Is it just me??

[docmira]

Hey guys,

i have a problem..
i'm studying for the august mcat and I just don't get it.
I'm taking kaplan and I do the review notes and understand them and the lesson. But, when it comes to passages I just don't get it! I'm referring specifically to the Physical Sciences section.
What is the best way to improve on this?
I know practice is the most obvious, but is there anything else??
I have to read the paragraphs like 5 times till i make sense of them...
No, i'm not a slow reader ..

i'm really scared about the real test.
It's not too far away and I feel so completely unprepared

Help me..please..

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[missbonnie]

Hey-

First..calm down..you have PLENTY o' time to study before the real deal. I started with a 7 in physical on aamc 3 about 10 weeks before the mcat, ended up with a 12 on the real thing. Physical was definately my weak spot. Practicing passages is not an effective way to study if you don't have the basic science down ..or you will do what you are doing..re-reading, trying to figure out what it's asking...start drillingonthe basics first.

The examkrackers physics book is really good..you're talking to a person who knew almost nada about physics and dreaded it. I ended up not only with a great score but came away with actually LIKING physics afterwards. The 1001 physics book was also indispensible for me as well. They also have it for chem. PM me if you have any other questions.

 

[laviddee]

i had the examkrackers 1001 questions- for all the subjects-- and yeah i did use it for the troubled topic areas that i had- but all in all, i think it was too nit pick-- like they had to come up with 1001 questions- so they made all these tough questions that would totally be explained in a passage anyways!
So i thought it distracted me really- got me discouraged and took me away from studying probably more important things.

what really helped me out was NOVA's MCAT physics book- i think the author is Biehle. I ended up with a 13 in physics and i credit this book for that. I mean the whole book is topic based- covering the lessons first and then TONS of passage based practice questions. check it out. If you read the reviews on amazon- this other girl claimed that that book alone rose her score from a 9 to a 12.

I also liked Peterson's Verbal practice book. got me a 12 in verbal.

for bio - i just used the normal kaplan books.
i also did get the audio osmosis from examkrackers and i'm sure it helped as it's just antoher way to get stuff into your head.. but i'd only recommend it if you do drive alot- or have time to listen to it. I couldn't listen to it on its own. but use it as a supplement to reading material, not as a replacement.
good luck to ya

 

[boo_yah]

Docmira-

The Kaplan Physical Science sections are very hard (the ones in the Kaplan practice tests.), you will not see anything close to that difficulty level on the real MCAT. Just make sure you understand the BASIC CONCEPTS and that you are reading carefully and you'll be fine.
I never scored above an 11 on the PS sections of the Kaplan tests, but I got a 14 on the PS of the real deal.
Hang in there. You can do it. Kaplan is good, just do lots of practice sections and tests.
Good luck.

 

[DrMom]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by docmira:
[QB]
I have to read the paragraphs like 5 times till i make sense of them...
QB]••••Don't put too much emphasis on making sense of the passages before you get to the questions...a lot of the time you can answer the questions with outside information or by looking at a chart/graph. Re-reading takes up way too much of your time...even if you are a fast reader.

 

[njdesi]

Hey. I just took the April 2002 MCAT, and sadly
I went up in everything except PS. I took Kaplan and practically lived there from January until right before the April MCAT. I started out with 5s in every section on diag 1. On the real deal?
9BS, 8VR, WS-"Q", but a <img border="0" alt="[Wowie]" title="" src="graemlins/wowie.gif" /> 6 PS! All though Kaplan physical sciences review and tests was very hard, it worked against me because I just couldnt process the material. And it shows in my PS score. I am now looking into EXAMKRACKERS very strongly for the August MCAT!