The Law Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 I was hoping that some Bio experts could give us some tips on how to prepare for MCAT biology. I've done this test twice and only managed a 9 and a 10 on both tries. I have no idea how to get this biology score up ( maybe I need to actually take orgo seriously this time lol...), so hopefully some tips on a study (books used, how they were used) and test-taking strategy might help me break the 10 threshold this next rewrite. You know what they say, third time's the charm (or so I hope). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryann Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 Hire a private tutor...that has experience tutoring individuals for the mcat in bio.. Princton has them, but they are $$$$$$$$$ Advertise for a tutor on this site...I did, and got one for physics Just my thoughts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted September 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 Interesting, I don't think I need one for the concepts. I just don't really have a good strategy down for the bio section. I think part of it has to do with me not working hard on orgo, so I'm definitely going to fix that problem and probably score a few questions right that I normally wouldn't. I'm just hoping I don't fluke bomb verbal again. *sigh* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supafield Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 Law, I've come across the same problems as you.. 9 in 06, 10 in 08.... We'll see how it goes Saturday. The difference... I basically got a 10 on every bio i did in 06 and was a newb to the MCAT and didn't realize that I couldn't count on physiology for all my marks and got rocked by molecular bio. In 08..... of 5 practice tests I had 10,11,11,11,13...... and then bad test day circumstances combined with a relatively easy bio section which I'm sure lead to a less than forgiving scale = 10 coming out. I've only done two practices going into this one and have 12 on both. What has made the difference for me between attempt 1 and 2 and my practices now. Read the Bio passages like a verbal passage. The practice AAMC's allow you to get 10's and 11's while hardly skimming the passage content. It seems the MCAT doesn't ask as many questions regarding pre-learned information as it used to. Know Molecular Bio and genetics..... The TPR bio book has an extra chapter in the back with molecular biology experiment techniques just to give you some familiarity to the experiments they like to present the passages in now. Orgo --> If your weak at it like me... learning it once for reactions and then learning it again via general reactivity of functional groups helped for me. If I forget a reaction, I generally have a good guess to help. I'm praying that extra attention to molecular bio and a better understanding of orgo will get me over the hump and get me that 11. I'll update you though. I read the September 10th thread on SDN and apparently it was a tonne of hormone physiology.... haha.... and of course I chose the 12th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannn Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 I am finding the Bio passages (lately) being very similar to verbal reasoning The key to the section IMO is realizing that all the info you need (for the Bio passages at least) is in the passage. With that in mind, you can get a ton of points by making mental notes of what and where info is within the passage For Orgo, count carbons, and know your nucleophiles/electrophiles. With those in mind, you can answer the majority of Orgo questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted September 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Thanks for the tips guys! I used to be good at orgo, but since I haven't done it in 2 years now... I better refresh. I've gotta come up with a study plan too, I'm already insanely busy with my masters and MCAT on top is going to = NO LIFE FOR LAW! I think my mistake last time was not trying to extract as much info as possible from the passage well enough. I can probably do better this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Thanks for the tips guys! I used to be good at orgo, but since I haven't done it in 2 years now... I better refresh. I've gotta come up with a study plan too, I'm already insanely busy with my masters and MCAT on top is going to = NO LIFE FOR LAW! I think my mistake last time was not trying to extract as much info as possible from the passage well enough. I can probably do better this time. Law, When are you writing? Soon, I'll be joining you in the official 'no-life' club, haha! We'll keep sane through our "kill the radio thread", when we need a diversion! Good luck! H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 supafield: Best wishes on the 12th Sept.! Is there a happy, good luck song we can post for you that day? H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jududy Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 it is very usefull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted September 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Good luck Saturday writers!!! Haly - I am thinking about end of January or sometime in February! Will soon have to come up with a strategy for how to study and not go insane by not having any life whatsoever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Microbiodude Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 I find connecting fields together works well...for example, in Physiology you'll learn which peptide hormones work as a different messengers...while on the topic of peptides try and recall how that peptide hormone was made (translation)...but translation only occurs after transcription (recall process)...which is usually from a gene (review promoter and DNA replication). If you can find the interlinking themes and connect them along, I find it really helps. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted September 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2009 I think approaching biology like a verbal reasoning section is very helpful. I think my new strategy is going to be learn the material as well as possible, work hard at orgo (since I haven't in the past), and read the passage very well as if it was a verbal reasoning section! Hopefully this works! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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