Khan Academy videos over reading?

[medschool342]

I'm struggling to get through the readings in the review books (ExamKrackers) since it's boring. Also I find I do not learn as well from just reading and do better if it is taught outloud in a lecture. I know Khan Academy offers MCAT review videos and was wondering if just watching those and supplementing with the books if I don't understand the material would be just as effective as the readings.
Does Khan academy cover enough important info that is on the exam?
My MCAT date is June 1st so I'd like to get back on track with content review asap. So far I have finished EK Chem book, and most of the physics book, and am currently taking physiology as a class.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Deleted member 750603]

Some people learn better via reading, some via watching, some via listening.

See what works for you. If you are doing videos take notes and rehearse them otherwise you'll forget the content.

Besides that do practice exams that will be your friend in getting a good score.

 

[MCAT Self Prep]

If you are more of a visual/auditory learner, then I would highly recommend the Khan Academy videos as they were produced in partnership with the AAMC. Many high-scoring students have given them high praise.

And yes, supplementing with books as needed is a great approach. The more resources that you can cross-reference, the better.

I'd recommend making flashcards as you watch the videos as opposed to simply making notes on a notepad. Flashcards are great because they allow for quick review in a way that causes you to be actively engaged with the review process.

Best of luck studying!

 

[NextStepTutor_1]

Hi @medschool342 -

There's absolutely nothing wrong w/ using KA videos first and books to supplement instead of vice-versa. There are a few things worth keeping in mind, though. One is that precisely because of the KA & AAMC partnership, the KA videos are organized according to the AAMC Foundational Concepts rather than the traditional textbook divisions of Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, and Psychology/Sociology. So the structure of your content review plan might not look quite the same depending on how you set it up. Since you've already worked through some books, another possibility is to keep a book-based structure but just watch the videos that correspond to the content of each chapter.

Also, as other posters mentioned, the biggest pitfall w/ video-based review is the tendency for it to get too passive, so you'll want to make sure you're taking steps to engage actively w/ the content. In addition to others' suggestions, one technique I like is to write down at least one question per video in addition to any notes that you may be taking.

Best of luck as you study!!

 

[aldol16]

Khan Academy even by itself is a comprehensive MCAT studying resource. No need to buy any books if you can learn effectively from Khan Academy. Most of what goes into your score is getting good practice in anyway.

 

[confusedcanstu]

I'm considering switching to mostly KA videos and then referencing to the books. I like how they organize their videos based on the foundational concepts. Did you end up sticking to KA videos/how has it been?

 

[PlsLetMeIn21]

Wow, these comments go completely against what my premed advisor says. The only thing she says that correlates to doing well is doing passages. Whether you read a book or watch a video, you are not stretching your mind the way a practice question does. I like Khan videos here and there, but scrapped the idea of using videos instead of books early on.