TBR biology

[batista_123]

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so i have finished TBR chem, ochem, and physics and i loved them. i learned so much form them, and on the passages i usually got between 65% to 75%.
i have just started biology and i feel dumb. for most of the questions, i have no idea, and even after reading the answer i am like "wtf are they talking about?"
i did bio 1001 from EK and that was so much easier, and i felt so proud and thought i was going to ace bio. i dont know if the BR biology is just too hard and i shouldn't be doing it? i bought my books used and the previews person answered most of the questions right, so that makes me feel even worse, if he could do them , why cant i?

so is doing BR bio a waste of time, or thats how difficult the mcat is going to be and i should really know how to do those before taking the mcat?
how would you prepare for the bio if you had 2-3 weeks? like i said i know the basics, i did well on ek 1001 bio, but the br bio i have no idea how to do those passages.

 

[phEight]

There was a thread that went up really recently about TBR Biology, from someone who took the MCAT. They said TBR passages prepared them extremely well for Biology. Many agreed. So it's probably not a waste of time. I ordered TBR Bio books just for the passages and to get a better content review on molecular biology and genetics. Hate spending all this money, but I gotta do what I can to do this right the first time around

 

[pandoraaj009]

Don't worry-the mcat isn't as detailed as TBR bio. I was frustrated w/ it at first too. Just learn what you can from the answer explanations, maybe retake the passages later to see if you learned it. But the mcat is not as out of the blue detailed as TBR.

 

[LetsGo352]

Well I plan to take the MCAT in January for the first time and I just started studying so I don't know if my comments are accurate.

When I read the first few pages of BR Biology, I was pretty lost. They went into such great detail which I was not quite sure if I really needed to know or not. So I just ordered EK Biology and I plan on using that for the content review and BR for the passages. Sound like a good plan?

 

[J ROD]

I think they are too detailed from a content perspective but the real MCAT was like a verbal BS where you had to get the info out the passage. I think the difficulty level would help prepare you though. I wish I had used it more. I would just do the passages and not read all the Biochem heavy review. I think EK, Kaplan, or TPR would help give you a decent review and then you just have to get the material out the passage. First, you should have all the prereqs and know BS pretty well and just need a review to refresh things for my plan to work.

 

[batista_123]

hey guys, i need help. i want to apply this cycle for sure. there is no postponing because i have been doing that for the past 2 years and i am tired of wasting my life like this.

i was originally going to take the mcat july 30th because TBR chemistry, ochem, and physics made me feel really confident

but the BR bio is making me feel really insecure. out of 7 questions on bio i can get 1 or 2 right. sometimes i cant even understand the questions, for example, there is this question that asks which artery is more "distensible" or something. I have never heard of this word.

the problem is, i just dont see myself doing well on TBR bio passages, ever, its not a time issue. even if i spend an hour on a passage, i still get the questions wrong. The passages are ok, but the questions are really tough for me. So that's why i am feeling insecure.

what should i do? there is a part of me that says just take it and if you get a 20 so be it. but I dont want to do badly. so what should i do to improve on bio? should i push my test date back? should i take it july 30th and hope that bio wont be that hard? should i make flashcards? what should i do?

 

[J ROD]

I think the real MCAT overall was close to Kaplan. TBR is harder to me except for the real hard passage or two that is on there. Just do well on the easier passages and guess on the harder ones. That should get u a 10-11.

No matter how much you prepare you are never ready. You always feel like there is more to do. Eventually you have to take the test....

 

[phEight]

edit: nvm. just saw you already did ek bio.

Have you taken AAMC full length's yet?

 

[batista_123]

edit: nvm. just saw you already did ek bio.

Have you taken AAMC full length's yet?

thanks for taking the time to read my post. no i have not taken aamcs yet because i didnt want to "waste" those, and i wanted to leave those for the time that i feel absolutely ready and perfect. but that time hasn't come yet!

I did every single passage in EK 1001 and it gave me a (false?) sense of security, i got 10s and 11s on those.
but the TBR bio passages just ruin my day every time. half the time i have no idea what the question is asking, the other half i know what its asking, but the answer is not in the passage. i am getting 2/7 on those.

 

[pandoraaj009]

thanks for taking the time to read my post. no i have not taken aamcs yet because i didnt want to "waste" those, and i wanted to leave those for the time that i feel absolutely ready and perfect. but that time hasn't come yet!

