The Official June 21, 2012 MCAT thread

[Adele358]

I see alot of people make this thread for their MCAT date. I was unable to find one for this date so I took the liberty to make one. Please share what you have found works or does not work for you?

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[FirstAndFinal]

Great job to everyone who is done with content review and to those who are taking practice tests already. I'm 60% done with content review (+ verbal, flashcards, problems daily). I plan on increasing the pace of content review so I'll hopefully be done soonish, shooting for the end of the month. It's a push, but it's definitely doable.

 

[MDschoolorbust]

First post everyone! I've been lurking around the site for awhile now and figured with my official test date I should sign up.

June 21st it is! Here's to a 30+! Hopefully I can start studying more seriously after finals get done. Right now I'm putting in maybe 2-4 hours a week.

So far I've reviewed the V and most of the BS section of EK and I took a practice exam from Kaplan in February (it was free so I decided I should get a baseline before I started real studying). 8P, 8 BS, 10VR, (26 overall).

Does anyone know how reliable practice Kaplan tests are?

 

[deleted127837]

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[rorogena88]

Same here! Got tons of things right now, but i'm devoting at least an hour everyday reading princeton's mcat book and taking practice test online. So far, my scores are constant, 8/8/8. I guess that's better than declining.

same here! I have been devoting about an hour a day for the past few month but then I realized I forget the information again and that is because I am consumed by the other things I have on my plate that I cannot focus on the mcat...anyway my last day of finals is May 11 and my day to present my thesis is may 4th ..also I took all of may and june off from work to dedicate some time just for the MCAT..I am planning to do a lecture every day (about 5 -6 hours) for the rest of may and up until the exam date..it is not smart at all to be doing so much while studying for this beast but oh well


I have been using EK and PR as well as Khan academy for concepts that I cannot seem to retain

what is everyone else using?

how did you do on your first diagnostic?

 

[deleted127837]

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[rockafella12]

Wow this thread sure blew up quick.

My update: I have bumped my VR score from the 6-7 range to steady 10's. This is with EK and Kaplan practice material. Any advice on how to keep improving from a 10? I still have to review some old passages to check for the pattern in my mistakes.

I actually won't finish my content review for a couple weeks, something like Mid-May. But I would rather have the content down than waste practice tests relearning the material. My diagnostic was horrible, but I didn't really put in that much effort, knowing that they are pretty much useless. I will wait for my first AAMC to judge where I am. I hope that it reflects all the preparation I have done so far...

 

[rorogena88]

This is kinda related to what I posted just above you - if you're studying but not retaining, the key isn't to focus on removing other things you're doing and studying more time, it's to change your studying tactics to provide for better recall. Personally I'd recommend spaced-repetition learning, like people do for language acquisition, but the rest is up to you. Most students adopt this mindset in college that more hours of reading = higher scores, and never spend time figuring out what methods are most efficient (due to the risk of their grades tanking). Applying this method to the MCAT leads to nightmare methods like the S2ND, where you spend more time reading than learning.

To the questions:
- Reading through the kaplan books I had lying around once to refresh what all I'm expected to know, though I think EK looks a lot better for serious study. I'll likely switch to those.
- EK Audio Osmosis while I'm in the lab - fulfill the auditory learner.
- TBR for their CBTs starting in early May, when the 45 day window gets to a good spot.
- AAMC's practice tests, spaced a week apart each. These are really the crux of the whole thing - do a test, and when you finish reviewing it you need to be able to get a 45 on that test. If you can't go back and get a 45 on that test a week later, you're not learning efficiently.

Really, if someone was crunched for time, I'd recommend only doing practice tests/questions from AAMC and whomever else. For a test as complicated to create as the MCAT, they tend to rehash similar styles of problems - different elements, for example, but asked in similar ways - that practice tests are clearly the most efficient way to go.

Hell, it's how people study for the USMLE, might as well get used to it now.

thanks for the advice It will be useful for formulas and summarizing concepts
just out of ceriousity, are you using a computer software? ( Mnemosyne, Anki ) ..if you are using either one of the two software then how about we create a database and share it?

 

[breeniee]

Wow this thread sure blew up quick.

My update: I have bumped my VR score from the 6-7 range to steady 10's. This is with EK and Kaplan practice material. Any advice on how to keep improving from a 10? I still have to review some old passages to check for the pattern in my mistakes.

I actually won't finish my content review for a couple weeks, something like Mid-May. But I would rather have the content down than waste practice tests relearning the material. My diagnostic was horrible, but I didn't really put in that much effort, knowing that they are pretty much useless. I will wait for my first AAMC to judge where I am. I hope that it reflects all the preparation I have done so far...

