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

 

[Mister T]

Hahahaha. Nice picture hotshot. Why not do both? I would do the content type questions and GS similar to the last month setup on this guide. In other words, something like this:

Day 1: GS FL
Day 2: Review FL and content questions
Day 3: Review FL and content questions

Or take a FL every other day to fit in more:

Day 1: GS FL
Day 2: Review FL and content questions
Day 3: GS FL

Make sure to throw in a break day every week. Taking tons of practice tests raises the chances of burnout. I'm not sure how it will effect you, but it's always good to keep burnout in mind.

In any case, you should do the GS FL and content questions before the BR/AAMC FLs and BR passages. The BR/AAMC material is closer to the actual test, so completing those directly before your test would be best. Conversely, GS isn't that close and has some tough science sections which should help with identifying your weaknesses before you hit the BR/AAMC phase. Similarly, the Kaplan topicals and especially the EK 1001 questions, aren't close to the real MCAT.

SN2ed, should I do the BR or GS FLs if price is not an issue? Which one is better prep? If I have 5 months to take the exam, will the 8 AAMC FLs + 10 GS be good or 8 AAMC + 7 BR be better? Or 8 AAMC + 10 GS + 7 BR?

I have to get over a 35 on this because my GPA is low (3.2 overall but I went to Johns Hopkins if it means anything), and I'm confident that I can do well on this exam as I am a good test taker, so I want to maximize my results on this exam

Also, how did you do on this exam? If you don't want to tell it out loud, can you PM me?

 

[SN2ed]

Mister T: Just ignore the already taken AAMC FLs part of the question.

I've already taken the AAMC FLs, are there other practice tests you recommend?

Both Gold Standard and Berkeley Review offer solid practice tests. GS FLs are a great value since you can typically get all 10 GS FLs for around $100. The caveat for Gold Standard is that you should expect your score to be roughly 2 points lower than normal. Berkeley Review has better FLs, but they're more expensive and the archaic ordering system means you run the risk of not having your practice tests when you need them due to the 45 day access limit. Still, if you order your test a couple weeks before you need them, BR is a good option if you're willing to pay more. Unfortunately, neither test is great in verbal, though BR is decent.

 

[TurkSurg]

Mister T: Just ignore the already taken AAMC FLs part of the question.

I've already taken the AAMC FLs, are there other practice tests you recommend?

Both Gold Standard and Berkeley Review offer solid practice tests. GS FLs are a great value since you can typically get all 10 GS FLs for around $100. The caveat for Gold Standard is that you should expect your score to be roughly 2 points lower than normal. Berkeley Review has better FLs, but they're more expensive and the archaic ordering system means you run the risk of not having your practice tests when you need them due to the 45 day access limit. Still, if you order your test a couple weeks before you need them, BR is a good option if you're willing to pay more. Unfortunately, neither test is great in verbal, though BR is decent.

SN2ed,

Are all the AAMC's and 3 TBR CBT's enough FL's for me to prepare? Or should I get 5 TBR CBT's instead of 3 ?
I'm asking this because 2 extra FL's means, one day taking the FL, and two days reviewing it...which adds up to 6 days. I just thought that instead of taking 5 TBR CBT's I can just go with 3 TBR CBT's and do "hat-trick" or review my weak areas in that 6 day period.
So do you think I should choose AAMC + 3 TBR's or AAMC + 5 TBR's?

 

[BennieBlanco]

Hat Trick:

Hemoglobin and Virtual Images... go.

 

[Mister T]

Mister T: Just ignore the already taken AAMC FLs part of the question.

I've already taken the AAMC FLs, are there other practice tests you recommend?

Both Gold Standard and Berkeley Review offer solid practice tests. GS FLs are a great value since you can typically get all 10 GS FLs for around $100. The caveat for Gold Standard is that you should expect your score to be roughly 2 points lower than normal. Berkeley Review has better FLs, but they're more expensive and the archaic ordering system means you run the risk of not having your practice tests when you need them due to the 45 day access limit. Still, if you order your test a couple weeks before you need them, BR is a good option if you're willing to pay more. Unfortunately, neither test is great in verbal, though BR is decent.

I see, so for a 4 month schedule, so far I have:

TBR Orgo I + II, Physics I + II, and Gen Chem I + II
EK Bio + 1001 Bio Questions I chose EK Bio because TBR seems to be too detailed
TPR Hyperlearning Science Workbook
TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook
EK Verbal 101 Passages
AAMC 3-10


I also have Kaplan FL 1-11 and all the topical exams that go with it --- would you say that I should forget all the KAPLAN material and go with TBR exams and GS exams instead with 4 months of prep time?

