dhs911230

Hi.
So, obviously i wouldn't be able to study the materials during my freshman year. But I realized I could still improve my reading skills and whatnot. However I'm not very familiar with the MCAT. How should I prepare for it? Should I be reading science articles or just regular articles with more difficult words?
I'm trying to find free articles online and read 1-3 articles daily but i can't decide from which source to read the articles...

help?

WayOutWestMom

Read articles that are content and analysis heavy and written at a high school or post-high school reading level. (Most popular magazines and newspapers are written at the 6-8th grade level. Sad, but true.....)

Magazines likes The Economist are generally what I've heard recommended.

You need to be able to read complex, unfamiliar content and interpret it quickly for the MCAT.

Columbia09

I read nat geo and every time I'm n Barnes and Nobles, I pick up a MCAT book and skim through it. The best way to prepare for it is by taking gen chem and gen bio at the freshman level followed by orgo then physics. I kid at my school bought a MCAT book but its just sitting on his shelf because we are adjusting to college and have no time to worry about something thats 2 - 3 years away. Again focus on your grades not the MCAT because come your jr year, there will be plenty of time to worry about that.

yodelo

When in our junior year do we take it usually? Like April?

ace550

According to many posters here, the best time ranges from the summer after sophomore to April in the junior year if you do not take a gap year. Incoming freshmen may have a chance to take MCAT in 2014 before the new MCAT. If would ne wise to take care of most pre-req and a few humanity courses such as PSY and SOC.

S1 is taking a course about international human rights. This professor assigns three papers with ~ 40 pages each every week. In addition, every student has to write a response to an article from a foreign journal (on-line version of The Economists in his case). It has been a busy freshmen year for him thanks to the professors. I just asked him to take a practice test (VR from EK) every 2-3 months to gauge any progress and adjust if necessary.

For the preparation of PS and BS, all he can do is to read the chapters in the textbooks before the classes during the semester. He also has to read the research papers from his lab group. There is really no time for preparing MCAT during the school year. Hopefully, all these readings can help easing the future MCAT preparation.

i_wanna_be_Brown

you're better off devoting time to extracurriculars than studying for the MCAT as a freshman.

orange peel

yeah building that type of reading comprehen. takes years of reading articles like the Economist. What should a person who does not do that do with not a decade of time to prepare?

Noornoor

Does it matter how many times you take it, though??

i_wanna_be_Brown

yes, fewer is always better