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

 

[Damia]

Kaplan is not that helpful. If your mother insists on throwing away $1800 I'd recommend that you schedule the Kaplan for the last half of the SDN schedule. This way, you'll already have a firm understanding of what you need additional help on.

However, with Kaplan you get one teacher for all the subjects - and not all of them are well-versed in all 4 subjects. You'll end up on SDN searching for help anyways.

Save the money for spa-time on your break days instead. 😉

 

[SN2ed]

Small update to the FAQ:

Know anything on free MCAT sites?

I don't think the actual free sites (i.e. ones that produce their own material and not steal from others) out there are good enough yet to use as one's sole source for content review. They work well for people that are already strong students. However, that's primarily the top 1-5% which is over represented on SDN. Something people can forget on here is that +35 scores are actually rare. Now in a few more years, one may very well be able to use websites for their content review.

That said, you absolutely must buckle down and pay for some passages and practice FLs. None of the free websites I've seen have a decent source of practice material. Furthermore, the key to the MCAT is not content review, but taking tons of timed practice passages. Hence, it is vital that you pick up some good material.

A word of warning, I'd only trust free sites recommended by long time posters, such as, Geekchick921. SDN, due to its size, frequently gets scam websites posted on here and just regular old spammers/advertisers. These posters usually operate under a false pretense and act like they've just found this awesome website, so they had to sign up to SDN to tell others.

Is a prep course necessary to do well?

No one needs to spend thousands for a prep course. Yes, a great teacher and the camaraderie with your fellow students can help, but they aren't necessary. Courses are also good for providing a schedule, but I hope I've helped in that category 😛 Beyond that, it's important to keep in mind that everyone basically studies on their own. When you're signed up for a course, you'll attend classes and maybe some 1-1 review sessions with the teacher, yet the bulk of your studying is by yourself.

 

[t1me]

Thanks for the updates SN2.

I'm currently following the schedule but was wondering why the EK Bio 1001 book is not part of the list of books. It has a decent number of passages though less than that of TBR, it's significantly cheaper (bought mine for $30 with borders coupon). Also, there's a very uneven match distribution between EK chapters and BR passages according to one of your updates. If one does not need the content review from TBR, wouldn't it be more economical to buy the EK Bio 1001 book instead?

Sorry if this has been discussed previously, but I couldn't be bothered trying to use search terms as "EK BIO 1001".

 

[Silverfalcon]

Sorry if this has been discussed previously, but I couldn't be bothered trying to use search terms as "EK BIO 1001".

There is no reason why you should not refer to the searches because you will find relevant information quicker. Most of the times, people do not search because they are lazy, or they truly don't know how to use search button (and the fact that they are studying for MCAT amazes them).

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=9208896

--> Above link is one thread that may answer your Q.

 

[t1me]

There is no reason why you should not refer to the searches because you will find relevant information quicker. Most of the times, people do not search because they are lazy, or they truly don't know how to use search button (and the fact that they are studying for MCAT amazes them).

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=9208896

--> Above link is one thread that may answer your Q.

I've not much success with the search function in previous experiences... sadly. From the results, I concluded that searches function by keyword frequency. More often than not, when I search specific phrases, threads with a lot of the individual words popped up more than the complete phrase.

Anyway, I just tried the search for "EK Bio 1001" and it gave some pretty good results. I just didn't even feel like trying because I've had so many failed experiences with search.

Actually, in hindsight, I should just use google to search this forum. Not sure how fast they index new posts though...

I guess... I've learned my lesson. Thanks for the lecture prof! 🙂

 

[Silverfalcon]

I've not much success with the search function in previous experiences... sadly. From the results, I concluded that searches function by keyword frequency. More often than not, when I search specific phrases, threads with a lot of the individual words popped up more than the complete phrase.

Anyway, I just tried the search for "EK Bio 1001" and it gave some pretty good results. I just didn't even feel like trying because I've had so many failed experiences with search.

Actually, in hindsight, I should just use google to search this forum. Not sure how fast they index new posts though...

