The Official November 7, 2014 MCAT Thread

[M.D.orbust]

Hey all! I am signed up for this date. 8:00 a.m. Yikes!!! I am aiming hard to make 40+ my reality so hence me making this thread so early. A former lab- mate and current medical student had a ton of MCAT prep stuff she gave to me. So I have the Examcrackers set, Hyperlearning set, regular Princeton Review, audio osmosis, and practice MCAT tests from a variety of sources I also do the MCAT questions a day through email and on my phone (to help with super quick recall). I am officially studying legitimately now. Currently starting with Examcrackers. I'd love to hear from you all doing the same. Let's do this!!!

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[ayocaptain628]

I love his videos .. I think the earlier you get them the better .. Because they are just teaching you the basics .. And doesnt really go as deep as you need later on in the schedule .. They are nice to reach before doing a chapter .. But after reading though a chapter and doing practice passages his videos doesnt really do much .. So to help you understand a new topic he is great thats why I did the one month subscription and watch him before content review everyday

have you done his quizzes, are they good for nailing what he covered in his videos
and do they also have lots of different types of problems to solve

 

[poop420]

have you done his quizzes, are they good for nailing what he covered in his videos
and do they also have lots of different types of problems to solve

didnt touch his quizzes.. Between TBR and the TPR Science workbook I feel I am well covered. Again he covers the basics so I dont think his quizzes would be awesome material like what TBR has but I haven't tried them so I cant really critique them.. I Honestly think doing the TBR passages and the AAMC self assessment is more than enough practice to start jumping into FL's

 

[nystin]

didnt touch his quizzes.. Between TBR and the TPR Science workbook I feel I am well covered. Again he covers the basics so I dont think his quizzes would be awesome material like what TBR has but I haven't tried them so I cant really critique them.. I Honestly think doing the TBR passages and the AAMC self assessment is more than enough practice to start jumping into FL's

For TBR.. Are you taking notes while reading.. I am doing content review with Kaplan so I have already taken notes on chapters, etc. ... I just don't know how I would retain ALL THAT TBR content...without notes. Lemme know what you are doing. Thanks!

 

[poop420]

For TBR.. Are you taking notes while reading.. I am doing content review with Kaplan so I have already taken notes on chapters, etc. ... I just don't know how I would retain ALL THAT TBR content...without notes. Lemme know what you are doing. Thanks!

Most people I know have a Book in which they write down notes .. But im too nervous and want to now everything so i write my notes at the side of each page and then scan the page to see if I left something out ! This is obviously not the best and most time efficient way of doing this but I like to have my notes right beside the original chapter so it works for me ... These things are all influenced by personal choices and learning methods .. A friend of mine record all her notes in Anki (a flash card app) and it has worked wonders for her !

 

[PhysicsFailure]

Most people I know have a Book in which they write down notes .. But im too nervous and want to now everything so i write my notes at the side of each page and then scan the page to see if I left something out ! This is obviously not the best and most time efficient way of doing this but I like to have my notes right beside the original chapter so it works for me ... These things are all influenced by personal choices and learning methods .. A friend of mine record all her notes in Anki (a flash card app) and it has worked wonders for her !

I'll second this! It's what works for you! I am only using EK, but I read 1 time through, then read again and take notes in my composition book. I probably write more than most people, but my learning style is through writing it back out. That's how I can get things to stick in my brain. Plus, seeing it in my own handwriting helps too. So, during my 3rd read on EK 1001 days, I will highlight in my composition, highlight in my EK book and write important things once again along the side of the page. Like I said, I probably write way more than most people, but that's what works for me!

On a side note, I think that's why my VR scores aren't really increasing or anything. I'm used to being able to read a passage a lot before forcing myself to recall information. This will definitely be a downfall for me.

 

[PhysicsFailure]

Also, are any of y'all using EK audio osmosis? If so, do you think it is beneficial? Should I invest in this?

 

[poop420]

Also, are any of y'all using EK audio osmosis? If so, do you think it is beneficial? Should I invest in this?

