAT anyway.

 

[Duotone]

SN2ed,
Thanks for all the help you offer to people out here on SDN. I have noticed that you rarely mention the Kaplan Study materials. What is your opinion on using them to study for the MCAT? How do they compare (if at all) with Examkrackers, Berkeley Review and Princeton Review?
Thanks!

 

[g8orlife]

SN2ed,
Thanks for all the help you offer to people out here on SDN. I have noticed that you rarely mention the Kaplan Study materials. What is your opinion on using them to study for the MCAT? How do they compare (if at all) with Examkrackers, Berkeley Review and Princeton Review?
Thanks!

Here:

Simply put, Kaplan is just bad. Here's the book ranking:

Biology: 1. EK Bio + EK 1001 Bio, non-detail oriented 1. BR/TPR Hyperlearning, detail oriented 3. Kaplan

Physics: 1. BR 2. Nova 3. TPR Hyperlearning 4. 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 2. EK 1001 series, helps nail down basics

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=640556

 

[Strongstar]

I love your post. I am retaking the exam because I did not do well the first time. I am planning to do the 4 months plan. I took the Kaplan course and still had the kaplan course books. I was wandering whether I could replace BR books with kaplan because I want to save some money. Or is it worth it to buy another whole set of BR?
Thanks.

 

[SN2ed]

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, EK 101 Verbal, and either EK Bio 1001 or BR Bio for their practice passages. TPRH does not have enough practice passages, though the Workbooks are still great resources.

 

[omonaija]

Would it be ok if I add an extra week in the 3 months schedule for "catchup days" ? Just in case I get behind..

 

[LeoGer]

Would it be ok if I add an extra week in the 3 months schedule for "catchup days" ? Just in case I get behind..

Is SN2 your daddy?

 

[SN2ed]

Again, READ THE ENTIRE FIRST FOUR POSTS.

Would it be ok if I add an extra week in the 3 months schedule for "catchup days" ? Just in case I get behind..

If you want a few more buffer days, go for it.

From the second post:

The Day by Day

- Give yourself 4 buffer days before beginning this schedule just in case you need them.

 

[omonaija]

Is SN2 your daddy?

Yes, my Mcat daddy. Who is yours?

 

[dandi]

just wanted to update. just got my scores back today. I am a retaker, used kaplan and ek last time and studied in blocks. first score 26M break down of ps 06 vs 11 bs 09. Knew I made a huge error with the way I prepared and I followed SN2ed's 4 month plan, todays score 31N with a break down of ps 11 vs 11 and bs 09. I improved 5 pts in ps and am so happy. Thanks to the plan and BR review books. Good luck everyone.

 

[Milu]

I am so glad to see your schedule. Thank you for taking the time to set up all that. I am planning to start soon with the 4 months schedule. I am getting the books ready this week. I have one question though, on day 62 and beyond it says to do "Last 1/3 of BR passages for Chapter 1,2,3..." I am confused which subject you mean with that. Are you saying chapter 1 of all the subjects?

thank you for your time.

 

[biomedeng]

OK, I am new to studentdoctor but I have a very complicated situation that I request you or anyone experienced to address, please. I have an undergrad and Grad Degrees in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering, respectively. I am currently being interviewed for employment and I also applied for med school admissions this year. Due to unfavorable disadvantaged circumstances in the last 7 years particularly due to lack of permanent residency, I couldn't apply for med school admissions even though that's what I wanted to do from the beginning. Only this year in late April, did I get green card approval and was lucky to apply and get FAP. My application includes extraordinary research experiences, publication, shadowing, employment, internships, Charity Trust, research fund raising, volunteer, business, manufacturing, construction experiences. My only problem is uGPA of 3.2, post -bac 3.9 (21 credits-in one semester), gGPA 3.65. Moreover, a 21Q on MCAT 😳 I couldn't spend much time in MCAT prep as I was working up to 60 hours per week, but I do believe, if I spend enough time, I can pull off a very good score. I applied to 30 schools this year, and now I have 30 secondary applications to work with. I thought if I had a good MCAT score, I might stand a chance at top-tier schools. But given the MCAT, I honestly am having a hard time trying to decide whether to even complete secondaries.

Please know that I do not have to pay for secondaries due to fee waiver, thank God! However, I needed to know if is it worth doing secondaries, knowing the MCAT? Also, since I am planning to retake MCAT in Jan 2011 (with full prep, of course) and if I do have to reapply next year, how do med schools look at reapplicants? The only changes or updates I could make to my application would be a new MCAT score and hopefully Biomedical Engineering related employment. Do med schools expect reapplicants to have their ps changed? What changes are they exactly looking for in reapplicants?

