Official MCAT Studying Progress Thread

[klp14]

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Something morbid in us keeps us motivated when we know how well others are doing in their study habits. Let's keep each other going with updates on MCAT studying.

Here's my plan...I'm heading home from work tonight to slip into something more comfortable (namely sweats and a t-shirt) and cuddle up to Kaplan physics lesson 1. This is my first night of many for the next few months. Let you know how it goes tomorrow!

How is everyone else planning to tackle the MCAT this time?

 

[SillyRabbit]

I did Kaplan Physics chapter 1 last night! 😀
How did your studying session go klp14?

 

[MaggieD]

I started with Kaplan physics 2 weeks ago and it just did not work for me. I can't work through the Kaplan book, it just does not fit my style of learning. So, I switched to the EK book, which I find better suited to me. I'm planning on finishing it before my spring semester classes begin, and then starting Bio.

I am taking Orgo 2 this coming semester, so I hope that won't adversely affect me with reviewing. At the very least, it will be fresh in my mind.

As for verbal, I read voraciously anything available. The New York Times is grest for this.

 

[Mistress S]

I just started studying last week, I took AAMC practice test I to assess what areas I need to focus on in my studying and where to start. Based on the results of that, I'm going to start with the EK gen chem this weekend (I got the complete EK set, they just arrived today 🙂 ). I also have the Kaplan comprehensive review book to supplement if the EK explanations don't work for me. I'll just have to see how it goes. Good luck to everyone else beginning their studies now!

 

[DoctorWannaBe]

For those of you who are using EK, what is your study schedule like? I have done 1 lecture out of each book and I was rotating through each book trying to do a lecture a day. Is this too slow of a plan?

 

[DrLady]

I think you are fine, DWB, but you want to give atleast one and half month before mcat to practice passages and do practice exams.

Okay here is where i am. I am halfway through bio, halfway thru Physics, and in beginning in Chem and I am starting orgo this weekend.

 

[atlram]

Wow, you guys are on a roll.. I am struggling to stay focused. I read the first lecture in EK Chemistry on Wednesday, but haven't touched it since then. Wasted four hours yesterday reading the New Physician magazine and browsing through some of the articles in NEJM. Maybe I will read the EK Verbal tips and start on passages today and then try to finish the remaining lectures in Chemistry by next Saturday.

I will be starting my Princeton Review class on Feb. 08th. Nervous to see how I will do on the fist dignostic test on that first day. I better cover more material at a faster rate, if I want to see any good results...

That's all for now!

 

[DoubleOSeven]

So far I've just been going through my berkeley review books and reviewing the material. I haven't started doing passages at all even though thats what my friends told me I should be doing.

 

[Bevo]

Im a little behind. I started Princeton in November but because of secondaries and then finals and then a hectic and burnt out winter break i didnt catch up very much.

Ive completed reading gen chem lectures 1-3 but only have done the problems and passages for lec 1 and half of 2. Ive completed the problems for lec 1 of physics and read through lec 3.

Ive done very little of the organic and biology to date. Now that my schedule isn't changing so much I plan on catching up as much as I can in the next 2 days with MLK and my tuesday being free.

I believe I have bio 2 or 3 today and gen chem 4.

 

[DrLady]

Okay, I just received my Physics 1001 book in mail! I am sooo excited!! I can't wait to start doing problems!!












I am such a nerd!

 

[Bevo]

NERD!

well I know have an idea of how I want to attack it but Im also a bit behind with my TPR class so Im dividing my time to catch up and try to stay up with the class. Not doing the best job.

I want to read my chapter(s) before class, work the assigned problems. Wait for class then make note cards over what I read and the class notes. Then do some more practice problems.

 

[klp14]

I started doing Kaplan review but am really concerned about upping my speed for the PS section. I wish I could just keep my August 2002 V and BS scores and just retake PS (and be able to finish it this time!). Everybody suggests doing review for a couple months and then working mostly on problems. Is anybody starting to work on problems now? What have you guys done to get faster at reading passages/doing calculations?

 

[efex101]

I went over all the material first, I mean, heck I do not remember all the physics, gen chem, formuals. So for me starting off with practice mcats seemed counterproductive. Now that I have reviewed everything, I will start doing practice exams. As I do these practice exams, I am also reviewing again, specially those areas that I do worse in. If you are having trouble with reading speed, try this, try to answer the questions w/o reading the passage. Now, some questions you will have to gloss over the passage, but some are kind of like the free-standing ones, jsut that they relate to whatever the passage is talking about. See if that works, if not, you will have to work on reading fast and answering fast too.

 

[closertofine]

I'm working problems before doing the reviewing...it might seem counterintuitive, but I feel like I learn best by doing problems to teach myself formulas, etc.

I'm working through ExamKrackers 1001 physics problems, and since I haven't had physics since high school (AP exam), I really remember very little...so I often had to look up the answers. But I think it's helping to teach me the concepts...

