Writing MCAT after 1st year (is 4 months enough?)

[FailureInLife]

I asked this question last year.

[TheBoss]

i will study the recommended 14-16 hours a day (the remaining 8-10 hours will be for eating, sleeping, and working out) for 4 months, and maybe, i might tutor on the side.

 

That's overboard, I think you'll burn out. I think usually people with fewer years of university have more trouble with the MCAT because their fundamental cognitive skills are less developed, not because they lack knowledge. Studying excessively won't help so much with that, since you cannot cram for these skills. Try taking a couple AAMC practice tests, you may find that you do better than you expected and be pleasantly surprised.

[TheBoss]

what do you mean by cognitive skills?

 

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cognition

 

it says knowledge... but if you mean my ability to think, i can think just fine. it's just that my memorization skills are a bit impaired (bad genetics)

 

i don't really want to take any practice tests until the summer since i don't really have time to... but are you implying that 4 months won't be enough

 

I was making a generalization that says nothing about you specifically. Don't take offense, I don't even know you.

when i say 14-16 hours of studying, i mean like 14-16 hours in the library. the actual amount of studying done will be more like 10 hours (since i need washroom breaks, snack/lunch breaks, email checking, etc).

Few people would be better off with more than 8 hours in the library/7hours on the books.

[Savac]

what do you mean by cognitive skills?

 

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cognition

 

it says knowledge... but if you mean my ability to think, i can think just fine. it's just that my memorization skills are a bit impaired (bad genetics)

 

i don't really want to take any practice tests until the summer since i don't really have time to... but are you implying that 4 months won't be enough

 

What he means is that the MCAT is more about critical thinking rather than pure knowledge. Usually the passage will contain most of the information that you need, you just need to be able to interpret it.

 

I think that it would be in your best interest to take one of the free tests from Kaplan/TPR (or other tests), or even AAMC #3 before you start your prep. You should use your score to determine your plan for the rest of the summer.

[collegedude22]

Your brain can't possibly process 16 hours' worth of information in one day - the trick is to study a little (but significant) amount each day and do a few practice problems to make sure you understand what you learned. Before you start new material the next day, do a few more practice problems on the topic you studied the day before to reinforce the concepts. Over 2 to 3 months, you should be ready to take the test. I'd wait until at least summer of second year or even third year to take the test if you haven't had the prerequisite courses.

 

For example, I studied one summer during my commute by bus to and from work (1 hour each way). By mid-August, I was ready to take the test. And for the record, I'd never taken physiology or some of the intro biology courses most people take, and I still did very well.

[ralk]

Your brain can't possibly process 16 hours' worth of information in one day - the trick is to study a little (but significant) amount each day and do a few practice problems to make sure you understand what you learned. Before you start new material the next day, do a few more practice problems on the topic you studied the day before to reinforce the concepts. Over 2 to 3 months, you should be ready to take the test. I'd wait until at least summer of second year or even third year to take the test if you haven't had the prerequisite courses.

 

For example, I studied one summer during my commute by bus to and from work (1 hour each way). By mid-August, I was ready to take the test. And for the record, I'd never taken physiology or some of the intro biology courses most people take, and I still did very well.

 

100% agree with this.

 

If you're missing significant amounts of the background material, maybe take the time to learn it at whatever pace you feel appropriate before you start studying for the test itself. After that, the busiest day you should have is a day when you take a practice test from start to finish - 8 hours max, if you use an older version of the test (yes, these can be valuable and are MUCH easier to find). 14+ hours a day is not only extremely stressful and inefficient, especially over 4 months, it's ineffective.

[mddreamer]

I actually wrote my MCAT after first year.

 

I studied about an hour a day (probably less) for 3 months and then went on a family vacation for 3 weeks immediately before writing my test. This left me with a week of intense studying (basically doing practice tests) before my MCAT. I ended up with an ok score, but it didn't really help my application.

 

After my second year, I wrote about two weeks after my last final exam. I had taken Biochem in the second semester, so I didn't want to forget this material. I didn't touch my MCAT study stuff until a few days after my last final exam. I ended up with a 33R.

 

I had nothing else planned for the summer and I didn't feel too great about my second MCAT, so I signed up for a prep course before my score came back. I studied for the next 2.5 months with the prep course (so three months if you include my initial MCAT studying) and I got a 37R.

 

My situation was slightly different though since I took all of my OChem in first year, but I hadn't taken any university physics.

 

I think you could probably do well on the MCAT after first year with studying for 3 or 4 months a reasonable amount.

[aaronjw]

I'd bet significant money you (or anyone) wouldn't be able to last more than 8 hours for a week of PURE study time let alone 14-16 hours.

 

As I understand it, if you've taken all the required courses for the MCAT then studying becomes more review AND getting familiar with passage structure and phrasing?

