Flashcards?!

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ciestar

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I've already started doing this with my initial review, however, it has become incredibly time consuming so I cut back my pace on card making.

Many of them are physic equations, amino acid classifications, Sn1 vs Sn2 factoids, random definitions, etc.
I have some problems written down for stuff I'm having trouble with (physics!), but am I doing enough here?
In regards to physics, it feels like I get more wrong than I get right, so is it to my benefit to literally write down every single incorrect problem?

Anyone have advice on this? Should I cut back on the nit-picky memorization stuff outside of equations?
Advice is most needed! I'm stressing out here :/

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Don't feel like you have to make flash cards for everything. Personally, I only made flash cards for problems I got wrong. Find what works for you.
 
I always found it tedious to make notecards, even in college. Never understood why people spent the time to do it since it's time consuming. What I try to do instead is make mental notes by topic of what I have trouble with or a common mistake that I tend to make.

For instance, electrochemistry, if they give you a list of reduction potentials: make sure you reverse the reduction potential for the oxidation potential (pretty straight forward), but more important, when adding up the values for the E cell standard value, do not multiple by the moles of electrons in the balanced redox reaction.

For thermochemistry, 3 ways to calculate enthalpies: Hess's law (manipulate separate reactions to equal overall reaction and add together), Bond Enthalpies: Remember it's reactants minus products, and you do not change the sign on bond enthalpy values; dont forget to multiple by moles in balanced rxn. That's what the equation is for. Enthalpies of Formation: Products minus Reactants; dont change the sign; multiple by moles.

Of course there are many other things I make stupid makes on, these are just examples. If I encounter a passage on either one of these two topics, I know these types of issues were problematic or common mistakes and so I make conscious note of it, or try to. It might help at first to create a list of problematic areas, but eventually you just begin making mental notes on your own.

That said -- taking notes on just about everything, for the MCAT, is an incredible waste of time. There's just so much material and I think if you do continue to make note cards, atleast focus on topics you struggle with - not every single concept or equation.
 
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I always found it tedious to make notecards, even in college. Never understood why people spent the time to do it since it's time consuming. What I try to do instead is make mental notes by topic of what I have trouble with or a common mistake that I tend to make.

People have different styles of learning. For me the process of making the flash cards was my way of reinforcing material. Again it's important to find what works for you. There is no right or wrong way.
 
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People have different styles of learning. For me the process of making the flash cards was my way of reinforcing material. Again it's important to find what works for you. There is ok right or wrong way.
That's totally understandable, just for me, it eats up so much of my time so I avoid it. To OP, I would recommend using an online flashcard site like Anki which seems to be popular around here since it can give you some helpful statistics to focus on problematic areas.
 
The way I learn best (and perfected through undergrad) is writing it out as many times as possible. So for this feat I wrote out flash cards (rel. specific). From there I condensed it again onto a single page for each chapter (or half for easier topics). Then I condensed it by making notes on the AAMC topic lists. Now I have each subject on a single sheet. I find it easier to remember things I've written a few times as well as I can picture where certain facts were laid out on my most condensed sheet and it can help me visualize it when I write an exam.

Play around with it (but quickly) and figure out what works for you. You'd hate to put hours into making flash cards that you never pick up.
 
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