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Mastering the MCAT

"I will study and get ready, and perhaps my chance will come."
Abraham Lincoln

The key to mastering the MCAT is preparation. You need to prepare well and prepare as if you were only going to take it the MCAT once. Let’s get you started. Let’s get you ready to Master the MCAT.

Below I listed what the MCAT tests you on, how the test is organized, how to best study, outline an example study schedule, explain the best time to take the test to give you the best chance of getting into medical school, and some other great tips. The above topics are linked to great resources on the official AAMC MCAT website. This site has information that is in depth and they even have FREE MCAT practice exams and guides.

What does the MCAT test you on?

The MCAT tests you on your mastery of following basic concepts that you learned in your premedical classes:

• Biology
• General and Organic Chemistry
• Physics
• Critical Thinking
• Writing Skills
  
  How is the MCAT organized?
  
  The MCAT is broken down into the following sections with score ranges as follows:
  
  
• Physical Sciences- 1-15
• Verbal Reasoning- 1-15
• Biological Sciences-1-15
• Writing Sample- J(low)-T(high)

 


Must See Links!
AAMC’s MCAT student Manual- Specifics on types of questions asked and test preparation involved for each of the above sections.

How do I study for the MCAT?

Lots of premeds head over to Kaplan or Princeton Review for their MCAT studying. You don’t have to go through this expensive route to get prepared properly for the MCAT. The materials you need to study are all within your reach. Every school has programs for students of color to prepare them for the MCAT. Head over to the office of diversity near you and ask. Offices of diversity have staff that have experience with the MCAT and they may also have review books and practice tests. Also, use your classroom resources. Use the teachers, student assistants, tutors, and learning centers at your school to learn and review basic science concepts. There are also national programs like the Summer Medical andDental Education Program (medical enrichment program with MCAT prep components for premeds of color) that prepare you for the MCAT in a 6 weeks. They even award you a stipend of a few hundred dollars.

You should start by taking a practice test to see how much time you need to put into studying for the scores you want. The AAMC has a MCAT Practice Online site that provides free online MCAT practice tests, explanations on how the MCAT is scored, and writing examples.

The best way to study is to set up a study schedule (an example outline is below) to organize yourself. That is basically what you are paying Kaplan or Princeton Review to do. Most students study for at least 6 weeks and can study as long as a few months. Make sure you pick up a good MCAT Review book. There are many good ones on the market. Just go to the bookstore and see which one is best for you.

Make sure you keep practicing. Schedule time to do practice tests. It will help you work on your timing to build up the speed needed for the test and help you focus your studying. The AAMC publishes a good number of MCAT practice tests for you to test yourself with. You can order them in hard copy or do them via the web.

As you study plan regular reviews at least once a week to recap the things you learned the previous week. This will help you retain hard concepts and bring concepts together.

Study Tips!
-Switch gears often while you study. Switch disciplines after 1 hour of focused study. You use different parts of your brain for math, biology, physics, & literature. Four hours switching between courses is more effective than four hours of math.
-Link up with other study buddies. We all have the experience of a workout plan that fails after the second week. Working out with someone else keeps us on schedule and on point.
-Avoid people who are negative or who don’t support you. Focusing and Studying is more difficult if all you hear is how hard or how much of a waste of time something is.

Must See Links!
AAMC’s MCAT Practice Online- Free online MCAT practice tests, explanation on how the MCAT is scored, and writing samples.

What is a good study schedule for the MCAT?

A well thought out study schedule is important for premeds of color that are looking to do well on their MCATs. With a well thought out schedule you are less likely to have less important things distract you. By the time the MCAT rolls around you will be well prepared. Make sure to schedule out your study time, work, dinner, exercise, fun, family, passions, and sleep. You need to keep yourself happy and healthy to be well focused for the test.

Sample MCAT Study Schedule

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Schedule Tips!
-When you study, try to do most of it during the daylight hours when you are most efficient. Save the night hours for less mind-taxing things.

Go to When to take the MCAT.