Why do people find MCAT Physics hard?

[passionformed]

Why do people think it is hard? I have not started studying yet, but it seems like it is the hardest. Why so?

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[brood910]

For me, it is the easiest.

 

[passionformed]

For me, it is the easiest.

Why so?

 

[aspiring20]

Why do people think it is hard? I have not started studying yet, but it seems like it is the hardest. Why so?

i don't think that a lot of people view MCAT physics as hard. i suck at physics, and before I started the grind, i also felt that physics is going to be a brutal nightmare. but after going over the first half of nova's physics and some additional prep material, physics really isn't that bad AT ALL. imo, it has the LEAST amount of materials to memorize. as long as you understand some fundamental concepts and the important few equations, then it is possible to perform well.

 

[kmp0410]

I would think it just depends on the student, there is a large number of us who just suck at physics and it was a struggle in undergrad and a struggle on the MCAT. I am one of those.

Some people really think the Verbal is hard, while I've always done quite well on it.

Diff strokes, diff folks.

And I guess more people are strong in bio so you hear less complaining about that.

 

[brood910]

Why so?

I guess because I am a math guy.
I've never found mathematical concepts "Hard".

 

[FlaminHotER]

Not really a math person myself


But the only reason why I find mcat physics difficult is because its been a while since a I took it


on the other hand Ochem is fresh in my mind and the least of my worries

 

[tima]

Sometimes the passage gives a complex story or problem, but it's really only describing the F=MA equation. The people who can make that connection are the ones who do well in physics.

 

[deleted92121]

Physics is by far the hardest section for me. I am not a mathematical guy and never did well in geometry or trig. I am working with Nova Physics and am doing pretty well but still shaky. Hoping for more chem on the real deal.

 

[phunky]

Because Bio majors tend to suck at math. Although to be honest, MCAT Physics isn't even math. It's 8th grade arithmetic.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

MCAT physics is actually really easy compared to intro physics. When you don't have to diagram anything or set up problems you eliminate a lot of what makes physics hard to begin with. The problems are usually pretty simple too.

 

[brood910]

Because Bio majors tend to suck at math. Although to be honest, MCAT Physics isn't even math. It's 8th grade arithmetic.

I am a bio major, and I am a math guy.. So I guess I am exceptional? lol

 

[Mehd School]

Between Physics, Gen Chem, Bio, and Orgo, I struggle the most with Physics. This is because it has been quite a while since I've had Physics 1, and although I just finished Physics 2, it was taught quite poorly. In the entirety of the class, I had to solve two circuits. Each circuit had one resistor and one capacitor. What a joke. The instructor found out she wasn't going to be re-hired the 2nd week of the semester, and left the pace of the class up to us.

I want my money back.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Because memorizing 200 equations, 100 exceptions, and then a bunch of minor facts for discrete questions is disgusting.

 

[brood910]

Because memorizing 200 equations, 100 exceptions, and then a bunch of minor facts for discrete questions is disgusting.

Hm..
I dont really "memorize" the equations DIRECTLY.
While I am studying, I just understand the concepts and do a few practice questions.
After my review day, the equations are just in my head.

Exceptions? Physics dont really have "exceptions" like those in chem, orgo etc...
If they have exceptions, it is very obvious (ex: no work when force applied is perpendicular).

Maybe this is because I did really well in my physics courses.. even though I didnt study much for them either.

 

[MD Odyssey]

Why do people think it is hard? I have not started studying yet, but it seems like it is the hardest. Why so?

I tend to think people struggle with MCAT physics is because they didn't really learn it all that well the first time. A lot of premeds are more concerned with protecting their GPA than they are in learning physics, so they often avoid the more difficult professors and introductory courses (e.g., opting for algebra-based physics instead of one using calculus). In my experience, the majority of premeds never learned physics in the first place.

Because memorizing 200 equations, 100 exceptions, and then a bunch of minor facts for discrete questions is disgusting.

This tends to support my point because, if you think physics is filled with equations to be memorized and a lot of exceptions, you never learned physics at all when you first studied it.

 

[Shams al Deen]

I tend to think people struggle with MCAT physics is because they didn't really learn it all that well the first time. A lot of premeds are more concerned with protecting their GPA than they are in learning physics, so they often avoid the more difficult professors and introductory courses (e.g., opting for algebra-based physics instead of one using calculus). In my experience, the majority of premeds never learned physics in the first place.

Exactly.

 

[tima]

Why take a physics class with a professor who is very hard, goes into too much detail, and where you might end up with a low grade?

It's make more sense to take a class with an easier professor where you can spend the extra time reading a MCAT physics book, which will be more high yield.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I tend to think people struggle with MCAT physics is because they didn't really learn it all that well the first time. A lot of premeds are more concerned with protecting their GPA than they are in learning physics, so they often avoid the more difficult professors and introductory courses (e.g., opting for algebra-based physics instead of one using calculus). In my experience, the majority of premeds never learned physics in the first place.



This tends to support my point because, if you think physics is filled with equations to be memorized and a lot of exceptions, you never learned physics at all when you first studied it.

But it is a lot of equations. I mean ex. For projectile motion no matter what for a off the cliff problem you need the equation. Unless it is a throw up and then it comes down problem.
But who knows. I never liked physical science, it isn't interesting to me.

 

[Sarvish]

But it is a lot of equations. I mean ex. For projectile motion no matter what for a off the cliff problem you need the equation. Unless it is a throw up and then it comes down problem.
But who knows. I never liked physical science, it isn't interesting to me.

But you don't really need the equation, you can just use the 5 basic kinematics equations and then some simple geometry. Even the 5 kinematics equations can be derived quickly if needed. I mean v_f = v_i + at, that's the definition of acceleration, you don't need an equation to tell you that.

