Breaking Down the MCAT: A 3 Month MCAT Study Schedule

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SN2ed

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Written by SN2ed.

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

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

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

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

To begin with, check out these two threads:

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

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

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

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

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

Will following this guide guarantee me a +30?

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

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

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

Any tips for retakers?

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

Remember to check out the third and fourth post FAQ.

Anything else before I start?

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

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

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

Materials:

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

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

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

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

Bare Minimum Set-up:

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

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

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

$30 EK Bio (Amazon product ASIN 1893858626)


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

Total = $541 + TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook

Set-up with EK 1001:

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

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

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

Total = $598 + TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook

Possible Book Replacements:

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

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

A Little Bit more about TPRH books:

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

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

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

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

About the EK 1001 series:

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

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

Timing:

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


Notes:

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

General Guidelines for Reviewing:

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

Some things to go over when reviewing:

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

Hat Trick:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. Which cell component requires lipids?

Verbal Help:

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

Arithmetic Tricks:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=528674&highlight=Arithmetic Tips Tricks
 
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the thing is i have already taken bio/physics and finishing chem this quarter, it would be a year from now for me to finish all 3 o chem classes. i should still wait until then to do anything if i plan to take the exam really close after finishing 3rd ochem class?

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.

I have more than 4 months until my test, is there anything you suggest?

There are two things you might want to consider. First, aim for mastery of the material in all of your pre-reqs. Don't go simply for the A. Know the material cold. Next, is reading various materials. Here's my suggested reading list:

Wall Street Journal
New Yorker
Economist
Random science journals


Remember to read the boring articles as well as the interesting ones. Chances are your MCAT verbal passages won't be the most exciting read.
 
We use EK Bio for content review and do practice passages from BR Bio, correct? Does it make sense to look at BR bio for content review also?

How much worse is the BR verbal than the TPRH verbal? I'm having trouble finding the TPRH book by itself and need to start studying one month from now. Should I just purchase the complete BR set and go with it?
 
I'm a bit confused towards the end of the schedule. For example:

Day 71: AAMC #4
Day 72: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 4
Day 73: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 4
Day 74: AAMC #5

Can someone give me an example of what Chapter 4 we are supposed to be reading? For example, does that mean Gen Chem or Physics or what? Thanks!
 
UrbanDweller:

If you want extra depth in a subject, refer to BR, otherwise stick with EK Bio.

BR is significantly worse than TPRH verbal. However, if you can't find TPRH verbal, then BR is your only option left. Try to take BR verbal passages more frequently than EK verbal 101 to use them up quickly.

dlouis:

That means all chapter 4s. So you go over the passages associated with chapter 4 of gen chem, physics, o-chem, and bio.
 
SN2ed,
I have somewhat of a situation here...
I've read thru this thread, and realized that following this schedule + taking a prep course is not easy to do. So I wanted to ask you, do you think it's worth signing up for TBR class (if it is being taught by the owners)? I mean since I'm buying their books either way, should I sign up for the class as well? I'll be taking the MCAT in September, so I'll be following the 3 1/2 variation (from June to mid Sep). I wouldn't mind having a great teacher, but I definitely don't want it to interfere with the schedule.
Thanks in advance
 
oh and also,
What is the best third (first being EK, second TPRH) choice for verbal practice?
TBR/official MCAT book (which I can buy as a bundle on AAMC)/ or EK mini 16s?
I'm almost certain I'll get the official MCAT guide, but I just don't know if that will raise up the practice passages to 3 a day.
Again, thank you
 
Hello SN2ed.

I have started 3 month plan designed by you. But I have one question regarding BR passages. I would appreciate if you could tell me when we should check our solutions for questions we did wrong on any BR passages. I am not sure whether we have to review our wrong answers on the same day itself or wait till Day 6 when I will review all chapter. Sorry if this question has already been asked earlier. But I would kindly appreciate if you could help out.

Thanks,

Khushi
 
apc:

If the class is taught by the owners, it wouldn't hurt to take it. However, if cost is a concern, then don't because while the course is helpful, it's not necessary. A distant third would be BR Verbal or the EK mini MCAT book. I think the mini MCAT book might have just enough verbal passages to get to 3 passages per day. There are 32 verbal passages in the mini MCAT book. The Official MCAT book is help, but there's only 7 verbal passages.

khushiamar:

From the notes section, second bullet:

Notes:

- 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.
 
