How much details do I need to know?

[Postictal Raiden]

I'm a retaker, and I noticed on my first take that I barely used detailed knowledge on the biology section. Most of the necessary knowledge was provided by the passages, except for the discrete and pseudodiscrete questions which required some background knowledge. However, I didn't encounter questions similar to those you find at the end of chapters in your prep books.

Therefore, in my preparation for the retake, as I'm going through the content review, I'm not doing much effort in memorizing details. I'm familiarizing myself with the concepts and mastering the main ideas. For example, I know how DNA replication works, but I won't be able to exactly know what do each polymerase do. Even if I try to memorize such details, most likely, I'm going to end up forgetting it anyways.

Is it safe to assume that such detailed information are provided on the test?

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[HotHamH2O]

How much time did you spend doing practice tests and passages on your first run?

 

[angldrps]

I'm a retaker, and I noticed on my first take that I barely used detailed knowledge on the biology section. Most of the necessary knowledge was provided by the passages, except for the discrete and pseudodiscrete questions which required some background knowledge. However, I didn't encounter questions similar to those you find at the end of chapters in your prep books.

Therefore, in my preparation for the retake, as I'm going through the content review, I'm not doing much effort in memorizing details. I'm familiarizing myself with the concepts and mastering the main ideas. For example, I know how DNA replication works, but I won't be able to exactly know what do each polymerase do. Even if I try to memorize such details, most likely, I'm going to end up forgetting it anyways.

Is it safe to assume that such detailed information are provided on the test?

for the BS section, the answer to your question is yes! BS passages provide you with all the info you need as it tests you on your ability to use critical thinking and extract the right information from the passage to answer the question instead of your ability to recall details. This is one of the reason why I recommend EK for bio; the concise EK bio book provides you with all the necessary details you need to memorize. The key to do well on BS section is to practice. Other than AAMC 10 and 11, the rest of the AAMC exams' BS section are not a very good representation of the real deal's BS section. My kaplan online course gave me more than enough practice to do well. TPR science workbook is also pretty good.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

How much time did you spend doing practice tests and passages on your first run?

For my first take, I studied for 5 weeks. I did content review for 2 weeks followed by three weeks of practice.

I did good on the BS section (9), considering that I didn't touch ochem and had two tough ochem passages on my test.

This time, I'm planning to study for 17 weeks. I will dedicate 6 weeks for content review and 11 for practice. I do realize that 6 weeks of content review is a little overkill, but my physics and ochem background is very shaky.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

for the BS section, the answer to your question is yes! BS passages provide you with all the info you need as it tests you on your ability to use critical thinking and extract the right information from the passage to answer the question instead of your ability to recall details. This is one of the reason why I recommend EK for bio; the concise EK bio book provides you with all the necessary details you need to memorize. The key to do well on BS section is to practice. Other than AAMC 10 and 11, the rest of the AAMC exams' BS section are not a very good representation of the real deal's BS section. My kaplan online course gave me more than enough practice to do well. TPR science workbook is also pretty good.

I agree with you that EK content review book gives you exactly what you need to know for the mcat. I used ek for my first take, but I'm using now tpr mainly because ek cuts on much of the explanation that helps one developing intuition, especially in physics.

I'm glad that you recommend the TPR workbook because it is the book that I'll be mainly practicing once I'm done with my content review. I also have TBR books and will be utilizing them as well. TBR bio passages in my opinion are good representation of the real mcat. They contain many graphs and outside info. EK1001 bio was good but was heavily geared toward background knowledge. Most of the questions on the EK1001 bio could be answered without reading the passage. On the other hand, from my experience, reading the passage was very crucial on the real MCAT.

 

[Mehd School]

I had an excruciatingly detailed bs section when I took it last summer, but I still feel that was a freak section.

 

[BobbyT]

Do you guys remember if the PS section is also where you can extract most of the answers from the passage?

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Do you guys remember if the PS section is also where you can extract most of the answers from the passage?

From what I can remember, the ps section is not as passage-dependent as the bs. However, you will always come across a physical science passage that lacks any defined number or clues. These passages are very similar to what you would normally find on verbal, except that you still need to apply your conceptual knowledge to solve the problems. If my memory serves correctly, AAMC 5 has a passage like that (the earthquake passage).

Bottom line, know your stuff well because extracting information from the passage can be very tricky within the available time range. On the other hand, memorizing every single fact, especially for bio, can be nearly impossible.

 

[ranson]

For the PS section you must know the equations and concepts; many of the questions can be answered w/o looking at the passage. However for the BS section, I noticed that you have to understand the basics, extract info, and understand the experiment in the passage. I thought it was important to understand all the details such as (enzymes in krebs cycle, different polymerases, how bones are organized, etc.) but when I got to the test day I felt like I wasted my time even studying for the BS section since it was just understanding figures and experiments. If you can read through random biology publications and understand the purpose, results, and graphs then you are set for the BS section. It's all about being exposed to the language.

