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Hey Guys 
So first of all, I scored a 38R on my MCAT with a 15PS, 9VR, 14BS, and R in writing sample (yes I know that my Verbal isn't the most stellar thing in the world). I would like to give all of you future MCAT takers some advices on how to truly dominate the MCAT sciences. By dominating I am talking about being able to consistently score 14s or 15s (at worst with the occasional 13s if you are VERY unlucky) in practice tests and on the real MCAT.
I should add that on my Kaplan PS diagnostic I scored a 14 and a 11 in BS. My average practice for Physics is a 14.5 and for Biology a 14.8 based on 15 practices.
Physical sciences
-Pre-requisites (Physics 1 and 2, General Chemistry, Inorganic chemistry)
-Recommended pre-requisites:
-Mastery of calculus based physics (this is NO SUCH THING AS ALGEBRA PHYSICS as in the case of all the commericial prep books out there. If you want to be the best, go beyond it!!! It is impossible to score in the 14-15s without extensive knowledge in calculus, though the questions may NOT directly require knowledge of calculus.
-Calculus courses (Cal 1, Cal 2 and Cal 3 (multivariable and vector calculus) and differential equations (typically offered as a second year class).
-Physical chemistry, analytical chemistry, and basic ideas of quantum mechanics BEYOND E-hf (a highschool kid knows that) and photoelectric effect.
-Skills
-Derive equations. Can you derive equations ALL from scratch. Yes, the MCAT does not require it, but it is again impossible to have a true understand of anything if you can't even derive it. For instance, the famous equation 1/p+1/q=1/f (takes about 2 pages of derivation by the way) is only an approximation for paraaxial rays. Do you know truly know why? Also, integration (in kindergarden language=area) of P(V) function is work. Do you know why? Do you know what is a quasi static assumption? (Simply put, the integration of P(V) function is NOT WORK..... it is an approximation. Check any first/second year level physics textbook and read about it). Another classic example, do you TRULY understand entropy? A sad but very common mistake in prep books (for instance, KAPLAN....) is that dS=dQ/T. This is NOT true. dS=dQr/T (i.e as entropy is a state function, the infinistimal change of entropy can be evaluated based on heat change of a REVERSIBLE PATHWAY.
-Practice LOTS of problems (NOT from MCAT....from your physics textbook. NOT those simple ones. Look at the hardest of all questions and do them. Think about them constantly until you GET them....sometimes I would think about a question (no jokes) for 5 hour straight before I come up with an answer with the "aha" moment.
-Same thing goes with MCAT chemistry
-You will then (trust me) ace the MCAT Physical Sciences
MCAT Biological Sciences
-Prereqs
Basic biology and organic chemistry, biochemistry, genetics
-Recommended prereq
Organic chemistry III (stereochemistry and stereo control), anatomy, human physiology, genomics, molecular biology, intermediate metabolism, and all OTHER upper year level bio/chem classes.
-Here the key thing is to GO BEYOND ANY PREP BOOK THERE IS. Even with TBR (which is very complete to their credit) is lacking in details. I took a year long class in advanced mammalian physiology (human physiology), and TBR condenses all that physiology information in one book? If you want to score well, go beyond it by A LOT.
-Molecular biology....highschool level molecular bio (as in the case of the Kaplan book) will NOT CUT IT NOW, samething with the TBR books if you want to truly score well. You need to GO BEYOND THEM!!! Take a upper year level molecular biology/genomics class. Advance your knowledge.
-Org chem: again, GO BEYOND PREP BOOKS. I would suggest that beyond Org I and II, take Org III. Before you TAKE ANY PREP TEST, ask yourself, do you know the following
-Org I and Org II (the basics)
-Dicarbonyl chemistry
-Nitrogen chemistry
-Molecular orbital theory (i.e cycloaddition, electrocyclic additions...etc)
-Stereo control (Zimmerman transition state, Felcon Anh model...etc)
-Critical thinking: the BEST way to practice it is to ask questions. Remember, the job of the professors is to PERSUADE YOU what THEY think is right based on WHAT THEY KNOW. Critically think....find holes in their arguments, find problems left unsolved, find contradictions in their theories.
-Read papers....get used to reading and CRITICIZING papers as you read. What controls are the experimenters missing? Is the result trustworthy? Is the interpretation correct? What other alternative hypothesis/model, given the information, can I come up with? How would I better the paper?
-Know some advaned molecular biology techniques BEYOND western blots, PCRs...etc...... everyone knows them. GO beyond it. Do you know what EMSA assay is? Do you know what is selective mutagenesis? Do you know what is a competitive ELISA? Do you know what cyclic selection and amplification of target is? Do you know what is a microarray?/
-Finally, you will ace MCAT biology
Another VERY UNCONVENTIONAL ADVICE (take it with a grain of salt please here). If you are consistently scoring in 14-15s in the sciences and feel that a science section on your REAL MCAT was really really really tough, VOID THE THING.
Why?
Regardless of the difficulty level of the test, a 14/15 scorer can realistically only get 1-2 questions wrong (max 3). In the case of a really really really tough section, on top of the really really tough questions, you are far more likely to make stupid errors. Chances are that you will score a 13 max.
