How bad is the physics on the MCAT? I'm terrible at the subject. Any advice?

[mrh125]

As an undergraduate, Physics was the only premed subject that I didnt get all As in. It really made no sense to me, and it just felt like I wasn't learning anything in those classes besides that making ridiculous assumptions got you the right answers....sometimes. What is the physics on the mcat really like? If it's essentially just memorizing equations and plug and chug math I can do that really well, but conceptually a lot of the stuff is super confusing and a lot of the times the math can get super ugly. I hated the electricity and magnetism stuff the most because it just made no sense and same with stuff with lenses and ray diagrams and whatever.

Any general advice on MCAT physics, what it's like, and what resources I should use to study? I've been reading examcrackers, watching random youtube videos, and I also looked at theberkeleyreview but it's super dense and it's hard to tell what info in it is actually useful. Physical science is my weakest section just because of the physics stuff (general chemistry is really easy for me).

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[freakingoutabit]

I felt the same way about physics II topics when I first started studying for the MCAT. I swear by Khan Academy videos. Go to the website (khanacademy.org) and watch all of them. They teach things conceptually so that you understand why things work the way they do -- no plug and chug.

When I took my first practice test (during my first month of physics II, so I didn't know much), I got a 5 in the PS section. When I took the real thing, I got an 11. I owe a LOT of that progress to Khan Academy videos.

 

[Gauss44]

IMO, Chad videos can save your day along with EK. If you are reasonably good at science and math (like a B student), give yourself 3 months study time and you should be fine.

 

[Columbia09]

IMO, Chad videos can save your day along with EK. If you are reasonably good at science and math (like a B student), give yourself 3 months study time and you should be fine.

What if you're not ? People say anything over 3-4 months is pointless. I'm in the same boat as the OP in terms of physics. Though I got As in my physics classes but that was only because I took them over the summer and they were easy. Some good news, it's more conceptual than calculation based heavy. So if you aren't a math person like me you at least have some hope.

 

[Uafl112]

The test is not at all plug and chug. Its interpreting an experiment or a natural phenomena and applying your physics concepts to them. Like that guy above said, use kahn academy. I solely watched his videos on Buoyancy, didnt bother reading the chs nor listening in class, got an easy A on the exam