Orgo = Berkely Review.
Just sayin’!
I think part of the reason I am so happy to being doing well thus far with my practice exams is that I have to had to sacrifice a lot this spring to devote what I felt was the proper amount of time to preparing. Unfortunately, my GPA is only ok due to some grades in the late 90’s (sigh). While I had a stellar postbacc, I am really looking for a great MCAT score to allay any doubts an adcom may have about my abilities.
Anyway, according to my schedule (I am using the SN2ed plan), I should be “done” the monday before my exam. I’m thinking I will use those few days to get some air, clear my head and try to destress.
I’ll find out in 6 weeks or so if I was successful!
Shannon,
There is definitely some finessing of the test-taking process that can still happen during the last few weeks. As you run through that final gauntlet of practice tests, you’ll really focus on the mistakes you make, and why you chose what you did (hopefully learning from them).
One thing I tried to keep in mind in areas that I felt less confident, “they’re testing BASIC concepts of the 4 main prereqs (especially in Chem/Phys.).” Don’t make questions more difficult than they need to be. Keep the basics in mind. You’ll start to think like the exam, and anticipate where they’re going with questions.
Another lesson that I liked from Kaplan was their “Prediction” step in the answering process. I always tried to have an answer in mind before looking at the selections. If you look at the answers with nothing in mind, you can more easily put yourself in the position to debate each selection.
Don’t quit girl (and that goes for everyone else too!). I know it feels like you’re in a pressure-cooker, but you just have to put yourself on auto-pilot, and hit the friggin’ gas. Once that test is over, it’s like someone turned off gravity for a few days (just floating around, free!). Leave everything out there. There’s no better feeling than leaving the exam knowing that you did EVERYTHING you could, putting every effort you had towards it. No regrets. Go for the 33, 34, 35. I looked at it as a game; as competing against myself (hey, whatever you’ve got to do, right?).
Stay positive, and this is going to sound strange, but have fun with it!
I hope this makes you all laugh …
Yes, I took this photo. And yes, I have all of these books (most given to me, some from the public library).
Sick. 
@Terra, impressive, but MINE is bigger than yours, LOL!!
Also a word of caution about the ACRO MCAT exams, the version I have (and threw away), has a LOT of errors!
@Path - Ha! That’s SICK! 
Then again, we’re all a bit sick, aren’t we?!
And thanks for the advice about the ARCO exams. I haven’t even gotten to full-length exams yet, and don’t own the ARCO book (it’s from my public library). But I have plenty of other resources (full-lengths included) so I think I will likely just ditch that book if it’s that bad. This is one thing that’s so great about OPM - learning from each other.
OK, back to my orgo book …
Hi everyone. Just wanted to get out of the MCAT cloud. Head spinning cabin fever feeling is setting in big time. In a fog of information between MCAT and classes. My parents took my daughter for a couple nights so I’ve been full speed ahead without much break. I skipped class today so I could write my million page weekly ochem lab report, get some physics homework done, and study a bit for my physics exam on Monday so I could free up most of the weekend for MCAT stuff. I’m robbing Peter to pay Paul all over the place, so to say! Skipping class to study and do schoolwork. lol.
Well, anyway, to dnelson, I am very happy for your success! It is awesome that you are doing so consistently well. You’ll do great on the real thing. Keep up whatever you are doing. If I were you, I’d take it a bit easy given your stellar performance on practice exams. I am hoping to take my last practice exam the Saturday before or possibly the Monday before, but then take it a bit lighter that last week. That is, if class work will let me! Anyway, I look forward to hearing about your stellar score on the real thing!
Lorien, I get it when your classes do not cover that which you now are expected to know so well. I had a prof who didn’t like electrochemistry and so just didn’t teach it! So, I have had zero introduction to electrochemistry until MCAT prep began, and that was just an overview so I’ve had to dig in deeper on my own. (It may just be me, but it seems it shows up a lot, too!) This stinks because I really don’t want to be learning as much as I want to be reviewing right now. But, so it goes. The real MCAT will have any number of concepts on it, but it won’t have it all, so it will be the luck of the draw for us all.