So first of all, I scored a 38R on my MCAT with a 15PS, 9VR, 14BS, and R in writing sample (yes I know that my Verbal isn't the most stellar thing in the world). I would like to give all of you future MCAT takers some advices on how to truly dominate the MCAT sciences. By dominating I am talking about being able to consistently score 14s or 15s (at worst with the occasional 13s if you are VERY unlucky) in practice tests and on the real MCAT.
I should add that on my Kaplan PS diagnostic I scored a 14 and a 11 in BS. My average practice for Physics is a 14.5 and for Biology a 14.8 based on 15 practices.
Physical sciences
-Pre-requisites (Physics 1 and 2, General Chemistry, Inorganic chemistry)
-Recommended pre-requisites:
-Mastery of calculus based physics (this is NO SUCH THING AS ALGEBRA PHYSICS as in the case of all the commericial prep books out there. If you want to be the best, go beyond it!!! It is impossible to score in the 14-15s without extensive knowledge in calculus, though the questions may NOT directly require knowledge of calculus.
-Calculus courses (Cal 1, Cal 2 and Cal 3 (multivariable and vector calculus) and differential equations (typically offered as a second year class).
-Physical chemistry, analytical chemistry, and basic ideas of quantum mechanics BEYOND E-hf (a highschool kid knows that) and photoelectric effect.
-Skills
-Derive equations. Can you derive equations ALL from scratch. Yes, the MCAT does not require it, but it is again impossible to have a true understand of anything if you can't even derive it. For instance, the famous equation 1/p+1/q=1/f (takes about 2 pages of derivation by the way) is only an approximation for paraaxial rays. Do you know truly know why? Also, integration (in kindergarden language=area) of P(V) function is work. Do you know why? Do you know what is a quasi static assumption? (Simply put, the integration of P(V) function is NOT WORK..... it is an approximation. Check any first/second year level physics textbook and read about it). Another classic example, do you TRULY understand entropy? A sad but very common mistake in prep books (for instance, KAPLAN....) is that dS=dQ/T. This is NOT true. dS=dQr/T (i.e as entropy is a state function, the infinistimal change of entropy can be evaluated based on heat change of a REVERSIBLE PATHWAY.
-Practice LOTS of problems (NOT from MCAT....from your physics textbook. NOT those simple ones. Look at the hardest of all questions and do them. Think about them constantly until you GET them....sometimes I would think about a question (no jokes) for 5 hour straight before I come up with an answer with the "aha" moment.
-Same thing goes with MCAT chemistry
-You will then (trust me) ace the MCAT Physical Sciences
MCAT Biological Sciences
-Prereqs
Basic biology and organic chemistry, biochemistry, genetics
-Recommended prereq
Organic chemistry III (stereochemistry and stereo control), anatomy, human physiology, genomics, molecular biology, intermediate metabolism, and all OTHER upper year level bio/chem classes.
-Here the key thing is to GO BEYOND ANY PREP BOOK THERE IS. Even with TBR (which is very complete to their credit) is lacking in details. I took a year long class in advanced mammalian physiology (human physiology), and TBR condenses all that physiology information in one book? If you want to score well, go beyond it by A LOT.
-Molecular biology....highschool level molecular bio (as in the case of the Kaplan book) will NOT CUT IT NOW, samething with the TBR books if you want to truly score well. You need to GO BEYOND THEM!!! Take a upper year level molecular biology/genomics class. Advance your knowledge.
-Org chem: again, GO BEYOND PREP BOOKS. I would suggest that beyond Org I and II, take Org III. Before you TAKE ANY PREP TEST, ask yourself, do you know the following
-Org I and Org II (the basics)
-Dicarbonyl chemistry
-Nitrogen chemistry
-Molecular orbital theory (i.e cycloaddition, electrocyclic additions...etc)
-Stereo control (Zimmerman transition state, Felcon Anh model...etc)
-Critical thinking: the BEST way to practice it is to ask questions. Remember, the job of the professors is to PERSUADE YOU what THEY think is right based on WHAT THEY KNOW. Critically think....find holes in their arguments, find problems left unsolved, find contradictions in their theories.
-Read papers....get used to reading and CRITICIZING papers as you read. What controls are the experimenters missing? Is the result trustworthy? Is the interpretation correct? What other alternative hypothesis/model, given the information, can I come up with? How would I better the paper?
-Know some advaned molecular biology techniques BEYOND western blots, PCRs...etc...... everyone knows them. GO beyond it. Do you know what EMSA assay is? Do you know what is selective mutagenesis? Do you know what is a competitive ELISA? Do you know what cyclic selection and amplification of target is? Do you know what is a microarray?/
-Finally, you will ace MCAT biology
Another VERY UNCONVENTIONAL ADVICE (take it with a grain of salt please here). If you are consistently scoring in 14-15s in the sciences and feel that a science section on your REAL MCAT was really really really tough, VOID THE THING.
Why?
Regardless of the difficulty level of the test, a 14/15 scorer can realistically only get 1-2 questions wrong (max 3). In the case of a really really really tough section, on top of the really really tough questions, you are far more likely to make stupid errors. Chances are that you will score a 13 max.
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Something tells me they just wanted to show off a bit when they posted this. With a 38 I say go for it, just dont make crazy assumptions
