TBR Passages x TPR Passages !?

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saoj

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It looks like the TPR passages are in the big science workbook. Are they better or worse the TBR passages? My understanding is that the advantage of TBR is that they are PER chapter and more in numbers. Don't the TPR has passages specific to each chapter that I can easily do after I finish each chapter?

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It looks like the TPR passages are in the big science workbook. Are they better or worse the TBR passages? My understanding is that the advantage of TBR is that they are PER chapter and more in numbers. Don't the TPR has passages specific to each chapter that I can easily do after I finish each chapter?

The main thing with the practice questions is that they show you where your weaknesses are, the more the better I suppose. But it can get annoying when you spend hours doing 100 questions for a chapter, get 85-90 correct, and then feel like you wasted your afternoon because the things you got wrong were obscure details unlikely to show up on the MCAT.

I don't know if it's something TBR is moving towards but I had their newest physics books and there were 25 practice problems per chapter and then a 52 question practice exam. Which I found much more manageable and less stressful.

My TBR G Chem & O Chem books were a year old and had a grueling 100 questions at the end of each chapter. I didn't even do the O Chem practice problems because I ran out of time and it was getting to the point where 100 questions would take my 4-6 hours because the passages were so dull, boring, and repetitive.
 
It looks like the TPR passages are in the big science workbook. Are they better or worse the TBR passages? My understanding is that the advantage of TBR is that they are PER chapter and more in numbers. Don't the TPR has passages specific to each chapter that I can easily do after I finish each chapter?

I would say TBR was a little harder. At first, I missed like 2-3 questions on TPR passages, and I was scared ****less. As I practiced more, I started to read the details closely, think about the concepts before answering the questions...and right now, I have only missed 4 questions out of 20 passages. WIN! :D

TBR fluctuated for me. There were sections where I only missed one to two questions out of 7 passages. Other sections, I missed like 1 per passage.

My advice would be to NAIL THE CONCEPTS BEFORE DOING PASSAGES. This helped me a great deal. I know the content in Physics and Chemistry inside out, and I can easily connect the dots...and the results show my mastery.

I would say do all half of the TBR passages, then the corresponding TPR passages. The last 1/3rd of the passages in TBR...save them for last month testing while you take your FLs.
 
I would say TBR was a little harder. At first, I missed like 2-3 questions on TPR passages, and I was scared ****less. As I practiced more, I started to read the details closely, think about the concepts before answering the questions...and right now, I have only missed 4 questions out of 20 passages. WIN! :D

TBR fluctuated for me. There were sections where I only missed one to two questions out of 7 passages. Other sections, I missed like 1 per passage.

My advice would be to NAIL THE CONCEPTS BEFORE DOING PASSAGES. This helped me a great deal. I know the content in Physics and Chemistry inside out, and I can easily connect the dots...and the results show my mastery.

I would say do all half of the TBR passages, then the corresponding TPR passages. The last 1/3rd of the passages in TBR...save them for last month testing while you take your FLs.

If you're getting just a few questions wrong in all the TBR passages, you are going to destroy this test.

Holy moly...
----------

Honestly though, I think there's a point where it's the same as the 'too many cooks' saying.

If you're going to do all the TBR passages in 3 phases, you're doing a TON of passages. If you do all the TPR passages in addition to those, that's a TON of passages. Add in practice exams etc, that's a lot of time and energy. I'd be scared to burn out.

If you have the resources, maybe go to additional sources if you need additional practice. Just doing as much practice as you can is not the best use of your time sometimes.
 
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The main thing with the practice questions is that they show you where your weaknesses are, the more the better I suppose. But it can get annoying when you spend hours doing 100 questions for a chapter, get 85-90 correct, and then feel like you wasted your afternoon because the things you got wrong were obscure details unlikely to show up on the MCAT.

I don't know if it's something TBR is moving towards but I had their newest physics books and there were 25 practice problems per chapter and then a 52 question practice exam. Which I found much more manageable and less stressful.

My TBR G Chem & O Chem books were a year old and had a grueling 100 questions at the end of each chapter. I didn't even do the O Chem practice problems because I ran out of time and it was getting to the point where 100 questions would take my 4-6 hours because the passages were so dull, boring, and repetitive.

And you plan on finishing the MCAT sections?
 
If you're getting just a few questions wrong in all the TBR passages, you are going to destroy this test.

Holy moly...
----------

Honestly though, I think there's a point where it's the same as the 'too many cooks' saying.

If you're going to do all the TBR passages in 3 phases, you're doing a TON of passages. If you do all the TPR passages in addition to those, that's a TON of passages. Add in practice exams etc, that's a lot of time and energy. I'd be scared to burn out.

If you have the resources, maybe go to additional sources if you need additional practice. Just doing as much practice as you can is not the best use of your time sometimes.

For the passages, it's totally dependent. Biology - I miss 1-2 per passage...but then again TBR Biology is insane from what I have heard.

I think I want to keep practicing though. Reading these forums make me paranoid about the test, which in a way is a good thing, because I am working like none other to make sure that I ace this test (34-35). I would rather be overprepared than under-prepared. I am kind of enjoying the studying. I am neurotic that way. :)

I will keep you posted on whether all my effort pays in three months. :)
 
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