Most Efficient Use of Last 2 Weeks of Studying?

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Best way to utilize the last two weeks? I see 3 options:
1.) Tons of practice tests (1/day in the morning and review incorrect answers in the evening)
2.) Content review like crazy, then take the AAMC unscored the week of
3.) Do all of the AAMC question banks, then take the AAMC unscored the week of

I want to score at least a 507 on the real thing, but 510 would be BEAUTIFUL. I have been studying psych/soc flashcards like mad and reviewing C/P a lot the past few days. I feel like my CARS score is a lost cause.. I practice all the time and that score never changes (~125)

My scores thus far have been:

AAMC Scored: 127/125/127/127 506 (beginning of studying)
EK FL1: 59%/68%/73%/66% -->65% 505
EK FL2: 64%/58%/68%/81% --> 68% 506.5
EK FL3: 73%/70%/68%/69% --> 70%. 507.5
EK FL4: 60%/62&/66%/66% --> 63% 505
NSFL1: 127/124/127/127 505
NSFL2: 126/125/128/126 505
NSFL3: 126/125/128/127 506
NSFL4: 126/125/128/126 505
AAMC Unscored: 130/127/129/129 515

***EK scores from formula posted here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/charts-predicting-mcat-scores.1176218/

EDIT: Added NSFL4
EDIT: Added EK3
EDIT: Added EK4
EDIT: Added AAMC Unscored

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[Abraxas305]

I'd say 3 (better be the section bank and NOT the question pack unless you have content weakness), but maybe do 1 or 2 more FL's.

 

[Hospitalized]

AAMC section banks then as many practice tests as possible is what I will be doing.

 

[bobeanie95]

You should do the most practice tests you can to improve your endurance, while also doing the AAMC resources since they will be the most representative . I would do a practice test every other day or two (review the test the next day) and then incorporate AAMC Question banks on the same day of the exam or on your exam review day.

 

[Panteleimon]

Practice. Problems. Then review. See general trends in your mistakes. Might even find it's a mentality thing... You're too stress out or not paying enough attention as you could be.

I think the AAMC like material that involves steps... so like path ways and cycles.

Did I mention practice problems? Rest last 2 or 3 days before the exam. Rest as in... do nothing MCAT related. Go out, have fun, avoid excessive alcohol, and go to bed/wake up early. Hardest part for me was falling asleep the night before. It's was terrible. A sense of impending doom.

 

[Skydive Fox]

I would never do a full-length practice in the 7 days leading up to test day, nor would I attempt more than one a week. They're very draining and you risk burning out if you go too hardcore. After a certain point (1 per week if you ask me), you won't gain too much from cramming in FL's.

I would advise doing your last full-length 8 days before test day and then doing section-lengths on sections you're weakest on. Section-length exams, reviewing flashcards and quick sheets, and relaxing was my ideal homestretch. Also I didn't do too much but relax the 3 days before testing. I went over a few notes on my weak areas, but that was about it in terms of MCAT prep.

 

[salemstein]

I think I lucked out with a less-than-involved P/S section (one based on definition-matching than involved reasoning), but I used a summary of all KA videos someone had posted on reddit. It was the only section I hadn't fully reviewed thru by the week before test day. Went on a blitz and studied the whole thing in a few days (nearly got burnt out). IMO psych is the only section where the law of diminishing returns don't apply as much. Its something to consider focusing on for the most bang out of your buck when you're on a time crunch. For the other sections, just focus on getting your high yield equations and concepts down packed at this point.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

You should do the most practice tests you can to improve your endurance, while also doing the AAMC resources since they will be the most representative . I would do a practice test every other day or two (review the test the next day) and then incorporate AAMC Question banks on the same day of the exam or on your exam review day.

I like this idea.. I have 3 FLs left I can take that I've purchased so maybe:

Week 1:
M: NS4 FL
T: Review FL/section banks
W: EK3 FL
R: Review FL/section banks
F: EK4 FL
Sat: Work
Sun: Work

Week 2:
M: Section banks/review notes
T: Section banks/review notes
W: AAMC unscored FL
R: Review FL/section banks
F: Brief review/relax/cry
S: D-Day

 

[Seattle Mariners Fan]

Reading comprehension isn't that malleable. After doing 30-50 practice problems and carefully reviewing anything that's missed, it seems doubtful you're going to radically alter reading comprehension with the 200-400 hours of MCAT prep most people spend.

