The Official 3/23/13 MCAT Thread

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Redpancreas

Redpancreas

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Figured I'd start this one out. I'll be registering for the MCAT first thing tomorrow. Who else is taking it on this date? How do you all plan on studying over the school year?
 
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I don't know if I'm just weird for thinking that math inherently looks cool, but I modified the continuity equation for branching pipes to be a series. :prof:

A38wlhH.png
 
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Captain Sisko said:
I wish I had that kind of motivation. I usually study in the evening but know I'm much more effective in the morning. I work business hours with a single class and volunteering, so my studying is spotty at best during the week. Last night I reviewed a chronic weak area in organic lab methods, my first studying in about a week. Guess I'll buckle down soon for yes the last full measure now that the house is almost done.
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Idk if its motivation or just fear of knowing that I won't get anything done past a certain time so it better get done in the first half of the day. Regardless, I wish whatever it was showed up in the passages :/
 
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Reading the threads from January/today testers has occupied a couple hours of my day. It feels weird knowing that I'll be doing the same thing in 2 months time. But I digress, back to the books...
 
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Hey yall,

If at any point in time you guys are feeling down or just cant quite get that last piece of energy to finish those last passages before you go to bed, or even if you feel burned out, watch this video. Its lengthy (15 min) but wow its amazing. If this doesnt motivate the hell out of you nothing will

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTFnmsCnr6g

btw im down for some passages 🙂
 
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in case it hasn't been discussed yet, looks like the 3rd edition of the official guide to the mcat is out. let's be the first group to make full use of it.
 
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Hi guys. I know you all are trying to get things down for admissions, recently, I used this site www.paperperfecto.com and they helped me with my personal statement for 99 dollars. It was awesome. Good luck to everyone.
 
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osprey099 said:
I am a retaker.
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Feeling better this time around? I didn't do as well the first time around and last set of chapters from bio and physics are really bringing me down. I really hope these mistakes are erased once practice tests come around.
 
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Jr MD said:
Hey yall,

If at any point in time you guys are feeling down or just cant quite get that last piece of energy to finish those last passages before you go to bed, or even if you feel burned out, watch this video. Its lengthy (15 min) but wow its amazing. If this doesnt motivate the hell out of you nothing will

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTFnmsCnr6g

btw im down for some passages 🙂
Click to expand...

Haha, I found this yesterday and downloaded an audio clip. It helps with the motivation a little, but doesn't help do better on passages :/
 
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Albein said:
Haha, I found this yesterday and downloaded an audio clip. It helps with the motivation a little, but doesn't help do better on passages :/
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Lol yea but i was dead yesterday and it helped get through those titration passages. Speaking of titration, i have a question. if any body understand question 28 on passage 4 in the titrations and buffers chapter, please explain it! It asks for the formula weight of oxalic acid and i chose 90 g/mol but it said it had two equivalents of protons so it is 45 g/mol ...thanks

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Jr MD said:
Lol yea but i was dead yesterday and it helped get through those titration passages. Speaking of titration, i have a question. if any body understand question 28 on passage 4 in the titrations and buffers chapter, please explain it! It asks for the formula weight of oxalic acid and i chose 90 g/mol but it said it had two equivalents of protons so it is 45 g/mol ...thanks

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Click to expand...

So it says in the passage that the formula weight is not the same as molecular weight unless it is a monoprotic acid. It also says the formula weight is the molecular weight divided by the number of moles of acid at equivalence. From this I suppose you are supposed to infer that it is the molecular weight divided by the moles equivalence to get the equivalent weight. Since it is a polyprotic acid, (one H on each COOH) you are supposed to divide 90 by 2 to get 45. I only understood that after I drew out the molecule.
 
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NuttyEngDude said:
So it says in the passage that the formula weight is not the same as molecular weight unless it is a monoprotic acid. It also says the formula weight is the molecular weight divided by the number of moles of acid at equivalence. From this I suppose you are supposed to infer that it is the molecular weight divided by the moles equivalence to get the equivalent weight. Since it is a polyprotic acid, (one H on each COOH) you are supposed to divide 90 by 2 to get 45. I only understood that after I drew out the molecule.
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👍
The acid is a diprotic acid so formula weight is 90/2 b/c formula weight = MW / # of H+'s.
 
