Help! Did Anyone Get Extremely Overwhelmed When Beginning 3 Month StudySchedule?

[bciccone]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone else got extremely frustrated when beginning the 3 month study schedule. I feel like there is so much to study/learn. Material looks familiar but I'm getting extremely overwhelmed thinking about how much more there is to study. Also very discouraged! In college I use to study a day or hours before an exam go into the exam and ace it. I know the MCATS are a lot different and require months of studying which I'm completely not use to. I find a lot of the chemistry stuff in the Berkeley review books to be extremely dense and it's hard for me to finish it in one day like the schedule expects. Please let me know if anyone felt this way or has/had any tips on getting over this discouragement. Help!

Thanks so much!

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[loveoforganic]

don't get behind.

 

[Im Learning]

Yes, I found it to be very unrealistic to do everything that is required daily unless you can spend a hard 10-12 hours each day studying. Even so, the material is so dense in TBR that I feel retention rate is very low after an extended period of time.

 

[tman5890]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone else got extremely frustrated when beginning the 3 month study schedule. I feel like there is so much to study/learn. Material looks familiar but I'm getting extremely overwhelmed thinking about how much more there is to study. Also very discouraged! In college I use to study a day or hours before an exam go into the exam and ace it. I know the MCATS are a lot different and require months of studying which I'm completely not use to. I find a lot of the chemistry stuff in the Berkeley review books to be extremely dense and it's hard for me to finish it in one day like the schedule expects. Please let me know if anyone felt this way or has/had any tips on getting over this discouragement. Help!

Thanks so much!

I'm in the same boat as you. I've been trying hard to study using the schedule, but it's so hard to retain things after awhile and reviewing sometimes makes me more confused, but I have faith that it'll become more clear after we pass a certain threshold. We'll be looking back in a month with greater intuition

 

[Preciouzgeek]

Yeah, I definitely feel your pain . I started studying for the MCAT about 3 weeks ago (my MCAT test date is September). I'm dedicating my time to the MCAT since I just graduated, so I'm not taking any classes and I don't have a job. Here's my studying method (using Kaplan materials):

- 4-6 hrs reading one subject chapter a day (there are about 20-30 pgs each chapter, doing chapter quizzes and subject tests (all timed).

- Once I finish each Kaplan book (or subject) I spend 6-8+ hrs doing the subject exams Kaplan offers (once again I time myself), and going over all the missed questions on the chapter quizzes/ tests -- making sure I understand and know how to do them all.

- At the end of each MCAT section I reviewed (Physical science, Biological science, Verbal) -- I'll dedicate one day taking 1/2 a full length exam (meaning I'll only do the subject I completely reviewed).

- After I reviewed all the subjects, I plan to spend the remainder of my time taking full lengths back to back and reviewing them.

So far from what I've experienced, there is definitely a lot of material to go through. But don't get caught up within the text (i.e. don't try to memorize every little detail the chapters include). Read through it, comprehend most of it, and use what you learned doing quizzes/tests/full -lengths. You'll see that things will start to settle in when you do more practice problems and correct the answers you get wrong.

 

[whiteshadodw]

don't get behind.

THIS

Yes, I found it to be very unrealistic to do everything that is required daily unless you can spend a hard 10-12 hours each day studying. Even so, the material is so dense in TBR that I feel retention rate is very low after an extended period of time.

definitely this.

Yeah, I definitely feel your pain . I started studying for the MCAT about 3 weeks ago (my MCAT test date is September). I'm dedicating my time to the MCAT since I just graduated, so I'm not taking any classes and I don't have a job. Here's my studying method (using Kaplan materials):

- 4-6 hrs reading one subject chapter a day (there are about 20-30 pgs each chapter, doing chapter quizzes and subject tests (all timed).

- Once I finish each Kaplan book (or subject) I spend 6-8+ hrs doing the subject exams Kaplan offers (once again I time myself), and going over all the missed questions on the chapter quizzes/ tests -- making sure I understand and know how to do them all.

- At the end of each MCAT section I reviewed (Physical science, Biological science, Verbal) -- I'll dedicate one day taking 1/2 a full length exam (meaning I'll only do the subject I completely reviewed).

- After I reviewed all the subjects, I plan to spend the remainder of my time taking full lengths back to back and reviewing them.