As for orgo, however, while I don’t want to be quoted on this or blamed for being wrong I hear that the MCAT has really dramatically cut back on the orgo in BS. I could be wrong and we could all end up with an orgo heavy exam, but the general rumors are that the orgo is pretty light. I know “they” say it’s about 25% of BS but I hear that it’s not even that anymore. I am not disregarding my orgo reviews by any means, but when I do review BS I tend to focus more heavily on molecular genetics/bio as that seems to be the direction the MCAT is going in. This is all just based on conjecture so don’t take my word for it and certainly don’t ignore orgo, but maybe it will make you feel better anyway.
Olderguy, thank you for the inspiration to keep plugging away and make a game of it. I have often felt that a lot of the hoops we have to jump through in premed is all a game. You just have to prove you can play it and play it well. I used to complain (sometimes still do) about the relevance of x, y, or z, but mostly now I just dig into it and play the game because it’s not changing anytime soon and it’s the only way to get where I want and need to be. So, I could give a rat’s behind about magnetism, and my motor memory apparently sucks when it comes to right hand rules? No one cares. I have to learn it, do well, and move on. The MCAT is another hurdle to overcome. Do it. Move on. (I hope. I DO NOT want to retake).
And, yes, I also like the prediction method of Kaplan. I have been using it more especially as I have realized a lot of my wrong answers were from changing from the correct answer. If I try to predict the answer before I look at the choices, it tends to help me out. It at least reinforces my initial gut instinct. I still sometimes waffle and doubt myself, but I’m working on it. Thanks for giving inspiration to keep at it!
Love the MCAT books, pic, Lorien! I have MCAT materials all over the place. Between my daughters stuff and mine it’s like a preschool/premed tornado in my house. I’ll clean come May.
@pathdr2b: But mine is even bigger than both of yours! Can’t wait to unload them all to another premed who needs them. I want them out of the house as soon as I am certain I am done with it!
So, sorry for another novel, but I am living in a premed vacuum now. I think tomorrow I may actually get out of the house (and hopefully my head, too). Out of coffee filters.
CHEERS!
- shanport7300 Said:
As for orgo, however, while I don't want to be quoted on this or blamed for being wrong I hear that the MCAT has really dramatically cut back on the orgo in BS. I could be wrong and we could all end up with an orgo heavy exam, but the general rumors are that the orgo is pretty light. I know "they" say it's about 25% of BS but I hear that it's not even that anymore. I am not disregarding my orgo reviews by any means, but when I do review BS I tend to focus more heavily on molecular genetics/bio as that seems to be the direction the MCAT is going in.
I hear that the MCAT has really dramatically cut back on the orgo in BS. I could be wrong and we could all end up with an orgo heavy exam, but the general rumors are that the orgo is pretty light. I know "they" say it's about 25% of BS but I hear that it's not even that anymore. I am not disregarding my orgo reviews by any means, but when I do review BS I tend to focus more heavily on molecular genetics/bio as that seems to be the direction the MCAT is going in. Your assesment of the orgo content is right. on. point.
Ans yes I stronly agree with you in that the MCAT is going HEAVILY into the molecular bio/genetics direction so much, that I think premeds should take a class in BOTH before the MCAT.
- shanport7300 Said:
@pathdr2b: But mine is even bigger than both of yours! Can't wait to unload them all to another premed who needs them.
LOL!!
But you may want to keep them because you never know what the future holds!! I've been a science book and practice exam "horder" since undegrad and it REALLY comes in handy now as an MCAT and Science tutor!!!
As a release from studying, I’ve been playing with my iPad photo editing app. I think you all might appreciate this little collage-y thing I made (May 23 is my MCAT date):
Hey everyone,
I finally hit my goal score today… Whew. I had been in an odd score rut and while I am not feeling like I am the MCAT master or anything (far from it) I at least feel like I might not need to postpone my test on may 18th.
I took a 2 week break in between the last practice test I took and this one and really dissected why I was getting things wrong (and right) I was shocked at how often it was because I just hadn’t properly read the passage or understood the question. Today I forced myself to go a bit slower, take better notes and trust that the question was about basic knowledge.
The other thing I changed today was eating a better breakfast… I think it actually helped my brain from turning into a pile of slush halfway through VR ; )
I have still got a LONG way to go and such precious little time. But I think its a good start to the last month of studying.
Thanks to everyone for sharing on this thread recently, It has been so helpful!!
