SN2'd first day

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TexasSurgeon

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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
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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.
 
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For you verbal masters in here, do you guys have any advice as to how i should start my verbal practicing?

In the past, i haven't studied it too much and probably get 7-9 average is 8.. I don't know where to begin honestly, and these last few days I've tried a few different approaches and now i'm re-thinking all of it and figuring i should just go through a bunch of practice passages until i start noticing things and ways to improve.

I like to usually start low and slow, get the basics down and then progress, but sometimes it is best to just get in and get your hands dirty so to speak.

What do you guys suggest? Right now i'm thinking just start going through practice runs 60 minute/ 40 questions, until i start hopefully noticing things i can fix or that work for me.

'sorry i do not have a gif to go along with this haha'
 
For you verbal masters in here, do you guys have any advice as to how i should start my verbal practicing?

I'm no verbal MASTER, but before even addressing the question I would like to ask you how you have prepared previously?

'sorry i do not have a gif to go along with this haha'

txGGFEt.gif
 
To be honest, last summer i'm pretty sure i just did a few practice passages here and there, it really wasn't structured and i believed it was the least area i could improve on. This summer I know i need to improve on it, and so far i've been debating/trying simulated testing/one passage at a time/then review/no timing, etc. I guess i don't know if i should nail one or two things down first, or just dive in and hit it all at the same time.
 
To be honest, last summer i'm pretty sure i just did a few practice passages here and there, it really wasn't structured and i believed it was the least area i could improve on. This summer I know i need to improve on it, and so far i've been debating/trying simulated testing/one passage at a time/then review/no timing, etc. I guess i don't know if i should nail one or two things down first, or just dive in and hit it all at the same time.

Are you doing a study schedule for other content as well?
 
Yes, last summer was a trial by error - all content review as you might have assumed, but i ran out of time as well. This summer has been a lot better, i have a personalized schedule that i stick to and it's working out great. I probably should have gotten started on verbal sooner, but alas...here i am now. And Yes i def saw your post TBRiosadist :laugh: I'm just wondering how i should begin here
 
Yes, last summer was a trial by error - all content review as you might have assumed, but i ran out of time as well. This summer has been a lot better, i have a personalized schedule that i stick to and it's working out great. I probably should have gotten started on verbal sooner, but alas...here i am now. And Yes i def saw your post TBRiosadist :laugh: I'm just wondering how i should begin here

I would start with TPRH using the EK method. Modify that to your liking whether it's @TBRBiosadist strategy or whatever strategy you have to distill the main thesis.
 
Ok that's what i figured, but its good to get rolling into a 7 passage deal soon though to experience the fatigue and such, correct? Or just keep it to 3-4? It's September 18
 
Ok that's what i figured, but its good to get rolling into a 7 passage deal soon though to experience the fatigue and such, correct? Or just keep it to 3-4? It's September 18
Honestly, there is not that much faitgue, mcat verb section is short as hell
 
True..come to think of it, I feel it more after verbal entering into bio. Oh snap perfect time to get started on verbal 😆 thanks guys!
 
Yikes :nailbiting::nailbiting: I'm planing on applying to 10+ schools this cycle so gotta empty out my funds as well. Was thinking about applying for FAP. Anyone has experience with that?
 
Yikes :nailbiting::nailbiting: I'm planing on applying to 10+ schools this cycle so gotta empty out my funds as well. Was thinking about applying for FAP. Anyone has experience with that?

Are your stats really high? Because 10 is on the low end unless you're a stud from the start. I am non-trad and have been advised to apply to 18-25 schools
 
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Are your stats really high? Because 10 is on the low end unless you're a stud from the start. I am non-trad and have been advised to do 18-25 schools

Haha no I'm pretty average stats wise.. if not a little below. I want to apply to more (have a school list of 20 MD and 5 DO) but not sure if I can afford it.
 
Yikes :nailbiting::nailbiting: I'm planing on applying to 10+ schools this cycle so gotta empty out my funds as well. Was thinking about applying for FAP. Anyone has experience with that?
Regarding the FAP, you need your parents financial info. No other way around it, for some people that have parents that are well off that might be a disadvantage.
 
Regarding the FAP, you need your parents financial info. No other way around it, for some people that have parents that are well off that might be a disadvantage.

Thanks for the info, going to read into it when I'm finally done with the MCAT. Come to think of it, I can sell my books too and make a couple hundred lol
 
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