Transcription
Secrets to a99 percentile MCAT
Today’s InfoSessionuWelcome to this Info Session!uIntroductionuMCATuHow to diagnose and treat weak areasuHow Can Next Step Help?uu(Coupon code!!!)Questions?WHAT IS YOUR NEXT STEP?
IntroductionHi, I’m Phil!uMCAT Content writeruTutored and taught for 9 yearsuAttended University of NebraskaMedical Center as an MD/PhDstudent.üNext Step is a team of test prep andeducational experts committed to excellence.
Who Is Next Step? Began in 2009 as a tutoring company Focus on graduate admissions tests only Team of educational experts First company to have materials built fromground up for 2015 MCAT format Now the first company to have new 2018MCAT InterfaceüWe never stop improving our materials!
The MCAT:DifficultyThe MCAT is the hardest test mostpeople have taken at this point oftheir life. It has to be difficult,because the competition is skilled.
Taking theMCATPrep intelligentlyI’ve worked with thousands of students and my advice for themusually starts the same but diverges later. Start with the highestyield materialsDiagnose & TreatThe first step in moving forward is figuring out your weak areas.
TacklingcontentChemical and PhysicalFoundations30% general chemistry25% physics25% biochemistry15% organic chemistry5% biologyBio and BiochemicalFoundations65% biology25% biochemistry5% organic chemistry5% general chemistryPsychological andSociological Foundations65% psychology30% sociology5% biology
“High-Yield”Warning: anything on the AAMC MCAT outline is fair game!However, some topics are more likely to appear than others TopicNumber of questionsBiology45Biochem30Physics15Gen Chem20Organic ys:Biology and biochemistry are about 1/3 of the test!You have more psychology questions than physicsand chemistry combined.Organic chemistry is about 5% of your questions.
DiagnosingNot just “I need to work on Physics”Need to read between the linesThere can be several reasons to miss a questionTale of two studentsChem PhysCARSBioPsych123128122126Chem PhysCARSBioPsych123128125126- Story time: student came to me and reported that theybombed Physics on their test.
Chem/Phys1. ContentExample:Need to know what a fluid is2. CalculationsMath errorsKnow what equations to useKnow when to use what equation3. Data interpretationLots of diagrams, tables of values ,Takes practice
Bio1. ContentNeed to know what ADH is2. JargonParticularly rough in Bio3. Data interpretationMore graphs & statsNeed to be comfortable withexperiments“Studies have demonstrated that the miR-200 familyinhibits EMT by negatively regulating the transcriptionfactors ZEB1 and ZEB2. Studies have also shown that thetumor suppressor protein E-cadherin regulates EMTthrough its role in cell adhesion and maintenance of cellpolarity. Experiments were conducted to assess whethermiR-200 family expression correlates with the epithelialphenotype in PDAC cell lines ”
Psych/Soc1. ContentHeavy vocabuschizoid personality disorderuschizotypal personality disorderuschizophreniform disorderuschizophrenia2. Experimental designuEthics, variables, biases3. FatigueuMental limits
CARSCARS is an ENTIRELY different Beast.Test of skill rather than knowledge, and there is only 4reasons to miss a question!1.Timing2.Passage3.Question4.Answers
CARSQuestion types.18. Those who defend anthroposophy rely on each of the following EXCEPT:19. Had Steiner’s writings never addressed the concept of evolution, which one of thefollowing would likely have occurred?
CARSWrong answer types1. Out of scopeTempting for problem solvers or when you know about the topic2. OppositeUsually means you misread the question or the passage3. DistortionClose to the answer, but a little off. ( often extreme)4. Incorrect use of a passage idea (True but wrong)Particularly problematic for people that like to cross off answers.
Things to thinkabout ContentLOTS of stuff you need to know StrategyStrategy is important in every area, but ESPECIALLY in CARS. Timing / enduranceMany students are exhausted by the time they get to thePsych section.
How many FLsshould you take? MYTH: The more practice FLs you take, the better. In reality – thorough review is most important! # of FLs should vary based on prep timeline, endurance, etc. “Typical” student: takes 7-8 FLs If you have endurance of timing problems: take more If you’re confident/crunched for time: 4-5 may be enough! Remaining FLs can be taken as separate sections
Finally : remember to takebreaks! Breaks are absolutely essential to staying at your bestthroughout your prep. How should a break be spent?uExercising; keeping a normal routineuCatching up with other obligations (and even having fun)uNOT thinking about the MCAT! For longer prep plans, set aside 1 day for a break perweek For shorter timelines, set aside 1 half-day per week
Q&A
Next Step:Core ValuesWe are dedicated to providing personalized support,advice and prep options that match each student’sindividual needs.
Students Havea Choiceü Over 80,000 students have used Next StepTest Prep in their MCAT Prep journey“Next step is an invaluable resource, they truly have the best strategies inregards to approaching each section of this test.” – T.D.“Next Step helped me take my score from a 496 to a 523!! That's 35thpercentile to 99th! Every service they offer is top notch and definitely helpsyou prepare for the MCAT” - Gus“This course has significantly improved the way I approach the exam, how Istudy, and has given me great support with any questions I have had along theway.” - Tyler
RepresentativePractice Examsü The most representative practice examsavailable Continually updated for AAMC Changes Most students score within 1-2 points ofour tests on the actual exam
New 2018 MCATInterface Hundreds of hours of video lessonsand content review 99th Percentile Instructors Small-group Office Hours 5 days/week Direct access to the MCAT ContentTeamNext Step is ready. Are you?ü Your practice experience matters! Prep with the most realistic testingenvironment with Next Step.
1-on-1 PersonalTutoringü Personalized help from some of the bestMCAT experts Get matched with a 520 tutor Completely flexible and customizablestudy plan
FREE MCATPractice Bundleü Includes Half-length MCAT diagnosticFull-length MCAT examContent Review VideosCustomizable Study Planner Tool& Moreü Supplement your prep with additional support tools Question of the Day Quick Prep YouTube, Facebook and Instagram Content Ongoing Public Webinars and Q&A Sessions MCAT Blog: Content and Admissions Next Step MCAT ForumGet yourFREE MCAT sources-page/
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u MCAT Content writer u . Warning: anything on the AAMC MCAT outline is fair game! However, some topics are more likely to appear than others Topic Number of questions Biology 45 Biochem 30 Physics 15 Gen Chem 20 Organic Chem 11 Psychology 38 Sociology 18 CARS 53 Total 230 Takeaways: Biology and biochemistry are about 1/3 of the test! You have more psychology questions than physics and .
