SN2'd first day

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

TexasSurgeon

I don't pay state taxes
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
2,652
Reaction score
1,285
EDIT: This was supposed to be a thread about the first day of SN2. However as with all intelligent life, things evolve. This thread has now become a support page for people following the SN2 plan. You can think of it as Alcoholics Anonymous for people studying to take the MCAT using the SN2 plan.

EDIT July 1, 2014:
If you are interested in @mehc012's Anki Deck, DO NOT SEND A PM. Here is the link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7if6wgaif98rkoa/mehc012 SN2edCh4s.apkg
**A NOTE: @mehc012 and several others (myself included) want to tell you guys that studying from another person's deck will probably not be as beneficial to you as creating your own cards. Yes you can take advantage of @mehc012's generosity, but you won't get the same advantage. Study the material. Create cards as you go along. You will find it more helpful to your studying. **

EDIT July 22, 2014:
The following is @TBRBiosadist's official MCAT Verbal Reasoning Strategy:
@TBRBiosadist's strategy that got [him] from a 7 average to scoring 13-15 average..

Spend the bulk of your time reading. Up to 3 minutes per passage.
  • Read the first and last paragraph thoroughly to begin with. Understand what the authors main point will be because 90% of questions require nothing more than a general idea.
  • After this, read the entire passage slowly enough where you dont feel like you need to reread sentences for understanding.
Next is just answer questions, there is a few tricks here that work about 90% of the time
  • Unless the passage is asking you about a specific detail, dont look back. READ EVERY ANSWER THOROUGLY AND THEN Answer what makes sense from the general point of the passage. Its very easy to prove a wrong answer to be somewhat correct if you dig hard enough, dont. Answer what your gut says and move onto the next question, dont contemplate to much. With that being said...
  • Answer like you were dropped on the head as a child. Alot of times if Im arguing between two answers, there is the answer that is 100% correct, and one that is 90% correct. Be an idoit and choose the one that seems like it is correct. However.....
  • "Always" is a word to avoid. If an answer uses this word, or definites like it, it is something to avoid. I would say 80% of the time the wishy washy answer is more correct then the highly affirmative one. This leads to my final point....
  • 100% of the time you are not actually looking for the "right" answer in verbal, this isnt PS or BS where 1+1 almost always equals 2 (unless we are talking about the different sedimentation values for Ribosomes). In verbal you are looking for the answer that isnt wrong. Often times an answer will seem very "right" but one aspect of it is clearly wrong, as compared to an answer that isnt wrong, but doesnt seem as right as that answer, these are meant to fool you. Choose the answer that isnt wrong.
I understand that I few of these tips may be at odds with each other. Ultimately you must adjust slightly for each passage, but it comes down to one thing. Read thoroughly. Read every sentence in the passage. Read every question. Read every answer. Then the correct answer will be fairly obvious. This may seem like it takes longer, but it takes much less time than skimming, and then trying to find the correct information later.

Or to summarize in one sentence

Understand what the hell the author is arguing

EDIT July 26, 2014:

@DoctorInASaree uploaded a guide to Verbal Reasoning. If you're interested, it's worth a look. Here is the link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2byivymmqwlvjms/MCAT VR Primer DRSAREE.pdf

EDIT 2, July 26, 2014: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/sn2d-first-day.1074344/page-52#post-15510851
________________________________________________
Just finished the first day of SN2...man is it long and exhausting.

The first day is BR physics chapter (translational motion) + 1/3 of the passages. I felt like I wasn't able to apply the stuff I read into the stuff I was tested on.

Has anyone felt this way when following the schedule? It just seems like the contents of the chapter didn't really stick in my head when I took the practice passages. Will this improve over time?

EDIT 3, March 4, 2015:

For verbal, if you are feeling lost and confused, I highly highly recommend you to look into the MCAT Strategy Course by @Jack Westin. I've been working with him, and nothing comes close to his course and teaching. It's a strategy course, so it will cover everything, not just the VR/CARS section.
 
Last edited:
imagine passing through airport security with all those TBR books and EKs, I have a friend who got searched because his bag looked suspicious with all those books
@TexasSurgeon I think I should email aamc😛

@SwedishMD2B Oh that is far and hopefully let's just hope I finish in time

380$ for the Mcat + 1500$ traveling expenses + Mcat books and material = I BETTER GET THAT 35
Yeah thats insane dude. Literally insane. I'll end up paying $1500 for application fees and whatnot
 
Lol technically there is a test center 20 min away but I couldn't find a place, but you people are lucky, on the other hand I wouldn't know how to handle the stress the day before the exam, maybe traveling would get my mind off it for some time.

@mehc012 I've got a question, How do you download anki decks from the online database, and is there a way to import flashcards websites like quizlet/cram.com ?
 
