General Questions:
I
just bought your program. Are you going to ship it to me?
I
want to use your program now, but I want a backup copy. Is this possible?
I
have a MAC. Will your program work on a MAC?
Is it
enough to just use your Pre-Med MCAT flashcards to study for the MCAT?
OK, I
have used your flashcards. Now what do you recommend doing to study for the
MCAT?
Do you have printed out MCAT flashcards that you will send me when I buy
your product?
Can I print out
your flashcards from your program?
How do I print?
How much is it?
How do I buy your program?
Can I add my own flashcards?
How come your flashcards are so much less than other companies? Does that
mean they are no good?
I have another Organic Chemistry reaction I'd like to add - how do you add
those?
How will you
mail the CD (if I purchased shipping)?
Do you have a tracking
number for me?
Installation Questions
I installed the program, and there's no cards. What happened?
The program should have the 1900 cards pre-installed. 2 things could have happened. First, you could have clicked “no” when the program asked you if you could access storage on your computer. If you answered no, this would cause no cards to appear. The second issue that could have occurred, is that the allow access storage is not checked in your settings.
The easiest way to fix this is to start over and clear all the settings. Uninstalling and reinstalling Silverlight is the best way to do this.
First, load the program. Right click on the program which should bring up a menu like this:
Click on the Silverlight menu option. Go to the application storage tab, and click Delete all. It should look like this:
Next right click again on in the program and click "Remove this Application."
Next uninstall Silverlight. Go to Start -> control panel -> uninstall programs. Find Silverlight and Reinstall. Now reinstall the program. It should automatically put the newest version of silverlight on (on a PC, if you have a MAC, read below on how to uninstall). Make sure to click "yes" when the program asks you if it can have access to the storage.
I'm on a MAC, how do I uninstall Silverlight?
1. Double-click the hard drive icon on your desktop.
2. Navigate to your Internet Plug-Ins directory: /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/
3. Drag any of the following into your trash bin: Silverlight.plugin, WPFe.plugin
I'm on a MAC, when I go to install, it just comes up as a white screen. What is wrong?
This probably means that you have an older version on Silverlight installed. Uninstall the old version of Silverlight by following the directions above, and then go back to the setup.html. It should direct you on where to install the newest version of Silverlight. Once the newer Silverlight is installed, you will see the installation page for the program.
General Questions
I just bought your program. Are you going to ship it to me?
You have the option to buy the downloadable version or the CD version. If you buy the downloadable version, we will e-mail you within 24 hours with instructions on how to download the program. You will receive an unique key code as well.
If you ordered the CD version, we will ship you a CD to the billing address listed.
I want to use your program now, but I want a backup copy. Is this possible?
Sure. Buy the CD Version, send us an email, and we will e-mail you with instructions on how to download the program, and we'll ship you a CD as well. You can get started right away.
I have a MAC. Will your program work on a MAC?
Yes. The program will work on all Intel Macs, specifically Apple Mac OS X 10.4.8 or above, Intel Core™ Duo 1.83GHz or faster processor, and requires 128MB of RAM.
Is it enough to just use your Pre-Med MCAT flashcards to study for the MCAT?
Not exactly. The purpose of our flashcards is to review the material that will be on the MCAT. The student must realize that the MCAT is full of passages that must be read and then use the knowledge you have learned to answer the questions. The MCAT is a reasoning test, and knowing the material is the first step - but a very important step.
OK, I have used your flashcards. Now what do you recommend doing to study for the MCAT?
We recommend doing old practice tests released by the AAMC (which are REAL old MCAT questions). That will help you by getting used to the style and how to read and answer passage-based questions.
Do you have printed out MCAT flashcards that you will send me when I buy your product?
No. Pre-Med Flashcards is a computer program that contains over 1900 MCAT flashcards. We feel it's important to learn and study on the computer since you will be taking the MCAT on the computer as well. Remember, however, that you can print out the flashcards from the program.
Can I print out your flashcards from your program?
Yes. Pre-Med Flashcards has the feature to print out flashcards if you wish to do so.
Click here to see how to print.
The cost of MCAT Flashcards is $29.99 without shipping.
Click on the "Buy" button (or click here). Then click on the Buy now button and go through Google Checkout or Paypal to purchase Pre-Med Flashcards.
Yes you can. The specifics of how to do this is located here.
How come your flashcards are so much less than other companies? Does that mean they are no good?
We offer the finest flashcards that will really help you prepare for the MCAT. Since Pre-Med Flashcards is a program, there are not as many expenses such as printing, packaging, and distribution. Because of this, we would like to pass the savings on to you.
I have another Organic Chemistry reaction I'd like to add - how do you add those?
We used a freeware program called "Chem Sketch" from Advanced Chemistry Development, Inc. (ACD/Labs). Written permission was obtained to use the images created in Chem Sketch. You may do the same.
How will you mail the CD (if I purchased shipping)?
We mail CD's first class, and it should arrive between 2-5 business days.
Do you have a tracking number for me?
No, since we are mailing it first class, we cannot offer tracking numbers. We have found that our packages actually get to our customers faster this way, and it is cheaper, so we do not have to charge so much for shipping.
Technical Questions and Tutorial
First, we’ll start with a general overview of the program:
Getting to know the toolbar:
Getting to know your editing toolbar:
Adding a new card group
What is the difference between a card group and a card set?
A card group is the general category such as “Physics” and
the card set is a subcategory such as “Equations” or “Experiments”
How do I add a card group?
Simply click on the New icon as shown above. A box should appear asking you to add either ard Group or a Card Set.
How do I Add a card set?
Shown Above.
How do I Delete a card group/set?
Check the card group or set you'd like to delete and then click the delete button.
