TPR hyperlearning science workbook

[thebillsfan]

I've been going through the passages, and the passages suck. They're not real mcat passages. I mean, kind of, but most of them explains a simple phenomenon that I already know and doesn't present a difficult/novel experiment to test that phenomena. All the bio passages I've done are especially like this. For anyone that's used it, are there ANY passages that are at all like the MCAT? It's pretty good for learning but I'm not sure if its good for practicing.

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[PRATFO]

From what I understand, the book itself isn't supposed to be mimicking the actual MCAT. The questions at the end of each topic are meant to test your comprehension of a single subject, while MCAT bio passages may throw a question which requires you to reason out a solution from several sources of knowledge.

 

[sv3]

I've been going through the passages, and the passages suck. They're not real mcat passages. I mean, kind of, but most of them explains a simple phenomenon that I already know and doesn't present a difficult/novel experiment to test that phenomena. All the bio passages I've done are especially like this. For anyone that's used it, are there ANY passages that are at all like the MCAT? It's pretty good for learning but I'm not sure if its good for practicing.

i've only heard really good things about it. Perhaps you know it all already?

sv3

 

[thebillsfan]

i've only heard really good things about it. Perhaps you know it all already?

sv3

haha yeah right sv3. i get owned on passages, so i was looking for a good set of passages. i dont think this is it. but otherwise it is quite good--a lot like ek 1001s but passages (test if you know it, not if you can apply it)

 

[sv3]

haha yeah right sv3. i get owned on passages, so i was looking for a good set of passages. i dont think this is it. but otherwise it is quite good--a lot like ek 1001s but passages (test if you know it, not if you can apply it)

hmm not sure what other resource. I've heard Kaplan's bio is quite good, then i hear TPR is next. I've done 40/80 passages and some I find easy but there are some i've had to apply unknown knowledge to. I am not a bio major so i don't really know what and how to use gel electrophoresis and ELISA and PCR but TPR explains them in a passage and then i gotto apply this crap i've never covered. Perhaps you know about these methods so you "read in" your knowledge? Anyway, at least you don't find them complicated....finding them simple isn't a bad sign on your part.

Steve

 

[Longshanks]

You're talking about the TPR hyperlearning workbook right, not the one available in book stores? I've only done about half of the practice material so far for bio in the book and its fair. Its my strongest section so I'm not sure if me scoring 80-90% when I go over topics in the book indicates its easy or not. The passages seem short and not as convoluted as the real thing, ESPECIALLY ORGO. Are you kidding me? They show like one reaction figure and thats a 'passage'. Not a chance in hell on the real thing. There are some experimental passages, but nothing too complicated. When I took the real thing in April many of the passages seemed more like excerpts from actual literature so the vocabulary and figures were much more advanced. I think its a little more passage based than Kaplan so far. I found Kaplan's bio to be much more easier than TPR, AAMC, or the real thing.

 

[sv3]

You're talking about the TPR hyperlearning workbook right, not the one available in book stores? I've only done about half of the practice material so far for bio in the book and its fair. Its my strongest section so I'm not sure if me scoring 80-90% when I go over topics in the book indicates its easy or not. The passages seem short and not as convoluted as the real thing, ESPECIALLY ORGO. Are you kidding me? They show like one reaction figure and thats a 'passage'. Not a chance in hell on the real thing. There are some experimental passages, but nothing too complicated. When I took the real thing in April many of the passages seemed more like excerpts from actual literature so the vocabulary and figures were much more advanced. I think its a little more passage based than Kaplan so far. I found Kaplan's bio to be much more easier than TPR, AAMC, or the real thing.

was it tough to get the jist of the passages or were the "advanced" figures and vocab more like intimidation tactics? I'm using TPR so a little worried that I'm gonna get slammed on the real deal if TPR is indeed a cakewalk...............thanks
steve

 

[herewego]

I've done every passage in all the TPR hyperlearning books. You use them to learn the content and to practice discretes. For actual passages similar to the real mcat theres better out there, but when you're just learning it helps. It may not perfectly represent the mcat but it has its uses.

 

[Longshanks]

was it tough to get the jist of the passages or were the "advanced" figures and vocab more like intimidation tactics? I'm using TPR so a little worried that I'm gonna get slammed on the real deal if TPR is indeed a cakewalk...............thanks
steve

Not necessarily intimidation. You could still the gist, it was just more complicated experiments, or the wording of the questions were tricky so it just required more time. Usually on practice tests I was ending with 20-25min extra in BS, but since the passages took more time to digest and BS has been turning almost into a sibling of VR I ended up using all my time.

 

[sv3]

Not necessarily intimidation. You could still the gist, it was just more complicated experiments, or the wording of the questions were tricky so it just required more time. Usually on practice tests I was ending with 20-25min extra in BS, but since the passages took more time to digest and BS has been turning almost into a sibling of VR I ended up using all my time.

thanks for the heads up. i'll work on finishing these passages extra early to prepare for the real deal

sv3

 

[sv3]

I've done every passage in all the TPR hyperlearning books. You use them to learn the content and to practice discretes. For actual passages similar to the real mcat theres better out there, but when you're just learning it helps. It may not perfectly represent the mcat but it has its uses.

wanna actually help me out and tell me what these are lol? That's what i'm trying to figure out! thanks very much

 

[Longshanks]

thanks for the heads up. i'll work on finishing these passages extra early to prepare for the real deal

sv3

I wouldn't rush. Just be prepared for experiments with multiple portions (which almost every practice experiment passage has) but with results that are more contingent or based upon one another, rather than distinct definitive experiments, with questions critical of results or techniques or questions with new information and what impact does the new information have - kind of like VR. Two passages very representative of that are the Rh experiment testing for mother-fetus compatibility in one of the AAMC FL's (its somewhere in 7-10) and one from a Kaplan practice test (or maybe this was an AAMC as well, can't remember) where the experimenter was looking at how a certain microscopic eukaryote's growth is affected by injecting substances into certain components or cutting off certain components or fusing them together.

 

[sv3]

I wouldn't rush. Just be prepared for experiments with multiple portions (which almost every practice experiment passage has) but with results that are more contingent or based upon one another, rather than distinct definitive experiments, with questions critical of results or techniques or questions with new information and what impact does the new information have - kind of like VR. Two passages very representative of that are the Rh experiment testing for mother-fetus compatibility in one of the AAMC FL's (its somewhere in 7-10) and one from a Kaplan practice test (or maybe this was an AAMC as well, can't remember) where the experimenter was looking at how a certain microscopic eukaryote's growth is affected by injecting substances into certain components or cutting off certain components or fusing them together.

Wow that was great info, thanks very much. Just one quickie: you mentioned "techniques" and I haven't been inside a lab in like 7 years.....am i still ok? Or do i need to brush up on lab techniques. So far, through TPR, I'm getting by fine with using the passage.

thanks again.........I know I'll still walk out of the real thing with doughnut pillow waiting for me but this helps nonetheless

steve

 

[Longshanks]

Wow that was great info, thanks very much. Just one quickie: you mentioned "techniques" and I haven't been inside a lab in like 7 years.....am i still ok? Or do i need to brush up on lab techniques. So far, through TPR, I'm getting by fine with using the passage.

thanks again.........I know I'll still walk out of the real thing with doughnut pillow waiting for me but this helps nonetheless

steve

Don't worry about lab techniques. It'll all be in the passage. By "techniques" I just meant questions along the mold of "what if Dr. Blowhard's team did Y before X" or "Would doing this have an effect on the results", but the passage should describe anything you need to know for that. The passage should say they did x,y, and z in experiment #1.