SN2 + MCAT Course?

[TexasSurgeon]

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Has anyone tried this before? There's Princeton Review that basically offers the MCAT classes on Saturday and Sunday, leaving an entire week for studying. So has anyone attempted to take an MCAT class and still follow through the SN2 study schedule?

How have your experience been with this plan if you have?

I'm thinking about doing the Princeton Review course on Sat/Sun, and spending the weekdays during next Summer to study with SN2's material. I just don't want to overwhelm myself.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I feel like one or the other is fine. Both seems like overkill.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

I feel like one or the other is fine. Both seems like overkill.

But I could use a good refresh in the prereqs

 

[PanRoasted]

Reading out of a review book or looking up MCAT review lectures online is a pretty good refresh, from my experience.

 

[loveoforganic2]

I did SN2. Too much work to do both. Not worth the money either (to tack on a course to an already more than sufficient prep method)

 

[pyrrion89]

But I could use a good refresh in the prereqs

Trust me doing both is just dumb. You will burn out. I tried doing SN2 by itself and it's VERY HARD to keep at pace for the whole time.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Trust me doing both is just dumb. You will burn out. I tried doing SN2 by itself and it's VERY HARD to keep at pace for the whole time.

In that case, which would you recommend? SN2 or Princeton?

 

[loveoforganic2]

If you're motivated enough to stick to SN2, it's a great program. Ask any questions you have to a friend or on the MCAT forum. Course won't accomplish anything that can't

Edit: I forgot the MCAT changed and added new material and whatnot within the past year or so. So I have no idea what's relevant now. No more MCAT advice from me

 

[TexasSurgeon]

If you're motivated enough to stick to SN2, it's a great program. Ask any questions you have to a friend or on the MCAT forum. Course won't accomplish anything that can't

Edit: I forgot the MCAT changed and added new material and whatnot within the past year or so. So I have no idea what's relevant now. No more MCAT advice from me

I see.

The big change hasn't happened yet- that's in 2015. I believe all they've done is removed the writing section so far I know of

 

[Josh7]

Just choose one. If you're very self motivated then choose SN2ed method and skip out on the paid course.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Just choose one. If you're very self motivated then choose SN2ed method and skip out on the paid course.

I'm leaning towards SN2 because they've got great plans. Then again, I never really liked the concept of Montessori education....

 

[PanRoasted]

You can add me to the list of people who couldn't cut it on SN2ed. it's really just too hard to stay on it for the entirety of the plan. :[ Although I would never suggest someone take a paid course. Self study is just more efficient, and your money is better spent on extra MCAT prep materials (esp verbal).

 

[alpinism]

Save the money and just do SN2ed.

As long as you're motivated enough to stick with the 3 mo study schedule, SN2ed will be more than enough preparation.

You can always spread it out over 4 mos as well.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Bump

 

[gettheleadout]

Bump

The SN2ed schedule takes enough effort with work scheduled 6 out of the 7 days of the week, and now you want to condense those six into 5, and spend the other two in MCAT classes? It sounds impractical.

Also, I agree about the money issue. I wouldn't pay for a course unless you explicitly think you need a classroom setting to force you to study. Barring that, I'd go with SN2ed between the two options. The books included in the schedule are sufficient for content review, especially when you have the internet to reference for obscure things or perplexing questions, like loveoforganic2 said. The TBR content books cover everything you need to know, so that's your refresher on content.

 

[OldGrandDad]

Did anyone else think that this was a question about the organic mechanism on the MCAT?

 

[TexasSurgeon]

You can add me to the list of people who couldn't cut it on SN2ed. it's really just too hard to stay on it for the entirety of the plan. :[ Although I would never suggest someone take a paid course. Self study is just more efficient, and your money is better spent on extra MCAT prep materials (esp verbal).

I'm sorry about that, but yes I agree. SS is more productive.

Save the money and just do SN2ed.

As long as you're motivated enough to stick with the 3 mo study schedule, SN2ed will be more than enough preparation.

