Breaking Down the MCAT: A 3 Month MCAT Study Schedule

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SN2ed

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Written by SN2ed.

Downloadable MCAT Calendar iCAL and XML versions: http://www.studentdoctor.net/3-month-mcat-study-schedule/
(Click the events for more details)

Everyone please keep the questions to this strategy AND READ ALL OF THE FIRST FOUR POSTS.

Do NOT start this schedule late. You will burnout. There have already been numerous posts & threads on people starting late, trying to rush through the material, and burning out quickly.
Check the Update log in the last post for any changes.

I noticed that some people are claiming they wrote this guide to scam people out of money. Let me make this clear, I have not and will not be selling anything related to this guide. If you see a poster trying to sell books saying they wrote this schedule, do NOT buy from them. They are attempting to take your money away on false pretenses. Additionally, this guide has only been and should only be posted on SDN. I have not posted this guide anywhere else. Furthermore, SDN is the sole MCAT/medical forum I visit and the only forum where I use the screen name SN2ed. I never imagined this thread would be popular enough to warrant this kind of attention. The contents of this thread (and any other on SDN) cannot be replicated and re-hosted on any other forum, blog, or website without prior consent of both the author and SDN.
Make sure you read ALL of the opening posts, including the FAQ, before posting questions.

To begin with, check out these two threads:

Why Diagnostics are Worthless: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=557231

MCAT and a Heavy School Workload Don't Mix: Stop rushing to take the MCAT:http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=602186

Can I accomplish this schedule with a part-time job or school?

Very unlikely. I highly recommend you devote 3 months to the MCAT. There may be a few that could follow this schedule and work part-time, but chances are it would not end well. You are FAR more likely to burn out if you try to study for the MCAT using this schedule and go to school or take a part/full-time job.

Furthermore, I've yet to see a valid reason for students (ie. not non-trads) to not take the MCAT in the summer.

Will following this guide guarantee me a +30?

Sadly, there are no guarantees on the MCAT. I certainly hope it helps you, but I can't say whether or not you'll hit your target score.

Should I take the MCAT before finishing my pre-reqs?

There's no point in doing so. You have to take them anyway. Hence, you might as well go into the test with your pre-reqs completed. Yes, this includes the English pre-req.

Any tips for retakers?

Check out the thread I made on the subject: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=754682

Remember to check out the third and fourth post FAQ.

Anything else before I start?

CONFIDENCE. Through all of the troubles and hardships you'll face, approach everything with confidence. You must constantly attack this test. The MCAT is merely a stepping stone on your journey.

Also, this is just a guide I made up. It is my opinion on what a study schedule should resemble. I'm sure there will be people that disagree with parts of this schedule or the whole thing. This schedule can easily be adjusted for 4 months instead of 3. I don't suggest starting heavy studying 5 months+ from your test date. Keep it to 3-4 months. If you start too soon, it will be a waste of time and resources.

Remember to use the search function on these forums. Tons of questions have already been asked and answered.
Lastly, please give credit to me, SN2ed, if you post this elsewhere. I put a ton of work into it.

Materials:

- Berkeley Review (BR) General Chemistry
- BR Organic Chemistry
- Examkrackers (EK) Biology for non-detailed approach OR The Princeton Review Hyperlearning (TPR) Biology/BR Biology for a detailed approach (In the schedule, I will use EK Bio because most prefer a non-detailed approach)
- BR Bio
- BR Physics
- EK 1001 series, excluding EK 1001 Bio (i.e. do NOT buy EK 1001 Bio)
- EK Verbal 101
- TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook or Berkeley Review Verbal
- AAMC Full Length (FL) #3-5 and 7-11 (AAMC #6 is not available at the moment)

You're using EK Bio for content review and BR Bio for passages. If you need more detail during in your content review, refer to BR Bio.

You can pick up the BR books from their website: http://www.berkeley-review.com/TBR/home-study.html
Also, check out the For Sale section on here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=230 All of the above, except for the AAMC FLs show up from time to time. I've regularly seen a complete BR set go for under $100 on there. Whenever you buy used, MAKE SURE THE PASSAGES ARE UNMARKED.

To buy the AAMC FLs: http://www.e-mcat.com/

Bare Minimum Set-up:

$245 for AAMC FLs (http://www.e-mcat.com/)

$240 for BR Physics, O-chem, Gen Chem, Biology (http://www.berkeley-review.com/TBR/home-study.html)

$26 for EK Verbal 101 (http://www.amazon.com/Examkrackers-MCAT101-Passages-Verbal-Reasoning/dp/1893858553)

$30 EK Bio (Amazon product)


Prices vary on TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook, search the For Sale forum on here for copies. They regularly show up. You should be able to get one for under $50.

Total = $541 + TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook

Set-up with EK 1001:

$18 EK Physics 1001 (http://www.amazon.com/Examkrackers-1001-Questions-MCAT-Physics/dp/1893858189)

$20 EK O-Chem 1001 (http://www.amazon.com/Examkrackers-1001-Questions-Organic-Chemistry/dp/1893858197)

$19 EK Chem 1001 (http://www.amazon.com/Examkrackers-1001-Questions-MCAT-Chemistry/dp/1893858227)

Total = $598 + TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook

Possible Book Replacements:

If you're having a hard time finding the TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook, BR is an okay replacement. Well, there's not much of a choice left. Again, I HIGHLY recommend you hunt down the TPRH Verbal Workbook.