Thanks for the response.
So you don't think picking EK's 16 over BR verbal is a mistake?
If I get the EK 16 book, it has the advantage of having passages from other subjects
Also, TBR is much more expensive.
Regardless, I've been researching and considering the commute to UCLA and how much time I'll need to dedicate to this schedule, I think I'll study on my own (hopefully won't be regretted).
 
Thanks for the response.
So you don't think picking EK's 16 over BR verbal is a mistake?
If I get the EK 16 book, it has the advantage of having passages from other subjects
Also, TBR is much more expensive.
Regardless, I've been researching and considering the commute to UCLA and how much time I'll need to dedicate to this schedule, I think I'll study on my own (hopefully won't be regretted).

Yeah, I definitely feel you on the drive. It is absolutely brutal. If I took the UCLA course, I'd probably try to find a place.

I'm pretty sure EK 16 should push you over the top. Besides that, BR Verbal is not that good.
 
Hey guys, just wanted to give my 2cents:

So I've been following the non-updated bio version of the schedule.
Today I took AAMC FL 4 and I gotta say, yes these help not only because they are actual CBT tests and they give the test scores along with evaluations, but also you get to understand the fatigue level you'll reach when you hit the BS section.

For me, I got so hungry that just comprehending what the heck I was reading was a hard thing to do, resulting in 16 wrong in the BS section, where in PS/VR section I did substantially better that that. I recommend eating a hearty breakfast at around 6AM, go to restroom, and feel energized with a hint of coffee 😉

As for verbal preparation: I did the BR verbal first and then the EK101, and I sensed the difference. At the end of BR I got very few wrong, but when I started EK I got a whole lot wrong and didn't know what was going on.

Now I'm halfway finished with the EK passages and I gotta say they are pretty similar to what I experienced in the FL passages. I'd like to emphasize consistency - I got the time down to nearly 6min, but ever since starting FL3 I started doubling up and doing like 6 passages a day to make up, and now I'm averaging ~8 minutes 🙁 I gotta pick up my game again.

Oh, I'm full-time studying for MCAT by myself based on this schedule. It's doable, so don't be discouraged! May 1st is my MCAT day.
 
SN2ed,
I am following the four month schedule. I have just reached my first review day (8) and was unable to complete all the chapters. I am very weak in physics and gen chem. I know I should be working under timed conditions, but I am so weak in these areas that I would essentially be guessing on these answers. I feel like I learn a lot more when I am working out the problem even if it takes much longer. So here is my main question, for someone like me, is it better to extend the schedule and give myself an extra day for these or should I just time the questions and guess and move on?
 
SN2ed, this is what you usually respond when someone asks about the best prep material

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

My question is, if you rank TPRH as number one in terms of practice, then why is it that in the schedule and the "what books to buy" guide you mention the 1001 series (excluding bio), and the TBR bio (for practice).
Based your rankings shouldn't we be using the TPRH instead of EK and TBR (for practice that is).
 
dandi:

Have you taken your pre-reqs? For now, try extending your time per passage and then work your way down to the suggested times. Keep in mind that the MCAT is a timed test, so must be able to work under timed conditions.

apc:


It's number one in terms of EXTRA practice material. All of the BR books that I use are listed in the number one position in the book list and contain 100+ passages per subject. As to why I use EK over TPRH Science Workbook, that was explained in the first post.
 
Got it.
By the way I was able to get the TBR verbal.
Since the EK 16 is still cheap (and I'll have no problem purchasing it), do you think I should go for it, and let TBR verbal collect some dust?
Even if EK mini is slightly better that TBRs verbal, I'm more than willing to purchase it.
 
dandi:

Have you taken your pre-reqs? For now, try extending your time per passage and then work your way down to the suggested times. Keep in mind that the MCAT is a timed test, so must be able to work under timed conditions.

Yes I have taken everything.

