The Official August 7, 2014 MCAT Thread

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Thoroughbred_Med

Thoroughbred_Med

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107 days out! Who all is signed up to obliterate the MCAT August 7th?

I know it's a bit early but I searched and could not find another August 7th, 2014 MCAT thread! I am hoping that we can keep each other motivated this summer while studying...

I am starting a slightly modified SN2ed schedule May 7th.... slightly modified due to my incredible weakness with physics. I am not taking physics 2 before the MCAT and therefore will be self-teaching it.

Looking forward to hearing from some of y'all!
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cccc1914 said:
Anyone have any alternate methods with verbal? Or any tips on reading faster and accurately?
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I'll give you my honest opinion: you can't *learn* verbal reasoning as easily as you can the sciences. A lot (if not most) stems from innate ability. People who read a lot when they were younger definitely picked up skills early on to do better.

However, I'm not saying you can't improve. A good tip for reading faster is to eliminate subvocalization (ie. stop saying the words in your mind, but simply just "read" them). General reading for fun will also help your speed and ability to read between the lines.

I can finish an entire EK test in 35 minutes and get a great score - and I'm still practicing my VR every day. Only practice makes perfect.

Just read whatever you can. Books, magazines, news articles.
 
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R35 said:
I'll give you my honest opinion: you can't *learn* verbal reasoning as easily as you can the sciences. A lot (if not most) stems from innate ability. People who read a lot when they were younger definitely picked up skills early on to do better.

However, I'm not saying you can't improve. A good tip for reading faster is to eliminate subvocalization (ie. stop saying the words in your mind, but simply just "read" them). General reading for fun will also help your speed and ability to read between the lines.

I can finish an entire EK test in 35 minutes and get a great score - and I'm still practicing my VR every day. Only practice makes perfect.

Just read whatever you can. Books, magazines, news articles.
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I agree. Sure, practice verbal passages, but only one circumstance: ONLY DO VERBAL WHEN YOUR FOCUS IS HEIGHTENED & ZONED.

If you know your head is being exceptionally chatty today, don't waist your time with verbal. You'll be reading the passage, wonder off, and be like wth did I just read?

... At least that's how I feel. It makes the difference between 3/7 and 6,7/7 on passages.
 
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Honestly, I kind of (respectfully) disagree with Thoroughbred on this. I think you could be in one of those chatty moods on MCAT day, so learning how to turn off the chatter and focus is probably pretty important. If you can train yourself to be heightened and zoned, that's really going to help when your mind is definitely chatty (omg, it's the real MCAT! This test is all that keeps me from med school. I can't believe I'm doing this........ ).
 
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Wow... we are really quiet. LOL. Where is everyone in their studying journey? I am using the TPRH books and have made it through the first chapter of each subject and am now half way through the second chapters. I learned the first half of mechanics yesterday, including those lovely Force diagrams that @ciestar is so fond of last night. Inclined planes are so much easier than they look after viewing the coursesaver videos on the subject! Teaching is keeping me from being able to move quite as quickly through the material as I had hoped, but I'm moving anyway.

Hope everyone is doing well!
 
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clairephillips said:
Wow... we are really quiet. LOL. Where is everyone in their studying journey? I am using the TPRH books and have made it through the first chapter of each subject and am now half way through the second chapters. I learned the first half of mechanics yesterday, including those lovely Force diagrams that @ciestar is so fond of last night. Inclined planes are so much easier than they look after viewing the coursesaver videos on the subject! Teaching is keeping me from being able to move quite as quickly through the material as I had hoped, but I'm moving anyway.

Hope everyone is doing well!
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Yeah slowly but surely.wins this race!
 
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Hey guys, I will be joining you all for this date. Going to start studying (again) on Monday. 0% excited.
 
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Well discovering the TPR videos was a life saver. If I need more I'll definitely invest in Chad. I'm not feeling quite as lousy about this as I was.
 
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Glad to hear it, Ciestar. I don't have access to those videos, but either way, I think videos make everything click when sometimes reading just won't.
 
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Cj, why don't you feel excited? This stuff is tough, but it's doable and its going to get you into med school. As PR suggests, it really is an opportunity. Please let us know how we can help.
 
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I think with physics I just need an instructor to literally draw it out and explain it word for word. It makes more sense than a picture in a book.
 