I guess... I've learned my lesson. Thanks for the lecture prof! 🙂

The search function through message board is utterly useless. Its algorithm for finding relevant threads is so broad that it's pretty useless to find specific threads.

The alternate way is to go to Google, type your question (e.g. EK Bio 1001) and the words "sdn", and click on the first set of threads that come up.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=EK+Bio+1001+sdn

 

[t1me]

The search function through message board is utterly useless. Its algorithm for finding relevant threads is so broad that it's pretty useless to find specific threads.

The alternate way is to go to Google, type your question (e.g. EK Bio 1001) and the words "sdn", and click on the first set of threads that come up.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=EK+Bio+1001+sdn

Wow thank you so much! I couldn't have done it without that excellent tutorial. It was so user friendly and convenient!

Actually, I think you should make a thread about using google and try to get one of the mods to sticky it. It sure would make everyone's lives so much easier.

 

[Silverfalcon]

Wow thank you so much! I couldn't have done it without that excellent tutorial. It was so user friendly and convenient!

Actually, I think you should make a thread about using google and try to get one of the mods to sticky it. It sure would make everyone's lives so much easier.

🙂

I think that 80% of things I say in this board came from doing that. I read so much about studying for this beast that I can probably write a book about it (based on everything I've read, of course). Now I just need to get that score and everyone'll believe me!

 

[Breaking Bad]

Is anyone else having difficulty registering to the EK website? I want to purchase their books, but the site won't send me an activation email.

 

[SN2ed]

Is anyone else having difficulty registering to the EK website? I want to purchase their books, but the site won't send me an activation email.

I strongly suggest you buy them via the Amazon links provided in the first post. Buying directly from EK is very expensive.

 

[joliarte]

Hi SN2ed, I really need some advice.

I took the May 22nd mcat after 3 months of prep and got a score in the 20's. I figured that though I did a lot of practice exams (AAMC, kaplan, GS--about 20), I was not reviewing the exams thoroughly and I had not been doing enough timed practice passages outside of CBT's. So I rescheduled for the end of July Mcat. I started content review with practice passages in Princeton HL series. I also took the 1st three Berkely review CBTs, and barely making 30's on them. I did go back and review/analyze the new CTBs I took in depth--why i missed, what i missed, and a log of question types. I then picked up BK's physics (my weakest section), which you highly recommended and just finished the two physics books. I am also halfway done with EK 1001 biol passages. Im still doing some Chem/orgo passages in the princeton HL workbook as well as several verbal passages in EK and Princeton verbal everyday. But my score on my recent 4th BK CBT was even 2-3 points lower than the first three. I still felt that the exam passages (especially PS section) were quite hard; I felt rushed, and that i didn't have time to go back for review. I was also a bit nervous.

So I just don't understand fully why after all of these practice, I'm actually getting worse not better. I thought that my test-taking skills were getting better, but turned out not. I heard that BK books are really good, which is why picked up BK physics. But is just doing the practice passages from BK (most of them were quite challenging) not good enough for preparing me for the actual exam passages?　So I was wondering if you could give some advice for my situation..like, should I be redoing over and over again problems I missed from practice passages? etc..I'm just feeling a bit hopeless and helpless right now seeing that my next MCAT is approaching and that I'm not improving at all...I'd appreciate any...😳

 

[CookDeRosa]

.

 

[t1me]

@joliarte

Don't take the words of an amateur too seriously, but if you figured out why you're missing questions, what have you done to try to prevent the same mistakes? If you say you're "weakest" at certain areas, do you mean content wise?

You say you've been doing a lot of passages, so how has that helped you in terms of your scores? Did it make you manage time more efficiently? Did it show you specific personal content weakness areas?

If I were you, these should be some of the questions I ask myself. Doing a lot of passages is a great study method and great practice, but you need to be getting something out of it. You need to be learning while you're studying.

Again, don't take me too seriously. I've only joined the forums a couple of weeks ago.