And given the above list of materials that I have, would you say that for the four months that I go with all 7 BR exams or 5 or 3 or what? I heard something that the last 2 aren't very representative or something, but that's just anecdotal.

Finally, in case the first MCAT attempt (in 4 months) doesn't go well, I am going to continue studying right after that (i'll take a break of a week or two before continuing) --- at that point should I just pick up the GS exams and go through that until the 2nd attempt?

Do you think that if I go through the material I already have that I can get a 35+ if I am diligent over the next couple of months? I scored well on the SAT (1450 - 760 verbal + 690 Math) though I have forgotten a lot of specifics for the MCAT (that's why there's review!), I have no job obligations (taking the semester off), and the only thing I will be doing is EMT training and working out. So I'm going to put my heart and soul into it.

Much thanks,
Mister T, Former Member of the A-Team

 

[Kalyx]

I see, so for a 4 month schedule, so far I have:

TBR Orgo I + II, Physics I + II, and Gen Chem I + II
EK Bio + 1001 Bio Questions I chose EK Bio because TBR seems to be too detailed
TPR Hyperlearning Science Workbook
TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook
EK Verbal 101 Passages
AAMC 3-10


I also have Kaplan FL 1-11 and all the topical exams that go with it --- would you say that I should forget all the KAPLAN material and go with TBR exams and GS exams instead with 4 months of prep time?

I'm in the same boat as you! I have an excess of study materials and am wondering if I should toss the Kaplan stuff, or perhaps do it earliest on...


~Kalyx

 

[Mister T]

I'm in the same boat as you! I have an excess of study materials and am wondering if I should toss the Kaplan stuff, or perhaps do it earliest on...


~Kalyx

My gut feeling is that the Kaplan material (after reading dozens of threads and from feedback from people in real life) is very detail oriented (which may not be a bad thing?), but it's also very tailored for the material that they teach you in the class.

 

[TurkSurg]

lol I knew something like this was going to happen 😀

Hat Trick:

Hemoglobin and Virtual Images... go.

 

[SN2ed]

MisterT: Since you have both Kaplan's and the AAMC's FLs, I suggest you stick with those without buying anymore. You should take Kaplan 1-6 and all the of AAMCs. The other Kaplan material you don't need.

 

[sunnyjohn]

....


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.

When and Where? Thanks!

Where do I purchase copies of the Hyperlearning books?

 

[ManOnTheMoon115]

Hat Trick:

Hemoglobin and Virtual Images... go.

I actually had a question on the hat trick thing- obviously you split up PS and BS but from those topic list pdfs provided by aamc, each numbered point is a different topic? or is it the letters? alot of those points are way to specific to be connected to other points are they not?

 

[sixpence]

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”

This means do the previous 5 chapters right? Does that take about the same time as review one chapter and do its corresponding questions? I'm trying to anticipate how much time I need to allot myself.

 

[kieunhi0]

Where can I find the TPR hyperlearning Verbal workbook?
Thank you!

 

[SN2ed]

Again, I am NOT making a schedule for full-time workers, I'm merely making another FAQ entry. The new QA won't be up for awhile.

ManOnTheMoon115:

It's really up to you and how you ultimately want to utilize the Hat Trick. A good starting point would be at least writing down the bolded topics. Then, when you're doing the Hat Trick, you should think about each topic more in-depth. Remember, you're trying to think up an MCAT style passage. In other words, the passage won't be simple; it will involve some of the complexities of each topic.

sixpence: Read and only read the previous 5 chapters. The length of time it takes to finishing reading all of them depends on the person.

 

[rsmithjr42089]

Sn2ed: I have attached my study log, it was created by another member for three months using partly your schedule and I modified it to start tomorrow and end for May 22nd, 2010 MCAT. The first 2 months are exactly as you have it I believe, but the rest is a mix of yours and mine. Since I am non-trad I wanted to extend my content review days to make it a near 5 month schedule (4.5 months). I am using 12 FL tests (all AAMC + 2 Kaplan (came with my books) + 1 EK and the AAMC MCAT practice book). I am using the BR Gen chem, Org chem, Phys, Ek Bio, Phys, Gen, Org, Verb, and all the 1001 series books (including verb 101). As you will see in the schedule I have scheduled in alot of review (EK series is in the middle/late middle of the schedule) and I do nearly all the 1001's...
I will get TPR verbal eventually as I will do 4 passages a day and willr un out of EK eventually...
So if you could take a look at it and see if there are any major flaws please let me know...
It is an intense schedule, but I do not burn out easily, I normally do 20+credits/semester + intern + part time job
Spring semester will be 13credits + research + part time job + internship
Research will be heavy in the beginning and light to minimal at the end of the semester.
I understand your worry for us non trads and crazy people who overload every semester, but I have been doing this since my freshman year of HS, so I am used to near killing myself in my work/school loads.
You have been a great help to others including myself as I have been following this thread since the beginning, your advice is like gold...
I know my schedule doesnt follow your advice at all, but please just take a look at it and comment, I would really appreciate it. Any others please take a look as well....but remember it is really fine tuned to a longer stretch but still heavy review and for a non-trad.

