MedSchoolAhoy Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 So I just registered! I have NO science background whatsoever, and I'm writing on Sept 4th in Montreal. I am going to keep a blog chronicling my adventures in trying to learn all this information before then. Yikes. I'm taking bets on my score. Winner gets a mahogany backgammon set. Over the summer I'll be taking a 6 credit course at school, volunteering, working part time, and trying not to go out. Also, my study habits are severly lacking. That said, I'm absolutely determined to get into medicine. How do you think I'll do? ________ BMW K1200LT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkles3288 Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Hmmm, well whats your background in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bj89 Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 i smell a 45T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewfieMike Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 If you have bad study habits, I recommend: -not coming to this site (think about how much time you'll add to your day. -suck it up, study as much as you can, and don't be a hermit. It's NOT going to help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolvenstar Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 hmmm a mahogny backgammon set eh? tempting...very tempting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedSchoolAhoy Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 I'm a sociology major. And i was thinking of being kind of hermitty during the week (but still doing ballet every night), and then letting myself go out maybe one night on the weekends. Also, the backgammon set is checkers on the other side. ________ glass bong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewfieMike Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 I know you're intentions are great now, but I'm fairly confident that when saturday night rolls around on a hot July night and your friends are going to a party that you're not going to be able to turn it down to study week after week. I'd be impressed if you did, to be honest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Stark Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Stick to a schedule - and avoid sitting by a computer while studying. Don't worry about putting in 5 or 6 hours a day or anything, and correspondingly take time to enjoy the summer too. It can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Probability would place you between a 30-35 if you do a good job. If you're in Ontario I don't think you'd need more than a 10 in each section lol. What are you using to study? Do you have access to AAMC exams? I have a science background and I think it would take me at least 2 months full time to mobilize myself for an MCAT (granted, I haven't taken a pre-req in 3-4 years). I was going to say your left a huge time horizon but then I realized your summer is jam packed...Good luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedSchoolAhoy Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Hey...I'm going to use ExamKrackers to study, and use their 10week plan as a template. I'm going to spend August doing as many practice exams as I can. Any suggestions or advice is welcome though! ________ buy silver surfer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 EK physics and chemistry are insufficient for someone with no science background. Their biology is alright for a non-science grad and their verbal is superb (I assume you have their 101 book?). See if you can get another source for physics and chem (Physics: Nova/Berkeley) and chemistry (Berkeley) or a TPR hyperlearning set. I called Berkeley today, while the books for each subject is 50 USD...the shipping to Canada is 82 + another 60-70 insurance, you can get around by shipping to a US address though and having them ship up here...Berkeleys contain more detail than necessary, but you may need it. They also have MCAT-like passages. I have trouble grasping physics and I took it in grade 11/12/first year...maybe I'm stupid though, EK while I understand it, I think it is poorly and briefly explained. Chemistry was a breeze (96) for me otherwise and I still dont' think EK is sufficient, I just finished their thermochem chapter and it was horrible. Organic will also need to be supplemented, I still remember the fundamentals from my classes so EK sums it up pretty well but if you don't know the basis behind it, it may get tricky. I wouldn't go all out since the AAMC is slowly phasing out complex organic on that exam. They're more towards genetics and molecular biology now, which examkrackers seems to lack in their book (otherwise everything else is fine for their bio). It'd be cheapest if you got a TPR hyperlearning set (they're going for about 100, I wouldn't pay more than 150 for a set on craigslist - you can't get these outside a course legally) to supplement the shortfalls of EK. I have EK/TPR Hyperlearning (course set)/Nova physics. I'm going to order Berkeley chem. Up to you though. You may be a smarter cookie than me and understand it but that's the general consensus. You may not be a general person though. EK was priimarily designed for people who know the stuff to catch up on it quickly enough to write the MCAT. It's super expedited review, does a decent job of it. But see how it goes...Make sure you get their 101 passages book and all the AAMC practice exams. Good luck. Here's a supplies reference: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=7612998&postcount=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 But yeah bio won't be an issue. Biology doesn't require any skill beyond memorization. Physics and chemistry are stepwise learning so they're more intricate. Chemistry being easier than physics since physics is more conceptual based and chemistry is pretty rote-learningish. Organic will be spinning molecules in your head for stereochemistry, but the rest is memorization + a few concepts. The MCAT BS section is only 25% organic so it's not a HUGE deal, but enough to make or break your BS score. I think you'll probably