TPRH is a great choice for content review in all subjects, however, you still need the BR books and EK 101 Verbal for their practice passages. TPRH does not have enough practice passages, though the Workbooks are still great resources.

A Little Bit more about TPRH books:

If you're looking for the Science or Verbal Workbooks, your best bet is through the For Sale forum on here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=230

You can also find the full TPRH set in the For Sale. People usually sell the whole set together.

If you want the content books, they're available on Amazon.

Yes, these books are the same as the TPRH content review books. The only difference is that these books, unlike the class content review books, contain some practice passages. I believe it's 3-4 passages per chapter. It's not enough to just stick with these books and some FLs, but it's nice to have a few passages thrown in.

About the EK 1001 series:

It is a good idea to get the complete EK 1001 series. I thought they really helped me nail down my understanding of the various topics. Through using the physics especially, I found that I didn't understand some things as well as I would like. Furthermore, for whatever reason, they helped me visualize the problem in my head and made the equations intuitive to use.
Too many people neglect their basic understanding which could be bolstered by EK 1001. They think they have a strong grasp, yet when those fundumentals are tested, one's weaknesses become more apparent. Plus, doing more timed practice problems is always a good thing.

The only negative for the non-bio and VR practice books is that they aren't in the right format (unless you think of them as tons of discretes).
However, it is significantly easier to spot your content weaknesses with EK 1001 because they aren't passages. You don't have to worry about if you messed up due to a failure to synthesize multiple ideas or the passage was worded strangely. When you mess up on EK 1001, you know it's due to a content weakness. Lastly, this problem would be alleviated by the BR books and EK content books containing practice passages. There are also the practice tests that you will be taking.
I suggest you get the above materials 1-2 months in advance! It takes awhile to get your BR books! You don't want to be missing your materials when you're about to start this schedule. Also, older content review books are usually okay, just don't go too far back (past 5 years old).
Lastly, sign up for your MCAT as soon as possible. Seats fill up months in advance.

Timing:

- ALWAYS complete your practice problems under TIMED conditions
- For BR passages: 6-7 minutes per passage, work towards 6 minutes
- For the EK 30-minute exams….well 30 minutes
- EK 1001, except Bio series: 30 seconds to 1 minute per question
- EK Verbal 101/TPR Verbal: 6-7 minutes per passage, work towards 6 minutes
- AAMC FLs: Use their timing


Notes:

- Do NOT retake old practice material
- Thoroughly review ALL of your practice problems. Review your problems the day AFTER you take them. Don't even look at the answers until then. If there's a break day, review your problems on the day after your break.
- Remember to round like crazy for any math problem
- Always use process of elimination with your answer choices
- Before you begin this schedule, count the number of verbal practice passages (101 from EK + however many in the TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook). Divide the number of passages by 70 (total days - the number of break days AND FL days). That number is the number of verbal passages you should be taking per day. I'm hoping that number breaks down to at least 3 passages per day. Ideally, you should take 4-5 verbal passages per assigned day. You do NOT take verbal passages on break days OR FL days.
- If you don't want to get the EK 1001 series, spread out the second 1/3 of BR practice passages over 2 days. Again, I recommend you get the EK 1001 books that are listed.
- If your practice test score is not within your target range after 2-3 tests, you should consider delaying. If you delay, go over your weaknesses again and complete an in-depth analysis of what went wrong.
- If you have enough money, you could adjust the schedule to fit in more practice tests. I didn't include that many to keep the cost down.
- If your test is in the morning and you're not a morning person, start getting used to waking up early when you start taking practice tests.
- Try to practice under as realistic as possible conditions when you take your practice tests. In other words: wake up early enough to be able to drive to your center; eat a meal you would eat before a test; follow the proper timing; and if you're really into it, you could even drive around for about the same time it would take you to get to your test center.

General Guidelines for Reviewing:

- Go over EVERY question. Both the ones you got right and the ones you got wrong.
- Reviewing should take 2-3 times longer than taking the timed practice problems.
- If your tests are fluctuating, it is due to the different topics on the various tests. In other words, you have some glaring weaknesses that when targeted, nail you, badly. You have to find out what those weaknesses are because they are evident by your scores. Do NOT dismiss any wrong answer as a "stupid mistake." You made that error for a reason. Go over your tests again.
- You might want to consider making a log for all of your post test results where you work through the questions below. Doing so, you'll be able to easily notice trends.

Some things to go over when reviewing:

1. Why did you get the question wrong? Why did you get the question right?
2. What question and passage types get you?
3. How is your mindset when facing a particular passage?
4. Are you stressed for time?
5. Where are your mistakes happening the most? Are they front loaded? Are they at the end? All over?
6. What was your thought process for both the questions you got right and the ones you got wrong?
7. For verbal, what was the author's mindset and main idea?
8. Did you eliminate all of the answer choices you could from first glance?
ex. You know an answer should be a positive number so you cross out all of the negative number answer choices.
9. What content areas are you weak in?
10. Why are the wrong answers wrong and the right answer right?
11. How can you improve so you don't make the same mistake again?