You can always spread it out over 4 mos as well.

Sounds good.

The SN2ed schedule takes enough effort with work scheduled 6 out of the 7 days of the week, and now you want to condense those six into 5, and spend the other two in MCAT classes? It sounds impractical.

Also, I agree about the money issue. I wouldn't pay for a course unless you explicitly think you need a classroom setting to force you to study. Barring that, I'd go with SN2ed between the two options. The books included in the schedule are sufficient for content review, especially when you have the internet to reference for obscure things or perplexing questions, like loveoforganic2 said. The TBR content books cover everything you need to know, so that's your refresher on content.

I see you've been using the SN2 schedule. Has it been working for you? Can you post how you did initially when you started and how it's going now? Also, do you think it's useful to have taken microbio for the MCAT? Seems a bit useless IMO since it's not really a prereq.

Did anyone else think that this was a question about the organic mechanism on the MCAT?

lol, I see how it's possible now.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Excessive, choose one or the other. If you go to school in Austin they have a very nice princeton review course.

 

[deleted303591]

It will be counterproductive, will probably be a waste of your money, and probably will be a waste of your precious time.

If you have trouble with the verbal (which is hardest to increase), there are coaches that give you one on one coaching. There is one coach that is a lawyer that works on disability rights that has great reviews for the MCAT. He also has a trial session before you pay him. However, he is really expensive, costing about $1200.

I recommend brainstorming and making tracker sheets, either interactive PDFs, excel sheets, or paper if you are not technologically inclined. I would use timers to time everything you do related to MCAT. This is a weed out exam and this should be treated as such. Be resourceful, creative and organized but keep in mind that time is of the essence.

(Sent from my iPad)

 

[sliceofbread136]

It will be counterproductive, will probably be a waste of your money, and probably will be a waste of your precious time.

If you have trouble with the verbal (which is hardest to increase), there are coaches that give you one on one coaching. There is one coach that is a lawyer that works on disability rights that has great reviews for the MCAT. However, he is really expensive, costing about $1200.

I recommend brainstorming and making tracker sheets, either interactive PDFs, excel sheets, or paper if you are not technologically inclined. I would use timers to time everything you do related to MCAT. This is a weed out exam and this should be treated as such. Be resourceful, creative and organized but keep in mind that time is of the essence.

(Sent from my iPad)

+1 on the timers. Grab a good stop watch and time all of your practice problems.

 

[ianj253]

If you need extra help go to coursesaver.com. The videos are like $100 for 90 days. I found out about it because I go to undergrad at ASU and Chad (guy in the videos) did test review for our prereqs. They were so helpful when I was taking those classes. When I started studying for the mcat I knew his videos would be good. I'm pretty sure he used to work for TPR, so I'd guess his teaching method are similar to what you'd get in a class.

Edit: Opps, just saw that this thread was over a year old. My bad!

 

[Skizzard]

I took Kaplan in-class with SN2ed.. I really think the courses are a waste of money. As long as you have motivation to study yourself, SN2ed's schedule will probably be your best bet.

 

[kmp0410]

I also realize this is old, but I'd like to reiterate how classes are probably a waste of money.

I used the "need a classroom to motivate me" excuse, but that's all that is...an excuse. If you don't have the motivation then your screwed anyways, because the classroom work is not nearly enough. You will be doing a lot of work outside the classroom too. Did much better when I became self motivated and studied myself. Also much cheaper and you can use a variety of different sources.

 

[virginiayankee]

I did a Kaplan course, and I liked it, but I used almost all the materials that came with the course. I had bought the Berkeley books from the previous summer, so in my last month after the Kaplan course ended, I did a lot of the Berkeley passages and reviewed the chapters for what I was weak on. Doing both on schedule would definitely be too much, but I found it helpful to supplement my Kaplan stuff with the other materials (although it was expensive to get Kaplan + Berkeley.. but it worked well for me)

 

[ksmi117]

Moving to MCAT forum.