LOL well It depends .. Do you have really long commute (driving) ? Or do you have a job in which you can put in headphone but cant seen studying ?? The reason Im so specific is they are ok to listen to if you are driving or in a situation in which you cant read a book, but they are not as great as popping open a book and read it yourself . Ny friend who has been getting 45s in his practice FL works on the weekends and listens to them and he says its good as a quick refresher but not strong enough to stand on its own as study material .. I would recommend paying for chad videos and downloading them onto your phone and listen to those ( I think its ok to download stuff) ... But this is just my opinion im not finished with content review or taken a FL yet so im by no means a expert !! But I use to listen to audio osmosis alot when I was ashamed of reading by TBR books on the train (you would be surprised on the looks people give you for studying on the subway).. I liked audio osmosis the jokes are corny but they keep me interested

 

[PhysicsFailure]

LOL well It depends .. Do you have really long commute (driving) ? Or do you have a job in which you can put in headphone but cant seen studying ?? The reason Im so specific is they are ok to listen to if you are driving or in a situation in which you cant read a book, but they are not as great as popping open a book and read it yourself . Ny friend who has been getting 45s in his practice FL works on the weekends and listens to them and he says its good as a quick refresher but not strong enough to stand on its own as study material .. I would recommend paying for chad videos and downloading them onto your phone and listen to those ( I think its ok to download stuff) ... But this is just my opinion im not finished with content review or taken a FL yet so im by no means a expert !! But I use to listen to audio osmosis alot when I was ashamed of reading by TBR books on the train (you would be surprised on the looks people give you for studying on the subway).. I liked audio osmosis the jokes are corny but they keep me interested

I don't have any long commutes. If I were to get them, it would be as a reinforcer to my 3 "reads". If you wouldn't mind, can you send me a link to Chad's website. I have actually never heard of him before now. >.< haha.

 

[poop420]

http://www.coursesaver.com/videos/MCAT/

 

[poop420]

also are just using EK bo0ks ?? do you have a really strong foundation in your pre reqs ?? Because EK is kinda lacking when it comes to content

 

[PhysicsFailure]

Thanks! And yeah. I only have EK. I have a one on one tutor as well. In my physics and organic, I made B's. So I'm not sure if that suggests a strong background? I took a practice FL and got a 22, and based on that score, my tutor suggested EK. And my tutor is from a company that does personalized studying. So, I took his word on just EK.

 

[Mutant Koala]

Been lurking here for a while and signed up to take the test on November 7th. Very excited to start studying today!

 

[nystin]

Took a break from verbal for like a week or so..and my scores have gone down the toilet. =\. I feel like I forgot all the strategies... I am doing TBR RIGHT NOW. THEN Kaplan and 101EK... Any advice to how to redeem myself...? =\

 

[PhysicsFailure]

Took a break from verbal for like a week or so..and my scores have gone down the toilet. =\. I feel like I forgot all the strategies... I am doing TBR RIGHT NOW. THEN Kaplan and 101EK... Any advice to how to redeem myself...? =\

Mine did that for 2 days then went back up! Don't fret too much. Try calming down as much as possible before attempting them. I found that was where I was going wrong.

 

[an aspiring doctor]

Sn2 plan recommends that you take only eight exams before the MCAT. Do you believe this to be sufficient?

 

[poop420]

Sn2 plan recommends that you take only eight exams before the MCAT. Do you believe this to be sufficient?

Yes thats enough but he did not say that was all you need, I think he actually mentioned doing other test could be good but he wanted to make a schedule as cost effective as possible ! I am doing TBR FL as well

 

[John Doughnut]

MCAT seems to be heavy on reading comprehension. I've been reading dense stuff to get my mind active. I think it helps to better sift through information in passages and organize your thoughts in the context of passage questions.

On top of that, I've been crushing some practice questions in TPRH SW. Any gaps in knowledge throughout subject areas I will go and backfill with content practice from old textbooks.

I've tried using the official MCAT guide (green book) for a detailed outline of areas in which the MCAT focuses. These areas seem largely covered by my old books.

Keep it rolling!

 

[an aspiring doctor]

I will attempt to get some Berkeley diagnostics in as well. Are any of you applying to osteopathic cycles this year?

 

[nystin]

Mine did that for 2 days then went back up! Don't fret too much. Try calming down as much as possible before attempting them. I found that was where I was going wrong.

Thanks a lot! I am gonna do two tonight and we'll see how they go!

