How many hours/week should be studying?

[JP2740]

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I'll have around 50hours/week to study for the MCAT for 5 months... what is typical for you guys?

 

[BennieBlanco]

I'll have around 50hours/week to study for the MCAT for 5 months... what is typical for you guys?

that is too much, and people think I'm crazy in the amount of time I think is good.

5x4x50= 1000 hr

Unless you are really inefficient.

Try 3 months instead, especially at that pace.

People tend to like 30-35 hrs a week on SDN. I don't mind your weekly time (especially if you don't have other commitments). But 5 months, wayyy too long.

 

[JP2740]

Do you say way too long because you think I'll be wasting my life or because I would probably burn out? lol.

 

[SN2ed]

Do you say way too long because you think I'll be wasting my life or because I would probably burn out? lol.

At 50 hours per week for 5 months, I'd say both.

 

[rama kandra]

wasting your life? what does that even mean? haha

if you wanna go into medicine thats just the norm, youll be working a lot of hours either studying or working...

 

[J ROD]

At 50 hours per week for 5 months, I'd say both.

👍

 

[J ROD]

I would recommend doing around 25-30hr/wk over 2-3 months

 

[rama kandra]

The guys from Gold Standard have made theirs very easy to understand.

"3-6 hours per day for 3-6 months." That is the best I have ever heard. If you are going for 3 months, jack it up to 6 hours a day. If you feel you are strong, lower it to 4 or 5... The time is given so that you know your test date in advance, and plan accordingly.

I started November 1, 2009, for the January 30th MCAT. This is 3 months. I study every day no matter what, and I tend to study from 3-5 hours solidly. I hope this helps.

 

[sigle]

Dang JP! What score are you hoping to get? I was thinking of 6-8 hrs a day for 6 days/wk. I also plan on taking the 5/27 MCAT.
How are you breaking down you're study plan? Like how much time will you dedicate to content review, passages/questions, and full lengths etc.
Good luck!

 

[JP2740]

I want to get a 35+, trying to get into UofM 😛. I took a Princeton test without studying and got a 21 on it.

But I'm planning on reading the content chapters 2-3 times, doing all of the practice problems in TPRH bio, orgo, genchem physics, verbal + TBR bio, orgo, genchem physics.

I have TPRH science workbook and verbal workbook, and the Examkrackers 101 verbal. So I want to get through every single problem in these books.

As for FL, I have 5 Princeton FL in the class, + I think they give 9 extra ones, and the 8 AAMC. So 17 FL in the last month and a half.

 

[JP2740]

Quick note: I sometimes bull**** myself with my plans... I usually end up doing less.

 

[rama kandra]

I would ditch the 35+ mentality and the school-specific thought. Those are likely not going to help you. Just focus on the MCAT prep, and take each day/question one at a time. ONE AT A TIME man... thats about the greatest thing I have been told.

You've never studied for a test like the MCAT before, so it is very tough but doable. If you set absurd or lofty goals early on, it could make things less encouraging. I'm optimistic but have not set any schools or scores as my goal, yet.

Your plan sounds tough but if you did all of those things, you could do well. Remember the MCAT is a test of smarts and THINKING... it will test your ability to navigate a storm, even though you know how to ride a boat perfectly well.

 

[JP2740]

I won't be heart broken if I don't get into that school, but it is my dream school as far as medical schools go. I'm pretty confident that wherever I go I'll be successful though 😎. Good luck though, how are you gonna be preparing?

 

[skyblue2000]

Just wondering...even when you say 25-30 hours a week, is that during the school year, in addition to your other courses?

If not, could someone please clarify how many hours a week, one should spend (let say not well-versed in sciences) in order to prepare for MCAT, having 4 months of preparation time.

Thanks a lot!

 

[BennieBlanco]

Just wondering...even when you say 25-30 hours a week, is that during the school year, in addition to your other courses?

If not, could someone please clarify how many hours a week, one should spend (let say not well-versed in sciences) in order to prepare for MCAT, having 4 months of preparation time.

Thanks a lot!

Prep time varies. I've done 25 hrs some weeks during a school semester, not easy.

The consensus SDN is, as stated earlier:

Around 3 months (maybe 4) with 3-5 hrs a day, 5-6 days a week. TYPICALLY SUMMER

If you have come from a career or job where you've worked over 10+ hrs regularly, I believe you can boost this up.

TYPICALLY people study during the summer. As they will have limited non-MCAT activities.

I studied with16 units of science during a semester (+volunteer/shadow). It was very difficult and I'd suggest that 90% of people don't do it. Some weeks you just have to drop MCAT because of exams/assignments. I would rather have a summer but it didn't work out like that.

During the school year it is probably more realistic to punch in 5-20 hrs a week depending on school load. If you have all hard classes then you will lack time, while 15 units of simple courses = twice as much time as 15 hard units.

There is no answer.

Everything comes down to personal preference, work capacity, learning style, science familiarity, and available time. These factors all vary with each individual hence different answers.

 

[rama kandra]

AND FURTHER HENCE, DIFFERENT SCORES!

haha just had to throw that in... some people do identical methodology and wind up with different scores. Every little detail does matter, just try your best and make the most of yourself; even medicine as a career is like that, isnt it?

 

[MT2MD]

I don't mean to piss people off or anything, but when people say they study 50 hours a week. Are they really studying the whole time or if it's more like reading with the TV and internet on? 😀

 

[rama kandra]

i think 4 hours a day or 5 makes sense... but 7, or 10... begins to make me wonder.

am i really lackluster in studying or something? I also use AudioOsmosis a lot which is passively studying, but it could count.

 

[avatarftw]

a

 

[BennieBlanco]

I don't mean to piss people off or anything, but when people say they study 50 hours a week. Are they really studying the whole time or if it's more like reading with the TV and internet on? 😀

This is a very good point. I've worked with people who "work" 11 hrs a day but only work for 6 hrs. Then I know guys making 300k who work 11-12 hrs a day that WORK that entire time.

So it depends on the man (or woman🙂)

 

[BennieBlanco]

Damn, that's WAY too much.

The most anybody that I know every studied is 30 hours a week for 3 months. (me) Everybody else did 3 months for 20 hours/week or so...

...If you're efficient with your time you don't need to spend 50 hours a week studying.

Ocho Cinco!

 

[rama kandra]

how much do the 6 hour actualized work hour people earn? haha