How to make a STUDY SCHEDULE for yourself?

[wizenedone]

How did you guys make your own study schedule? Anyone who has taken the MCAT and done well (30+) willing to share how they set up their study schedule so we can have an idea of what works.

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[SN2ed]

wizenedone: I'll help you (wizenedone) create your study schedule if you want, but I need to know all the MCAT materials you have available. The materials is a heavy factor in creating a study schedule.

 

[wizenedone]

I'll help you create your study schedule if you want, but I need to know all the MCAT materials you have available. The materials is a heavy factor in creating a study schedule.

I have:

• EK Complete Study Material (All 5 books)
• EK VR 101
• TPR 'Cracking the CBT'
• Kaplan Premiere Program Book
• Recently, my friend gave me her all the Kaplan course materials (all the books that come with the course). The review notes books have the same content as Kaplan Premiere Program book but then my friend also have me Lesson book, High-yield problem book, flashcards etc.
• Nova Physics
• MCAT GS Flashcards
• Also, have Kaplan FL's #1-5
• I will be doing all the AAMC Practice tests available (3-10)

I plan to take MCAT in January. I have plenty of time but don't know where to start. I am a Bio major and have taken many Bio class upper div. but feel like I am weak in PS and VR. I am concerned about VR so I want to do enough practice with that. Should I practice from EK VR 101 daily? 1-2 passages a day?

 

[Junkie06]

Can you post the schedule here too, I'm in a similar situation

 

[The South Face]

Woah, sounds like you got the big three covered: EK, Kaplan, TPR.

First I did a diagnostic to find out my weaknesses.

Then started content studying. I used Kaplan's Syllabus for content review. About 5 chapters a day of one subject, then in class or online review of subject. I supplemented with the EK book. After totally reviewing all the material I took my first Full Length and continued to take Full Lengths (one a week until my test).

Based on my scores (strong sciences & weak verbal), I would study one science subject a day and practice verbal the next.

Here is an example of my average week once I finished content review:
Mondayhysics
Tuesday: Verbal
Wednesday: Gen Chem
Thursday: Verbal
Friday: Bio
Saturday: O Chem
Sunday: Full Length & Test Review

Also, I practiced with flash cards before bed and listened to Audio Osmosis on the way to work

 

[scaredoflife]

Hey same question anymore study schedules that people stuck to that helped them with their scores. Also any schedules that had to factor in college classes also?

 

[Premed Worrier]

i don't know how detailed their schedules get, but there is a 30+ MCAT thread in this forum...they have some helpful advice as well...good luck everyone

 

[engineeredout]

Anyone think that you're better off studying books (like the EK complete series) before actually doing practice exams and extra questions? It seems more beneifical to me to have studied and absorbed as much material as possible before using the questions/practice material.

 

[rocuronium]

Anyone think that you're better off studying books (like the EK complete series) before actually doing practice exams and extra questions? It seems more beneifical to me to have studied and absorbed as much material as possible before using the questions/practice material.

I agree with this, and I presume that most people would as well. It's not a bad idea to take one practice test before the hard core studying to see roughly where you are at.

 

[SN2ed]

wizenedone: I'll come up with a rough plan for you over the next couple of days. At the moment, I'm working on my personal statement.

 

[SN2ed]

To start, I suggest going through the content review books and seeing which suites your style the most. For me, I used EK's review books almost exclusively. The Kaplan books didn't work for me. Another thing, flashcards don't really help me, but if they help you, review them. For me, it's making the flashcards that count, not looking them over. Last opening note, you might want to get more practice problems. I'm not sure how many come in the Kap Premiere book, Nova, or TPR, but EK's content review books and Kaplan's course books don't provide enough problems.

Once you pick which content review source, divide up the content review chapters so that you will have all the content done in 2 months. Also divide up all the verbal passages you have excluding the material on the practice MCATs. Do not use those until the final month. I'll try to give you a typical layout for the content review stage.

When I talk about reviewing refer to my previous post: I spend about 2-3x longer to review my practice problems than it takes to do the practice problems. While analyzing, these are some of the questions I ask:

1. What technique did I use? Why did it work/not work? How can I improve it?
2. Was I under any time pressure?
3. Why did I get this question wrong/right? Was it content?
4. What was the author thinking when he/she made this problem? How were they trying to trip me up?
5. Is there any type of problem I miss more frequently?
6. Why do I miss that type?
7. Were there any choices I should have eliminated right away?
8. Did the passage confuse me and if so, why?

Rough schedule for the content review months (first month and half - two months:
Starting on Sunday, quickly read over all the chapters you're scheduled to read for the week. Next, put all the MCAT topics onto separate pieces of paper. Put the all the BS topics and PS topics into spearate hats. On Monday, the real studying finally beings. Read the chapter or chapters scheduled for that day. Do any of the problems in that chapter and thoroughly review them. Do the EK lecture exam and review. MAKE SURE TO DO ALL PRACTICE PROBLEMS UNDER TIMED CONDITIONS. Do your daily verbal passages and review them the next day. After you're done with those practice problems, do even more practice problems and review them. Although you want to do as many practice problems as possible, don't run out of material. It may help you schedule out your practice problems as well. Keep this going for the follow days. On Sat, reread all your content review chapters and do more practice problems. Lastly, on Sun, again read over all the chapters you're scheduled to read for the week and do more practice problems.

Final month and half - month:
Now that content review is done, time to do all those practice MCATs. I suggest spacing out the tests so you have on either every other day or once every three days.

On days that you take a practice MCAT: Just do the practice test and use those BS and PS hats. To use the hats, pull out three topics and try to connect them all together. Next, make up in your head what a passage would look like and what kinds of questions you'd see. Lastly, if you feel shaky on one of the topics or you can't connect them, review the topics again in your content review books.

On off days: THOROUGHLY review your MCAT. Any question you miss, review the content and do more practice problems to re-enforce that topic. Do some more hat practice and additional practice problems.

Hope that helps. If you have some questions about the schedule, post them here.

 

[wizenedone]

wow! Thanks for that post! Thanks for taking the time out. It really helps me out and gives a nice idea. Do you recommend doing a diagnostic BEFORE doing content review? Personally, I don't like to do that because I feel I would be wasting a practice test since none of the material is "fresh" in my mind. What do you think about that?

 

[SN2ed]

No I don't suggest taking a diag. In my opinion, it is a complete waste of time and resources. If you want to get a gauge on how you're doing, take a test after you're about half way done with your content review.

I made a post a while ago describing in detail why I don't like diags, but I can't find it.

Basically it comes down to this: Most will do very bad on a diag. This isn't very surprising because how do you think you'd if you took the MCAT without studying? It tells you what you already know, you have to study. It's not a good read on your weak points either.