Something else that could be happening to you is the infamous "burn out" that I've been hearing about. Maybe someone else could comment on that.

 

[joliarte]

t1me,
Thanks for the input. I thought I was learning better ways to solve certain problems by doing practice passages as well as figuring out my content weaknesses....perhaps like you said it has something to do with burn out; I don't actually take a full-day break from no mcat once a week, more like half a day sometimes, mostly because I feel that I have so much to get done with....😎

 

[med17]

do you suggest we buy ek verbal AND ek 101 or one or the other? i am confused on that

 

[rjns11]

do you suggest we buy ek verbal AND ek 101 or one or the other? i am confused on that

EK Verbal is a book of verbal and math strategies, and EK101 is a book of practice passages. He's recommending both.

 

[SN2ed]

For this study guide I'm only recommending EK 101. Though picking up EK Verbal isn't a bad idea if you have the money. Still, there are plenty of verbal strategy threads in the MCAT Guide sticky. Then again, EK Verbal does offer a handful of passages. Basically, it's up to you.

 

[JustSomeone]

Hey,

another question. Does the edition/year of TPRH verbal workbook matter? Or does the 4 year span still apply? I'm having a heck of a time trying to find one with a decent price.

Thanks!

 

[SN2ed]

Hey,

another question. Does the edition/year of TPRH verbal workbook matter? Or does the 4 year span still apply? I'm having a heck of a time trying to find one with a decent price.

Thanks!

Just try to get one that's priced decently. Verbal hasn't changed much outside of format.

 

[HelloKitty01]

SN2ed,

For the first section of BR Chem, it was all about stoichiometry. I've used the search engine for any relevant threads, but I could not find anything. I'm sorry if someone else asked it and was already answered, but I can't seem to find it so I'm going to ask, how do you combine the first chapter of BR Chem with the EK 1001 questions? I know you said to just match the topics, but stoichiometry is prevalent in all the topics and doesn't have its own section in EK 1001. Thanks.

 

[ModernAlchemist]

For SN2ed:

OKAY, I just read this entire thread to make sure I wasn't wasting your time with any questions already answered. By the was THANK YOU SO MUCH SN2ed! I think you deserve just as good of a gift as my letter writers for making this schedule.

I want to do the 4 month plan because I have 6 months until my test date. Until 4 months out, I am planning on just listening to audio osmosis (to get in the mindset and to go through the material more quickly) and reading articles to get used to reading for the main point.

For the actual schedule, I have no other commitments besides exercising for the 4 months I've set aside to study. I know you said that Gold Standard and Berkley Review CBTs were the best, but I was wondering if getting Gold Standard would hurt me over getting the BR ones because I don't feel like dishing out that much money for BR. I was thinking I add in another 8 tests from Gold Standard and use the remaining ones that come with the package for more verbal passages since I'll only have 295 for the 4 month plan including EK,TPRH,BR, and Kaplan without it. What do you think?

If I do the 3 month plan and just work in the 8 Gold Standard tests to make it 4 months, would this be a more effective plan than your 4 month plan?

Thank you so much. Please let me know your advice.

 

[babydragon]

Alright I'm going to give this a shot. Thanks

 

[SN2ed]

HelloKitty01:

Sometimes you just won't have good matches. Try to make do with what you can. Though I thought there was a stoich section in EK 1001 Chem 😕 Sorry I can't give more concrete advice, but I don't have my MCAT books anymore.

iMEDatUCI:

Right now, too many posters are recommending against GS tests, so I'm having a tough time recommending them. Even without that, GS is still bad in verbal. Speaking of verbal, you should be fine with those 4 sources for verbal. Instead of adding more FLs, I think it'd be better to get TPRH Science Workbook. If you really want to add more FLs, I'd pick up a few BR tests.

All that said, I think you'd be better served with the standard 3 month plan. The more concentrated studying of the 3 month plan is better than the 4 month plan.

 

[ModernAlchemist]

Thanks for the response! I'm a big fan of yours. The problem with waiting the extra month is 1. I already set aside that time 2. I have been doing a lot of research and I feel ready to get started. I don't want to lose momentum waiting around for another month.

