Reasonable Pace for MCAT Studying

[Seldon]

I'm in the learning phase now. It's taking me about a week to get through a book. However, once I'm through, I'm completely done with the material (bit obsessive compulsive, so no detail is left unlearned). I'm just about done with the first book (chemistry... haven't done in 4 years, so its my worst). Is this a reasonable pace for an April 22 exam, or do I need to pick up it up? Thanks!

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[Lardy Boy]

Do some sample questions from aamc to get a feel for the types of questions and you can adjust how much content review you need. I'm saying this cause large part of the mcat is also about analyzing passages, and focusing too heavily on content review wouldn't be ideal.


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[Seldon]

Do some sample questions from aamc to get a feel for the types of questions and you can adjust how much content review you need. I'm saying this cause large part of the mcat is also about analyzing passages, and focusing too heavily on content review wouldn't be ideal.


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I haven't had the opportunity to do this just yet (just finished first book), but for big exams in college, I usually take one day to synthesize all of the material (think about all of the possible connections and answer as many difficult problems as possible to test weaknesses in my understanding.) I've been very successful with this approach and I'm planning on repeating it here.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

for big exams in college, I usually take one day to synthesize all of the material (think about all of the possible connections and answer as many difficult problems as possible to test weaknesses in my understanding.) I've been very successful with this approach and I'm planning on repeating it here.

The MCAT is nothing like any test you have taken in college and the way you approach things for college exams will not work for the MCAT. Someone can have content down pat and still score in the 50th percentile. Take a diagnostic and see where you are at.

 

[Seldon]

The MCAT is nothing like any test you have taken in college and the way you approach things for college exams will not work for the MCAT. Someone can have content down pat and still score in the 50th percentile. Take a diagnostic and see where you are at.

I took the Kaplan diagnostic before I started. I got a 504 ( I rushed and didn't check my answers so I pry would have scored slightly higher than that). I'm not overly concerned about being creative during the test. I'm more worried about material that I forgot.

 

[MareNostrummm]

The different diagnostic tests tend to be very deflated so I wouldn't worry about your score. The pace that you finish the content will depend on what books you are using. EK has the shortest books and skimps out on a lot of the detail and is designed for recent graduates. Kaplan is the most detailed and comprehensive.

People usually only do 2 months of content review and 1 month of full practice tests... so I would say you are on track.

 

[Ad2b]

I'm not overly concerned about being creative during the test. I'm more worried about material that I forgot.

Creative?

Content is less important than understanding how the MCAT actually tests you. It is unlike ACT, SAT, GRE, LSAT, GMAT in every way other than you get a score.

By going through the AAMC prep materials, you will get a feel for where you are weak and can hone those areas with the books/Khan.

 

[Seldon]

Creative?

Content is less important than understanding how the MCAT actually tests you. It is unlike ACT, SAT, GRE, LSAT, GMAT in every way other than you get a score.

By going through the AAMC prep materials, you will get a feel for where you are weak and can hone those areas with the books/Khan.

I think "creative" is pretty apt. Being able to synthesize disparate content in the fly is, to me, the essence of creativity.

 

[Seldon]

based on your diagnostic, sounds like you're a decent test taker so that's great. are you using a test prep company's books? just wondering since you said you finished one book. most of the time, the test prep books also have a home study schedule that you can follow. i aimed to have 3 weeks at the end of content review to use AAMC materials (mainly section bank and scored practice tests), and i thought that was a good amount of time for those materials.

I have Kaplan and EK books. My goal (though its pretty ambitious) is to be done with review by March 1st. That would give me all of March and most of April to practice. Since there are 7 books (excluding CARS, which I don't need to read) I have 4 weeks, so I'm quite behind. That's sort of why I'm posting this.

 

[DoctorCakes]

IMO content to practice ratio should be 40/60

 

[DoctorCakes]

I have Kaplan and EK books. My goal (though its pretty ambitious) is to be done with review by March 1st. That would give me all of March and most of April to practice. Since there are 7 books (excluding CARS, which I don't need to read) I have 4 weeks, so I'm quite behind. That's sort of why I'm posting this.

2 months is solid practice time if you are studying full-time

 

[Seldon]

2 months is solid practice time if you are studying full-time

Relatively full time... depending on the day, I can dedicate as many as 18 hours or as few as 6. Still, more than enough.

 

[DoctorCakes]

Relatively full time... depending on the day, I can dedicate as many as 18 hours or as few as 6. Still, more than enough.

i did 1 month content and 2 months practice. I half-a$$ed content and still ended up with 99th percentile on B/B and C/P, which should tell you how little content actually helps you on the real exam

 

[Seldon]

i did 1 month content and 2 months practice. I half-a$$ed content and still ended up with 99th percentile on B/B and C/P, which should tell you how little content actually helps you on the real exam

I'm not really surprised, considering that I got a 504 while being lazy and not remembering the vast majority of the content. Still, I find that I can improvise better if I have a solid foundation in the material.

 

[Seldon]

Well, based on that I would say you are maybe a bit behind. I wouldn't try to work through both Kaplan and EK books- I'd pick the one that you best understand the content and focus on that. Even devoting 6 hrs per day is pretty much full time (I studied for 3 months for ~3 hrs per day and then ramped up the last few weeks studying ~8 hrs per day and I covered everything). I followed the EK schedule and did full length practice tests every other weekend as they recommend throughout content review and thought that worked out well. Practice tests don't necessarily need to all be done at the end of your studying. If I were you, I would try to get content review done by the 3rd week in march and then transition over to AAMC material and more practice tests. I think you'll have enough time as long as you follow a clear schedule.

Thanks, maybe I'll give myself some more time. I don't actually plan on going through the content on EK. I bought them because I heard the practice problems were good and I found them cheap.