Should I be doing more?

[deleted887473]

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I'm testing on 8/31 (8 weeks out). Just wanted to see if this sounds like a reasonable studying schedule for the next few weeks...


I'm doing most of content review with EK books, supplementing with TBR for C/P and Kaplan for B/B. Using KA for P/S. I am starting to practice with UWorld and using Princeton CARS handbook and EK 101 CARS. I've not done much of the official AAMC stuff besides CARS and C/P. Moving forward, my weekly schedule looks like this:


For 4 days:

- read 30 ~ 40 pages of one EK book, either Chem, Physics, or Bio (so roughly 1.5 chapters)

- Do 30 practice questions from UWorld OR AAMC material

- Do 5 ~ 7 CARS passages


For 2 days: (lighter schedule because of work)

- Study P/S via KA. Take notes.

-30 UWorld questions OR AAMC


For 1 day:

- Take a FL + review it

OR

- Use it as a break day. Organize material reviewed, go over easily missed questions, etc.


I've taken 3 FLs so far:

NS 1 - 508 (128/127/127/126)

NS 2 (taken a week apart) - 508 (129/126/127/126)

-Stopped studying for like three weeks because had to work full time. Brushed up a bit on B/B and P/S -

NS 3 (taken on 6/22) - 509 (126/126/129/128)

Any comments or advice would be appreciated. (@Lawper @MCATKINGS ?)

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

I think that schedule looks solid. Maybe more practice problems on the 4 day part of the schedule. Try and do more UWorld now and then save the aamc material for a bit later once you have ironed out your strategy and have gotten the content down more solidly.

Also, I wouldn't recommend taking notes on the KA P/S. It's going to take too much time and it isn't going to be very helpful in assisting you with memorizing. There is already a 300 page document that are the notes for the p/s videos. You need to actively study those as opposed to just taking notes. Make mnemonics or flashcards and learn the p/s stuff in that manner. It'll be much more efficient!

Your full length scores look great. Keep working on practice problems and looking over your weaknesses. Then, during the last month before the exam, work on aamc material exclusively. Do 3 CARS passages per day from the CARS qpacks so you can make them last and have more time to learn from mistakes and still have passages left over from aamc to apply your new techniques to after seeing your mistakes. If you do 5-7 aamc passages per day, you'll run out too quickly and not be able to implement the stuff you learn from the mistakes you're making.

I hope that helps! Keep up the good and don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything else.

 

[deleted887473]

I think that schedule looks solid. Maybe more practice problems on the 4 day part of the schedule. Try and do more UWorld now and then save the aamc material for a bit later once you have ironed out your strategy and have gotten the content down more solidly.

Also, I wouldn't recommend taking notes on the KA P/S. It's going to take too much time and it isn't going to be very helpful in assisting you with memorizing. Their is already a 300 page document that are the notes for the p/s videos. You need to actively study those as opposed to just taking notes. Make mnemonics or flashcards and learn the p/s stuff in that manner. It'll be much more efficient!

Your full length scores look great. Keep working on practice problems and looking over your weaknesses. Then, during the last month before the exam, work on aamc material exclusively. Do 3 CARS passages per day from the CARS qpacks so you can make them last and have more time to learn from mistakes and still have passages left over from aamc to apply your new techniques to after seeing your mistakes. If you do 5-7 aamc passages per day, you'll run out to quick and not be able to implement the stuff you learn from the mistakes you're making.

I hope that helps! Keep up the good and don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything else.

Thanks for the response! I am trying to up UWorld to 60/day. Regarding P/S, I personally didn't find the KA document very helpful as I need more understanding over memorization, but I will make sure to look over the document so I am studying more efficiently

Also I just took EK FL 1:

C/P: 68%
B/B: 68%
CARS: 83%
P/S: 80%
Overall: 74%

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

And you're completely right! The document is only for memorization. The application of the document will come from doing practice problems, which is even more important. However, to be able to practice the problems, you have to know the definitions in the first place, so both are very important!!! Keep up the great work 🙂