I hate and suck at PS

[Againstalloddz]

I royally suck at the PS section here are my problems, what should I do considering I take my MCAT September 10th?

1. I rarely understand what is going on in the crazy abstract experimental passages
2. I typically know how to answer many of the questions but simply do not have enough time.
3. I am incorrect extremely frequently, not just when I do not know how to do something, but even when I have a coherent and seemingly intelligible thought process and idea of how to tackle a problem.

Averaging about 7-8 on AAMC and scoring between 8-10 on kaplans FL for PS section

I did well in physics 1 and 2 as well as chemistry...however many of my professors primarily stressed rote memorization as opposed to conceptual comprehension. What do I do???

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Contrarian]

do you have to take it in September? Sounds like you might benefit from some additional practice. What practice material have you been using thus far?

 

[Againstalloddz]

1. exam krackers text
2. Kaplan stuff including Q-bank, section tests and the accompanied books
3. princeton review
4. exam krackers audio osmosis

 

[brianmed]

It sound like you already identified your key problem. Make sure you understand your concepts not just memorize them! Alway ask yourself why something is happening when you study not what is happening. This is key to PS.

Furthermore if youre having trouble working alone then try working with other people to learn together.

 

[Againstalloddz]

thanks for the advice

 

[dragon529]

TBR is an extremely great source for PS. You should review with that if you have time.

 

[Amadelphous]

I was in the same boat!

But I studied PS so much that by my test I was excited to destroy that section. This is the one section where I think studying/understanding and practice (seeing as many problems as possible) can really help.

Bio is a lot of memorization but PS is very conceptual. Get the basic concepts and the won't be able to throw many curve balls at you.

Good luck! The resources listed above are all excellent. Just don't get discouraged.

 

[Captain Jack]

I think having a study partner or tutor or the like would be beneficial. I myself have trouble grabbing concepts and understanding them well alone, but if someone explains it to me and I can talk it out with them, I am able to get a grip on what I need to know

 

[pandoraaj009]

TBR is an extremely great source for PS. You should review with that if you have time.

Yes! I was in the exact same boat and TBR saved me. Even if you have a matter of weeks, berkely review books will definitely boost your score. It's like "free" points on the test lol.

 

[Againstalloddz]

thanks for the encouraging posts! I study with a friend but she's struggling about the same as me. I was scanning through my physics text last night and I knew almost everything in there as far as equations and a lot of the concepts, I struggle the most with applying many of these concepts.

Maybe I am getting too intimidated by the complex passages, even though it seems quite often the main point and ideas are relatively simple but hidden behind a smoke screen.

A big issue is timing, sometimes I'm a bit slower with numbers then I'd like to be, I'm sure the more I practice the better I'll get.

Hopefully I have enough time to turn it around...sept 10th is right around the corner!!!!

 

[ChemEngSoonMD]

thanks for the encouraging posts! I study with a friend but she's struggling about the same as me.

That means its time for a break and do something else

 

[Hemichordate]

That means its time for a break and do something else

Something else more fun

 

[snipermonkey]

dont stress yourself out.
just be happy

my test is 2 days away.

well,

all i can give you is do a thorough content review
and then
do passages
over and over (same ones if you are out of questions)

 

[Amadelphous]

Also this may be controversial to say....but my score jumped a few points after I thoroughly reviewed AND basically stopped reading PS passages. I found they were there mostly to confuse you and I did better reading the questions and referring to the passage when needed instead of wasting tons of time deciphering the complex passages.

 

[brianmed]

yes of course I spend little time learning th epassage inside and out its all about gettin the quesitons right! good luck!

 

[Againstalloddz]

took aamc 3 today...the 10th full length since I started studying months ago.

results were horrendous again.

PS: 7
VR: 10
BS: 9

i'm ****ed.

 

[wait4me]

do you have the formulas memorized?? my score improved a lot after i did that! hahah....just apply a formula to each problem

 

[tutankh]

I royally suck at the PS section here are my problems, what should I do considering I take my MCAT September 10th?

1. I rarely understand what is going on in the crazy abstract experimental passages
2. I typically know how to answer many of the questions but simply do not have enough time.
3. I am incorrect extremely frequently, not just when I do not know how to do something, but even when I have a coherent and seemingly intelligible thought process and idea of how to tackle a problem.

Averaging about 7-8 on AAMC and scoring between 8-10 on kaplans FL for PS section

I did well in physics 1 and 2 as well as chemistry...however many of my professors primarily stressed rote memorization as opposed to conceptual comprehension. What do I do???

If you do not seem to understand what the passage is about, then do not waste your time on it. Go straight to the questions, and like most other MCAT science passages, you will be surprised how many questions you can answer without even looking at the passage, or by just looking at the passage to "fish" for some numbers, like in PS for example when a question asks for the frequency. By looking at the passage you fish for wave speed or wavelength. Or looking at a table to answer 1 or 2 questions easily. Do not let a complicated passage scares you. The questions are always about very basic facts that you already know. It's really that simple. And remember the old advice, if you are doing a lot of complex calculations, then you are doing somthing wrong.

*Go back to the exams you have already taken, and try to do them again. Just do the PS sections. Do a couple untimed to get a feel for what the questions are all about and to develope some strategies, then take the rest under timed conditions.

*Speed will come with practice, so do not sweat it.

Try this with a few passages from AAMC exams!