Hat Trick:

Get a hat and write every single MCAT PS and BS topic onto a piece of paper. Then, when you're ready to practice PS, put all the PS topics into the hat. Draw two or three pieces of paper and connect the topics together. In addition to connecting them, come up with what a passage might look like and what kind of questions you might get. If you can't do this, go back and review each of the three sections. Rinse and repeat.

The hat trick days are important because they aid you in synthesizing the various topics together. On the MCAT, you utilize this skill for every passage because MCAT passages combine topics. Furthermore, you may also discover content weaknesses that you will need to go over.

PS Topic List: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/85562/data/ps_topics.pdf
BS Topic List: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/85566/data/bstopics.pdf
Page to get topic lists if you don't want to directly download the pdf: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/preparing

Here's a rough example using Distillation, Mendelian Genetics, and Lipids:

You are studying a Mendelian inherited recessive genetic defect of a lipid receptor. A defect in this receptor prevents the uptake lipids in the body and can cause several negative effects, such as, atherosclerosis due to fat build-up in arterial walls.

To test for the concentration of lipids in a patient's blood, you design a distillation experiment.

1. Given a couple where the male is Ll and the female is ll, what is the chance the child will have the defect?

2. What kind of solvent should you use to test the concentration of lipids?

3. What type patient would have the highest boiling point elevation?

4. If the trait exhibited incomplete dominance, which patient is likely to be Ll? Boiling point information here.

5. Which cell component requires lipids?

Verbal Help:

Check out Vihsadas's verbal guide and the other guides found in the MCAT Guide sticky
Vihsadas's Guide: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=6022602&postcount=96
MCAT Guide Sticky: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=602154

Arithmetic Tricks:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=528674&highlight=Arithmetic Tips Tricks

Members don't see this ad.
 
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Nice last paragraph. I'm sure typing it must have felt like a stroke of genius. Please don't comment on other people's lives when you know nothing about them. It makes you sound ignorant. (I'm at a wonderful place in my life by the way, thanks for inquiring) Other than that, the seemingly random punctuation makes it very difficult to understand the rest. I'll do my best.

I believe the current simplicity of the schedule is the way it should be written. There are really only 3 different types of days in the first 60 days. 1.)Reading a chapter + 1/3 of the passages
2.)Re-reading the previous 5 chapters + 1001 EK problems + EK Bio Exam
3.)Completing the second 1/3 of the passages from all previous 5 chapters

He gives enough amount of detail when the days are first introduced. Being able to abbreviate the days makes the schedule much easier on the eyes and wastes less room and ink (if you're printing it out)

The one thing that I believe would be helpful is to remind people to do the Hat Trick during the last days by just adding +HT to each day. I feel the same reasoning for not writing verbal passages each day doesn't apply as the Hat Trick does not carry throughout the entire schedule.
proof is in the pudding about your life, you make mean spirtied posts here, when you have so few posts.
I hope everything works out.....
really
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Hi everyone, I just started this study schedule a few days ago and am on day 6. The schedule is great but I just have one question. If this has been asked before then sorry for re-asking, but i do not have time to search through all of the posts right now for an answer.

On day 6, do you mean just re-read all of the content for the previous chapters, or re-read all the content AND look at/work through all of the problems/passages done for that chapter as well?

Please anyone let me know what you have been doing for this day. Thanks!
 
Hi everyone, I just started this study schedule a few days ago and am on day 6. The schedule is great but I just have one question. If this has been asked before then sorry for re-asking, but i do not have time to search through all of the posts right now for an answer.

On day 6, do you mean just re-read all of the content for the previous chapters, or re-read all the content AND look at/work through all of the problems/passages done for that chapter as well?

Please anyone let me know what you have been doing for this day. Thanks!

I'm not going over passages for each chapter. I believe that is taken care of in day 8. I'm just rereading the chapters.
 
Hi everyone, I just started this study schedule a few days ago and am on day 6. The schedule is great but I just have one question. If this has been asked before then sorry for re-asking, but i do not have time to search through all of the posts right now for an answer.

On day 6, do you mean just re-read all of the content for the previous chapters, or re-read all the content AND look at/work through all of the problems/passages done for that chapter as well?

Please anyone let me know what you have been doing for this day. Thanks!
unlike other days, that day is pretty much telling you exactly what to do. so just read and do it
 
would you recommend using both TPRH and TBR together on the same day for corresponding topic? or will that be absorbing too much material. EX: I was thinking about doing TBR bio then 1/3 corresponding passage, then TPRH bio corresponding chapter then passages.
 
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Does the EK Bio review book contain all the EK 1001 bio content?
Are EK books useful for orgo, PHYS, gen chem, and verbal?

Thanks.
 
Does the EK Bio review book contain all the EK 1001 bio content?
Are EK books useful for orgo, PHYS, gen chem, and verbal?

Thanks.

I just bought the EK bio book from book store and no the review book does not contain all 1001 content. 1001 content only has questions with answers and explaination while review book has learning material with some question.
 
I wanted to thank you for posting this schedule, and, now that my test is over and I have my score, offer an opinion. I received a 41.

