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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@orangetea

PS:
-Physics: Translational motion, work and energy, force and gravitation, sound
-Gen Chem: stoichometry, atomic theory, equilibrium, gases, kinetics

BS:
-Biology: endo, microbiology, physio, nervous system
-Ochem: Stereochem, lab techniques

Verbal:
only natural Science passages
 
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K1NG said:
meme-hand-girl-geeks-and-cleats.png
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Id get like a 20 on that MCAT. Half of those things are my weakest points.










Only Social Science passages.....Really
 
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PS
-translational motion
-ELECTROSTATICS and ELECTROMAGNETICS
-any gen chem really, just stay away from equib bc so much math at times
BS
-Physio
-Population stuff
-genetics
-any ochem also as long as its not to much "minute changes in conditions giving preference to what?"
V
-only natural science
SwedishMD2B said:
What do you think of mine?
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you, i like you. yours are nice
 
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SwedishMD2B said:
@orangetea

PS:
-Physics: Translational motion, work and energy, force and gravitation, sound
-Gen Chem: stoichometry, atomic theory, equilibrium, gases, kinetics

BS:
-Biology: endo, microbiology, physio, nervous system
-Ochem: Stereochem, lab techniques

Verbal:
only natural Science passages
Click to expand...

liking this list, except I'll replace lab techniques with synthesis problems.

orangetea said:
That's how I feel when I take an AAMC test and think I killed a section but then look at my score distribution
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lmao so true
 
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orangetea said:
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 🙂
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Actually I was just blinded by the social science passage bit. I really like 90%
 
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This is what I've been reading lately. Started Catch 22 but haven't picked it up in a while after I started my FL's. Also want to finish up the rest of the Ender's Game series.

Too lazy to type so took a pic lol

IMG_20140722_154750_zpsg5eiet4m.jpg
 
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Pratchett. I love him so much. soooo much. Even his kids books are great, they basically are just his usual minus a few of the stronger bits.
 
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orangetea said:
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 🙂
Click to expand...

PS:
-Physics: Kinematics, work and energy, geometric optics, fluids, sounds, harmonic motion
-Gen Chem: Acid/base, buffers, gases, phase changes,

BS:
-Biology: Human repro, cardio, pulmonary, renal, enzyme kinetics, anything to do with immuno or bacteria
- Ochem: Stereochem x1000, SN1/SN2, E1/E2, carbonyl chem, pretty much anything but Nitrogen

VR:
-I don't care as long as it's not boring.
 
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K1NG said:
This is what I've been reading lately. Started Catch 22 but haven't picked it up in a while after I started my FL's. Also want to finish up the rest of the Ender's Game series.

Too lazy to type so took a pic lol

IMG_20140722_154750_zpsg5eiet4m.jpg
Click to expand...
Nice, Ive read all of those, good selection......well i havent read a fault in our stars.
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
Pratchett. I love him so much. soooo much. Even his kids books are great, they basically are just his usual minus a few of the stronger bits.
Click to expand...
Pratchett is like, the one fantasy author I never got into. I tried, I really did, but it never worked for me. I feel like a less legitimate nerd now.

I subbed in every world built by Piers Anthony, though, and I feel that I came out ahead!
 
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There are those guilty pleasure reads. like I admit plowing through the hunger games trilogy in a weekend and enjoyed the **** out of it
 
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I didnt have much to do. Like I said, im a really fast reader, especially when it is just pleasure reading
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
Nice, Ive read all of those, good selection......well i havent read a fault in our stars.
Click to expand...
The Fault In Our Stars is pretty good...wasn't my fav John Green novel, but was worth more than one read nonetheless (that is how I evaluate books...1 read, <5reads, 5-10, 10+ reads). I'm a huge fan of him and his brother on YouTube, which is how I found his books, so...I'm biased.

For me, my current 10+ read recommendations are:
Name of the Wind - this supplanted Ender's Game as my fav book after a long, 10yr relationship, so yeah. I think it's bomb.
Ender's Game - duh, awesome
Mistborn Trilogy - hot damn, this was far better than expected! Haven't read it 10x yet, because my mother keeps losing the books when she borrows them, but I definitely will at some point.
His Dark Materials aka Golden Compass

Other 5-10ers:
Green Rider - badass female protagonist
Assassin's Apprentice - too real, man. This damn book never went where I anticipated, and when the main character effs up, there are actual consequences
His Majesty's Dragon - Kind of a fun historical fiction series. Like, how would the Napoleonic wars have gone down if there were dragons.
So You Want To Be A Wizard - this series, I have definitely read 10+ times, but they're somehow no longer in my top top tier. They should probably have a special category of their own within the 10+...like "I will always love you deeply, but I no longer try to force my friends to read you"
Piers Anthony: The first 3 books of the Split Infinity series, first 3 books of Xanth series (there are some other gems in there, but they are mixed in with a lot of blatant punfests after the first 3), the entire Incarnations series. These are all also 10+ers, but more because they were my go-to in childhood rather than lasting adoration.
And, as a kid, all Redwall books ever written (also 10+ers but only due to childhood).
 
