preparing for the MCAT

[Postictal Raiden]

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I am two years away from applying to med schools. Because of a bad acadamic history (70 semester credits with 2.9 gpa), if I get nothing less than an A from this point on, I will have only 3.45 gpa. Therefore, I am planning to rock the MCAT.

How soon in advance I need to start studying for the MCAT? (I still haven't taken ochem and physics)

and

I am worried about the verbal section, how can I prepare for it? some people suggested that I start reading journals, but do they mean medical or business journals?

And one more question outta the topic:
I find reading a very boring activity, does anyone else feel the same way? what is the remedy for that?

 

[ODorDO]

I am two years away from applying to med schools. Because of a bad acadamic history (70 semester credits with 2.9 gpa), if I get nothing less than an A from this point on, I will have only 3.45 gpa. Therefore, I am planning to rock the MCAT.

How soon in advance I need to start studying for the MCAT? (I still haven't taken ochem and physics)

and

I am worried about the verbal section, how can I prepare for it? some people suggested that I start reading journals, but do they mean medical or business journals?

And one more question outta the topic:
I find reading a very boring activity, does anyone else feel the same way? what is the remedy for that?

um... i think you can start right after your last prereq class. Chances are if you start now you will very likely to forget 2 years later.

you can prepare for VR by reading EVERYTHING, try to read everything and be able to have a good idea abt it in a short time.

yea its boring but u gotta do it

 

[Longshanks]

Don't study too far in advance, I faced that problem on my most recent take (my study process got dragged out too long due to personal/family complications). A long preparation period can be overly strenuous, opens the possibility to lose information overtime, and causes you to miss out enjoying the finer things in life. SN2ed's 3month plan is a great guide, I think 3-4months is perfect time if you really commit yourself and do your work and analysis. In terms of verbal.. scientific literature really wouldn't be the best, but it would be helpful for BS in how recent BS sections have presented and tested material. IMHO if you want to improve your reading skills, read the editorials of WSJ or NYT, economic sections or magazines (this would be helpful for examples to pull out for WS if you get an economy/business/technology prompt), or something that covers politics/current events in an in-depth intellectual format with argumentive stand point. Those are most similar to VR passages. Is it really necessary to do that? No, but it all depends on your reading abilities and comfort. Even just reading a good novel but deciphering meaning out of sections is good practice. We need to get out of our science books now and then. But it really comes down to practice practice practice.

Good luck, and if you pulled up from a 2.9 to a 3.45 I'm sure you'd get in somewhere, that is a strong demonstration of work ethic and maturation.

 

[rockchalkjdoc]

IMHO if you want to improve your reading skills, read the editorials of WSJ or NYT, economic sections or magazines (this would be helpful for examples to pull out for WS if you get an economy/business/technology prompt), or something that covers politics/current events in an in-depth intellectual format with argumentive stand point. Those are most similar to VR passages.

I'd totally agree. My understanding is that VR is intended to evaluate how well you can synthesize and interpret new material that you haven't been previously exposed to (like you are continuously expected to do as a medical student). I prepared for the MCAT using ExamKrackers and the take home message from them was to put yourself in the writer's point of view as you read the passage and answer the questions. Whatever you do, try not to allow your own personal opinions and worldview influence how you answer the questions.

 

[swamprat]

the mcat sucks, but don't mess around if you are going to start to study stay consistent. Half-ass studying doesn't do much. Also, you want to watch and make sure you don't burn out. This happened to me and i decided to delay my exam a few months (i also wasn't scoring that well on my practice exams). It started to feel like hell on earth when I was taking these practice exams which obviously is no good especially when you gotta take the real thing. To be honest, on the real test I actually had fleeting moments of panic/i hate this don't wanna do it.

 

[combatwombat]

I recommend using exam krackers + every available practice question you can get your hands on starting 3-4 months before you take the test. Until then, your best bet to prepare for the MCAT is to study your brains out for all your remaining prereq classes - this is the knowledge base they will be tapping in to, and now is your chance to build it up.

 

[Mysterion]

Regarding your GPA would it go up faster if you retook the classes you did worst in (because the repeats replace the original on the app)?

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Regarding your GPA would it go up faster if you retook the classes you did worst in (because the repeats replace the original on the app)?

yes, it would go up faster, but the problem is that all the c's I have are in nonscience classes such as speech, ESL, and math (algebra and trig). Therefore, I think that retaking those classes is a waiste of time although it can bump my gpa by 0.2 faster than taking new classes. By the way, the 3.45 is cgpa, the sgpa will be 3.8 (again if everything goes according to plan ).

 

[StrivingSurge13]

yes, it would go up faster, but the problem is that all the c's I have are in nonscience classes such as speech, ESL, and math (algebra and trig). Therefore, I think that retaking those classes is a waiste of time although it can bump my gpa by 0.2 faster than taking new classes. By the way, the 3.45 is cgpa, the sgpa will be 3.8 (again if everything goes according to plan ).

Well if that works out for you then you should be in decent shape as the science gpa should be weighted fairly heavier for most schools.

 

[Melicopter]

I agree with the others who said to read a lot of variety. I do pretty well on VR in the practice tests, but once in awhile there will be a passage that is straight out of a philosophy text or something. They're just all over the board. I hate reading philosophy, and am not sure how they can ask you what the author is trying to say, when the author clearly has no idea what he/she is trying to say!! (And yes, that attitude reflected poorly on my score for that section)

 

[Mohammed1989]

the mcat sucks, but don't mess around if you are going to start to study stay consistent. Half-ass studying doesn't do much. Also, you want to watch and make sure you don't burn out. This happened to me and i decided to delay my exam a few months (i also wasn't scoring that well on my practice exams). It started to feel like hell on earth when I was taking these practice exams which obviously is no good especially when you gotta take the real thing. To be honest, on the real test I actually had fleeting moments of panic/i hate this don't wanna do it.

I so agree I got all the ek stuff and I apply in 2 years. I tried studying from time to time and no IT DOES NOT WORK!!! I feel that once you start studying you don't stop you have to keep it fresh at all times. That half a** stuff doesn't work. I'll probably buckle down and start studying real hard before the mcats in advance.

 

[Krisss17]

Well, first, this thread should be moved over to the MCAT section...

OP, while you can't do any indepth MCAT studying...it wouldn't hurt to do some periodic review of biology and general chemistry. When are you planning on taking the MCAT? Next spring? When are you planning on taking ochem and physics? If this year, you might want to review your chemistry...especially acid/base, the Lewis Structure, etc. now.

 

[Fit4lyfe]

Im in the same boat... After my first year I was put on academic probation... I couldnt wake up in the morning. I had a whopping 1.7 GPA. I started busting my ass around the 2nd year. I have a 3.2 GPA (including all my bad grades) now. I still have a year of classes left so Im hoping to get it up to a 3.4 or above. I have got A's in all my pre-med sciences so far. I still have to take biochem and physics 2. I hope upward trends are looked at!