Taking MCAT 8/12. Took Univ Phys, How does MCAT physics compare?

[vayntraubinator]

Hey guys, this question is directed towards anyone who has taken the MCAT but had University Physics as pre-req.

Im taking the MCAT Aug 12th and Im preparing for it with EK and BR (I want to get thru it all by July 12th to do FLs) and I havent fully hit up the Physics yet, but there seems to be a very different approach to Physics problems compared to the calc-based class I took.

I was just wondering how relatively difficult is it to go from Univ Physics to MCAT physics for people that have taken this route, what precautions I should take, what concepts might you stress that were stressed differently in University Physics, and any other recommendations.

Thanks!

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[Donald Juan]

For the mcat you need to take many different approaches. For one, you won't have a calculator. You need to get used to handling scientific notation and estimating without one. This can include logarithms and square roots, but don't worry you usually don't have to do that much.

Get in the habit of looking at the answer choices immediately when reading a problem, often (especially with the math problems) this can tell you how close of an estimate you need to have.

Most formulas don't need to be memorized, but they could still help you depending on how you work. You should know what things are directly proportional, inversely proportional, proportional to the square root, etc. So, while most people say not to memorize formulas and instead take a "conceptual" approach... the formulas might help you understand the concept if you learn like me.

Also, it seems that unit analysis has helped me out a great deal. Obvious it helps to know what joules and newtons are, but a lot of the seemingly difficult problems about electrical circuits with ohms, amps, coulombs, etc. are not as hard if you can keep in mind how the base SI units are formed.

Overall, I don't think that mcat physics is harder than a physics class, just different.

 

[sc4s2cg]

MCAT does not have calculus.

 

[whiteshadodw]

Hey guys, this question is directed towards anyone who has taken the MCAT but had University Physics as pre-req.

Im taking the MCAT Aug 12th and Im preparing for it with EK and BR (I want to get thru it all by July 12th to do FLs) and I havent fully hit up the Physics yet, but there seems to be a very different approach to Physics problems compared to the calc-based class I took.

I was just wondering how relatively difficult is it to go from Univ Physics to MCAT physics for people that have taken this route, what precautions I should take, what concepts might you stress that were stressed differently in University Physics, and any other recommendations.

Thanks!

answering the questions is different for the calculation based ones because you'll end up using only algebra and no calculus. the concepts remain the same and so you should be ok. also, if you did calc based physics you might have an edge considering you should be able to analyze circuits a little better (i remember doing this in differential equations but not sure if its in calc based physics.)

 

[flodhi1]

Hey guys, this question is directed towards anyone who has taken the MCAT but had University Physics as pre-req.

Im taking the MCAT Aug 12th and Im preparing for it with EK and BR (I want to get thru it all by July 12th to do FLs) and I havent fully hit up the Physics yet, but there seems to be a very different approach to Physics problems compared to the calc-based class I took.

I was just wondering how relatively difficult is it to go from Univ Physics to MCAT physics for people that have taken this route, what precautions I should take, what concepts might you stress that were stressed differently in University Physics, and any other recommendations.

Thanks!

The MCAT AAMC is a lot more conceptual and critical thinking than school/lecture Physics.

 

[vayntraubinator]

I'm looking at the EK physics and it really doesn't seem that bad

I'll be getting BR tmrw!

Thanks for all the answers; You all seem to be right