Is the 4 month schedule really less effective? I thought that maybe I could spend more time on each subject per day and review days so that my content review was SOLID and then I wouldn't have to go back as much to review, leaving me more time to practice. I read everywhere that practice is the key to doing your best on the MCAT.

I'm up for any and all advice, but I just don't think I can sit around knowing that I could be getting ready for a test that will determine my life haha.

 

[SN2ed]

iMEDatUCI:

The 4 month plan is a compromise of effectiveness vs ease and time. Basically, it's less effective, but is easier and doesn't take up as much time. The 3 month plan is the standard and something one should follow if they dedicate that block of time to the MCAT. Don't think that because it's 3 months, your content review won't be solid. It will be, especially if you were strong in your pre-reqs and went for content mastery while in class. It will also probably be stronger than the 4 month plan because it's concentrated. Extending any schedule means you run a greater risk of losing the information you studied first. Yes, there are ways around it (which I built into the schedule), but the problem is still there.

Also, you'd be able to do more verbal passages per day with the 3 month schedule. So I strongly recommend you do the 3 month schedule. Then, after you take the MCAT, have fun for that free month. You'll probably need it after buckling down for so long preparing for the MCAT.

 

[cpufreak3]

I just wanted to chime in on this thread.

I followed this schedule (though I simplified it ALOT) and got a 35.

I just want to thank you for laying everything out.

 

[ModernAlchemist]

Okay, I'll definitely do the 3 month then. Thank you for all your advice, SN2ed. Hopefully, I get similar results to the poster right above me.

iMEDatUCI:

The 4 month plan is a compromise of effectiveness vs ease and time. Basically, it's less effective, but is easier and doesn't take up as much time. The 3 month plan is the standard and something one should follow if they dedicate that block of time to the MCAT. Don't think that because it's 3 months, your content review won't be solid. It will be, especially if you were strong in your pre-reqs and went for content mastery while in class. It will also probably be stronger than the 4 month plan because it's concentrated. Extending any schedule means you run a greater risk of losing the information you studied first. Yes, there are ways around it (which I built into the schedule), but the problem is still there.

Also, you'd be able to do more verbal passages per day with the 3 month schedule. So I strongly recommend you do the 3 month schedule. Then, after you take the MCAT, have fun for that free month. You'll probably need it after buckling down for so long preparing for the MCAT.

 

[reese07]

Ok well my MCAT will be on August 19th and I am about on day 50 on this study guide, which means that I'm 2 weeks or so behind. Should I try finishing all the chapters by the test date or stop now and start reviewing the basics and concepts that I need to know? Which subjects should I prioritize and go ahead and finish the chapters? I feel that if I do finish ALL the chapters for all the subjects that I wont have enough time to review and get general concepts down because I only read through each chapter once without rereading them and letting them stick in my head. I cant push my test because ive done that 3 times already. What should I do...

 

[atheon86]

I plan to take the MCAT in August next year. Unfortunately I will be taking Organic II, and Microbiology in the summer. Any suggestions for my study schedule?

 

[sharona1121]

I posted this on the main MCAT discussions forum but hoping to get more advice..

I'm retaking the MCAT because I'm dissatisfied with my score. Do you have any advice for what FLs I should practice with the second time around? I did most of the AAMC tests (didn't do number 8). I know the AAMC tests are the closest thing to the real exam... I just don't know what to have an inflated sense of confidence from practice exams I've done a second time around.

Are the BR FL's a lot harder? If so, I don't want to go into the exam with no confidence!

 

[Silverfalcon]

I posted this on the main MCAT discussions forum but hoping to get more advice..

I'm retaking the MCAT because I'm dissatisfied with my score. Do you have any advice for what FLs I should practice with the second time around? I did most of the AAMC tests (didn't do number 8). I know the AAMC tests are the closest thing to the real exam... I just don't know what to have an inflated sense of confidence from practice exams I've done a second time around.

