The Official 7/8/2010 MCAT club!

[IRpremed]

anyone else taking the MCAT this day?

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[Don Draper]

I'm next. I'm studying for this date too or maybe the 16th I don't know yet. How far are you?

I'm very far. 60% plus through content and trudging my way through tons of passages. Only 10-15% of passages right now, but I'm picking up passage pace now since lots of content is done.

Content complete in 7 days? then massive passages for 1.5 weeks followed by a killer 2.5 FL schedule.

This is my 6-7 week prep... time goes by fast.

 

[ACSheldor]

I just finished doing all of my content review. Now I'm done with all the EK 1001 books, the TPR Science Workbook, and Berkeley Review Phase I and II passages for all books but bio. I'm doing Bio Phase I and II this week and doing some other random passages I have, then I start FLs hopefully by the beginning of next week.

 

[Lokaa]

Hey guys,

I feel like I am so far behind on prep. I am planning to try to finish all the content by the end of this week and start passaging and practicing like no tomorrow.

Hope everyone is studying hard

 

[Don Draper]

I just finished doing all of my content review. Now I'm done with all the EK 1001 books, the TPR Science Workbook, and Berkeley Review Phase I and II passages for all books but bio. I'm doing Bio Phase I and II this week and doing some other random passages I have, then I start FLs hopefully by the beginning of next week.

Wow, you're really ahead of the game if you did all of this stuff recently (past month or two).

Why would you not take on July 8? How many FLs are you doing?

I'm only doing

• BR - Ochem/Chem/Phys
• TPR SW- Bio
• TPR SW- Physics/Chem where necessary (i.e. weaknesses)
• TBR 1-7
• AAMC 3-10

Ernskie got a 39 in january with just EKbio and BR Ochem/Chem/Phys. Also I've seen plenty of 35+ just using TPR materials. If you've post gamed your BR well, you should be able to hit 35+ (depending on VR skills) with your practice as is (12 or higher in sciences).

 

[LostInStudy]

Oops wrong person, wrong thread. Was trying to respond to a PM.

 

[ACSheldor]

Alright guys see if you can help with this.

I just finished reviewing O-chem again that I did back in Feb. and biology I haven't touched since march/april so I want to spend a few days going over that again. For TBR I usually get over 13 on OChem/GChem/Physics on Phase I and II. I've done no verbal yet though. I'm planning on 7 TBR, AAMC 3-10, and maybe Kaplan 1-5 but I don't know if I should keep kaplan or not?

 

[SNS]

anyone else finding it hard to juggle applications with studying for the mcat?? not to mention that it's freakin summer and it's so hard to concentrate when it's so beautiful outside.

does it matter even if we send in our amcas early b/c our scores aren't even released till august?

 

[Don Draper]

Alright guys see if you can help with this.

I just finished reviewing O-chem again that I did back in Feb. and biology I haven't touched since march/april so I want to spend a few days going over that again. For TBR I usually get over 13 on OChem/GChem/Physics on Phase I and II. I've done no verbal yet though. I'm planning on 7 TBR, AAMC 3-10, and maybe Kaplan 1-5 but I don't know if I should keep kaplan or not?

I wouldn't focus too much on scores on practice passages, I would focus on learning testing techniques, science concepts, and creating a platform to efficiently review what you've learn (notes or something).

I haven't done verbal yet either. I will do as much EK101 as time allows in the next few weeks. I would keep the Kaplan FL.

Best strategy would probably be:

• Finish phase III
• EK101 FL VR combined with Kaplan FL (remove Kaplan VR)
• TBR 7
• AAMC 3-10

If you're getting 13+ on these all, then you are set. Good luck

 

[jthan]

When is a good time to start on the AAMC FL?

 

[ACSheldor]

Thanks for the advice. Anyone started FLs yet?

 

[nerd athlete]

this thread is so quiet...must be b/c everyone is studying so hard

 

[Mzeep]

I've been doing FL's for a a couple weeks now (was scheduled for June17th but rescheduled) but I stopped to review a few and it's taking forever especially with finals this week. How's everyone else doing?

 

[Dr Optimistic]

Graduate on the 12th then full time study with nothing else planned til that day !

I am trying to finish the PS this week and submit my apps and get my LOR requests out of the way so everything is getting verified while I am hard at studying. I don't need any distractions. I was already scheduled to take June 17th and was running out of time.

I did some mediocre content review through Kaplan (mostly my fault for not staying caught up with the assignments). I took the diagnostic for Kaplan and scored a 7 7 10 and took one FL from them and scored an 8 8 12 (higher number in both cases was verbal).

I hope to be at 30+ by the end of June by bringing my sciences up. Hopefully my verbal stays up on the AAMC FLs. I feel confident in verbal so I should be good because you can learn the sciences but it is hard to learn verbal.