 

[bipolarbear]

Also this may be controversial to say....but my score jumped a few points after I thoroughly reviewed AND basically stopped reading PS passages. I found they were there mostly to confuse you and I did better reading the questions and referring to the passage when needed instead of wasting tons of time deciphering the complex passages.

i agree. look over the pictures/graphs/results quickly and just tackle the questions. you'll save time. go back as you need to for formula or specific info.

the harder questions that require calculations can often be solved just using dimensions analysis. solve for the correct unit!

try NOVA physics..

 

[Againstalloddz]

something weird is going on...yesterday I got a ****ty 26 with a 7 on PS on aamc 3.

today I take kaplan 9 and got a 36...with a 12 in physical...10 point increase in one day? That must've been some real good cereal I had this morning...mmm honey bunches of oats

 

[pastryman]

Something else more fun

what can be more fun than studying for the mcat, guys?

 

[Amadelphous]

something weird is going on...yesterday I got a ****ty 26 with a 7 on PS on aamc 3.

today I take kaplan 9 and got a 36...with a 12 in physical...10 point increase in one day? That must've been some real good cereal I had this morning...mmm honey bunches of oats

lol I hate to be Debbie Downer...but the AAMC tests are more realistic so you definitely want to aim to get your higher scores on those tests. Kaplan is notorious for not always being so accurate.

 

[IAmGettingThere]

lol I hate to be Debbie Downer...but the AAMC tests are more realistic so you definitely want to aim to get your higher scores on those tests. Kaplan is notorious for not always being so accurate.

lol that was a Debbie Downer statement. Kaplan is also notorious for being quite a bit more challenging than the AAMC tests. And i've been hearing that AAMC tests are actually easier than the official MCAT's being administered lately.

 

[Againstalloddz]

i think my difficulty with aamc is that you can really only miss a few to get a good score. while kaplans curve allows me to skip ones I don't know and focus more on ones I can get right. With AAMC I can't really skip anything so it messes my timing up.

 

[Food]

I don't like the idea of going straight to questions. You guys may not realize it, but the passage is hugely helpful.

The only reason you are doing badly in PS is because you can't separate essential information from the crap in the passages. In fact, that's really your only problem. You need to be EXTREMELY solid on your physics and chem fundamentals - you can't expect everything to look exactly the way you learned it. Rely on your fundamentals - don't be afraid to make guesses when you deal with information. If you read something and it doesn't make 100% sense, don't get bogged down, keep going. This way you don't waste time, but if there was something essential, you didn't miss it. It's a tough game, believe me. But I do not hesitate to say that I got lucky with my score : I only learned to become a good guesser.

 

[Food]

lol that was a Debbie Downer statement. Kaplan is also notorious for being quite a bit more challenging than the AAMC tests. And i've been hearing that AAMC tests are actually easier than the official MCAT's being administered lately.

You are correct. Both of the MCAT exams I took (2007 and 2008) were definitely harder than every single AAMC 1 - 10. That is no exaggeration - in fact 2008 was nearly as hard as a Kaplan.

 

[Againstalloddz]

thanks for the good advice food,

I think I'm improving at extracting the important info from the passage. The passage is riddled with bs you just gotta find whats key. For the last month and a half, I have been doing 8 hours a day 6 days a week studying which has really solidified my fundamentals. The last kaplan full length was definitely nice because it gave me a little confidence, now I just need to transfer that to the AAMC's.

The last week or so I have really been focusing on thinking under pressure, by giving myself less time for passages. Its something that definitely comes with practice but I am seeing improvement. I used to get very rattled and flustered but now I'm working a bit better under pressure.

I don't have much time, but I do feel I can pull this one out in time!!!

 

[Food]

thanks for the good advice food,

I think I'm improving at extracting the important info from the passage. The passage is riddled with bs you just gotta find whats key. For the last month and a half, I have been doing 8 hours a day 6 days a week studying which has really solidified my fundamentals. The last kaplan full length was definitely nice because it gave me a little confidence, now I just need to transfer that to the AAMC's.

The last week or so I have really been focusing on thinking under pressure, by giving myself less time for passages. Its something that definitely comes with practice but I am seeing improvement. I used to get very rattled and flustered but now I'm working a bit better under pressure.

I don't have much time, but I do feel I can pull this one out in time!!!

Congrats. It sounds like you are doing everything possible to do well. I'm glad you are improving, although it is expected! With solid fundamentals, and the ability to work under pressure, you are totally equipped to do well. Just have confidence in your own ability and believe that you can do well. Once you get over the whole psychology of the test, it becomes a lot easier!

 

[Againstalloddz]

just took aamc 9, got a 30 and an 11 in PS. My lowest score was bio...weird.

maybe I dont hate and suck at PS afterall!!!

 

[Food]

just took aamc 9, got a 30 and an 11 in PS. My lowest score was bio...weird.

maybe I dont hate and suck at PS afterall!!!

It happens. You can surprise yourself on occassion.

 

[Againstalloddz]

Since everyone was really helpful I thought I'd post a follow up.

I ended up getting an 11 on the PS section. Thanks again for all the support!

 

[Food]

Since everyone was really helpful I thought I'd post a follow up.

I ended up getting an 11 on the PS section. Thanks again for all the support!

congrats and good job!

 

[IH8ColdWeath3r]

nice work