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clairephillips said:
Wow... we are really quiet. LOL. Where is everyone in their studying journey? I am using the TPRH books and have made it through the first chapter of each subject and am now half way through the second chapters. I learned the first half of mechanics yesterday, including those lovely Force diagrams that @ciestar is so fond of last night. Inclined planes are so much easier than they look after viewing the coursesaver videos on the subject! Teaching is keeping me from being able to move quite as quickly through the material as I had hoped, but I'm moving anyway.

Hope everyone is doing well!
Click to expand...

Just checking in to say: so far, everything is alright and been close -but not perfect- to my initial plan (few family responsibility interruptions). But soon enough, it'll be where I want it as I'm making progress.
Sometimes it's hard keeping up here, especially for me trying to commit to my sn2ed schedule and the pace. Sometimes I feel like its a long sprint depending on the chapter. It's weird because I have studied the material before...I am not feeling efficient with my time as others say... it regularly takes me an entire day to get through the schedule. Not 10-12 hours! (How??) lol. I still need to find away to fit sleeping well, and exercising! I have been mixing some Chad videos in which have really helped me conceptually.

But glad there is still some action going on here, it'll come handy for motivation as the day comes close haha. Aside from that, it's always good to keep sharing where you maybe went wrong in your path and sharing what you find works best for you and such. Looking forward to reading them on this thread as we go forward. Hope you all are doing great. Let's keep the support going!

cccc1914 said:
Yeah slowly but surely.wins this race!
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Amen to that!
 
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ciestar said:
Well discovering the TPR videos was a life saver. If I need more I'll definitely invest in Chad. I'm not feeling quite as lousy about this as I was.
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Which TPR videos are you talking about? I'm freaking out and could really use the extra help.
 
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R35 said:
Which TPR videos are you talking about? I'm freaking out and could really use the extra help.
Click to expand...

If you're using the online course, go to tools on the side menu, it's the last menu available and it says recorded lectures. Click that.
 
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ciestar said:
If you're using the online course, go to tools on the side menu, it's the last menu available and it says recorded lectures. Click that.
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Ah, that's why. I'm not in a course; I just bought thr TPRH books secondhand.

Thanks though!
 
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Agh. Is anyone any good with physics? Share your secrets! (Yes I've been working on the same chapter for like 3 days now...I feel like I'll never finish).

Stupid mistakes almost plague me the most though.

Doing UCM and torque right now.
 
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I feel like a failure guys. I cannot get myself to sit down and study and now it's been a whole week. Ugh. Anyway i will surely begin on monday, i just have to get out of the house and go to the library or something.

Chad's videos are definitely very helpful or try out some YouTube videos or freelance teacher. The latter is the one i used and although it's a bit long and not necessarily mcat style teaching but it helps you understand the concepts. It's very long though, a chapter is about 2-3 hours but that's what makes it good in my opinion because it mirrors going to a class. So what i did was start out watching it, take a break then read through tbr and then do passages.
 
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I've been reading then watching videos but maybe I'll do it the other way around now.

I just feel like I'm making no progress in my content review...I started April 7th I believe and I'm maybe 1/4 done. I'm just getting discouraged. My pace sucks! I'm also panicky that I'm not remembering anything I did a month ago :/ I wish I felt better about this...
 
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Don't feel like that. You can do this. try not to focus a lot on content but more on passages and learn from the passages.
 
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3655 said:
Don't feel like that. You can do this. try not to focus a lot on content but more on passages and learn from the passages.
Click to expand...

I do a ton of passages. Reading paired with all the passages TPR has, there's one at the end of every chapter along with online ones thorough the course. Then the SWB and I also have TBR. Then there's EK 1001. I'm nowhere short on practice..
 
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I think that once you get done with content review you will surprise yourself on what you remember, and then at that point you should focus on plugging any holes and weaknesses you have. Just focus on the big picture while you are studying.
 
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My main hole is physics. I spend a lot of time on it because I struggle with it. I don't spend nearly as much time on anything else. So I'm being neurotic about it since I need to understand it or I'm screwed. So stressed! :scared:
 
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Ciestar,

Have you considered a physics tutor? I found a tutor through the site wyzant.com that really helped me. He is a medical student at my dream school so that made him even cooler, and he took an hour with me to work through the problems I was having the most trouble with. I only paid $40 for the hour and I discovered that my problem was more about forgetting how to do some basic math rather than a real conceptual issue. Maybe look there (or elsewhere) for an MCAT tutor to work with on the toughest tough material, or if you can't find someone, find a physics expert to just explain the basics and show them the way the MCAT tests the material so they can help you find an approach if you can't find an MCAT tutor. Good luck!
 
