One subject at a time vs alternating subjects?

[Eye see you]

Hello. I have been doing content review for about 3 weeks now and I've been studying another subject every day I study in the following order:

Bio > Orgo > Biochem > Physics > Gen chem

Do you think it's better to alternate like how I'm doing right now or is it better to go through one full subject at a time? I'm kind of leaning towards switching to one subject at a time but I'm afraid that I'll forget content from the first subject once I finish studying the last subject. Also, if I tackle one subject at a time, is it better to start with my weakest subject first ( physics x100000 :/ ) or to save it for last (so it's fresh for test day).

Thanks 🙂

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[Cornfed101]

I studied one subject at a time starting with my weakest subject. This allowed me to really hammer in weaker stuff and even though I felt rushed at the end it was my best subjects last so it was fine.

Use Anki to retain stuff long term. I studied for 9 months part time and didn’t have any trouble remembering the stuff I studied at the beginning. Just make sure you create solid flash cards that test mcat strategy and not just simple term/definition type cards.

Otterxavier has a fantastic post about making great anki cards

How I prepped for a 526

So, I took the new MCAT in April and got a 526 (proof). Since then, I've gotten lots of messages on SDN asking about study strategies. Rather than answer the same questions over and over in a thousand different places, I figured I'd compile all of my advice into one thread. My goal in sharing...

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[AMCASTuesdays]

Hello. I have been doing content review for about 3 weeks now and I've been studying another subject every day I study in the following order:

Bio > Orgo > Biochem > Physics > Gen chem

Do you think it's better to alternate like how I'm doing right now or is it better to go through one full subject at a time? I'm kind of leaning towards switching to one subject at a time but I'm afraid that I'll forget content from the first subject once I finish studying the last subject. Also, if I tackle one subject at a time, is it better to start with my weakest subject first ( physics x100000 :/ ) or to save it for last (so it's fresh for test day).

Thanks 🙂

Similar to previous advice, I had not taken biochem prior to my exam and it had been a minute since I had any physics so I spent my first phase of studying learning/reviewing these two, one at a time. After that I alternated bc I personally felt like I got pretty burnt out hammering one subject at a time. I personally preferred using both methods. If you alternate, I liked doing 3 subject chunks at a time.

Cards are a really good way to stay sharp with material if you choose to do one subject at a time. And yes, if you alternate def do your weakest subject(s) first, just make sure you are reviewing that subject or those subjects frequently over the course of your studying.

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

I think it's completely preferential. I have had students do it both ways and find success. I personally started feeling disorganized if I tried to study multiple subjects in a day. However, one thing you can do is have a list of high-yield things to do from other subjects weekly. So, I started with physics, but I would also spend some time memorizing amino-acids as well and reviewing psychology terms daily, but the bulk of my day was spent doing a single subject. I don't think you can go wrong either way though. Just whatever feels more comfortable for you, try that method!

 

[GlowCloud]

I tried both and decided I liked studying one subject at a time during content review. It really helped me cement topics. I started alternating once I finished content review. I also alternated my weak subjects with my stronger subjects to help keep me motivated (e.g. I avoided studying physics and organic back to back because it was too demoralizing haha). If you have time, try different tactics to see what works best for you. Good luck!

 

[PlsLetMeIn21]

I mixed it up from one day to the next, making one day for biology, another for physics, etc... I mixed in CARS wherever it would fit. In retrospect, I don't think it made any difference. There is so much overlap between subjects that it ends up mixed anyway.