 

[nystin]

Question...after you guys do verbal passages...how is everyone going over them? As in what is your post-phrasing strategy?I usually mark what I get wrong. But most of the time... I get stuff wrong because of time.

 

[lazyindy]

Question...after you guys do verbal passages...how is everyone going over them? As in what is your post-phrasing strategy?I usually mark what I get wrong. But most of the time... I get stuff wrong because of time.

I go over them systematically. It's generally easy to spot which category of question you missed (inference, retreival, central theme, etc.) then I try to see a general trend if I'm getting a lot of inference questions wrong it means I did not fully understand the implication of the passage and the author's argument, message. If I'm getting a lot of retrieval (detail) questions wrong, it just means I have to go back to the passage every now and then. What's been helping me is to only do 3 verbal passages a day timed for 7 minutes each. The bulk of your time should be spent on reading and understanding the passage (should take you 3-3.5 mins) and ONLY go back to the passage for retrieval questions. If you have to go back for the other questions it means you did not understand the passage.

 

[nystin]

I go over them systematically. It's generally easy to spot which category of question you missed (inference, retreival, central theme, etc.) then I try to see a general trend if I'm getting a lot of inference questions wrong it means I did not fully understand the implication of the passage and the author's argument, message. If I'm getting a lot of retrieval (detail) questions wrong, it just means I have to go back to the passage every now and then. What's been helping me is to only do 3 verbal passages a day timed for 7 minutes each. The bulk of your time should be spent on reading and understanding the passage (should take you 3-3.5 mins) and ONLY go back to the passage for retrieval questions. If you have to go back for the other questions it means you did not understand the passage.

Alright that helps a lot! I do 2-3 a day! This section was my worst...so I will have to go over them thoroughly! Thank you!!!

 

[PhysicsFailure]

@nystin

I do 3 a day. Timing for 7 minutes each, but I'm afraid I will not have built up enough stamina for the 6-7 passages on the real thing. How do you feel about this?

And other comments are welcome as well!

 

[nystin]

@nystin

I do 3 a day. Timing for 7 minutes each, but I'm afraid I will not have built up enough stamina for the 6-7 passages on the real thing. How do you feel about this?

And other comments are welcome as well!

Depends on how long you have been doing 3 a day. If you have been doing them long enough... Its time to increase the passages. Because eventually you wanna mimic the actual 60min exam. Do 4 a day, 5 a day..etc. I feel stamina is reeeel important. That's what's hindering my success. Next step should be to start doing 4 a day for a while... If you are comfortable. I do 2-3...and will be sticking to 3 a day at the end of the week.

 

[PhysicsFailure]

Depends on how long you have been doing 3 a day. If you have been doing them long enough... Its time to increase the passages. Because eventually you wanna mimic the actual 60min exam. Do 4 a day, 5 a day..etc. I feel stamina is reeeel important. That's what's hindering my success. Next step should be to start doing 4 a day for a while... If you are comfortable. I do 2-3...and will be sticking to 3 a day at the end of the week.

I will have to move my schedule around a bit to get more passages in for the length of time left before we write the exam.

But before that, I'm going to see if I can't get it (VR) up to a 10. I'm hovering about an 8-9, now. I really think I can get it there with some intense strategy assessment. I am going to try to find TBRBiosadist's verbal strategy and see what I can't do about it. I'm pretty disappointed in my results today though. I was up until about 3:45 AM this morning finishing yesterday's work and had my one-on-one tutoring at 8:00 AM. So, I really shouldn't have "wasted" the passages today and kept them for a time when I was better rested, but I still managed an 8. I guess the only satisfying thing out of that, though, is that I can still perform well on very little sleep. >.<

 

[lazyindy]

@nystin

I do 3 a day. Timing for 7 minutes each, but I'm afraid I will not have built up enough stamina for the 6-7 passages on the real thing. How do you feel about this?

And other comments are welcome as well!

relax, this is just your mind tricking you into thinking you can't do 7 passages on test day because you're only doing half as much daily. In addition to the 3 passages you also read chapters from the content prep books and absorb the information which is immense compared to the total amount of information you will see on the VR section. So already if you're brain is reading + memorizing more information on a daily basis than you will ever see on a mere VR section, you can be rest assured you will have no problem grasping those passages on test day.

