OAT Study Problem

[TheMotivator]

Hey,

So a current problem I have is that I am having trouble finding actual "practice questions" to help reinforce the concepts. I am using the Kaplan course + Chad's Videos. For example, for General Chemistry, I read with the Kaplan Blue Book, I take in depth notes and then I do a workshop/quiz if available for that topic. Afterwards, I use Chad's Videos and take notes to like condense what I just read with Kaplan. Then I do his quiz - The problem with his quiz is that it's like 5 questions or max 10 questions and I feel like I need more practice questions.

In 2011, the Kaplan Blue Book had practice questions after each chapter for each subject. 2012/2013 doesn't have that.

Now, Kaplan does have "subject tests" - However, these are like cumulative, it's a mix of chapters 1 - 15, and I intend on doing this after I finish all of Gen-Chem, however, for the time being, I need like a resource to like do practice questions ASAP of me finishing the topic.

For example, yesterday, I studied molecular geometry, and I started with Kaplan and ended with chads videos, and at end of day I felt like I need more and more practice questions. How did you guys do it? Did you study all Gen-Chem concepts and at end of it doing practice questions with OAT Destroyer/Crack the OAT?

The problem with OAT destroyer is the practice questions are scattered all over. I wish the questions were laid out and organized by topic for each subject. I need a resource like that. As I study with kaplan + chads videos, there isn't much practice questions for each topic I study.

OAT destroyer is awesome, but questions are so scattered, like random - Like question one will be about hybridization and question 2 about thermochem, when I haven't even started thermochem.

I know I have asked some of you awesome people on here in regards to this in private message, however, I made this thread to see what others out there think.

Hope to hear from ya'll soon. Thanks!

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[theblackorchid]

I didn't take the Kaplan course, but I did use the big blue book along with Chad's and Destroyer. I plowed through each subject using Kaplan and Chads (along with Khan Academy and Freelance Teacher) and once I'd gone over everything I started doing Destroyer problems and Crack the OAT tests. That's the method that worked for me. You're right, the questions in Destroyer are pretty random so you can't really do them until you've covered everything unless you want to skip around and just do what you know.

Good luck!

 

[TheMotivator]

Any resource out there that has practice questions organized by topic for each subject? Not like how the OAT destroyer is scattered and randomized.

 

[paasnaas]

Any resource out there that has practice questions organized by topic for each subject? Not like how the OAT destroyer is scattered and randomized.

I am not sure if there is something out there breaks up practice questions strictly based on topics within a subject. The best thing that comes to mind is examkrackers. examkrackers breaks up practice questions pretty well by topic/subject. I have only used the physics and chemistry (not biology) and I remembered they separated the practice questions pretty well by topic. I would give them a try or if you are currently attending a university the bookstore should have them and you can preview them from the bookshelf. Other than that I can't really think of any other resource that breaks up practice questions the way you have described. I think you should contact the owner of the Destroyers and maybe give him this recommendation, maybe on a newer publication they can start incorporating this method

I am not sure if examkrackers make OAT books, but I know they do for MCAT and the material is very similar on what you would see on the OAT.

 

[TheMotivator]

I am not sure if there is something out there breaks up practice questions strictly based on topics within a subject. The best thing that comes to mind is examkrackers. examkrackers breaks up practice questions pretty well by topic/subject. I have only used the physics and chemistry (not biology) and I remembered they separated the practice questions pretty well by topic. I would give them a try or if you are currently attending a university the bookstore should have them and you can preview them from the bookshelf. Other than that I can't really think of any other resource that breaks up practice questions the way you have described. I think you should contact the owner of the Destroyers and maybe give him this recommendation, maybe on a newer publication they can start incorporating this method

I am not sure if examkrackers make OAT books, but I know they do for MCAT and the material is very similar on what you would see on the OAT.

Hey,

Are you referring to the book titled "Examkrackers 1001 questions in Mcat Chemistry" or "Examkrackers Complete MCAT Study Pkg: 5 Book Package"?

1- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/exa...y-jonathan-orsay/1100997165?ean=9781893858220

OR

2- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/exa...g-jonathan-orsay/1103648842?ean=9781893858497



I do have the Audio Series and listen to it sometimes.

 

[paasnaas]

Hey,

Are you referring to the book titled "Examkrackers 1001 questions in Mcat Chemistry" or "Examkrackers Complete MCAT Study Pkg: 5 Book Package"?

1- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/exa...y-jonathan-orsay/1100997165?ean=9781893858220

OR

2- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/exa...g-jonathan-orsay/1103648842?ean=9781893858497



I do have the Audio Series and listen to it sometimes.

I mainly used the 1001 questions. But I did have access to the physics and chemistry examkracker textbooks too, which is what the study package contains. I didn't use them as much but it was nice to have when I needed to go into the book for more detail on a topic.

 

[TheMotivator]

I mainly used the 1001 questions. But I did have access to the physics and chemistry examkracker textbooks too, which is what the study package contains. I didn't use them as much but it was nice to have when I needed to go into the book for more detail on a topic.

Can I use like my Kaplan Blue Book as the reference book if I get stuck with like the 1001 questions book?

Also, would you say the 1001 Mcat Examkrackers books are good or the OAT destroyer books?

 

[paasnaas]

Can I use like my Kaplan Blue Book as the reference book if I get stuck with like the 1001 questions book?

Also, would you say the 1001 Mcat Examkrackers books are good or the OAT destroyer books?

Kaplan Blue book just has practice questions in it so I wouldn't think so. It's not like a textbook where there's reading material regarding a particular topic or subject.

I say both the MCAT examkrackers and OAT destroyer books are very good. I used them both and they were both very helpful. It's good to have different books when it comes to practice questions because that provides more practice and practice from a different source.

 

[TheMotivator]

Kaplan Blue book just has practice questions in it so I wouldn't think so. It's not like a textbook where there's reading material regarding a particular topic or subject.

I say both the MCAT examkrackers and OAT destroyer books are very good. I used them both and they were both very helpful. It's good to have different books when it comes to practice questions because that provides more practice and practice from a different source.

Hey,

I do have my college textbooks. I can use those as reference?

True, the more practice the better. So where would you suggest I start for now?

Start with the 1001 Examkrackers and do a bunch of practice questions as I am studying concepts and then when I entirely complete the subject (ex: Gen-Chem) I can test my mastery with the OAT Destroyer? (since its a cumulative randomized book)

 

[paasnaas]

Hey,

I do have my college textbooks. I can use those as reference?

True, the more practice the better. So where would you suggest I start for now?

Start with the 1001 Examkrackers and do a bunch of practice questions as I am studying concepts and then when I entirely complete the subject (ex: Gen-Chem) I can test my mastery with the OAT Destroyer? (since its a cumulative randomized book)

Yes your college textbooks should be good but those textbooks are long and lengthy so it may take some time to find topics if your stuck on a question. Also another excellent source for reference is Khan Academy on Youtube. This guy has lectures on almost every science subject and his ability to teach and the interface he uses makes it really easy to understand and learn about certain topics or subjects.

I think you already have some really good study materials, kaplan class, kaplan blue book and chad's videos (although I have never used chad's videos). I think you should finish your kaplan class first so you have a generally understanding of all the material and then just go forth with the practice questions and quizzes through the kaplan class. Then maybe once ever 3-4 weeks. Take a full length test and see your progress. Use all the available resources the course can provide and if you feel like you need some more practice, then go ahead and get the oat destroyer or/and the examkrackers. Use what you have available first and if you want to expand, then you can do that. You don't have to start the examkrackers before the destroyer, you can do half and half, or vice versa.

 

[TheMotivator]

Yes your college textbooks should be good but those textbooks are long and lengthy so it may take some time to find topics if your stuck on a question. Also another excellent source for reference is Khan Academy on Youtube. This guy has lectures on almost every science subject and his ability to teach and the interface he uses makes it really easy to understand and learn about certain topics or subjects.

