Only doing practice exams enough to keep content "fresh" in your head?

[janutt345]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Here is what I did. I started the SN2ed schedule in December except I ignored verbal (took way too long to review passages and I just didn't have the time). I signed up for the 3/23 test but have now decided to take it on 5/11.

Basically this gives me 2 months to do nothing but take practice exams and to study for verbal (which I hadn't done earlier). My question for those who have taken practice exams (btw, I have all the TPR diags and all the AAMC FL's, which is about 15 total I think) is do these tests have enough of a variety of science topics to keep the knowledge from each chapter fresh in my head? Or do you think I'll likely have to re-read specific chapters to keep the material fresh?

 

[kmp0410]

Well take questions/practice tests and go back and read stuff you struggle with.

BR has chapter summaries that I am going to constantly refer to after I finish content review.

I wouldn't think you would need to go back and read the chapters again, but the more you practice the more your holes will start to emerge and you can go back and read your weaknesses.

 

[MedPR]

Here is what I did. I started the SN2ed schedule in December except I ignored verbal (took way too long to review passages and I just didn't have the time). I signed up for the 3/23 test but have now decided to take it on 5/11.

Basically this gives me 2 months to do nothing but take practice exams and to study for verbal (which I hadn't done earlier). My question for those who have taken practice exams (btw, I have all the TPR diags and all the AAMC FL's, which is about 15 total I think) is do these tests have enough of a variety of science topics to keep the knowledge from each chapter fresh in my head? Or do you think I'll likely have to re-read specific chapters to keep the material fresh?

No because the AAMC exams are not necessarily a comprehensive review of all topics.

 

[AktionPOTENTIAL]

Do you have the TPRH SW and the EK 1001 books? These books have questions that are topic specific so you can do a passage or 20 discretes from say 3-5 topics per day, on the days you aren't taking FLs. This may help to refresh the topics.

 

[Gauss44]

Do you have the TPRH SW and the EK 1001 books? These books have questions that are topic specific so you can do a passage or 20 discretes from say 3-5 topics per day, on the days you aren't taking FLs. This may help to refresh the topics.

For the sciences, reviewing end of the chapter questions and/or taking Examkracker's 30 minute exams works well for keeping information fresh. You can also make wrong answers into flashcards.

 

[eleveneleven]

Full-lengths alone are definitely not enough for keeping all the material fresh. Content review should not be too distanced from the real deal otherwise you risk running into a passage on a topic that you may not have seen for several months. Keep your content review, full-lengths, and actual test fairly tight to avoid this. I would suggest reviewing tough science chapters along with your full-lengths at this point to ensure that you do stay fresh on the material.

 

[captainuzair]

Content should be always fresh in your mind. I recommend you spend almost 3-4 hours everyday to review. No jokes. Seriously.

 

[common man]

Op, The answer to your question is yes. The MCAT is not about content review. It is about your ability to take new information in a passage and answer questions. So do as many tests and passages as you can. There's a chance that on the MCAT you will have a passage that talks about something you have never heard of and could not have expected. i certainly had that on my test. Doing lots of passages and practice tests was the best method. You just need background information that is why you do content review. But that's just background. You only need the content review as fresh in your head necessary so that you can work with the passages because you have the background to do so. Don't overdo the content review as if the test is a knowledge test because it isn't

So in short I think you are right you should just do as many practice tests as you can. People are different different things work for them this seems to work for you.