Read all the EK books once through, I'm smart, but my MCAT practices are WEAK!

[dedicate]

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When did you start noticing improvements?

Do you find that the real improvements come primarily from doing more and more questions, tests, or readings?

It seems that so far, I've read a LOT, but perhaps I've only done a little as far as questions goes (EK in-chapter tests all the way through). Nonetheless, I feel like I understand most concepts, but my scores are relatively, well, weak!

Looking for experience to speak up here so I can gain some insight and perhaps confidence that it will get better!

 

[Marjan Islam]

First of all, I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I've gone through a ton of resources. What will boost your score? Readings? Questions? Tests? It's really all of it.

Do your readings in content review, and reinforce that you actually know the concepts through mini-tests, questions, and if possible, passage based testing (BK helps here a ton).

Then, you go to take a full length practice test! If your score isn't improving, do a content review on areas you're weak on, and then hardcore reinforcement through questions and passages. This should be the bulk of your studying. Content review mixed with passage based testing (BK, EK passages, Kaplan Topicals etc.)

Full length MCATs are valuable resources (expensive too!) so these should be saved for the very end, after you feel like you're ready to see if all your studying has paid off!

 

[FuSoYa]

I'll give the same advice I've given to many forum members. It'll take much more than one review before you begin feeling comfortable with the MCAT. I went through all the EK study guides twice (some parts 3 times), took notes, and did the 1001 question books. I even supplemented physics with Nova's book for a 3rd complete review of physics. But all that content review is just laying a foundation. Even if you have all the formulas memorized and organ functions understood, it doesn't mean you're ready for the MCAT. The real prep comes from taking practice tests, especially full-length exams. You need to understand the MCAT's testing style, be able to read & understand passages, and then apply whatever knowledge they may be testing you on. Do lots of practices, find your weak areas and focus on those, don't review hormones 20 times if you know you already know hormones. I know it feels good to be able to write down everything you know about hormones in 2.37 minutes, but it's just mental masterbation (is that allowed on the forums?) and won't get you ready for the real game. Force yourself to really understand those difficult concepts that drive you insane, never take the easy route and say "oh, that'll never be on the REAL test. Let's study hormones again and call it a night."

After the 01/30/09 test, it's very clear that "knowing" things wasn't enough to do well. A big chunk of the MCAT is reading comprehension. If you don't know what's going on with the experiment in the passage, you won't know what formula to use or what system function is coming into play. Good luck.

 

[tanny]

I'll give the same advice I've given to many forum members. It'll take much more than one review before you begin feeling comfortable with the MCAT. I went through all the EK study guides twice (some parts 3 times), took notes, and did the 1001 question books. I even supplemented physics with Nova's book for a 3rd complete review of physics. But all that content review is just laying a foundation. Even if you have all the formulas memorized and organ functions understood, it doesn't mean you're ready for the MCAT. The real prep comes from taking practice tests, especially full-length exams. You need to understand the MCAT's testing style, be able to read & understand passages, and then apply whatever knowledge they may be testing you on. Do lots of practices, find your weak areas and focus on those, don't review hormones 20 times if you know you already know hormones. I know it feels good to be able to write down everything you know about hormones in 2.37 minutes, but it's just mental masterbation (is that allowed on the forums?) and won't get you ready for the real game. Force yourself to really understand those difficult concepts that drive you insane, never take the easy route and say "oh, that'll never be on the REAL test. Let's study hormones again and call it a night."

After the 01/30/09 test, it's very clear that "knowing" things wasn't enough to do well. A big chunk of the MCAT is reading comprehension. If you don't know what's going on with the experiment in the passage, you won't know what formula to use or what system function is coming into play. Good luck.

But you must understand the concept very well before you can comprehend the passages right?

 

[FuSoYa]

But you must understand the concept very well before you can comprehend the passages right?

Not necessarily, and it depends on what you mean by "very well." You definitely want to have a strong foundation in concepts, I'm not saying NOT to study and just move onto practices. However, 1) there are quite a few questions that CAN be answered based solely on passage information, even if you don't completely understand the underlying concept, and 2) just b/c you have a full understanding of the concept, it doesn't mean you'll comprehend the passage with ease. Both skills are required, and neither one will completely make up for a lack of the other. This is why you see so many posts about people freaking out b/c their early practice scores are so low even though they swear by all things holy that they "know their stuff."

 

[SN2ed]

The key to the MCAT is not through reading content review books. What's needed is to drown yourself in practice problems. Major improvement comes with more practice. Take more practice problems, then, when you're close to your test date, take several practice tests.

 

[Vihsadas]

The key to the MCAT is not through reading content review books. What's needed is to drown yourself in practice problems. Major improvement comes with more practice. Take more practice problems, then, when you're close to your test date, take several practice tests.

^^
The vast majority of people who scored well on the MCAT did this. The MCAT isn't just about understanding the material, it's about learning to take the test itself.

 

[dedicate]

Thanks for the feedback.

Not very suprising, I suppose. I'm mostly just disconcerted how after reading everything about 1 and a half times, how much different it is when you apply it to MCAT practices.

I think I'm seeing noticable improvements even very early on just from taking a few topicals.