Thanks!!!

 

[jigglyboo]

SD2ed, thanks for all the great input. 🙂 I've been following this thread as well and found it helpful even tho I don't have the time to execute it fully. I have to say I wish I had studied on my own rather than sticking with Kaplan and emphasized the practice problems more. O well, I can't turn back the clock.

I'd like to know what you thought of Audio Osmosis. This is probably my most practical means for content review while I work my FT job, and then I'd follow it up with practice problems. I know you've repeatedly emphasized BR. I'll definitely follow your suggestions for Verbal since that's my weakest.

Thanks!

 

[Bmed]

SD2ed, first off, thanks for this great guide. It really helped me to plan out my schedule.

I was thinking of going the detailed route for biology using TPRH Biological Sciences Review for content and using TBR Biology for the passages. Do you think I should get EK BIO 1001 or TPRH Science Workbook or both for additional practice?

I am aiming to follow the 4 month variation with about 1-2 additional weeks for more FL practice exams. Thanks for the help!

 

[TurkSurg]

Again, I am NOT making a schedule for full-time workers, I'm merely making another FAQ entry. The new QA won't be up for awhile.

ManOnTheMoon115:



sixpence: Read and only read the previous 5 chapters. The length of time it takes to finishing reading all of them depends on the person.

In your 3 and 4 month study plan you did not mention any other FL's besides AAMC's. Do you think AAMC 3-10 FL's are enough practice?

 

[filsternyc]

I know this is a bit off topic, however, has anybody received shipments and/or delivery notifications from TBR for orders placed in early December? Personally it has been almost three weeks and I have yet to hear or receive any information. To add insult to injury, no one is answering the phones at their offices.

I hope these materials live up to the hype, because frankly, the customer service is abysmal. 👎

 

[SN2ed]

Just another heads up, I'm not going to answer questions that are not about this schedule. Sorry, but I want to keep this thread on topic and not turn this into a thread to contact me 🙁

Bmed: You should be okay. Fortunately, the TPRH SW includes a healthy number of passages and discretes (87 and 146 respectively). Definitely get both TPRH Verbal Workbook and EK 101. When going for 4 months, the lack of abundant verbal material is what hurts the most.

eez: Taking AAMC #3-10 should be enough FL practice. When you get to that last month, your test taking skills should be sharp from all the practice passages you've worked on for months. That said, more FL practice wouldn't hurt as long as you plan accordingly.

 

[TurkSurg]

Do you think TBR passages are plenty for me to practice or should I also work with the TPRH Science Workbook?

Just another heads up, I'm not going to answer questions that are not about this schedule. Sorry, but I want to keep this thread on topic and not turn this into a thread to contact me 🙁

Bmed: You should be okay. Fortunately, the TPRH SW includes a healthy number of passages and discretes (87 and 146 respectively). Definitely get both TPRH Verbal Workbook and EK 101. When going for 4 months, the lack of abundant verbal material is what hurts the most.

eez: Taking AAMC #3-10 should be enough FL practice. When you get to that last month, your test taking skills should be sharp from all the practice passages you've worked on for months. That said, more FL practice wouldn't hurt as long as you plan accordingly.

 

[Bmed]

Bmed: You should be okay. Fortunately, the TPRH SW includes a healthy number of passages and discretes (87 and 146 respectively). Definitely get both TPRH Verbal Workbook and EK 101. When going for 4 months, the lack of abundant verbal material is what hurts the most.

So should I use TPRH Biological Sciences Review for content review, use TBR Bio and TPRH SW for passages, and also use EK 1001 BIO? How can I match up the appropriate passages from TBR Bio and TPRH SW to the corresponding TPRH Biological Science Review? Which book should I use for bio passages first? Sorry, I'm having a little bit of trouble understanding how to integrate the detailed bio approach into your schedule.