I followed the schedule with a couple of exceptions:
1) I used Nova Physics & BR Physics in combination. I found Nova superior for content review and getting up to speed, and BR better for MCAT-style passages.
2) I found BR's Organic Chemistry books to be overlong on detail, so I used them in combination with EK's Organic Chemistry book, which may be a bit short on detail. Neither is perfect. On my test, I didn't have to know the mechanism for any organic reactions, but I did have to know about several functional groups. If you use EK, you have to know it COLD.
3) I didn't find the hat trick useful, so I left it out and took breaks on those days, which helped me keep my sanity.
4) I reviewed my passages the same day as I took them, while my reasoning was fresh in my mind.
5) I took two classes and volunteered twice per week, but did not work for money while preparing.
6) I took a bit longer than 4 months, but less than 5.
7) Don't be discouraged by BR bio passages. They are too hard. But do them anyway.

With these changes, I found the schedule tremendously useful. I encourage future test-takers to treat it more like a scaffolding on which you can build the study schedule that works best for you.
 
Do you need to buy a EK verbal/math subject book to be used along with the EK 101 verbal book?

I was looking through it at my local Borders and it seems like a waste of money. I believe the math part is covered throughout TBR (how to easily do fractions, multiplication, long division) and the verbal section didn't seem to great. I think they use questions from the AAMC FLs, so it might also skew your results on those.

It just doesn't seem worth the money. If you're having trouble on verbal there's the thread linked in the opening post.
 
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I was looking through it at my local Borders and it seems like a waste of money. I believe the math part is covered throughout TBR (how to easily do fractions, multiplication, long division) and the verbal section didn't seem to great. I think they use questions from the AAMC FLs, so it might also skew your results on those.

It just doesn't seem worth the money. If you're having trouble on verbal there's the thread linked in the opening post.

Thank you!
I'm just gathering my study material as for now. Is there much difference between the older 5th edition and the 7th edition for the EK?
 
is there any alternatives to TPRH verbal workbook and TBR verbal that is just as good? I cant seem to find TPRH and TBR takes like 3 weeks to get it...
 
Hi guys, i just got the ek 1001 books. except for bio ek1001, the rest don't have passages, they are all discretes. Is it supposed to be like that? I am confused because on day 6, SN2ed "also, only do every third problem/passage in the ek1001s."
Thank you
 
Hey guys, sorry if this is a repost but... I was wondering why SN2ed discouraged us using the BR verbal workbook? Is it because it is relatively easy compared to the EK 101?

Thanks
 
I want to start off by saying that this looks like an excelent guide. Thanks for putting the time into this SN2ed. I already ordered all of the BR books and will start this plan in a week. My only problem is that I will only have 90 days for this study plan due to my 2 week notice at work. From what I understand, SN2ed, your day to day requires 96 days. Is there any way I can tweak this schedule to make it fit into 90 days? Are there any days that you guys think are "less important" than the others. Also, for those of you that ordered BR books....how long did they take to arrive? Thanks for your help guys.
 
Is TBR supposed to have 10 passages per chapter? That is what I see on the first page, yet I only have 7 passages in the newest version (+ 25 review questions -- I assume these are the 'discretes'). Any help is greatly appreciated!
 
Hi quick question:

Where are the locations of the discretes in the BR that you are supposed to complete each time you do the 1/3. I can't find the discretes for the BR, and I'm pretty sure I have the most recent editions.
 
i have a question. i plan to take the mcat this December. i have already bought the MCAt premier kaplan book and want to apply this study guide to it. however i'm unsure about the "1/3" aspect of the studying. is there anywhere i can get practice passages to study without having to buy another book??? thanks
 
i have a question. i plan to take the mcat this December. i have already bought the MCAt premier kaplan book and want to apply this study guide to it. however i'm unsure about the "1/3" aspect of the studying. is there anywhere i can get practice passages to study without having to buy another book??? thanks

SN2ed addresses both of these questions in the original post...read the whole thing
 
I wanted to thank you for posting this schedule, and, now that my test is over and I have my score, offer an opinion. I received a 41.

I followed the schedule with a couple of exceptions:
1) I used Nova Physics & BR Physics in combination. I found Nova superior for content review and getting up to speed, and BR better for MCAT-style passages.
2) I found BR's Organic Chemistry books to be overlong on detail, so I used them in combination with EK's Organic Chemistry book, which may be a bit short on detail. Neither is perfect. On my test, I didn't have to know the mechanism for any organic reactions, but I did have to know about several functional groups. If you use EK, you have to know it COLD.
3) I didn't find the hat trick useful, so I left it out and took breaks on those days, which helped me keep my sanity.
4) I reviewed my passages the same day as I took them, while my reasoning was fresh in my mind.
5) I took two classes and volunteered twice per week, but did not work for money while preparing.
6) I took a bit longer than 4 months, but less than 5.
7) Don't be discouraged by BR bio passages. They are too hard. But do them anyway.

With these changes, I found the schedule tremendously useful. I encourage future test-takers to treat it more like a scaffolding on which you can build the study schedule that works best for you.

Thank you for posting this. It seems that your beliefs/discoveries align with my own. It is nice to see that someone else is having similar ideas about the schedule.

Thanks SN2ed for the basic schedule.
 
I have a BR Physics book from before 2007. Would you recommend me trying to get a newer version or could this one work?
 