Also, do I stand a chance for an interview invitation this year??

I will appreciate your input or anyone else's?

Thanks,
p.s. In case you are wondering, I am 26 years old!

 

[SN2ed]

I am so glad to see your schedule. Thank you for taking the time to set up all that. I am planning to start soon with the 4 months schedule. I am getting the books ready this week. I have one question though, on day 62 and beyond it says to do "Last 1/3 of BR passages for Chapter 1,2,3..." I am confused which subject you mean with that. Are you saying chapter 1 of all the subjects?

thank you for your time.

This change should clear things up:

Day 62: Complete last 1/3 of BR passages for ALL Chapter 1s: BR Bio Chapter 1, BR Physics Chapter 1, BR Gen Chem Chapter 1, and BR O-chem Chapter 1.
Day 63: Complete last 1/3 of BR passages for ALL Chapter 1s
- From now on, I will abbreviate the last 1/3 of BR as 1/3. I will include the chapters to cover.

 

[Ranger Doc]

SN2ed,

I just want to say thanks so much for your work in putting this plan together and sharing with everyone. I followed the 3-month plan almost exactly. It was tough, no doubt. But completely worth it. I got a 39R. I love you man!

 

[Ghayoour]

SN2ed,

I just want to say thanks so much for your work in putting this plan together and sharing with everyone. I followed the 3-month plan almost exactly. It was tough, no doubt. But completely worth it. I got a 39R. I love you man!

Congrats!!! Can you please post your score and experience in the 30+ thread. I would like to know how you achieved it and how this schedule worked out for you throughout your study.

 

[SN2ed]

SN2ed,

I just want to say thanks so much for your work in putting this plan together and sharing with everyone. I followed the 3-month plan almost exactly. It was tough, no doubt. But completely worth it. I got a 39R. I love you man!

Wow. Great score. Glad I could help a little with this schedule 🙂 But really, the vast majority was all you!

 

[apc]

SN2ed,

Do you have any experience with Kaplan's verbal section tests?
If so, how would you compare it to BR verbal?

 

[MSInfo2012]

I will begin studying for the April MCAT on October 11, and will follow the 4 month plan. I am taking classes so I am unable to devote more than 3-4 hours daily for about 3-4 days per week. (Dec. and Jan. I will devote 5 days 5 hours per day). Anyone have any suggestions?

Also, Beginning on day 87, it calls for this....

Day 87: Last 1/3 of BR passages for Chapter 1
Day 88: 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.
Day 89: AAMC FL #3

Question: I understand last 1/3 of BR passages -- but for which book?

 

[apc]

I will begin studying for the April MCAT on October 11, and will follow the 4 month plan. I am taking classes so I am unable to devote more than 3-4 hours daily for about 3-4 days per week. (Dec. and Jan. I will devote 5 days 5 hours per day). Anyone have any suggestions?

Also, Beginning on day 87, it calls for this....

Day 87: Last 1/3 of BR passages for Chapter 1
Day 88: 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.
Day 89: AAMC FL #3

Question: I understand last 1/3 of BR passages -- but for which book?

look at the 5th post above you;

This change should clear things up:

Day 62: Complete last 1/3 of BR passages for ALL Chapter 1s: BR Bio Chapter 1, BR Physics Chapter 1, BR Gen Chem Chapter 1, and BR O-chem Chapter 1.
Day 63: Complete last 1/3 of BR passages for ALL Chapter 1s
- From now on, I will abbreviate the last 1/3 of BR as 1/3. I will include the chapters to cover.

I believe the same applies to day 87 and 88

 

[SN2ed]

SN2ed,

Do you have any experience with Kaplan's verbal section tests?
If so, how would you compare it to BR verbal?

Yup. They weren't that good. Better than nothing, but it shouldn't be one's first choice. For a more in-depth response specifically about Kaplan verbal, check out the first few posts. Now compared to BR, recent test takers have said Kaplan is better. So if those are your choices, I'd go with Kaplan.

look at the 5th post above you;

This change should clear things up:

Day 62: Complete last 1/3 of BR passages for ALL Chapter 1s: BR Bio Chapter 1, BR Physics Chapter 1, BR Gen Chem Chapter 1, and BR O-chem Chapter 1.
Day 63: Complete last 1/3 of BR passages for ALL Chapter 1s
- From now on, I will abbreviate the last 1/3 of BR as 1/3. I will include the chapters to cover.

I believe the same applies to day 87 and 88

That's right. The same applies to all days of the last phase of the schedule. I just didn't want to write out Complete last 1/3 of BR passages for ALL Chapter 2s: BR Bio Chapter 2, BR Physics Chapter 2, etc. for every single day.