[Tacrolimus]

I'd bet significant money you (or anyone) wouldn't be able to last more than 8 hours for a week of PURE study time let alone 14-16 hours.

 

As I understand it, if you've taken all the required courses for the MCAT then studying becomes more review AND getting familiar with passage structure and phrasing?

 

I sure hope so. I'm dedicating about 8 weeks for the MCAT (writing at end of August) because I'm also taking a Spring course from May-June and then a vacation.

 

Since I've done all the required courses (and more), I hope it's about becoming familiar with the type of questions and practice, practice and more practice.

[Savac]

As I understand it, if you've taken all the required courses for the MCAT then studying becomes more review AND getting familiar with passage structure and phrasing?

 

Yeah, the actual content was review for me because I've taken all of the relevant courses. So just like you've said, you just need to learn to apply that knowledge toward the types of questions that appear on the MCAT.

 

The only minor thing worth mentioning is that VR could potentially take a while to figure out. I don't think that working on it for 14-16 hours a day would help though. I do think that it's something that needs to be worked on continuously for a long time though, but eventually it might just 'click'.

 

Ultimately practice is the most efficient way to study for the MCAT though, regardless of the section.

[itsalwayssunny]

Not to totally redirect the thread, but I'm just really genuinely curious- the OP and others mentioned that they "didn't want to waste a summer" or that they had nothing else to do, so they studied/will study. Do many people on here really not have to work? How do you pay for your tuition/living expenses/etc?

[Tacrolimus]

Not to totally redirect the thread, but I'm just really genuinely curious- the OP and others mentioned that they "didn't want to waste a summer" or that they had nothing else to do, so they studied/will study. Do many people on here really not have to work? How do you pay for your tuition/living expenses/etc?

 

I live with my parents, and they pay for everything.

 

I worked last summer though, but I won't be working this summer. School in Spring, vacation, and then studying for MCAT.

[Tacrolimus]

 

 

Gratz, what kind of work did you do?

 

Merchandising Execution Associate in Home Depot.

[TheBoss]

I didn't take any offense at all, sorry if you interpreted my post the wrong way. I simply didn't know what you meant.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/cognition?q=cognition

 

I meant simply that a less comprehensive knowledge base is not the major setback for people taking the MCAT after first year, so cramming yourself with as much knowledge as possible in one summer will not compensate for the disadvantage that some students in your circumstances (being a first year uni student) will have.

 

Taking a practice test before you study will help you identify whether or not this disadvantage applies to you.

[bpatient]

Look at the acceptance thread, you'll see it ranges...but yes a 4.0 student will generally have a higher probability of scoring better due to their strong foundation.

[ralk]

Thanks everyone.

 

I know this is a VERY general question (or even "unanswerable)" but surely, there must be SOME kind of correlation between GPA and MCAT scores..

 

so what would a student with, say, a 3.8GPA s core on the MCAT? A 3.9? and a 4.0?

 

i know this is a verrrrrrrrrrry vague question, but i was guessing a 3.8 --> 32ish, 3.9 --> 34ish, and 4.0 --> 36+. am i very off or am i close with my assumptions? again, i know this is a bad question because it depends on so many other factors but i'm asking in the very general sense. I just want to know that what i'm aiming for is actually

 

There is a correlation, yes, but it is very much non-deterministic. Take a look at the following stats from the AAMC: https://www.aamc.org/download/321518/data/2012factstable25-4.pdf

 

Basically, at each GPA level, there is a bell curve that is quite broad and centered around about the 30 mark. Higher GPAs seem to move the bell curve up just a bit (and stretches it out as well), but only by about 3 marks between a low 3 (3.0-3.2) and a high 3 (3.8+).

 

From you previous posts, you seem to have a respectable GPA and are quite proud of it - as well you should be. However, in this case, your GPA alone predicts that you will get a 32 - a respectable score, but borderline for many schools. There will be some people with far lower GPAs getting much higher MCAT scores, and many people with higher GPAs getting lower MCAT scores. Don't go into it thinking your GPA gives you a significant edge, or will hold you back in any meaningful way. It won't.

[JP76]

i do not think there is any real correlation between GPA and MCAT scores. In my opinion, anyone can get a 3.9+ GPA as long as they apply themselves appropriately... it just takes hard work. The same can be said with a 30+ MCAT, but in terms of getting in the 35+ range, you are probably above average intelligence. When it comes down to it... in my opinion it those people who get good enough scores with the least amount of work who have it best.

[JP76]

I honestly think science degrees are easier to obtain higher GPA's than other degrees (this is coming from a science kid). Its pure memory... nothing really difficult to understand, just depends on how much you work / how quick you learn everything. try getting a 4.0 in a polysci essay-based class. virtually impossible.