Here is a little more info about my situation. This my second time taking the mcat. I studied on my own last summer and worked in blocks, doing phys. and gen chem first, which was a huge mistake. I scored the lowest on that section. I did pretty well on bio and verbal and I have taken adv. A&P this year and genetics, so I feel pretty good about bio. I did well in o-chem and seem to have a feel for that. For what ever reason PS is a huge weakness and now another year has passed since I have taken my pre-reqs. I do know that I will have to start working on timing again, I just wasn't sure at this stage what would be the best for me to do. I don't want to extend the schedule to far because of your advice. I am also essentially a single mom of three b/c my husband is working out of state. I took spring quarter off of school b/c I knew there was no way that I could study, take care of kids, and do school too. Thanks for the advice and the work you have put into this schedule.
 
I was wondering if adding an extra day for every physics chapter would do me any harm. Since I took physics a long time ago, I feel like I need to practice the problems in EK1001 before actually going on to the passages. Also, I would be reading the chapter twice before doing the BR 1/3 and both days would include verbal passages. The schedule would be something like the following for all 10 physics chapters:

Day 1: BR Physics Chapter #1 + EK 1001 1/3 + Verbal
Day 2: BR Physics Chapter #1 + BR 1/3 + Verbal + Review EK1001 1/3

I realize it adds a total of 10 days to the schedule and makes the breaks mostly occur every 8th day instead of 7th. I still have enough time to do this so I was wondering if it would be a bad idea if I was to go on with this variation.
 
@ SDN or anyone
When you said to re-read all the chapters, do you think it is ok if i read same topics from another source, for example, can i read EK chemistry chapter, instead of re-reading BR chapter??
for EK 1001 series, we are suppose to do every 3rd prob for chem, orgo, phys, and for bio every 3rd passage? is that right?
 
apc:

If you really want to, sure. I think this may allow you to do 4 passages per day.

snaaapple:

I'd stick to a break every 7th day, but otherwise, if you're worried about physics, then add the days. Make sure you correct your timeline. Also, do EK Physics 1001 AFTER you read the chapter. Finally, keep in mind that you will be reading the physics chapters three times. There are re-read all chapters days.

Sonia Khan:

No, stick to the same source. It will help the material stick better.

You do every 3rd for all the EK 1001 series EXCEPT Bio. EK 1001 Bio is good, but it doesn't focus on honing the basics like the others. Due to this difference, it's not necessary to buy EK 1001 Bio.

UIUCstudent:

As long as you buy BR Bio, EK 1001 Bio is not necessary.
 
@ SDN, I am sorry i have a question again, 1/3 of the passages that we are suppose to do after every chapter, should i review the next day? for example if you read the chapter and do 1/3 of the passages, and still have time left, should i start reading next day chapter or review the passages i did? thank you for your kind help : )
 
Sonia Khan:

Please read the notes section. Also, once you're done with the day's work, you're done. That said, each day is quite full. Lastly, my screen name isn't SDN, it's SN2ed 😛
 
Sn2ed,

I'm assuming you've taken the MCAT and used a system similar to that which you have suggested to others. I'm wondering if you might reveal how you did on the MCAT.

I tried to PM you but you are not taking PM's.
 
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Maneuver:

As a rule, I do not post my score. If you want to find out how people have done using my schedule, there are a few posts in here and some scattered throughout the MCAT Club threads.
 
Hey guys,
I don't know if this was already stated but one of my friend said AAMC FLs get harder as numbers go up. Is this true?

I am worried because my taking of FL so far(3,4,5,6) yielded constantly higher scores than before. FL6 for instance I missed considerably less in biology than before.

I don't know how much inflation the FL's are.. what the AAMC says is that the passages are from previous actual MCATs so I don't know what to believe. Thanks!
 
Hello SN2ed,for detailed approach would u recommend using BR bio instead EK, BR bio seems very detailed ?and sorry 4 typing ur user name wrong
 
Ah, the premier MCAT guru, SDN celebrity, S2Ned...

I have a quick question for you sir. Kaplan FL CBTs, which sections are most reflective of the actual MCAT you thinks? I heard verbal isn't very good, and PS isn't very reflective either but BIO is OK? I am running short on time, and I'd like to invest my remaining days well.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated my good man.

Edit: BTW, my dream is to be as cool as you one day.
 
