SN2'd first day

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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
________________________________________________
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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TBRBiosadist said:
Dont worry. They get much longer.
Click to expand...

Luckily, I have a really intuitive grasp of Organic Chemistry, so I won't have to spend tons of time paying excruciating attention to details. Biology though.............:yeahright:

Your signature exemplifies how we are all feeling right now.
 
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Huh....I always thought physio was going to be my weak point since ive never had a physio class or had a bio class that really got into physio at any depth, but ive been getting my highest scores (of almost anything) on the physio in TBR... Like 95% and finishing early o_o. I don't know what to think anymore.

On the flipside, the stuff I think I'm super strong on, I always am mediocre on the first time round (usually can get it up though by 2nd set though).

On that note, what are your guy's target scores on the real deal?
 
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why are the TBR books so damn hard?! some passages I'll do alright.. some I freaking get raped on... and some I just get some lucky guesses on cause I "think that could be right"... WTH

Is real MCAT like this?
 
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No, Tbr states that the mcat has harder and easier passages, and that they only give you the hardest. TBR bio though, is much harder than the real thing apparently
 
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Think you're training with a 300lb weight to lift 200lbs. Also depends on how well you (seriously) want to do. If you're trying to get 35+ you need to be aiming for 80%+ on the passages. Even then though, on the 40+ thread, there were plenty of people saying how tbrbio was there bane.
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
Huh....I always thought physio was going to be my weak point since ive never had a physio class or had a bio class that really got into physio at any depth, but ive been getting my highest scores (of almost anything) on the physio in TBR... Like 95% and finishing early o_o. I don't know what to think anymore.

On the flipside, the stuff I think I'm super strong on, I always am mediocre on the first time round (usually can get it up though by 2nd set though).

On that note, what are your guy's target scores on the real deal?
Click to expand...


I just want a 27-30 🙁 I did HORRIBLE my first time.
 
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Any particular reason why? You seem fairly on the ball about trying to understand these things.
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
Any particular reason why? You seem fairly on the ball about trying to understand these things.
Click to expand...

well the first time I think I just didn't prepare as well as I should have.. I relied more on memorization rather than the concept so it was huge hot mess.
THIS TIME even though I understand things better I feel like I need to be a better test taker.. when I post phrase about 70% of my answers are wrong because I didn't read carefully, didn't look in the passage, or didn't read carefully lol. I need to look within my soul and slow down but it's so hard because time makes me nervous. anyway.
 
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QueenJames said:
I just want a 33 at the most. That's it man. 🙁 I think I should take an AAMC 3 test to gauge where I'm at. I am about to start physics ch 4.
Click to expand...
Don't it won't help. You're not done with content review and it will either discourage or make you lazy. The actuall AAMC practice tests are a valuable resource, use them wisely, not when you're only half ready.

orangetea said:
well the first time I think I just didn't prepare as well as I should have.. I relied more on memorization rather than the concept so it was huge hot mess.
THIS TIME even though I understand things better I feel like I need to be a better test taker.. when I post phrase about 70% of my answers are wrong because I didn't read carefully, didn't look in the passage, or didn't read carefully lol. I need to look within my soul and slow down but it's so hard because time makes me nervous. anyway.
Click to expand...
Im in the same boat where most of the answers I get wrong are because of this. I started doing two things (well three) to help me improve on this. Firstly I mumble the passage slightly while reading. It doesn't hurt my time and it helps for me to remember whereabouts in the passage certain things are. Secondly, if the answer to a question seems stupidly obvious, I always read it again because while there sometimes are questions that are gimmies, most of the time the phrased it in such a way to confuse. Thirdly, I usually look at where the answers are pointing to. There have been so many questions where the wrong answers lean you in the direction of what the question is actually asking. Finally, and this is the most important one. If it says according to the passage, 99% of the time the answer will be said in the passage.
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
Huh....I always thought physio was going to be my weak point since ive never had a physio class or had a bio class that really got into physio at any depth, but ive been getting my highest scores (of almost anything) on the physio in TBR... Like 95% and finishing early o_o. I don't know what to think anymore.

On the flipside, the stuff I think I'm super strong on, I always am mediocre on the first time round (usually can get it up though by 2nd set though).

On that note, what are your guy's target scores on the real deal?
Click to expand...
I want to ideally get a 40. What about you?

TBRBiosadist said:
Think you're training with a 300lb weight to lift 200lbs. Also depends on how well you (seriously) want to do. If you're trying to get 35+ you need to be aiming for 80%+ on the passages. Even then though, on the 40+ thread, there were plenty of people saying how tbrbio was there bane.
Click to expand...

