Khan Academy or Chad for MCAT Organic?

[believe <3]

Which one was the most helpful for the new MCAT? I'm weak in organic and I can't decide if I should be watching Chad's videos to learn everything or if Khan will be enough…

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[bararaboi]

I took the old MCAT and used Chad's materials extensively. I thought they were much better than the ones found on Khan Academy, but I couldn't tell you whether they would be helpful for the new MCAT.

 

[flapjack3d]

enough…

There's you're problem

 

[raiderette]

Khan has improved a lot because of the new MCAT, but Chad os gpod
I would start with the free content first.

 

[ProspectiveKidd]

There's you're problem

Because he's wondering if a free source is sufficient? =/

 

[House D.O.]

Chad is much more concise.

 

[asdf123g]

I thought Chad was overrated. His Chem/orgo vids are much better than his physics and bio stuff. Those were a waste of time imo.

 

[zaztong]

All I did were Berkeley Review's OChem material and AAMC practice tests. 99 percentile for both physical/biological sciences (old MCAT) sections in 3 weeks study to swear by.

 

[asdf123g]

All I did were Berkeley Review's OChem material and AAMC practice tests. 99 percentile for both physical/biological sciences (old MCAT) sections in 3 weeks study to swear by.

you must be a genius then...

 

[zaztong]

I'm really not even a genius by any means. My IQ is above average. There was some luck involved on top of the intense studying. I just highly recommend Berkeley Review.

 

[asdf123g]

I'm really not even a genius by any means. My IQ is above average. There was some luck involved on top of the intense studying. I just highly recommend Berkeley Review.

I dont see how you couldve read all of thbe BR books (orgo, bio, phys, gchem) in 3 weeks and scored 99th on both sections. Thats inhuman.

 

[zaztong]

I didn't really "read" the material. I only skimmed the material for a minute per page or so, just did the practice timed (about 30 seconds or less per question) and reviewed missed questions for 16 hours a day in 3 weeks, with a healthy dose of 50 mg of anhydrous caffeine every 3 hours (besides the last 5 hours of the day for sleep)

The actual MCAT was easier than TBR.

 

[asdf123g]

I didn't really "read" the material. I only skimmed the material for a minute per page or so, just did the practice timed (about 30 seconds or less per question) and reviewed missed questions for 16 hours a day in 3 weeks, with a healthy dose of 50 mg of anhydrous caffeine every 3 hours (besides the last 5 hours of the day for sleep)

The actual MCAT was easier than TBR.

how did you possibly retain ANY information going that fast?

 

[zaztong]

I have studied almost all of it before in college freshman courses. To be fair, I also aced all those classes by working my butt off on any MCAT-relevant science courses.

It's not a matter of retention, more like a reminder of what I've latently retained before.

 

[BurghMed]

Chad if money not a problem. hands down

 

[asdf123g]

I have studied almost all of it before in college freshman courses. To be fair, I also aced all those classes by working my butt off on any MCAT-relevant science courses.

It's not a matter of retention, more like a reminder of what I've latently retained before.

it has to be more than that. Most people with +3.5 GPA and or applying MD studied their asses off. I studied religiously for orgo for example, yet it didnt come back easy when studying for the MCAT. Back then I knew everything about orgo like the back of my hand.

 

[zaztong]

How hard were your courses? Also, how many times did you repeat exposure? My major was Biochemistry (I took it to satisfy all the pre-reqs & save some money in college tuition) - my classes weren't easy either and were mostly multiple choice style, and basically all my upper division classes were a revision of all the fundamentals learned in MCAT relevant lower-division classes, especially Genetics, Systems Physiology and Biochemistry 1&2 made a huge difference. GPA is hard to use as a measure since classes aren't standardized.

Really there is nothing secret to scoring high - practice and repetition. Asian parents teach their children that early on. Why else would you think we score so high on average? Creative pursuits require a different approach though.

 

[Doudline]

I dont see how you couldve read all of thbe BR books (orgo, bio, phys, gchem) in 3 weeks and scored 99th on both sections. Thats inhuman.

