Does anyone else feel this way?

[Hemorrage]

I'm taking the MCAT soon and regardless of how i feel about the FL's i find that only 20-30% of this exam actually requires content knowledge, i tend to get around 5-6/7 passage questions correct on average just by guessing/eliminating the answers. Is this "normal"? Or is this just a side effect of studying for 4-5 months?

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[Jepstein30]

"Content review" is really a misleading term. You don't study for 2-3 months so you can know that alpha amylase breaks up starches in your mouth. It's all about developing the analysis skills that allow you to attack a passage and get every single bit of information from it as possible. That's why doing practice passages is really the most important thing.

MCAT does require some background content.. but not nearly enough as many people think.

 

[amonty144]

^BOSS reply!! Respect!

 

[becomingadoctor]

"Content review" is really a misleading term. You don't study for 2-3 months so you can know that alpha amylase breaks up starches in your mouth. It's all about developing the analysis skills that allow you to attack a passage and get every single bit of information from it as possible. That's why doing practice passages is really the most important thing.

MCAT does require some background content.. but not nearly enough as many people think.

Couldn't agree more! I am taking practice tests now and I feel that the most important things are being able to extract the right information from the passages, building up stamina and making sure you finish on time! I did the questions and I felt that the knowledge required is very basic but the TRUE challenge is learning how to master test-taking on the MCAT. Currently trying to work on that because I'm becoming a victim of the issues I just mentioned!

 

[scottydsntkno]

Couldn't agree more! I am taking practice tests now and I feel that the most important things are being able to extract the right information from the passages, building up stamina and making sure you finish on time! I did the questions and I felt that the knowledge required is very basic but the TRUE challenge is learning how to master test-taking on the MCAT. Currently trying to work on that because I'm becoming a victim of the issues I just mentioned!

I think all MCAT takers definitely reach a point where there is a point of diminishing returns for content review, and high scores come down to being able to interpret new information while remaining calm under pressure.

 

[survivordo]

Exactly. I would love to see some research on it but it seems that those who can really learn how to interpret the question do the best. It is NOT all rote memorization (although this is some of it). This is actually refreshing as these interpretive skills will surely be important throughout one's career as a physician so maybe the MCAT means something after all...

Survivor DO

 

[TotalDomination]

"Content review" is really a misleading term. You don't study for 2-3 months so you can know that alpha amylase breaks up starches in your mouth. It's all about developing the analysis skills that allow you to attack a passage and get every single bit of information from it as possible. That's why doing practice passages is really the most important thing.

MCAT does require some background content.. but not nearly enough as many people think.

I wish someone told me this before I delayed applying to medical school 2 years because I didn't have time to do any content review.

 

[mcloaf]

I wish someone told me this before I delayed applying to medical school 2 years because I didn't have time to do any content review.

He didn't say content review was unimportant, just that the term was misleading.

 

[Jepstein30]

I wish someone told me this before I delayed applying to medical school 2 years because I didn't have time to do any content review.

The thing is.. the best way to gain those analysis skills IS through content review combined WITH practice passages.

You should just focus more on the skill development than the content behind each question. Doesn't really matter WHAT you got wrong, more WHY you got it wrong.

 

[amonty144]

^Another BOSS! Double respect.

Thanks guys. I will be hopefully starting soon but I think learning how to think critically is the most important when it comes to MCAT. That can happen when you are studying AND review questions.

 

[amonty144]

oops double