The Official 3/23/13 MCAT Thread

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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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Just got mauled by an old Kaplan exams ps section from way back in 2003. Looks like I've some more review to do. How's everyone else doing? Anyone start practice tests yet?
 
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Why are you guys shooting for anything less than a 45? 😉

Just signed up yesterday!
 
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I'm falling behind the SNed2 3 month schedule. I'm like 5 days late.

Luckily I gave myself a 2 month buffer period.

Still it takes a long time for me to cover biology and organic chemistry as thoroughly as I would like.....
 
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AdrianVeidt said:
You've started a 3 month study schedule in November for a March test?

Talk about dedication
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Making up for all those times that I should have been studying but wasn't. My GPA (3.5-3.6) ain't great so it doesn't leave me much of a choice.

GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!!

Aiming for 47W composite.
 
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Captain Sisko said:
Late November. I'm not following sn2ed, I'm going with a test early and often approach in conjunction with my content review.
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Do you expect your tests to actually be predictive prior to completing content review? If you're just using them for practice questions that's a bit of a waste.


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gettheleadout said:
Do you expect your tests to actually be predictive prior to completing content review? If you're just using them for practice questions that's a bit of a waste.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile
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I'm using them to identify weak areas, which are actually turning out to be bits and pieces of stuff I've already covered. I don't really think it's wasteful- I have access to all ten gold standard exams as well as the free diagnostics and six very old Kaplan exams. My plan is to use these leading up to the aamc exams in the last weeks to really solidify my position. All told I've >25 exams available to me, of which I've taken five. Were I to jam all of my material into five weeks that's pretty much three tests every four days, burnout city for sure.

I'm hitting where I want to for the sciences but I've figured out what I need to focus on for the next few weeks. Rather than blanket all the material there is, I place more value on knowing what I don't know early on. Time and practice material well spent, if you ask me.

I should say that this isn't solely my idea- I'm taking to heart the practice makes perfect thinking that MD odyssey and Nick naylor wrote about in the 30+ thread.
 
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Albein said:
similar story. i got a 23 with Princeton Review and did not take it seriously. Following Sn2ed's study schedule and hopefully the hard work pays off this time around.
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Same here. I took the MCAT back in August with a rushed review of content usuing the Gold Standard. Needless to say it did not work out for me. So now I am using Sn2ed's 3month study schedule. I start right after finals in less than 2weeks! I already pre-ordered the material so just got to get to it. Heres to not having a life for the next 3months hahahaha!
 
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Captain Sisko said:
I'm using them to identify weak areas, which are actually turning out to be bits and pieces of stuff I've already covered. I don't really think it's wasteful- I have access to all ten gold standard exams as well as the free diagnostics and six very old Kaplan exams. My plan is to use these leading up to the aamc exams in the last weeks to really solidify my position. All told I've >25 exams available to me, of which I've taken five. Were I to jam all of my material into five weeks that's pretty much three tests every four days, burnout city for sure.

I'm hitting where I want to for the sciences but I've figured out what I need to focus on for the next few weeks. Rather than blanket all the material there is, I place more value on knowing what I don't know early on. Time and practice material well spent, if you ask me.

I should say that this isn't solely my idea- I'm taking to heart the practice makes perfect thinking that MD odyssey and Nick naylor wrote about in the 30+ thread.
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So why use practice exams to do this? Why not just practice problems? Between the EK 1001 series, the TPRH Science Workbook (difficult to obtain, I realize), and the TBR books among other materials like Kaplan books, why use practice exams specifically to identify weaknesses?
 
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gettheleadout said:
So why use practice exams to do this? Why not just practice problems? Between the EK 1001 series, the TPRH Science Workbook (difficult to obtain, I realize), and the TBR books among other materials like Kaplan books, why use practice exams specifically to identify weaknesses?
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Well, there are a few reasons in my mind, but to preface this I'd first say that I'm not dispensing with practice problems at all. I'm simply adding a lot more scrimmages to my training, as opposed to focusing mainly on drills and practice, if you like sports analogies. The reason for this is that when you practice problems chapter by chapter, you know exactly what you're going to see. You know exactly from which direction the puck is coming, and you can get ready for it. In a scrimmage, a game, or game 7 of the finals, it can come from anywhere.

Another reason is the type of practice that's available. I know there are tons of practice materials out there, and a wide range is available. But I think it's relatively rare to find passages that integrate various and wide ranging subject matter all at once, if they are even found in a passage. EK 1001 sciences are not in passage form, with the exception of the Bio, which is way easy and unrepresentative in my opinion. The others like BR may be good for individual subjects, but see the preceding paragraph.