My verbal is at the 9-10 range and I'm still trying to figure out how to push it past that. Been reading a few threads but they all suggest finding a good method that works for you and practicing it. Also figuring out the types of questions you get wrong is important so definitely check those old passages.

I'm also going to finish my content mid-May and I also think its important not to waste practice tests until I'm done with content. Hope our plan works!

 

[Jear]

NICE! You deserve the break.

What's J Co Review?

Thanks!! To answer your question, yeah I hadn't heard of it either until I started procrastinating and spending too much time on SDN haha, but it's an online, animated content review of the mcat sciences. It's really helpful if you consider yourself a visual learner.

 

[803]

I will be taking the MCAT this date, if I do not make it off the wait-list this cycle

 

[Postictal Raiden]

I'm registered for the 6/21 test. I have been trying to study MCAT for the past 3 weeks, but I can't stay focused. So, I figured I will wait until the third week of May to start hardcore studying. Meanwhile, I'm going to work on my physics conceptual understanding using Khan videos. I'm also going to start reading the economist for one hour every other night to develop stamina.

I can't do more than that. Having to worry about my schooling, volunteering, lor's is taking my focus off MCAT.

 

[MDschoolorbust]

Use the AAMC practice tests for your gauge - everything else can be unreliable.

To everyone, I'd recommend to stop counting your studying in number of hours, and instead just track your improvement on practice exams. So many people here set up 8-hour-a-day study schedules and barely pull off a 30; it's not an efficient thought process for studying at all.

Took your advice and came out with a 26 (8/10/8) on AAMC #3. Kaplan was the exact same score. Looks like I got a lot of studying to do between now and June 21st to break that 30 mark.

 

[Cdn mo]

6/21 ers in the HOUSE...anyone writing in Tdot...holla

I been told the keep my visits to this site minimum, but who listens to friends that wrote the MCAT and got a 36 and 34..NOT ME!!

Lets keep the progress rolling

 

[FirstAndFinal]

6/21 ers in the HOUSE...anyone writing in Tdot...holla

Definitely had to look "Tdot" up, that's a new one for me. Interesting, wouldn't have guessed the city correctly. Anyway, not from Tdot (clearly), sorry. Maybe others are...

 

[MDschoolorbust]

Is that Toronto?

 

[Renaissance Man]

My verbal is at the 9-10 range and I'm still trying to figure out how to push it past that. Been reading a few threads but they all suggest finding a good method that works for you and practicing it. Also figuring out the types of questions you get wrong is important so definitely check those old passages.

I'm also going to finish my content mid-May and I also think its important not to waste practice tests until I'm done with content. Hope our plan works!

Hey breeniee,

Check out my recommendations for VR in my signature. I really think that they helped me get a 13. Good luck!

 

[aloejuice]

Is there anyone who has already graduated and is studying for the june mcat this year? I am so worried because I haven't been able to study from january to mid march (pet was very sick and eventually passed away in march), not to mention that i am still kind of rusty on some topics in the sciences (graduated a year ago with a non-science major). i just got through kaplan review (minus two verbal review sections). I just switched from the may 24th mcat to this june mcat because i really wanted to be completely prepared (i.e. master the content review and do all practice exams that i can find).

I need some kind of confirmation that taking the june mcat isn't too late for a person who is not in school or working a job.. also that it wouldn't look bad on my application. please help..!!

also, i am taking the test at a test center about 2.5 hrs away from my home. would anyone recommend staying at a hotel a day before so i won't have to travel nearly 3 hrs before taking the test?

thanks so much.

 

[breeniee]

Is there anyone who has already graduated and is studying for the june mcat this year? I am so worried because I haven't been able to study from january to mid march (pet was very sick and eventually passed away in march), not to mention that i am still kind of rusty on some topics in the sciences (graduated a year ago with a non-science major). i just got through kaplan review (minus two verbal review sections). I just switched from the may 24th mcat to this june mcat because i really wanted to be completely prepared (i.e. master the content review and do all practice exams that i can find).

I need some kind of confirmation that taking the june mcat isn't too late for a person who is not in school or working a job.. also that it wouldn't look bad on my application. please help..!!

also, i am taking the test at a test center about 2.5 hrs away from my home. would anyone recommend staying at a hotel a day before so i won't have to travel nearly 3 hrs before taking the test?

thanks so much.