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ciestar said:
My main hole is physics. I spend a lot of time on it because I struggle with it. I don't spend nearly as much time on anything else. So I'm being neurotic about it since I need to understand it or I'm screwed. So stressed! :scared:
Click to expand...

I'm going to put some time in with Nova Physics for the first few weeks. I've heard good things, but we'll see how it goes. I accidentally bought the ebook version off of Amazon for $10, damn one-click purchasing. +pissed+
 
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I Agree with all the comments. Don't discourage yourself. Let's just all be committed to a time to start the AAMC practice test, and be done with this content review.
Gotta keep chuggin along. Or you'll look up and get stressed and push it back or worse take it stressed. It's a mind game not a memorize a book game! Let's Go!
 
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Wasted Energy said:
I'm going to put some time in with Nova Physics for the first few weeks. I've heard good things, but we'll see how it goes. I accidentally bought the ebook version off of Amazon for $10, damn one-click purchasing. +pissed+
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Book is good and cheap!!! Great 2ndary source for problems. As well as solutions in the index.
 
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ciestar said:
My main hole is physics. I spend a lot of time on it because I struggle with it. I don't spend nearly as much time on anything else. So I'm being neurotic about it since I need to understand it or I'm screwed. So stressed! :scared:
Click to expand...
No Stress just work. Keep moving you got this!
 
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I can't stress how important post-gaming is on your questions.

For passages, complete all the Q's that accompany them (5-7) and then post-game it.
For discrete questions, after each question, post-game it.

Doing a bunch of problems at once and then reviewing them later seems ineffective. I know my scores have improved tremendously in TBR and TPRH SW from d0ing this. Why? Because your train of logic that you answered the questions with is still fresh in your head....... figure out the error in your logic and WRITE IT DOWN. e.i. for physics I kept missing free fall questions that dealt with time. I had to smash it into my brain that velocity in the horizontal direction has no effect on a projectile's time hitting the ground!

and... even read the answer explanations for the ones you got right.
 
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Broke down an bought NOVA today...

I did do a TBR passage on pulleys and got a 6/7 on it. I was pleased considering I did have some minor issues with that. Honestly I'm wondering if I should skip the TPR online passages and maybe even their reading altogether and just use TBR. I need to find a source that WORKS.
 
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Definitely not regretting switching to TBR for physics. I'm understanding it better already. They explain forces and where they come from where TPR doesn't.
 
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TBR for Physics and Gen chem can't be beat in my opinion. Their bio is no good and the o-chem is take it or leave it.

I'm personally self teaching for o-chem just using Chad's videos and book called Organic Chemistry as a Second Language. Going well so far but it's a beast to tackle. Probably won't work many problems for a while until I get a better understanding.
 
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I took ochem last summer and the mcat ochem is way in my league so I don't need overly detailed thankfully.

I'm using EK for bio since I don't need a ton of detail. TPR gen chem isn't bad. If I need extra review I'll work through TBR for that. (Yes I have a million books). I agree that the videos are incredibly helpful.
 
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As it stands today I am rescheduling to this date. Originally June 5th but work got cray. Luckily due to my genetic predisposition to saving money I saved up enough to take a leave of absence for a few to fully focus on the MCAT. MAZEL TOV!!. Ive been studying since March using modded Sn2 to fit my approx full time work schedule. I finished the content review portion of SN2 a few weeks ago, spent a week or so consolidating notes that i could review daily or weekly. Sorta buying time until my leave starts to start the last portion of SN2 FLs etc. Not sure what to do until then to keep fresh, I dont have tons of BR material left (other than bio). I do have all the kaplan stuff, some TPR stuff, TPRH (my biggest concern is being low on verbal stuff). However verbal im consistently getting only -0/-1 wrong per passage. Got an 11 on aamc 3 for verbal.
 
