The Official 8/17/2012 MCAT Thread

Started by LaurenMarie
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LaurenMarie

LaurenMarie

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Let's all dread this date together! :scared:


How/when are you guys studying? (i.e. SN2ed, Kaplan, TBR)


EDIT: I'm attaching simple charts I made to keep track of my progress for each set of passages for the SN2ed schedule. Its helpful to monitor how you are progressing and will show you what areas to work on. ENJOY 🙂
 

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haha I thought I did well on the fubsy one but when I scored it I did horrible 🙁

I see myself getting lazy and taking too many breaks. I know I shouldn't be asking this.. but what are you guys doing to keep yourselves motivated at a high level? I feel like I haven't accomplished much the last few weeks and I'm still on Day 6 🙁
 
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lolcat said:
haha I thought I did well on the fubsy one but when I scored it I did horrible 🙁

I see myself getting lazy and taking too many breaks. I know I shouldn't be asking this.. but what are you guys doing to keep yourselves motivated at a high level? I feel like I haven't accomplished much the last few weeks and I'm still on Day 6 🙁
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I did terribly on that one too! Lol well I generally do terribly at VR. What are you guys averaging for verbal?

What I did was printed out a blank calendar and wrote in the entire SN2ed plan. That way it helps me see how much I'll fall behind if I don't keep up with it. I've been really bad about pushing it off during the day and not finishing until midnight or so. I really need to stop getting distracted early in the day
 
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I'm doing well in VR, but PS is just a GLARING weakness, ugh. Guess I have time to work on it though... And I agree, I get too caught up in doing normal enjoyable things in the middle of the day 😛
 
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I'm also taking it on 8/17/12. Following my own schedule based off SN2ed's guide, but using a mixture of Kaplan and EK material. Good luck to everyone!


CardiologyJosh said:
I get distracted too; I'm screwed though, because I work FT, so the only chance I have to study is at nighttime. I much prefer 10c wings to the library at night lol
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I feel you man. It sucks that we're spending most of our time studying MCAT while all of our non-premed friends are enjoy summer. But hey, it'll all pay off in the end.
 
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lol i did but i got hit with a lot of orgo and i wasnt expecting that at all so i should have focused on orgo more -_-. And VR i usually do well at, wasnt feeling it this time. So I signed up for a retake in august just in case...doesn't hurt might as well study a few different things that i think would help more this time. I ranged 29-32 on the aamcs but i didnt think they were similiar at all to my tes,t lol.
 
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Oh, gotcha. Yeah my VR is horrible man... just took a test from EK and got a 6 lmao. A lot of them were just stupid mistakes so hopefully I'll do much better as I go along.
 
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lolcat said:
Oh, gotcha. Yeah my VR is horrible man... just took a test from EK and got a 6 lmao. A lot of them were just stupid mistakes so hopefully I'll do much better as I go along.
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I'm right there with you. Lol last night I had a dream that I scored PS 15, BS 15, and VR 3. hahah I woke up and wanted to cry.
 
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lolcat said:
Oh, gotcha. Yeah my VR is horrible man... just took a test from EK and got a 6 lmao. A lot of them were just stupid mistakes so hopefully I'll do much better as I go along.
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what completely bafflesme is the first time i took it i got a 10 on vr witout studying, this time im def not feeling a 10 lol. it was so strange this time
 
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lolcat said:
Oh, gotcha. Yeah my VR is horrible man... just took a test from EK and got a 6 lmao. A lot of them were just stupid mistakes so hopefully I'll do much better as I go along.
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Same.. I took my first EK and got an 8, but a lot of the ones I got wrong were just like.. WOW REALLY, I GOT THIS WRONG?!


ColeSmalls said:
what completely bafflesme is the first time i took it i got a 10 on vr witout studying, this time im def not feeling a 10 lol. it was so strange this time
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I think VR's not a section you can guess your score on lol. A lot of people who took the test told me that when they got out, they didn't know what to think of the verbal section, but ended up scoring higher than they thought.
 
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My verbal is all over the place. By 8/17 I will have exhausted all of TBR, EK, and TPRH verbal passages so hopefully some improvement will head my way.