ETA: Mind you, I think I'd be biased, I'm a double major in physiology and physics

 

[MD Odyssey]

Why take a physics class with a professor who is very hard, goes into too much detail, and where you might end up with a low grade?

Hard professors tend to stretch you academically, which ultimately improves your performance in all of your coursework. Also, as a student, how can you have any clue what "too much detail" is. You're sort of proving my point. Your goal as a college student should be to seek out those types of experiences, not avoid them. If you go through college without being stretched academically, you've not really gotten much of an education.

It's make more sense to take a class with an easier professor where you can spend the extra time reading a MCAT physics book, which will be more high yield.

I categorically disagree with that argument. An MCAT review book cannot teach you physics and if you believe that it can, you know nothing of physics or how to do well on the exam. This is SDN after all, so I'm sure you'll respond by claiming that you did, but I'm not going to believe you. The only way you learn physics is by solving problems and review books don't typically have a lot of that.

 

[circulus vitios]

Not all of us have taken physics classes that cover every MCAT topic. I never learned about string and pipe resonances. Trying to teach myself from MCAT prep material sucks because MCAT materials are absolute **** for learning.

 

[cuculici1]

I think a lot of pre-meds struggle with MCAT Physics because they don't like physics or the physical sciences in the first place. Since medicine is more life science oriented, most of the time it will tend to attract the biology major over the physics major. So, for one thing, I think a lot of people that take the MCAT don't have the strongest physics background or inclination toward the subject.

Secondly, MCAT Physics isn't trivial. You need to have a large number of equations available for instant recall, and know exactly when to apply them given a certain situation. On my MCAT PS section, there were a number of computationally intensive questions that required you almost instantly know which equation/concept to apply, otherwise you pretty much had no chance on the question.

 

[gmcguitar4]

I just memorized the units like what a that joule is kg.m^
2/s^2 from that you already know what newtons are equal to and watts.

it makes it so much easier to do the problems cause yuo don't have to memorize all of the different equations for the same thing. Practice interconverting equations too, those are usually one of the difficult problems in the physics section.

 

[Temperature101]

MCAT physics is actually really easy compared to intro physics. When you don't have to diagram anything or set up problems you eliminate a lot of what makes physics hard to begin with. The problems are usually pretty simple too.

Wow...I wish I was that smart. I have found MCAT physics a lot harder than intro physics...Intro physics I & II for me was plug and chug; we did not focus that much in understanding conceptually these concepts as opposed to MCAT physics, which is very conceptual IMO.

 

[MD Odyssey]

Wow...I wish I was that smart. I have found MCAT physics a lot harder than intro physics...Intro physics I & II for me was plug and chug; we did not focus that much in understanding conceptually these concepts as opposed to MCAT physics, which is very conceptual IMO.

So, you never actually learned introductory college physics. That's why MCAT physics is hard for you. You've never actually studied physics before and that will show up in your score when you take the exam.

 

[Temperature101]

So, you never actually learned introductory college physics. That's why MCAT physics is hard for you. You've never actually studied physics before and that will show up in your score when you take the exam.

You are right...Averaging a dismal 65% in TBR now.

 

[circulus vitios]

You are right...Averaging a dismal 65% in TBR now.

A 65% is a 9.75 out of 15. How is that dismal?

 

[jsak]

So, you never actually learned introductory college physics. That's why MCAT physics is hard for you. You've never actually studied physics before and that will show up in your score when you take the exam.

The truth!

If you never took physics (real physics here guys...like college physics...not intro) then MCAT physics is gonna be very difficult.


The physics on the MCAT is quite simple compared to taking even just college physics where it's algebra based. This is because in college you are taking a whole semester to know Newtonian mechanics, so they really teach and test you on the hard stuff. The MCAT is just scratching the surface

 

[Temperature101]

A 65% is a 9.75 out of 15. How is that dismal?

BR curve is VERY generous

 

[circulus vitios]

BR curve is VERY generous

Uh no it's not. Read on SDN and you'll find that MCAT scores have typically equaled or slightly exceeded TBR scores. You're assuming that TBR and the MCAT have similar question difficulty distributions.

 

[MD Odyssey]

Here's a pretty easy way to determine if you've learned physics all that well when you took it. If you class was primarily multiple choice, you probably didn't get a very good physics course.

I suppose a lot of it depends on what you want to score on the exam. If an 8 on the PS section is acceptable to you, then you're probably fine. If your target score is a 35 or something like that, you should probably go back and take another physics class.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Let's be productive.
How do I turn PS from my lowest subscribe to my highest?

 

[circulus vitios]

Let's be productive.
How do I turn PS from my lowest subscribe to my highest?

Memorize the main formulas then do a ridiculous amount of formulas so you can IMMEDIATELY recognize the context and which steps you need to take to solve the problem. 75% of the difficulty in PS is understanding the context and figuring out how you need to solve the problem. The remaining 25% is idiotic crap like actually remembering the equations and doing quick arithmetic or error analysis.

 

[mcloaf]

If your target score is a 35 or something like that, you should probably go back and take another physics class.

🙄

 

[MedPR]

For the same reason people find BS and VR hard.

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[MedPR]

Here's a pretty easy way to determine if you've learned physics all that well when you took it. If you class was primarily multiple choice, you probably didn't get a very good physics course.

I suppose a lot of it depends on what you want to score on the exam. If an 8 on the PS section is acceptable to you, then you're probably fine. If your target score is a 35 or something like that, you should probably go back and take another physics class.

Nah man. 14, 13, 8 = 35

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