How is bio knowledge implemented?

[YoungProdigy]

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Just getting started with the MCAT and I have a more general question...right now I'm going over the Lipids section in EK. How exactly is the hard, factual knowledge implemented into the MCAT questions? I've looked at some BS questions, and there's an entire passage followed by questions. How does all of this work? Would you say 50% is facts and 50% is understanding the passage for the BS section?

TIA.

 

[DrknoSDN]

If your studying from EK then you basically need to know everything that they write in the books. The EK books are much more consolidated than TBR or TPR so if it's in EK, you should know it very well.

As far as how much is fact memorization, I would say that the exam is not really about memorizing fact as much as understanding concepts. Understanding the passage in BS should not be difficult but you need to know the facts in order to be able to come up with the right answer. Less about facts, and less about deciphering the passage, and more about taking your knowledge and modifying it with circumstantial questions that will cause an outcome to deviate from what is normal.
In studying just make sure you understand the normal physiological processes so that when asked what would happen if "x is changed", you would be able to come up with the solution.

 

[NextStepTutor_2]

Hey YoungProdigy,

Good question! So this exam definitely requires some basic understanding of biology. However, the exam has a heavy emphasis on what is actually in the passages. Your answers should be supported by the material therein. BUT, at the same time, a huge bit of help that you'll get by preparing for the MCAT is that you'll have a confident boost and be able to connect information in the passages with more ease if you know the material in prep books that are mentioned on the official list of topics by the AAMC. A good approach to having all of this down will be look through the list of BS topics posted by the AAMC. Much practice with the tests will be helpful as you can know all of this and still have trouble answering questions if you don't understand the experiments in the passages.

Hope this helps— and good luck with studying!

PS A good thread that goes through the explanations of BS questions and that offers more BS practice is here:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/free-mcat-biological-sciences-questions.1054044/