Anyone facing any other problems than Verbal? I find TBR to be very helpful with Gen. Chem and O. Chem . I'm not sure God himself could make me understand Physics any better. Just hoping practice with Physics will show results.
 
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What up everyone. I'm taking the MCAT for the first time August 17th, so I guess I will be part of this thread too.

And to not mess up the flow of conversation -- yeah physics sucks
 
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lolcat said:
haha I thought I did well on the fubsy one but when I scored it I did horrible 🙁

I see myself getting lazy and taking too many breaks. I know I shouldn't be asking this.. but what are you guys doing to keep yourselves motivated at a high level? I feel like I haven't accomplished much the last few weeks and I'm still on Day 6 🙁
Click to expand...


I am taking the 8/17 test in michigan... I am using BR, TPRH, Kaplan, EK bio, and EK 1001. The fubsy passage was a learning one for me. I learned that you need to leave all prior knowledge at the door. I would not have logically agreed with a couple of the answers but the answers were based off of the authors point of view, not necessarily whether something was fact or fiction in real life.

Good luck everyone, looks like we are all in this together.
 
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golfandmedicine said:
I am taking the 8/17 test in michigan... I am using BR, TPRH, Kaplan, EK bio, and EK 1001. The fubsy passage was a learning one for me. I learned that you need to leave all prior knowledge at the door. I would not have logically agreed with a couple of the answers but the answers were based off of the authors point of view, not necessarily whether something was fact or fiction in real life.

Good luck everyone, looks like we are all in this together.
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I have a problem with doing this too! I tend to think "well that's dumb, there's no way the author thinks that.."
 
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CardiologyJosh said:
So, am I alone in my thinking that organic chem (for the most part) is memorization, as far as reactions are concerned?
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Honestly, If you spend the time trying to understand why a reaction occurs, and under what conditions might a reaction occur, you will have an easier time in the long run.. there are so many reactions at the end of orgo and if you can understand what effects are taking place in a reaction you wont need to look at it and try to remember because you will understand how the reaction evolves into its product(s).
 
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CardiologyJosh said:
Don't get me wrong; I understand the principles underlying the reactions. That being said, base attack on the less substituted carbon of an asymmetrical epoxide undergoing cleavage, versus acid attack on the more substituted carbon of an asymmetrical epoxide undergoing cleavage - seems very much like a memorization over understanding to me....
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Oh I know this!

When cleaving an epoxide in acidic conditions, the first step is always to protonate the oxygen. When this happens, there is a positive charge on the oxygen. This causes the oxygen to pull electrons from the C-O bonds closer to itself. Because of this, there is a slight positive charge induced on each of the two carbons of the epoxide. Now think back to carbocation stability. More substituted carbocations are more stable. This is similar. The more substituted carbon of the protonated epoxide can hold a larger positive dipole charge. Now the nucleophile is more likely to attack at this carbon (the more substituted/more positively charged carbon).

Opening the ring under basic conditions is much simpler. The oxygen is not positively charged, so you do not need to think about any induced charges on the epoxide carbons. The nucleophile will react fastest at the least sterically hindered position.

Hopefully that makes sense! Lol, I really like O chem so if anyone has o chem questions, I'd be happy to help 🙂
 
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LaurenMarie said:
Oh I know this!

When cleaving an epoxide in acidic conditions, the first step is always to protonate the oxygen. When this happens, there is a positive charge on the oxygen. This causes the oxygen to pull electrons from the C-O bonds closer to itself. Because of this, there is a slight positive charge induced on each of the two carbons of the epoxide. Now think back to carbocation stability. More substituted carbocations are more stable. This is similar. The more substituted carbon of the protonated epoxide can hold a larger positive dipole charge. Now the nucleophile is more likely to attack at this carbon (the more substituted/more positively charged carbon).

Opening the ring under basic conditions is much simpler. The oxygen is not positively charged, so you do not need to think about any induced charges on the epoxide carbons. The nucleophile will react fastest at the least sterically hindered position.

Hopefully that makes sense! Lol, I really like O chem so if anyone has o chem questions, I'd be happy to help 🙂
Click to expand...