Remember that we are practicing with 7 minutes per passage which totals to 49 mins for 7 passages. On the real deal you get an hour so you still have 10 minutes to work with after you have completed all the passages. of course some passages may take longer than others and we can't predict what will be on test day so its essential to do the 7 minutes to train ourselves to understand information faster.

 

[PhysicsFailure]

I have been gorging myself on MCAT studying... No breaks. Not a wise decision.

How are you guys doing??

I limit my time on FB, and I rationalize that technically this is not wasting my time as Facebook does.

 

[an aspiring doctor]

The Sn2 plan has been tedious because of the reading required as well as the hard passages that accompany them. I am disappointed because I got a majority of the questions wrong for a Berkeley Biological section I took. In addition I do not know how to make use of the Examkrackers. In what way are you implementing Examkrackers? Sn2 does not state if questions from Examkrackers should be taken for every section.

 

[nystin]

The Sn2 plan has been tedious because of the reading required as well as the hard passages that accompany them. I am disappointed because I got a majority of the questions wrong for a Berkeley Biological section I took. In addition I do not know how to make use of the Examkrackers. In what way are you implementing Examkrackers? Sn2 does not state if questions from Examkrackers should be taken for every section.

If you are getting a lot of questions wrong maybe you aren't absorbing what you are reading... I usually need a few days of review to understand everything. TBR to me is really...dense and detailed ... When I was doing them I didn't do good so I had to stop to go over everything...meticulously. So I am finishing up kaplan first. Then EK and final will be TBR. Hope that helps.

 

[j9260]

Hi guys! I'm joining you. It's tough to swallow my pride because I literally feel like I've been preparing for MCATs for about 3-4 years now on and off. I look back and wish I could have been the traditional student who started studying, finished in 4 months, and did well on the first official take, BUT it didn't happen as expected and I am now on my 3rd (and determined to make it FINAL) try.

In June '14 as I was preparing for my scheduled test to take in July '14, I still felt very unprepared and unimpressed with my practice test scores (in the early 20s, 6-9 per section) so I thought long and hard and decided to sign up for Kaplan again. I was determined to grit my teeth and do better than I ever did before and it's been going GREAT. Much better than expected. My study habits have gotten a lot stronger, I feel a lot more knowledgeable and ready for the real thing. BUT I still felt that I needed more time to hone down on the content and get a lot more practicing in. SO here I am! Nov. 7 and shooting for Fall 2016 enrollment!

My current study schedule is to study at least 5 hours a day (I use a stopwatch and pause it during breaks). I also use ClearFocus app to keep myself focused for at least 20 minutes at a time with scheduled 5-5-5-15 minute breaks. I'm currently on Unit 3 of my Live On-Demand Kaplan course. My teacher and TAs are stellar and have helped me answer all the questions I have while providing moral support. I am reading articles everyday from the New Yorker, Economics, Atlantic Monthly, Wall Street Journal, and Scientific American (was striving to read 5-6 per day; goal is to up that to 10-12 daily starting today). I haven't really done a Verbal Practice Test all the way through, timed yet, so I DO need to get on with that. I plan to finish all my content review by next Tuesday at the latest and take a full-length right after that.

How are things going for everyone else? It feels really good to chatting with you all! I know pre-meds are known to be really competitive, esp. against each other, but it's awesome to also give and receive that moral support to each other.

 

[j9260]

I have been gorging myself on MCAT studying... No breaks. Not a wise decision.

How are you guys doing??

I limit my time on FB, and I rationalize that technically this is not wasting my time as Facebook does.

I do occasionally use the program Self-Control on my MacBook to block Facebook. It really helps!

I feel you about the breaks. I'm currently not too sure how I'm going to schedule in a full day or half day break because I really don't want to slack off, but I know it can be really beneficial in the long-run. Any tips, guys? How are the rest of you scheduling in full day or half day breaks?

 

[j9260]

MCAT seems to be heavy on reading comprehension. I've been reading dense stuff to get my mind active. I think it helps to better sift through information in passages and organize your thoughts in the context of passage questions.

On top of that, I've been crushing some practice questions in TPRH SW. Any gaps in knowledge throughout subject areas I will go and backfill with content practice from old textbooks.

I've tried using the official MCAT guide (green book) for a detailed outline of areas in which the MCAT focuses. These areas seem largely covered by my old books.

Keep it rolling!

