mcat student guide rev apr 2012

MCAT Student Guide

Physics Syllabus and Homework Schedule .......... page 3

General Chemistry Syllabus and Homework Schedule………………......................................... page 4

Verbal Reasoning and Writing Sample Syllabus And Homework Schedule...................................... page 5

Biology Syllabus and Homework Schedule.......... page 7

Organic Chemistry Syllabus and Homework Schedule ................................................................ page 8

MCAT Computer Based Test (CBT) Information and Techniques.................................. page 9

Welcome to The Princeton Review!

Get Started before the Course - Visit the MCAT Online Student Portal

Our state-of-the-art Online Student Portal has been designed to enhance your classroom experience. By now, you should have received a registration e-mail providing your username and password. To activate your account, go to PrincetonReview.com and click on the “Login” button at the top right-hand corner of the screen. If you have not received this e-mail, please call us at 866-TPR-PREP.

Once logged in, click on My Prep, then on “Launch Online Content”. When the new window opens, click on the blue link “Welcome to the Princeton Review MCAT Prep Course – START HERE!” This will open another new window with a lot of great information in it. Scroll down to read about General Information, what to do first, and what books and resources you have available to you. The Online Portal is an invaluable tool that can be used to explore your preparation program, research medical school admissions, and boost your MCAT scores, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. Once the course begins, you will use your Online Portal to take your practice tests (make sure to click on the link “MCAT Core and Practice Test Information”), find complete explanations to our practice exams, and access additional MCAT practice questions.

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PHYSICS SYLLABUS AND HOMEWORK SCHEDULE Note: All reading should be completed PRIOR TO the designated class; all questions and passages should be completed AFTER the designated class.

Class

Topics MCAT Physics and

Math Review MCAT Science

Workbook Questions MCAT Science

Workbook Passages Amplifire™

Modules

1

Kinematics

Read Chapters 1 and 2, complete Chapter 2 questions and passage

pp. 1–8, questions 1–62

pp. 53–54, passages 1–2

Modules 1, 2, 3, 19

2

Mechanics I Read Chapter 3, complete chapter questions and passage


pp. 55–56, passage 3

Modules 4, 5, 20

3

Mechanics II Read Chapter 4, complete chapter questions and passage

pp. 14–18, questions 114–140

pp. 57–58, passage 4

Modules 6, 21

4

Mechanics III Read Chapter 5, complete chapter questions and passage

pp. 18–24, questions 141–200


Modules 7, 8, 22, 23, 24, 25. 26

5

Fluids and Elasticity of Solids

Read Chapter 6, complete chapter questions and passage

pp. 25–30, questions 201–247


Modules 9, 10, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

6

Electrostatics


pp. 30–33, questions 248–269


Modules 11, 32

7

Electricity and Magnetism


pp. 33–37, questions 270–294


Modules 12, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

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Oscillations and Waves


pp. 37–40, questions 295–327

pp. 100–117, passages 39–51

Modules 13, 14, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48

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Sound, Light, and Optics

Read Chapters 10 and 11, complete chapter questions and passages

pp. 40–52, questions 328–425

pp. 118–132, passages 52–62 Any remaining ICC passages

Modules 15, 16, 17, 18, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53

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GENERAL CHEMISTRY SYLLABUS AND HOMEWORK SCHEDULE Note: All reading should be completed PRIOR TO the designated class; all questions and passages should be completed AFTER the designated class.

Class

Topics MCAT General

Chemistry Review MCAT Science



Modules

1

Stoichiometry and Atomic Structure

Read Chapters 1–3, complete Chapter 3 questions and passage

pp. 262–263 questions 1–17

pp. 273–296, passages 1–17

Modules 1, 2, 3, 4, 18, 19, 20, 21

2

Periodic Trends and Bonding

Read Chapter 4, complete questions and passage


pp. 296–316, passages 18–32

Modules 5, 6, 7, 22, 23, 24, 25

3

Phases and Gases Read Chapters 5 and 6, complete questions and passages


pp. 320–337, passages 35–39, 41–43, 46

Modules 10, 11, 26, 27, 28, 29

4

Solutions, Colligative Properties, and Kinetics

Read Chapters 7 and 8, complete questions and passages

pp. 264–267 questions 27–32, 46–55

pp. 317–345, passages 33, 34, 40, 44, 45, 47–52

Modules 8, 9, 30, 31 32

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Equilibrium; Acids and Bases (I)

Read Chapter 9 and Chapter 10 (10.1–10.5), complete Chapter 9 questions and passage


pp. 344–359, passages 51–61

Modules 12, 13, 33, 34, 35, 36

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Acids and Bases (II) Read Chapter 10 (10.6–10.10), complete questions and passage

p. 269 questions 67–71

pp. 360–370, passages 62–70

Modules 14, 37, 38, 39

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Thermodynamics Read Chapter 11, complete questions and passage


pp. 370–381, passages 71–78

Modules 15, 40, 41, 42, 43

8

Redox/ Electrochemistry




Modules 16, 17, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48

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VERBAL REASONING AND WRITING SAMPLE SYLLABUS AND HOMEWORK SCHEDULE

Note: All reading and exercises should be completed AFTER the designated class. Complete only the exercises and drills that are listed here or assigned by your teacher. When completing Practice Passages in the Review, make sure to follow the instructions that introduce that drill.