BR Verbal passages: if i'm not mistaken, SN2D does not prefer the BR verbal passages are either really easy or really difficult. The Hyperlearning PR has passages and questions more comparable to the real MCAT.
 
Yes, I've read the original post where it states,
"Day 1: BR Physics Chapter #1 + Every third practice passage of the corresponding practice passages for this chapter (i.e. go through 1, 4, 7, 10 for first 1/3 and 2, 5, 8 for the second 1/3 on Day 8). 1/3 of corresponding practice passages = 1/3 from now on. Also, complete every 1/3 of the discretes each time you work through 1/3 of the passages. In other words, when you take practice passages #1, 4, 7, 10, take discrete # 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, etc. If you have an older version that does NOT have discretes, don't worry about it. For the questions in the chapter reading itself, work through them as you read the chapter."

Yet, I'm confused. Let's look at Day 1 (BR Physics Section 1):
1. read the entirety of Section 1 (Translational Motion).
2. Do the passages
Passages for Translational Motion: there are 10 passages total (passages #1-10) and 70 problems total, so 7 questions per passage. If I'm doing 1/3 of the passages, then I could either do passage #1, 4, 7, 10 and all of its corresponding passages. (Therefore do problems #1-7 (corr. to passage 1), #22-28 (corr. to passage #4), #43-49 (corr. to passage #7) and #64-70 (corr. to passage #10).

Or am I suppose to do 1/3 of the passages of the 1/3 of the passages (in other words really 1/9 of all the problems of the translational motion passage)?

However, what I'm reading from the original post, it seems like I should be doing every 1/3 of the problems-- in other words, do every third problem of all the translational motion passages #1,4,7,10,13,16,19,21,24, etc. This seems like a problem because when I would do the 2nd 1/3 of the problems on day 8 I would be rereading a passage. Wouldn't this rereading the passage negate the purpose of seeing a passage I've never seen before.

Am I just super confused? :confused:or maybe I haven't worked on my MCAT verbal practice sufficiently... Thanks for reading this entire post! ;)
 
Yes, I've read the original post where it states,
"Day 1: BR Physics Chapter #1 + Every third practice passage of the corresponding practice passages for this chapter (i.e. go through 1, 4, 7, 10 for first 1/3 and 2, 5, 8 for the second 1/3 on Day 8). 1/3 of corresponding practice passages = 1/3 from now on. Also, complete every 1/3 of the discretes each time you work through 1/3 of the passages. In other words, when you take practice passages #1, 4, 7, 10, take discrete # 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, etc. If you have an older version that does NOT have discretes, don't worry about it. For the questions in the chapter reading itself, work through them as you read the chapter."

Yet, I'm confused. Let's look at Day 1 (BR Physics Section 1):
1. read the entirety of Section 1 (Translational Motion).
2. Do the passages
Passages for Translational Motion: there are 10 passages total (passages #1-10) and 70 problems total, so 7 questions per passage. If I'm doing 1/3 of the passages, then I could either do passage #1, 4, 7, 10 and all of its corresponding passages. (Therefore do problems #1-7 (corr. to passage 1), #22-28 (corr. to passage #4), #43-49 (corr. to passage #7) and #64-70 (corr. to passage #10).

Or am I suppose to do 1/3 of the passages of the 1/3 of the passages (in other words really 1/9 of all the problems of the translational motion passage)?

However, what I'm reading from the original post, it seems like I should be doing every 1/3 of the problems-- in other words, do every third problem of all the translational motion passages #1,4,7,10,13,16,19,21,24, etc. This seems like a problem because when I would do the 2nd 1/3 of the problems on day 8 I would be rereading a passage. Wouldn't this rereading the passage negate the purpose of seeing a passage I've never seen before.

Am I just super confused? :confused:or maybe I haven't worked on my MCAT verbal practice sufficiently... Thanks for reading this entire post! ;)


WOW. Do every 1/3rd passage. Hope that helps.
 
I want to start off by saying that this looks like an excelent guide. Thanks for putting the time into this SN2ed. I already ordered all of the BR books and will start this plan in a week. My only problem is that I will only have 90 days for this study plan due to my 2 week notice at work. From what I understand, SN2ed, your day to day requires 96 days. Is there any way I can tweak this schedule to make it fit into 90 days? Are there any days that you guys think are "less important" than the others. Also, for those of you that ordered BR books....how long did they take to arrive? Thanks for your help guys.


can someone please help me.....
 
SN2ED,

I would like to know if its true that TPR Hyperlearning verbal reasoning & writing review is not useful at all? Should we just focused on the TPR hyperlearning verbal workbook and just do those passages and not waste time doing the verbal reasoning & writing review? and i have the old versions from 2005 copyright, does that matter as well? I wanted to know because im reading some posts where it says not to even waste time doing the verbal reasoning & writing review?
Also, i wanted to start with verbal since im still waiting for the new BR books to arrive and start doing you 3 month schedule.
Now, from u schedule, it seems that i will have time to finish on time for my august exam but why are some posts out there that says that u days requires a little bit more days to really study for the august exam and do well. Im a little bit confused. I know i should of order my books earlier but i thought i was gonna be on time with your 90 days schedule. Do you think i should take it on december or am i still on time to succeed? since i know a lot of students started studying from may. Now i know i should of order my books with time. I just wanted your opinion since i read some posts that students are taking longer to read the BR books and so i thought i could start with verbal and organic while I wait for the br books. Please i would like to know your opinion since you have experience with the MCAT. thanks.
 