Where's the 40+ thread? Also, I miss about 2 per passage the first time around. The first 2 weeks of SN2 were average/not the best since I was getting adjusted but it's much better now. Any particular approach you use to help you do well on passages?

orangetea said:
well the first time I think I just didn't prepare as well as I should have.. I relied more on memorization rather than the concept so it was huge hot mess.
THIS TIME even though I understand things better I feel like I need to be a better test taker.. when I post phrase about 70% of my answers are wrong because I didn't read carefully, didn't look in the passage, or didn't read carefully lol. I need to look within my soul and slow down but it's so hard because time makes me nervous. anyway.
Click to expand...
What if you first trained without the time, and then once your scores improved, you started using the time?
 
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QueenJames said:
I just want a 33 at the most. That's it man. 🙁 I think I should take an AAMC 3 test to gauge where I'm at. I am about to start physics ch 4.
Click to expand...
Took #3 about 1.5 weeks ago and made a 24. So I realized where I am and where I need to be. I know people advise against taking the AAMCs before finishing content review and I didn't want to waste it like that but I just had to find out where I stand. I think it helped me to see that
 
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40 of course is desired, but anything above 35+ is good. Below 33 and I'm retaking (yaaa CA resident.....). I've read that because of the scaling, getting anything above a 36 is luck at that point because its very few questions that make a difference. If I go by TBR scaling I'm averaging 37-44s right now
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
40 of course is desired, but anything above 35+ is good. Below 33 and I'm retaking (yaaa CA resident.....). I've read that because of the scaling, getting anything above a 36 is luck at that point because its very few questions that make a difference. If I go by TBR scaling I'm averaging 37-44s right now
Click to expand...


lol I am CA resident too but I am trying to go as farrrrrrrrrr and long as possible. 🙂
 
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Of course I'm saying this right now before I actually get my scores but I really do not want to go to the south. I've got good ec's, research, and clinical exposure and a 4.0 so I should be alright if I do well on my MCAT
 
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Coolio, albeit with work, staying in shape, and trying to keep my sanity I don't think I'll have time for those on top of sn2 🙁
 
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Sorry folks, I just realized I am really overposting in this thread and that I probably should get back to physics lol.
 
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I'd be really happy with a 32 or higher. Just gotta work on physical sciences.

Does anyone have anything special planned for post-mcat celebrations?
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
Getting immensely inebriated. Like where I forget I ever even had an MCAT, or that I'm pre-med, or my name.
Click to expand...

ahahahhahahahahah "or my name"

YES.
I am gonna order this shirt after my test and wear it everyday until my score comes.
images
 
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Day 4 of SN2 and first day doing verbal passages. Did about 8 passages today to make up for lost time. I've been getting 0-2 wrongs on each one, so I'm extremely relieved that verbal isn't going to be a huge struggle haha.
 
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i felt pretty brave tonight and decided to change up my verbal strategy like 180 degrees and it's been kind of liberating. I feel like with this approach I am doing better..

anyone try the first and last sentence approach? I was a HUGE skeptic until tonight 🙂
 
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I'm a little late to the party but hello! Day 3 of SN2ed, taking the MCAT on Sept 18, and I feel like a hot mess.
Work and hardcore MCAT studying just DO NOT mix! But there's nothing I can do about that for the next little while (non-trad student, by the way).
As always Physics is the bane of my existence. I'm bombing passages/questions left, right and centre.
My Netflix addiction is helping the matter... -_-''
 
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DreamofDerm said:
I'm a little late to the party but hello! Day 3 of SN2ed, taking the MCAT on Sept 18, and I feel like a hot mess.
Work and hardcore MCAT studying just DO NOT mix! But there's nothing I can do about that for the next little while (non-trad student, by the way).
As always Physics is the bane of my existence. I'm bombing passages/questions left, right and centre.
My Netflix addiction is helping the matter... -_-''
Click to expand...


especially with the new season of Orange is the new black.. #thestruggle
 
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So question..since time kind of reflects my scores for verbal I am going to do 8 min per passage so I can settle my nerves then bump it down to 7.5 min just to account for the "longer/convoluted" AAMC passages that will come up. Does that seem reasonable?

Also, time isn't much of an issue for PS/BS for now but about how long do you all give yourself per passage?
 
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orangetea said:
So question..since time kind of reflects my scores for verbal I am going to do 8 min per passage so I can settle my nerves then bump it down to 7.5 min just to account for the "longer/convoluted" AAMC passages that will come up. Does that seem reasonable?

Also, time isn't much of an issue for PS/BS for now but about how long do you all give yourself per passage?
Click to expand...
I always give myself less time than I'll get. So I keep all reading passages to 6 minutes and all BS/PS passages to about 7. I find that works well for me. I know that one of the only reasons why I've been missing questions is that time runs out so I don't have the time to go back and check. So I think if I give myself less time right now, I'll be pleasantly surprised during the MCAT
 
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