MCAT Studying

[psp251]

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I was going to study this summer by "relearning" all of the coursework from 7 of the prereq classes (as in reading the assigned pages from the textbooks and rewatching the webcasts as review). However, I'm scared that these classes won't overlap 100% with MCAT material. Would it be a much better use of my time to just read the study guides suggested in 2N2ed's 3 month plan? I won't be taking the MCAT until next spring, so I have a lot more time.

 

[circulus vitios]

You would probably be better off buying review books. Anywhere from some to a lot of the topics on the MCAT (I just started studying a few weeks ago) are treated very superficially. Spending days doing an in-depth review on something that will never be on the MCAT is a waste of time.

 

[CrushMCAT]

I would believe using MCAT review books would be more efficient than basically reviewing an entire class. Based on your review, you can always go back to your old coursework to dig deeper in areas that are giving you troubles.

 

[hiyaman]

Don't relearn the coursework, Your classes would have gone more in depth than the material that is covered on the mcat.

Thus it would be a waste of time to review everything.

 

[Sammich117]

Moving to MCAT Discussions

 

[MDminded]

I agree with everything posted below. Don't bother reviewing what the courses taught you. Use review books (and I like the ones that SN2ed suggest you use).

Good luck!

 

[psp251]

Another question: how advantageous would it be to take an MCAT course? I originally wanted to just self-study but some people I know who took the MCAT said that it would be foolish not to take a course for something this important. I was thinking of taking the Berkeley Review but it costs a lot ($1700). Although it's totally unrelated, I self-studied for the SAT's and got 2100ish, so I can indeed motivate myself to study well from study guides. What are your thoughts?

 

[MDminded]

Another question: how advantageous would it be to take an MCAT course? I originally wanted to just self-study but some people I know who took the MCAT said that it would be foolish not to take a course for something this important. I was thinking of taking the Berkeley Review but it costs a lot ($1700). Although it's totally unrelated, I self-studied for the SAT's and got 2100ish, so I can indeed motivate myself to study well from study guides. What are your thoughts?

Here are my thoughts, if you'd like (taken from a post I wrote elsewhere):
- Taking a class also depends on *you*. How motivated are you? Do you need someone to write a syllabus for you, or can you write one for yourself? Do you need the classroom experience, or are you the type of person who skips class and studies on their own (and ends up acing the test - I HATE those kinds of people. HOW DO YOU DO IT?!) I took the Kaplan class last year, and it helped me start battling the MCAT from a "here are some strategies" point-of-view. I'm a terrible test-taker, so it was beneficial for me in that sense. However, I'm doing a TBR self-study now, and I believe I am being better prepared now than when I was paying someone $1500 to do it. (I like the content and the testing materials they provide me with MUCH better)

More of my thoughts...

If you don't care about my thoughts, here's someone who is a little more revered in the SDNworld. He likes to call himself SN2ed.
(Scroll down some and you'll find his answer, amongst many others)