Firstly, I'm deeply about your pet by the way. It must be really rough =( *hugs*

Secondly, I feel ya... I graduated close to 2 years ago. I got married in the meantime and I don't have a job right now. I registered for the May 19 MCAT originally and been trying to study since January but my husband went through surgery and basically life happened. I've been wondering too if June is going to be too late or if all this would look bad on my application but I think what matters most is getting a good MCAT score. It's impossible to get your foot through the door without one.

Also, I'd probably book a hotel nearby or you can have someone else drive you so you don't get too tired.

 

[geh926]

Graduated as well, but doing some informal post bacc. to try and raise my gpa a little bit. Also, test center is 2 hours away so I'm getting a room for the night before.

Really trying to stay up on my studying, tough with finals next week though. Really don't want to have to postpone...again. haha

 

[breeniee]

Graduated as well, but doing some informal post bacc. to try and raise my gpa a little bit. Also, test center is 2 hours away so I'm getting a room for the night before.

Really trying to stay up on my studying, tough with finals next week though. Really don't want to have to postpone...again. haha

hehe AGAIN.... tell me about it. I hate having to keep postponing... blahh

Oh and I'm flying all the way to NY to take my exam. Of course...It's only 10 minutes away from where my parents live but I mean...I know how it feels to have to go so far away to take this test. Paying for the exam and flight tickets and then applications and study books...Ughh when will it be over!!!

 

[deleted127837]

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[deleted127837]

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[deleted127837]

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[MDschoolorbust]

But now you have a direction to study in, and can see that you'd be better off focusing on PS and BS than VR. In my experience it doesn't take a lot to go from 8s to 10s; a 26 means you got, what, 45~50 questions wrong? Cut that number in half and you're golden.

Yep, 49 total questions wrong. So definitely possible to improve from 8s to 10s with proper studying? I just hope I haven't hit some sort of plateau before I've even started. All my faith is in EK for now!

 

[MaxillofacialMN]

I think I'm going to start studying a week after finals are out, so maybe the 9th? I figure a good month and a half is long enough to get >25.

 

[aloejuice]

Firstly, I'm deeply about your pet by the way. It must be really rough =( *hugs*

Secondly, I feel ya... I graduated close to 2 years ago. I got married in the meantime and I don't have a job right now. I registered for the May 19 MCAT originally and been trying to study since January but my husband went through surgery and basically life happened. I've been wondering too if June is going to be too late or if all this would look bad on my application but I think what matters most is getting a good MCAT score. It's impossible to get your foot through the door without one.

Also, I'd probably book a hotel nearby or you can have someone else drive you so you don't get too tired.

Thanks breeniee, i went through a pretty tough time as my pet required my attention 24/7 and it was so heartbreaking to see him suffer so much. and yes, life happens.. i hope your husband's surgery went well and is recovering well, so that you will be able to concentrate better on your studies. i guess we are basically in the same boat! lol.. i do not have a job right now and prbly won't have much to say for what i did in the past year after i graduated, haha. but i agree with you, i think that a good mcat score will cover up the lag period.

And i really do think that i should stay overnight before taking the mcat, but currently my boyfriend is trying to persuade me not to.. but i think i will anyway. thanks for your support, and hopefully we will both ace?? the mcat this coming june.

 

[rorogena88]

I think I'm going to start studying a week after finals are out, so maybe the 9th? I figure a good month and a half is long enough to get >25.

I am doing the same thing! may 11th until june 21st
no work, no school, no thesis..just mcat!!
I am just praying that the consistent studying doesn't burn me out
I am studying with a bunch of friends this way we all stay motivated

 

[breeniee]

No baseline = no gauge for improvement.

I kind of disagree because it depends on the way you're spacing out your practice material. For instance, if I do practice passages on a chapter I just read and then do more practice on the same chapter a week from when I first read it - the first set should be my baseline. If I take a full MCAT, there's going to be details that I have not studied yet and wouldn't know anyway. So what taking a diagnostic will tell me is that I don't remember anything which I already know.

Also, this is my retake and one thing I noticed when I first studied for the MCAT was how useless a diagnostic was. I think I got a 18 on it. Like a 5 in PS, 6 in BS, and a 7 in verbal. What did that tell me? I knew and remembered nothing from undergrad. Did I already know that? Yes.

But I do appreciate all your advice about other matters =)

Never. USMLE studying is a lot worse, haha

Ha... I bet. A lot of my friends are studying for it now.

Hey breeniee,

Check out my recommendations for VR in my signature. I really think that they helped me get a 13. Good luck!

