Diary: ExamKracker MCAT studying begins... Who is with me? Version 6 for May

[christian15213]

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Hey everyone!!!

Just wanted to invite anyone who owns the examkrackers examination books version 6 and is starting to study for the mcats this upcomming April / May. I can only afford to take this test one time because the application and entire process begins for me this summer.

I have started first with the Biology section and have a couple comments and things about the book that I like so far and some complaints so far. I have only done lecture one.

As well, I have audio osmosis and one of the things I really like is that is follows the book quite nicely. Please respond asap and we can work on things and go through things together.

 

[theunremarkable]

Congrats!

 

[AK1kinase]

Brilliant!

 

[cabrillo]

ok this is funny. Ochem lecture1 30 min test=5!!!! but I got a 9 on the lecture questions and answer correctly (90%) most of the 1001 book problems for that chapter which are 209 questions!!!! is this 30 min test hard or what? I am moving to ochem lecture 2!!!!!!

 

[Beau Geste]

I did really well on the free Kaplan test and then turned around today and bombed the Princeton Review CBT 😱

Anyway, I'm starting the 10-week schedule on Sunday - anyone else starting it for the May 11 date?

 

[Phoenix.]

It looks like the EK books don't get into radioactive decay. Perhaps they just thought it wasn't important, but I'm coming across a ton of alpha, beta, and gamma decay questions in the Chem section of TPRs science workbook, and I think I remember there being at least one or two of those questions on 3R or 4.

Anyway, just a heads up if you're only relying on EK books - I'd get another source to briefly read up on the different types of decay. It's not a hard concept at all. Only hard if you have no idea what the difference is between the types of decay and how they impact the number of protons/neutrons/electrons of an element.

 

[James Moriarty]

I think EK covers it in the physics book (Chapter 4 - near the end). Although, I do agree with what you say - multiple sources can never hurt.

 

[Phoenix.]

Thanks. I guess it's really obvious that I've been slacking on the EK Physics book. Mystery solved. I was kind of shocked that EK missed that topic....

Anyway, just got the Nova Physics book to see if that can jumpstart my aversion to physics. MCAT's only in six weeks, so I realize I'd better stop putting off those topics that I hate (i.e., Physics in general, and so far for Chem, solutions, dissociation and redox, and anything with scientific notation calculations in it).

Speaking of EK Chem, can someone please help explain the answer to problem 131 (pg. 102) in Chpt. 6 (Acid/Base) to me? Their calculation to get the solution on pg. 195 makes no sense to me. Where did the Ka = 4.3 x 10 -7 stated in the problem go in their calculations in the solution? And where did they get 0.25 in working the solution???????? Thanks!

 

[dr.kicia]

Speaking of EK Chem, can someone please help explain the answer to problem 131 (pg. 102) in Chpt. 6 (Acid/Base) to me? Their calculation to get the solution on pg. 195 makes no sense to me. Where did the Ka = 4.3 x 10 -7 stated in the problem go in their calculations in the solution? And where did they get 0.25 in working the solution???????? Thanks!

note that the given is Ka
and that KaKb=Kw and in the problem the .25x10 ^-7 is the calculated Kb (from the equasion above Kb=Kw/Ka which acctually gives .232 x 10^-7 but i guess they rounded it).That is how they get the number.
Kw is K of water which is always known (10^-14) so you can plug it in to your equasion to get the unknown.
You need to start the problem with equilibrium expression.
Hope that helps.

 

[christian15213]

I just registered for the MCAT... May 31st... it's real... LETS GOOOOO!!!

I have to be honest... It was an little bit... you know.

well its real. No turning back.


P.S. spring break is here... 10-14 hours per day of MCAT... like I said. LETS GOOOOOOOOO.😡 😡 😡 😡

 

[dr.kicia]

I just registered for the MCAT... May 31st... it's real... LETS GOOOOO!!!

I have to be honest... It was an little bit... you know.

well its real. No turning back.