Currently I have planned to use the following books for this four month schedule:

-BR General Chemistry
-BR Organic Chemistry
-BR Physics
-BR Biology

-The Princeton Review Hyper Learning Biological Sciences Review
-The Princeton Review Hyper Learning Science Workbook

- EK 1001 series (physics, o-chem, gen-chem, bio)

-BR Verbal
-The Princeton Review Hyper Learning Verbal Workbook
- EK Verbal 101

Could you possibly show me how to adjust the first 8 days of your schedule to make the best use of the books I'm using? In particular, what is the specific protocol to follow when replacing EK Biology with TPRH Biological Sciences Review, TBR Bio, TPRH SW? And does EK 1001 Bio just stay the same?

Day 1: BR Physics Chapter #1 + 1/3 of the corresponding passages (1/3 of corresponding passages = 1/3 from now on)
Day 2: BR Gen Chem Chapter #1 + 1/3
Day 3: BR O-Chem Chapter #1 + 1/3
Day 4: EK Biology Chapter #1 + the corresponding problems in chapter and chapter exam (both of these will be abbreviated by putting 30 Min)
Day 5: BR Physics Chapter #2 + 1/3
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"
Day 7: Break
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, thank you so much for your help. Its been quite invaluable and I wish there was another way to express my gratitude.

 

[run463]

Thank you for posting this study schedule. I have a quick question. I inherited BR books and they're 2001 edition. Is it still okay to use these books or should I get new books instead?

 

[Mister T]

SN2ed,
After analyzing your schedule, I think I get the general premise --- you're focusing on cumulative review by constant repetition of the stuff from the beginning through the end.
If I do the 3 month schedule, I noticed that for the supplemental problems (the EK 1001 stuff) that you seem to cover only about 333 problems for physics, gen. chem, and orgo respectively and then about 666 problems (THE DEVIL?!?!?!) from EK Bio 1001.
My questions are, is there any reason why you're not having us do the rest of the problems? I mean the more problems the better right? Also, if I am not doing anything else in the spring (just focusing on MCAT), besides working out and an EMT class, can't I push myself a little harder than what you have each day and with all the breaks? I'm no superman I admit and I have average endurance/stamina, but the schedule seems kinda light --- is this me just underestimating your schedule? Also, if you could tell me, is **THIS** the schedule that you used for success? What did you do differently if at all, and I assume you did pretty damn well on this.
My goal is to get over a 35 on this beast, and I'm confident in my reasoning abilities, so my only problem will be absorbing all the material to apply! Do you think that your schedule given will prep me well for that (I'm not saying if it will give me a 35+), or should I supplement more? Again, I have a completely free semester in the spring with no other obligations.

Thanks,
Mister T (Former Member of the A-Team)

 

[Mister T]

So should I use TPRH Biological Sciences Review for content review, use TBR Bio and TPRH SW for passages, and also use EK 1001 BIO? How can I match up the appropriate passages from TBR Bio and TPRH SW to the corresponding TPRH Biological Science Review? Which book should I use for bio passages first? Sorry, I'm having a little bit of trouble understanding how to integrate the detailed bio approach into your schedule.

Currently I have planned to use the following books for this four month schedule:

-BR General Chemistry
-BR Organic Chemistry
-BR Physics
-BR Biology

-The Princeton Review Hyper Learning Biological Sciences Review
-The Princeton Review Hyper Learning Science Workbook

- EK 1001 series (physics, o-chem, gen-chem, bio)

-BR Verbal
-The Princeton Review Hyper Learning Verbal Workbook
- EK Verbal 101

Could you possibly show me how to adjust the first 8 days of your schedule to make the best use of the books I'm using? In particular, what is the specific protocol to follow when replacing EK Biology with TPRH Biological Sciences Review, TBR Bio, TPRH SW? And does EK 1001 Bio just stay the same?

Day 1: BR Physics Chapter #1 + 1/3 of the corresponding passages (1/3 of corresponding passages = 1/3 from now on)
Day 2: BR Gen Chem Chapter #1 + 1/3
Day 3: BR O-Chem Chapter #1 + 1/3
Day 4: EK Biology Chapter #1 + the corresponding problems in chapter and chapter exam (both of these will be abbreviated by putting 30 Min)
Day 5: BR Physics Chapter #2 + 1/3
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"
Day 7: Break
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, thank you so much for your help. Its been quite invaluable and I wish there was another way to express my gratitude.

I too am interested in doing what you said. I have all the books that you mentioned MINUS the EK 1001 Gen. Chem, Phys, and Orgo and TBR VERBAL BOOK. I do have 1001 Bio because of the good reviews on that AND I have the EK Bio book.