Thanks, I'll take a look =)

Thanks breeniee, i went through a pretty tough time as my pet required my attention 24/7 and it was so heartbreaking to see him suffer so much. and yes, life happens.. i hope your husband's surgery went well and is recovering well, so that you will be able to concentrate better on your studies. i guess we are basically in the same boat! lol.. i do not have a job right now and prbly won't have much to say for what i did in the past year after i graduated, haha. but i agree with you, i think that a good mcat score will cover up the lag period.

And i really do think that i should stay overnight before taking the mcat, but currently my boyfriend is trying to persuade me not to.. but i think i will anyway. thanks for your support, and hopefully we will both ace?? the mcat this coming june.

I hope so too! Be sure to post your progress here so we can all keep encouraging each other!


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On another note - I did some more verbal practice today after rereading some verbal strategy threads. My major problem in the past was not really getting the full main idea originally. A lot of my answers were details but not the SUPER main idea. So now I actively read... if it's a convoluted passage, I talk back to the writer in my head like a little weirdo if I notice he's arguing a point or if he's just saying something, I summarize his points in my head. It made me focus on the overall main idea. I'm getting more right but now sometimes I miss a detail which winds up being the answer but those questions are pretty few. So yay! an improvement! From around 9 to 11 in just one day! Hopefully I keep on improving.

Oh and just in case ya'll were wondering - I found these tips buried in the forum that really helped me for verbal. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=223930

Oh and I would also read LostInStudy's Official Advice Thread. He was taking the MCAT when I took my 1st one 2-3 years ago but I never got a chance to read his advice because he only posted this AFTER I took my first MCAT. Too bad because it would've really helped! Now here I am - 2.5 years later ready for a retake and going woahhh. It can be found here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=733260 He got a 15 in both PS and BS so if you haven't seen it...go and read it!

 

[rockafella12]

My verbal is at the 9-10 range and I'm still trying to figure out how to push it past that. Been reading a few threads but they all suggest finding a good method that works for you and practicing it. Also figuring out the types of questions you get wrong is important so definitely check those old passages.

I'm also going to finish my content mid-May and I also think its important not to waste practice tests until I'm done with content. Hope our plan works!

So I just scored an 11 on the VR section of my first Kaplan FL. (Post diagnostic)

I am pretty excited about it. My lackluster performance on the BS and PS is somewhat encouraging though, seeing that I am not done with content review, and the simulated testing conditions were not conducive to intense concentration. I am feeling pretty good about this studying stuff. How about you guys? Anyone feeling like this date might be a little too late? I think that it's on the border. Last year I applied before the MCAT and then that blew up in my face. I am nervous to repeat the same mistake this year, but I know that I want to apply, and that my MCAT prep has been thus far effective. Any hints/ideas/comments on this?

 

[xfiretampa]

checking in for june 21st test date. Only 57 days to go...eekkk

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[MDschoolorbust]

checking in for june 21st test date. Only 57 days to go...eekkk

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

Thanks for the reminder

 

[MaxillofacialMN]

Hahaha sooo sooooooonnnn

 

[breeniee]

Hahaha sooo sooooooonnnn

Eeek! The big bad day is approaching! =(

I hate the days were I do TBR passages. I kind of read TBR Chem ch. 2, TBR Orgo ch. 1+2, and two chapters of Bio all day yesterday and decided to leave today to do the passages and EK 1001 questions. Bad idea! I've only done the chem passages and orgo ch. 1 passages and EK 1001 questions and I feel totally bogged down. I just can't read another passage but I have so much left to do. Good news is that it's only 5:41 here in central time so theoretically I can do phase 1 for all the remaining 3 chapters I have but I just can't.... I don't know how I thought this was a good idea to leave all the practice for the next day.

And anyone else feel this way: I'm beginning to get annoyed at when the writer of the TBR books says "Choose A for correctness!" or other corny things like "If you want to do what you should do, pick D and gain incredible satisfaction doing what you should do" at the answer explanations. Like what...??!!! ....

 

[deleted127837]

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[futurchirurgien]

Figuring out why you got something wrong is incredibly important, and I mean this in a specific way: most people look back and see they missed a word or something in the passage and assume oh, that's why, but they don't address why they missed it. You note that you "still have to go back to check for the pattern" - this is worrying.

Yeah, I have a question about this. Sometimes I am able to know why I missed a question, and other times I can't. Eileron, what would be the questions to ask myself when determining why I missed a verbal passage? I've been using EK 101 Verbal passages and my scores fluctuated between 7 and 10 (according to the books grading scale). Before then, I used TPR Hyperlearning and scores were a little lower, so I do notice a bit of improvement, but the fact that I can't break a 10 kinda got me discouraged, so I took a break from Verbal and decided I'd read some Economist articles online haha

 

[johnnydoesdat]

50 days left!!! this is scary.....lol

 

[Mehd School]

In for the time being.