Lol technically there is a test center 20 min away but I couldn't find a place, but you people are lucky, on the other hand I wouldn't know how to handle the stress the day before the exam, maybe traveling would get my mind off it for some time.

@mehc012 I've got a question, How do you download anki decks from the online database, and is there a way to import flashcards websites like quizlet/cram.com ?

There's a big 'Get Shared' button at the bottom of the main window. Click on that, it'll take you to the website. Find a deck you like, download it, and then just double-click it like opening any other file.
There are technically ways to import from other flashcard sites, but they're convoluted and don't work well...nothing official, just workarounds people have worked out, like exporting all to .csv and then importing from that, but a lot is lost in translation and it's a ton of effort.
 
I think im just going to eat all my break days. Every time I have any downtime anymore I just feel lifeless, depressed, and have no drive. I cant take enough time off to really have a good time, nor if I did, would i be able to enjoy myself with the test so close. Mcat is the only joy I need. Mcat is love. Mcat is life.
 
Mine was a less than 10 min walk. 1 min drive. 0.7 miles. I win for having the closest testing center. Sorry @ramires
Well, because it's the internet and it is important that I win...
I actually live in a Prometric center. I am a vagabond who broke into the basement and I stole all of my MCAT materials from people's cars while they were in the center. 😛

Guys, I was supposed to start my hat trick/FLs tomorrow and I'm only at Ch 7 in all. I just work too much, it's exhausting. I had today off, but I felt ****ty and demoralized and I didn't get home from work until 4am the past 2 nights, so I did barely anything and now I feel awful. I know I'll make it in the long run, and the way things are looking I will probably get an OK score, but I know I'm not putting in my best and it makes me wish/wonder how I'd do if I could devote time to this thing. I just don't want any regrets, you know? And with my cruddy GPA it'd be nice to have a stellar MCAT.
 
Anybody else go through with a passage... and then you circle an answer but you honestly think it just SOUNDS right... with no actual real solid reasoning behind it other than "well I THINK this makes sense" and there maybe just being idk like one word or something in the passage that was brought up that the answer you circle KIND of has something to do with... and then you check the answer key and you get it right?

WTF MAN. I'm losing it bad.
 
@mehc012 thank you. I think we have the full schedule the same, I had floor rotation all summer and you have work I got behind for a week due to finals too, I am supposed to do Hatrick tomorrow but i still have a couple of chapters hanging around. Just get the drive and I think we can do it, since I don't think we need 2 days for the last 1/3 heck I was doing more in a day. You know your material well I'm sure and your anki cards are amazing( If I could give you some of my points I would). Starting today is what makes you or break you this period of FLs, Filling up gaps, Practice your tricks and methods, is what will get you a good score. I believe you can get a stellar score if you start working now.
Don't forget your strengths in your time of weakness.

@TBRBiosadist I think I feel you, I honestly enjoy studying for the MCAT (stress aside) more than I enjoyed any course.
 
I think im just going to eat all my break days. Every time I have any downtime anymore I just feel lifeless, depressed, and have no drive. I cant take enough time off to really have a good time, nor if I did, would i be able to enjoy myself with the test so close. Mcat is the only joy I need. Mcat is love. Mcat is life.

LOL I felt so lost after I took the exam. I was like, OMG, now what?!?!? I kept wanting to open my books and study again :help:
 
@SwedishMD2B do you like to read ? If you do read : The man who mistook his wife for a hat by Oliver Sacks it's a bunch of neurological clinical cases it has a rating of 4.5/5 on Barnes & Noble.

on another front have any of you guys checked the notes of a fellow SDNer called TexasMDtobe ? You guys need to check them out, they are pretty decent
 
@SwedishMD2B do you like to read ? If you do read : The man who mistook his wife for a hat by Oliver Sacks it's a bunch of neurological clinical cases it has a rating of 4.5/5 on Barnes & Noble.

I love to read! I actually just developed an interest in reading about 2 years ago, have read tons of books since then.

I read that in High School. Awesome book, I actually bought my own copy in HS. It was required reading for AP Psychology.
 
I love to read! I actually just developed an interest in reading about 2 years ago, have read tons of books since then.

I read that in High School. Awesome book, I actually bought my own copy in HS. It was required reading for AP Psychology.

Then you should read Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer
 
@SwedishMD2B Lol you sound like a book worm. I love to read as well started reading in junior year of high school, but I barely find time anymore only in breaks. do you read novels ?
 
@SwedishMD2B Lol you sound like a book worm. I love to read as well started reading in junior year of high school, but I barely find time anymore only in breaks. do you read novels ?

What got me into reading was reading the Dragon tattoo (Steig Larson) series. Fellow Swede! So angry he passed away before finishing the other 7 books 🙁
But yeah, I love novels, but none of that fantasy, magic stuff, if its too far from being realistic, then I don't care for it.
 