One of the first things one should learn on SDN is to discard ridiculous declarations when one sees them.
Especially from someone with 15 posts.

 

[bearintraining]

Which one was the most helpful for the new MCAT? I'm weak in organic and I can't decide if I should be watching Chad's videos to learn everything or if Khan will be enough…

I thought EK was right on the money.

One thing that helped me tremendously is to remember that if you don't recognize something on the MCAT, then you're likely thinking too hard about it. The mechanism may be complex, but find the stuff you recognize (in the passage, in the molecule, etc.) - therein lies the answer(s).

 

[zaztong]

One of the first things one should learn on SDN is to discard ridiculous declarations when one sees them.
Especially from someone with 15 posts.

I'd happily verify it worked for me if you're in Austin, Texas or happen to visit sometime. You may PM me for contact information. I have my roommate as a testament to my success, timestamps of me completing my MCAT study plan, my med school acceptance letters, documentation of my classes and grades on my transcript, and my MCAT scores on AAMC. You're free to take it with a grain of salt if you can't come over - but I stand by my word as it is my bond. Don't be a hater and call anything out of the ordinary ridiculous.

 

[Doudline]

I'd happily verify it worked for me if you're in Austin, Texas or happen to visit sometime. You may PM me for contact information. I have my roommate as a testament to my success, timestamps of me completing my MCAT study plan, my med school acceptance letters, documentation of my classes and grades on my transcript, and my MCAT scores on AAMC. You're free to take it with a grain of salt if you can't come over - but I stand by my word as it is my bond. Don't be a hater and call anything out of the ordinary ridiculous.

 

[asdf123g]

How hard were your courses? Also, how many times did you repeat exposure? My major was Biochemistry (I took it to satisfy all the pre-reqs & save some money in college tuition) - my classes weren't easy either and were mostly multiple choice style, and basically all my upper division classes were a revision of all the fundamentals learned in MCAT relevant lower-division classes, especially Genetics, Systems Physiology and Biochemistry 1&2 made a huge difference. GPA is hard to use as a measure since classes aren't standardized.

Really there is nothing secret to scoring high - practice and repetition. Asian parents teach their children that early on. Why else would you think we score so high on average? Creative pursuits require a different approach though.

I studied 10 hrs a day for several MONTHS did thousands of MCAT style questions and didnt score nearly that well. I just dont see how its possible with how little you studied.

One of the first things one should learn on SDN is to discard ridiculous declarations when one sees them.
Especially from someone with 15 posts.

Sure, I dont see why he would troll me. Hes been nice enough to respond to my questions, thatd be some next level trolling

 

[LuluLovesMe]

I dont see how you couldve read all of thbe BR books (orgo, bio, phys, gchem) in 3 weeks and scored 99th on both sections. Thats inhuman.

This is exactly what I did. It's doable.

 

[asdf123g]

This is exactly what I did. It's doable.

how did you memorize all of the minutia?

 

[LuluLovesMe]

how did you memorize all of the minutia?

I didn't because you don't need to know the minutia to get 99th percentile on the test. Memorize high yield info. Most other stuff you need to get the correct answer is given to you.

Why use a more detailed review book like BR then? You need the details to get a solid understanding of the big picture. If you use Kaplan which only gives you the high yield info, then you won't make the connections you need to score well on the MCAT. You don't want to be just memorizing high yield stuff.

