MCAT 3rd attempt!

[RedSoxSuck]

This will be my 3rd time taking the MCAT. I have attached a detailed pre test studying, CBTs and real test feel. Any help, suggestion, guidance are welcome. Thank you

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[SN2ed]

If it's just a word doc, why not copy and paste it on here instead of having people download a word doc?

 

[RedSoxSuck]

If it's just a word doc, why not copy and paste it on here instead of having people download a word doc?

True, I actually tried it initially but it didnt work. But this time it worked. You are a genius. Thanks!



Hello all, I have a pretty weird situation. I am hoping I can find some guidance and hopefully will prevent future pitfalls that I have constantly overlooked. I have taken the MCAT twice. First time in Sept 2008 and then in Feb 2009. In my practice tests I was scoring 9-10s in Physical sciences and in biological sciences and 7-8s in verbal reasoning. So I was in high 20s range. I will break down how I felt during the test and my mistakes during the tests for each section for each attempt.

Materials used for content review for first attempt:
Note: I made my own notes for Physics, general and organic chemistry using TPR review book and I reviewed my own notes which were pretty detailed every 3-4 days to make sure that the content stayed fresh in my mind. I referred back to the review books whenever I needed.

Physics: TPR
General Chemistry : TPR
Verbal : Examkrackers
Biology : Examkrackers
Organic chemisty : TPR

Materials used for practice for first attempt:

Physics : TPR workbook, EK 1001, some Kaplan full lengths but found them to be too difficult so abandoned them.

General Chemistry : TPR workbook, 1001, Kaplan full lengths

Verbal : EK 101

Biology: TPR workbook, Kaplan full lengths, Ek 1001

Organic chemistry: TPR workbook, EK 1001

CBTs:

Kaplan (some of them), AAMC 3-10

*So my general plan was to learn the material as soon as I could and then focus heavy on practice. I reviewed my hand written notes (physics, gchem and organic every 3-4 days to make sure that the content stayed fresh and review biology using EK review book. I was able to review most of the material within 4-6 hours on a good day and repetition made it easier and easier to get through it.

For practice I tried to complete approximately 6 passages for biology, 6 for physics, 5 for gchem and 3-4 for organic every single day for 5 days a week using TPR science workbook. Also used EK 1001 question book for biology and finished most of the passages. I also tried doing problems in Ek 1001 series for gchem, physics and organic but after a while I abandoned it because I felt it was not as helpful since the MCAT is passage based and not discrete question based. I also went over the questions whether I got them correct or incorrect to make sure I what I missed and I tried to keep track of my mistakes. Initially I was missing questions due to lack of solid conceptual/integration foundation of content. Meaning, content was not solid enough to integrate different concepts.
For full lengths CBTs, I tried doing a full length once a week and then go over it. it normally took me around 3-4 hours per section to go over it thoroughly.

My technique for CBTs:

Timing was the biggest issue for me. I felt like if i stay on time (at the question 26, i should have approximately 32 minutes left over) then I should be okay. This urgency to stay with this time (above) kept me calm and enabled me to finish the test. However, whenever I fell behind my target time/question I felt rushed and hauling ass and missing few of the easy questions. So I tried my best to follow my target time/question by not spending too much time early on a question/topic which I was not strong on. I marked the question so I could feel calm that “hey, I marked after spending appropriate amount of time on a question and then educatedly guessed it. If I have time I will come back”. I relied on POE a lot.