What got me into reading was reading the Dragon tattoo (Steig Larson) series. Fellow Swede! So angry he passed away before finishing the other 7 books 🙁
But yeah, I love novels, but none of that fantasy, magic stuff, if its too far from being realistic, then I don't care for it.
I think I watched the movie, it was smart. Same here not a fan of fantasy stuff, if you like thrillers give James Patterson a try, his novel Jack and Jill was the first I ever read, I would challenge you to start one of his books and put it down before you finish it.
 
I think I watched the movie, it was smart. Same here not a fan of fantasy stuff, if you like thrillers give James Patterson a try, his novel Jack and Jill was the first I ever read, I would challenge you to start one of his books and put it down before you finish it.

Sounds good, I'll look into it! Thanks!

Hows Lebanon?
 
What got me into reading was reading the Dragon tattoo (Steig Larson) series. Fellow Swede! So angry he passed away before finishing the other 7 books 🙁
But yeah, I love novels, but none of that fantasy, magic stuff, if its too far from being realistic, then I don't care for it.
I am the opposite.
Love love love fantasy, scifi, etc.
I will read a realistic fiction novel and enjoy it, but it'll never be on my OMG you should read this list.
I don't like the 'teaching' type books.

But yeah, total bookworm here. My mother had to actually take my books away from me when I was a child because it was a problem - teachers were complaining, I was never ready for school, and I pulled multiple allnighters before 2nd grade to finish books I had already read 10x but wanted to reread.
 
I am the opposite.
Love love love fantasy, scifi, etc.
I will read a realistic fiction novel and enjoy it, but it'll never be on my OMG you should read this list.
I don't like the 'teaching' type books.

But yeah, total bookworm here. My mother had to actually take my books away from me when I was a child because it was a problem - teachers were complaining, I was never ready for school, and I pulled multiple allnighters before 2nd grade to finish books I had already read 10x but wanted to reread.

Must be bad when parents have to take BOOKS away from a child lol
 
@SwedishMD2B Lebanon is fine, left the university dorm a couple of days ago, staying in the mountains now just me mcat books and nothing around to distract me. Before I started college I would spend days in the backyard reading books.
@mehc012 I can relate maybe to a slight part that my parents would make me eat (they claim that when I read I used to forget to eat)
I have a week off after Mcats and before Fall semester starts again what book do you guys recommend ?
 
@SwedishMD2B Lebanon is fine, left the university dorm a couple of days ago, staying in the mountains now just me mcat books and nothing around to distract me. Before I started college I would spend days in the backyard reading books.
@mehc012 I can relate maybe to a slight part that my parents would make me eat (they claim that when I read I used to forget to eat)
I have a week off after Mcats and before Fall semester starts again what book do you guys recommend ?

Aha, this is so funny, I typed a message out asking you if you are in the mountains, then I deleted it thinking it would be odd to ask you that.

Read the dragon tattoo series, so much better than the movies.
 
Aha, this is so funny, I typed a message out asking you if you are in the mountains, then I deleted it thinking it would be odd to ask you that.

Read the dragon tattoo series, so much better than the movies.
Lol, I usually go to American University of Beirut its in the central district, I barely come to the mountains, but Mcat studying started to take its toll and I needed a change of scenery. saying that I should probably get off son and back to finish the last ochem chapter.
 
Lol, I usually go to American University of Beirut its in the central district, I barely come to the mountains, but Mcat studying started to take its toll and I needed a change of scenery. saying that I should probably get off son and back to finish the last ochem chapter.

Oh the last Ochem chapter is TBR is fabulous, quite important IMO, you should focus well on it. Good luck shabab 😛
 
@SwedishMD2B Lebanon is fine, left the university dorm a couple of days ago, staying in the mountains now just me mcat books and nothing around to distract me. Before I started college I would spend days in the backyard reading books.
@mehc012 I can relate maybe to a slight part that my parents would make me eat (they claim that when I read I used to forget to eat)
I have a week off after Mcats and before Fall semester starts again what book do you guys recommend ?

I read plenty of mystery and fantasy novels as a child (LOTR/HP/Agatha Christie/Sherlock Holmes, etc.), so I'm still over-saturated with those types of fiction works. I love reading textbooks on the side (to acquire more specialized knowledge), journals, books about religion (also ancient mythology), and history books from certain time periods.

However, if I had to recommend books from two authors...they would most certainly be:

A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
Our Mutual Friend - Charles Dickens
Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Sense & Sensibility - Jane Austen

Okay, pretty much anything and everything written by the aforementioned authors. However, the books listed above, are MUST reads.

There are more books being published with each passing year, and books have never been as affordable. It's a great time to be a book-lover! 😀
 
Last edited:
I read plenty of mystery and fantasy novels as a child (LOTR/HP/Agatha Christie/Sherlock Holmes, etc.), so I'm still over-saturated with those types of fiction works. I love reading textbooks on the side (to acquire more specialized knowledge), journals, books about religion (also ancient mythology), and history books from certain time periods.

