The MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) is one of the most daunting things a pre-med student will ever have to face. Freshman and sophomore year it seems like some faraway thing that is not real. Then all of a sudden you are signing up for it, making a study plan, spending 5+ hours a day studying and then finally you’re in the exam room taking THE MCAT. Maybe everyone does not put it on a scary pedestal surrounded by thorn bushes and dangerous creatures, but I sure did. From a distance, it can definitely seem terrifying. Even up close it is quite daunting. But it doesn’t have to be the worst time of your life. As the first person to pursue medicine in my family, I had no clue what I was doing. I was also the first of my close friends to take it so I had no one really to look to for guidance. If you are in this same position, I want you to know it will be okay and you will figure it out. Your study plan does not have to be perfect and you don’t have to spend $2,000+ on study materials to do well. From start to end, I hope you are able to find some aid tips for making the MCAT a little more bearable.
Registering for the MCAT
First thing is signing up for the exam. You should have a general idea of when you want to take the exam and as the time moves closer, you will be able to narrow down the exact month and date. The AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) will post the dates that the test is being offered a month before you are able to sign up, which is in October for exams January – June or in February for exams July – September. You should try to be as prepared as possible when signing up. Have all your information already filled out so you can instantly join the queue and checkout. If you have ever participated in a Ticketmaster queue, signing up for the MCAT is oddly similar although less competitive. While spots do fill up, as long as you enter the queue when dates first open, you should not have to worry. The last thing to be aware of when signing up is the price. The MCAT is $350, which can definitely be a shock if you’re not expecting it. The AAMC does offer some financial assistance so definitely look into this if you think you may qualify.
Creating a Study Plan and Content Review
Once you are signed up you can start making a study plan. Most people study for 3-5 months. It really depends on your own strengths and what you will be doing while studying. If you will be in school, I would recommend studying a little longer since you won’t be able to get in as many hours every day. Traditionally, studying is broken up into a content review section and a practice section. In this stage, it’s important to take things lightly since you will not be able to remember every single thing you read during content review, it is quite literally impossible. Use it to refresh your memory, recognize things you are not familiar with and know what areas you need the most help with. I personally read the Kaplan books during this section of studying but the content does not vary much from book to book.
Practice Questions & Flashcards – Reinforcing What You Know
Once you have finished your content review, it will feel like you still know nothing. That is okay! Even at the end of your studying you will not know everything. Do not let yourself get caught up in memorizing tiny details ,but rather focus on big picture patterns and be able to apply these to questions. Most of the advice I have heard is to start questions as early as possible even if you feel like you do not know anything. Practice questions are essential for getting a grasp on as many topics as possible, the type of questions that may be asked and building up the stamina needed to read for 7 hours. Start amping up the amount of questions you are doing every day to improve your knowledge and stamina. In the first half of the practice question section, you should not do too many questions every day and put a lot of emphasis on reviewing every single question. It may seem tedious but you should look at every question and clearly understand why you got it right or wrong. Content review never really stops. You are constantly reviewing questions and learning new things through the whole process. As you learn from practice questions, you should reinforce this information with flashcards. A popular software is Anki, which can be downloaded for free on your computer. You can download popular decks from Reddit or make your own cards based on your strengths and weaknesses. You should aim to finish a certain number of cards everyday to continue reviewing concepts.
Practice Exams – The Ultimate Test Simulation
Beyond individual practice questions, I think the most important study tool is practice exams. Fitting in as many practice exams as possible is the best thing you can do for yourself. On test day, you will be so used to taking a 7-8 hour exam that it will not feel like that big of a deal. These also provide an opportunity to get used to the pacing of the test and a chance at even more practice questions. You will not always do great on these, especially in the beginning. You may not even follow an upward trend. The important thing is not the score you get but the practice you get from taking the test. Thoroughly review every exam and make sure you understand all of your mistakes so you do not make them again. I personally made an Excel spreadsheet with every question I got wrong, why I got it wrong and the explanation for the correct answer.Â
You Got This!
If you do all of this, adapting it to fit your needs and schedule, you will be more than prepared on test day. It is impossible to know absolutely everything and you will undoubtedly be nervous the day of the exam, but try to keep a solid routine so that you know what to expect. I know it can seem scary but I promise you will get through it and you will look back on this period of time and be so proud of yourself for getting through it. I believe in you!