3 Tips for Developing an MCAT Study Plan
Set a test date early on in your MCAT preparation
Having a time-bound goal keeps you accountable to follow through on your study plan. You can set up a study plan with deadlines for each of your goals (e.g., when to complete the content review). As your test date approaches, you can consistently re-evaluate your progress. For example, if you are three weeks away from your exam and have not yet attained your goal score on an AAMC practice test, consider postponing your MCAT test date.
A good MCAT study plan should incorporate both content review and practice
The first step in studying is building your knowledge base. Set realistic deadlines for when you should be done reviewing content. Doing practice tests while getting through material is not an effective strategy. Instead, take practice exams after you have absorbed the content. It will be a waste of time taking exams when you have no mastery of a subject. When practicing, try to simulate the same test conditions of the MCAT. Exams will reveal gaps in your knowledge. Take time to work on those weak areas more.
Be wary of third-party MCAT practice exams!
Third-party practice exams are not representative of your future MCAT score. It’s a good idea to use these exams to build stamina and to get used to similar test conditions. You can also use these exams to practice decision-making and time management. However, don’t be too hard on yourself if you get a bad score on these. These exams are often excessively difficult and not a good indicator of how you will perform on test day.
A related study tip: don’t take practice exams too often. After each exam, review the questions you got wrong and understand the concepts behind them. If you don’t understand the mistakes you made, you can’t expect your scores to go up!