Class

Class Topics

MCAT Verbal Reasoning and

Writing Review

MCAT Verbal Reasoning and Writing Review Exercises

MCAT Verbal

Workbook Passages

1

Introduction to MCAT Verbal Reasoning and Writing Sample

Read Chapters 1, 2, 3, 11, and 12

VR: Verbal Reasoning Active Reading Exercises 1 (pp. 43–44) and 3 (pp. 51–52), Chapter 2 Practice Passages (pp. 25–33)

WS: Writing Sample Chapter 11 Exercises 2– 4: Developing Examples, Current Events Question, Supplemental Prompts 1 and 2 (p. 275)

Passages 1–10, untimed. Fill out Individual Passage Log for each passage (see Review p. 23).

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VR: Active Reading

WS: The T-A-S Structure

Read Chapters 4 and 13

VR: Verbal Reasoning Exercise: Identifying Question Types (pp. 97–98), Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 Practice Passages (pp. 55–64 and 100–110)

WS: Timed Essay #1 p. 308 (bring essay to Class 3), Writing Sample Chapter 12 Exercises 2–4: T-A-S Drill, Current Events Question, Supplemental Prompts 3 and 4 (pp. 293–296), Writing Sample Chapter 13 Exercises 2 and 3: Current Events Question, Supplemental Prompts 5 and 6 (p. 307)


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VR: Question Types and Strategies

WS: Pre-Writing


VR: Chapter 5 Practice Passages (pp. 121–133) WS: Timed Essay #2 p. 327 (bring essay to Class 4), Writing Sample Chapter 14 Exercise 2–4: Creating Strong Examples, Current Events Question, Supplemental Prompts 7 and 8 (pp. 325–327)


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VR: The Process of Elimination (POE) and Attractors

WS: Focus on the Thesis

Read Chapters 6, 15, and Verbal Reasoning Appendix (pp. 397–410)

VR: Exercise 3: Evaluate Your Ranking (p. 146), Chapter 6 Practice Passages (pp. 148–158)

WS: Writing Sample Chapter 15 Exercises 2– 4: Matching Thesis and Antithesis Examples, Current Events Question, Supple- mental Prompts 9 and 10 (pp. 341–343)

Passages 33–43, keep track of time. Fill out Individual Passage Log for each passage (see Review p. 23).

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Class

Class Topics

MCAT Verbal Reasoning and

Writing Review

MCAT Verbal Reasoning and Writing Review Exercises

MCAT Verbal

Workbook Passages

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VR: Ranking and Ordering the Passages

WS: Focus on the Antithesis


VR: Verbal Reasoning Exercises 1–4: MAPS (pp. 166–178), Dealing With Stress (p. 179), Chapter 7 Practice Passages (pp. 181–191)

WS: Timed Essay #3 p. 359 (bring essay to Class 6), Writing Sample Chapter 16 Exercises 2–4: Using Synthesis Dichoto- mies, Current Events Question, Supple- mental Prompts 11 and 12 (pp. 356–358)

MCAT Verbal Rea- soning Practice Test 1: timed. Fill out Test Assessment Log (see Review p. 24).

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VR: MAPS: Focus on Structure

WS: Focus on the Synthesis


VR: Verbal Reasoning Exercises 1–3: Pacing and Self-Evaluation (pp. 200–205), Chapter 8 Practice Passages (pp. 207–217)

WS: Timed Essay #4 p. 374 (bring essay to Class 7), Writing Clearly Exercises (pp. 366–370), Writing Sample Chapter 17 Ex- ercises 2–4: Brainstorming and Outlining, Current Events Question, Supplemental Prompts 13 and 14 (pp. 372–373)

MCAT Verbal Reasoning Practice Test 2: timed. Fill out Test Assessment Log (see Review p. 24).