I have read from the TPRH Biological sciences and I would say it's a good read. Easy to understand, BUT it has a lot of details so I plan on just really memorizing that **** a few days/weeks before the exam in case there are any bull**** trivia questions on the B.S. section. I'll be using the EK Bio book for my main conceptual understanding (though I understand the MCAT Biology section has become more detail oriented lately --- futhermuckin azsholes).

My opinion on what you are planning on doing is that the EK 1001s in addition to the TPRH Science Workbook is going to be overkill. I mean if you want to know what I'm doing, I'm going to follow the 3 month plan (because I have nothing else to do no classes no work), and finish all that **** then. Because I am taking the exam in 4 months (though I will be using 3 month plan), I will use the last month to do a lot of additional FLs (8 out of the 10 from GS) and finish off any remaining problems that I did not do in the TPRH science workbook.

Because the last month is about 30 days , doing an additional 10 tests will take about 30 days (1 day to take the exam, then 2 days to do review). Don't forget that during the review days that you also do, an additional couple of questions as shown below:

Day 64: AAMC FL #3
Day 65: Review FL per guidelines + 1/3 Chapter 2 <----. ?s
Day 66: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 2 <--- ?s

I honestly think, however, that you won't be able to get through the 1001s with all the material you have.

But again, I'll tell you what my plan is. I am taking the exam April 23, and then once I am done with that, I will continue studying for the May 27th exam. Because the April 23 score comes out on May 24-25th, I can determine whether or not I will have to take the May 27th exam. But in any case, during that 5th month, I will just go over all the EK 1001s (because at this point I will have exhausted the TBR + TPR HL), and finish off the GSes, and do the first 7 Berkeley Review Tests. This is all "in theory" --- you know there's burn out to STRONGLY consider (it happened to me the first time I studied), but even if you fall behind, you'll know that you did a good 98% effort and after that there's not much else you can do.

 

[Bmed]

On second thought, after getting some advice from a friend, I might just go with the non-detailed approach with EK BIO and just use the TPRH Biological review as a complimentary source when I come across more unfamiliar topics.

To SN2ed: If I use EK BIO as my source for content review, do you think I should stick with the EK 1001 BIO as my primary book for problems like you state in your schedule? Or can I possibly substitute EK 1001 BIO for TBR BIO or TPRH SW? If so, which book do you think would be better for the job? I would like to practice problems that are going to be more representative of the MCAT.

 

[DreamingPremed]

On second thought, after getting some advice from a friend, I might just go with the non-detailed approach with EK BIO and just use the TPRH Biological review as a complimentary source when I come across more unfamiliar topics.

To SN2ed: If I use EK BIO as my source for content review, do you think I should stick with the EK 1001 BIO as my primary book for problems like you state in your schedule? Or can I possibly substitute EK 1001 BIO for TBR BIO or TPRH SW? If so, which book do you think would be better for the job? I would like to practice problems that are going to be more representative of the MCAT.

SN2ed has already told me that you can easily use EK BIO for content review then TBR BIO for passages. Honestly, EK BIO was all I needed for my last MCAT. TBR BIO passage seem to be much more similar to the actual MCAT then EK 1001 BIO. The EK 1001 BIO discrete questions are often too detail, which was not the case on my MCAT.

 

[rsmithjr42089]

Just wanted to let you know that I have officially started the schedule, and like I posted earlier it is the same as your schedule for the 1st 2 months, really its the same as your four month plan, but I tailored it to 4.5months by adding more content review using the EK series in addition later on to keep the content review fresh.
Hopefully I wont burn out but Im sure I'll be fine...I will post once in a while to let you know how its going....
one suggestion: (Im not sure if you mention it) but the EK Verbal book (not 101) has some pretty cool techniques in it that I found very useful (in addition to Vhishidas (sp?))

Thanks again for making this great schedule!

 

[DreamingPremed]

Just wanted to let you know that I have officially started the schedule, and like I posted earlier it is the same as your schedule for the 1st 2 months, really its the same as your four month plan, but I tailored it to 4.5months by adding more content review using the EK series in addition later on to keep the content review fresh.
Hopefully I wont burn out but Im sure I'll be fine...I will post once in a while to let you know how its going....
one suggestion: (Im not sure if you mention it) but the EK Verbal book (not 101) has some pretty cool techniques in it that I found very useful (in addition to Vhishidas (sp?))

Thanks again for making this great schedule!

rsmithjr...approximately how long is it taking you per day to study?