I think you already have some really good study materials, kaplan class, kaplan blue book and chad's videos (although I have never used chad's videos). I think you should finish your kaplan class first so you have a generally understanding of all the material and then just go forth with the practice questions and quizzes through the kaplan class. Then maybe once ever 3-4 weeks. Take a full length test and see your progress. Use all the available resources the course can provide and if you feel like you need some more practice, then go ahead and get the oat destroyer or/and the examkrackers. Use what you have available first and if you want to expand, then you can do that. You don't have to start the examkrackers before the destroyer, you can do half and half, or vice versa.

One thing I'm concerned about is what if the questions on the Examkrackers difficulty level is set for the MCAT only. Like, isn't the OAT Natural science questions much more easier than the MCAT? I heard the 1001 Biology Examkrackers is not worth it because it is passages.

Also, was OAT destroyer more challenging for you or Examkrackers 1001 book? (for General and organic chemistry and physics & biology)

 

[paasnaas]

One thing I'm concerned about is what if the questions on the Examkrackers difficulty level is set for the MCAT only. Like, isn't the OAT Natural science questions much more easier than the MCAT? I heard the 1001 Biology Examkrackers is not worth it because it is passages.

Also, was OAT destroyer more challenging for you or Examkrackers 1001 book? (for General and organic chemistry and physics & biology)

The difficulty is about the same for both in terms of using examkrakers or the destroyer. I didn't find one much harder than the other, it was about the same. I have never used the 1001 biology examkcrackers, so I don't know if it has passages or not. But the physics and organic chemistry don't. If you go to barnes and nobles, they should have them there (call to make sure) and you can preview it from the bookshelf. Yes I believe the natural science on the OAT is "easier" in comparison to the MCAT, but not that much easier. Subject wise they cover almost the same thing, but the MCAT is composed of passage-based questions which makes it really challenging.

 

[TheMotivator]

The difficulty is about the same for both in terms of using examkrakers or the destroyer. I didn't find one much harder than the other, it was about the same. I have never used the 1001 biology examkcrackers, so I don't know if it has passages or not. But the physics and organic chemistry don't. If you go to barnes and nobles, they should have them there (call to make sure) and you can preview it from the bookshelf. Yes I believe the natural science on the OAT is "easier" in comparison to the MCAT, but not that much easier. Subject wise they cover almost the same thing, but the MCAT is composed of passage-based questions which makes it really challenging.

Cool! Thanks a lot for the help. So basically Examkrackers 1001 book is similar to the Destroyers? So, I can't go wrong with either if I do decide to use them, if you were to do OAT again, would you pick Examkrackers 1001 books or Destroyer?

That's a great idea, I will check them out at Barnes and Noble.

 

[paasnaas]

Cool! Thanks a lot for the help. So basically Examkrackers 1001 book is similar to the Destroyers? So, I can't go wrong with either if I do decide to use them, if you were to do OAT again, would you pick Examkrackers 1001 books or Destroyer?

That's a great idea, I will check them out at Barnes and Noble.

It doesn't hurt to have either of them but I would first pick up the destroyer before the examkrackers. The destroyers are more focused towards the OAT than the examkackers. First pick up the destroyer and if they have the examkcracker at barnes and noble (or a public library?) then you can just use it off the bookshelf without even buying it.

 

[TheMotivator]

It doesn't hurt to have either of them but I would first pick up the destroyer before the examkrackers. The destroyers are more focused towards the OAT than the examkackers. First pick up the destroyer and if they have the examkcracker at barnes and noble (or a public library?) then you can just use it off the bookshelf without even buying it.

I checked, Barnes and Noble sells online, not in my local store nor University. Well, only way I can use Destroyer right now is if I circle out which questions correlate to the topics I will be studying for.

For example, if I will be studying Gases and Thermochem, I should mark in the book a date (4/13) next to the questions of Gases and Thermochem, that way I know which question to do, instead of searching for the questions as it is scattered and random.

OR

I can start with EK 1001 book and select the practice questions I need for that days studies. Then, I can test mastery with Destroyer like in July. Planning on taking exam August.