long lead time for the mcat

[dmf2682]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Apologies if this has been asked before.

I'm a Nontrad. Have all the prerequisites except organic, which I'm taking this year. I won't be applying until the cycle after next. I don't have the free time to cram the standard 3 month plan into my life, thought it might be better to go long and slow over the course of a couple years, putting in maybe a few hours a week.

Has anyone had success with such a strategy? Any suggestions?

 

[stolen_biscuit]

I am also a non-trad with a serious lack of free time...which I believe is a myth anyway. 🙂 (I am actually taking a break now to hang out on SDN!)

I chose to just make my life hell for a few weeks pre-MCAT. This was after doing a Kaplan course, so I did have the basic review down. My Kaplan instructor suggested 8-10 hrs a day for the last 2 weeks; that's not at all realistic for me, so I just buckled down and ignored all other obligations that allowed themselves to be ignored. I spent all my non-essential time at the library and pretty much didn't even see my family or friends, even in passing. Work got minimum attention.

If this sounds like it sucks, it's because it did. Regardless, for me at least, it was preferable to doing it slowly. There is just so much content that cramming was a better technique for me. Also, you really have to get in a groove on the practice tests as it's all about timing and rhythm; I found when I didn't take one for a week or so, I had more difficulty just getting through and making decisions of what to spend time on.

Anyway, just my experience. Hope it helps. Best of luck!

 

[mafunk]

Anyway, just my experience. Hope it helps. Best of luck!

How did you end up doing following this plan?

 

[stolen_biscuit]

How did you end up doing following this plan?

I'll let you know on Oct. 4. 😉

The recommendation was based on practice test scores and, more importantly, how I felt on practice tests. I cannot translate this to how I felt after the actual MCAT because I didn't think it was quite like any of the practice I took (AAMC included).

Prior to my 3-week cram, I was studying slowly. First I worked through Physics and was getting 90-100% of the Physics discretes and passage-based correct. Then I moved on to Orgo and ignored Physics, which was followed by an increase in correct Orgo problems but back to about 80% on Physics. All-in-all I found that the constant practice of all subjects combined with taking practice tests was what kept my practice scores increasing and definitely what made me feel more knowledgeable when taking the tests. Sometimes feeling better didn't translate to a higher score, but I still liked it.

For me, spreading it out would not have resulted in my best score. I am sure everyone is different as Kaplan recommended taking a day off pre-MCAT, based on many people's experience. I studied formulas all the night before because I know that last-minute studying has always payed off for me and my style of learning.

 

[stolen_biscuit]

I just realized it may have sounded as though I meant I only studied those last few weeks. That is not at all the case; I had been slowly going over content for 6 months. What I meant is that I don't think 2 years of going slow would have allowed me to avoid the 3-week cram. Especially in the case of the practice exams, letting too much time pass would have made them pointless for me.

 

[Warick22]

I just realized it may have sounded as though I meant I only studied those last few weeks. That is not at all the case; I had been slowly going over content for 6 months. What I meant is that I don't think 2 years of going slow would have allowed me to avoid the 3-week cram. Especially in the case of the practice exams, letting too much time pass would have made them pointless for me.

I mean technically most students do a "2 year" study by just going to college and taking the classes that are tested on the MCAT. But, I know that when I tried to recall things like Ksp and acids and buffer solutions and other thingsI learned freshman year, it wasn't easy. There really isn't much of a way to avoid cramming or studying alot in the last couple weeks. Mostly because we all care about the results soo much that even if you are properly prepared(as i probably was) we still feel like we have to study cause we don't want to blow it on a test we have been studying literally months to years for.

 

[dmf2682]

This makes sense, i think.