 

[rsmithjr42089]

Well Ive only just started....and I did alot yesturday- The whole EK Verbal book is done (not 101) and I did Day 1 on the schedule....with all distractions removed prolly 6 hours? Today should be quicker, as it is Genchem....my worst subject is physics so I spend more time on it.

 

[skyblue2000]

Well Ive only just started....and I did alot yesturday- The whole EK Verbal book is done (not 101) and I did Day 1 on the schedule....with all distractions removed prolly 6 hours? Today should be quicker, as it is Genchem....my worst subject is physics so I spend more time on it.

rsmith, I remember that you're in school right now right? So when are your exams, and will you be sticking to this schedule during that time as well?

 

[rsmithjr42089]

Yeah Im a full time student, but off till end of January, so Im getting a good head start, and then end early May for my MCAT at the end of May. Im full time with a full time job but I only have 2 maybe 3 actual classes (Biochemistry II, Embryology, and maybe Microbiology) but I have 6 credits in research and an internship that I am nearly finished with, so I can easily manage the MCAT workload (well I hope so anyways) I dont burn out easy at all, as Im used to a ton of work, school, my kids, ect....
Ill let you guys know if it goes badly, but Im pretty sure Ill be fine, Im used to not having a social life, due to my kids and fiancee.

 

[sully677]

SN2ed...Thanks for the wonderful information and schedule! I have a question regarding verbal. I plan on taking the MCAT April 23 and will start TPR class on Jan 27th...I have EK 101 verbal and was wondering if I should start now with the verbal or wait until the class? Would it be bad to go ahead and start using the EK if I run out before the test? I plan on taking 10-15 practice tests.

Thanks

 

[SN2ed]

Going to make these responses quick when possible since there are tons of replies. Again, I will not answer questions unrelated to THIS schedule.

eez: BR is plenty.

Bmed: You're over-thinking things. When it says EK Bio Chapter #1, work through TPRH Bio Chapter #1. Then, do 1/3 of BR passages that best correspond with the chapter with some TPRH mixed in. For instance, if the chapter is about DNA translation, transcript, etc, work on the BR passages about DNA.

run463: No, get new books.

Mister T: You shouldn't need to do more of the non-Bio EK 1001 books unless you're having problems with a particular topic. If you do have trouble, then you'll have plenty of EK 1001 questions to help fix it. You really shouldn't focus on the non-Bio EK 1001 since you'll be taking plenty of passages.

This schedule is not as light as it looks if you're doing it right. That said, this schedule isn't something that will take 10+ hours everyday. However, there are plenty of days which will be more than 8 hours.

No, this is not the exact schedule I used. Before I got my score, I spent quite a bit of time analyzing my past schedule and thinking up ways to improve it. The schedule I posted is this improved version.

I think this schedule lays the groundwork for great scores, yet the actual execution, and ultimately your success, still rests solely on your shoulders.

Bmed: DreamingPremed got it right. You can use EK Bio for your content review WITH BR passages. This combo is the preferred way for now.


rsmithjr42089: Cool. Keep us posted.

 

[Mister T]

Going to make these responses quick when possible since there are tons of replies. Again, I will not answer questions unrelated to THIS schedule.

eez: BR is plenty.

Bmed: You're over-thinking things. When it says EK Bio Chapter #1, work through TPRH Bio Chapter #1. Then, do 1/3 of BR passages that best correspond with the chapter with some TPRH mixed in. For instance, if the chapter is about DNA translation, transcript, etc, work on the BR passages about DNA.

run463: No, get new books.

Mister T: You shouldn't need to do more of the non-Bio EK 1001 books unless you're having problems with a particular topic. If you do have trouble, then you'll have plenty of EK 1001 questions to help fix it. You really shouldn't focus on the non-Bio EK 1001 since you'll be taking plenty of passages.

This schedule is not as light as it looks if you're doing it right. That said, this schedule isn't something that will take 10+ hours everyday. However, there are plenty of days which will be more than 8 hours.

No, this is not the exact schedule I used. Before I got my score, I spent quite a bit of time analyzing my past schedule and thinking up ways to improve it. The schedule I posted is this improved version.

I think this schedule lays the groundwork for great scores, yet the actual execution, and ultimately your success, still rests solely on your shoulders.

Bmed: DreamingPremed got it right. You can use EK Bio for your content review WITH BR passages. This combo is the preferred way for now.


rsmithjr42089: Cool. Keep us posted.

Thanks for the information.

