How long we should study?

[dreamaddict]

How long should we study for the new MC AT? Would 2.5-3 months be too short?

I started studying yesterday and am trying to see if I can take the 7/18 exam so I can still get my score in when med schools start reviewing applications in August. Ideally, I wanted to see if I'm ready in mid-June and reschedule to 8/6 if needed but I'm pretty sure all the seats would be taken by then... Should I just take the exam on 8/6 and risk having my application reviewed in September when I receive my score? Or should I go for it and study real hard and aim for 7/18? I work full-time so can study from 6pm-whenever and all day on weekends.

By the way, to briefly introduce my stats, I have an average 3.5GPA, 3.3 Science GPA, pretty competitive extracurricular activities--leadership(2+ years of leadership in 3 organizations), volunteer (3 years at a children's hospital and 2 years at a mobile clinic that I am currently working at full-time), research, and work. Since my GPA is not competitive at all and being Asian doesn't help, I can use the advantage of applying as early as possible.

Any advice would be appreciated.

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[frodo25]

Applying in September would be a poor decision on your part. Even taking it in July would be slightly late. Have you thought about a gap year at all? You might be able to bring up the GPA a bit during that time as well.

 

[DesitnationMD]

I agree, waiting on and MCAT score until Sept puts you seriously late in the game. Most of my friends last years were in by October. You could still have all your AMCAS stuff in but w/o that MCAT score, your app isn't complete or actionable in most schools.

 

[allanMED15]

It really depends on you. I officially started studying in November, but I saw myself being distracted by writing my Masters' thesis and classes. So it really just depends on how you study and what will work best. Don't push it back too far as it will hurt you, but be sure to only take it when you're ready.

 

[DaddyBex28]

Two bits of advice that will go a loooong way:

1. Take the MCAT only when you are ready.

2. Do NOT apply in august or september.

You should really consider taking a gap year where you can earn some extra dough, volunteer some more and potentially work on some academic deficiencies.

just my two cents though.

 

[Jack Westin]

Study for 4 months only if you have a strong grasp of every subject prior to studying. Month 1: review everything and do about 20-50 questions a day. Months 2-4 do 50-100 questions a day except for days where you do full-lengths. On days you do full-lengths, do not do extra questions. Give yourself a day off every two weeks but no more than a day off. On days you are reviewing full-lengths, do 50 questions. Don't forget the importance of building up stamina for the exam. Don't start off doing 50-100 questions a day. Start off with 5 and work your way up. Reviewing why you got a question right is just as important as why you got a question wrong. If you are lacking in Physics. Add a month to your studying. If you are lacking in Physics and Biology, add two months. So basically, for every subject you are weak in, add a month. I consider psych/soc one subject.

 

[mcatjelly]

Study for 4 months only if you have a strong grasp of every subject prior to studying. Month 1: review everything and do about 20-50 questions a day. Months 2-4 do 50-100 questions a day except for days where you do full-lengths. On days you do full-lengths, do not do extra questions. Give yourself a day off every two weeks but no more than a day off. On days you are reviewing full-lengths, do 50 questions. Don't forget the importance of building up stamina for the exam. Don't start off doing 50-100 questions a day. Start off with 5 and work your way up. Reviewing why you got a question right is just as important as why you got a question wrong. If you are lacking in Physics. Add a month to your studying. If you are lacking in Physics and Biology, add two months. So basically, for every subject you are weak in, add a month. I consider psych/soc one subject.

This suggestion seems overkill, no offense. If you're only studying 2-3 hours a day, then you might need to spend more than 4 months studying for this exam, but I don't think this advice is very generalizable.

 

[DrHart]

OP, I think you should take these suggestions with a grain of salt. Every person is different. It amazes me how people say you need to study X hours for Y days a week for Z months. There is no surefire recipe for success, especially for this new test. Your GPA tells me you weren't stellar in your prereqs, so some solid content review would do you some good, although this would take time away from studying strategy and practicing/simulating tests.

That said, if you have no more school for the next few months and have the grits to grind everyday. I don't think it's impossible. But your GPA definitely limits your options in terms of schools. I would lean toward a gap year to up your GPA and give you more time to study for the MCAT. But if you are opposed to a gap year, I'd give it a shot. Don't expect to get in to HMS but lower tier, state, or DO schools might give you some love.

 

[Jack Westin]

@mcatjelly you make a good point, it seems like a lot but it's really not. I just believe that it is better to be over prepared than to be underprepared. From my experience, students need this practice not because they don't understand the concepts, but because they need to be able to do questions quickly. The more questions you do under timed conditions, the better test-taker you become. As I'm sure you are well aware, this exam isn't as much what you know as it is how you answer questions.

 

[DesitnationMD]

This new exam should not take much longer than the old. If you can study 15-20 hours a week, 3-4 months should be plenty. If you are studying for the MCAT for >6 months, it is likely because you are seriously deficient in your sciences or you are working inefficiently.

 

[radian313]

Not sure what your plans are whether its DO or MD or both. An mcat in August for a DO app is NOT late, @Goro will tell you so as well....

 

[Goro]

There's no correct answer for this because it all depends upon you. Take the test only when you ready for it.

How long should we study for the new MC AT? Would 2.5-3 months be too short?