Finals end next week, and I haven't been able to put in the necessary time. I'm not going to take the exam until I'm consistently breaking 30's on aamc full lengths.

Also applying to osteo schools this upcoming cycle.

 

[breeniee]

Anyone else here freaking out about applications? I haven't asked for LORs either. 3 years ago, I supposedly had one from the pre-med Committee but I think they don't have it any more. It's been so long since I graduated I'm wondering if any of them even remember me. I also moved to a new state so I won't be back home until June so I can't just go up to them and be like hey remember my face? *sigh*

 

[Cdn mo]

Hi all. I am sure everyone is cracking away for June. I havent done any aamc test yet..am I falling behind sechdule? I wanna see where everyone else is. Lets keep updating our progress. 7 weeks away, time is flying by so fast!!!

 

[nirvikalpa]

Hi all. I am sure everyone is cracking away for June. I havent done any aamc test yet..am I falling behind sechdule? I wanna see where everyone else is. Lets keep updating our progress. 7 weeks away, time is flying by so fast!!!

Depends how you are studying. Some do all content review, then just for a month review a little and pound away at the AAMC's. I couldn't do this personally... I review a few important concepts, then take a test. I am a bit behind schedule though, but still pluggin' away. Once my online course ends in a week I will really get at it.

 

[MaxillofacialMN]

I start studying next Wednesday, and I'm not worried. I'm going to pod school though, so my MCAT doesn't need to be as high as the rest of you....

 

[acciouno]

Just took a three-week break from studying MCAT becoz of school work. Anyway, started reviewing again, mostly taking practice tests from Kaplan and Princeton. Got 6-8 range again. Grrr! But that's ok, I still have plenty of time (I think). So, for this month, what I'll do is that I'll try to take at least one practice test everyday (be it PS or BS or VR), then come June 1, it'll be full force!!! I plan to go to Idyllwild, rent a cabin there and study for 3 weeks straight, without interactions and distractions. I did that before and it actually helped me a lot. I hope this time, the solitude in studying will help me for my MCAT. Good luck to all of us, guys!

 

[Cdn mo]

Just took a three-week break from studying MCAT becoz of school work. Anyway, started reviewing again, mostly taking practice tests from Kaplan and Princeton. Got 6-8 range again. Grrr! But that's ok, I still have plenty of time (I think). So, for this month, what I'll do is that I'll try to take at least one practice test everyday (be it PS or BS or VR), then come June 1, it'll be full force!!! I plan to go to Idyllwild, rent a cabin there and study for 3 weeks straight, without interactions and distractions. I did that before and it actually helped me a lot. I hope this time, the solitude in studying will help me for my MCAT. Good luck to all of us, guys!

Sounds like a vacation or more like 2-for-1 deal lol

Good luck.

 

[johnnydoesdat]

When is everyone going to go heavy with the practice tests? I have all 7 TBR CBTs, AAMC 7-11, and the online tests that come with the TPR MCAT Elite 45 book left, so I figure I'll probably start doing a practice test every 2-3 days starting on Monday.

 

[breeniee]

Ahhh.... I feel so behind! Finished all of TBR physics and only 2 chapters of chem and orgo in TBR + EK 1001 + phase 1-2 of TBR for those chapters. I also read a few chapters of TPRH for bio (but did no practice). It's kind of hard to do the practice TBR passages for bio because they are way too detailed....hopefully I can finish content review in 2 weeks and start doing full lengths.

When is everyone going to go heavy with the practice tests? I have all 7 TBR CBTs, AAMC 7-11, and the online tests that come with the TPR MCAT Elite 45 book left, so I figure I'll probably start doing a practice test every 2-3 days starting on Monday.

Lemme know how those TBR CBTs are. I was debating whether or not I should order them.

 

[lilqu]

done all content review via EK - doing TBR now - i have every practice AAMC ready - going hard on them all this month once im done with TBR

 

[deleted127837]

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[NuttyEngDude]

I've gone through almost all of chemistry, spending the next week on Physics then taking an AAMC to see where I stand. Havent done much biology review yet. seems most people do aamc 3 first eh?

 

[gumbyj]

So where is everyone with their content review, practice tests and verbal practice?

I am floundering between June 21 and July 6 and a seat just opened up by me...

 

[MaxillofacialMN]

I don't start studying until tomorrow.