Timing on MCAT 2015

[Avicenna]

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I'm trying to figure out how to pace my practice passages. How many passages are in each of the 4 sections?

All I know is the total time I have allotted per section (95 mins each except CARS which is 90 mins)

 

[sbook2]

This is what I do:

Chem/Phys - 8 min/passage (There are 10 passages)
- 15 min/15 discretes (I note the question numbers for the discretes on my paper and then do them all last)

CARS - 10 min/passage (There are 9 passages)

Bio/Biochem - 8 min/passage (There are 10 passages)
- 15 min/15 discretes (I note the question numbers for the discretes on my paper and then do them all last)

Psych/Soc -8 min/passage (There are 10 passages)
- 15 min/15 discretes (I note the question numbers for the discretes on my paper and then do them all last)

For each section I have a sheet of scratch paper with times that I write during the breaks and then cross out times as I go through them. For example in Chem I will have a list of times like

1:27
1:19
1:11
1:03
0:56
0:47 and so forth so that I don't have to try and keep track of how many minutes I have per passage. I will be working on the first passage of that section and know that I need to be done before my clock hits 1:27. When I am done I put a line through 1:27 (making me feel like I accomplished something ), then I do the same with the next passage and so on. I have written down all the times during practices exams so I have them memorized and do it really quickly.

 

[mcatjelly]

^ That's a really good idea, thank you!

 

[sbook2]

I am glad you find it helpful!

 

[nomdeplume1234]

This is what I do:

Chem/Phys - 8 min/passage (There are 10 passages)
- 15 min/15 discretes (I note the question numbers for the discretes on my paper and then do them all last)

CARS - 10 min/passage (There are 9 passages)

Bio/Biochem - 8 min/passage (There are 10 passages)
- 15 min/15 discretes (I note the question numbers for the discretes on my paper and then do them all last)

Psych/Soc -8 min/passage (There are 10 passages)
- 15 min/15 discretes (I note the question numbers for the discretes on my paper and then do them all last)

For each section I have a sheet of scratch paper with times that I write during the breaks and then cross out times as I go through them. For example in Chem I will have a list of times like

1:27
1:19
1:11
1:03
0:56
0:47 and so forth so that I don't have to try and keep track of how many minutes I have per passage. I will be working on the first passage of that section and know that I need to be done before my clock hits 1:27. When I am done I put a line through 1:27 (making me feel like I accomplished something ), then I do the same with the next passage and so on. I have written down all the times during practices exams so I have them memorized and do it really quickly.

Thank you for sharing you technique. I was wondering why you did the discretes last and not first?

 

[sbook2]

Thank you for sharing you technique. I was wondering why you did the discretes last and not first?

I know that's what a lot of people like and I tried it out, but I found that by the time I got to the end of the section I really had trouble getting through the last passage and would never finish on time. I feel like the discretes are always "lighter" and easier to do at the end of a section when I am already beat. They're also a lot easier to make educated guesses on when your running out of time.

Also, I was concerned with how the new MCAT only gives 1 question per page and I thought it would be a waste of time (and annoying) to have to go through single clicks of all the questions hunting for the discretes. Now I do all the passages first, jot down the numbers of the discretes, then at the end of the test I just go to the review button and do them.

 

[newbeginnings]

This is random, but your av made me laugh so much, @sbook2. I'm in the library, silently crying because I'm going crazy and so over this damn test and here is spongebob being all cute.

 

[sbook2]

This is random, but your av made me laugh so much, @sbook2. I'm in the library, silently crying because I'm going crazy and so over this damn test and here is spongebob being all cute.

 

[nomdeplume1234]

I know that's what a lot of people like and I tried it out, but I found that by the time I got to the end of the section I really had trouble getting through the last passage and would never finish on time. I feel like the discretes are always "lighter" and easier to do at the end of a section when I am already beat. They're also a lot easier to make educated guesses on when your running out of time.

Also, I was concerned with how the new MCAT only gives 1 question per page and I thought it would be a waste of time (and annoying) to have to go through single clicks of all the questions hunting for the discretes. Now I do all the passages first, jot down the numbers of the discretes, then at the end of the test I just go to the review button and do them.

ah ok that makes sense. I was not thinking about the clicks.