A third reason uses another sports analogy. A lot of people like to liken the mcat to a marathon and say it's not a sprint (yadda yadda). In every marathon I've ever run I've run ok for the first 20 miles and then lost my pace and pretty much became unmotivated for the last six miles. You hit the wall. Life sucks, and you're trying to get through it. You happen to (bitterly, I might add) see folks striding by you without a care in the world. Those that aren't relay runners who started at mile 18 have actually run several marathons before, or it turns out they're ultramarathoners. I'm trying to overpractice, to get to the point where I can eat the MCAT for breakfast, not to be fazed by a 3 hour stretch of mentally trying questions. If you can run a 50 mile race, or are running your twentieth marathon, what's another 26.2?
 
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Captain Sisko said:
Well, there are a few reasons in my mind, but to preface this I'd first say that I'm not dispensing with practice problems at all. I'm simply adding a lot more scrimmages to my training, as opposed to focusing mainly on drills and practice, if you like sports analogies. The reason for this is that when you practice problems chapter by chapter, you know exactly what you're going to see. You know exactly from which direction the puck is coming, and you can get ready for it. In a scrimmage, a game, or game 7 of the finals, it can come from anywhere.

Another reason is the type of practice that's available. I know there are tons of practice materials out there, and a wide range is available. But I think it's relatively rare to find passages that integrate various and wide ranging subject matter all at once, if they are even found in a passage. EK 1001 sciences are not in passage form, with the exception of the Bio, which is way easy and unrepresentative in my opinion. The others like BR may be good for individual subjects, but see the preceding paragraph.

A third reason uses another sports analogy. A lot of people like to liken the mcat to a marathon and say it's not a sprint (yadda yadda). In every marathon I've ever run I've run ok for the first 20 miles and then lost my pace and pretty much became unmotivated for the last six miles. You hit the wall. Life sucks, and you're trying to get through it. You happen to (bitterly, I might add) see folks striding by you without a care in the world. Those that aren't relay runners who started at mile 18 have actually run several marathons before, or it turns out they're ultramarathoners. I'm trying to overpractice, to get to the point where I can eat the MCAT for breakfast, not to be fazed by a 3 hour stretch of mentally trying questions. If you can run a 50 mile race, or are running your twentieth marathon, what's another 26.2?
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Wow very well put captain!
 
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Hows everyone doing with studying...Anyone else doing the Sn2ed schedule right now?
 
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citipark said:
Hows everyone doing with studying...Anyone else doing the Sn2ed schedule right now?
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I am doing the Sn2ed Schedule. I started earlier this semester and I realized that it would not be possible to do that plus my class work and ExtraCurra and stuff. So I started this past Friday. I think the hardest part for me is going to be the physics because I did not have a good teacher and it takes me awhile to read the chapter and fully understand. I also plan on doing all of the 1001 in the physics book because that is a major weak area for me.
 
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PhysioG318 said:
I am doing the Sn2ed Schedule. I started earlier this semester and I realized that it would not be possible to do that plus my class work and ExtraCurra and stuff. So I started this past Friday. I think the hardest part for me is going to be the physics because I did not have a good teacher and it takes me awhile to read the chapter and fully understand. I also plan on doing all of the 1001 in the physics book because that is a major weak area for me.
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I started last week as well. I know what you mean about having other commitments and following the schedule. Im only taking one course next quarter so hopefully it wont be too bad. The hardest part for me is definitely physics too but hope with lots with of practice we should be good. Are you gonna study during holidays(Christmas, New Years) as well? Trying to decide what days are gonna be my break days
 
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I'm starting SN2ed this Sunday. I'm actually quite excited, so that will probably get squelched out soon.
 
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Oh and I'm taking 12 credits (of mostly art classes), working 16hrs/week, and still continuing to sell stuff in my online shop while studying.

Hopefully it will still be manageable. Anyone else doing other things while studying for the MCAT?
 
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sworzeh said:
Oh and I'm taking 12 credits (of mostly art classes), working 16hrs/week, and still continuing to sell stuff in my online shop while studying.

Hopefully it will still be manageable. Anyone else doing other things while studying for the MCAT?
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16 hours (13 of real classes, 3 research) + 10 hour/week teaching job, plus 6 hours/week working out.

I really don't think this is going to be unmanageable at all...
 
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3 credits of graduate level biochemistry, 45 hr/wk job, some miscellaneous volunteering, home improvement projects, and wedding planning. The issue will be prioritizing studying.
 