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I just went over this thread wondering why it was so long and all I can say is holy crap! 😱

I think this is the most extensive thread I've seen for a test date with all these practice passages and facts of the day and mnemonic and other key things to memorize. Going to start studying for a retake on 4/26 and I will definitely be mining this thread for all the gold in it.

Keep up the good work! I'm glad I'm not taking the test with you guys just in case the AAMC does do a post test curve :meanie:
 
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So i wanna make a passage but idk where to start. How do y'all do it??

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DAPI said:
I just went over this thread wondering why it was so long and all I can say is holy crap! 😱

I think this is the most extensive thread I've seen for a test date with all these practice passages and facts of the day and mnemonic and other key things to memorize. Going to start studying for a retake on 4/26 and I will definitely be mining this thread for all the gold in it.

Keep up the good work! I'm glad I'm not taking the test with you guys just in case the AAMC does do a post test curve :meanie:
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This thread is pretty awesome :biglove:
I think it's because everybody is encouraged by each other, and we all feed off each other for competition and motivation. You're right though, I've never seen an MCAT thread this active, and we're still around 2 months away from test day!!

Keep it up fellas 😎

So i wanna make a passage but idk where to start. How do y'all do it??
Click to expand...
1. Choose a topic
2. Gather some facts or an experiment describing the topic
3. ???
4. Profit!
 
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DAPI said:
I just went over this thread wondering why it was so long and all I can say is holy crap! 😱

I think this is the most extensive thread I've seen for a test date with all these practice passages and facts of the day and mnemonic and other key things to memorize. Going to start studying for a retake on 4/26 and I will definitely be mining this thread for all the gold in it.

Keep up the good work! I'm glad I'm not taking the test with you guys just in case the AAMC does do a post test curve :meanie:
Click to expand...

Glad you find us hospitable! :welcome:
 
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Gotta bio passage coming up guys...get ready!!

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See the previous Fact here

Today's fact concerns math!

I'm copying this from a post I just made in the Q&A forum.

If you're not familiar with what I call the "log trick of 3's" then read this first: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...28&postcount=3

So knowing that -log(3 x 10^-q) = ~ (q-1).5 such that -log(3 x 10^-5) = ~4.5
I messed around in Wolfram|Alpha one day and realized this trick works another way:

If you have an expression where 10^-q, then the trick of 3's holds, just in reverse.

10^-5 = 1 x 10^-5
10^-5.5 = ~3 x 10^-6
10^-6 = 1 x 10^-6
10^-6.5 = ~3 x 10^-7

and so on. So for a value like 10^-3.7, I would note that the decimal 7 is greater than 5, meaning the value of the mantissa is below 3, and the exponent is 10^-4. Conclusion is that 10^-3.7 = <3 x 10^-4

This should be accurate enough to identify the answer needed, if this is a terminal step in solving a problem.
 
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From:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/archive/index.php/t-636423.html

Some helpful neumonics for TBR chap 9
from kaplan
Endoderm:

Think Endernal (internal) lining/layer - Organs: Digestive and Respiratory tract, liver, thyroid, pancreas, and bladder.

Mesoderm:

Think "Means-O-Derm" (i.e., means of getting around) : Musculoskeletal, circulatory, excretory, and reproductive.

Ectoderm:

Think "Attract-O-Derm" (things that make you attractive): Eyes, epidermis, inner ears (good listener), nervous system (smarts).
Click to expand...

and
from 0Complications
Zygote, Morula, Blastula, Gastrula, Neurula.

"Zikes! Martin is a Big Giant Nerd."
Click to expand...
 
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Albein said:
Feeling better this time around? I didn't do as well the first time around and last set of chapters from bio and physics are really bringing me down. I really hope these mistakes are erased once practice tests come around.
Click to expand...

Yea I feel much more prepared in terms of how to study and what to study. I know I missed 2 questions in PS and 3 questions in BS b/c of lack of content knowledge last time so I am really drilling in everything about everything this time around.