However, if I had to recommend books from two authors...they would most certainly be:

A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
Our Mutual Friend - Charles Dickens
Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Sense & Sensibility - Jane Austen

Okay, pretty much anything and everything written by the aforementioned authors. However, the books listed above, are MUST reads.

There are more books being published with each passing year, and books have never been as affordable. It's a great time to be a book-lover! 😀
Ugh Jane Austen
 
ATTENTION....
Attention TBRsadist.....I love you dude. Your verbal method has drastically improved my verbal. 🙂 I've been using this method for two days now and I went from 3 wrong per passage to 1 (2 maximum if it was a difficult passage). I just need to work with this new technique and may be tweak it so I can get it down 0-1 wrong per passage.

I heard the verbal tests get ridiculous after test 10 in Ek 101.....any truth to this?
 
ATTENTION....
Attention TBRsadist.....I love you dude. Your verbal method has drastically improved my verbal. 🙂 I've been using this method for two days now and I went from 3 wrong per passage to 1 (2 maximum if it was a difficult passage). I just need to work with this new technique and may be tweak it so I can get it down 0-1 wrong per passage.

I heard the verbal tests get ridiculous after test 10 in Ek 101.....any truth to this?

I read of a lot of people say that. But my scores stayed consistent.
 
Wow caffeine is amazing. Nescafé every day here I come

On the other side, it really sucks doing your 2/3rds like a week after you were supposed to. These scores gonna blow
 
How do you guys do you review days ?? Re-read the books or just look at your notes.. I am pretty bad at memorizing stuff so i think i should devote 2 hours every day on reviewing a chapter in full. Also do you guys time yourself when doing the first 1/3?
 
How do you guys do you review days ?? Re-read the books or just look at your notes.. I am pretty bad at memorizing stuff so i think i should devote 2 hours every day on reviewing a chapter in full. Also do you guys time yourself when doing the first 1/3?
I read TPRH for an alternate perspective.
 
Wow caffeine is amazing. Nescafé every day here I come

On the other side, it really sucks doing your 2/3rds like a week after you were supposed to. These scores gonna blow

Nescafe? Like instant coffee? lol

I went from 5 cups a day to zero after my MCAT. One week of headaches from hell.
 
I read TPRH for an alternate perspective.
how is that working out ??do they seen like good resources ?? I have there physics and got there bio book after you hinted you liked using them and i have to admit I find the bio very useful for a different explanation on a topic
 
If I could design my own MCAT solely by subject:

PS:
-Physics: Fluids, optics(eyes only no light), Electricity/magnetism, work and energy
-Gen Chem: Thermo chem, electrochemistry, acid/base

BS:
-Biology: Endo, human repro, systemic/pulmonary system
-Ochem: Stereochem, SN1/SN2

Verbal:
only Social Science passages thanks 🙂
 
If I could design my own MCAT solely by subject:

PS:
-Physics: Fluids, optics(eyes only no light), Electricity/magnetism, work and energy
-Gen Chem: Thermo chem, electrochemistry, acid/base

BS:
-Biology: Endo, human repro, systemic/pulmonary system
-Ochem: Stereochem, SN1/SN2

Verbal:
only Social Science passages thanks 🙂

I would fail your MCAT.
 
If I could design my own MCAT solely by subject:

PS:
-Physics: Fluids, optics(eyes only no light), Electricity/magnetism, work and energy
-Gen Chem: Thermo chem, electrochemistry, acid/base

BS:
-Biology: Endo, human repro, systemic/pulmonary system
-Ochem: Stereochem, SN1/SN2

Verbal:
only Social Science passages thanks 🙂

meme-hand-girl-geeks-and-cleats.png
 
I just skimmed the appropriate chapters, well time for my book contributions. I used to plow through books so much but I sadly havent had the same amount of time as of late.
As for classics
I love anything Orwell
Catch-22-Joseph Heller is a great read
Fahrenheit 451-Ray Bradbury
Brave New World-Aldous Huxley
KURT VONNEGUT. Im so sad I have only read 4 books by the V-man. Slaughterhouse 5 was a masterpiece.
^you can probs see im a fan of the whole distopian thing
Picture of Dorian Gray- Oscar Wilde
I actually Really enjoyed The Jungle until it got preachy about Communism in the last like 20 pages
Oh and Heart of Darkness-Joseph Conrad

Now for pure pleasure without any historical signifigance
Terry Pratchett is my man crush of the literary world
All of the HitchHiker's stuff from Douglas Adams
The whole ender's game trilogy and the ender's shadow stuff from Orson Scot Card
Isaac Assimov's Foundation Series
And ive been really meaning to start the GoT, SOIAF, SoS stuff. Maybe after MCAT
 
Top