We know that there are a lot of modules - 160 of them in fact! While we do recommend that you do all of them as part of your comprehensive MCAT prep, we want to make sure that you are using your study time most effectively. The goal is not to spend an equal amount of time on each module, but rather to target your review on your biggest areas of opportunity. This means you may only spend 10-20 minutes on one module, but closer to 2 hours on a different module. The ideal average pace is less than 1 hour per module.
Here are a few tips to maximize your learning:
Test out of as many modules as you can with the assessment quiz. If you test out, it will mark it as complete on your syllabus so you are done with that module! If you are worried about skipping the module - don't! You will test yourself on this content many more times as you work through full length exams, end of chapter exams, and practice questions in the Qbank.
If you can't test out of a module, look over the assessment questions that you missed. Are they centered on a subtopic of a module? If so, focus on just that part to review your gap in knowledge and skip over the rest. The modules will consist of multiple videos, so if you only really need to review half of them, it is a strategic use of your time. The goal here is not to review everything, but rather to review your specific gaps in knowledge. We know that it can be comforting to review content that you know, bit it is wasting your time.
If you need a quick review of everything in a module, watch the videos and only work through the quiz at the very end. The module quizzes are not as MCAT-like as the Qbank and end of chapter exams, so using those resources should be prioritized over module quiz practice.
If you have not seen a content topic before and you have more available time to study, it may be worth it to invest more time in a deeper review of the module (2-3 hours). Work through each video at normal speed and complete all of the concept check quizzes between videos.
Regardless of the depth in which you review a module, you should minimize your note taking. Generally speaking, we have a tendency to take too many notes because note taking gives us a feeling of accomplishment. When you take notes, only write down information that is new to you or really unfamiliar. Additionally, limit your notes to bullet points and main takeaways instead of full sentences and fine details. You should never write down stuff that you know.
Keep in mind that it is ok if you dont 100% understand something after watching the module. If you learn about about 70-80% of the content with modules, you can get the last 20-30% with applied practice. Learning science has shown that repeated practice leads to better long term retention of material than just content review. We recommend working through around 1,000 practice questions through a combination of Qbank and End of Chapter Exams and 5 Blueprint Full Length Exams. As you review your practice, you will come back to content several times, getting a deeper understanding of the material each time.