Editing Your Cards
To the right of the screen is where you will edit your cards.
How do I add text to my card?
Click on the desired card (front or back – you can tell because the Front or
Back button will be highlighted). Next click on the Text Box icon
Add the text desired.
OK, I put my text in. Can I resize text & pictures and move it around?
Yes. Click on the Text Box or picture and you will be able to expand or
shrink the text to the desired size.
How do I move the text/pictures around?
Move your mouse to the middle of the box and the hand cursor
should appear. Left click down and you can move the text to the desired
position.
How do I delete a card? I keep pressing the button and the card won’t
delete!
To delete a card simply press the “Delete Card" button as shown below:
What does the Thumbnail Height bar do?
As shown below, the bar decreases the size of the viewable card.
Playing and studying your flashcards
Click the Play Button, and it will look like this:
Tracking Your Responses:
Lets do an example to show how this feature works.
OK, so lets try to answer the question above in our heads or out loud while
studying. Hit the "Flip Card." Now mark the card as Correct or Wrong
(Missed)
What is "Spaced Learning?"
Spaced Learning is based off the Leitner system for studying
a lot of information. In essence, the method allows you to rate your card
based on how well you answered the question. See below:
| Answer | Meaning |
| Excellent | Knew the question right off the bat and did not hesitate or have to think very hard to come up with the correct answer. |
| Good | You answered the question correctly but you had to think deeply to come up with the correct response |
| OK | It took an extremely long amount of time to come up with the answer, and/or part of your answer was partially wrong. |
| Fail | You got the answer incorrect, or you did not know. |
Once you have graded your card, "Spaced Learning" will then
calculate the next interval for repetition of that particular card based on
an algorithm that takes into account how many times you answered the
question correctly.
Thus, you will review the cards that you do not know more often and review
the cards that you DO know less often. The advantage of this is that you do
not waste valuable time reviewing information you already know!
For example, lets say that I first see a card that I am very
familiar with. I look at the answer for verification, and I then mark the
card as "Excellent." Since it is the first time, I will not see this card
again for 5 days.
5 days goes by and I see the same question again. I still remember the
answer to the question with ease and again answer Excellent, so the interval
increases to 13 days.
If you see the question for the third time and answer correctly, the
interval time increases exponentially until you do not see the card again
for a very long time (in essence the card is in your long term memory, and
you do not need to study it anymore).
This allows you to focus your efforts on the material that you struggle with
and not worry about information you already know.
How do I turn on "Spaced Learning?"
Go to the Settings menu. Then click on the Spaced Learning Button.
How do I turn Spaced Learning off?
Go to the Settings menu. Then click on the Normal Button.
Getting to know your Spaced Learning Statistics Bar:
I keep seeing the same question over and over again? Why?
Once you mark a card as "Fail", it will be moved to the repeat pile. As long as you keep marking the card as "Fail", you will continue to see the card in the review pile. You will see the card as many times as is necessary until you memorize the answer and answer correctly with an "Excellent" or a "Good."
I thought if you mark a card as "Excellent" on the first time you see the card, you won't see the card for 5 days. I am seeing the card in 1 day, is something wrong?
No. Once you mark a card as "Fail", it will go to the repeat pile. When you then memorize the correct answer, and the second or third time (or however long it takes to memorize the card), you will repeat the card in 1 day because you had trouble with the card. If you see the same card the next day and answer it "Excellent", you then will not see the card for 5 days.
I am confused by the intervals in Spaced Learning. Can you explain it?
We understand that this maybe seem like a new concept, but most people are surprised that they are already familiar with these concepts if they use flashcards. They have a stack of flashcards, and they separate them into different piles depending on how they are answered. Some separate them into "Right" and "Wrong" piles, and more emphasis is placed on the "Wrong" piles. We do the same thing albeit a little more sophisticated, but the concept is the same.
Can I just use Spaced Learning and forget about the details?
Yes. The program was designed to just be used and for the user not to worry about the complexities that is going on in the background. Just answer the questions in the card set (or the entire program), and rate your answers honestly. As you continue to study, answer the questions as they come due for review, and forget about the interview. You will learn faster and will retain the information longer by using Spaced Learning.
Can I trust Spaced Learning?
We have used and tested Spaced Learning for thousands of hours, and it is a trustworthy and efficient way of studying material.
Why is Spaced Learning better than Manually Tracking Responses?
We feel that you learn more efficiently using Spaced Learning. Each card is customized to the optimal repetition based on your responses. It can be a little different to get used to, but we are confident that as you continue in your studying, you will realize the power of Spaced Learning, and how it will help your learning at a fast rate.
How do I search for text in the program?
At the top right of your screen there is a search bar. Type in the text you are looking for and click the search icon. The following screen will appear:
Select the card you are looking for, and the program will automatically go to that specific card.
Can I change the color of the flashcard?
Yes. See Below.
Getting to know your Admin Panel:
What is the correct format for importing from a text document?
What are the shortcuts for your program?
| Function | Shortcut |
| Flip Card | SpaceBar Button or Ctrl Button |
| Next Card | Right Arrow |
| Previous Card | Left Arrow |
| Paste | Ctrl + V |
| Manually Track Responses | |
| Mark Card as Correct | C |
| Mark Card as Missed or Wrong | M or W |
| Spaced Learning | |
| Mark Card as Excellent | E |
| Mark Card as Good | G |
| Mark Card as OK | O |
| Mark Card as Fail | F |
Can I paste a text in from another program like
Microsoft Word?
Yes you can. You can paste text from the clipboard. You can drag and drop an
image from your computer to the flashcard program.
I’d like to print the flashcards out, is this possible?
Yes. Select the card groups (by checking the boxes of the card sets or card
groups you'd like to print) and then click the print icon.