rock the VR and WS, I never read and I'm hitting 11's on EK which is similar to that of AAMC. Anyway don't go overboard on my advice, I spent a lot of money on this MCAT (But I can resell my materials). But then again its a drop in the ocean compared to the application process...let alone the entire medical school process. I think TPR hyperlearning for physics/chem and organic supplementation is your best bet though. BR's get expensive and they take time to get here. Anyway up to you. Again, some people can jive with EK, some people can't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premed_guy Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 You can rock it! Go Arts students! - Premed guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwh333 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 i can't imagine what it would be like to write the MCAT with no prior science knowledge to subjects like organic chem, biochem, etc but good luck to you! definitely enjoy the summer though and don't stay inside everyday all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkles3288 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 But yeah bio won't be an issue. Biology doesn't require any skill beyond memorization. Physics and chemistry are stepwise learning so they're more intricate. Chemistry being easier than physics since physics is more conceptual based and chemistry is pretty rote-learningish. Organic will be spinning molecules in your head for stereochemistry, but the rest is memorization + a few concepts. The MCAT BS section is only 25% organic so it's not a HUGE deal, but enough to make or break your BS score. I think you'll probably rock the VR and WS, I never read and I'm hitting 11's on EK which is similar to that of AAMC. Anyway don't go overboard on my advice, I spent a lot of money on this MCAT (But I can resell my materials). But then again its a drop in the ocean compared to the application process...let alone the entire medical school process. I think TPR hyperlearning for physics/chem and organic supplementation is your best bet though. BR's get expensive and they take time to get here. Anyway up to you. Again, some people can jive with EK, some people can't. Are you kidding me?? lmao. Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Fine, I over simplified lol. There is a bit of concept application and integration but it's not something terribly complicated that it can't be learned by someone with no background in a relatively short amount of time. It's lighter, usually when I burn out from other stuff, I flip to bio since it doesn't require as much brain energy to process. I feel cerebral pain doing physics related math at like 3-5 am. I guess everyone is different, bio always came easy to me. I struggled with physics. Hmm if you're ever struggling with biological processes the net is a good resource for animated stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkles3288 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Fine, I over simplified lol. There is a bit of concept application and integration but it's not something terribly complicated that it can't be learned by someone with no background in a relatively short amount of time. It's lighter, usually when I burn out from other stuff, I flip to bio since it doesn't require as much brain energy to process. I feel cerebral pain doing physics related math at like 3-5 am. I guess everyone is different, bio always came easy to me. I struggled with physics. Hmm if you're ever struggling with biological processes the net is a good resource for animated stuff. No I agree, I find physics infitetely harder than biology. Same boat as you--bio came easy to me, but I just wouldnt go so far as to say it's all memorization lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xi88 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 But yeah bio won't be an issue. Biology doesn't require any skill beyond memorization. Physics and chemistry are stepwise learning so they're more intricate. Chemistry being easier than physics since physics is more conceptual based and chemistry is pretty rote-learningish. Organic will be spinning molecules in your head for stereochemistry, but the rest is memorization + a few concepts. The MCAT BS section is only 25% organic so it's not a HUGE deal, but enough to make or break your BS score. I think you'll probably rock the VR and WS, I never read and I'm hitting 11's on EK which is similar to that of AAMC. Anyway don't go overboard on my advice, I spent a lot of money on this MCAT (But I can resell my materials). But then again its a drop in the ocean compared to the application process...let alone the entire medical school process. I think TPR hyperlearning for physics/chem and organic supplementation is your best bet though. BR's get expensive and they take time to get here. Anyway up to you. Again, some people can jive with EK, some people can't. So much more than memorization Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lost__in__space Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 I'm saying 31Q as my guess.... I've never played backgammon but I do want that set .... oh PS: i'm writing the same day as you in Toronto :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedSchoolAhoy Posted March 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 31 Q really? I'd be thrilled!! Good luck to you too! I predict a 37S. ________ herbal vaporizers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogrenci Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 Oi, the mcat isn't really about how much you can cram in your brain for the exam day, it's more about problem solving. Granted, biosci is a jerk 'cause you can't problem solve without a reasonable amount of information. If it helps, I studied bio and o. chem for 3 weeks perhaps (well, I REALLY studied for about a week and a half, if you know what I mean... stupid internet) and it had been 5 years since my last bio class and it got me an 11. I'm guessing 31R! Luck! I love backgammon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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