How to effectively study...

[Meowster007]

I just took my first AAMC FL and received a 484. Not too happy. How should I go about engaging my FL?

I am about to currently use KAPLAN Full set along with AAMC and EK. I do have Kaplan's Lesson book which seems to go over how to engage certain questions along with Kaplan's Advanced Prep. Any opinions on the lesson book and Advanced Prep? Anyone find that useful?

Thanks and best of luck to the rest of people studying!!!

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[Lawpy]

Please do not take anymore AAMC FL. You need to do a thorough content review for few months mixed with practice passages so that you really nail down the concepts well. If you're going through a Kaplan prep course, you should spend the time understanding the concepts and ask the instructors for help if you're lost.

 

[Tollats]

You need to get your content down first, but sprinkle in some Kaplan tests (or TPR/another company) in between so that you start getting used to the testing format. Obviously these won't be identical to the AAMC style but it helps you get the timing down while also identifying gaps in knowledge.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Take Lawper's advice to heart! Put away ALL AAMC material until you are ready. You will be ready when you can power through a practice passage in the allotted time and feel good about every 5 out of 7 questions. Feeling good may entail knowing every fact and detail on one question and then getting another by PoE where you didn't know everything about the question but got it right. Doing well on the MCAT is the art of balancing content with test-taking skills. It is a reasoning test where many questions are essentially three simple questions fused into one challenging question. If you take it one step at a time, systematically applying each of the three fundamental concepts being asked, then you will discover that the test is not so bad. Once you have your epiphany on how to best attack the MCAT, then you will be ready for the AAMC SBs and FLs.

 

[TheAverageDoctor]

Start with a plan! How long do you have to study before the real thing? 8weeks? 6 months? Tailor your plan to your timeline.

Early on, you should focus on content review and content discovery/learning. Sprinkle in some questions here or there or just use the questions at the end of the chapters in your review books (if they have them).

Later, you can increase practice questions/tests, but content comes first.

 

[Meowster007]

Start with a plan! How long do you have to study before the real thing? 8weeks? 6 months? Tailor your plan to your timeline.

Early on, you should focus on content review and content discovery/learning. Sprinkle in some questions here or there or just use the questions at the end of the chapters in your review books (if they have them).

Later, you can increase practice questions/tests, but content comes first.

Thank you guys, I will be studying for 3 months. My plan so far is to do content review MWF and practice questions T/R. Saturday is my rest day and Sunday will be for reviewing all concepts.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Thank you guys, I will be studying for 3 months. My plan so far is to do content review MWF and practice questions T/R. Saturday is my rest day and Sunday will be for reviewing all concepts.

You might consider doing three days of practice passages and two days of review because passages are in many ways review, and you get your points for answering questions, not reading about concepts. Practice what gets you your score.