SN2ED or anyone else that has an opinion ,

I am planning on going through with your review schedule but with a few changes due to financial limits. I bought the Kaplan MCAT coursebooks from a friend who took the course last year, and plan on using those for most of the content review. The only thing is that the books don't have any passage style questions. So after asking around, I got the accompanying pdf files of the passage questions and the 10 practice exams that are given to the Kaplan students to do as homework and practice exams, respectively. Only problem is that these review materials are from the 2003 exam with the older formatting of longer testing time (and with the paper format). My only concern is--- would it be a waste to use these materials instead of buying the updated BK books for the passage exercises? I'm not sure if the material on the mcat itself has changed (I don't believe it has) and I don't want to cheat myself out of a good review plan but at the same time I'd rather not spend more money buying more books. If you can let me know what you think, I'd greatly appreciate it.
 
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Can someone please help me out? I just need to know if working on the TPR verbal & writing book worth it at all ? or should i just focused on the verbal TPR booklet and folowed sn2ed schedule? IS an old version ok as well for the verbal TPR?
Im really getting discouraged because im also working part time and im feeling that i wont be able to finish by august for my exam. if i take it on january, will any md schools take me? i feel like i should just quit my job. has anyone being able to finish on time and work at the same time? need some encouragement.
Is there anyone out there who could please help me out.
 
Can someone give me their insight on the biology portion of this schedule? I don't understand the passages in BR assigned with EK. First, there are 35 listed as opposed to the usual 10-12, so how many have you all been doing? Second, most of the passages don't really match up and are asking way more detailed questions than those covered in EK. Does this mean we should really be reading BR instead?
 
BerkReviewTeach, do you mind addressing the changes made in the newest version of BR physics?

For example, in Chapter 1, there are a total of 10 passages: 3 in review questions and 7 in the practice exam. Are these the same passages used in the older editions?

If so, then for the first day on SN2ed's schedule, I would do #1 in review; and #1, #4, and #7 on the practice exam.

Furthermore, since only #7 on the practice exam includes discretes, that's all I should do on day 1.

This question is similar to jidido09's question.

Thank you very much.
 
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Can someone give me their insight on the biology portion of this schedule? I don't understand the passages in BR assigned with EK. First, there are 35 listed as opposed to the usual 10-12, so how many have you all been doing? Second, most of the passages don't really match up and are asking way more detailed questions than those covered in EK. Does this mean we should really be reading BR instead?

Day 1: BR Physics Chapter #1 + Every third practice passage of the corresponding practice passages for this chapter (i.e. go through 1, 4, 7, 10 for first 1/3 and 2, 5, 8 for the second 1/3 on Day 8). 1/3 of corresponding practice passages = 1/3 from now on. Also, complete every 1/3 of the discretes each time you work through 1/3 of the passages. In other words, when you take practice passages #1, 4, 7, 10, take discrete # 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, etc.For the questions in the chapter reading itself, work through them as you read the chapter.
Passages: 1,4,7,10
Day 2: BR Gen Chem Chapter #1 + 1/3

Passages: 1,4,7,10
Day 3: BR O-Chem Chapter #1 + 1/3
Day 4: EK Biology Chapter #1 + 1/3 of the corresponding passages in the BR Bio book. Although some of the chapters correspond well to each other, you'll probably have to jump around for some chapters. For instance, when EK Biology's chapter focuses on cell structure and function, work through the passages in BR Bio that deal with cell structure and function, i.e. BR Section VI. Yes, you are doing passages in BR BIO and NOT the ones in EK Bio.

Passages: 6-3, 6-12, 7-2, 7-6, 7-9, 7-12, 7-15
Day 5: BR Physics Chapter #2 + 1/3
Passages: 1,4,7,10
Day 6: Re-read ALL of the previous week's chapters (Day 1-5). This means you re-read the ENTIRE chapter again for both BR Physics chapters 1 & 2, BR Gen Chem chapter 1, BR O-Chem chapter 1, and EK Bio chapter 1. Additionally, work through corresponding EK 1001 sections for the chapters you worked through last week (Day 1-5). For instance, BR O-Chem chapter #1 goes over Organic Structure & Bonding; hence, complete the Molecular Structure in the EK 1001 O-Chem. The topics probably won’t match all the time, but go with the best fit. Also, only do every third problem/passage in the EK 1001s. Lastly, complete the in-class exam for EK Bio chapter 1. From now on, this day’s work will be abbreviated: “Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam”
Day 7: Break
Day 8: Complete second 1/3 of BR passages for the previous 5 BR chapters (remember this includes BR Bio). I’m going to shorten this to: “Complete second 1/3 of BR passages”

Bio Passages: 6-8, 6-14, 7-3, 7-7, 7-10, 7-13
Physics1: 2,5,8
Physics2: 2,5,8
Day 9: BR Gen Chem Chapter #2 + 1/3
Day 10: BR O-Chem Chapter #2 + 1/3
Day 11: EK Bio Chapter #2 + 1/3