If willing to invest several thousand hours into a diverse reading list, I'm sure you could improve by reading and understanding very challenging and unique authors like Nietzsche, Kant, Friedman, Emerson, Marx, Schopenhauer, etc, but your time is better spent elsewhere for the MCAT.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Reading comprehension isn't that malleable. After doing 30-50 practice problems and carefully reviewing anything that's missed, it seems doubtful you're going to radically alter reading comprehension with the 200-400 hours of MCAT prep most people spend.

If willing to invest several thousand hours into a diverse reading list, I'm sure you could improve by reading and understanding very challenging and unique authors like Nietzsche, Kant, Friedman, Emerson, Marx, Schopenhauer, etc, but your time is better spent elsewhere for the MCAT.

Agreed. If I could go back in time and tell my elementary self to take his reading practice more seriously, I would. The only improvement I have shown in that section is consistency.. At least there's that.

 

[Hospitalized]

Agreed. If I could go back in time and tell my elementary self to take his reading practice more seriously, I would. The only improvement I have shown in that section is consistency.. At least there's that.

I think it's good to realize that there's a great amount of test takers out there who really only take 0 or 1 practice tests before the real thing, then they review a little bit and expect to score much higher (like you would in undergrad). Then, on test day, they hit a hard passage and their whole section score drops like a rock because of timing issues and easy missed questions down the line, resulting in a poor score because they never trained themselves. The reason why most people's scores go up compared to the multiple practice tests they've taken is training in timing, being calm with crazy passages, and knowing all of the basic concepts/high-yield topics from repeat exposure. To the MCAT's credit, it does a pretty good job at weeding people out who 1.) are not willing to put in some work to make sure they've done the best to prepare; 2.) lack necessary reasoning skills for a career in medicine; and 3.) overconfident.

 

[Necr0sis713]

I think it's good to realize that there's a great amount of test takers out there who really only take 0 or 1 practice tests before the real thing, then they review a little bit and expect to score much higher (like you would in undergrad). Then, on test day, they hit a hard passage and their whole section score drops like a rock because of timing issues and easy missed questions down the line, resulting in a poor score because they never trained themselves. The reason why most people's scores go up compared to the multiple practice tests they've taken is training in timing, being calm with crazy passages, and knowing all of the basic concepts/high-yield topics from repeat exposure. To the MCAT's credit, it does a pretty good job at weeding people out who 1.) are not willing to put in some work to make sure they've done the best to prepare; 2.) lack necessary reasoning skills for a career in medicine; and 3.) overconfident.

That's true. I've done...too many...practice tests. I was doing 2 a week a month away from my exam like some popular study plans out there recommend, but then closer to my exam day I had to postpone another 6 weeks due to CARS. So you can only imagine how many extra practice tests I did maintaining that same protocol.

It helped tremendously for timing though...what I learned is you don't really have to read the passage in depth once you have enough experience. It's not like all the questions are about the graphs. You just have to know what the goal of the experiment was, and then check to see what the results were from the graph. Then, look back to the passage when they ask you about graphs and stuff.

 

[aldol16]

Most efficient use? Rest. At this point, more content review will not help. You should already know the high-yield material so maybe you should refresh them in your mind (amino acids come to mind). You should go through the Section Bank if you have not yet and use the QPacks for CARS. Don't overexert yourself. Do the unscored under exact test conditions (including time of day!) exactly one week before your test day. In the last week, don't do any MCAT stuff.

 

[aldol16]

I think a full week off may be excessive.

I overdid things a bit last month - billed 340 hours at work and put in about 120 hours of MCAT prep. Hit a wall, brain hurt, mood terrible, scores on MCAT practices tests were terrible. I took 3 full days off and was fine.

I did a FL every other day for the second week prior to exam since I had been slacking before (would not recommend) and took the entire last week off. Did fine.

On a side note, 340 hours??? What kind of work do you do? That's over 80 hours a week - like twice a work day, every day!

 

[Necr0sis713]

I did a FL every other day for the second week prior to exam since I had been slacking before (would not recommend) and took the entire last week off. Did fine.

😵 .... You know what that means right?

Looks like i'm in for one hell of a week. lol. I'm also taking the exam June 18. I am gonna do the official guide the Monday of the week of my exam (Saturday) just to get them AAMC feels.

Next week is gonna be filled with loads of passages and carbs. Can't wait to burn off the pounds I gained during studying. I packed on like 15 pounds from being sedentary, which is crazy because I run 7 miles 5 days a week and don't eat excessively. Guess i'm getting old or something.

 

[aldol16]

😵 .... You know what that means right?

Looks like i'm in for one hell of a week. lol. I'm also taking the exam June 18. I am gonna do the official guide the Monday of the week of my exam (Saturday) just to get them AAMC feels.

