Should I hone on Chem/Phys or try to perfect the other sections?

[Alakazam123]

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I'm scoring around a 500 right now, and my weakest section is Chem/Phys. I struggled with orgo in class, and struggle on the MCAT. the content knowledge can be confusing. However, I'm getting around a 125-126.

While I'm quite low in the other sections, in terms of confidence to improve, here is my ranking:

1. Bio/Biochem
2. Psych/Soc
3. CARS

If I plan on taking the exam in the next 3.5 months, would it be better to perfect these three sections instead of labor away at Chem/Phys?

 

[Alakazam123]

Furthermore, is it a wise idea to go back to class textbooks to review for Chem/Phys? I find that the Kaplan material sometimes explains the question, but doesn't always give the conceptual basis for the answer.

 

[Saturday’s Child]

What is your idea of “perfection” when it comes to the other sections? What is your overall goal score? A balanced score is ideal regardless of the target number, so you want each section to be within 2-3 points of each other (i.e. a 125/130/130/130 would not be a goal to shoot for). You have enough time to where you should not be giving up on a section just because it’s hard right now.

Also, if you’re getting 125-126 3.5 months out, it is not unreasonable at all to expect that to improve with a reasonable amount of effort. I think I was at around 126 2.5 months out and ended up at 130+. Orgo is a small portion of that section, so I would not write off your chances of success in C/P based solely on having difficulty with a small part of it.

As far as content mastery, do whatever you have to do. Just make sure you’re not getting too deep into the weeds, because a text book may go more in depth than what is expected for the MCAT. There are plenty of online resources, especially videos, that are designed to concisely explain scientific concepts. Also, I’m not sure what Kaplan questions you’re referring to, but the content books themselves have solid explanations of the material.

 

[Btech305]

1. What are you scoring 500 on? Kaplan's FL?
2. What book set are you using to study, if any?
3. What sort of prep did you do before you took the test you scored 500 on?

 

[Alakazam123]

What is your idea of “perfection” when it comes to the other sections? What is your overall goal score? A balanced score is ideal regardless of the target number, so you want each section to be within 2-3 points of each other (i.e. a 125/130/130/130 would not be a goal to shoot for). You have enough time to where you should not be giving up on a section just because it’s hard right now.

Also, if you’re getting 125-126 3.5 months out, it is not unreasonable at all to expect that to improve with a reasonable amount of effort. I think I was at around 126 2.5 months out and ended up at 130+. Orgo is a small portion of that section, so I would not write off your chances of success in C/P based solely on having difficulty with a small part of it.

As far as content mastery, do whatever you have to do. Just make sure you’re not getting too deep into the weeds, because a text book may go more in depth than what is expected for the MCAT. There are plenty of online resources, especially videos, that are designed to concisely explain scientific concepts. Also, I’m not sure what Kaplan questions you’re referring to, but the content books themselves have solid explanations of the material.

Thank you, I will keep working on Chem/Phys then, and try to attain that balanced score. Regarding content mastery, what you say is true. A Khan Academy video better serves my interests better than 3 hrs of reading through textbooks. Specifically on Chem/Phys though, I find that I just don't understand a lot of the basic concepts pertaining to the questions. No matter how many Kaplan study strategies I use, I keep scratching my head on nomenclature, chirality, etc.
Have you encountered this kind of a hurdle? Did you find video and Kaplan information to be sufficient?

 

[Alakazam123]

Also, did anyone study while working full-time and get a high score? If so, how long did y'all take?

 

[Cornfed101]

Orgo is a small portion of that section, so I would not write off your chances of success in C/P based solely on having difficulty with a small part of it.

I would be careful with blanket statements like this. Orgo was probably 75% of the C/P on my MCAT in May.

Also, did anyone study while working full-time and get a high score? If so, how long did y'all take?

Yes, lots of people on here have done it. I studied 650 hours over the course of 9 months. I studied 15-25 hours a week.

 

[mk34]

Also, did anyone study while working full-time and get a high score? If so, how long did y'all take?

I studied for the MCAT while taking a heavy courseload and working 10 hours/week. I had about 3.5 months to study and the first Kaplan FL test I took I got a 125 on C/P. I ended up scoring a 129 on the real thing - it can be done! I did terribly in organic chemistry too.

 

[Alakazam123]

I studied for the MCAT while taking a heavy courseload and working 10 hours/week. I had about 3.5 months to study and the first Kaplan FL test I took I got a 125 on C/P. I ended up scoring a 129 on the real thing - it can be done! I did terribly in organic chemistry too.

If you don't mind my asking, how did you do on the exam as a whole?

 

[mk34]

If you don't mind my asking, how did you do on the exam as a whole?

516! From a 500 on my first practice test

 

[Alakazam123]

516! From a 500 on my first practice test

Hot damn!! Good job dude!! Keeping my fingers crossed. I hope I can achieve the same 🙂
Have you applied?

 

[mk34]

Hot damn!! Good job dude!! Keeping my fingers crossed. I hope I can achieve the same 🙂
Have you applied?

Thanks!! Yes, I’m applying this cycle!

 

[JoaoMoutinho]

Also, did anyone study while working full-time and get a high score? If so, how long did y'all take?

I studied for the MCAT while working ~50 hrs/wk for the first half of my "dedicated" and then backed off to 20-30 up until the week or so before the test, when my work schedule naturally lightened up, allowing me to just take the time off. I probably got 30-35 hrs/wk of studying in, and I did it for 6ish weeks. Got a 519 and was happy with it. IIRC my first practice test or Kaplan diagnostic test thing was a 506/507. I had taken nearly all the prereqs within the previous 4 semesters, so everything was pretty fresh in my head.

I will point out that one of my jobs at the time was a chemistry TA where I was able to get some studying in during office hours (not to mention I maintained a rock solid gen chem foundation), and my other job was taking care of mentally disabled people which allowed me to study for a bit after they went to bed and before they woke up in the morning.

 

[WildWing]

Moving to MCAT forum.

 

[Dochopeful13]

I'm scoring around a 500 right now, and my weakest section is Chem/Phys. I struggled with orgo in class, and struggle on the MCAT. the content knowledge can be confusing. However, I'm getting around a 125-126.

While I'm quite low in the other sections, in terms of confidence to improve, here is my ranking:

1. Bio/Biochem
2. Psych/Soc
3. CARS

If I plan on taking the exam in the next 3.5 months, would it be better to perfect these three sections instead of labor away at Chem/Phys?

This is so me lol. I will totally feel semi confident in my chem knowledge going through tbr chapters. However, I sometimes get to tbr passages and it might as well be in Russian lol. Have you tried TBR for Content review??