Is MCAT pearls good for content review?
I realize from this post, the key to the MCAT isnt content learning/review, it's practicing the answering the questions.
right?
 
Hey I'm about to do the 3 month and was a little confused about what exactly 1/3 means when it says to do that for a certain day. If someone could please clarify I would really appreciate it. Thanks
 
Hey I'm about to do the 3 month and was a little confused about what exactly 1/3 means when it says to do that for a certain day. If someone could please clarify I would really appreciate it. Thanks

Read his entire post man. He explains it in detail.
 
I'm doing the BR physics right now and I notice each section is very short in terms of contents and has a lot of questions (which is good), but is the contents mentioned in BR physics and other BR books really enough to ace the MCATs? We really don't need to know other stuff?
 
Read his entire post man. He explains it in detail.

@ Georgia18
1/3 means if there are 12 passages you do 1, 4, 7, 10 the first time, next you do another set of 2, 5, 8, 11, and lastly at the end you another 1/3 that's remaining. I hope it helps
 
Hey sn2ed, I have been doing it so that I have 1/3 of the passages left, but what do you think of finishing those off, and instead add berkeley FL's in the last month to compensate?
 
Everyone please keep the questions to this strategy.

Sorry, but I don't want this to turn into an "Ask SN2ed" thread 🙁

Hey sn2ed, I have been doing it so that I have 1/3 of the passages left, but what do you think of finishing those off, and instead add berkeley FL's in the last month to compensate?

I'd stick with the last 1/3. The last 1/3 is not used solely for passage practice. It also serves as a final run through over most or all of the possible MCAT topics. The benefits of this are twofold. First, it gives you a refresher on some of the older topics. Secondly, it's one of the last chances you'll get to reveal your weaknesses on uncommon subjects. While FLs are great tools, you're unlikely to cover the full breadth of potential MCAT topics.

Now what you could do to incorporate BR FLs into the schedule is dropping some of the earlier AAMC FLs. Definitely keep AAMC #7-10.
 
Everyone please keep the questions to this strategy.

Sorry, but I don't want this to turn into an "Ask SN2ed" thread 🙁



I'd stick with the last 1/3. The last 1/3 is not used solely for passage practice. It also serves as a final run through over most or all of the possible MCAT topics. The benefits of this are twofold. First, it gives you a refresher on some of the older topics. Secondly, it's one of the last chances you'll get to reveal your weaknesses on uncommon subjects. While FLs are great tools, you're unlikely to cover the full breadth of potential MCAT topics.

Now what you could do to incorporate BR FLs into the schedule is dropping some of the earlier AAMC FLs. Definitely keep AAMC #7-10.
You are too popular.
 
Hey SN2ed,

I know you suggested using a clean, non-marked TPRH verbal workbook, but it's so hard to find a clean copy. I did manage to find one that had highlighting&light writing on first 8 passages but rest are clean. Would this be alright? How many passages are there in the verbal workbook?
 
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what are the thoughts on doing EK1000 question books before you read the BR stuff?

example, do the corresponding EK 1001 in Chem, before reading BR Gen Chem Chapter #1 + 1/3

reasoning is I've read that looking at questions/thinking about what you need to know, helps you remember what you read/etc
 
@blade1978: I don't think reading EK1001 prior to BR reading will help. As you'll see pretty quickly, BR focuses on the very core ideas, while EK1001 will focus on reviewing what you've learned through the EK books, which focus on typical topics likely to be on MCAT. After reading BR, I was like 'huh?' when I looked at some of the EK1001 questions. They definitely help you get familiar with the basic concepts, but sometimes they go overboard and look like textbook questions. For instance, don't fret over getting a lot wrong in the harder force-equilibrium, incline, friction problems for EK Physics. Just know the concepts and how you'd go about setting up the problems, but if there are any peculiar details you've needed to solve an EK1001 questions, don't worry.. and you'll see some of that in EK Bio1001.

in addition to that, after taking AAMC 3-8, I can assure you the core ideas are what you need to focus on.. MCAT seems to be very heavy on applications, usages of the very basic core ideas, just like what everyone has said..
 
I have been following this thread since March after realizing I was not going to be ready for my May 1st test date by using my own 4 month study plan. That plan consisted of EK lecture books for all subjects and studying in blocks. This one is great in that it incorporates the best materials in a manner which covers all subjects each week and review of the same topics multiple times to ensure you remember it.