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VR: Strategy and Tactics

WS: Writing Clearly, Part 1


VR: Refining Your Skills Exercises 1–4 (pp. 221–238), Chapter 9 Practice Passages (pp. 241–250)

WS: Timed Essay #5 p. 388 (bring essay to Class 8), Writing Sample Chapter 18 Ex- ercises 1–3: Brainstorming, Current Events Question, Supplemental Prompts 15 and 16 (pp. 385–388)


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VR: Refining Your Skills

WS: Writing Clearly, Part 2


VR: Chapter 10 Practice Passages (pp. 253–262) WS: Writing Sample Chapter 19 Exercises 1 and 2: Current Events Question, Supplemental Prompts 17 and 18 (p. 395)


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Final Preparation

Read Writing Sample Appendix (pp. 411–415)

ICC: Any In-Class Compendium Passages not finished in class

Other materials: Continue self-eval. on all diagnostic tests.

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BIOLOGY SYLLABUS AND HOMEWORK SCHEDULE Note: All reading should be completed PRIOR TO the designated class; all questions and passages should be completed AFTER the designated class.

Class

Topic

s

MCAT Biology Review

MCAT Science Workbook Questions

MCAT Science Workbook Passages

Amplifire™ Modules

1

Biochemistry

Read Chapters 1 and 2, complete Chapter 2 questions and passage

p. 500, questions 1–8


Modules 1, 15, 16, 17

2

Biological Macromolecules Molecular Biology

Read Chapter 3, complete questions and passage, skim through MCAT Organic Chemistry Review Chapter 8


pp. 527–537, passages 7–12

Modules 2, 18, 19, 20

3

Microbiology


pp. 503–504, questions 21–30

pp. 537–550, passages 13–22

Modules 3, 21, 22, 23, 24

4

Cell Biology


pp. 504–505, questions 31–39

pp. 551–561, passages 23–29

Modules 4, 5, 25, 26, 27

5

Genetics


pp. 505–507, questions 40–55

pp. 562–571, passages 30–36

Modules 6, 28, 29, 30

6

The Nervous System

Read Chapter 7 (7.1– 7.5), complete questions and passage

pp. 507–508, questions 56–64

pp. 571–587, passages 37–46

Modules 7, 8, 31, 32, 33, 34

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The Endocrine, Circulatory, Lymphatic, and Immune Systems

Read Chapter 7 (7.6) and Chapter 8, complete Chapter 8 questions and passage

pp. 508–511, questions 65–88

pp. 587–616, passages 47–64

Modules 9, 10, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43

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The Excretory and Digestive Systems


pp. 511–512, questions 89–102

pp. 616–623, passages 65–69

Modules 11, 45, 46, 47, 48

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The Muscular, Skeletal, and Respiratory Systems

Read Chapters 10 and 11, complete questions and passages

pp. 512–516, questions 103–131

pp. 624–640, passages 70–80

Modules 12, 13, 44, 49, 50, 51, 52

10

The Reproductive Systems and Development

Read Chapter 12, complete questions and passages

pp. 516–517, questions 132–146


Modules 14, 53, 54

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ORGANIC CHEMISTRY SYLLABUS AND HOMEWORK SCHEDULE Note: All reading should be completed PRIOR TO the designated class; all questions and passages should be completed AFTER the designated class.

Class

Topic MCAT Organic

Chemistry Review MCAT Science



Modules

1

Structure, Bonding, and Stability

Read Chapters 1–3, complete Chapter 3 questions and passage



Modules 1, 2, 3, 11, 12

2

Substitution and Elimination Reactions


pp. 784–789, questions 38–64

pp. 812–819, passages 5–10

Modules 4, 5, 6, 13, 14

3

Electrophilic Addition Reactions and Aromaticity


pp. 789–796, questions 65–88

pp. 819–831, passages 11–18

Modules 7, 15, 16, 17, 18

4 Nucleophilic Addition and Carboxylic Acid Derivatives


pp. 797–803, questions 89–110

pp. 831–852, passages 19–30

Modules 8, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 ,24

5

Separation Techniques and Spectroscopy


pp. 803–806, questions 111–129

pp. 852–857, passages 31–35

Modules 9, 25, 26

6

Biologically Important Organic Chemistry


pp. 806–807, questions 130–138


Modules 10, 27, 28, 29, 30

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MCAT COMPUTER BASED TEST (CBT) INFORMATION AND TECHNIQUES The section provides an overview of the CBT MCAT, as well as some general techniques you can use on the test. For all the information you would ever need about the MCAT, go to www.AAMC.org or PrincetonReview.com/MCAT.

Format

Exclusively computer-based. NOT an adaptive test.

Number of Questions and Timing

52 Physical Sciences, 70 minutes 40 Verbal Reasoning, 60 minutes 2 Essays, 30 minutes each 52 Biological Sciences, 70 minutes

Essay Grading Two graders, one human and one computer, with a third

(human) grader if scores differ.

Scoring Test is scaled. Several forms per administration. PS, VR, and BS receive scaled scores of 1–15, WS receives scaled score of J–T.

Frequency of Test 28 times per year on 26 testing dates.

