Physics :-( feel very slow going through

[lost__in__space]

I haven't taken physics since Grade 11. I'm teaching myself the physics via EK and it feels like I'm going very slowly through it. I need to read chapters over 3/4 times to really start understanding it, and do every problem from the 1001 book to get a grasp of concepts. Is anyone in the same boat? I get frustrated that I'm moving like molasses, especially when I can speed through bio and VR. I'm also going to do the NOVA physics book as well.

[dbjones]

Well from your other post you canceled the last date for this year on Sept 11. Stay positive you have plenty of time to work on physics before next year. Enjoy the rest of the summer and work through physics at your own pace.

[Turkelton]

I haven't taken physics since Grade 11. I'm teaching myself the physics via EK and it feels like I'm going very slowly through it. I need to read chapters over 3/4 times to really start understanding it, and do every problem from the 1001 book to get a grasp of concepts. Is anyone in the same boat? I get frustrated that I'm moving like molasses, especially when I can speed through bio and VR. I'm also going to do the NOVA physics book as well.

 

I know the feeling. Physics was definitely my weakest section and I found that EK is a tough book to use if you don't already have a good understanding of physics concepts. NOVA is amazing! I was getting 8 and 9 on practice tests last year when I studied using EK and PR, ended up getting 8 on the real thing. This summer I studied only with NOVA, and my PS on practice tests improved to 10 and the occasional 11. Wrote the real deal about 2 weeks ago, but I felt 10X better coming out of PS than I did last year. For people that have a weak background in physics, NOVA is definitely the way to go. Make sure to do ALL of the practice questions at the end of each chapter. It may seem really repetitive, but you'll be amazed at how much you actually understand the concepts when you see similar questions on the practice AAMCs. Good luck!

[medhopeful64]

I haven't taken physics since Grade 11. I'm teaching myself the physics via EK and it feels like I'm going very slowly through it. I need to read chapters over 3/4 times to really start understanding it, and do every problem from the 1001 book to get a grasp of concepts. Is anyone in the same boat? I get frustrated that I'm moving like molasses, especially when I can speed through bio and VR. I'm also going to do the NOVA physics book as well.

 

I feel your pain, sometimes when I don't understand a topic in the EK books (particularly physics), it seems to take me forever just to get through it/grasp the concepts. I found the PR to be much better - they explain more thoroughly but its relatively easy to read, and they have a ton of practice probs (if you have their hyperlearning workbook). Good luck!!

[123coco]

If you spent most of your summer studying for this exam, do not give up now and do the best that you can.

________

GSX-R SERIES

[lost__in__space]

I know the feeling. Physics was definitely my weakest section and I found that EK is a tough book to use if you don't already have a good understanding of physics concepts. NOVA is amazing! I was getting 8 and 9 on practice tests last year when I studied using EK and PR, ended up getting 8 on the real thing. This summer I studied only with NOVA, and my PS on practice tests improved to 10 and the occasional 11. Wrote the real deal about 2 weeks ago, but I felt 10X better coming out of PS than I did last year. For people that have a weak background in physics, NOVA is definitely the way to go. Make sure to do ALL of the practice questions at the end of each chapter. It may seem really repetitive, but you'll be amazed at how much you actually understand the concepts when you see similar questions on the practice AAMCs. Good luck!

 

This makes me happy to hear :-) thanks for replying :-) you definitely seem to be in the same boat (or at least used to be!) as I am. I'm going to give the NOVA book a try, I just got it. How long did it take you to go through? It seems massive compared to EK.

 

To MedHopeful: I found the PR books to be too much for me, I'd get depressed just looking at how much the book resembles a brick lol. That's why I chose EK, but you are right, maybe I will supplement my EK with my PR book for concepts I don't understand.

 

DBJones: indeed I did cancel because I felt unprepared still and it has been hard to stay positive about it, but you are right. I am going to write in January and I will work through everything at my own pace and try and stay positive and then kill next year's app cycle :-)

 

Thanks for the replies guys, I actually feel a lot better :-)

[Turkelton]

This makes me happy to hear :-) thanks for replying :-) you definitely seem to be in the same boat (or at least used to be!) as I am. I'm going to give the NOVA book a try, I just got it. How long did it take you to go through? It seems massive compared to EK.

 

To MedHopeful: I found the PR books to be too much for me, I'd get depressed just looking at how much the book resembles a brick lol. That's why I chose EK, but you are right, maybe I will supplement my EK with my PR book for concepts I don't understand.

 

DBJones: indeed I did cancel because I felt unprepared still and it has been hard to stay positive about it, but you are right. I am going to write in January and I will work through everything at my own pace and try and stay positive and then kill next year's app cycle :-)

 

Thanks for the replies guys, I actually feel a lot better :-)

 

Realistically, if you work on the NOVA for 3-4 hours a day you could do it in 3 weeks. Theres about 15 chapters, it usually took me about an hour to go through the content and then about 2-3 hours to do all the questions for each chapter. I usually took the weekends off and relaxed.

[wishmd11]

I'm in the same boat! I've spent the majority of my summer doing chem and physics and I still don't feel confident about the PS section! Hopefully we will rock the rest of the exam to make up for it!