It's definitely a tough first week, I only managed to finish 3 reread + EK 1001 chapters on day 6 after studying from 7:30a-10:30p. I redid all examples in chapters, read very carefully, and did EK bio 1001 which I realized later EK bio 1001 is not necessary. I finished the last 2 chapters and did all 2nd 1/3 on day 7. The next week I finished all review day chapters on day 15 by reading at a better pace and skipping EK bio 1001.

Basically, 3 days a week are pretty intense starting with review day (reread chapters + EK). The next day is long due to reviewing EK 1001 problems and completing 2nd 1/3. The 3rd is intense due to reviewing all second 1/3 and completing a new chapter with first 1/3. The other 4 take me ~4-5 hours, and since I'm only working 1 day a week (on break day) the schedule has allowed plenty of time to do whatever takes the mind away from MCAT stuff.

I work 8 hours on break day each week and on Tuesday nights I volunteer at a local free clinic for ~4 hours. It feels pretty balanced with that much EC, but I could see how working more than 20 hours a week could cause someone to easily burn out.

Also, for verbal BR is not very good relative to EK 101 and TPR (from what I've heard, my TPR copy is in the mail), the passages are not bad but the questions are too predictable and obvious most of the time.
 
I have been following this thread since March after realizing I was not going to be ready for my May 1st test date by using my own 4 month study plan. That plan consisted of EK lecture books for all subjects and studying in blocks. This one is great in that it incorporates the best materials in a manner which covers all subjects each week and review of the same topics multiple times to ensure you remember it.

It's definitely a tough first week, I only managed to finish 3 reread + EK 1001 chapters on day 6 after studying from 7:30a-10:30p. I redid all examples in chapters, read very carefully, and did EK bio 1001 which I realized later EK bio 1001 is not necessary. I finished the last 2 chapters and did all 2nd 1/3 on day 7. The next week I finished all review day chapters on day 15 by reading at a better pace and skipping EK bio 1001.

Basically, 3 days a week are pretty intense starting with review day (reread chapters + EK). The next day is long due to reviewing EK 1001 problems and completing 2nd 1/3. The 3rd is intense due to reviewing all second 1/3 and completing a new chapter with first 1/3. The other 4 take me ~4-5 hours, and since I'm only working 1 day a week (on break day) the schedule has allowed plenty of time to do whatever takes the mind away from MCAT stuff.

I work 8 hours on break day each week and on Tuesday nights I volunteer at a local free clinic for ~4 hours. It feels pretty balanced with that much EC, but I could see how working more than 20 hours a week could cause someone to easily burn out.

Also, for verbal BR is not very good relative to EK 101 and TPR (from what I've heard, my TPR copy is in the mail), the passages are not bad but the questions are too predictable and obvious most of the time.

Thanks for the heads up.
I'll be following this schedule beginning of June, and will take the MCAT in Sep. I'm assuming that's more than enough time to prepare. Best of luck to you.
 
No problem, just be sure to order the BR books well enough in advance and possibly pay by money order (I believe I heard it's faster). I mailed a check and it took ~3 1/2 weeks to arrive. Best of luck to you as well
 
Hi SN2ed,

Thank you so much for taking the time to come up with this study schedule. I plan on following it to a T.

I could only get my hands on the 2003 edition of the TPRH verbak workbook. Is this too old to use?? Thanks in advance
 
Hey SN2ed,
I have the TPR science workbook in addition to all of the materials that you have suggested in your schedule and I was wondering how would you go about incorporating it into the study schedule. I was thinking doing some problems the night I cover the respective topic in the tbr or ek (bio) and then doing the remaining problems on review day. Do you think this is overkill? because I want to avoid burning out.
Thanks in advance
 
Does anyone know if TPRH Verbal Reasoning and Writing is worth getting? I know that the Workbook is discussed here, but I was wondering if the additional verbal book is useful as well. I don't know what it contains.
 
When looking for the TPR workbook I saw that Verbal Reasoning and Writing book either on ebay or amazon, and I remember dismissing it in my mind because someone commented that they had received it and thought it was crap
 
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