Don't worry too much about your practice scores. The main thing is reviewing the mistakes. Last time, I was more engaged with what my TBR end of chapter scores were than in actually reviewing those questions on a consistent basis and that is one of the reasons I didn't do as well as I wanted to.
 
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I'm getting so nervous!!!!!! I"m still doing content review - did anyone start practice exams yet? I've been also taking Kaplan verbal sectionals and only get 60% of the questions right and don't know how to improve 🙁
 
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dellian101 said:
I'm getting so nervous!!!!!! I"m still doing content review - did anyone start practice exams yet? I've been also taking Kaplan verbal sectionals and only get 60% of the questions right and don't know how to improve 🙁
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When I get a question wrong, it shows that I have a weakness in that area of the subject I'm learning and I note that. On days that I review my subjects I look at my noted weakness and reread that section in one of my textbooks or TBR or chads videos which help a lot! I realize that my main weaknesses stem from basic concepts that I learned in middle school like multiplying decimals lol I'm not a math person. 🙁 But once I feel confident that I have it down ill take a practice topical test on the subject or do some EK 1001. Idk if your doing SN2s schedule but in doing your second 1/3s your scores should be better. Leave no stone unturned and make sure you understand everything in a chapter before you move on to the next! Hope this helps!

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Dark Ace said:
There's also this really popular one for hormones released by the anterior pituitary;

FSH
LH
ACTH
TSH

Prolactin
Endorphins
Growth Hormone
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Nice, I didnt learn with the E standing for anything. Thank you.

dellian101 said:
I'm getting so nervous!!!!!! I"m still doing content review - did anyone start practice exams yet? I've been also taking Kaplan verbal sectionals and only get 60% of the questions right and don't know how to improve 🙁
Click to expand...
Not yet. Have you tried other verbal material other than kaplan?

gettheleadout said:
Alrighty, 40-page TBR Organic Section VII - Nitrogen Compounds for today!
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Saw your post in the Q&A, Are you clear on the surface tension stuff?

Today is OCHEM day all day, for me. I'll probably have a practice posted tomorrow unless I need a break form OCHEM tonight.
 
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Hey all, I just took the MCAT review series practice 1 that came along with the TPR course and it wasn't pretty 😱. I've gotten a consensus that the MCAT review series tests were harder than most other practice tests, but I just wanted to see if anyone else has taken them and what they thought. Thanks!
 
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Yup, the material isn't horribly tough, some tricky questions, really tests how well you know the concepts. Granted I made some stupid mistakes, probably cost me 2-3 points, but overall it was harder than TPR by a good amount

NuttyEngDude said:
Hmm havent taken it, but I went to check, there are only two of those tests right?
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TPR practice test #1 rocked me when i took it about 2 weeks ago. I don't think the score is terribly indicative of AAMC performance.

I got a 9 on the PS.... I have never scored that low. Always 13+
Then again it tested me on all the physics topics I hadn't reviewed yet.

I'm not putting too much credence in it.
 
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Entadus said:
TPR practice test #1 rocked me when i took it about 2 weeks ago. I don't think the score is terribly indicative of AAMC performance.

I got a 9 on the PS.... I have never scored that low. Always 13+
Then again it tested me on all the physics topics I hadn't reviewed yet.

I'm not putting too much credence in it.
Click to expand...

That's what I've been hearing from other people too. I'm not going to dwell on it at all, but it's good review/learning material to build with. Chalk it up and move on to the next.
 
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I want to join this thread but I will tell you right now I am taking the test on June 20, 2013, hopefully if I can get registered.

I took the 1/24 MCAT don't think I did well, I never scored a 30 on a practice FL and need a 30+ for my dream school, so I know I have to restudy.

For right now I am taking it slow. I am going to be reading BR Book 1-- the physiology section,doing daily verbal passages, daily review of orgo rxns using mcat-review.org, I also do 3 mcat questions a day.

After my B-day, March 2 I will begin studying again. I think I am going to using PR again, maybe reading the same material again will help me get it stuck in my head.

If anyone wants FREE tutoring . PM me and we can do it on Skype. Tutoring really helps me nail down concepts.
 
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