Here's to some good studying starting June 13th! I don't know how it will work but I am planning 10-12 hour days... I am scared I will get burned out but we will see...

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Just joined this club...took it on 5/27, don't have my scores back but to say the bio section just wasn't my bag is an understatement. It all felt like higher level genetics and cell biology, long winded passages.

With that said 7/8 is my safety net, especially while PS is still fresh in my head.

 

[Don Draper]

Here's to some good studying starting June 13th! I don't know how it will work but I am planning 10-12 hour days... I am scared I will get burned out but we will see...

Have you studied like this before for a few week or more? It is hard.

I am doing a 6-7 week prep and my first few weeks I struggled studying consistently 5+ hrs a day (over 5 one day, then 2-3 the next), but between week 2 and start of week 3, I hit my stride.

Just be careful. Like running you must build your endurance, unless you're an introvert I guess, then you may have more endurance naturally.

 

[Dr Optimistic]

Yeah I am scared. I have never studied like this!

 

[steelblue89]

Damn I need to turn my study game up, you guys are giving me some motivation.

 

[SNS]

Unfortunately, I used all of the AAMC practice exams the first time I took the mcat. Now I don't know what to use for practice. Do you guys have any advice on what to use? And where to get a hold of them?
Thanks.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Unfortunately, I used all of the AAMC practice exams the first time I took the mcat. Now I don't know what to use for practice. Do you guys have any advice on what to use? And where to get a hold of them?
Thanks.

S2N has a post up top, I think the consensus after AAMC is Kaplan 1-6. I wouldn't put too much stock in the verbal of these though.

 

[SNS]

S2N has a post up top, I think the consensus after AAMC is Kaplan 1-6. I wouldn't put too much stock in the verbal of these though.

I also took Kaplan FLs 1-10. Anything after that?

 

[Don Draper]

I also took Kaplan FLs 1-10. Anything after that?

Do the AAMCs again, or do the Berkeley Review FLs. You can redo FLs.

Its about ruling out answers, learning testing style and skills, and then knowing the content.

If you are amazing in a familiar environment, you can still do pretty well in an unfamiliar environment. I read about a guy who scored a 43 by only taking the AAMCs multiple times.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

I also took Kaplan FLs 1-10. Anything after that?

I'd go with TBR unless you're strapped for cash then GS. If you chose GS don't put too much stock into their science scores, most people score a couple points higher in both PS and BS of their GS scores.

I would maybe dissect my old AAMCs (which I'm planning on doing since I've taken them all as well), but I think retaking them would probably be a waste of time.

 

[Don Draper]

.

 

[Committed]

"I am the son of many chiefs. My sword is sharp and terrible. It is the mightiest of things When the pot of war boils fiercely."

<<<<MCAT

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Yeah, you're probably right.



Lesson? Do what works in your own situation.

I agree...but this was also coming from a guy who had some "peculiar circumstances" when he took his test and acted like getting a 35R was the kiss of death.

People like this are
A. Either compensating for something or B. Are freaks of nature

Either way, I take the 40+ advice with a grain of salt (Not counting LostInStudy simply due to the sheer amount of hours that guy put in)mostly due to the fact that I or the normal test taker aren't in the same league of test taking skills.

 

[Armywife06]

I've taken two practice tests so far, scored 35 and 32. Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't have taken the June 17 test. Ugh....

 

[Don Draper]

.

 

[Don Draper]

Ladies and gentlemen, the clock is ticking.

Am I the only SDN user taking on 7/8? No posts in 2 days...

 

[Lokaa]

I think everyone is studying like crazyyyyyyyy!!!! Hope everyone is doing well.

 

[Mzeep]

I've been looking over the AAMC's I took awhile back when studying for the May mcat, and I made the stupidest mistakes

Has anyone gone over FL's they've taken yet? It's taking me FOREVER to go over them. Oh and I have about 6 TPR exams left, should I take these or stick with AAMC's? I get anxiety after seeing my TPR scores lol

 

[Armywife06]

I go over every FL after I take it. It should take you like 2 to 3 times longer to review a FL than it does to take it. This is the best tool (for me at least). I have done all the content review I need, the only thing to do now is work on test taking skills, and find out why the right answers were right (especially for ones that you made a best guess on) and why I chose the wrong answer on the others. This really helps me eliminate common wrong answer choices on the next practice test I take.

P.S. There really isn't a lot of people posting on here....... I know there's more of us than this right?

 

[Don Draper]

I go over every FL after I take it. It should take you like 2 to 3 times longer to review a FL than it does to take it. This is the best tool (for me at least). I have done all the content review I need, the only thing to do now is work on test taking skills, and find out why the right answers were right (especially for ones that you made a best guess on) and why I chose the wrong answer on the others. This really helps me eliminate common wrong answer choices on the next practice test I take.

