How to improve?

[Bluestepel]

I am hoping to get some direction as I feel a bit lost at this point. I began the Kaplan Live Online course this past February while taking classes and so didn't really focus solely on MCAT stuff until beginning of May. I have put in the recommended 300 hours of studying (per Kaplan advice) including attending all class sessions, practice passages, practice tests, and AAMC Q bank and Section Bank. I took the 2nd AAMC FL yesterday and got a 499. I have taken 12 practice tests between Kaplan, NS, and AAMC. My test date is 7/24 and there is nothing I can do at this point but take and void it.

I have problems understanding the Chem/Phys and Bio/Biochem passages. I have a very hard time understanding what they are even talking about and I am having trouble connecting the question stems to info from the passages. Current strategy is reading the question and then predicting the answer before looking at the answer choices.

I find that if I spend like 30 minutes with Section Bank passages I do okay with getting the right answers but that is way too slow. I know I am not stupid but I am beginning to get very discouraged because I just cannot get this g.d. score over the 500 hump. And preferably 509. That's all I want, please, a 509...

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[Blanky]

Dude you are miles off from a 509... void and regroup.

 

[danceamber]

I am hoping to get some direction as I feel a bit lost at this point. I began the Kaplan Live Online course this past February while taking classes and so didn't really focus solely on MCAT stuff until beginning of May. I have put in the recommended 300 hours of studying (per Kaplan advice) including attending all class sessions, practice passages, practice tests, and AAMC Q bank and Section Bank. I took the 2nd AAMC FL yesterday and got a 499. I have taken 12 practice tests between Kaplan, NS, and AAMC. My test date is 7/24 and there is nothing I can do at this point but take and void it.

I have problems understanding the Chem/Phys and Bio/Biochem passages. I have a very hard time understanding what they are even talking about and I am having trouble connecting the question stems to info from the passages. Current strategy is reading the question and then predicting the answer before looking at the answer choices.

I find that if I spend like 30 minutes with Section Bank passages I do okay with getting the right answers but that is way too slow. I know I am not stupid but I am beginning to get very discouraged because I just cannot get this g.d. score over the 500 hump. And preferably 509. That's all I want, please, a 509...

Hey!

So I am pretty much in the exact same boat. I took the Kaplan Live Course in February and was doing light studying from Feb-May because I was also finishing up my senior year. Starting in May, I went HAM. I mean HARD. I did 6-7 days a week. Originally, I was supposed to take it on June 14th but my best score was a 495 so I wasn't ready and pushed it to July 20th. So far I have only increased to a 499, but I have also had some 492 and 497 in between the 499. I decided to cancel my exam and take it in January. I am totally paranoid about taking it for practice on Friday and voiding it and no-showing. What I realized for me to increase my score, is that I need to change my study habits. I'm leaving for an internship for two-weeks so this week I'm just planning to prepare for when I come back. Here is what I plan to do when I come back:

1. I never took days off before. And I think that ultimately got to me. Since I have 5 months until Jan, for the first two months, I am planning to do 8-9 hour days Mon-Fri and taking Saturdays and Sundays Off. When October comes, I will only take Sundays off.
2. I didn't realize how many books the public libraries have, so I rented NextStep and Princeton Review books for more content review and practice.
3. For studying, I'm doing a 1, 2, 3, punch review. What I mean by that is, let's say I chose to study Solutions Monday for an hour. I'll spend an hour SKIMMING ONLY and then move on to another topic. The next day, I'll use the AAMC template to actually make notes on the Solutions chapter. Then I'll wait an entire day and not look at solutions at all. Then after a day, I'll do the Kaplan book problems for practice. Two days later redo the ones you got wrong. Then finally, a week later, review that sections again.
4. I am planing to do more passages. I need to do at least 3 passages everyday because I don't know about you but I have a really hard time even understanding some passages.

okay this was a lot of info! But I saw your post and it was so relate-able . I have't ran into any post that was similar to me and how my brain works. I hope this helps!