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SwedishMD2B said:
In a weekend? Excuse me?
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Yeah...those books are a few hours each, tops.
Ender's Game is my go-to reference for reading times because I timed it against the movie once to see if it was worthwhile. Ender's Game takes less time to read than to watch.
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
There are those guilty pleasure reads. like I admit plowing through the hunger games trilogy in a weekend and enjoyed the **** out of it
Click to expand...
I don't feel any guilt in enjoying those. Hunger Games, Divergent, Maze Runner, etc...all of those types sit firmly in my 1-5 category and I love it!
 
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mehc012 said:
Yeah...those books are a few hours each, tops.
Ender's Game is my go-to reference for reading times because I timed it against the movie once to see if it was worthwhile. Ender's Game takes less time to read than to watch.
Click to expand...

I wish I had those kind of reading speeds. HOWEVER, I feel better because I thought he was talking about the dragon tattoo series, but I can see how it is possible for the Hunger games books.
 
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SwedishMD2B said:
I wish I had those kind of reading speeds. HOWEVER, I feel better because I thought he was talking about the dragon tattoo series, but I can see how it is possible for the Hunger games books.
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Guilty confession: I finished each of the series you are talking about in a day. Once I start reading, I just...go. I don't stop for food, water, bathroom breaks, you name it :laugh: I have to read quickly or I'd never get anything done! When I was a kid, my mom eventually stopped replacing my books when she found out I was sneaking them into the bath in the mornings, which is why I was always running late and my hair always seemed wet, but not washed!
 
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OH MY GOD I LOOVED HIS DARK MATERIALS AND WHY WHY WHY WHY DID THAT ABOMINATION OF A MOVIE HAVE TO SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY

Really though, the Golden compass book was great, as was the subtle knife and the amber spyglass. The movie the golden compass was terrible.
 
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Guys. I feel so much better about my exam. The June 21 people who all thought they failed Bio did fine. One person did the same thing, where he ran out of time and only had a few minutes to skim passages and quickly answer questions. He still got his AAMC average on BS!
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
OH MY GOD I LOOVED HIS DARK MATERIALS AND WHY WHY WHY WHY DID THAT ABOMINATION OF A MOVIE HAVE TO SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY

Really though, the Golden compass book was great, as was the subtle knife and the amber spyglass. The movie the golden compass was terrible.
Click to expand...
This is why I typically avoid book movies. The only acceptable iterations of book -> movie I have seen are:
Fight Club
LoTR
Ender's Game (incomplete, but what was there was perfect)
The Fault in Our Stars
Twilight - because you can't rebreak a shattered vase. Not a good movie, but true to the not-good books (note yes, I read all of them. I found them hugely problematic, but a. I like being well informed if I am going to dislike something and b. bad doesn't mean unenjoyable to pass the time) Also, K-stew gets a lot of flak for Twilight, but I think she played a bland, emotionless, selfish character to the tee. Don't fault her for meeting low expectations! Fault her for her other movies!

Movies which notably do NOT make this list for me:
The Hobbit - awful. Truly terrible.
Harry Potter
Hunger Games
Eragon - only movie I've ever left the theater for
 
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Eragon almost made me cry. Then again Paolini broke my heart in the 4th book anyways, and not in a good way I must add.
I liked the Harry Potter movies, but I viewed them as different entities then the books.
 
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Ugh, that guy started out so strong! the first book was great. The second had some slow bits but had what I think were some of the highpoints of the series, the third was kinda meh... and the fourth book just disappointed me.
 
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Also I could never see the hunger games actually working well on the screen, at least in a form similar to the books since 90% of them was Katniss being introspective.....which can make good books but not easily be translated to the big screen.
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
Eragon almost made me cry. Then again Paolini broke my heart in the 4th book anyways, and not in a good way I must add.
I liked the Harry Potter movies, but I viewed them as different entities then the books.
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Yeah. I liked the first book, I liked major parts of the second book, but not all. The third book was...I was onboard and there was nothing actively bad, but I was starting to get skittish. Then boom. Book 4. So, that happened.