P.S. spring break is here... 10-14 hours per day of MCAT... like I said. LETS GOOOOOOOOO.😡 😡 😡 😡

i am taking MCAT the same day
but in terms of turning back you can always reschedule after paying 50 bucks.

I can't wait for my spring brake couse right now with all my 23 credit hrs i have hands (or should i say head) full of work.
I did manage to do bio lecture3 and chem lecture 3 but haven't had time to do practice exams.
I have orgo and art history exam this week plus a quiz in chem and physics so i am drowning in books right now

Good luck to you christian. Stay motivated and study hard
This test is so scary🙁

 

[christian15213]

I did an quasi interview with Nate to help people who are thinking of using EK or paying for other material in order to be successful on their MCATs... I hope this interview is helpful and informational.

Quote:
Originally Posted by christian15213
envy is actually the word...

Could you do an awsome help???

I am going to interview youwith specific questions could you answer them in brief and I will add them to the forum... I think your information will be invaliable to us self studyiers... Thanks...

1. terra, did you study for the MCATS all on your own, meaning no prep course?

2. Did you soley use the EK LECTURE books; and if not which other material did you use specifically?


3. Again, assuming you used other material like 1001 or nova physics or even kaplan books, why did you feel the need to use other material along with the EK lecture books?

4. Did you feel the other material was vital to obtaining the score you received.


5. What type of schedule did you have while studying? meaning, where you in school with how many credits and lastly how long did you take to study the EK lecture books in full.


6. What was your overall schedule for the MCAT exam. meaning, from starting to study, full length practice exams and finally time totalled until test date.

7. Any suggestions so that we can be just as successful as you were.


Thanks so much and congradulations I am sure you will be accepted soon.

Christian

Sure...

1) Yes, I had neither the time nor the money to take a class.

2) I used primarily the EK lecutre books. However, before I bought the EK books I had taken notes on the biology and chemstry sections of the AAMC outline. I used the books from my gen bio class to take these notes. I also used some of my gen bio, gen chem and o-chem books to look up topics from the EK books that I was having trouble with.

3) Once I got the EK books, I really felt that it covered the required material perfectly well, and even covered additional material needed to properly understand the required topics.

4) No, I truly believe that I would not have gotten the score I did without the EK books, and they are primarily responsible.

5) I'm no longer in school, but I do work full time, which for me is an average of 60 hours per week and sometimes more than 72. I did kinda cram with the EK books though. I completed the entire series of books in about 16 days.

6) I started studying in mid-November by taking notes on the AAMC outline. I did this through December until I started the EK books in January. It took me 17 days to work through the books. I then spent a week taking full-lenght practice exams and focusing on the topics I was doing poorly on. I then took the whole day before the exam off and did absolutely nothing MCAT related. I also didn't do any studying on the day of the exam.

I hope that helps some people, but realize that this may not be the best stratagy for everyone.

Nate.
__________________
EMS: Destroying natural selection, one idiot at a time!

 

[mvenus929]

I did really well on the free Kaplan test and then turned around today and bombed the Princeton Review CBT 😱

Anyway, I'm starting the 10-week schedule on Sunday - anyone else starting it for the May 11 date?

I'm trying to stay caught up with my schedule (I modified it, since I only have 4 days a week to study), and I'm failing miserably. But most of the premeds in my school are, so it's all good.

 

[christian15213]

I'm trying to stay caught up with my schedule (I modified it, since I only have 4 days a week to study), and I'm failing miserably. But most of the premeds in my school are, so it's all good.

Most of the premeds in your school will never make it to med school... Keep pushing yourself and be a nerd like me on a Sunday night during spring break studying my MCAT books... ahhhhahahaha I love chemistry...

 

[5moreminutes]

Hello all!
So I took my MCAT in Jan and i got a 17O (6P, 3V, 8B). I used kaplan at the time. but it was mostly my fault for not giving in my 100% to the test.

I am taking it again in May the 16th. This time, I am planning on following the EK 10 week Home Study Schedule.

I am starting it tommorow onwards. How far into the schedule are you guys already. Could someone please give me an highlight of this thread, if I have missed on something really important.