 

[Chimichica]

For the guy who did it in 3 weeks great job! For the other person questioning the hell out of him...get over it already. Look I can train hardcore all my life in a sport and never be the best or even close. This test is about few things and covering/memorizing material is the least helpful thing you could do. We are all individuals here, so take personal capability as a big player. Each person can study all day but how each person's own capabilities effect each aspect of studying, material retention, strategic analysis of questions, and physiolocal coping of stress and anxiety in taking timed tests all make a huge difference. Timmy may be super laid back with zero test anxiety, have a photographic memory and have also busted his ass studying and be a lucky SOB. Which in 3 weeks got him 99th percentile. But you could literally follow his lead and score 30th. Some people individual characteristics allow for them to get ahead. (See Darwin's theory of natural selection on google). Just do your best and keep fighting. If you want it bad enough you won't give up until you have literally tried until you can't try anymore (see AAMC's 7 time try cap). Good luck to ya 🙂

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[zaztong]

For the guy who did it in 3 weeks great job! For the other person questioning the hell out of him...get over it already. Look I can train hardcore all my life in a sport and never be the best or even close. This test is about few things and covering/memorizing material is the least helpful thing you could do. We are all individuals here, so take personal capability as a big player. Each person can study all day but how each person's own capabilities effect each aspect of studying, material retention, strategic analysis of questions, and physiolocal coping of stress and anxiety in taking timed tests all make a huge difference. Timmy may be super laid back with zero test anxiety, have a photographic memory and have also busted his ass studying and be a lucky SOB. Which in 3 weeks got him 99th percentile. But you could literally follow his lead and score 30th. Some people individual characteristics allow for them to get ahead. (See Darwin's theory of natural selection on google). Just do your best and keep fighting. If you want it bad enough you won't give up until you have literally tried until you can't try anymore (see AAMC's 7 time try cap). Good luck to ya 🙂

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

Thank you, totally agree with Chimichica - asdf123g, if you follow exactly how I study it may not work for you, individually. There are many learning methods, you should seriously look to optimize your own, considering medicine is a career where you continually learn even after medical school and during physician practice. Some people do better by reading, some hands-on, some listening, etc...i.e. EK's Audio Osmosis CDs or some podcasts might work for you if you're a listening type of learner.

That being said, TBR is definitely a practice set I highly recommend since they have a level of prep that is just beyond the minimum enough required for MCAT with enough similar MC traps and tricks. I strongly believe that's how I scored high just like how you train with at least twice the distance of the actual marathon. Also anecdotally, others have replicated my success, with varying mileage.

Also, as I mentioned before, there was definitely some luck involved to get almost all the questions right on those 2 sections. I do not have photographic memory (I wish!) and I did not memorize the minutia. I'm not a genius in terms of IQ - seriously, just above average - I don't qualify for MENSA.

 

[asdf123g]

Thank you, totally agree with Chimichica - asdf123g, if you follow exactly how I study it may not work for you, individually. There are many learning methods, you should seriously look to optimize your own, considering medicine is a career where you continually learn even after medical school and during physician practice. Some people do better by reading, some hands-on, some listening, etc...i.e. EK's Audio Osmosis CDs or some podcasts might work for you if you're a listening type of learner.

That being said, TBR is definitely a practice set I highly recommend since they have a level of prep that is just beyond the minimum enough required for MCAT with enough similar MC traps and tricks. I strongly believe that's how I scored high just like how you train with at least twice the distance of the actual marathon. Also anecdotally, others have replicated my success, with varying mileage.

Also, as I mentioned before, there was definitely some luck involved to get almost all the questions right on those 2 sections. I do not have photographic memory (I wish!) and I did not memorize the minutia. I'm not a genius in terms of IQ - seriously, just above average - I don't qualify for MENSA.

I dont know how its possible to pull something like that off? You didnt think it was unwise to only dedicate 3 weeks until your scheduled exam?

Do you consider yourself a strong reader? @LuluLovesMe same question for you..are you a strong reader??

 

[LuluLovesMe]

I dont know how its possible to pull something like that off? You didnt think it was unwise to only dedicate 3 weeks until your scheduled exam?

Do you consider yourself a strong reader? @LuluLovesMe same question for you..are you a strong reader??

I'm not a strong reader and I seldom read books at all! I was averaging 10-12 on the verbal section and scored an 11 on the actual exam. My science sections made up for it.

 

[efle]

+1 more vote for Berkeley Review, extremely high quality. Also hit top percentile in every section. Didn't do it in three weeks though, that's crazy! More like part time over eight weeks. I also think the best way to prep is to learn everything well during the courses though - as the name implies it's meant to be review!