I just...can't...see movies as separate entities from books.

Divergent wasn't a bad transition - it was a more active book than, say, Hunger Games, so it translated a bit better, I think. But it wasn't a good enough book that I pursued the sequel, either.

Gah, what is the book I keep trying to think of that I kind of want to see as a movie? It's one of those dystopian YA books.
Edit: found it. Matched. I think that one would go well onscreen.
Edit: It wasn't Matched, now that I read more. I dunno the name, but the premise was similar...haven't read Matched and now this will KILL ME until I figure it out.
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
Also I could never see the hunger games actually working well on the screen, at least in a form similar to the books since 90% of them was Katniss being introspective.....which can make good books but not easily be translated to the big screen.
Click to expand...

I really feel like they didn't project Katniss' love for her sister well at all.
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
Ugh, that guy started out so strong! the first book was great. The second had some slow bits but had what I think were some of the highpoints of the series, the third was kinda meh... and the fourth book just disappointed me.
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TBRBiosadist said:
Also I could never see the hunger games actually working well on the screen, at least in a form similar to the books since 90% of them was Katniss being introspective.....which can make good books but not easily be translated to the big screen.
Click to expand...
Haha, we just elaborated on exactly the same points, which is awesome.
That was exactly my issue with Hunger Games...so much of the impact of the book is in her head, and you just don't see that. It's also what was missing from Ender's Game, but I anticipated that lack going in and got more of the good stuff than I expected to.
 
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SwedishMD2B said:
I really feel like they didn't project Katniss' love for her sister well at all.
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And it was really hard for them to portray the whole "I am going to act like I am falling in love with him because cameras" considering that WE were the freaking camera! The act was for us, too, and then you miss the entire conflict.
 
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May I reiterate. PAOLINI YOU DROPPED THE BALL. THERE WAS SO MANY LOOSE ENDS. SO MUCH FORESHADOWING OF THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENDED. YOU SET UP EITHER A. AN EPIC ROMANCE OR B. AN EPIC TRAGEDY AND DELIVERED NIETHER. YA CHEAPED OUT ON THE FINAL CONFRONTATION. AND THE BIGGEST ONE OF THEM ALL. WHAT. WAS. THE. WORDS. BROM. SAID. TO. ERAGON. WHEN. HE. DIED. IT WAS MADE OUT TO BE SUCH A BIG DEAL IN THE FIRST BOOK. AND BOOM, FORGOTTEN ABOUT.
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
I loved that book series so much. I ended up reading a fanfic to get a better conclusion.
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Even Paolini didn't destroy that series as badly as whoever directed the movie. That @#$% was SO FREAKING BAD.
I too loved the series. Gave up on Eragon, though. RORAN STRONGHAMMER 4 LYFE!!!

Also, it was DELIRIUM, not Matched. Shockingly similar premise, but...Delirium is good, I've never read Matched.
I thought Delirium was going to shoot itself with a love triangle and all that jazz, but it walked the narrow, circuitous line between all of the mines it could've tripped and came out strong!
 
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dude that june 21 thread both scares me and is encouraging at the same time. Alot people got their average, a few got above. And a few got far below. So scared.
 
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MCAT topics that I would like:
Physics: Translational motion/kinematics, any E&M stuff (just took physics II and this is really fresh), work/energy
Chemistry: Periodic Trends, Electrochemistry, Equilibrium, Stoichiometry, MAYBE acid/base
Ochem: Stereochemistry, EAS, SN1/SN2, carbonyl reactions
Bio: Digestive/Circulatory system, cell respiration, evolution, eukaryotes/prokaryotes

MCAT topics that I wouldn't like:
Physics: Light/Optics, Sound, Periodic Motion/Waves (i.e. everything AAMC seems to love lol)
Chemistry: Titrations/Buffers, Thermochemistry
Ochem: Lab techniques (always miss these question for some reason), Sugar Chemistry
Bio: Nervous system, Viruses, Microbio
 
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dude that june 21 thread both scares me and is encouraging at the same time. Alot people got their average, a few got above. And a few got far below. So scared.
Click to expand...

Seeing not one but TWO people get more than 8 below their AAMC average is unsettling to say the least
 
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TBRBiosadist said:
dude that june 21 thread both scares me and is encouraging at the same time. Alot people got their average, a few got above. And a few got far below. So scared.
Click to expand...

sharkbyte said:
Seeing not one but TWO people get more than 8 below their AAMC average is unsettling to say the least
Click to expand...

Jeez. For a little while I was feeling better about my exam, now you guys are making me freak out again. Thanks.
 
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