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jpost2479 said:
As it stands today I am rescheduling to this date. Originally June 5th but work got cray. Luckily due to my genetic predisposition to saving money I saved up enough to take a leave of absence for the next few months to fully focus on the MCAT. MAZEL TOV!!. Ive been studying since March using modded Sn2 to fit my approx full time work schedule (working w autistic kids is fracking tiring dawgs). I finished the content review portion of SN2 a few weeks ago, spent a week or so consolidating notes that i could review daily or weekly. Sorta buying time until my leave starts June 5 to start the last portion of SN2 FLs etc. Not sure what to do until then to keep fresh, I dont have tons of BR material left (other than bio). I do have all the kaplan stuff, some TPR stuff, TPRH (my biggest concern is being low on verbal stuff). However verbal im consistently getting only -0/-1 wrong per passage. Got an 11 on aamc 3 for verbal. Anyway......beer.
Click to expand...

You can pick up ExamKrackers 101 Verbal Passages for ~ 25 bucks if you want some cheap verbal practice.

http://www.amazon.com/Examkrackers-...TF8&qid=1400383648&sr=8-1&keywords=verbal+101
 
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Anyone else getting killed by the gen-chem solubility? Equilibrium is pretty cake but the solubility is rough.

I found the work/energy section a bit tough too but more do-able.
 
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Yo what up all. Jumping in here because this is the date closest to when I took my MCAT last summer (13/12/12 = 37). Happy to help out with studying timelines, materials, and anything else.

Used Kaplan on Demand online materials (no class), TPRH SW/VW/ICC, scattered TBR for PS only. (EK was too basic and repetitive to be of use.) FLs were Kaplan, TPR, TBR 1-5, and AAMCs. <10% of time spent on content review.

Don't burn out!! Take breaks. Max 5-6 hours studying a day, nothing more. Marathon, not sprint.
 
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moop said:
Yo what up all. Jumping in here because this is the date closest to when I took my MCAT last summer (13/12/12 = 37). Happy to help out with studying timelines, materials, and anything else.

Used Kaplan on Demand online materials (no class), TPRH SW/VW/ICC, scattered TBR for PS only. (EK was too basic and repetitive to be of use.) FLs were Kaplan, TPR, TBR 1-5, and AAMCs. <10% of time spent on content review.

Don't burn out!! Take breaks. Max 5-6 hours studying a day, nothing more. Marathon, not sprint.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice! So when you say that you didn't spend much time on content review, did you start off doing poorly on practice exams? How often would you take one? Would you just do some content review after the exams to eliminate weaknesses etc after post-gaming?

I don't know how much good my content reviewing is doing me, but I am afraid to stray from my schedule and I don't want to use up any AAMC FLs prematurely.
 
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I know for me, content review is a major MUST, as it's been up to 15 years for some of my prereqs. I'm hoping to have 6 weeks between content review and exam in which to work practice problems. I really hope it's enough. I took AAMC #3 as a diagnostic before I started and got 4/9/9 (Low score PS) so I feel like with a lot of work on content review, some verbal strategies and practice, and then 6 weeks of practice, I should be in great shape.
 
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Shipley231 said:
Thanks for the advice! So when you say that you didn't spend much time on content review, did you start off doing poorly on practice exams? How often would you take one? Would you just do some content review after the exams to eliminate weaknesses etc after post-gaming?

I don't know how much good my content reviewing is doing me, but I am afraid to stray from my schedule and I don't want to use up any AAMC FLs prematurely.
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I went into college strong in sciences (Olympiads, AMC, etc.) and did above average at HYPMS, so I knew my content was solid. Took AAMC 3 cold, got 34, so I knew I was in good shape. The only review I did was if I got something completely wrong on an FL or passage that I read the explanation and went "HUH?" For those I flipped through TPR/TBR to refresh and beat a couple more questions in before moving on. That didn't happen often; most of the time I got things wrong because I couldn't see the application of the concept or got thrown off by the distracting passage.

I loaded up on FLs (full-length exams) and took one every MWF, sometimes on the weekends. Intervening days were spent on Kaplan section tests, topical tests, etc., TPRH SW (and ICC towards the end). VR almost every day until I ran out in mid-July.

For most people, content review is ongoing. You read/absorb what you can, do passages, go back, do FLs, go back. It's constantly iterative and not "ok I'm done no more content for me, all FLs now." Honestly I don't know how to gauge content review progress because I never did it myself. Maybe if your EK 1001 %s are going up? Or see if the questions you're getting wrong are more passage-based or straight recall/discretes. The latter would imply content deficiencies.
 
