OT: MCAT prep advice
A family member is planning on taking the MCAT this year, and I figured I would ask the board if they had any tips. I am looking for anything from best prep class to personal things that helped you, or things you would have done differently. Having gone the LSAT route, and later teaching it, it took me a while before I came up with solid advice. Thank you all in advance.
from an educational/pedagogical they both suck. unfortunately the test has only become harder with time, and while the actual aamc tests are the most true representation of the actual mcat, even they are a half step too easy.
by the way, wasnt take a shot at your teaching skills there wolverswede. i know there are a few quality people at kaptest, just woudnt say most are not.
I know you weren't taking a shot at me. I just know that Kaplan spends more money on research than the other big brands of test prep. That's why I really like their practice tests. When I took the MCAT, I felt like I had seen all the questions already. I actually never went to med school when all was said and done. I just did really well on that test and I liked Kaplan's style. It worked for me.
MCAT: Princeton review and I read the New Yorker and Economist. 13 on Verbal and T on written. Know who you are writing to. I made my written slightly humorous.
Step 1: Q-bank until your eyes bleed. Read First Aid 3 times and annotated the hell out of it. My dad is also a physician and he still talks about Step 1 being a pain. I view it as the first right of passage into the rigors of medicine.
Step 2: USMLE world
Step 2CS: speak english, wash your hands and dont have a shitty mustache. I had a friend who failed CS who was smart as hell but we were doing mustache match and he failed.
Best advice I was given was do well in everything. Do well M1, M2, Step 1 and M3. Get AOA, do research and learn to be a good physician. Even if you dont want to go into a comptetive specialty, it will not hurt you to do well. If you dont do well and decide your M3 year, then it is a tough road to get into a tough specialty.
well put.
This.
I just wanted to thank everyone who participated in the thread. Without getting goofy, it's cool to be a part of a community this knowledgable, with people who will take time to help out for a few mgopoints. Stepping back, I asked a simple question, and got some amazing answers. Dare I say the experience was humbling? Thank you all again for your time, insight, concern, and wishes, it is.
Hail!
Bigfoot