Want to start studying for the MCAT over the summer. Will be taking a class.

[EastCoasterr]

Hey SDN,

I plan on taking a Kaplan class in the late fall and hopefully the MCAT in February. I want to start studying over the summer a bit to brush up on my Bio and Gen Chem topics. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good review book just for the summer? Thanks

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[IchabodKrane]

Bump.

 

[DanGee777]

Just my opinion but I think this is a waste of time . If you are writing the Feb 2013 mcat then don't start studying until at least October of this year at the earliest. It's doubtful that you'll retain much of the info from 6-9 months prior on test day.

 

[EastCoasterr]

Yea I am aware that I probably won't retain most of it but I have a lot of time over the summer so it can't hurt. So any suggestions??

 

[DanGee777]

Yea I am aware that I probably won't retain most of it but I have a lot of time over the summer so it can't hurt. So any suggestions??

I'd concentrate 100% on verbal. If you sharpen your skills in this section early, then the skills will stay with you for the real thing six months later. Your PS and BS
skills might deteriorate after a while of not prepping them, but verbal requires
no outside knowledge, and is also the toughest section in which to raise your score, so invest some serious time in it.

 

[SH3]

Yea I am aware that I probably won't retain most of it but I have a lot of time over the summer so it can't hurt. So any suggestions??

Read one or two articles from "The Economist" daily. Content review is pointless if you already have the prerequisite classes.

 

[EastCoasterr]

What section of the economist?

 

[EastCoasterr]

I'd concentrate 100% on verbal. If you sharpen your skills in this section early, then the skills will stay with you for the real thing six months later. Your PS and BS
skills might deteriorate after a while of not prepping them, but verbal requires
no outside knowledge, and is also the toughest section in which to raise your score, so invest some serious time in it.

Do you have any suggestions on a book?

 

[EastCoasterr]

Read one or two articles from "The Economist" daily. Content review is pointless if you already have the prerequisite classes.

What section of the economist?

 

[DanGee777]

Do you have any suggestions on a book?

This is just my perspective, but I've never understood why people suggest to applicants seeking to improve their verbal scores that they should read the Economist or other specific sources, etc.The most important thing is just to read - every day. Yes, the Economist is dense reading like the MCAT passages will be, but the most important thing is that you are reading something. Read your local newspaper or read articles on CNN.com. When reading, make sure that you can spot the main idea, and if it's an opinion piece, determine the author's view, and train your brain to think of hypotheticals -- would the author be more likely than the average person to agree with statement X or statement Y, etc. This is probably helpful for verbal improvement.

But more than that, just practicing with verbal passages is important. The suggestions on here for verbal passage practice are pretty much the same from everyone: Princeton Review Hyperlearning MCAT verbal workbook is the best source for practice passages, although you can also get a few from Princeton Review Hyperlearning MCAT in-class compendium that are just as good. ExamKrackers 101 verbal book is also good. These sources will give you at least 200 verbal passages to work with. Starting 2 months before your test date, work 3 verbal passages a day (with answer review of every question that you got correct or guessed on) and along with the practice AAMC tests (each of which gives you 7 verbal passages) spread out during your test prep and the same answer review procedure as above, you will have probably maxed out your potential for the verbal section. Kaplan verbal review is generally considered mediocre so use it if you want, but not as your exclusive source for verbal prep. It is generally considered very different from the real thing.

 

[IchabodKrane]

Bump!