How many hours of studying?

[MDtoBe777]

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So...now that we have about a month left...how many hours a day are all of you putting in/planning to put in to studying? I'm taking TPR. I'm in class about 2.5 hours a day. Then, I put in about 4.5-6 hours on my own (or at least I try to!).

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Yikes!!! That makes me feel totally inadequate. 🙁 I'm already going to summr school taking orgo chem so that requires a lot of prep and studying..but it helps me learn that fo the MCAT. I also do close to 40 hrs of volunteeer work spent between a hospital and a crisis clinic. It's a good thing that i can sometimes study at the clinic. Otherwise all my studying wold be accomplished in the wee hours of the mornig. Yea i've pulled all-nighters studying for the MCAT b/c I have no other choice. 🙁

How are you doing on the practice tests?

 

[princessd3]

I had been studying about 25 hours a week but now I plan to study everyday and put in about 50 hours a week. I know that's alot but I really need to crack down. I just took EK 2f and got 25, the same score I got on 1g so I really need to get to work.

 

[Karina]

I did 5 hours today...plan to do like 6 or 7 tomorrow....I do an average of 5 hours, 5 days a week. I might bump it up now, cuz I have to start taking the practice tests (taking 4R on monday)...plan to do one every other day or something...
I just study enough..until I can't think of anything that I know I don't know, you know? 🙂

Good luck!
Karina

 

[Nakhrewali]

I've been doing about 7 hours a day for the last month Mon-Fri and a few hours on the weekends. This next month I'm doing a practice diag every other day so I'm gonna try to get in about 50-60 hours a week and NAIL THIS BAD BOY ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!!

 

[C. LaRue]

I know that this advice will seem ridiculous to some of you, but don't feel like you have to study every waking minute. That's a really good way to burn out, get sick, have a nervous breakdown, and end up doing worse on the test than you would have if you'd slowed down a little. More is not always better.

Then again, I'm a hypocrite. I was on the two week panic plan of MCAT study because I had a health scare in the spring that made me think I should just postpone the exam. So of course I didn't study. Then when I found out everything was stable, it was just two weeks before the MCAT! AAAAA! But maybe the reason I didn't burn out is that I only studied like a complete freak for two weeks instead of for months like some of the people I'm reading about on SDN. And hey, I've always been a bit of a crammer. I'll have to work on that if I get into med school.

 

[joelmamchur]

I've studied between 1-7 hrs / day since may 11th..... with most days being around 4 hrs....that's all I can stomach! That may seem like a lot, but I don't have the science background most do...so yeah, trying to makie up for that😛

 

[Psycho Doctor]

how did you do with waiting until two weeks before the exam?

 

[Scubadoc]

I only studied like a complete freak for two weeks instead of for months like some of the people I'm reading about on SDN. And hey, I've always been a bit of a crammer. I'll have to work on that if I get into med school.

how did you end up doing? did you take any practice tests and if so what kind of improvement did you make?

i've been a great crammer too but have been trying to study for this beast for the past 2 months or so & just don't feel like i'm getting anywhere so am curious how a fellow crammer did.... 🙂

 

[thegenius]

So...now that we have about a month left...how many hours a day are all of you putting in/planning to put in to studying? I'm taking TPR. I'm in class about 2.5 hours a day. Then, I put in about 4.5-6 hours on my own (or at least I try to!).

Is that 6 hours a day? Or 6 hours a week?

I work full time - so I can't commit to 8 hours a day. But I do study every day and I study full time on the weekends.

It really isn't that bad. Relearning all of this stuff is actually intriguing, and I feel that the MCAT isn't some inconquerable mountain that I used to 6 years ago. On average I get 5-8 wrong on PS and BS because the question is just flat out difficult, but I'm also getting that number wrong because I make silly mistakes (or I haven't reviewed the relevant material yet enough times.)