Thanks a lot, lets pray and work together! Good Luck All! 🙂

 

[christian15213]

Hello all!
So I took my MCAT in Jan and i got a 17O (6P, 3V, 8B). I used kaplan at the time. but it was mostly my fault for not giving in my 100% to the test.

I am taking it again in May the 16th. This time, I am planning on following the EK 10 week Home Study Schedule.

I am starting it tommorow onwards. How far into the schedule are you guys already. Could someone please give me an highlight of this thread, if I have missed on something really important.

Thanks a lot, lets pray and work together! Good Luck All! 🙂

I wanted to ask you something if you won't take offense.... Are you from the United States and is your first language English? because your verbal seems to be killing you.

Moreover, what technique of verbal did you use exactly?

Lastly, to highlight this thread is a good idea and it is going to take some work... I actually want to put it on the front page and intermitent throughout the thread but I am going to need some help. For example there is good information about alternative websites for studying... some information the EK books where lacking on and supplements to that information...

Can you guys give me a post link to what information you liked most about this thread and I will combine them all with quick links on the first thread of this thread in link form... does that make sense?

see you all and good luck.

 

[christian15213]

OK, emergency SCARY.... I did the first 30 mintue lecture for lecture 1 of the EK Verbal lecture book... i.e. not the 101 and not the end of the lecture thing but rather the back of the book 30 minute exam...

WHOA....

I got my ARSE KICKED... WTF??? anyone else have this happen?

I mean is thing overally hard on purpose or what? I feel a I made a few dumb mistakes but WTH is going on. I did everything in the book almost perfectly up to this point... including that thing where I didn't have the passgage to look at and I scored a 12 in that section.

Furthermore, the verbal score is out of 23 but there are only 21 questions? Duh how does that make sense?

Feedback on this would be awsome...

On to lecture two...

 

[5moreminutes]

I wanted to ask you something if you won't take offense.... Are you from the United States and is your first language English? because your verbal seems to be killing you.

Moreover, what technique of verbal did you use exactly?

Lastly, to highlight this thread is a good idea and it is going to take some work... I actually want to put it on the front page and intermitent throughout the thread but I am going to need some help. For example there is good information about alternative websites for studying... some information the EK books where lacking on and supplements to that information...

Can you guys give me a post link to what information you liked most about this thread and I will combine them all with quick links on the first thread of this thread in link form... does that make sense?

see you all and good luck.

English is not my first language and I have been in the US for only 4 years now. Yes I am struggling with verbal. I used EK method the first time, but did not follow their advice to the word- I was reading more for the details rather than the main idea. I used Kaplan last time around. But it didnt seem to work either. Now I am going to EK and following their advice to the word, from their verbal book and doing their EK 101, and EK 1001 for all the subjects

If there is a good amount of information in this thread, no problem, I ll go through it and take notes on the important stuff.

Also I would like to know, which week of the 10 week EK schedule are you guys on right now

thanks!

 

[cabrillo]

OK, emergency SCARY.... I did the first 30 mintue lecture for lecture 1 of the EK Verbal lecture book... i.e. not the 101 and not the end of the lecture thing but rather the back of the book 30 minute exam...

WHOA....

I got my ARSE KICKED... WTF??? anyone else have this happen?

I mean is thing overally hard on purpose or what? I feel a I made a few dumb mistakes but WTH is going on. I did everything in the book almost perfectly up to this point... including that thing where I didn't have the passgage to look at and I scored a 12 in that section.

Furthermore, the verbal score is out of 23 but there are only 21 questions? Duh how does that make sense?

Feedback on this would be awsome...

