Should I make notecards to study for the MCAT?

[mnmoore]

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This is the second time I will be taking the MCAT. This time I want to study as much as I possibly can! I normally make notecards and outline important things to study for classes. I have been doing this, but it seems to be time consuming and I am not sure if it is worth it. Of course if I do really well on the MCAT then it was worth it but I also am a graduate student which is time consuming also.

Based on my last MCAT score it is very clear that I need to do more content review/learning. What does everyone think? Should I make notecards or can you recommend another way of studying?

 

[Dr. Trenb]

Only subject I would consider making note cards for is biochemistry, specifically amino acids. Other than that, you're better off doing practice question.

 

[mnmoore]

Even for content review?

 

[TooMuchPressure]

For me, making flash cards slowed me down. It did however help me remember, but it was more memorizing rather than understanding. If it works for you then go for it. I stopped after the first chapter.

 

[Ad2b]

Amino acids - draw
Concepts - note cards

Everything else, passage practice ... ad nauseum

 

[Dr. Trenb]

You can have make/find MCAT cheat sheets online of physics/chemistry equations which you can glimpse over daily. The issue of making cards is its time consuming, and the MCAT passages usually include equations so you don't have to recall much. However, you can try it out and see for yourself.

 

[LakridsA]

Interesting, most of you don't recommend making flash cards. But what about anki? I've heard a lot of praise for it on these forums and how it has helped a lot of people

 

[realba11]

I use Anki for Psych (have not taken a Psych/Soc course) and some things like Hormones/Vitamins. While it's important to make connections and compare/contrast theories for Psych/Soc, Anki definitely helps you learn it quicker and be able to recall names and theories.

 

[Doctor Dream]

I went through the AAMC content outline and made a flashcard with Anki for every single bullet point, and I'm so glad I did. I definitely would have scored lower without my cards. I use flashcards for almost all my classes though, and know that they work for me.

I really liked that the cards forced me to study and recall topics at random, just like the MCAT does. One card would be all about regulating blood pressure, the next would be all about Helper T-cells. Obviously it's your call, but I learn well with flashcards and flashcards did wonders for me when studying for the MCAT.

 

[popopopop]

I love my notecards, and I find it ironic so many people recommend anki, but not flashcards on here. Mine has random facts, tables, important names, and tricks for me to know, and it's not meant to be a summary of my content books. My notecards are condensed review and notes of the content books. I write a few phrases at most for certain topic, short and sweet. I wouldn't make notecards on a topic I know well, but stuff that actually needs reviewing.

About the time consuming part, I get that it's probably faster to type or not do them at all, but if you're forgetting a confusing topic and keep having to flip open a book/vid to remind yourself, then do yourself a favor and get it all in one place that you know you can quickly reference. That's how I view the strength of my flashcards, because I can't keep track on all of these thick content books!