I did every single passage in EK 1001 and it gave me a (false?) sense of security, i got 10s and 11s on those.
but the TBR bio passages just ruin my day every time. half the time i have no idea what the question is asking, the other half i know what its asking, but the answer is not in the passage. i am getting 2/7 on those.

Take @ least one! They're different from TBR. You'll probably do better than you think on them. Furthermore, don't let perfectionism hinder your progress. I can't think of any fl I felt absolutely ready and perfect for. taking fl's is very important-more so than any other past of your practice.

As far as tbr bio goes, I found that I improved those scores when I really reviewed the answer explanations. I'd even re-write them in my own words on a post-it and stick it to the passage (to avoid erasing because I re-do passages until I get almost all of them right). Circle your answers lightly and erase after you take them.

If I was too perfectionistic w/ TBR, I'd be too stressed to learn what I needed to from the answers. I doubt you'll ever feel 100% prepared or perfectly ready, and that's ok! Mistakes are only teachers, and we must learn if we are to improve. Don't deprive yourself of the wonderful opportunity to make a mistake and learn! Better to do it now than on test day 🙂

 

[capn jazz]

TBR is much harder than AAMC! I've taken a few of the paper TBR FL Bio and PS sections and I get around a 10 on bio on those. I average a 12 on AAMC Bio.

 

[phEight]

There's some good advice for ya (above posters).. definitely try at least one AAMC and see how you do on that, and if you do bad on those then it's worth your while to consider whether you should push your test date back or not. AAMC tests should be the most important indicators of your progress.

 

[J ROD]

i can easily ace the TPR bio...ive mastered bio and i feel that i will excel on the real MCAT bio.

Ok. Good for you! Want a cookie too?

How does this help anyone besides your ego?

 

[phEight]

Ok. Good for you! Want a cookie too?

How does this help anyone besides your ego?

+1, and funny enough, she's acing TPR when we're talking about TBR. Your contribution to this thread is much appreciated indiangurl lol

 

[capn jazz]

i can easily ace the TPR bio...ive mastered bio and i feel that i will excel on the real MCAT bio.

Hello all,

I took the PR prep course, and I have averaged around a 23 on my practice exams. I go through each book over and over, and I go over my mistakes well.

Do you guys have any tips to break 40 on the MCAT? I'm getting worried at this point because my MCAT is in mid-august.

Please help, I need to break 40 badly 😀

I'm not sure I buy that you're "acing" bio...

 

[dr seuss]

Maybe she got a 15 on bio and 4s on verbal and PS. We should give her the benefit of the doubt, right?

 

[pandoraaj009]

Maybe she got a 15 on bio and 4s on verbal and PS. We should give her the benefit of the doubt, right?

Lol we really should.

my first instinct is to bag on arrogant jackasses (I.e. Trolls). But then again, it really doesn't effect my life whatsoever if some anonymous cyber-ass trolls for validation.

 

[LostInStudy]

I agree that Indiangurl's post wasn't too helpful with the OPs problem BUT BUT BUT cool down a bit guys maybe it was a first timer mistake. We don't want to castrate (or spay in this case) someone every time they make semi-arrogant comments or show confidence in their ability.

BTW, distensible means stretchable (Physiology should have taught you this) like the aorta and large arteries are able to distend when blood is pumped from the left ventricle. This distension, and therefore return to normal size, allows continuous arterial pressure. By stretchable I don't mean broken rubberband but instead like air filling up a balloon. Wow, kind of went overboard with this.

-LIS

 

[muhali3]

distensible -> distension -> no tension -> flexible.

Anyways, many people don't even use TBR Bio and score very well on the BS section. Many people do horribly on the EK 1001 Bio ?s. The fact that you are getting 10/11's is a good sign. The ultimate predictor will be your AAMC practice scores though.

 

[LostInStudy]

distensible -> distension -> no tension -> flexible.

Anyways, many people don't even use TBR Bio and score very well on the BS section. Many people do horribly on the EK 1001 Bio ?s. The fact that you are getting 10/11's is a good sign. The ultimate predictor will be your AAMC practice scores though.

FLEXIBLE! That's the word I wanted to use but was unsure if anyone would actually understand it. A lot of people in my anatomy class and histology class used to get so confused with the flexible and stretchable that eventually I had to abandon one when I was explaining anything.

Thanks for catching that,

-LIS