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moop said:
I went into college strong in sciences (Olympiads, AMC, etc.) and did above average at HYPMS, so I knew my content was solid. Took AAMC 3 cold, got 34, so I knew I was in good shape. The only review I did was if I got something completely wrong on an FL or passage that I read the explanation and went "HUH?" For those I flipped through TPR/TBR to refresh and beat a couple more questions in before moving on. That didn't happen often; most of the time I got things wrong because I couldn't see the application of the concept or got thrown off by the distracting passage.

I loaded up on FLs (full-length exams) and took one every MWF, sometimes on the weekends. Intervening days were spent on Kaplan section tests, topical tests, etc., TPRH SW (and ICC towards the end). VR almost every day until I ran out in mid-July.

For most people, content review is ongoing. You read/absorb what you can, do passages, go back, do FLs, go back. It's constantly iterative and not "ok I'm done no more content for me, all FLs now." Honestly I don't know how to gauge content review progress because I never did it myself. Maybe if your EK 1001 %s are going up? Or see if the questions you're getting wrong are more passage-based or straight recall/discretes. The latter would imply content deficiencies.
Click to expand...

So can I just have your brain for a bit.... I promise I'll give it back...

Yeah I'm not sure that I'll be able to go down that path that you did, mostly because my PS reqs are a bit dusty and I'm self-teaching o-chem this summer from Chad's videos and a little book I've got. Congrats on your score though, I hope I can get even marginally close to it!
 
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Shipley, are you using Organic Chemistry as a Second Language? That book is gold. I can't believe I picked it up at a Half Price Books for 3 dollars!
 
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Shipley231 said:
So can I just have your brain for a bit.... I promise I'll give it back...

Yeah I'm not sure that I'll be able to go down that path that you did, mostly because my PS reqs are a bit dusty and I'm self-teaching o-chem this summer from Chad's videos and a little book I've got. Congrats on your score though, I hope I can get even marginally close to it!
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Thanks! Prepare smartly and there's no limitations.

Grab TPR orgo if you're self-teaching. Great great no bull**** review. If you're pressed for time ignore the ketone/aldehyde/complicated orgo II ****. SN1, SN2, nucleophilicity, all those simple definitions and concepts are what's tested. I had this whole long passage about something mad complicated and all it required to answer questions was stuff in the first 6 weeks of orgo I.
 
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I wish I could avoid content review! :laugh:
I took a TPR and Kaplan FL cold and got a 19 and 20 on them. So, that's bad.
Physics is my main issue so I'm hoping officially switching to TBR for physics along with nova will help. So far so good for mostly everything else! I hope all this content review is actually worth it... So nervous.
 
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clairephillips said:
Shipley, are you using Organic Chemistry as a Second Language? That book is gold. I can't believe I picked it up at a Half Price Books for 3 dollars!
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Yes, that's exactly what I'm using! Very helpful coupled with Chad's videos. Solid purchase indeed, not quite $3 for me but worth it none-the-less.

moop said:
Thanks! Prepare smartly and there's no limitations.

Grab TPR orgo if you're self-teaching. Great great no bullcrap review. If you're pressed for time ignore the ketone/aldehyde/complicated orgo II ****. SN1, SN2, nucleophilicity, all those simple definitions and concepts are what's tested. I had this whole long passage about something mad complicated and all it required to answer questions was stuff in the first 6 weeks of orgo I.
Click to expand...

Good! Glad to hear that. I'm just making sure the basics are down good especially nomenclature and how all of the molecules fit together, that way when something is mentioned in the passage I will at the very least know what it consists of. I've heard similarly that there isn't much in depth orgo on the test so that's really what's keeping me from getting discouraged. Looking forward to my practice tests to figure out what really needs work.
 
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Thoroughbred_Med said:
107 days out! Who all is signed up to obliterate the MCAT August 7th?

I know it's a bit early but I searched and could not find another August 7th, 2014 MCAT thread! I am hoping that we can keep each other motivated this summer while studying...

I am starting a slightly modified SN2ed schedule May 7th.... slightly modified due to my incredible weakness with physics. I am not taking physics 2 before the MCAT and therefore will be self-teaching it.

Looking forward to hearing from some of y'all!
Click to expand...


FYI if you're self-teaching physics 2 I HIGHLY recommend wikipremed. I basically had to teach myself physics 2 as well and that site saved me completely
 
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