Studying for the MCAT?

[JBDoctor35]

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Hey everyone!

I'm a sophomore electrical engineering major and I just started studying for the MCAT that I'll take sometime during the summer of 2016. I haven't taken OChem I or II or biochemistry. I won't take those classes until fall of 2015. I've been studying for the MCAT with the help of EK and khan academy videos. My question is, how do I study for those topics on the MCAT before taking the classes? Is it pointless to study before taking them or should I just wait until I'm in the class and then study for them? Thanks in advance!

 

[justadream]

Edit: Misread post.

 

[JBDoctor35]

Why are you taking the MCAT so early? Your score will suffer from not taking Organic or Biochemistry. Theoretically you could learn it all yourself but it's not that easy.

And even if we assume you are that smart and capable of learning it yourself, then think about how much better you would do if you had the class background AND had your intelligence/work ethic. Your proficiency would be even greater.

I'm taking it the summer after my junior year. That's not early. Is it? I will have had all those classes by the time I take the MCAT. I just want to get ahead on studying for the test.

 

[Glandzburg]

Wait until you take the classes. Studying >6 months before the MCAT seems to be ineffective for most, as you are unlikely to retain the information you studied early in your regimen. The only section that may be beneficial to start looking at now is verbal reasoning.

 

[justadream]

I'm taking it the summer after my junior year. That's not early. Is it? I will have had all those classes by the time I take the MCAT. I just want to get ahead on studying for the test.

My mistake, misread. I thought you meant this summer.

I think it's not very efficient. You will forget most of the material. That being said, I'm sure that if you studied really hard that the next time you see it, it will come back to you faster.

The problem is that it takes a lot of effort/motivation to study and if you know you aren't taking it soon, you probably will not be sufficiently motivated.

tl;dr: I'm sure it would help slightly but it's pretty inefficient to study a year before you take the test.

 

[Blue Blood]

Agree. You will forget most of the information. There are much better things to do with your summer for your application.

 

[Blue Blood]

Selling Examkrackers MCAT complete study package (7th Edition). Books include Chemistry, Physics, Organic Chemistry, Biology, Verbal Reasoning and Techniques. Please pass along to anyone!

Price is reasonable.

There's a separate sub-forum for selling stuff.

 

[youmed]

Selling Examkrackers MCAT complete study package (7th Edition). Books include Chemistry, Physics, Organic Chemistry, Biology, Verbal Reasoning and Techniques. Please pass along to anyone!

Price is reasonable.

pdf version of the EK 7th Edition can be found online

 

[chemist16]

I think you should review that material after you've taken the classes. This maximizes use of your time, so you don't have to learn the material twice.

 

[OkC]

There's a separate sub-forum for selling stuff.

where

 

[Blue Blood]

where

Free classifieds.

 

[HCHopeful]

I don't know for certain, but Anki may be a sustainable study option for over a year. You could really lower the settings so it's not intensive, enabling yourself to slowly learn material for the entire time while checking retention.

Just a thought.