Preparing for the 2015 MCAT EXAM

[dahmsom]

Hi,
Im pretty sure there is a lot of post about this, but I am having a hard time getting motivated to take the new 2015 MCAT EXAM. I am a retaking the mcat again, and i've really lost motivation to take the new one. I've NEVER taken psychology or sociology. Is there a strict studying schedule people are following? I am not about to buy another book for the MCAT. so far i have all the TBR books and Examcrackers. Please give me advice... anyone ...

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[G1111]

Hey,
I'm in a similar position: needing a retake of a January 2014 exam.
It's hard to get motivated because all the "new" material seems daunting. However, if you take a look at AAMC's content outlines, everything from 2014 is preserved. Orgo definitely takes a back seat to biochem. Other than that, physics hasn't changed since approximately 1727 (that's a joke, that's when Newton died), biology is biology whichever way you try to spin it, and chemistry will still follow the same solubility rules even in 2015.
I'm pretty tight on money, so I'm keeping my old books (Kaplan, TPR, EK) and supplementing them with the essentials: psych/soc (TPR) and biochemistry by Kaplan.
As far as the plan, I know psych/soc is brand new, so that will be the focus of my studying. Biochemistry might as well be new because it's been years. I'll be studying those daily, an hour each. For everything else, I'll do review to keep things fresh in my mind, ~once a week for each subject (Mon-Fri) and extensive review and practice on weekends. I need to improve on verbal, so I'll do something for that daily (either read the CARS book by Kaplan or do passages).
I work full-time so this might seem like a light schedule. I'm just doing the best I can while in a pickle of having to retake the exam. Do what's best for you and remember that nobody can make a schedule that will fit into your life. Someone will always have something to say or to pass a judgement. Just stick to your daily/weekly goals, however small they are. An average pre-med will probably exclaim that my "studying" isn't studying at all, but I'll be happy if I can get a bit of studying done each day. This time around, consistency is my goal.
Best of luck! Don't despair, you already know so much from the previous exam!

 

[SteveyJunior11]

Hi,
Im pretty sure there is a lot of post about this, but I am having a hard time getting motivated to take the new 2015 MCAT EXAM. I am a retaking the mcat again, and i've really lost motivation to take the new one. I've NEVER taken psychology or sociology. Is there a strict studying schedule people are following? I am not about to buy another book for the MCAT. so far i have all the TBR books and Examcrackers. Please give me advice... anyone ...

I just found a free YouTube MCAT tutor that just started posting some videos from their MCAT course. Here is the link to his playlists that he has so far after a couple weeks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVPgbrwAP1VDv-bHLfFzVxA/playlists

I signed up for his channel and will let you all know how it goes!

Khan is also useful. If you all hear of any other free resources please reply to the thread!

 

[premed240]

Hi,
Im pretty sure there is a lot of post about this, but I am having a hard time getting motivated to take the new 2015 MCAT EXAM. I am a retaking the mcat again, and i've really lost motivation to take the new one. I've NEVER taken psychology or sociology. Is there a strict studying schedule people are following? I am not about to buy another book for the MCAT. so far i have all the TBR books and Examcrackers. Please give me advice... anyone ...

Getting prepared to take the new MCAT 2015 exam in my opinion is really about having a positive attitude. Of course, you've probably heard this a lot of times, but I really think it helps. It's about having a good balance and a consistent schedule. Make sure to work out, hang with friends, or just do something you enjoy each day!
You can buy the EK psychology/sociology book or the Princeton Review one. I used both and scored a 129 on the Psych/Soc section. The books pretty much give you a lot of terms and some good examples. Princeton has discrete questions and a passage at the end of each chapters, where as EK has discrete questions throughout the chapter and a 30 minute quiz at the end of each chapter that is similar to what you will see on the actual MCAT exam.

 

[Roflcoppter1337]

If you're not motivated for the exam, it may behoove you to take time off. Many students find this fulfilling, as being a full-time student for 4 straight years in Med school + working like a dog in residency is mentally, emotionally, and physically taxing. Taking a break is oft overlooked, but can go a long way in building "intangible" personal aspects such as maturity and (for the lack of a better word) "wisdom."

That said, if you are adamant about taking the exam now, set personal goals for yourself and construct your own study plan. There's many a post here for study plans, but you should really make your own, as no one knows your abilities but you, and whatever study plans you are able to find on the web were customized for the maker's learning styles. Khan Academy has an extensive video collection developed in collaboration with AAMC for all sections of the 2015 MCAT that might be more engaging than reading books (which gets old, let's be honest).

For motivation, consider asking yourself why you're pursuing medicine. I don't mean to dissuade you, but it's a long, tiring path; try to re-connect yourself with the intrinsic aspects of the field you love and convince yourself that this exam is only 1 (frustrating) step on the path to achieving your dream. You should try to rediscover and focus your thoughts on your intrinsic passion for medicine.

 

[vivatix]

I am in a similar situation and have been finding it hard to get down to the hardcore practice.

I have been watching all the Khan Academy videos, practicing CARS sections (doing some passages and lots of outside reading practice since this was my weak area).
For Psychology, I took lots of psychology courses in university but that was a few years ago now, so have read through the Kaplan book. Never took a sociology course before but that stuff seems pretty straightforward.

I am not really familiar with biochem so been going through a biochem textbook and have read through the Kaplan book.

I would be open to working together, going over problems and sharing resources (if anyone is interested) - to help keep each other motivated

 

[FMDoge2020]

Give yourself more time if you're not motivated. Extend your prep time. Unmotivated individuals can't follow a strict schedule....but it is important to keep studying everyday....so I would say study as much as you can everyday. You know the best about how you learn.

Khan Academy is a free website that you should look into. Their stuff(lectures and questions) was very helpful for me when I was preparing for the new MCAT. The new MCAT is more about reading actual research articles and the general knowledge of basic science. Much more relevant to medicine(in my opinion). So if you can understand research articles well, then you should do well!