P.S. There really isn't a lot of people posting on here....... I know there's more of us than this right?

Just you and me, doll.

 

[ACSheldor]

And me. I'm just waiting to start FLs right now. Probably after this weekend. I'll start posting more then probably about thoughts and feelings I guess.

 

[Don Draper]

And me. I'm just waiting to start FLs right now. Probably after this weekend. I'll start posting more then probably about thoughts and feelings I guess.

I'm starting FLs on June 21st (actually I may start the saturday before that). I'm taking 15 (BR + AAMC)

Sundays are always non-MCAT for sanity.

 

[ACSheldor]

I usually use Fridays nights but I'm behind this week so this Friday night is a study night. I'm trying to do 20 but we'll see how that goes. I think I can do it if I can keep my sanity with 12-14 days straight of FLs.

 

[Don Draper]

I usually use Fridays nights but I'm behind this week so this Friday night is a study night. I'm trying to do 20 but we'll see how that goes. I think I can do it if I can keep my sanity with 12-14 days straight of FLs.

It's doable. 24 days is plenty for 20 FLs (obviously depending on your obligations, I fortunately have cleared my schedule).

A FL = 3 hrs of work and then post gaming should be around 3 hours too, obviously it could be longer but not too much.

If you've done BR passages you should take too much longer than testing time to post game. You may even be able to post game under 3 hrs (1.5 or 2).

 

[ACSheldor]

I just hope I'm scoring high. That means less post game. The better you do the first time around means the less you have to learn when reviewing. If I get close to my TBR scores I'll be happy so we'll see.

And why are we having a conversation in two different threads?

 

[Don Draper]

I just hope I'm scoring high. That means less post game. The better you do the first time around means the less you have to learn when reviewing. If I get close to my TBR scores I'll be happy so we'll see.

And why are we having a conversation in two different threads?

Because I got sick of doing passages.

You will do fine. Work hard and we dominate this thing together. See you later.

 

[Lokaa]

I am here too, just been too busy to post. I am hopefully starting my FL cycle this Monday, I have 10 Kaplans and 8 aamc and I will be working on ek1001 here and there to divide out the FLs

 

[IRpremed]

just out of curiosity whats everyone getting on their fl's so far?

i have yet to take a real one,

but for those of you that have, post your score, and what FL you took...

 

[anbuitachi]

I just took a kaplan FL (#1) kinda, but i gave up in the middle.. cause it was so freaking hard and i was guessing on every question and was still behind 2.5 passages by the time time ran out so i just quit... it was like a billion times harder than AAMC FL #3 that i took... i dont even remember reviewing molecular orbital shapes like bonding/antibonding etc

my score so far is 35 on AAMC #3, quite disappointing since it is supposed to be the easiest one...

 

[Armywife06]

AAMC 3: 35
Kaplan FL 1: 31
AAMC 10: 32
Kaplan FL 2: 33

AAMC 3 is the easiest one, I think, AAMC 7-10 are suppose to be the most realistic.

 

[IRpremed]

when you guys do the FL's do you guys do both of the prompts in the writing section as well? or do you just skip them?

 

[SNS]

when you guys do the FL's do you guys do both of the prompts in the writing section as well? or do you just skip them?

I usually didn't do them until about 2 weeks before I took the test to practice endurance.

 

[Don Draper]

Rough day today. Only getting in about 20% of my normal workload.

Hopefully I will be charged up next Monday.

Brain is dead though from this week, while doing passages I think I re-read an easy question like 5 times and still my brain was registering what I was reading.

Sometimes the brain simple says no.

 

[IRpremed]

.

 

[anbuitachi]

depends on which one you took.. but you still have plenty of time....

 

[Armywife06]

Make sure you go over the practice test you took, every single question. Take notes about why you got it wrong, was it because you didn't know the content or are you making classic wrong answer mistakes.

 

[Armywife06]

We have 23 days left.... there are hardly any posts on here. I guess this is an unpopular test date? Oh well, just wondering where everyone else is in the process. I took the 4/23 MCAT so didn't really have to do a lot of content review again, just refresh fine details. I've mostly been taking practice tests and reviewing them, topical tests and reviewing them, and need to start taking practice verbal section tests really soon! I plan on taking AAMC 8 tommorow. Anyone else taking any AAMC test other than 3 or any of the Kaplan tests yet? Though I would try to get a conversation started on here...... hopefully.......

 

[Don Draper]

I don't post a lot here because there is no one here.

Did a lot of passages today.

I think this is an unpopular date. We really only have about 5-6 SDN'ers on this thread every week, give or take.