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The MCAT is a marathon, not a sprint. To be successful and get the absolute maximum score you can, preparation is paramount.
Many premedical students don't begin their MCAT preparation until three or four months before they take the exam. That may sound like a lot of time, but when you consider that most students are taking at least 12 academic credit hours, volunteering at a hospital or other extracurricular activity are involved in research and/or are working part time (at least), three or four months quickly becomes inadequate.
Six months is actually ideal. So how do you make the most of the time you have before your anticipated test date?
Below are three tips to help you maximize your efforts and best prepare for the MCAT:
1. Know what you are facing: A great way to start your preparation is to see what you are up against. Taking a practice MCAT under test conditions before you've done any prep can be an effective, and sometimes jarring, way to jump-start your MCAT training.
Practicing under test conditions is important because it provides that element of time pressure that should not be felt for the first time when you are a few weeks out from test day. Kindly, remember not to beat yourself up if you don't do well during this practice test. Once you know what you are facing, you can hone your strategy and plan for success.
2. Don't simply memorize: By the time you are sitting down to take the MCAT, you have already demonstrated that you are capable of learning new information and using formulas. Therefore, those that create the MCAT are far less interested in your ability to memorize formulas than they are in your ability to understand the physical, biological, or chemical process they describe.
When reviewing the MCAT physical and biological sciences material, in addition to being able to answer the practice questions, ask yourself if you can explain it to a fifth grader in an understandable way. This may sound crazy, but if you understand the material well enough to teach it, you are probably ready to take the test.
3. Focus on your weaknesses: Whether you choose to take an MCAT preparatory course or study on your own, use the practice tests and your demonstrated strengths and identified weaknesses as a guide to help you hone your study plan. The best plan is one that further develops your strengths while improving your weaker areas.