Also, I wasn't sure on some other things in your schedule:

1) You say that you should do ideally 3-5 verbal passages a day/67 days (in the 3 month one).

I understand that you want to combine the 101 EK Verbal + Princeton Review Verbal Workbook (which has about 73), so that only gives you about 2.6 passages a day. You also then say that you should ideally be doing 3 a day?

2) With regards to your post that answered a previous question from someone else:
"For each BR chapter, there are problems assigned to that chapter. For instance, there's chapter 1 and afterwards, chapter 1's set of practice passages. Yes, 1/3 of the corresponding passages means you take every third passage. The other 1/3s are completed per the guide's timeline.", for others who are reading your schedule, you should probably elaborate on that in your first/second/third post.

I don't think you elaborated on that in the schedule really. There are some other nuggets of advice/information that are not in the first three posts that you covered in more detail throughout the scattered posts in this long thread. Do you think you could add all the important ones to your sticky? I believe it would be beneficial for everyone. Also, it might be a good idea to delete all the irrelevant posts --- it makes finding the good information hard to find (not that I care, but for others that want to see where you're coming from it would help).

3) In one of the posts in this thread, you said that the day after you do say 3 verbal passages (18 minutes), it takes an hour to go over it. Does it really take that long? I feel like it could be done in 5-10 minutes. What is it it that I'm missing by cutting out so much time?

4) When I finish doing passages AND/OR tests, should/can I look to see what the answers are at least on the same day that I did them? Or should I just drop it completely, and save it for the next day. I feel tempted to look at the answer key at least immediately after finishing practice questions.


Thanks again!

 

[TurkSurg]

1) Is 8 min/passage good for TBR sections (orgo,gchem,physics) and EK bio? my times are always between 7-9 min.

2) Is it better to do 3 passages (for verbal) all at once and then review the answers or do 1 passage, review the answers, and do the 2nd one.. and so on?

Going to make these responses quick when possible since there are tons of replies. Again, I will not answer questions unrelated to THIS schedule.

eez: BR is plenty.

Bmed: You're over-thinking things. When it says EK Bio Chapter #1, work through TPRH Bio Chapter #1. Then, do 1/3 of BR passages that best correspond with the chapter with some TPRH mixed in. For instance, if the chapter is about DNA translation, transcript, etc, work on the BR passages about DNA.

run463: No, get new books.

Mister T: You shouldn't need to do more of the non-Bio EK 1001 books unless you're having problems with a particular topic. If you do have trouble, then you'll have plenty of EK 1001 questions to help fix it. You really shouldn't focus on the non-Bio EK 1001 since you'll be taking plenty of passages.

This schedule is not as light as it looks if you're doing it right. That said, this schedule isn't something that will take 10+ hours everyday. However, there are plenty of days which will be more than 8 hours.

No, this is not the exact schedule I used. Before I got my score, I spent quite a bit of time analyzing my past schedule and thinking up ways to improve it. The schedule I posted is this improved version.

I think this schedule lays the groundwork for great scores, yet the actual execution, and ultimately your success, still rests solely on your shoulders.

Bmed: DreamingPremed got it right. You can use EK Bio for your content review WITH BR passages. This combo is the preferred way for now.


rsmithjr42089: Cool. Keep us posted.

 

[SN2ed]

Mister T:

1. Well, yes it would be ideal to take 3 passages or more per day, but as you pointed out that's not quite possible. At the time I didn't know exactly how many passages TPRH VW had. I'll update the first post to reflect this information.

2. I cleared it up a little more for the first day. I don't have moderator powers, so I can't delete posts.

3. Yes, your post test analysis should take quite awhile. For 3 verbal passages, it should take around 40-50 minutes. You may also want to keep a log for future reference.

4. I think waiting on seeing the answer key is better.


eez:

2) Is it better to do 3 passages (for verbal) all at once and then review the answers or do 1 passage, review the answers, and do the 2nd one.. and so on?[/QUOTE]

1. My suggested times are in the first post.

2. Take all 3 passages at once.

 

[JP2740]

Question:

If we have 3 sources for verbal so we can do 3 a day like EK verbal, TPRH, and Berkeley, would you recommend doing 1 passage from each to keep it diverse or going 3 passages in Berkeley until it's done-->TPRH-->EK in the order most people put them in?

 

[Mister T]

Question:

If we have 3 sources for verbal so we can do 3 a day like EK verbal, TPRH, and Berkeley, would you recommend doing 1 passage from each to keep it diverse or going 3 passages in Berkeley until it's done-->TPRH-->EK in the order most people put them in?