If you value partying and boozing it up and hitting on girls or guys on a regular basis and being a mack, then studying for the MCAT can be a real downer. But if you done all the partying and you are now ready to go forward with other things in your life, then I think it's not bad at all. You'll probably get closer to the 45T that we all want (and that I'm gunning for.)

 

[MsEvolution]

I tell myself I'm going to study 4-6 hours a day... but I slack off quite a bit,--I've found I can't really concentrate at work (in the slow periods). Still, even when I 'm not studying, I'm THINKING about it... All in all, I think I must be getting 2-3 hours on average per day. I'm going to try ramping up these last few weeks...

 

[C. LaRue]

how did you end up doing? did you take any practice tests and if so what kind of improvement did you make?

i've been a great crammer too but have been trying to study for this beast for the past 2 months or so & just don't feel like i'm getting anywhere so am curious how a fellow crammer did.... 🙂

I took several practice tests the week before the MCAT, and I improved on each one. I waited until I had finished almost all of the EK books before I started on the AAMC exams, and I scored in the high 20s and low 30s on the exams. On the day before the MCAT, I listened to the Audio Osmosis CDs until about 6 pm, then I just watched TV because I was too freaked out to study anymore. I watched the Apprentice finale. That helped me to chill out a little. Then I went to bed at about 11 pm. I actually took a little (I stress -- little) swig of Nyquill to make sure I wouldn't get sinusy the next day and help me sleep.

On the real MCAT, I got a 36 O. (11 PS, 12 V, 13 BS). But I have always been really good at standardized exams and the sciences and english have always been my strongest areas in school. So I am sure that is part of it, but I am POSITIVE I would not have done nearly as well without good review materials and the old AAMC exams. The AAMC exams gave me a good idea what to expect, and helped me to formulate strategies for the MCAT.

The reason that cramming probably worked for me is that I tend to do better when I'm under stress. If I am given a month to write a paper, I will always wait until the freaking last minute. But I do need to work on this problem or I will drop dead of a heart attack soon.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

sounds great!~ I was going to try to take several tests the week of the MCAT, not sure how i'll fit it all in with an orgo final the same week. 🙁 🙁 and i definitely don't intend to study the day before, but i need to find something to distract me so i don't go crazy. anyone have any ideas?

 

[Scubadoc]

On the real MCAT, I got a 36 O. (11 PS, 12 V, 13 BS). . . The AAMC exams gave me a good idea what to expect, and helped me to formulate strategies for the MCAT.

The reason that cramming probably worked for me is that I tend to do better when I'm under stress. If I am given a month to write a paper, I will always wait until the freaking last minute. But I do need to work on this problem or I will drop dead of a heart attack soon.

wow roo, you rock! see i seem to have stalled out around the high 20s now on the kaplan tests. i went to the center and talked to them about taking the aamc tests that they have there and they actually discouraged me from taking those (which i was seriously surprised about). i ended up getting 5 & 6 R from a friend of mine and plan to take them this week.

i'm the same as you...i work very well under stress and tend to do the all nighters with the papers as well. again, i need to work on this too!

a 36O, wowsa! i hope my kaplan scores are off the mark and i can break a 30. i'll have to post again after taking an aamc test...

 

[Psycho Doctor]

thanks, i'll have to do all of them...anything and everything to occupy my time..i know i won't sleep. 🙄

and yes i'm the world's worst procrastinator but also generally work well under pressure..otherwise i never would have made it as far as i have 😳

ok, need to take a test now...???

 

[brynn7]

I feel guilty sleeping, eating, speaking...unless i have some sort of review material in my hand. my dad walked into the living room today and i was sitting in front of the tv hugging my backpack. i am not joking-i really was and i didnt even realize it. he was like ummmm why are you holding your bookbag like that? but i did not let go. 🙁

 

[Heliums]

EK is so much better than kaplan. Why did I waste my money on kaplan?

 

[PRamos]

EK is so much better than kaplan. Why did I waste my money on kaplan?

I hear you. But for me it's BR is so much better than Princeton. Why did I waste my time and money on priceton?

Doing only the MCAT makes a huge difference.