No idea where to begin... help appreciated

Started by fcshot
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fcshot

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Here's my situation:

I plan on taking the MCAT next May, but I want to do some light preparation now. I'm taking Orgo 2, Biochem and Physics II along with a part-time job a few days a week. I was considering doing the EK 10-Week Program simultaneously, but the time-commitment is going to massacre my GPA, at least it seems. Next semester, though, I'll only be doing part-time work (12 hrs a week) with no class so it will be the equivalent of a summer for me to go all in.

My question now is, from now to December, aside from retaining the info from my remaining pre-reqs, what can I go through in my spare time (e.g. - EK1001, Kaplan, or AAMC Tests on weekends) so I'm at least acclimating myself to the material and keeping my mind active? I was thinking of going through the NOVA Physics book from now to Dec. since I got a lowly 6 on the PS section. I got 9s on Verbal and Bio so I'm not extremely worried there... I know I am poor at Physics, though.

I plan on using the Berkeley Review books when I start test prep in January, so I don't mind picking up another prep book from another company and going through and solving problems instead as a preliminary for a few months.

Thanks
 
The best thing to do right now is focus on killing orgo, biochem, and physics since all of those classes are MCAT material. If you do well enough in those classes you'll barely need to review anything other than gen chem and some parts of bio. Not to mention that your course load is insane and the boost in admissions you'll get from having higher grades in those classes far outweighs the boost you'd get from the likely trivial improvement in your MCAT score from light, token studying 8 months before your exam.
 
The best thing to do right now is focus on killing orgo, biochem, and physics since all of those classes are MCAT material. If you do well enough in those classes you'll barely need to review anything other than gen chem and some parts of bio. Not to mention that your course load is insane and the boost in admissions you'll get from having higher grades in those classes far outweighs the boost you'd get from the likely trivial improvement in your MCAT score from light, token studying 8 months before your exam.

Ah, I hear you. I don't think it'd take me too long to review OChem/GChem/Cell Bio because I've taken them quite recently. But like I said, my Physics foundation is weak. Should I still consider going through the NOVA Phys book though before studying seriously?

I don't know if me studying now is excessive -- I don't really know how long premeds take to study for this exam.
 
Ah, I hear you. I don't think it'd take me too long to review OChem/GChem/Cell Bio because I've taken them quite recently. But like I said, my Physics foundation is weak. Should I still consider going through the NOVA Phys book though before studying seriously?

I don't know if me studying now is excessive -- I don't really know how long premeds take to study for this exam.
Like I said, since you're still taking physics you'd be better off focusing on your class so that your foundation is strong in both the class and the MCAT. Using an MCAT prep book to review physics while you're still taking physics II is a very poor use of time. Review books only give you what you need to know for the MCAT, whereas your textbook and notes give you both what you need to do well in the class and what you need to do well on the exam. You kill two birds with one stone by focusing on your classes.