What kind of dense materials are you reading? I find the MCAT Verbal passages to be a lot denser than news or journal articles from the recommended New Yorker, Economics, etc. so any recommendations would be great!

(My boyfriend who took the MCATs last month and has been consistently scoring 30+ said to keep practicing with ExamKrackers 1001 Verbal Passages because those are just as dense as the real thing.)

 

[lazyindy]

Hi guys! I'm joining you. It's tough to swallow my pride because I literally feel like I've been preparing for MCATs for about 3-4 years now on and off. I look back and wish I could have been the traditional student who started studying, finished in 4 months, and did well on the first official take, BUT it didn't happen as expected and I am now on my 3rd (and determined to make it FINAL) try.

In June '14 as I was preparing for my scheduled test to take in July '14, I still felt very unprepared and unimpressed with my practice test scores (in the early 20s, 6-9 per section) so I thought long and hard and decided to sign up for Kaplan again. I was determined to grit my teeth and do better than I ever did before and it's been going GREAT. Much better than expected. My study habits have gotten a lot stronger, I feel a lot more knowledgeable and ready for the real thing. BUT I still felt that I needed more time to hone down on the content and get a lot more practicing in. SO here I am! Nov. 7 and shooting for Fall 2016 enrollment!

My current study schedule is to study at least 5 hours a day (I use a stopwatch and pause it during breaks). I also use ClearFocus app to keep myself focused for at least 20 minutes at a time with scheduled 5-5-5-15 minute breaks. I'm currently on Unit 3 of my Live On-Demand Kaplan course. My teacher and TAs are stellar and have helped me answer all the questions I have while providing moral support. I am reading articles everyday from the New Yorker, Economics, Atlantic Monthly, Wall Street Journal, and Scientific American (was striving to read 5-6 per day; goal is to up that to 10-12 daily starting today). I haven't really done a Verbal Practice Test all the way through, timed yet, so I DO need to get on with that. I plan to finish all my content review by next Tuesday at the latest and take a full-length right after that.

How are things going for everyone else? It feels really good to chatting with you all! I know pre-meds are known to be really competitive, esp. against each other, but it's awesome to also give and receive that moral support to each other.

welcome aboard
Are you planning to take a full length soon?

 

[lazyindy]

I have been gorging myself on MCAT studying... No breaks. Not a wise decision.

How are you guys doing??

I limit my time on FB, and I rationalize that technically this is not wasting my time as Facebook does.

I got sidetracked with family related issues so I'm skipping my break days this week. It's not too bad as long as you don't feel mentally exhausted, at that point you should def take an hour break or so. oh and I deactivated my facebook until test day

 

[j9260]

welcome aboard
Are you planning to take a full length soon?

Hi! Thanks for the welcome
Yes, I plan to take a full length next week right after I finish all my content review scheduled classes with Kaplan. When do you plan to take your next full length? And how many have you taken in prep for the Nov. 7th test so far, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[John Doughnut]

What kind of dense materials are you reading? I find the MCAT Verbal passages to be a lot denser than news or journal articles from the recommended New Yorker, Economics, etc. so any recommendations would be great!

(My boyfriend who took the MCATs last month and has been consistently scoring 30+ said to keep practicing with ExamKrackers 1001 Verbal Passages because those are just as dense as the real thing.)

I've been reading mostly open-access research publications in areas that I find to be pretty cool. Aside from that, I try to maintain reading for leisure. Novels are a good way for me to wind-down from the more vigorous and active approach required by that of MCAT studying. If you can get your hands on it (used copies are like $3-4 from internet merchants), the book "Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond is pretty freaking cool. It's one of those books that is fun to read, but you also feel like you're getting so much out of it, so it's a perfect 'two birds with one stone' kinda deal. Check it out!

 

[nystin]

I have been gorging myself on MCAT studying... No breaks. Not a wise decision.

How are you guys doing??

I limit my time on FB, and I rationalize that technically this is not wasting my time as Facebook does.

This may be rough but I got rid of my Facebook in June. I knew it was gonna be a huuuuge distraction...and felt like I needed to just get rid of it. Too much temptation to mindlessly log in and scroll through news feed! I am glad... I did it. Its a sacrifice but I didn't have a huge problem...as in go through withdrawal. Don't plan on getting back on it until this test is taken care of and done! So far so good. I let the important people in my life know why I am going MIA in virtual world!