 

[PlsLetMeIn21]

Just my two cents here, but you need WAY more than 3 passages everyday. Skimming content and taking notes are not as useful as doing passages and then thoroughly reviewing each question after you are finished.

 

[Ad2b]

Content is not your friend at this point.

1. Can you draw the amino acids with the charges on them? by their 3 letter and 1 letter abbrevs?

2. Can you list the physics equations required and explain why they're important and how they work to explain the physics behind them?

3. Can you differentiate between SN1, SN2, E1, E2, etc. by how the electrons move? Can you tell the difference between ketone/aldehyde?

4. Do you know how to read the graphs/tables/charts given for biology?

5. Do you have a list of all the relevant hormones required for the exam and where they are produced?

6. Did you go through the AAMC MCAT document that lists every topic by section and cross off the topics when you can teach someone, like me, that particular line item?

When you can do that, and more, then passages and understanding comes into play. Until then, skimming passages and trying to understand, to me, is an exercise in banging your head against the wall.

Take the exam and void. Register to take the next one when you're really ready.

 

[OdysseanUnderdog]

I am hoping to get some direction as I feel a bit lost at this point. I began the Kaplan Live Online course this past February while taking classes and so didn't really focus solely on MCAT stuff until beginning of May. I have put in the recommended 300 hours of studying (per Kaplan advice) including attending all class sessions, practice passages, practice tests, and AAMC Q bank and Section Bank. I took the 2nd AAMC FL yesterday and got a 499. I have taken 12 practice tests between Kaplan, NS, and AAMC. My test date is 7/24 and there is nothing I can do at this point but take and void it.

I have problems understanding the Chem/Phys and Bio/Biochem passages. I have a very hard time understanding what they are even talking about and I am having trouble connecting the question stems to info from the passages. Current strategy is reading the question and then predicting the answer before looking at the answer choices.

I find that if I spend like 30 minutes with Section Bank passages I do okay with getting the right answers but that is way too slow. I know I am not stupid but I am beginning to get very discouraged because I just cannot get this g.d. score over the 500 hump. And preferably 509. That's all I want, please, a 509...

Practice is just the first step. The second is thoroughly reviewing every single problem you get wrong until you understand it completely.

 

[Bluestepel]

Hey!

So I am pretty much in the exact same boat. I took the Kaplan Live Course in February and was doing light studying from Feb-May because I was also finishing up my senior year. Starting in May, I went HAM. I mean HARD. I did 6-7 days a week. Originally, I was supposed to take it on June 14th but my best score was a 495 so I wasn't ready and pushed it to July 20th. So far I have only increased to a 499, but I have also had some 492 and 497 in between the 499. I decided to cancel my exam and take it in January. I am totally paranoid about taking it for practice on Friday and voiding it and no-showing. What I realized for me to increase my score, is that I need to change my study habits. I'm leaving for an internship for two-weeks so this week I'm just planning to prepare for when I come back. Here is what I plan to do when I come back:

1. I never took days off before. And I think that ultimately got to me. Since I have 5 months until Jan, for the first two months, I am planning to do 8-9 hour days Mon-Fri and taking Saturdays and Sundays Off. When October comes, I will only take Sundays off.
2. I didn't realize how many books the public libraries have, so I rented NextStep and Princeton Review books for more content review and practice.
3. For studying, I'm doing a 1, 2, 3, punch review. What I mean by that is, let's say I chose to study Solutions Monday for an hour. I'll spend an hour SKIMMING ONLY and then move on to another topic. The next day, I'll use the AAMC template to actually make notes on the Solutions chapter. Then I'll wait an entire day and not look at solutions at all. Then after a day, I'll do the Kaplan book problems for practice. Two days later redo the ones you got wrong. Then finally, a week later, review that sections again.
4. I am planing to do more passages. I need to do at least 3 passages everyday because I don't know about you but I have a really hard time even understanding some passages.

okay this was a lot of info! But I saw your post and it was so relate-able . I have't ran into any post that was similar to me and how my brain works. I hope this helps!