So far from what I've experienced, there is definitely a lot of material to go through. But don't get caught up within the text (i.e. don't try to memorize every little detail the chapters include). Read through it, comprehend most of it, and use what you learned doing quizzes/tests/full -lengths. You'll see that things will start to settle in when you do more practice problems and correct the answers you get wrong.

and this.

when i started this schedule last month. i fell behind. WAY behind. i actually tried to start it, but the TBR is so dense. here are some tips that i have:

-focus on the MAIN idea of each topic. i know this is really hard with all of the formulas given in TBR, but take a look at the AAMC official syllabus and only memorize those formulas. any other formula will probably be given to you.
-you NEED to do passages. TBR passages are difficult and disheartening.but they are extremely valuable and teach you a lot.
-this is a multiple choice test. you only need to get the answers right in the passage. do as little work as possible to save time for example. if you can eliminate wrong answers to get to the right answer, DO IT. save yourself time.
-split up the studying. wake up and do 1-2 verbal passages immediately. then take a break. study for 1-2 hours. go do something COMPLETELY different. come back. study some more. etc.
-don't fall behind, playing catch up sucks.
-the study plan works if you stick to it. you'll notice the improvement in your reasoning skills and what not.

 

[MT Headed]

-you NEED to do passages. TBR passages are difficult and disheartening.but they are extremely valuable and teach you a lot.

THIS

With TBR, many times the teaching is in the answer explanation. The concept wasn't in the passage. It wasn't even in the chapter! As long as you are learning something from the chapter, the passage, the question stem, the answer choices, or the answer explanation, consider it time and money well spent. If you still don't understand the correct answer after reading everything including the answer explanation, that probably indicates a gap in your knowledge. Remember, this is TBReview, and they assume you already know the material fairly well from taking your prereqs.

I bomb TBR passages all the time. I still learn a lot. And I don't bomb AAMC full length practice tests. I used to get mad and/or frustrated at TBR, thinking these guys are totally unrealistic, not mcat worthy, etc. but now I just mellow out and consider it all part of their unusual but effective teaching style.

 

[whiteshadodw]

THIS

With TBR, many times the teaching is in the answer explanation. The concept wasn't in the passage. It wasn't even in the chapter! As long as you are learning something from the chapter, the passage, the question stem, the answer choices, or the answer explanation, consider it time and money well spent. If you still don't understand the correct answer after reading everything including the answer explanation, that probably indicates a gap in your knowledge. Remember, this is TBReview, and they assume you already know the material fairly well from taking your prereqs.

I bomb TBR passages all the time. I still learn a lot. And I don't bomb AAMC full length practice tests. I used to get mad and/or frustrated at TBR, thinking these guys are totally unrealistic, not mcat worthy, etc. but now I just mellow out and consider it all part of their unusual but effective teaching style.

their questions are definitely super hard. but if you remember how to cope with super hard questions you'll spank the MCAT like its no ones business. its a multiple choice test, if you treat it as such it becomes much much easier. the right answer is ALWAYS right in front of you.

 

[MD Odyssey]

THIS
I bomb TBR passages all the time. I still learn a lot. And I don't bomb AAMC full length practice tests. I used to get mad and/or frustrated at TBR, thinking these guys are totally unrealistic, not mcat worthy, etc. but now I just mellow out and consider it all part of their unusual but effective teaching style.

Really hoping that this is true. It feels like I'd need to take a semester each of cell bio, genetics, and biochemistry to be able to do well on any of these passages.

 

[whiteshadodw]

Really hoping that this is true. It feels like I'd need to take a semester each of cell bio, genetics, and biochemistry to be able to do well on any of these passages.

i think the TBR bio passages are just notoriously difficult. some people say that the bio passages are just way too hard, but they are good practice.

 

[Reine]

Unfortunately, I'm behind (Yes, I know - but it was a necessity) so sometimes I do find it overwhelming. My biggest problem is, like others, the bio... the passages really are notoriously detailed, to the point where I just want to .

I'm currently following SN2's schedule, and I find that EK helps keep me focused on the main topics though. Otherwise I'd follow the outline given by AAMC - and maybe pray a bit that the passages will jolt my memory enough for me to get the answer at times.