More odd ways of preparing for the MCAT

This, folks, will be the last post in my MCAT series. On the one hand, I feel like a million bucks not having to think about that horrendous test ever again. On the other hand, I do sympathize with my readers who, temporarily, are still forced to depend on the AAMC with their future. In any case, here are my last bits on the Medical College Admissions Test.

Make a trip to your school's library (site).
You will probably find wonderful things there. Mark Twain and Stephen King aside, libraries in the medical faculties in particular seem very keen on buying prep books or even sample tests. As inconvenient as using a book on reserve may be, it just might be worth it if you have the official AAMC practice test in front of you (That's 35$ value each!). You may even get lucky and be able to take out a prep book that goes for 100+ $. Absolutely gratis. Don't believe me? Here are a couple of quick links:
- University of Toronto library search for MCAT
- Queen's University library search for MCAT
REMARK: Obviously, try to fish out the newest stuff. But, dumb marketing aside, 2010 versions are not better than 2009 versions. In fact, the extent of the improvement in such upgrades is usually limited in its use to 5-year-olds who like colorful cartoons or flashy boxes with bold text.
Attend a lecture.
Using the website of your university, look for the schedule of the courses you are interested in. Most MCAT-essential courses will be taught during the summer, specifically to allow You to take advantage of them. The horror of most premeds, aka org chem or calculator dread, aka physics, and many more are all scheduled during the sunny days of your vacation. "But I'm in my second/third/fourth year! I already took those!! Why would I risk getting a bad grade!!!??" - You will argue. Smiling, I will nod and say "Who said anything about registering?" Remember, your purpose is not to get a grade on your transcript, but rather to refresh your knowledge and understand concepts. Who else is better placed to clearly explain torque, the Wittig Reaction or chromosomal disjunction than a university professor? (I might have just contradicted myself in my thoughts, recalling some of my undergraduate professors)

There is, however, a little inconvenience in this method: most of the materials are accessible online only to registered students. However, I instantly see 2 ways to remedy this hiccup: use your old college physics/org chem/bio books. What you need is somebody to explain the material, you can get all the printed stuff you need off the net. Or you can make a friend in the class and ask him to email you the materials. Obviously, you will not be able to write the exams. But do you really need to? Your goal is the MCAT, not the transcript. Practice using the AAMC tests.
Use the internet. Or not.
I mean you can use whatever you have to your advantage. How far is 'whatever'? Well, that is up for you to decide. I am merely listing tools that are available and that will yield results. Given my liberal (when compared to the greedy gremlins at RIAA and MPAA) views on peer-to-peer networks, I believe it is also worth mentioning bittorrent. Or even a well constructed search on Google. Please interpret this correctly: I do not want to argue for or against copyright laws, lawsuits, piracy or any of the other controversial issues (the above reference was a fitting expression of disgruntlement against corporate bullying rather than a cheer for piracy). I just want to let my readers know that these tools exist and can be used to study for the MCAT. Also, a worthwhile reminder: illegal actions entail consequences. Make sure you are willing to take them. Especially if you want to become a physician.