Physical sciences and Biological sciences:
I tried various techniques (read the passage then get to the questions, skim the passage or do not read the passage at all). After all I settled on skim/reading the passage in little over 1 min and then going to the questions. After reading the questions I asked myself “WHAT ARE THEY ASKING ME?” I tried to simplify the question so I can know what the hell is being asked. Because sometimes I found myself solving a question and then realizing that I do not even know what they are asking me. So sometimes I had to read the question couple of times to make sure I really understood what was being asked. Then I looked at the answers and tried to eliminate the obvious bad answers ( incorrect units, incorrect denominator etc) and then I went back to the passage. I went back to the passage for every single question because after practicing I realize that most of the answers (hints) are in the passage. Not all but most are in the passage. It also made me feel comfortable that I am not missing any hidden information. I paid extra attention to bottom of the graphs and the last couple of sentences of the passages. After scanning the passage for relevant information, I tried to solve the question and if I could not then I made an educated guess and moved on. I tried not to dwell on the question but sometimes I did. Initially I did the passages in order but after running out of time few times and missing easy points I realize that I should try something new. So started off by doing passages in order and when I reached a difficult passage then I skipped it. for example 3rd passage was difficult and time consuming I skipped it and moved to passage 4 and 5 and 6. after the 6th passage I finished the very last set of discrete questions. Discrete questions was never a problem for me and I could finish them fast. And then I chose between skipped passage (3rd in this case) and very last passage 7th. I did the easier of the two passages first and then did the last left over passage. Reason for doing the last set of discrete before the last passage was to make sure I get the easy points because most of the time I had time left over or did not have enough time. This method allowed me to say to myself. OK, I got 4 min or so for the last passage so I should try to do as easier questions first and then the hard onces within the same passage. If I would have not done the last set of discrete first then sometimes I had to rush through the last passage to get to the discrete questions and because of that sometimes I had too much time left over and sometimes not enough time for the easy discrete questions.




Verbal:
For this section I used the Examkrackers technique but my scores fluctuated big time. I read for main idea, made mental maps of paragraphs so I can know where specific information is. I did passages in order because since I am going to do all of the passages anyway so might as well do them in order. However, once I reached a difficult passage (plate tectonics, art etc) I told myself to stay calm and that this is as hard as it will get. I tried not to go over my time limit which was 60, 52, 44, 36, 28, 20, 12 min for start, passage 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 respectively. That way I did not use more time on a harder passage. I read the question and asked myself what are they asking me. Simplify the question and then used POE to eliminate bad answers, and picked the one that had to do with my main idea the most. Before using POE, I came up with my own answer and sometimes when I couldn’t I tried to come up with close enough answer and then used POE to eliminate and picking answer that had to do with the main idea of the passage.


FEELINGS DURING THE REAL TEST:
Physical sciences:

First two passages were about molecular orbitals/theory which slowed me down big time and because of that I fell behind in time and did not do as well as I could have because there were few easy points at the end of the test. Also I did not triage ( skip the hard passage and do it at the very end). So I had to pretty much guess on few question on one of the easy questions.

Verbal:
Questions seemed a lot harder and I seemed to be guessing a lot more. Perhaps lack of focus. I was reading the question/passage but I felt like most of it was just going over my head. I felt like I was throwing darts in dark.


Biological sciences:
I do not really remember. It was heavy on molecular biology which was a surprise.

CONCLUSION: so I think biggest reason for me to not do as well as my practice CBTs was timing. PS timing totally threw me off.

Materials used for content review for 2nd attempt:
Note: I used my own notes for Physics, general and organic chemistry which were made using TPR review book and I reviewed my own notes, which were pretty detailed every, 3-4 days to make sure that the content stayed fresh in my mind. I referred back to the review book whenever I needed.

Physics: TPR
General Chemistry : TPR
Verbal : Examkrackers
Biology : Examkrackers
Organic chemisty : TPR

Materials used for practice for 2nd attempt:

Note: I DID NOT FINISH ALL OF THE TPR SCIENCE WORKBOOK SO I FOCUSED ON THE PASSAGES THAT I DID NOT COMPLETE THE FRIST TIME.

Physics : EK mini MCat, TPR workbook, EK 1001
General Chemistry : EK mini MCat TPR workbook, 1001, Kaplan full lengths

Verbal : EK mini MCat, EK 101

Biology: EK mini MCat, Berkeley review passages, TPR workbook, Kaplan full lengths, Ek 1001

Organic chemistry: EK mini MCat ,TPR workbook, EK 1001

CBTs:

TPR (did all of them), Kaplan (some of them), AAMC (took them for the 2nd time. Some of the stuff was fresh and mostly was not)

*So my general plan was to learn the material as soon as I could and then focus heavy on practice. I reviewed my hand written notes (physics, gchem and organic every 3-4 days to make sure that the content stayed fresh and review biology using EK review book. I was able to review most of the material within 4-6 hours on a good day and repetition made it easier and easier to get through it.