 

[MetabolismASE]

^^^ Great stuff

 

[lazyindy]

Hi! Thanks for the welcome
Yes, I plan to take a full length next week right after I finish all my content review scheduled classes with Kaplan. When do you plan to take your next full length? And how many have you taken in prep for the Nov. 7th test so far, if you don't mind me asking?

I'm following the SN2ed schedule so basically I'm focusing on content and practice passages every day. I'll take all of the AAMC's 2weeks prior to the test. I did take a TPR full length though a few weeks back when I signed up for the course. Got a 30 but I wasn't completely ready then.

Kaplan is definitely good for the sciences not so much as verbal. Good luck and don't burn out!

 

[HCHopeful]

Hey everyone! I'm currently scheduled for the January 23rd date, but I am most likely going to reschedule for November 7th. I am halfway through Physics, Gen Chem, and Bio (just finished the first books today! Yay!), but have yet to start Organic. This is simply because I will be taking it this Fall and will have to teach myself more once I know the basics. For anyone else using TBR, how are you doing on the Bio Book I passages? I haven't taken a Physiology course, so I have yet to get higher than a 10.

I started with this: Section 1: Phase I: 8, Phase 2: 10; Section 2: Phase I: 6, Phase 2: 7; Section 3: Phase I: 7, Phase 2: 7; Section 4: Phase I: 9; Section 5: Phase I: 9.

EDIT: Just scored an 11 on Phase 2 of Section 4 (Reproduction and Development). Looks like this stuff is finally coming along.

I am concerned with these scores, even though many people say TBR is much more difficult than what the real MCAT will be. It's especially concerning to me considering I have been averaging an 11 on the Physics and Gen Chem passages.

Anyway, I hope everyone is starting to prepare nicely, and hopefully we can all kill this thing!

 

[an aspiring doctor]

How many hours does it take for you to read through a chapter? My reading has been prolonged because I have been excessively taking notes.

 

[j9260]

How many hours does it take for you to read through a chapter? My reading has been prolonged because I have been excessively taken notes.

I personally barely take any notes while studying, but definitely to he his own! I like to read a chapter all the way through (while taking out a paper and pencil only if the examples in the chapter call for it...especially with physics) and then I do the chapter quiz and read the explanations to figure out what I'm not understanding and what I am getting. So, a Kaplan book chapter content-only takes me typically about half an hour to an hour long to read 10 pages.

 

[poop420]

How many hours does it take for you to read through a chapter? My reading has been prolonged because I have been excessively taken notes.

Its less about the time it takes to finish the chapter and more about the quality of time spent learning the material .. I find that people who take longer to finish the chapters spend less time on re-read days .. On average it takes me 8-9 hours to finish a chapter .. This varies with people I am kinda a slow learner,, I take notes on the side of the pages instead of in a book because it limits the of excessive note taking or just re-writing something that the book already perfectly explains .. I find writing in the sides of each page alot more time effective and useful to my learning because I never am fearing on not explaining something well in my notes because all i need to do is scan the page and see what TBR says and then im good ... The best advice i think you can get from this is do what you can and take as long as you want dont try and follow this schedule exactly , in the same breath dont fall behind too much ... Ive seen way too many people finish the 3 month schedule but have large gaps in knowledge because they didnt spend enough time hammering the concepts

 

[an aspiring doctor]

I prefer to read with diligence as well. You do not want to take the MCAT without having knowledge of all the concepts.

 

[nystin]

I prefer to read with diligence as well. You do not want to take the MCAT without having knowledge of all the concepts.

No harm there. As long as you have a designated time set on how long you plan on spending on the content. Then its fine. I delve into ....practice first and realized I had content gap..which I filled and I was surprised at how easy it became to answer. For myself.. I need to know content well...for confidence. It takes me a while.. I TRY AND do two chapters a day sometimes one.. After I read/take notes. I review, and then will go and try to find someone practice material for the concept to drive the point home.

