The MCAT Looms Ahead

"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer,"- Albert Einstein

I signed up for the MCAT on April and I have been biting my nails about it. The hardest thing for me is actually opening up a book and getting started. Something that I know would take a half hour takes me hours to start. I have read Day 2's assignment which is Chemistry 2, mostly by skimming the passage of Berkeley Review's Chemistry chapter. I still have to do the questions- I don't know why, but doing questions makes me nervous- it reminds me of the MCAT.

 A snow storm has hit my area and winter holidays has caused me to waste time and avoid getting work done. But, after community service tomorrow, I plan to get the next chapter done. I've ordered new books, the Princeton Review Hyperlearning set and I've become addicted to looking for the cheapest deals online. Now I'm cutting myself off. It's time to really focus. There's always the ease of getting the books, the challenge is opening them up and reading them.

Now, let's get started.
Let me first explain what the MCAT tests are like-
They are approximately 5 hours long and are usually held at 8am or 1pm on certain dates. Personally, I signed up for a 1pm test, as I am not a morning person and I prefer to have the morning to eat and prepare myself. I think I will get to eat for the test- sandwhiches, some tea (I hate coffee), gatorade (for electrolytes), and water.  I also may take an hour in the morning to exercise. After I exercise, I find myself rejuvenated and alert, which will definitely help me during the test.

The sections of the test are:
Physical Science- 70 minutes, 52 questions - this section includes Physics and Chemistry questions
 There are passage type questions and discrete questions (stand-alone questions) in this section
10 minute break- to use the bathroom and eat a snack
Verbal Reasoning - 60 minutes, 40 questions- these are passage type questions only
10 minute break
Writing Sample- 60 minutes/ 30minutes per prompt- there are 2 prompts that are given and an essay required for each
10 minute break
Biological Sciences- 70 minutes, 52 questions- this section includes Biology and Organic Chemistry


Like I suggested, the books I got are:
The Berkeley Review Series - so far I found these books to be very well- rounded- they offer chapters of information and examples throughout each chapter. At the end of each chapter there are passage-like questions to answer, similar to the MCAT style. I can see why these books are favored so highly. However, they are not binded as nicely and the book is black and white. Of course, Berkeley Review isn't as commercially popular as Kaplan and Princeton Review, so it makes sense to me why the books are like that. Berkeley Review is only offered in California and it's hard to get a hold of these books, but if you search craigslist, ebay, and SDN you're bound to find a set. It's imperative that the questions are not answered in the passage, or else it is not useful to have them. You want to be able to answer the questions yourself without being persuaded by someone else's answer. If anything, you can help support the program and buy the books off the Berkeley Review site.

The Examkrackers 1001 seres - basically these are discrete questions. They really tell you where you are having trouble in a subject based on your knowledge. These are helpful questions to freshen up on subjects learned in the past. This also includes Examkrackers 101- I just got the book, but so far, it's a lot of passages in verbal that would really boost your score by practice. 

Examkrackers MCAT101 Passages in MCAT Verbal Reasoning

Examkrackers: 1001 Questions in MCAT in Physics
Examkrackers 1001 Questions in MCAT Chemistry
Examkrackers 1001 Questions in MCAT Biology
Examkrackers: 1001 Questions in MCAT, Organic Chemistry

Examkrackers series- these books are very pretty, beautiful color and binding (the 1001 series as well) and nice pictures. I haven't read too much of it yet, but they are nice if you just need minimal review. It's not as boring as some other reads, they try to keep it fresh and fun. It's very similar to Kaplan Review books, just skimming through it. I like the pictures, as I memorize through photographs pretty well. Not pictured: the Examkrackers Organic Chemistry book.

Examkrackers Mcat Complete Study Package

What I've done- Kaplan books - I read most, if not all, of the Kaplan books, and they are helpful in limiting the information needed on the MCAT. It's great refresher for someone who already has knowledge, but just needs to remember a few things here and there. My personal qualm with the books are they are too general sometimes. There are times where I might read a chapter and still have trouble understanding what's going on.

I have yet to see Princeton Review books, but once I get a hold of them, I will update. Lastly, an important key is the AAMC website. Get the tests and study the tests, they are extremely important, as well as the solutions. You will have a very close indicator to how well you will do on the actual MCAT , once you do these practice MCATs. I also went on the AAMC website and found the list of subjects covered on the MCAT, this is great to narrow down subjects - some concepts may be covered in review books that aren't even on the test. I'm hoping to get a lot of work done in the coming weeks since 2010 is coming to an end. My new years resolution has become- DEVOTE MY LIFE TO THE MCAT.