For practice I tried to complete approximately 6 passages for biology, 6 for physics, 5 for gchem and 3-4 for organic 5 days a week using TPR science workbook. Also used EK 1001 question book for biology and finished most of the passages. I also tried doing problems in Ek 1001 series for gchem, physics and organic but after a while I abandoned it because I felt it was not as helpful since the MCAT is passage based and not discrete question based. I also went over the questions whether I got them correct or incorrect to make sure I what I missed and I tried to keep track of my mistakes.
For full lengths CBTs, I tried doing a full length once a week and then go over it. it normally took me around 3-4 hours per section to go over it thoroughly.

My technique for CBTs:

This was pretty similar as the 1st attempt because it worked alright during practice. However, it was the timing which screwed me up during my first real attempt.



FEELINGS DURING THE REAL TEST:

Physical sciences:

I felt alright with Physical sciences. Timing was not a big issue. I was able to get through it. I kept telling myself that if you are struggling then so is everyone else. You just need to fight through the test and keep at it.


Verbal:
I struggled with focus. Perhaps because I sat by the door and I was distracted fairly easily.

BS:

Was heavy on molecular biology.

OVERALL:
I Felt better than my first attempt. However, scores did not share with optimism.


Current (3rd attempt): (STARTED STUDYING LAST WEEK JUNE 16TH 2009)

TEST DATE: AUGUST 25TH AT NOON

Materials using for content review for 3rd attempt:

I am making my own notes using Berkeley review for physics, gchem and organic. EK biology is the best. Purpose for making my own notes is so I can learn/review the material actively rather than passively. Also, it will be a lot easier to review my notes for content review later on. Would be less time consuming comparing to using the books. Will use the BR review books at reference.

Physics: BR
General Chemistry : BR
Verbal : Examkrackers
Biology : Examkrackers
Organic chemisty : BR

Materials using for practice for 3rd attempt:

I have not started practicing yet because the goal is to be done with the content by early july and then practice, practice, practice

Physics : EK mini MCat, TPR workbook, BR PASSSAGES,
General Chemistry : EK mini MCat TPR workbook, BR PASSAGES

Verbal : No idea but probably EK

Biology: EK mini MCat, Berkeley review passages, TPR workbook,
Organic chemistry: EK mini MCat ,TPR workbook, BR passages.

CBTs:

Going to do AAMC 8-10 only.
Berkeley review CBTs
Kaplan CBTs
Perhaps gold standard.


Technique:

Techniques for CBTs listed above seems to be the way to go. Perhaps some fine tuning. Staying confident is a key and not getting rattled by any single question is another key and just attacking every question with confidence since I will known the content.

----So any help, guidance, advice or anything else that I am doing wrong or if you have experienced anything like this or perhaps a way to fix it, or perhaps keeping an eye out for anything. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[LoveWalk]

Here is an idea---

Instead of wasting your time compiling this crap, go relax for a little while or buckle down and study

You don't need to psychoanalyze yourself

It's a simple situation

Study hard, relax occasionally and take the test

You are probably thinking too much---your task is simple

Stop coming onto the forums.

 

[229141]

Here is an idea---

Instead of wasting your time compiling this crap, go relax for a little while or buckle down and study

You don't need to psychoanalyze yourself

It's a simple situation

Study hard, relax occasionally and take the test

You are probably thinking too much---your task is simple

Stop coming onto the forums.

Well dude at least give the man props for sharing his experiences/advice trying to help others...

 

[LoveWalk]

I was just being an A - Hole because I want my scores to be released (scheduled release tomorrow June 30th)

I can't control my emotions!

lol

 

[n618ft]

Uh dude you have an OCD going on. Go get checked out by a professional or relax and fix it yourself.

 

[unDRdog]

maybe i overlooked it????? but what were your scores?

 

[RedSoxSuck]

I don't remember individual scores but composite practice scores were 9s in PS and BS and 7-9 in VR.
My first attempt (real thing) I didn't break 20. 2nd attempt I got a low 20

 

[tresbon]

This will be my 3rd time taking the MCAT. I have attached a detailed pre test studying, CBTs and real test feel. Any help, suggestion, guidance are welcome. Thank you

Statistically, you're going to end up getting the highest scores in the third attempt. Do your best and make this the very last MCAT you would want to take in this life.

 

[RedSoxSuck]

\

Statistically, you're going to end up getting the highest scores in the third attempt. Do your best and make this the very last MCAT you would want to take in this life.

Well, i am trying not to rely on that stat.