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.