I love you. If you need someone to sing at your wedding, I'm your guy.
 
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I seriously need help with properly reading questions... I keep misreading little details in questions (even discrete) and throwing points away!!!

For instance, in a I, II, III question, it'll say something like: "Ring strain is greater in comparison to...," but I'll think it reads, "Ring strain is greater in."

HALP
 
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LaurenMarie said:
Oh I know this!

When cleaving an epoxide in acidic conditions, the first step is always to protonate the oxygen. When this happens, there is a positive charge on the oxygen. This causes the oxygen to pull electrons from the C-O bonds closer to itself. Because of this, there is a slight positive charge induced on each of the two carbons of the epoxide. Now think back to carbocation stability. More substituted carbocations are more stable. This is similar. The more substituted carbon of the protonated epoxide can hold a larger positive dipole charge. Now the nucleophile is more likely to attack at this carbon (the more substituted/more positively charged carbon).

Opening the ring under basic conditions is much simpler. The oxygen is not positively charged, so you do not need to think about any induced charges on the epoxide carbons. The nucleophile will react fastest at the least sterically hindered position.

Hopefully that makes sense! Lol, I really like O chem so if anyone has o chem questions, I'd be happy to help 🙂
Click to expand...

and when you protonate an oxygen it becomes a much better leaving group
 
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WhyJay said:
I seriously need help with properly reading questions... I keep misreading little details in questions (even discrete) and throwing points away!!!

For instance, in a I, II, III question, it'll say something like: "Ring strain is greater in comparison to...," but I'll think it reads, "Ring strain is greater in."

HALP
Click to expand...

Lol I do stuff like that on VR all the time. I think after you make the mistake enough times, you automatically learn to not do it anymore.
 
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Hey guys... So I've been thinking to take the rest of the week off from the SN2ed schedule and go over all the chad videos. I feel that way I can keep up with TBR since their content is mixed with topics that they introduce later on. I know this will most likely make me postpone my test date to later in August or maybe september.. But I'm in no rush so hopefully it works out in the long run
 
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lolcat said:
Hey guys... So I've been thinking to take the rest of the week off from the SN2ed schedule and go over all the chad videos. I feel that way I can keep up with TBR since their content is mixed with topics that they introduce later on. I know this will most likely make me postpone my test date to later in August or maybe september.. But I'm in no rush so hopefully it works out in the long run
Click to expand...

Definitely go for it! Especially if you're not applying this cycle. Good luck!
 
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Those of you on SN2ed Schedule...

How in the hell is the EK Biology book adequate enough a review to feel even remotely ready to take the TBR passages associated with that material?!? To go from making 10-12's on the exam tests for that section in the EK book to making 0/7's on some of the passages in TBR is ridiculous. I've started flipping through the TBR biology books and they seem to be much more involved as you see in their passages, which gives me the sense that they would prepare you more.

If the BS section is more like the EK passages and TBR is just overly ridiculous, then I'll stick to what I'm doing. But, if the real thing is more like the passages in TBR, then I am switching to TBR for content review because looking through EK biology is NOT nearly sufficient enough to attack TBR passages with ANY confidence what-so-ever. Not to mention that TBR actually throws in organic chem. information/questions with its content review/passages like you would see on the MCAT while EK doesn't.

Anyone else feel like this?

And those of you only using EK or Kaplan for review, you haven't seen a "difficult" biology passage unless you've seen what is mixed in TBR...
 
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nixm01 said:
Those of you on SN2ed Schedule...

How in the hell is the EK Biology book adequate enough a review to feel even remotely ready to take the TBR passages associated with that material?!? To go from making 10-12's on the exam tests for that section in the EK book to making 0/7's on some of the passages in TBR is ridiculous. I've started flipping through the TBR biology books and they seem to be much more involved as you see in their passages, which gives me the sense that they would prepare you more.

If the BS section is more like the EK passages and TBR is just overly ridiculous, then I'll stick to what I'm doing. But, if the real thing is more like the passages in TBR, then I am switching to TBR for content review because looking through EK biology is NOT nearly sufficient enough to attack TBR passages with ANY confidence what-so-ever. Not to mention that TBR actually throws in organic chem. information/questions with its content review/passages like you would see on the MCAT while EK doesn't.