On to lecture two...

funny that the same thing haooened to me😱 I took it today and I got served!!!! I onlt answer 7 questions right and I believe that is a 4 . I am going to use Kaplan durinng the week and 1001 EK on the weekend. Hopefully I will get better. I dont know if to take the 1001 ek verbal passages and break them into small tests rather than taking them fully as one😕 I still have 3 month which by the way KICIA, ME and You are taking it in the same day ( may 31st). Good luck

 

[christian15213]

funny that the same thing haooened to me😱 I took it today and I got served!!!! I onlt answer 7 questions right and I believe that is a 4 . I am going to use Kaplan durinng the week and 1001 EK on the weekend. Hopefully I will get better. I dont know if to take the 1001 ek verbal passages and break them into small tests rather than taking them fully as one😕 I still have 3 month which by the way KICIA, ME and You are taking it in the same day ( may 31st). Good luck

Ok, I am breathing a little easier on two accounts...

1st. I just finished another 30 minute exam and for lecture two and did marketably better... MUCH better... my raw score = an 8 for MCAT and I went back to look at ones I did wrong but not answers I wrote so that it was sort of the same playing field in saying, ok I got this wrong now look again and see if you could make a better answer.

***for the first passage I got 1 of two wrong answer correct +1
***for the second passage I got 3 of the 4 correct +3 and the one response they gave I super disagreed with...
***for the third passage I got 2 of 2 wrong correct for +2

this changed my score from an MCAT 8 to an MCAT 12...

The reason why I did this is to see the potential of me paying more attention and thinking differently could result in a better answer... before I went to the back and got their EK full explanation... seems like good practice to me...

Secondly, I started to do something different for the second and third passage compared to my first. I highlighted as I read what I thought were main points... ON the fly per se... and I put little 2 seconds quips like authors Opinion or facts and just kept moving along... I know this takes a little more time but I feel as if I don't want to neccesarily map the whole passage but there is so much information it is hard to not have any reference point to go back and look at for a second or two and come up with a more educated answer... ***As you can see it worked better for the third passage then it did for the second...

I don't know what anyone's thoughts are on this but I feel the questions are a bit to detailed to just ignore what they are saying and or mean...


Finally I see practice practice practice is going to be the answer to this game... EK 101 WHERE YOU AT????

Ahhh keep plugging away....

 

[Phoenix.]

For those of you (like me) struggling with the EK Physics book, I HIGHLY recommend The MCAT Physics Book by Nova. It really breaks everything down and helps you put the pieces together step by step. I couldn't even seem to get EK Physics chapter 1 down and was frustrated beyond belief. I'm no dummy, but was feeling incredibly dense. I had a horrendous Physics I prof, and no math, so it was an uphill battle to begin with. I also got the EK 1001 Physics book, and it didn't help at all with the concepts, just with practicing them once you've already got them down (which the EK lecture book didn't do for me). So if you're looking for another source, I suggest you get the Nova book ASAP (available on amazon). April and May are fast approaching....

 

[Phoenix.]

OK, emergency SCARY.... I did the first 30 mintue lecture for lecture 1 of the EK Verbal lecture book... i.e. not the 101 and not the end of the lecture thing but rather the back of the book 30 minute exam...

WHOA....

I got my ARSE KICKED... WTF??? anyone else have this happen?

I mean is thing overally hard on purpose or what? I feel a I made a few dumb mistakes but WTH is going on. I did everything in the book almost perfectly up to this point... including that thing where I didn't have the passgage to look at and I scored a 12 in that section.

Furthermore, the verbal score is out of 23 but there are only 21 questions? Duh how does that make sense?

Feedback on this would be awsome...

On to lecture two...

Don't sweat it. Just finish the EK verbal book and then see how you do on the verbal section of a past MCAT. I found EK's verbal passages to be much harder than past MCATs. I think I got 9s and 10s on a few of the EK 101 tests, and then an 11 and a 12 on 3R and 4. Either their lessons sunk in, or they scew their tests a little to the hard side to better prepare you.

Oh, and beware the EK Mini MCATs. They'll give you a heart attack. I only took the first one, and got a 7 in the verbal section. I promptly tossed the book out the window (so to speak).