That’s awesome, Mallory! Congrats. Must feel very good. I am taking a short break from the MCAT on the advice of my Kaplan instructor who felt I was burning out. However, I’m not exactly chilling as I have a physics exam on Monday so I’m working loads of problems! I’ll be back at the MCAT after classes on Monday. I have to really restrain myself from doing any MCAT stuff, but I think it is for the best even if I do have symptoms of withdrawal.
The breakfast thought is an excellent one, Mallory. I try to take pretty good care of myself, but this semester I have found myself lapsing here and there w/ food and exercise. However, the last few weeks I am trying to be much more conscious of what I put into my body. Oh, I have many weak moments, but the MCAT has made me realize that if I’m not well everything is for naught. I have been starting my day with an uber healthy disgusting sounding but super good smoothie chock full of spinach, flax, hemp seeds, fruit, protein powder, etc. It’s loaded and I love it. My digestion loves it, too! But, I do agree that eating well, exercise to get things flowing, and generally taking care of ourselves is super important. I am also trying to be nicer to myself in the things I say to myself, be more positive, breathe, meditate, whatever works to get more grounded.
Thanks for updating on your progress! Very happy for you. Keep it up. I hope to see something positive myself MCAT-wise next week. It’s getting close for us all!
I have to say I agree 100% with diet as it relates to test-taking sharpness. My poorest FL score came after a particularly bad night of sleep followed by a very poor choice fatty lunch (I take my FLs at 1pm for consistency). I also typically have a fruit smoothie during my break for some quick glucose rush which I didn’t remember to do as well.
Needless to say I was woozy and confused through most of physical sciences and didn’t rally during the later parts.
It is bad that I am deeply considering staying at a hotel the night before my MCAT so my two little kids(1yo and 4yo) don’t wake me up @ 6am?
- dnelsen Said:
It is bad that I am deeply considering staying at a hotel the night before my MCAT so my two little kids(1yo and 4yo) don't wake me up @ 6am?
I would weigh the benefits versus the burdens on that one. I, for one, have a really hard time sleeping in a bed other than my own. I'm also very much a creature of habit, so waking up in a place other than my own room (and not having my own coffee pot!) would be very disorienting to me. I am also a morning person in general, and my MCAT is at 8 a.m. So I will be up early (as usual) on test day.
That said, if the sleeping/morning habits thing isn't an issue for you, and you feel like the extra rest would really help your performance, then hey, do what you need to do. The price of a hotel room is a drop in the bucket when all is said and done.
@Mallory - congrats! That's wonderful that you got your target score on a FL exam. Keep it up!
And in the spirit of more encouragement, here is another MCAT-related image I found online. A little background: My mom and I frequently quote the British phrase "Keep calm and carry on," a phrase which has become quite popular of late (with many, many iterations). The one below is quite appropriate for this thread:
Lol on the pic!
dnelson, I have prearranged to have my daughter taken away (lol.) before my MCAT. She will be having a couple days with her grandparents so I can get my head cleared and just not have anything to worry about (except the test, of course). So, I will have Thursday night, Friday, and of course Saturday. I do not think it is a bad idea at all to spend the night in a hotel. However, as Lorien pointed out, if you have any issues with sleeping in a strange bed, perhaps other arrangements could be made. I don’t know your situation, but if your family is anxiously awaiting the end of the MCAT as much as you are (mine is) then they may be game for a break, too! Maybe you could stay home alone and they could have a night away. Could be fun for the kids to get to stay at a hotel, play in a pool, etc. Just a thought!
Lorien, I love that saying, I might even have a coffee cup with the original version!!! (I have a wired secret obsession with the Queen and Kate Middleton and England in general)
I know one target score does not mean MCAT success and my average is still not where I need it to be but I was in a sort of a practice test slump and was very pleased to have gotten over the hill.
Health has been something that as an ex personal trainer/pilates instructor I KNOW is important to my general well being, never the less I haven’t been very good about it. I think after my worst practice test I went and bought (and ate) a whole box of lucky charms and a bag of holiday peanut m&ms. Not to mention my exercise habits have been almost non existent…
But I think it has finally dawned on me that being tired and run down and sick every other week is not helping ; )
and I am trying to turn over a new leaf on the “being nice to yourself” side of things.