I am also planning on taking it for real in January! Fingers crossed...do you think it is mostly Chem/Phys content you will focus on?

 

[Bluestepel]

Practice is just the first step. The second is thoroughly reviewing every single problem you get wrong until you understand it completely.

Yes, totally, I have been doing this as well, maybe I am doing it the wrong way. I reread the passage then look at all the questions and answers, right and wrong ones, and if I can't figure out why I got it wrong I note the section of the AAMC guide (1D, 2A, etc.) it relates to and then try to cover that in the Kaplan books and/or Khan Academy videos to reinforce the concept.

 

[Bluestepel]

Content is not your friend at this point.

4. Do you know how to read the graphs/tables/charts given for biology?

I can quite often if I spend like 20 minutes staring at them. I would like to get better and faster at this. I didn't take a lot of the labs if I didn't need them in my DIY post-bacc and now I wonder if, say, taking Biochem lab would have been more valuable than the lecture just for understanding the experiments.

6. Did you go through the AAMC MCAT document that lists every topic by section and cross off the topics when you can teach someone, like me, that particular line item?
Definitely not...great idea, thanks...

Take the exam and void. Register to take the next one when you're really ready.

 

[danceamber]

I am also planning on taking it for real in January! Fingers crossed...do you think it is mostly Chem/Phys content you will focus on?

Okay same same!! We totally got this! Dude yea. Chem/Phys is always the worst for me. I mean to be honest, no section is at the score I need it to be, but because it intimidates me so much, I find myself doing CARS and Psych/Soc because it doesn't make me want to cry. But I need to let that ish go. Someone on another thread just reminded me about UWorld. So when I pick up my studies again in two weeks I'm going to check it out! There's a 15 day free trial, so I'm going to see what all the hype is about. Also, i checked out some NextStep and TPR books so I'm going to use those for practice passages and use my Kaplan books for content review only! I have my first two weeks planned out by the hour, so I'll see how my revamped study schedule goes and then i'll let you know if it's trash or treasure haha

 

[leonardoson]

Content is not your friend at this point.

1. Can you draw the amino acids with the charges on them? by their 3 letter and 1 letter abbrevs?

2. Can you list the physics equations required and explain why they're important and how they work to explain the physics behind them?

3. Can you differentiate between SN1, SN2, E1, E2, etc. by how the electrons move? Can you tell the difference between ketone/aldehyde?

4. Do you know how to read the graphs/tables/charts given for biology?

5. Do you have a list of all the relevant hormones required for the exam and where they are produced?

6. Did you go through the AAMC MCAT document that lists every topic by section and cross off the topics when you can teach someone, like me, that particular line item?

When you can do that, and more, then passages and understanding comes into play. Until then, skimming passages and trying to understand, to me, is an exercise in banging your head against the wall.

Take the exam and void. Register to take the next one when you're really ready.

dont need e1 or e2

 

[Bluestepel]

Okay same same!! We totally got this! Dude yea. Chem/Phys is always the worst for me. I mean to be honest, no section is at the score I need it to be, but because it intimidates me so much, I find myself doing CARS and Psych/Soc because it doesn't make me want to cry. But I need to let that ish go. Someone on another thread just reminded me about UWorld. So when I pick up my studies again in two weeks I'm going to check it out! There's a 15 day free trial, so I'm going to see what all the hype is about. Also, i checked out some NextStep and TPR books so I'm going to use those for practice passages and use my Kaplan books for content review only! I have my first two weeks planned out by the hour, so I'll see how my revamped study schedule goes and then i'll let you know if it's trash or treasure haha

Yeah let me know how your process goes! Thanks for the UWorld info. Good luck!