3 Unrelated MCAT Questions

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>1) Does anyone have any experience with the Gold Standard MCAT prep videos available from MCAT</a> Prep Courses, Books and Videos ? If so I would very much appreciate a review of them on the basis of:
a. Instructional quality
b. Relatedness to the test
c. Accuracy of presentation (some review books I have noticed have incorrect answers or explanations that do not match the problem or are simply wrong)
d. Value (was it worth the money)</p>

<p>2) Did anyone else find the Kaplan review books to be very hard to read? I got a set of the Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences 'Review Notes' which are like paperback textbooks and they are very challenging, like a condensed textbook. Which is great but it has been a while since I covered this material and at the end of each chapter they ask questions like:
"Write out all the reactions in the TCA cycle that generate NADH. Why do these reactions produce 3 ATP per NADH, while the NADH formed during glycolysis produce only 2 ATP?"
Now the second part of that question is fine, I can understand needing to grasp the information and explain why something is different from something else. But is it really necessary for me to be able to recite these equations and have all of them memorized?</p>

<p>3) How much total did you spend preparing for the MCAT and was it worth it? I am planning on spending a total of about $800 and seeking a 34+ to off-set slightly below pleasing grades but I'm not really into spending $1200+ to go to classes when I have the discipline to work from home. For those of you who splurged on the courses (for Kaplan, Princeton Review, etc...) do you feel that the time was better spent than your home studying? Was it that you learned more or just gained more confidence?</p>

<p>Thanks for your time. Good luck to everyone!</p>

2

<ol>
<li>I wouldn't call spending money for a prep course "splurging" since most people do it. And, for most people, it is the right choice.</li>
</ol>

<p>TPR flat out told us that their goal was for everyone to get a 30. That's what they teach to. I suspect it is the same for Kaplan. I managed a 30 on the diagnostic after a week of studying so I didn't get a whole lot out of the class and had to study on my own. I did get a couple of study buddies and some proctored exams. </p>

<p>My point being, you should take a couple of diagnostic exams before signing up for a prep course. If you get a 25-30, then you probably won't get a whole lot from the course (not enough to warrant $1600 anyway). If you score a 12 or 18 like most people, then the course is probably right for you.</p>

3

<p>1) Never heard of these people before. That might not be a good thing.</p>

<p>In addition, I'm not sure I like their approach to MCAT prep. </p>

<p>From MCAT</a> Prep Courses, Books and Videos :</p>

<p>
[quote]
Some students may begin our courses weeks, months or even years prior to the anticipated time to write the actual MCAT depending on their knowledge or experience. Keep in mind, our program does not just review the information, MCAT-prep.com teaches the information you need to know to excel at the MCAT. In other words, we teach the 4 basic sciences, essay writing, speed reading, etc.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If they're going to teach you everything again, why the heck did you bother to take those pre-med courses anyway? If you're prepping for the MCAT, presumably you already understand the material - you just need to brush up on some facts and work on high-yield testing strategies. These guys seem big on the facts, which you can get just about anywhere, and thin on the test-taking skills, which arguably have as much to do with your score as your overall knowledge of the material does.</p>

<p>2) I don't know exactly what the review books are, but if they're the paperback textbooks I got in my classroom review, I can't imagine they'd be that great. I think those textbooks would've been hard to follow without the teacher's input. </p>

<p>As for your specific question about the TCA cycle, I can't remember how deeply the MCAT tests that biology topic, so I can't say.</p>

<p>3) I just bought the Kaplan classroom course, so however much that was. I think I managed to get a $200 discount, though. </p>

<p>I personally feel that it was worth every penny. I got a good review of the material, but most crucial were the test-taking skills. A lot of people seem to think that the techniques that Kaplan pushes on you are BS, but they certainly worked for me. At first, it feels awkward and unnatural, but you get the hang of it. I was nervous towards the end of the course because I couldn't seem to break an 11 on any section of the practice tests, but on test day, I was still using those techniques and my score zoomed up.</p>

<p>The other thing about the Kaplan course was that it allowed me to practice actually sitting in a room for 8 hours of test-taking. I got to run through trial lunches, for example - after the third full-length practice, I had nailed down what snacks and lunch I was going to bring on that day, and I stuck with it. Once you start feeling that an 8-hour test (now it's five?) is normal and routine, you stop feeling nervous. That's a big plus in my opinion.</p>

<p>This is Kaplan advice, and I like it. Don't aim for a 34+. That's too vague and it's not challenging enough. Say to yourself, "I'm going to get a 45. I'm going to take that test, and I'm going to get every single question right. I can do it." In all reality, the chance of you actually getting a 45 is low, but it's certainly doable. If you settle for a 34, there's no incentive to keep practicing once you've hit that on the practice tests. That's how I feel about it, anyway.</p>

4

<p>norcal can you recommend any diagnostic tests that i can buy?</p>

5

<p>ALL of the AAMC ones. By far the best score predictors and the most realistic. You should take every single one they've released to the public.</p>

6

<p>Here is a informal study (by no means statistically rigorous) done on the ability of various companies' practice tests to predict actual scores:</p>

<p>Practice</a> MCAT scores and predictability</p>

<p>Kaplan makes unrealistically hard tests and gives unrealistically generous curves to compensate. Two wrongs don't make a right.</p>

<p>TPR makes unrealistically hard tests and gives realistic curves. One wrong doesn't make a right either but apparently it's better. Your scores will be deflated by the TPR curve though.</p>

<p>AAMC tests are the best not surprisingly because a) AAMC writes the actual MCAT and b) AAMC practice tests were formerly-administered actual MCAT tests (with some revision).</p>