Anyone else feel like this?

And those of you only using EK or Kaplan for review, you haven't seen a "difficult" biology passage unless you've seen what is mixed in TBR...
Click to expand...

I totally know what you mean. I actually just finished a few passages from tbr bio ch 6 and got a 42%. A few days ago though, I scored 75% on 9 passages from chapters 9 and 10. It's crazy. I think once I start doing FLs then I'm going to go back and read through tbr bio. Right now I want to just get a basic understanding of the material.
 
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I realized that the passages where I can get 4 wrong are just simply a lot harder than the other ones. By harder, the content is more challenging, the passage length is 1.5x longer, and the questions are ridiculously vague. Thus, I've come to the conclusion that there's really nothing I can do against this type of passage.

BR Bio is just unrealistic. I've heard the MCAT bio passages have enough self-contained content in the passage to figure out the answer. The same cannot be said for many of the BR Bio passages.
 
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I've been avoiding Physics like a plague and I have to take this test when I return back to America, unfortunately 🙁.

I did TPR Science Workbook for G. Chem and Biology. I did about 2 passages each chapter and 5 discrete questions. It took FOREVER to go OVER EACH QUESTION I GOT RIGHT AND WRONG 🙁. I did pretty good especially on the systems. I've been avoiding Physics but I am ON it tomorrow. I am going to do some problems with TBR and TPR Science Wrkbook, lol.

I use this website for Orgo to get things drilled in my mind
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072397462/student_view0/chapter1/multiple_choice_quiz.html

I also have TPR, TBR, EK 1001, Kaplan Topicals and Sectionals, TPR tests (all), AAMC exams (all), GS exams (all), Kaplan (all) 😀.

I took GS-3 and got a 9PS 8BS and 9VR 🙁, which is a horrible score. My studying is pretty structured in a way. I will re-read chapters just to retain certain information and go over my notes and then just do practice passages. All I am doing is practice passages and reading here and there while going over my notes. I am trying to take GS 4 this Friday or Sat. Then after that take two tests every week but I need to go hard on the second half Physics especially Electrostatics, Magnetism, Light and Optics. Physics SUCKS and I JUST DON'T CARE ABOUT IT. But for this exam I will eat, sleep and breathe these science courses. Verbal is 🙁 and I am pushing myself to improve tremendously. I just want a 9 or 10 and I will be satisfied, 🙂.

O and I also have Chad's Videos so I am going to watch them on my free time as well. I feel like it's HARD to get through these materials. Plus I work from 9 to 2:30 pm and then I try to study from 3, 3:30 to 7 or 7:30pm everyday doing passages and shtnitz.

C'est la vie!
 
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LaurenMarie said:
Has anyone taken any FLs yet?
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I'm taking my first FL on Sunday. As I understand it, the trick is to not review your results the same day; do it the next day, so that you are reevaluating the problems when they are no longer fresh in your mind; helps to achieve consistency in your approach where you are correct, and break consistency in your approach when you are incorrect.
 
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dermocrat88 said:
I took GS 3 two to three weeks ago

PS 9 BS 8 and VR 9
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That's a good starting point!


janeypoo said:
I haven't yet but I'll be starting to take them on a regular basis in 3 weeks.
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That's what I'm planning on doing too. Are you still doing content review?


StarlingForce1 said:
I'm taking my first FL on Sunday. As I understand it, the trick is to not review your results the same day; do it the next day, so that you are reevaluating the problems when they are no longer fresh in your mind; helps to achieve consistency in your approach where you are correct, and break consistency in your approach when you are incorrect.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think that's the best way to do it. I have a really bad habit of not reviewing the questions that I got right though. 👎
 
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Hey guys,

So I just did my first Kaplan full length (not sure which # Kaplan it is) but I got 40/52 on PS, 43/52 on BS, and I don't care to share my VR at this point lol. Does anyone know ROUGHLY what scaled score these PS and BS raw scores come out to?

Thanks!

🙂
 
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