Passages: 6-13, 9-6, 9-9, 9-12, 9-15, 10-3
Day 12: BR Physics Chapter #3 + 1/3

Passages: 1,4,7,10
Day 13: BR Gen Chem Chapter #3 + 1/3
Day 14: Break
Day 15: Re-read chapters from Days 9-13 + EK 1001 for Days 9-13 + EK Bio In-class exam
Day 16: Complete second 1/3 of BR passages

Bio Passages: 9-1, 9-7, 9-10, 9-13, 10-2, 10-4
Physics Passages: 2,5,8

Day 17: BR O-Chem Chapter #3 + 1/3
Day 18: EK Bio Chapter #3 + 1/3

Passages: 6-1, 6-11, 8-2, 8-5, 8-8, 8-11
Day 19: BR Physics Chapter #4 + 1/3
Day 20: BR Gen Chem Chapter #4 + 1/3
Day 21: Break
Day 22: BR O-Chem Chapter #4 + 1/3
Day 23: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam
Day 24: Complete second 1/3 of BR passages

Bio Passages: 6-4, 8-1, 8-4, 8-7, 8-10, 6-15
Physics Passages: 2,5,8
Day 25: EK Bio Chapter #4 + 1/3
Passages: 1-1, 1-4, 1-7, 1-10, 1-13, 6-7



Day 26: BR Physics Chapter #5 + 1/3
Passages: 1,4,7,10
Day 27: BR Gen Chem Chapter #5 + 1/3
Day 28: Break
Day 29: BR O-Chem Chapter #5 + 1/3
Day 30: EK Bio Chapter #5 + 1/3

Passages: 4-1, 4-4, 4-7, 5-7, 5-10, 5-13

Day 31: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam
Day 32: Complete second 1/3 of BR passages

Bio Passages 1: 1-2, 1-5, 1-8, 1-11, 6-2, 6-10
Bio Passages 2: 4-2, 4-5, 4-8, 5-8, 5-11, 5-14
Physics Passages: 2,5,8
Day 33: BR Physics Chapter #6 + 1/3
Passages: 1,4,7,10
Day 34: BR Gen Chem Chapter #6 + 1/3
Day 35: Break
Day 36: BR O-Chem Chapter #6 + 1/3
Day 37: EK Bio Chapter #6 + 1/3

Passages: 3-2, 3-5, 3-8, 3-11, 3-15, 8-15
Day 38: BR Physics Chapter #7 + 1/3

Passages: 1,4,7,10
Day 39: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam
Day 40: Complete second 1/3 of BR passages

Bio Passages: 3-3, 3-6, 3-9, 3-13, 8-13
Physics 1: 2,5,8
Physics 2: 2,5,8
Day 41: BR Gen Chem Chapter #7 + 1/3
Day 42: Break
Day 43: BR O-Chem Chapter #7 + 1/3
Day 44: EK Bio Chapter #7 + 1/3

Passages: 2-1, 2-4, 2-7, 2-10, 2-13, 3-12
Day 45: BR Physics Chapter #8 + 1/3

Passages: 1,4,7,10
Day 46: BR Gen Chem Chapter #8 + 1/3
Day 47: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam
Day 48: Complete second 1/3 of BR passages

Bio Passages: 2-2, 2-5, 2-8, 2-11, 2-14, 7-5
Physics Passages: 2,5,8
Day 49: Break
Day 50: EK Bio Chapter #8 + 1/3

Passages: 1-14, 4-10, 4-13, 5-1, 5-4
Day 51: BR Physics Chapter #9 + 1/3

Passages: 1,4,7,10
Day 52: BR Gen Chem Chapter #9 + 1/3
Day 53: EK Bio Chapter #9 + 1/3

Passages: 9-2, 10-5, 10-8, 10-11, 10-14
Day 54: BR Physics Chapter #10 + 1/3

Passages: 1,4,7,10
Day 55: Break
Day 56: BR Gen Chem Chapter #10 + 1/3
Day 57: BR O-Chem Chapter #8 + 1/3
Day 58: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam





Day 59: Complete second 1/3 of BR passages
Bio Passages 1: 1-15, 4-11, 4-14, 5-2, 5-5
Bio Passages 2: 9-3, 10-6, 10-9, 10-15, 10-13
Physics1: 2,5,8
Physics 2: 2,5,8

Day 60: Break
Day 62: Complete last 1/3 of BR passages for ALL Chapter 1s: BR Bio Chapter 1, BR Physics Chapter 1, BR Gen Chem Chapter 1, and BR O-chem Chapter 1.

