discouraged

[neuro nephrons]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So I have been working through EK content review.....reading the chapter, reviewing my notes on the chapter, and then taking the 30 minute lecture exam. The results are not where I want to be. I am averaging about an 8 (I'm through 6 sections of biology and did the first chemistry exam today). However, I go into the exams feeling like I have a decent knowledge base, but then I read the passages and I just have no idea what is going on!


Is there anything I can do differently? I'm nailing all of the stand alone questions but some of the passages just seem ridiculous. Even most of the answers that they give seem to require a crazy amount of reasoning, critical thinking, outside knowledge, and analysis. What am I supposed to do? I'm getting really discouraged with my studying process entirely.


Any help would be great. I am a senior who is hoping to take the MCAT in june to apply this cycle, but with each frustrating passage, this just doesn't seem like it is in the cards.

 

[OneTwoThreeFour]

So I have been working through EK content review.....reading the chapter, reviewing my notes on the chapter, and then taking the 30 minute lecture exam. The results are not where I want to be. I am averaging about an 8 (I'm through 6 sections of biology and did the first chemistry exam today). However, I go into the exams feeling like I have a decent knowledge base, but then I read the passages and I just have no idea what is going on!


Is there anything I can do differently? I'm nailing all of the stand alone questions but some of the passages just seem ridiculous. Even most of the answers that they give seem to require a crazy amount of reasoning, critical thinking, outside knowledge, and analysis. What am I supposed to do? I'm getting really discouraged with my studying process entirely.


Any help would be great. I am a senior who is hoping to take the MCAT in june to apply this cycle, but with each frustrating passage, this just doesn't seem like it is in the cards.

It sounds like you aren't reading the passages closely enough to be able to refer back for the problems. Most bio passages contain most of the necessary information for solving each question correctly, you just have to be a careful reader.

 

[brood910]

So I have been working through EK content review.....reading the chapter, reviewing my notes on the chapter, and then taking the 30 minute lecture exam. The results are not where I want to be. I am averaging about an 8 (I'm through 6 sections of biology and did the first chemistry exam today). However, I go into the exams feeling like I have a decent knowledge base, but then I read the passages and I just have no idea what is going on!


Is there anything I can do differently? I'm nailing all of the stand alone questions but some of the passages just seem ridiculous. Even most of the answers that they give seem to require a crazy amount of reasoning, critical thinking, outside knowledge, and analysis. What am I supposed to do? I'm getting really discouraged with my studying process entirely.


Any help would be great. I am a senior who is hoping to take the MCAT in june to apply this cycle, but with each frustrating passage, this just doesn't seem like it is in the cards.

Dude.
EK passages suck.
They force you to recall things more than you actually need to do.
Remember. MCAT is NOT about memorization..
Do some TPRH passages yourself to figure out what I am talking about.
I avged only 7-8 on EK 30 exams while Im now getting only 1-2 Qs wrong on TPRH passages.

 

[NontradCA]

It sounds like you aren't reading the passages closely enough to be able to refer back for the problems. Most bio passages contain most of the necessary information for solving each question correctly, you just have to be a careful reader.

This is what I'm realizing as well.

 

[LaughingMan]

Dude.
EK passages suck.
They force you to recall things more than you actually need to do.
Remember. MCAT is NOT about memorization..
Do some TPRH passages yourself to figure out what I am talking about.
I avged only 7-8 on EK 30 exams while Im now getting only 1-2 Qs wrong on TPRH passages.

+1. EK in passage and 30 minute exams are silly IMO. Thus far for me, using EK was good for grasping basic content. Doing problems is allowing me to fine tune everything.

 

[LisaBrown]

How long is it taking ppl to get through one EK chapter while doing the EK on chapter questions?

I think I'm spending too much time on them and maybe should take more practice tests instead or do more 1001 questions.

 

[brood910]

How long is it taking ppl to get through one EK chapter while doing the EK on chapter questions?

I think I'm spending too much time on them and maybe should take more practice tests instead or do more 1001 questions.

I use EK only for orgo and bio.

Bio took me only an hour or two for each chapter until I got to physio sections.
EK does a BAD job on explaining stuff in those sections. Well, not "Bad", but they lack a lot of important information, so you need to supplement it with other sources. EX) how blood gets oxygenated and deoxygenated.. So, looking for these kinds of things on your own takes lots of time... But still, I think EK is very concise.

I find EK orgo really good. They dont talk about ****s that you dont need to know at all.
Each chapter took me 2-3 hours I think..

 

[LisaBrown]

Thanks! Yeah it is taking me about the same amount of time 2-3 hrs. Considering how basic the content they cover, I thought it was a lot of time. But then again, I'm making flashcards and I'm considering the chapters as review. I wrote BK notes that I still haven't gone over. Given how we only have a month, figured I first go through the basics and then go over my BK notes, otherwise it might be too overwhelming.