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Hey all, I intend to register for this date. I'm taking 17 credits (9 credits of difficult courses-physics 2 and biostatistics, 4 credits of medium-ecology and 4 easy- cultural anthropology and swimming). Also, I do 15 hours of research a week. I am the president of an org and the member of 2 others (one is a medical fraternity).

My schedule is going to be hectic. One of my friends that studied while taking classes told me I have to wake up at 6am and study everyday! Plus, drink coffee everyday to perk me up. I may also have to neglect classes, though it's hard for me to do. I mean, my GPA is a 3.9 and its my last semester so if my grades aren't amazing I won't be affected too much.
 
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I started SDN plan, the studying is going good. However, my verbal scores are all over. I am doing passages out of the EK 101 and Im getting either 2/5 or 3/5 and even worse 1/5...:scared: I think I am going to switch to the TPRH Verbal Book to practice in and just rotate between the two. Verbal was the one thing that messed me up on my last MCAT. Hopefully it will work out. How is everyone else doing with verbal so far....even though it is relatively early.
 
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citipark said:
I started last week as well. I know what you mean about having other commitments and following the schedule. Im only taking one course next quarter so hopefully it wont be too bad. The hardest part for me is definitely physics too but hope with lots with of practice we should be good. Are you gonna study during holidays(Christmas, New Years) as well? Trying to decide what days are gonna be my break days
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Yeah we just have to stick to our guns and I believe we will be fine. THe BR books are AWESOME😍 for their explanantions. I can definetly see an improvement as far as the information sticking compareded to using the GS books that I used last time for MCAT prep. Also I do plan to do some studing during christmas and New Years. I am also decing break days as well. I was thinking about giving my self breaks after I finish 1 weeks worth of sections and go over problems. I am trying not to take that many breaks during content reveiw because I want to use that time to add in more practice exams. I have 10 GS exams that I am going to work in before I start AAMC exams.
 
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Well, since I'm re-studying (haven't studied in 3 months though). I'm just going to do practice tests, post-phrase, review my weaknesses and then do passages/topical tests. Then, I will repeat this. Hopefully it helps. First practice test was 23 : /

So....I have a way to go!
 
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Started SN2ed yesterday! I plan to follow the schedule + hunker down for some extra physics. My physics I professor got fired the year after I took him because he was so awful haha!! I'm learning a lot of these topics for the first time.

Good luck everyone 🙂
 
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Just finished my first day of SN2ed...it was hell!! Hopefully it gets better haha...This is mainly due to HATE of physics and projectile motion. That test was my drop test this pas semester :/ ... Not using a calculator is tough and practicing these math tips is going to be hard work! It'll all pay off though just gotta keep the faith..Wooo!
 
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Starting today, technically I started a few months back off and on finished BR review books with the exception of Organic and Physics II , anyway forgot everything so starting from scratch and really dont feel like doing physics today , might just do bio , I need to get this test out of the way , I've put if off long enough 1 year....
 
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whoknows87 said:
Starting today, technically I started a few months back off and on finished BR review books with the exception of Organic and Physics II , anyway forgot everything so starting from scratch and really dont feel like doing physics today , might just do bio , I need to get this test out of the way , I've put if off long enough 1 year....
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I'm kinda in a similar boat. I have delayed for about 6 months though. I was almost done with my review, but didn't have enough time for practice passages last time.

This time around, I am trying to increase my endurance and reasoning. So, I dove straight into practice exams. I reviewed my test (over the space of two days) and reviewed weaknesses and am doing practice passages now. I will take another test tomorrow or Thursday. The next test will be TPR so it will be harder than the test I just did (AAMC 3). Hope this strategy works out.
 
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Ok so the BR Gen Chem whooped my butt yesterday and for some reason it took me all day to do 🙁 those chapters are insanely long...I was thinking of splitting every chapter in half that way Ill have time to break it down all the way and fully understand a set of topics especially the physics ones...Of course that;ll make content review longer but this past semester was extremely rough taking Physics Ochem and Human Phys together in one semester..pulled out an A in all of em Thank God but It took a lot out of me.. I lost 6 pounds! So I really want to relax and spend time with family and also make time to study...I need opinions or advice please..Thanks yall!
 