 

[believe <3]

Thanks for the advice guys! TBR is so so dense to read, that I don't think I'll have time to go through it 🙁 SO, here's what I'm planning to do:

1. Read through both 2nd language books & do all Q's
2. Skim through TPR text & do Q's
3. Do every third EK 1001 Q's
4. Do random passages from TBR & TPR SWB (as many as possible before test day) - will probably just use TBR to practice, since it's apparently very good!
5. Watch Khan videos for weak areas

Will this be sufficient to score well (515+) on the new test?

 

[efle]

Thanks for the advice guys! TBR is so so dense to read, that I don't think I'll have time to go through it 🙁 SO, here's what I'm planning to do:

1. Read through both 2nd language books & do all Q's
2. Skim through TPR text & do Q's
3. Do every third EK 1001 Q's
4. Do random passages from TBR & TPR SWB (as many as possible before test day) - will probably just use TBR to practice, since it's apparently very good!
5. Watch Khan videos for weak areas

Will this be sufficient to score well (515+) on the new test?

How much time are you working with?

There's nothing that can guarantee a good score! But take a practice exam after you're mostly done studying to get an idea

 

[asdf123g]

I'm not a strong reader and I seldom read books at all! I was averaging 10-12 on the verbal section and scored an 11 on the actual exam. My science sections made up for it.

+1 more vote for Berkeley Review, extremely high quality. Also hit top percentile in every section. Didn't do it in three weeks though, that's crazy! More like part time over eight weeks. I also think the best way to prep is to learn everything well during the courses though - as the name implies it's meant to be review!

Idk how you guys did that. I studied 4.5 months FULL TIME day in and day out and scored high 20's. I took maybe 7-14 days off cumulatively for break.

@luluLoves me Reading is something I'm awful at....I cant remember what I read and cant conentrate when I read. VR was my weakest section. The fact the whole test was reading based murdered me. Im hoping Steps are different (probably not).

 

[zaztong]

Idk how you guys did that. I studied 4.5 months FULL TIME day in and day out and scored high 20's. I took maybe 7-14 days off cumulatively for break.

@luluLoves me Reading is something I'm awful at....I cant remember what I read and cant conentrate when I read. VR was my weakest section. The fact the whole test was reading based murdered me. Im hoping Steps are different (probably not).

I'm not a strong reader. My SAT Reading was 700. But don't tell yourself you're awful. It's simply a skill that can be honed with enough practice. If you have severe concentration problems, seek ADHD screening and meet your new friends Addy & Ritz.

To focus for long periods of time, I personally take anhydrous caffeine. Although I've never taken it - my MS1-2 friends who can't get ADHD meds swear by it - you may want to look into low doses of OTC ephedrine HCl 15mg/caffeine 150mg combinations. It's totally legal but at your own risk (disclaimer: this doesn't constitute any medical advice or recommendation to take it), the FDA un-banned its usage and there are new safety studies, just don't OD - I'm not responsible for anything that happens, even though the risk is quite low according to safety studies on over 200,000 people: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2565736/

Legal amphetamine precursors give quite the synergistic kick on focus/concentration with caffeine and an extra plus - it supposedly burns fat while retaining muscle mass even while sitting down.

 

[JustAPhD]

I didn't really "read" the material. I only skimmed the material for a minute per page or so, just did the practice timed (about 30 seconds or less per question) and reviewed missed questions for 16 hours a day in 3 weeks, with a healthy dose of 50 mg of anhydrous caffeine every 3 hours (besides the last 5 hours of the day for sleep)

The actual MCAT was easier than TBR.

How I imagined this:

 

[zaztong]

How I imagined this:

Haha NZT-48, man that movie was funny. That wasn't what happened, although I've heard that happens with microdosing LSD or modafinil. I'm going to stick with legal nootropics with a long-standing safety profile though. If someone offered me an experimental drug in real life, I wouldn't take it.