 

[nystin]

No harm there. As long as you have a designated time set on how long you plan on spending on the content. Then its fine. I delve into ....practice first and realized I had content gap..which I filled and I was surprised at how easy it became to answer. For myself.. I need to know content well...for confidence. It takes me a while.. I TRY AND do two chapters a day sometimes one.. After I read/take notes. I review, and then will go and try to find someone practice material for the concept to drive the point home. good luck! You got this... Keep taking them notes! And them practice...practice practice....till your brain and hands bleed..(figuratively). Lol

 

[nystin]

.

 

[nystin]

.

 

[nystin]

.

 

[PhysicsFailure]

Hi guys! I'm joining you. It's tough to swallow my pride because I literally feel like I've been preparing for MCATs for about 3-4 years now on and off. I look back and wish I could have been the traditional student who started studying, finished in 4 months, and did well on the first official take, BUT it didn't happen as expected and I am now on my 3rd (and determined to make it FINAL) try.

In June '14 as I was preparing for my scheduled test to take in July '14, I still felt very unprepared and unimpressed with my practice test scores (in the early 20s, 6-9 per section) so I thought long and hard and decided to sign up for Kaplan again. I was determined to grit my teeth and do better than I ever did before and it's been going GREAT. Much better than expected. My study habits have gotten a lot stronger, I feel a lot more knowledgeable and ready for the real thing. BUT I still felt that I needed more time to hone down on the content and get a lot more practicing in. SO here I am! Nov. 7 and shooting for Fall 2016 enrollment!

My current study schedule is to study at least 5 hours a day (I use a stopwatch and pause it during breaks). I also use ClearFocus app to keep myself focused for at least 20 minutes at a time with scheduled 5-5-5-15 minute breaks. I'm currently on Unit 3 of my Live On-Demand Kaplan course. My teacher and TAs are stellar and have helped me answer all the questions I have while providing moral support. I am reading articles everyday from the New Yorker, Economics, Atlantic Monthly, Wall Street Journal, and Scientific American (was striving to read 5-6 per day; goal is to up that to 10-12 daily starting today). I haven't really done a Verbal Practice Test all the way through, timed yet, so I DO need to get on with that. I plan to finish all my content review by next Tuesday at the latest and take a full-length right after that.

How are things going for everyone else? It feels really good to chatting with you all! I know pre-meds are known to be really competitive, esp. against each other, but it's awesome to also give and receive that moral support to each other.

Being a little non-traditional for me was literally the best thing I could have ever done for myself! Don't ever be ashamed! I just look at it as being smart enough to realize that I needed more time than traditional (high school, college, medical school) students to make my application as competitive as possible!

I'm not too non-traditional, but just a little. I was scheduled to graduate in May 2014, until I had some medical issues and was recommended to take a semester off, throwing me a semester behind (graduating December 2014). I tried to make myself study for the MCAT during a full load of semester courses, and it just did not go well. Ultimately, it made me feel even WORSE about the situation and depleted what was left of my confidence (after making a C in human physiology >.<)

But, I am only taking 8 hours now, and have been very diligent with my studying! And, like you, my studying is going fantastically! I have never been as interested as I am now, and I just have so much faith in myself!

WE CAN DO IT!

Also, I will be applying for the Fall 2016 enrollment/ start semester, too!

>> I totally agree about the competitiveness of pre-meds! It is a fight to the death! But, as long as you stay away from applying in the Southeast, I guess we can still be friends.

Just kidding!

I am on Day 15 of my modified SN2ED 3-month schedule. I only bought the EK books (complete set, 101, and 1001). I know a lot of people disprove of this, but I really think I can make my goal (30: 10/10/10 or possibly 8/12/10) using them. (This could be a large downfall on my behalf, but I am putting a lot of study time in and making the most out of every day, every chapter, and all of those online sources! haha.

At first, I was completely 2 billion % dreading physics (I didn't learn diddly-squat in my pre-req college class and have never had a physics class in high school). However, I have read the corresponding chapters in the Complete Idiot's Guide to Physics, and I have actually been understanding! Woo hoo!

But, I am starting to experience burnout already. I know you are probably thinking, "It's only Day 15, how does she think she is EVER going to get through medical school?" In my defense, I have been putting in ~15 hours a day. This is entirely unrealistic. Plus, I have not had a day off since I began. HUGE mistake, but I will definitely be taking my next break day!

I made a 22 on my diagnostic, but I really think I can pull out a 30 (maybe even a bit over a 30).

Where do you stand for now (if you would like to share)?