MCAT plan

[coolcucumber91]

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Hi, I'm taking the MCAT on August 10th/ I would just like some criticism/ advice on my study schedule.

Books:

Biology: Kaplan (15 chapters)
Organic (8 chapters), Physics (10 chapters), and Gen Chem (10 chapters): Berkeley Review
Verbal: Examcrackers

Total # of science chapters: 43

It's the 26th of May and I did 11 chapters of biology and 2 chapters of general chemistry.

I just finished organic chemistry so it's pretty fresh in my head. I did physics 1, I'm taking physics 2 in the summer. Physics 2 starts on June 5th. So by the end of that week I should be finished with gen chem and bio. Gen chem and bio are the subjects I had the most trouble with and the ones I remember the least, so that's good.

So I have 10 chapters of physics and 8 chapters of organic. Basically do a chapter a day, alternating while taking a break every Sunday (ex. Monday: ch 1 physics, Tues: ch 1 orgo, etc.). Also, each day, do a timed verbal section (6 passages) per day. And read I guess.

I'll be done learning all the sciences by July 3rd if I stick with my plan. I guess I'll review everything for the rest of the week.

My questions:

1) is doing 6 passages a day enough for verbal? anything else? My critical reading is not strong, I got a 670 out of 800 on the SAT.

2) how should I schedule my studying until the week of the test? Do I just do practice exams, review what I got wrong, and then review the weak spots using the prep books/ text books?

3) Any overall advice?

 

[deleted432094]

Hi, I'm taking the MCAT on August 10th/ I would just like some criticism/ advice on my study schedule.

Books:

Biology: Kaplan (15 chapters)
Organic (8 chapters), Physics (10 chapters), and Gen Chem (10 chapters): Berkeley Review
Verbal: Examcrackers

Total # of science chapters: 43

It's the 26th of May and I did 11 chapters of biology and 2 chapters of general chemistry.

I just finished organic chemistry so it's pretty fresh in my head. I did physics 1, I'm taking physics 2 in the summer. Physics 2 starts on June 5th. So by the end of that week I should be finished with gen chem and bio. Gen chem and bio are the subjects I had the most trouble with and the ones I remember the least, so that's good.

So I have 10 chapters of physics and 8 chapters of organic. Basically do a chapter a day, alternating while taking a break every Sunday (ex. Monday: ch 1 physics, Tues: ch 1 orgo, etc.). Also, each day, do a timed verbal section (6 passages) per day. And read I guess.

I'll be done learning all the sciences by July 3rd if I stick with my plan. I guess I'll review everything for the rest of the week.

My questions:

1) is doing 6 passages a day enough for verbal? anything else? My critical reading is not strong, I got a 670 out of 800 on the SAT.

2) how should I schedule my studying until the week of the test? Do I just do practice exams, review what I got wrong, and then review the weak spots using the prep books/ text books?

3) Any overall advice?

I know it says you'll do a chapter a day but make sure you're taking thorough notes just in case you want to go back a look something over. I'm in my last week of studying and I'm finding that I am power reading through the bio book to try and make some last minute details stick better. Bio is the most intricate and detailed so I would concentrate most of your efforts on that if you feel it is already your weakness. Try taking a practice test to give yourself a better idea of what it is you know and don't know (if you haven't taken one already).

I think 6 verbal a day is completely fine. It might be over kill but I find that I'm not the biggest fan of the examcrackers verbal book. I find Princeton to be more reflective of actual aamc verbal sections. And for the last week, I'd say attempt to do a test a day saving the more recent aamc tests for last.

Good luck and make sure you stick with your plan!

 

[coolcucumber91]

I know it says you'll do a chapter a day but make sure you're taking thorough notes just in case you want to go back a look something over. I'm in my last week of studying and I'm finding that I am power reading through the bio book to try and make some last minute details stick better. Bio is the most intricate and detailed so I would concentrate most of your efforts on that if you feel it is already your weakness. Try taking a practice test to give yourself a better idea of what it is you know and don't know (if you haven't taken one already).

I think 6 verbal a day is completely fine. It might be over kill but I find that I'm not the biggest fan of the examcrackers verbal book. I find Princeton to be more reflective of actual aamc verbal sections. And for the last week, I'd say attempt to do a test a day saving the more recent aamc tests for last.

Good luck and make sure you stick with your plan!

Thank you! Yeah, I'm taking notes while studying for bio. When I'm done I'll review them.

Hmm, I might have to consider getting the PR for verbal.. kaplan is bad imo for verbal