I am sending good wishes to everyone. Almost there!!
dnelson–I kinda agree with other posters here, if there’s any way you can sleep in your own bed, I’d opt for that. Try to keep your routine exactly the same. Bed, breakfast, etc. Drive to the test center, check out where you’ll be going and all that. Sounds a little silly, but it helps to make everything seem familiar.
@mallory: I hear ya. I polished off a bag of Doritos and had about 4 chocolate chip cookies the other night, so I am no stranger to stress eating. I did have my green drink in the a.m, and I’m getting more conscious of my eating habits but this very busy semester had done a number on my eating and exercise habits. My weight has always been up and down so I have to be pretty careful and I try to get on the treadmill daily, but it has been very hard these last several weeks in particular. From what I hear, the Freshman 15 in med school is more like the Freshman 40 so I better get a heck of a lot better at curtailing my stress eating before then!
I have some good news on the MCAT front. I took AAMC 8 today and got a 32. So, I am mostly pleased, but partially not. I would never bemoan a 32 unless I had been consistently scoring over 35 or something (which I have not), but I did not get my PS up so I am a little dismayed on that. My overall was 9PS, 12VR, 11BS. I will dissect the test tomorrow, but I already know of at least two stupid mistakes I made in PS on straightforward things like stoichiometric calculations which infuriates me because I do that stuff all the time and yet I freak out when I get to those questions on the MCAT. So, still more work to be done there. BS I thought was hard on this one, but I did feel more mentally exhausted toward the end of BS and some questions I just was not thinking straight on. Some of the orgo was not stuff I’m strong in either and I like orgo, but it just was an odd BS section for me. At any rate, an 11 on the real thing in BS would be fine with me. A 12 on VR is certainly good in my book and now that my VR scores have been consistently over 10 I am no longer really going to actively work on VR. If my score goes down a lot on subsequent tests I will do some Kaplan VR section test practice, but I think it’s clear that from here on out I need to figure out how to get PS up. I have scored no higher than a 10 on PS, so at this point hoping for a 10 consistently is about where I’m at with PS. So, today, I’m hopeful after AAMC 8, but there is still work to be done and not much time left. I still don’t think I should or will postpone, so it’s time to get down to business even more so, I guess!
I must say taking the “break” I did was nice and probably helped a lot. On the advice of my Kaplan instructor I took off Saturday and then because of a physics exam on Monday I decided not to do any MCAT stuff on Sunday either. So, while I was not sitting around relaxing, I did not focus on, study for, worry about, or practice anything MCAT and it felt good. I was a little anxious at first, but my physics exam prep was distracting enough! So, if anyone feels like they are not making progress or just hit a wall, it may be a good idea to take a good solid day or even two off of the MCAT prep. I was very reluctant to do so, but it was needed.
So, I will be taking 3 more tests. AAMC 9, 10, and 11 before my test on the 27th. I would like to stop doing practice tests by Monday the 22nd so I don’t think I will take any more than these last 3 AAMCS, but I may squeeze in another Kaplan full length or maybe just parts of one. Well see. I think I may take 10 before 11 actually, too. That way, if my score plummets on 11 it won’t be the last test I take before the real thing. Is that pessimistic of me or smart? Any advice on the order of taking these last 3 before the real deal is most welcome!
Another good thing I’ve noticed is that my AAMC scores have been the most consistent and I have the highest average with my AAMCs (vs the Kaplan full lengths I’ve done). At least I hope that is a good thing and more indicative of what my real score may be like.
So, that’s the scoop on me. How is everyone else?
I just finished AAMC9 and honestly it felt totally different than 8. 8 seemed calculation heavy in comparison. 9 seemed more conceptual as well as having some annoying factoid-type questions. I guess you’ll see.
I took everyone’s advice and called in some favors and the family are headed up to my parents for the thur-sat of my MCAT date. I know it is a minor thing but I really think it will help me on my test to day.
In terms of my tests, I am doing fine (12/11/12 on 9) but I keep losing points on small details on gen chem oddly. I mean they are not hard but little forgettable bits from 1st semester gen chem are cropping up in weird and annoying ways. At least I am patching this little holes now but it still smarts when I drop a point or two on what could be gimme questions.