Bio Passages: 6-9, 7-1, 7-4, 7-8, 7-11, 7-14
Physics: 3,6,9
Day 63: Complete last 1/3 of BR passages for ALL Chapter 1s
- From now on, I will abbreviate the last 1/3 of BR as 1/3. I will include the chapters to cover.
Day 64: AAMC FL #3
Day 65: Review FL per guidelines + 1/3 Chapter 2

Bio Passages: 9-4, 9-8, 9-11, 9-14, 10-1
Physics: 3,6,9
Day 66: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 2
Day 67: Break
Day 68: 1/3 Chapter 3

Bio Passages: 6-5, 8-3, 8-6, 8-9, 8-12
Physics: 3,6,9
Day 69: 1/3 Chapter 3
Day 70: Break
Day 71: AAMC #4
Day 72: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 4

Bio Passages: 1-3, 1-6, 1-9, 1-12, 6-6
Physics: 3,6,9
Day 73: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 4
Day 74: AAMC #5
Day 75: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 5

Bio Passages: 4-3, 4-6, 4-9, 5-9, 5-15, 5-12
Physics: 3,6,9
Day 76: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 5
Day 77: Break
Day 78: AAMC FL #7
Day 79: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 6

Bio Passages: 3-4, 3-7, 3-10, 3-14, 8-14
Physics: 3,6,9
Day 80: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 6
Day 81: AAMC #8
Day 82: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 7

Bio Passages: 2-3, 2-6, 2-9, 2-12, 2-15
Physics: 3,6,9
Day 83: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 7
Day 84: Break
Day 85: Break
Day 86: AAMC #9
Day 87: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 8

Bio Passages: 3-1, 4-12, 4-15, 5-6, 5-3
Physics: 3,6,9
Day 88: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 8
Day 89: AAMC #10
Day 90: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 9

Bio Passages: 9-5, 10-7, 10-12, 10-10
Physics: 3,6,9
Day 91: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 9
Day 92: Break
Day 93: AAMC #11
Day 94: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 10

Physics: 3,6,9
Day 95: Review FL + 1/3 Chapter 10
Day 96: Break
MCAT


This is how I broke it down....I broke down the chapters that had a lot of passages and added them to the chapters with only 3 passages...like populations. Let me know if this helps.
 
SN2ed,

I just wanted to say THANK YOU for the study guide! I just got my scores back for my retake and raised my overall score by 8 points. I used the 4-month version and pretty much followed it to a "T". The first time around I took an online prep course and I can honestly say your study guide is 1000x better than the plan they had. Keep up the good work!
 
cardio89-

Thank you so much!! Did you find the EK chapters to be sufficient for doing well in the BR passages? I've noticed that the EK chapters cover a lot less detail, as expected, and thus don't even mention some of the specifics that BR asks.
 
Hi ya'll,

Just started studying for the exam using Sn2ed's schedule. I just finished day 4 and already feel quite burnt out (and I'm not the kind of person who doesn't know how to work hard). I think part of the problem is that it's pretty much taken me 8 - 11 hours/day to do the BR reading, do some verbal passages, do BR passages and review what I did the previous day. I realize it varies from person to person, and I happen to be a bit of a slower worker, but for those who followed the schedule, did you find that you took this long every day? A large chunk of my time seems to be spent reading the given topic for the day --- did others just skim this part to allow themselves more time for timed passages? And I also seem to spend at least 2-3 hours reviewing the verbal passages I did that day as well as the passages I did the night before from the BR. Thoughts?

Thanks!
 
similar question. I feel that I am really confortable with PS part, so I just simply scan through the TPR hyperlearning review, and all the passage on its workbook. Will that work?
 
You should read BR Physics Chapter 1. After you're done reading it, take passages 1, 4, 7, and 10. Yes, you are leaving the other passages for later to be completed on the second and third 1/3 passage days. Also, you are not reading the chapter twice on the same day.

For the EK books, the editions don't matter much since they barely change. The only edition you might want to look for is EK Verbal 101 Edition 1 because it contains more new questions than the "updated" version. The new EK Verbal 101 is the same as the old one except they took questions out.

About BR editions, definitely get the newest Physics version. For the others, you're fine with books from 2009 and up.

Is the physics completely different from the 2009? (Also, why definitely?) And is it just physics, or the other ones too? Just bought the 2009 set +pissed+

Also, do you know whether the hyperlearning books have changed much since 2005? (Esp the Science/Verbal workbooks, and the Biological sciences review)?
 
Hi ya'll,

Just started studying for the exam using Sn2ed's schedule. I just finished day 4 and already feel quite burnt out (and I'm not the kind of person who doesn't know how to work hard). I think part of the problem is that it's pretty much taken me 8 - 11 hours/day to do the BR reading, do some verbal passages, do BR passages and review what I did the previous day. I realize it varies from person to person, and I happen to be a bit of a slower worker, but for those who followed the schedule, did you find that you took this long every day? A large chunk of my time seems to be spent reading the given topic for the day --- did others just skim this part to allow themselves more time for timed passages? And I also seem to spend at least 2-3 hours reviewing the verbal passages I did that day as well as the passages I did the night before from the BR. Thoughts?

Thanks!

No worries. This same thing happened to me. You start moving much faster once you get into it. Good luck!
 
SN2ed,

I just saw the posts about the new BR Physics version but I already purchased the 2009 set and I have been using them so far with you schedule for week 1. Do you think it's going to make a tremendous difference in terms of being prepared if I continue with the 2009 BR Physics? Would the Nova Physics be a good substitute for the BR physics, only because the Nova books are more accessible than the BR ones at this point.
 
Hey guys quick question.....on the day where you have to re read the passages and do the EK1001....how many EK 1001 questions are you doing for each subject? I know it says 1/3 but i believe there are around 150 question for each subject....
 
The science part is not so hard...But my problem is understanding the style of questions that is implemented on the mcat.
 
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