Unfortunately my studying routine has been rudely interrupted... I've come down with a bad sinus infection, fever, etc...maybe TMI, sorry! But I feel the need to whine...🙁

 

[solid snake]

How do you guys handle studying for MCAT and having classes to go and study for at the same time. I'm only taking 13 hrs., but, still, it's quite a load. I guess it's b/c of the classes I'm taking.

As for MCAT studying, it's alright. The only problem so far is that I can narrow the answers down to 2 most of the time, but end up choosing the wrong answers. I hate that!!! 😡

Also, I tend to blow some easy questions and when I go back and see why I missed it, I couldn't believe I missed it.

Are there any recurring topics that will always show up on the MCAT and tested on? I've been doing practice exams and every single one has the 'reduction potentials' problems.

solid snake

 

[BushBaby]

I will start doing practice questions this weekend. Hopefully I can also up my speed in verbal (while getting the answers right). I am getting nervous now that I am actually getting to the practice stuff. All I did before was review, review, review and now it's time to test my knowledge.

 

[BushBaby]

AAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA
AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
😕

 

[Bostonienses]

Yep. Ditto that. Anyone feeling like a ***** in during the PS practice questions?

 

[woolie]

Yes, PS makes feel like a big dummie. 😛

Besides, it's so boring to me I just struggle trying to find a way to make it somehow interesting enough to hold onto in my brain. What's the deal with these kinematics problems? As often as I do them when I sit down to do them again it's like I have never seen the stuff before. 😕

 

[loomis]

The kinematics stuff is tough but what really gets me is the electromagnetic stuff.....i can just see myself on the actual MCAT twisting my wrist in all sorts of funky positions to get that damned right hand rule down!

 

[Bostonienses]

I was just doing those problems when you wrote that!
If anyone catches me doing that, I'm just going to say I am trying to develop a new form of sign language...

I'm taking a physiology class right now, and it's helping me immensely in terms of having the "ganas" to deal with the physics stuff. I never realised that physiology is so closely related to physics, and it's actually fun to learn the physics behind it. So, if you have time (Time?!? What's that?😕 ) maybe trying to related the physics to physio would break the monotony a bit.

Man, WTF, regardless of that, I'll probably still find myself sweating bullets in a stuffy room, remembering NO physics whatsoever, making obscene signs at the MCAT proctors because the right hand rule is the only thing I remember...

 

[EarlyEditionDude]

BUMP

How is everyone doing? 😉 🙂

 

[deleted9493]

I read through all the examkracker's lectures once. Now I'm going back through in a more thorough review. This time around I'm doing the practice questions they give after each section...as well as the 30 min. practice tests for each chapter. I'll be taking a practice test every weekend from now until the MCAT. I've also got a stack of berkeley review books for practicing additional areas of weakness. I just bought EK's verbal 101 passages and their 1001 questions in physics...so we'll see. I'm to the point now that I'm being selective in the chapters that I study (some I've mastered).

 

[DrLady]

I want opinions on Bio passages in the end of lecture exams of EK. I have been doing Ek Bio passages and although some seem pretty fair, there are some passages that are quite tricky until my brain gets tired ! I really get confused sometimes and even if i reread the passage, it still seems confusing as hell!
Does anyone else feel that way? I feel that they are great practice, though. Although PR science workbook doesn't seem as bad as the end of lecture exams for bio Ek. I thought maybe only phys and chem end of lecture exams were hard, not bio.

 

[stillpremed]

the ek bio is pretty challenging. i have done three end of the lecture tests and haven't gotten great scores. it is similar to the topical tests by kaplan. it seems to me that in all the passages there is that one important detail that the question refers to. it also seems like the diagrams are important. im just glad that im getting these wrong , and hopefully i wont be biffing it up on the real thing

 

[BushBaby]

From what I have heard, the EK passages in the review books are made to be EXTRA hard as to motivate you to keep studying....so don't take it that you don't know anything. If they made it easy, then students will get too cocky and not feel that they need to study further.

 

[Quickread]

despite the fact that i havent posted here... i have been studying for this test 🙂 seems to be getting to crunch time 😱 and i was wondering what your guys' strategy is for the last bit. i'm thinking about getting the rest of the AAMC online tests for 80$ on their website (I already took the free one) and doing one a week until the test. in between tests, taking the time to figure out what i did wrong and then studying the weak areas that the test shows i still have. its the best i can come up with... especially since i havent really been studying over the semester. i try to comfort myself with the fact that i have tough science courses this year which will keep me up to speed but who knows. anyhow, hope all your studying is going well, and i'd appreciate any ideas for the last weeks.

 

[stillpremed]

quickread -
i second your strategy. ill take aamc 5.6 and i am going to be going over the aamc tests that i got wrong, like two groups of passages perday and see WHY i got the question wrong and review for about an hour or so the concepts relating to that question. thers only about 5 wks, so ill be doing that , and also doing about a test a wk from the EK 101... verbal is still a sore spot