 

[angldrps]

Do you guys remember if the PS section is also where you can extract most of the answers from the passage?

no

 

[angldrps]

I agree with you that EK content review book gives you exactly what you need to know for the mcat. I used ek for my first take, but I'm using now tpr mainly because ek cuts on much of the explanation that helps one developing intuition, especially in physics.

I'm glad that you recommend the TPR workbook because it is the book that I'll be mainly practicing once I'm done with my content review. I also have TBR books and will be utilizing them as well. TBR bio passages in my opinion are good representation of the real mcat. They contain many graphs and outside info. EK1001 bio was good but was heavily geared toward background knowledge. Most of the questions on the EK1001 bio could be answered without reading the passage. On the other hand, from my experience, reading the passage was very crucial on the real MCAT.

just to clarify, I only recommend EK for bio content review. The remaining books are way too concise. I would advise you to do the passages in TPR workbook first, then do the TBR passages as TBR ones are harder. Instead of doing them at completely different times, just combine them. Say, you just read a chapter on genetics. Follow this with doing the relevant TPR passages and then do TBR passages on the same topic. If this takes up too much time, then only half the passages in TBR books for each concept.
And yes, EK 1001 bio book is terrible.

 

[gettheleadout]

For the PS section you must know the equations and concepts; many of the questions can be answered w/o looking at the passage. However for the BS section, I noticed that you have to understand the basics, extract info, and understand the experiment in the passage. I thought it was important to understand all the details such as (enzymes in krebs cycle, different polymerases, how bones are organized, etc.) but when I got to the test day I felt like I wasted my time even studying for the BS section since it was just understanding figures and experiments. If you can read through random biology publications and understand the purpose, results, and graphs then you are set for the BS section. It's all about being exposed to the language.

lol enzymes in the Krebs Cycle

Not memorizing those...

 

[Mehd School]

lol enzymes in the Krebs Cycle

Not memorizing those...

Are you using tbr for bio?

 

[gettheleadout]

Are you using tbr for bio?

EK Bio for content plus selectively reading parts of TBR Bio, and then TBR Bio passages and TPRH Science Workbook passages later.

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

lol enzymes in the Krebs Cycle

Not memorizing those...

+1

study smart guys! Download the AAMC study guide to help guide you.

 

[Mehd School]

EK Bio for content plus selectively reading parts of TBR Bio, and then TBR Bio passages and TPRH Science Workbook passages later.

I was just wondering, because if you think the krebs enzymes are a stretch you haven't read very far into your tbr bio books yet.

 

[DNA]

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[Narmerguy]

I was just wondering, because if you think the krebs enzymes are a stretch you haven't read very far into your tbr bio books yet.

You just ignore that stuff. The way to do TBR bio is to read it with the AAMC study guide sheet next to you. Always compare the two because if you see TBR going off for pages on a bunch of stuff that's not on that sheet, you can safely just not memorize it. I still read it because I like to think that maybe it'll come in handy some day. I don't think it ever did.

 

[DNA]

Interesting avatar you got there buddy..... o_o

 

[MedPR]

I'm a retaker, and I noticed on my first take that I barely used detailed knowledge on the biology section. Most of the necessary knowledge was provided by the passages, except for the discrete and pseudodiscrete questions which required some background knowledge. However, I didn't encounter questions similar to those you find at the end of chapters in your prep books.

Therefore, in my preparation for the retake, as I'm going through the content review, I'm not doing much effort in memorizing details. I'm familiarizing myself with the concepts and mastering the main ideas. For example, I know how DNA replication works, but I won't be able to exactly know what do each polymerase do. Even if I try to memorize such details, most likely, I'm going to end up forgetting it anyways.

Is it safe to assume that such detailed information are provided on the test?

Knowing details isn't always necessary, but having it in your brain will likely save you time on questions that you would otherwise need critical thinking to answer.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Knowing details isn't always necessary, but having it in your brain will likely save you time on questions that you would otherwise need critical thinking to answer.

 

[Forkit]

You just ignore that stuff. The way to do TBR bio is to read it with the AAMC study guide sheet next to you. Always compare the two because if you see TBR going off for pages on a bunch of stuff that's not on that sheet, you can safely just not memorize it. I still read it because I like to think that maybe it'll come in handy some day. I don't think it ever did.

Sorry to bump an old thread. But if I study the TBR bio book along with the AAMC outline, there would be no need for me to consult external resources for more review, right? TBR is detailed, but as long as it adequately covers all the topics on the AAMC Bio outline, then they did a better job then most other companies for MCAT Bio.