May 2014 MCATers United

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

TheAnonymous

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
All 2014 MCATers, please unite!

Regardless of when in May you are planning to take the MCAT, let's all join this thread to keep each other informed about our progress, motivate each other, share FL scores, and to answer each other's questions.
 
Whew, anon you certainly are moving along. You go back to do problems instead of doing them immediately after, right? Might explaining your reasoning?

I read through TBR Physics chp. 7 today and did the 25 practice problems. 18/25. I have not go over explanations yet as I need to get ready for work. Will probably do that at work during a break. Plan to relisten to fluids, solid, and waves on EK AO again, and start in on the next section. Tomorrow's goals are the 52 problems in TBR PYS CHP 7, review the 25, and review CHP 6 for refresher.
 
Just finished TBR Physics chapter 4 ! Let's see if I can do chapter 5 too :heckyeah:
Omgosh. Seems like just yesterday you said you are starting physics. oh wait it might have actually been yest lol. I'm too lazy to look but wow good job. I'm going to give chp 1 a go today! I hope i understand it better than i did last time.
Yeah good job! I'm about a third of the way through ch 2 of my gen chem. if I finish this chapter before work is over may go ahead and do another. What are you doing for your verbal stuff?

Also... I totally had a dream yesterday that I got into med school. It was kind of funny because I kind of got to experience the joy of getting in through my dream..... And then there was the disappointment of waking up and realizing it was just a dream
Aw Hopefully it will happen. I had dreams like that all the time. So frustrating but then again it's a motivation.
 
Anonymous,

What are you using to study Biology?

I'm loving Chad's videos for Physics and Chem/OChem.

I'm hoping for a realistic 12PS, 10VR, 10BS.

I haven't started Bio, but I will most likely use TPR


Whew, anon you certainly are moving along. You go back to do problems instead of doing them immediately after, right? Might explaining your reasoning?

I read through TBR Physics chp. 7 today and did the 25 practice problems. 18/25. I have not go over explanations yet as I need to get ready for work. Will probably do that at work during a break. Plan to relisten to fluids, solid, and waves on EK AO again, and start in on the next section. Tomorrow's goals are the 52 problems in TBR PYS CHP 7, review the 25, and review CHP 6 for refresher.


Yes, so today I'm just reading chapter 3,4 and 5. Tomorrow, I will go back, review chapters 1-5, take some notes (very minimal), then do all those 125 discrete questions at the end of these 5 chapters (25 x 5). I will probably get my ass kicked by those questions but that's fine, I will do all 125, see how I'm doing, mark the ones I get wrong, take notes.

I won't be able study at all on Wednesday and Thursday. If I was ok with chapters 1-5, I might just start chapter 6 on Friday. If not, might spend an extra 1-2 days to do some EK1001s on those topics.

I won't touch any of those passages, yet.

Omgosh. Seems like just yesterday you said you are starting physics. oh wait it might have actually been yest lol. I'm too lazy to look but wow good job. I'm going to give chp 1 a go today! I hope i understand it better than i did last time.

Aw Hopefully it will happen. I had dreams like that all the time. So frustrating but then again it's a motivation.

lol I just read 5 chapters in 3 days - no practice questions.

TBR Physics I is much easier than Physics II book, so that will slow me down big time.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Just posted in 5/17 group but thought I'd join this too...

Hi guys, another retaker here. I think this time around will be much better for me since I'll have a solid month and a half out of school, and I have a much more determined/positive mindset. I definitely plan on taking way more full lengths and slaughtering PS this time around.

Any non-traditional peeps have advice for relearning basic science material you took awhile ago? I'm now 5yrs out of Gchem, Physics, and OChem...

I am planning to take it May 8th in Houston! Any fellow Texan test takers ?
Me! Not a TX resident anymore, but I want to go back for med school and I'm taking the 5/17 MCAT in Houston.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
y = Viy + 1/2*a* t^2 where Viy = 0

so... 22 = 1/2 (10) t^2

t ~=2

range = Vix*t
22 = Vix * 2 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< why did you use 22 instead of 35?
so approx 11, right? <<<< not quite, but i guess on the mcat you can guesstimate....actual answer is what @TheAnonymous said above bw ~17.o. Actual answer is 16.5m/s
 
Actually wait... I just used 22 twice. The first equation uses 22 since it involves only y and we're finding time with it.

dx = vx*t is more appropiate.

35 = Vix*2

so wouldn't Vix =a little bit less than 17.5 be correct? I'm assuming 16.5 is exact but 17.5 should get us to a close enough choice on the MCAT.
 
Actually wait... I just used 22 twice. The first equation uses 22 since it involves only y and we're finding time with it.

dx = vx*t is more appropiate.

35 = Vix*2

so wouldn't Vix =a little bit less than 17.5 be correct? I'm assuming 16.5 is exact but 17.5 should get us to a close enough choice on the MCAT.
yep! so thats why i asked why you used 22 again lol
 
Just posted in 5/17 group but thought I'd join this too...

Hi guys, another retaker here. I think this time around will be much better for me since I'll have a solid month and a half out of school, and I have a much more determined/positive mindset. I definitely plan on taking way more full lengths and slaughtering PS this time around.