 

[christian15213]

For those of you (like me) struggling with the EK Physics book, I HIGHLY recommend The MCAT Physics Book by Nova. It really breaks everything down and helps you put the pieces together step by step. I couldn't even seem to get EK Physics chapter 1 down and was frustrated beyond belief. I'm no dummy, but was feeling incredibly dense. I had a horrendous Physics I prof, and no math, so it was an uphill battle to begin with. I also got the EK 1001 Physics book, and it didn't help at all with the concepts, just with practicing them once you've already got them down (which the EK lecture book didn't do for me). So if you're looking for another source, I suggest you get the Nova book ASAP (available on amazon). April and May are fast approaching....

ON ITTTT>.. .LOL IN THE MAIL...

 

[dr.kicia]

ON ITTTT>.. .LOL IN THE MAIL...

yeah that books is great, not as gold as orgo as second language but still better for packing physics into your brain then EK.

 

[cabrillo]

Ok, I am breathing a little easier on two accounts...

1st. I just finished another 30 minute exam and for lecture two and did marketably better... MUCH better... my raw score = an 8 for MCAT and I went back to look at ones I did wrong but not answers I wrote so that it was sort of the same playing field in saying, ok I got this wrong now look again and see if you could make a better answer.

***for the first passage I got 1 of two wrong answer correct +1
***for the second passage I got 3 of the 4 correct +3 and the one response they gave I super disagreed with...
***for the third passage I got 2 of 2 wrong correct for +2

this changed my score from an MCAT 8 to an MCAT 12...

The reason why I did this is to see the potential of me paying more attention and thinking differently could result in a better answer... before I went to the back and got their EK full explanation... seems like good practice to me...

Secondly, I started to do something different for the second and third passage compared to my first. I highlighted as I read what I thought were main points... ON the fly per se... and I put little 2 seconds quips like authors Opinion or facts and just kept moving along... I know this takes a little more time but I feel as if I don't want to neccesarily map the whole passage but there is so much information it is hard to not have any reference point to go back and look at for a second or two and come up with a more educated answer... ***As you can see it worked better for the third passage then it did for the second...

I don't know what anyone's thoughts are on this but I feel the questions are a bit to detailed to just ignore what they are saying and or mean...


Finally I see practice practice practice is going to be the answer to this game... EK 101 WHERE YOU AT????

Ahhh keep plugging away....

I took Kaplan 1st 35 min verbal test and I got a 9 . Feeling a little better now since the monstrous 1st 30min EK Verbal lecture test. My schedule:
Monday; EK 30 min lecture tests
tues-saturday; Kaplan verbal tests
sunday; 101 EK tests

all of these until I run out of tests which probably I wont sicne I have so many of them. Is there a convertion chart for the Kaplan test????????. I am using the EK table to make my convertions but I dont know if they applicable to Kaplan. I mean I got 15/24 questions right so I assumed that it is a 9. Any input will be appreciated

 

[christian15213]

OK, a lighter note... as Verbal is kicking my ARSE... I took the first Chem lecture exam for EK... and scored a 10... the questions I missed however, where the calculation one's per se and I see I need to sure myself up on those.

just wondering anyone using the 1001 chem book... on second thought I could kinda seeing that thing being useful... at first i was like nah... but now I am thinking it might be a good idea... just wondering what anyone else was thinking...

 

[Phoenix.]

I have the Chem 1001 book and am going to start using it today. I hope it's helpful because I'm also missing a lot of the chem calculation problems.

I'm really impressed with the Nova Physics book, which really helps with both calculations and conceptual problems in physics. Has anyone ever seen Nova's Chem book? Is it just as good for chem?

 

[christian15213]

I have the Chem 1001 book and am going to start using it today. I hope it's helpful because I'm also missing a lot of the chem calculation problems.

I'm really impressed with the Nova Physics book, which really helps with both calculations and conceptual problems in physics. Has anyone ever seen Nova's Chem book? Is it just as good for chem?

oh wow... let me know about the chem... I don't feel the exam kracker book is so far gone for chem... well I have only done the first lecture... What I have noticed however... is that chem as longer ago for me so I am pulling out the old book more and more to make sure I know what is going on. It actually helps quit a lot.

the reason why I am wondering for the 1001 book for problem drills is because. those are what I am shakey on the most. Please oh please let me know how it turns out... Thanks..