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Jr MD said:
Ok so the BR Gen Chem whooped my butt yesterday and for some reason it took me all day to do 🙁 those chapters are insanely long...I was thinking of splitting every chapter in half that way Ill have time to break it down all the way and fully understand a set of topics especially the physics ones...Of course that;ll make content review longer but this past semester was extremely rough taking Physics Ochem and Human Phys together in one semester..pulled out an A in all of em Thank God but It took a lot out of me.. I lost 6 pounds! So I really want to relax and spend time with family and also make time to study...I need opinions or advice please..Thanks yall!
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I could never finish a bio chapter + passages in time, but I'm strong in chem so I spread out my bio work across 3 days 🙂 I don't see anything wrong with overlapping subjects for one day imo - you modify schedules to make them work for you.

Also, taking a day or two off for family might help you recover and be super pumped to get back to studying! Lol clearly I don't sound that gung ho about studying...I've always been of the mindset that quality >>>> quantity 😳
 
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asecondtolife said:
I could never finish a bio chapter + passages in time, but I'm strong in chem so I spread out my bio work across 3 days 🙂 I don't see anything wrong with overlapping subjects for one day imo - you modify schedules to make them work for you.

Also, taking a day or two off for family might help you recover and be super pumped to get back to studying! Lol clearly I don't sound that gung ho about studying...I've always been of the mindset that quality >>>> quantity 😳
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TBR is beyond dense How many hours do you average a day studying?
 
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whoknows87 said:
TBR is beyond dense How many hours do you average a day studying?
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For Genchem, physics and organic it takes me 3-4 hours to read the chapter and do the practice problems. EK Bio takes me longer - about 4 hours to read a chapter since a lot of it is new to me since I'm not a bio major. Add in reviewing passages from the day before and I'm doing 4 to 5 hours of studying a day + working full time :scared:
 
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whoknows87 said:
TBR is beyond dense How many hours do you average a day studying?
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It takes me 2-3hours for gchem/ochem - I mostly skim to review the finer points because I'm freshly done with ochem and gchem's kind of my baby. Been doing a-ok so far 🙂 I'm using TPRH for bio and it takes me ~6 hours to finish reading :scared: I'm like slz1900 in that my last genbio class was 4 years ago and I sometimes have to reread several times just to understand. I'm doing an extra hour of reading on my chem days and it helps bunches.

Is EK bio the better option for review?
 
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whoknows87 said:
TBR is beyond dense How many hours do you average a day studying?
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Did ochem today and it took about 5 hours w/o reviewing passages from gchem the day before because I didn't have time to do them...ugh...this is ridiculous!
 
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asecondtolife said:
I could never finish a bio chapter + passages in time, but I'm strong in chem so I spread out my bio work across 3 days 🙂 I don't see anything wrong with overlapping subjects for one day imo - you modify schedules to make them work for you.

Also, taking a day or two off for family might help you recover and be super pumped to get back to studying! Lol clearly I don't sound that gung ho about studying...I've always been of the mindset that quality >>>> quantity 😳
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Thanks for the advice..I realize that math is not my strong point at ALLLL. 🙁Those ratios and tricks are not going to be learned in one day. Ill modify the schedule a bit to do physics and gen chem over 2 days...if your stretching bio over 3 days you think you'll have enough time before the test to take FLs??
 
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kgpremed11 said:
ohh the naive 😀
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And you base this on?

Edit: Let me preempt a response. Do you think I haven't considered the issue of time? I've specifically chosen courses with the interest of time outside of class in mind. You don't know what those 16 hours are composed of, you don't know the nature of my teaching job, and you don't know what amount of free time I typically have that I can devote to MCAT prep. I don't appreciate being called naïve by someone who knows nothing about either the nature of my academic performance nor my time management. Please keep your comments to yourself unless you intend to be constructive or open-minded. If it's of real concern to you, check my MDApps in late April and see what score I get.
 
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gettheleadout said:
And you base this on?

Edit: Let me preempt a response. Do you think I haven't considered the issue of time? I've specifically chosen courses with the interest of time outside of class in mind. You don't know what those 16 hours are composed of, you don't know the nature of my teaching job, and you don't know what amount of free time I typically have that I can devote to MCAT prep. I don't appreciate being called naïve by someone who knows nothing about either the nature of my academic performance nor my time management. Please keep your comments to yourself unless you intend to be constructive or open-minded. If it's of real concern to you, check my MDApps in late April and see what score I get.
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Lol someone sounds stressed. Ctfo man, he was only joshing you
 
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gettheleadout said:
Actually I'm quite enjoying the holiday season.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile
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So what's the bee in your bonnet? Usually mods don't really have those kinds of outbursts and in the past you seem to have been pretty reasonable. Maybe you just had a bad day or something? Whatever it is I hope everything's going alright!
 
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