Any non-traditional peeps have advice for relearning basic science material you took awhile ago? I'm now 5yrs out of Gchem, Physics, and OChem...


Me! Not a TX resident anymore, but I want to go back for med school and I'm taking the 5/17 MCAT in Houston.

It's been about the same time for me. I recommend chads videos for content review then supplement with TBR if you have it. They seem to be the best books around EK seems to be great if you already have a decent content foundation.
 
Hi Guys,
I am right now trying to organise my MCAT study schedule.
I was thinking starting from february 24th I would watch everyday chad's videos, finishing general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology and physics after 28 days. And during thoses 28 days I would finish The princeton review hyperlearning science workbook and EK101 Verbal. Then starting from march 24th until may 8th I would do full length tests and review them. So what do you guys think?
 
Last edited:
Hi Guys,
I am right now trying to organise my MCAT study schedule.
I was thinking starting from february 24th I would watch everyday chad's videos, finishing general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology and physics after 28 days. And during thoses 28 days I would finish The princeton review hyperlearning science workbook and EK101 Verbal. Then starting from march 24th until may 8th I would do full length tests and review them. So what do you guys think?
Why not just start now?
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
So just had my first physics 2 exam on light/optics. TBR was sooo much harder than my test, which is good and bad. Good that I did very well and bad that my lecture may not be that challenging to help prepare for the MCAT.

On a side note- I borrowed my 2 TBR books (Gen Chem 2, Physics 2 and have TPR, EK: VR) while I wait for my order comes in from TBR. How long does it take if I go credit card way? and could I fit any more acronyms into this message?
 
Hi Guys,
I am right now trying to organise my MCAT study schedule.
I was thinking starting from february 24th I would watch everyday chad's videos, finishing general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology and physics after 28 days. And during thoses 28 days I would finish The princeton review hyperlearning science workbook and EK101 Verbal. Then starting from march 24th until may 8th I would do full length tests and review them. So what do you guys think?
It just depends on how strong you are with your content, I couldn't do that just because I am not that well versed in PS. If you are then when you start taking the practice tests your scores will go up dramatically the more you practice, if they are stagnant, it may represent knowledge deficits in my opinion.
 
Hi Guys,
I am right now trying to organise my MCAT study schedule.
I was thinking starting from february 24th I would watch everyday chad's videos, finishing general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology and physics after 28 days. And during thoses 28 days I would finish The princeton review hyperlearning science workbook and EK101 Verbal. Then starting from march 24th until may 8th I would do full length tests and review them. So what do you guys think?

the only advice I can give you: always give yourself extra time, there are somedays you get caught up or you don't feel like studying, there are days you want to study but can't and everything takes more than than you expect, so make sure you expect the unexpected

also remember, Chad's is awesome but still incomplete so don't rely on it 100%
 
the only advice I can give you: always give yourself extra time, there are somedays you get caught up or you don't feel like studying, there are days you want to study but can't and everything takes more than than you expect, so make sure you expect the unexpected

also remember, Chad's is awesome but still incomplete so don't rely on it 100%

As somebody who is relying almost solely on Chad for content review in Orgo/Gen Chem/Physics, what does he not cover well enough? I'm skimming over the Content Outline by AAMC and he's doing a great job so far.
 
As somebody who is relying almost solely on Chad for content review in Orgo/Gen Chem/Physics, what does he not cover well enough? I'm skimming over the Content Outline by AAMC and he's doing a great job so far.

I would discourage you from using Chad's as your only resource!

Chad's covers almost all of the topics in the AAMC outline (that's how he made his videos after all) but he doesn't go in depth enough. Unless you have a solid background and only need a "refresher", sure, but don't rely on it.

It's easy, pick a chapter, read TBR and compare it with Chad's.
 
I would discourage you from using Chad's as your only resource!

Chad's covers almost all of the topics in the AAMC outline (that's how he made his videos after all) but he doesn't go in depth enough. Unless you have a solid background and only need a "refresher", sure, but don't rely on it.

It's easy, pick a chapter, read TBR and compare it with Chad's.

Listen to this dude. Sensei has spoken!
 
I would discourage you from using Chad's as your only resource!

Chad's covers almost all of the topics in the AAMC outline (that's how he made his videos after all) but he doesn't go in depth enough. Unless you have a solid background and only need a "refresher", sure, but don't rely on it.

It's easy, pick a chapter, read TBR and compare it with Chad's.

I have TBR and EK books so I'll definitely supplement things I'm weak on. Thanks!
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I agree. I am using Chad's when I don't really feel like studying or can't study for whatever reason. It's seriously not in-depth enough. What is great about Chad's is that if you are also reading TPR or TBR, you get reminded of the salient points of those dense chapters. So I would argue that Chad helps with the big picture, which can be useful before or after you read corresponding chapters. Remember when professors would say read before lecture? I think this applies to Chad's videos too. I feel I get more out of his videos when I'm already intimately familiar with the topic. Chad helps me organize what I already know. I just can't imagine learning the material from him exclusively, and I don't even count days where I only watch Chad's videos as "real" studying. To do so would be very self-deceptive.
+1
 
I actually have a condition which forces me to re-read things a lot of time and I believe watching someone teach would be better than me reading.
Note: The condition is not officially diagnosed, but I am 100% sure I have it.