Are the BR FL's a lot harder? If so, I don't want to go into the exam with no confidence!

Someone already responded to your question there. Also, this thread is for questions regarding to SN2ed's plan ONLY. Hence, this question shouldn't have been posted here. I advise you to use search engine for your question, as the issue of reusing AAMC tests is not a novel question.

 

[Silverfalcon]

I plan to take the MCAT in August next year. Unfortunately I will be taking Organic II, and Microbiology in the summer. Any suggestions for my study schedule?

Taking two classes concurrently with MCAT is very difficult, especially both being science courses. I would try to see if you can push those courses in Spring or Fall after MCAT. Because those courses are not the most helpful ones for MCAT (e.g. Biochemistry or Physiology), you will be wasting valuable time that could be spent on studying.

 

[med17]

one book recommended: ek verbal with math strategies:

in the back it says after the 3 practice tests that 23 is a 15... 23 right out of the 63 total? seems a little off..can somebody explain this to me?

 

[Ike21]

I am planning to take 6 courses in the fall, and 4 in the spring. Almost all of them are relevant to the MCAT material.

Intro to organic chem: part 2, animal physiology, cell and molec bio, biochemistry, part 2 of intro physics.

So my question is: would it be such a terrible idea to take the MCAT on the May 7th date? Would it be THAT bad an idea?

 

[SN2ed]

I am planning to take 6 courses in the fall, and 4 in the spring. Almost all of them are relevant to the MCAT material.

Intro to organic chem: part 2, animal physiology, cell and molec bio, biochemistry, part 2 of intro physics.

So my question is: would it be such a terrible idea to take the MCAT on the May 7th date? Would it be THAT bad an idea?

Yes, it is THAT bad of an idea. Actually it's even worse in your case to due your course-load and you haven't finished your pre-reqs.

 

[RichardParker]

Hey, I recently took my MCAT but didn't do well and I plan to retake it next January. I am going to follow this schedule/method. But I already used EK101 and TPRH verbal books. So I am left with just BR (as Kaplan is not the good).
Are there any other books that might be helpful, cause I don't have many verbal passages left to practice ?

 

[UIUCstudent]

As I am reading the economist, I would come across 1-3 words that I would have to look up, and then store the definition and context in my iphone (periodically reviewing them).

I'm 4 months away from starting the 3-month schedule. I was just wondering how complex the vocabulary would be in the verbal reasoning section. I know it's no where as hard as the GRE. I was thinking of perhaps getting the Princeton Word SMART, which is geared toward vocabs students typically see on the GRE.

Any opinion on this?

 

[UIUCstudent]

also TPR Verbal is getting pretty pricey this time of year. $70? ouchh. is there a difference between 2004 and 2009?

 

[Colbare]

I wouldn't waste time with vocabulary, I doubt you'll miss very many questions if any because you didn't know what a word meant. The verbal tests your ability to reason, infer, and recall information for the most part. Complete TPR's Hyperlearning and EK's 101 and you should average 10's at least if you review and understand how to answer the various question types.

I used TPR Verbal from 2005 and I think the only differences are the passages may be slightly shorter and the lines are numbered every five. It's still way better than using current BR Verbal or any other.

 

[UIUCstudent]

I was overzealous in studying for the MCAT, so I was finishing the princton verbal and writing review last week. My score percentage did approve the more I was testing how to read the passages. I did find that they used some big words, especially for the passages they mark as KILLER.

But then again, I shouldn't have dwelled on those words too much --which I ended up doing and that wasted vital time 🙁

 

[Dartmouth2005]

Excellent post! This should go into the official guide.

Definitely.

 

[metukah]

SN2D:

Would you recommend BR physics and gchem to someone not getting good scores (~6-8) in PS?

Thanks

 

[COMedic2Doc]

SN2ED:

Thanks for the great day by day plan. I went ahead and took off with the 4 month plan, and am finding it just the right pace for what I need.