 

[dr.kicia]

oh wow... let me know about the chem... I don't feel the exam kracker book is so far gone for chem... well I have only done the first lecture... What I have noticed however... is that chem as longer ago for me so I am pulling out the old book more and more to make sure I know what is going on. It actually helps quit a lot.

the reason why I am wondering for the 1001 book for problem drills is because. those are what I am shakey on the most. Please oh please let me know how it turns out... Thanks..

i did abour 300 first problems from 1001 and it is really good stuff especially if you are dusty in some specific areas. But it has some errors so before you freak out that you do not understand a simple problem check with EK website if it is not one of the errors in the answer key.

 

[christian15213]

i did abour 300 first problems from 1001 and it is really good stuff especially if you are dusty in some specific areas. But it has some errors so before you freak out that you do not understand a simple problem check with EK website if it is not one of the errors in the answer key.

ordering today... what else can I get while I am at it?

 

[cabrillo]

ordering today... what else can I get while I am at it?

get all the 1001 EK series. I find to be a completely waste of time to back in to my old books and I took ochem 10 ysr ago😱 . I really like the ochem 1001 questions since they drill you in key concepts. Ek says to do every 3rd, damn I need to do them all. I am currently in ochem lecture 2 alkenes. I just finish alkanes and cycloalkanes and completed all tghe 1001 questions on those and feel pretty confident. 😀 considering I havent seen this in 10+ years.

 

[cabrillo]

ok I am feeling way better. I took Kaplan Verbal reasoning section test#2 ( 40min/33 questions/4 passages) and I got 24 out of 33 which when I convert them with the EK table is equal to a 10!!!!!!! anybody has the convertion table for these Kaplan tests. They seem way easier than EK. I will take EKs 30 min tests for lecture 2 today. I will post my results. Up to now,
EK lecture 1 30min test: 4
Kaplan verbal reasoning test #1; 9
Kaplan verbal reasoning test #2: 10

 

[Swiperfox]

I started on the EK books at the beginning of february, and just finished the set and exams (twice over). The question remains though, what do I do now? May 11th is not far off....

 

[Phoenix.]

Swiperfox: You should definitely get the past MCATs 3-10 CBTs from www.e-mcat.com to practice and see where you're at (and do the later ones (8-10) as you get closer to taking the MCAT). That'll show you where your weakness are.

I'd also recommend doing passage-based practice questions. For EK, that's the Biology 1001 Questions book and the Verbal Reasoning 101 Questions book. You can also get their 1001 series for Chem, Physics and OChem, but they aren't passage based, just discretes. I also recommend the completely passage-based TPR Hyperlearning Science Workbook which has passages for bio, physics, chem and ochem. You'll have to buy it from someone used though. But if you've already got the concepts down from the EK books, I think that's some of the best science passage-based practice I've seen. Good luck!

 

[Swiperfox]

Thanks for the advice phoenix1. My mom pretty much decided to sign me up for kaplan again (I took the course once, but had no time to study and delayed taking the mcat) so I have access to all their materials and 8 aamc full lengths. So, looking over their syllabus I see the course is divided into 24 units and 4 full lengths. I was contemplating taking the next 4 weeks and just hammering one to death each day (each unit consists of several practice tests/workshops/quizzes etc.) with a weekly full length.

Right now my weakness definitely lies in verbal, as I can't seem to break a 10. Physical sciences I am not too concerned with however; as a mechanical engineering student I have way more physics/gen chem practice than I will ever need (I think I missed maybe 3-4 questions total over all 8 lecture exams for gen chem/physics in EK).

It is completely unrealistic, but I am aiming for a 45. I figure this way at least I will try my absolute hardest, wherever my score ends up. 🙂

 

[Phoenix.]

Swiperfox: If VR is your concern, get EK's very short VR book for tips on how to score higher in VR, and their bigger VR 101 passages book for practice.

For me, PS is causing the problems. I can't seem to break an 8.

Good luck with hitting that 45. I'm rooting for you. Just pass some of that PS mojo over here please.