What does it mean? I really wouldn't recommend doing that unless you were like me and had only done one FL up til then lol

 

[Necr0sis713]

What does it mean? I really wouldn't recommend doing that unless you were like me and had only done one FL up til then lol

Hmm...Well since you did great on the MCAT (Congrats btw), it would be reasonable to ask you: The week before...what DO you recommend? Absolutely no MCAT stuff? I was thinking just keeping on doing CARS passages, and reread my EK books, just skim them over.

 

[aldol16]

Hmm...Well since you did great on the MCAT (Congrats btw), it would be reasonable to ask you: The week before...what DO you recommend? Absolutely no MCAT stuff? I was thinking just keeping on doing CARS passages, and reread my EK books, just skim them over.

It depends on how you feel. If you don't feel prepared for the exam, I do not believe more studying in the short span of one week is the answer. I believe that the studying you can get done in a week won't add much because the MCAT does not test memorization. You would be much better off postponing the test for a month or later. If you feel prepared for the exam, then the last week won't do much either. So I don't see a scenario where one would absolutely need to do much studying in the last week.

So in the last week, I did a few isolated passages here and there (read: two or three per day, no more) and didn't think about MCAT otherwise. I had a lot of stuff to do in lab that week so it wasn't that difficult for me to take my mind off it. The most crucial factor for performing well on the MCAT is being well rested and mentally focused. But don't let the MCAT be the first thing you read on test day. Read a few good news articles and/or op-ed pieces before you go.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

It depends on how you feel. If you don't feel prepared for the exam, I do not believe more studying in the short span of one week is the answer. I believe that the studying you can get done in a week won't add much because the MCAT does not test memorization. You would be much better off postponing the test for a month or later. If you feel prepared for the exam, then the last week won't do much either. So I don't see a scenario where one would absolutely need to do much studying in the last week.

So in the last week, I did a few isolated passages here and there (read: two or three per day, no more) and didn't think about MCAT otherwise. I had a lot of stuff to do in lab that week so it wasn't that difficult for me to take my mind off it. The most crucial factor for performing well on the MCAT is being well rested and mentally focused. But don't let the MCAT be the first thing you read on test day. Read a few good news articles and/or op-ed pieces before you go.

THIS.

I obviously haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I notice that after the CARS section my brain "turns on." I think it's because I need to read a certain amount before starting the actual exam to get my mind going. I'm going to try this tomorrow. Anything in particular you recommend reading? C CARS passage from a practice book or something?

 

[Necr0sis713]

THIS.

I obviously haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I notice that after the CARS section my brain "turns on." I think it's because I need to read a certain amount before starting the actual exam to get my mind going. I'm going to try this tomorrow. Anything in particular you recommend reading? C CARS passage from a practice book or something?

Check this site out: http://www.aldaily.com/

Lots of good articles.

 

[Skydive Fox]

THIS.

I obviously haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I notice that after the CARS section my brain "turns on." I think it's because I need to read a certain amount before starting the actual exam to get my mind going. I'm going to try this tomorrow. Anything in particular you recommend reading? C CARS passage from a practice book or something?

Reading stuff on www.cell.com activates my test-taking instincts and puts my brain into hyperdrive. I'd recommend it to anyone tryna get some nice mental stimulation.

As an added bonus, much of the pieces on there are synonymous to the kinds of passages I saw on all my FL's and on test day (minus CARS, obviously).

 

[aldol16]

I obviously haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I notice that after the CARS section my brain "turns on." I think it's because I need to read a certain amount before starting the actual exam to get my mind going. I'm going to try this tomorrow. Anything in particular you recommend reading? C CARS passage from a practice book or something?

You should use any well-written source you would enjoy reading. Personally, I read several NYTimes articles/op-eds. I find them to be generally well-written (if a "little" liberal minded). I definitely would not recommend a CARS passage because that's too test-like for me. I like to start the day reading but not reading MCAT stuff - you have 7 hours of that kind of stuff.

 

[ojy77511]

Section bank is really good


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[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Reading stuff on www.cell.com activates my test-taking instincts and puts my brain into hyperdrive. I'd recommend it to anyone tryna get some nice mental stimulation.

As an added bonus, much of the pieces on there are synonymous to the kinds of passages I saw on all my FL's and on test day (minus CARS, obviously).

I'm trying this one out this morning. Currently reading a cool article about MS.

 

[Necr0sis713]

I'm trying this one out this morning. Currently reading a cool article about MS.

If you still go to college or have access to pubmed...what I also do is after every day of studying, I look for a random journal study on a topic I studied that day. So let's say I did a lot of focusing on glycolysis, insulin etc. I just go into pubmed and search "insulin; pancreas; etc."