I ended up having to modify it slightly to switch from using BR to using TPR for the main content due to shipping availability to Iraq, and not being able to find the BR books on Amazon. Also, ended up using the Gold Standard and not overly impressed with it, TPR and EK good books and I've heard BR is even better (just difficult to ship to APOs).

However, the daily plan and the layout is definitely worth it and I'm finding it very useful to have an actual set plan to covering all the subjects of the MCAT, etc. Thanks again!

 

[DrAlli]

SN2ED:

I have been doing a lot of research on the right MCAT prep books and have read a lot of your responses. I am a few years out of these pre-med classes and need a lot of content review; I feel like I need to "relearn" a lot of this material (not just review).

I am taking the MCAT in Jan. I have about 6 months to study. What would you recommend I do? How would you change your schedule to accommodate heavy content review and a longer study plan? I am thinking of doing EKs books for a basic review and then starting your 4 month schedule. Thoughts?

Also, I read in one post that you used EK for content review and found it sufficient. I was leaning toward EK for content review because I feel more confident that I will be able to really learn/memorize the EK books and get the material down solid. It would seem easier to get a smaller amount of material down solid than try to retain a lot more info (i.e., BR, etc). What do you think?

Lastly, what do you think of starting off with heavier content review (i.e., BR etc) and then focusing EK for the last two months of study to really get solid on a smaller amount of material?

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Colbare]

To those who don't read the entire thread and insist on watering it down:

He doesn't have time to create a personalized study guide for all the random changes people keep asking about. He recommends the 3 or 4 month schedule he created and the further you deviate from it, obviously the less he will recommend it. I think the thread is for questions concerning the current guide not "hey SN2ed, I picked and chose random things to do from your guide what do you think?"

 

[DrAlli]

Highly respect his opinion and hoping he will respond with a recommendation regarding my situation. Not looking for him to create a personalized study plan for me. Just looking for guidance (and I think we all are, thats why we come to SDN forums). 🙂

 

[Silverfalcon]

SN2D:

Would you recommend BR physics and gchem to someone not getting good scores (~6-8) in PS?

Thanks

This depends. If it's content, you need to learn more concepts and memorize some obscure equations (say flow rate on top of Archimedes).

If it's problems, you just need to do lots of problems and get quick at problem solving.

 

[Silverfalcon]

SN2ED:

I have been doing a lot of research on the right MCAT prep books and have read a lot of your responses. I am a few years out of these pre-med classes and need a lot of content review; I feel like I need to "relearn" a lot of this material (not just review).

I am taking the MCAT in Jan. I have about 6 months to study. What would you recommend I do? How would you change your schedule to accommodate heavy content review and a longer study plan? I am thinking of doing EKs books for a basic review and then starting your 4 month schedule. Thoughts?

Also, I read in one post that you used EK for content review and found it sufficient. I was leaning toward EK for content review because I feel more confident that I will be able to really learn/memorize the EK books and get the material down solid. It would seem easier to get a smaller amount of material down solid than try to retain a lot more info (i.e., BR, etc). What do you think?

Lastly, what do you think of starting off with heavier content review (i.e., BR etc) and then focusing EK for the last two months of study to really get solid on a smaller amount of material?

Thanks for all your help!

Couple succinct advices:

1. SN2ed's plan only works up to maximum of 4 months. Extension than 4 months is up to the individual test-taker to adjust, not SN2ed.
2. BR vs. EK: Simply memorizing EK won't give you high score or cover the basics. In fact, EK in some ways actually cover everything you need to know.
3. You stated that you read a lot of threads. Maybe you should research a bit more as majority of your questions are not new.

 

[MCATMadness]

So I took my pre-req classes during my first and second year of school. I am now an RA working in a lab and have been out of school for a year or so. Consequently, the material is not too fresh. To compound that problem, I did not do well in my pre-req classes (C's in physics, B's in Chem, etc). I made up for that my killing the last two years of undergrad with a 4.0 GPA.

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

P.S. I have serious anxiety about this test so please be nice! I am nervous about posting here!

 

[drfancypants]

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