 

[christian15213]

I started on the EK books at the beginning of february, and just finished the set and exams (twice over). The question remains though, what do I do now? May 11th is not far off....

whatever... you're not serious are you... you should take the test now... you seem ready.

 

[mvenus929]

Most of the premeds in your school will never make it to med school... Keep pushing yourself and be a nerd like me on a Sunday night during spring break studying my MCAT books... ahhhhahahaha I love chemistry...

I also have crazy premeds at my school (such as those who complain about a 94 on an ochem test for which the average was 66, a full 10 points lower than the normal average). I'm trying to keep up, and will likely spend spring break getting caught back up. If I don't... I think I"m just going to focus on Chemistry and Physics, with some verbal thrown in, since I'm taking Physiology and O chem and will be studying for those the same week as the MCAT.

Best of luck to everyone. 🙂

 

[trustforward]

hey anyone try the f/L CBTs from MCAT-prep.com? I just bought the package of 10 (b/c I've already done kaplan's tests from the last time i was studying), and i was wondering how true to the real thing they are, or at least anyone's opinion on the matierial presented.
thanks!

 

[Phoenix.]

Just wanted to let you guys know that I finally just bit the bullet and bought Kaplan's QBank. It says on their site it's $199, but when you go to check out, they only charge you $139.

I think it's actually pretty good practice. You can pick to get passages or discretes (I get the feeling there are a lot more discretes than passages in those 1000 questions you're buying), and can pick whether to do PS, BS or VR problems. Once you pick one of those sections, you can pick which topics. For instance, if you pick PS, you can then check off which topics in physics and chem you want included (so you can exclude topics that you haven't studied yet (I eliminated stuff like optics and sound for now). You pick how many questions you want, and you can also pick to not reuse questions you've seen before. And there is a timed or untimed option, as well as being able to pick the ability to see the explanations right after you do the questions, or at the end. Mind you, there are some obvious errors in formatting and the like on some questions (one had a missing answer for C, which was the correct answer!), but on the whole it's par for the course.

While I haven't done any VR problems on it yet, I think that one function in particular might be really helpful with QBank. After you create your practice test and take it, they score it by telling you how many you got right versus wrong (with your percentage), which isn't nearly as helpful as the breakdown on the e-mcat tests which breaks it down by topic and subject, BUT what is kind of neat is that they tell you how many times you changed your answer from right to wrong or wrong to right. Since my first guess on VR is usually right, but sometimes I doubt myself, this would be a great way to reinforce that. I just checked, and it includes a total of 38 VR passages.

I have TPR's Hyperlearning Workbook which I actually like better for passage practice for the sciences, but it is nice to have some passages to practice with online (more in the CBT format, and for when I don't have books around), and to really focus on some areas I need help with. I didn't really want to spend the $140, but in the end, that's nothing in the scheme of things.

FYI - it also looks like when you buy QBank that they give you access to the e-mcat online 3R, 4R, 5R, and 6R, but without solutions. Meh, what's the point of that? I haven't tried those through kaplan yet - just gonna continue to fork out $35 myself to get the full solutions and breakdown through e-mcat for now. Already done 3, 4 and 5 anyway.

 

[christian15213]

Ok, for Chem lecture 2 I scored a 10 and damn near would be an 11 if it wasn't for that stupid Kalvin question... LMAO...

But ok here is the deal... for the first question regarding the graphs... I disagree with f'ng Molarity... while the molarity makes sense for the real gas... because the real gas has volume and temperature would affect pressure and thus increased pressure would result in decreased volume which would have meant a general increase in molarity.... That was all cool beans to me... but even though I freaking guessed the right answer I don't see how all pressures being the same at all temps... <<<and I am cool with part<<< that would be the same graph increasing molarity???? molarity wouldn't be increasing thus making the graph incorrect? anyone else agree with this statement?