My Book Collection

"It is the spur of ignorance, the consciousness of not understanding, and the curiosity about that which lies beyond that are essential to our progress." - John Pierce

I've been using SN2ed's schedule that I saw on student doctor network: 

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=8092168

So far, I was able to get a hold of all the examkrackers books: 1001 series except organic chemistry. I was lucky enough to find it on craigslist for $80 which included the 101 verbal series and the examkrackers books bio, orgo, physics, chem. I was really lucky and the resell value of the books I got is more than how much I spent on them. But, let me tell you, it took me a month to find a good deal. Everyday I spent looking at SDN's website for new sales ads, craigslist, and ebay. I realized SDN is a hit or miss, there are so many people using that site, I gave up trying. I felt like I was on ebay asking to buy for a price and I kept getting outbid without even a notice of who was buying and for how much. Craigslist has its advantages and disadvantageous, it was scary to get the books. I had to pick it up from someone's car and pay them in cash. I made sure to meet them in a public place and that a friend came with me, you never know with craigslist what could happen.

My berkeley review books also came from craigslist. I paid $110 for them. That's pretty much a steal. They're worth $300 and the guy I got it from was really nice. We spoke on the phone several times and I had to pay before I got the books. I didn't sleep right for a few days because I was worried he'd take my money and not send me the books, but I knew his address, so that gave me some ease. Thankfully, he sent both sets and ended up paying a lot for shipping. What a nice guy.

So, starting my schedule, today is day 1: Physics chapter 1. I breezed through the first chapter since it was elementary. I still haven't finished doing the questions. I'll be doing that now until tomorrow. I'll also be purchasing 1001 organic chemistry with my gift card that I got for Christmas. I just hope that I will be using all the books I bought.

MCAT Tips

"He who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence." - William Blake

In the past, I took an MCAT test prep course, believing it would help me get an amazing MCAT score. Dropping $2000 was one of the hardest things I ever did, but I thought it would be worth it when I became a doctor... Let me just say, I wish I could get that money back. I learned as much as anyone would learn in a college class- all you learn is that you have to study more by yourself. This is terrible for a lazy, procrastinating, hopeless human being such as myself. I took this course and all I could do was do the readings- 1 practice test completed, and a few quizzes here and there. Yipee, $2000 dollars down the drain.
So, I have done countless hours of research about how to study, what to study, where to study. I've learned some valuable lessons:

1. Student doctor network is your best friend. I am in love with this site, it has amazing people on it and they are completely honest about medical school - most of my learning has come from here.

2. DO NOT DROP $2000 ON AN MCAT COURSE. Unless you need someone to tell you when to do what, then it'll just be an expensive alarm clock.  Use that money for books and paying for food/ rent/ life! When you are a graduate or a college student, you'll learn that money will go by fast and you'll need it.

3. Take some of that money and join a gym. Exercise is good for the body and mind, seriously, it is.

4. Figure out what books are right for you to study:
Examkrackers 1001 series
Examkrackers review books
The Princeton Review Hyperlearning books
The Berkeley Review books
I am in the process of buying these books, so I will let you know my personal thoughts about them! They are insanely expensive - but I've figured out student doctor network (SDN) is your friend with "for sale" ads, ebay, amazon.com, and craigslist.org all have decent prices if you search enough.

5. Do volunteer work at a hospital/ related health environment.
This is a must, I did not start until after I graduated college. It was a huge reason why I didn't apply to medical school earlier- lack of experience! I need a LOT more hours, but I'm working on it.

6. Get recommendations!!! NOW NOW NOW
I sent recommendations to my college health professions office, as well as, interfolio.com. I've come to realize how helpful interfolio has become. I use to be so sick of asking professors and employers for recommendations for different things, now I don't. I just use the website because they have them ready whenever I need them. It's a great time saving tool when I need to apply to something and I need recommendations fast.

7. Study somewhere far away from your home.
Ok, some people are good at studying at home and for them I say kudos! But every single time I've tried to study at home, I end up wasting time and figuring out ways of not studying. I think I've cleaned my room 20 times this month. My apartment is not a safe haven, it is a trap of never-ending time consumption.

Hello all!

“For the majority of us, the past is a regret, the future an experiment”- Mark Twain

This is my first blog about my obsession, MEDICAL SCHOOL. I am a college graduate, jobless, and completely devoted  in my dream of getting in. As of now, I have applied to nursing school, so I have something to fall back on if medical school doesn't pan out. Getting a job as a college graduate in this economy has been terribly difficult, I've decided to focus on doing volunteer work and studying for my MCATs instead of wasting time on menial labor.