Length of Test Day 5½ hours

Breaks Optional 10-minute breaks between sections. No lunch hour.

Registration

Online via www.aamc.org. Begins as early as six months prior to test date; available up until week of test.

Security

Photo ID with signature Electronic fingerprint Electronic signature verification Assigned seat

Testing Centers Administered at Thomson Prometric testing sites; smaller, climate-controlled computer testing rooms with standardized proctoring

Proctoring Test administrator checks examinee in and assigns seat at computer. All testing instructions are given on the computer.

Allowed/ Not allowed

No timers or earplugs. Noise reduction headphones available. Scratch paper and pencils given at start of test and taken at end of test. Locker provided for personal items.

Results: Timing and Delivery

Approximately 30 days. Electronic scores only. Examinees can print official score reports.

Maximum Number of Retakes

Can be taken a maximum of three times per year, but an examinee can only be registered for one date at a time. No “special permission” or documentation is required.

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On-Screen Tools The Computer Based Test (CBT) approach to the MCAT requires that students be able to adapt to the limitations of the on-screen tools that are provided. Because scratch paper is also provided, it can be used to supplement the tools. Your Princeton Review Instructors will give you more specific information on the best way to adapt usage of the tools and the scratch paper for the specific subjects on the MCAT. The on-screen tools are as follows: 1) Highlighting: This is done in passage text (including equations and table entries, but excluding figures) by clicking and

dragging the cursor over the desired text. To remove the highlighted portion, just click over the highlighted text. Note that highlights DO NOT persist once you leave the passage.

2) Strike-out: This is done on the various answer choices by clicking over the answer choice that you wish to eliminate. As a result, the entire set of text associated with that answer choice is crossed out. The strike-out can be removed by clicking again. Note that strike-outs DO persist after leaving the passage.

3) Mark button: This is available for each question and allows you to flag the question as one you would like to review

later if time permits. When clicked, the “Mark” button turns red and says “Marked.”

4) Review: Button near the bottom. Clicking this button brings up a new screen showing all questions and their status (either “answered,” “unanswered,” or “marked”). You can then choose one of three options: “review all,” “review unanswered,” or “review marked.” This button can be clicked at any time during the allotted time for that section of the MCAT; you do NOT have to wait until the end of the section to click it.

5) Previous/Next: Buttons near the bottom. These allow movement from passage to passage. (NOTE: Highlights will be

lost when moving from passage to passage. See above under “Highlighting”.)

6) Periodic Table: This can be brought up by clicking a button marked “Exhibit” near the bottom. Note that the periodic table is large and covers most of the screen. It is not possible to see the questions and the periodic table at the same time.

7) Writing Sample: Simple cutting and pasting (highlighting and dragging) will be allowed in this section. There is no

spell-check.

General Techniques A. Mapping the Passage

1. Time is of the essence! Do not spend more than 1–1.5 minutes mapping out the passage. The MCAT gives points for answering questions correctly, not for reading thoroughly.

2. Read the first sentence of the passage! The topic of the passage is usually found within the first few words. On the

two science sections of the test, many students find it more efficient to tackle all of the passages from their stronger subject first, leaving the remaining time to work on all passages from their weaker subject. Remember, the MCAT gives points for answering questions correctly, regardless of their difficulty level or subject association.

3. Highlighting—use this tool sparingly otherwise you will end up with a passage that is completely covered in yellow

highlighter. 4. Scratch Paper—scratch paper is only useful if it is kept organized! This will be very useful when/if you wish to

review a question. • Do not give in to the tendency to write on the first available open space. • Indicate which passage you are working on in a box near the top of your scratch work, and indicate which

question you are working on in a circle to the left of the notes for that question. • Draw a line under your scratch work when you change passages to keep the work separate. • Do not erase or scribble over any previous work. If you do not think it is correct, draw one line through the

work and start again. You may have already done some useful work without realizing it.

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B. Tackling the Questions 1. Do the questions in order from easiest to most difficult. 2. Do not leave any questions blank. Use the Review button to make sure you have answered all questions. 3. Process of Elimination is paramount! Use your Strike-out tool to help you. 4. Use the “Mark” button to flag a question for later review. Make sure to click on an answer so that the question is not

left blank. 5. Keep an eye on the timer. You get about 1 minute 20 seconds per question.

C. Miscellaneous 1. Relax. The Princeton Review Online Diagnostics, the A AMC Practice Tests, your awesome instructors, and your

studying will give you the confidence you need to do well on the computer-based MCAT. 2. Take your 10-minute breaks. Get up, stretch, breathe deeply, eat something, go to the bathroom, etc. The breaks help

to ease the transition between sections and moving around will stimulate blood flow to the brain. 3. Use the noise-reduction headphones to help eliminate distraction.

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mcat student guide rev apr 2012

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