Good question. I think he stated earlier in the thread to just do three from the same book in any given day.

You should do the TBR/TPR ones first, and then do the EK 101s at the end as they're more accurate.

I'm probably going to mix in 3 EK 101s maybe once or two a week though for two reasons 1) if i fall behind schedule and 2) to feel more "calibrated" and not adjust too much to one book's style of testing and the flaws with that model.

 

[JP2740]

Yea that's what I was thinking too... w/ these do we do every 1/3 passage or does it not matter?

 

[Mister T]

Yea that's what I was thinking too... w/ these do we do every 1/3 passage or does it not matter?

I dunno, are the ones at the end more difficult? Maybe, I haven't gone past the first one yet, as I'm playing catchup.

For physics and chemistry etc. you do every three because I think you get a blend of everything, from easy to difficult and from stuff at the beginning of the chapter to the end.

Whereas doing passages 1-3 is going to be all the stuff at the beginning for instance (though TBR doesn't say to go in order either which I don't know hwy they did that if they could have just reordered everything to go in order).

 

[SN2ed]

JP2740: You do NOT do every 1/3 for verbal. Go through 3 passages in a row from one source. On the next, day use another source. Since you have BR, TPRH, and EK, try to rotate BR more frequently in the beginning so you finish it first.

 

[Chakavack]

I have a question for you guys, I live in south cali, in san fernando valley area, there is Kaplan in encino and CSUN, do most people do KAPLAN for MCAT? or pearson? should I just buy the books and study on my own or pay the $1980 and go to the class?

appreciate your advices. 🙂

 

[Mister T]

JP2740: You do NOT do every 1/3 for verbal. Go through 3 passages in a row from one source. On the next, day use another source. Since you have BR, TPRH, and EK, try to rotate BR more frequently in the beginning so you finish it first.

I wasn't sure if you said it before, but are you saying that you should take 6 MINUTES to read each passage and then 3 minutes to answer the questions?

What are the breakdowns for ideal times for each passage?

 

[SN2ed]

I wasn't sure if you said it before, but are you saying that you should take 6 MINUTES to read each passage and then 3 minutes to answer the questions?

What are the breakdowns for ideal times for each passage?

That's a six minute goal for completing the passage and questions. Check the first post for timing.

 

[Kalyx]

I have a bunch of Kaplan materials, including the Verbal Reasoning book and FLs.

Do you think using the verbal passages from the FLs would be helpful in my 3 / day effort? Or should I just stick with TPR + EK 101?


Thanks!

~Kalyx

 

[SN2ed]

Kalyx:

From FAQ:

Why is Kaplan's verbal bad?

Kaplan is bad in verbal because it doesn't stress the same things as the actual MCAT. For the MCAT, the main idea and author's point of view/opinion are the keys to success. Conversely, Kaplan focuses more on the detail oriented questions which are easy to teach; the kind of questions which make you go back over the passage to find the minute detail being tested. On the MCAT, going back to the passages will kill your timing. Furthermore, you rarely receive such questions and when you do get them, they can typically be answered with the main idea or author's opinion.

 

[Kalyx]

Kalyx:

From FAQ:

Why is Kaplan's verbal bad?

Kaplan is bad in verbal because it doesn't stress the same things as the actual MCAT. For the MCAT, the main idea and author's point of view/opinion are the keys to success. Conversely, Kaplan focuses more on the detail oriented questions which are easy to teach; the kind of questions which make you go back over the passage to find the minute detail being tested. On the MCAT, going back to the passages will kill your timing. Furthermore, you rarely receive such questions and when you do get them, they can typically be answered with the main idea or author's opinion.

Thanks, SN2ed. I had read that portion in your FAQ but wasn't sure whether or not it applied solely to the verbal reasoning book or to their FLs in addition.

 

[SN2ed]

Thanks, SN2ed. I had read that portion in your FAQ but wasn't sure whether or not it applied solely to the verbal reasoning book or to their FLs in addition.

Kaplan's FL #1-6 are solid in the sciences (tougher than normal, but the exorbitantly generous curve more than makes up for that), but Kaplan does not have any good verbal practice material.

 

[VickMortalMD]

Sn2ed,

You don't advise using the same passages from EK 101 verbal for the 2nd time? When I took the mcat last year I did up to test 11 so I only have few "new" tests left. So I shouldn't re-do the passages I did last time right? I will be taking the exam again in June of this year so I will need plenty of passages to follow the 4-month study plan which I plan to begin end of this month.

This time though I do have the BR and TPR verbal books for that extra help I need.

Thanks!!