 

[cabrillo]

I just finished taking the mcat-prep GS-1 verbal CBT test as my first diagnostic; I got an 8. any comments on the difficulty of this test and maybe some of you have taken it. Let me know how you did and we can compare among us the difficulty of the test. It can be taken for free and it is CBT format at mcat-prep.com and go to practice tests. Good luck

 

[christian15213]

Hey everyone,

Chemistry chapter 3 for Thermodynamics is pretty ok for IMO for EK...

But whoa did they peave me off with their half baked explanation of Hess' law and how to use it. I had to call a friend on this one... See that is the stuff that gets me with EK... They know they didn't explain it fully in the reading but then they ask you a ganster question on it in the quiz and give a willy nilly answer of how to complete it the question's explanation.

ERRRRRrrrr Keep fighting...

LOL

OH and PS I will explain it fully if anyone else had trouble with it as well.

 

[mvenus929]

I just finished taking the mcat-prep GS-1 verbal CBT test as my first diagnostic; I got an 8. any comments on the difficulty of this test and maybe some of you have taken it. Let me know how you did and we can compare among us the difficulty of the test. It can be taken for free and it is CBT format at mcat-prep.com and go to practice tests. Good luck

I got a 9, but when I took it, there were a couple questions that I got right, but that they marked wrong anyway. They then told me that it wouldn't affect my scaled score anyway, since the regular MCAT has questions that won't get counted anyway.

Of course, I've yet to break a 30 total on their tests (I've done 1-3), and I've never taken the MCAT to get a good approximation.

 

[christian15213]

I got a 9, but when I took it, there were a couple questions that I got right, but that they marked wrong anyway. They then told me that it wouldn't affect my scaled score anyway, since the regular MCAT has questions that won't get counted anyway.

Of course, I've yet to break a 30 total on their tests (I've done 1-3), and I've never taken the MCAT to get a good approximation.

are you looking for your week areas and taking that into consideration before you try more tests?

 

[mvenus929]

are you looking for your week areas and taking that into consideration before you try more tests?

I know what my weak areas are, I just haven't had time to study them thoroughly (I'll get back in my studying routine once I get all my homework from this week done and I feel better from my wisdom teeth extraction). I've been trying to keep taking tests so that I at least use them all before I take the MCAT. I still have 9 tests, not including any AAMC tests, which I haven't been able to purchase yet due to lack of funds.

 

[christian15213]

I just did Chemistry Lecture 3 on thermodynamics and scored an effective 10: let me state the lecture was.


😱 😱 😱 😱 😱 😱 😱

 

[CarolinaGirl]

Okay I have tried and tried to figure this out but I just can't remember my HS math from ten years ago. I can't get past EK physics one b/c I can't figure out the sin, cos, stuff. I know the values and the sohcah but I don't understand the why's. I have looked over the internet but can't find a site to explain it. I need to know what sin and cos are? Are their values angles, legs of the triangel, what do their values tell me? Plus I can figure out which one to use but how do I write the problem and plug in their value?

I am currently in India and can't get the nova physics book and my local friend who is helping me can't explain this to me.

 

[dr.kicia]

finally spring brake and i am able to do some MCAT.
I am very excited as i went through lecture 1 and 2 in verbal book. I did the first mini verbal using just the question stem method(i LOVE it) and got 12😱 😍
I couldn't believe my eyes because i am ESL person so that is a really nice shocker. I will take a first FL verbal tomorow from the EK 101 (though the CBT is shorter i will still do the whole stuff unless i figure out the new type of conversion for raw score then i will just do 5 passages). So we will see how it will go.
I plan to do 2 lectures of EK a day concentrating mostly on bio and gen chem as those are my weak and dusty areas. I should be done with all EK lectures by next sunday and then will start reviewing and doing FL as time permits and really hit the prep hard full time 3 weeks before exam (since i will be done with all my finals).
i will try to update periodically as much as i can.
to everyone

 

[arboth]

I'm using my EK books right now in conjunction with a Kaplan prep class. I was hoping to find out how long it will take for scores to come back during the summer.

 

[dr.kicia]

I'm using my EK books right now in conjunction with a Kaplan prep class. I was hoping to find out how long it will take for scores to come back during the summer.

30 days like for all of them