MCAT Advice???

[Green22]

Hi, I am entering my second semester in my sophomore year (I go to a community college and I will transfer to a 4yr Uni for my junior and senior year). I am wondering a few things regarding the MCAT....

1) When should I start studying? I plan to take the MCAT in 2019 because I am aiming to start med school in the fall of 2020. I am thinking about starting as early as this semester (lightly with maybe Barron or Kaplan flash cards..nothing extreme yet)

2) When I do get into studying for it, what methods are the most useful? I like flashcards...but will they truly help me?

3) (if my first score isn't satisfactory) Can I take the MCAT again and up to how many times? Does taking it more than once do more harm than good?

Thanks.

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[STcmOCSD]

Hi, I am entering my second semester in my sophomore year (I go to a community college and I will transfer to a 4yr Uni for my junior and senior year). I am wondering a few things regarding the MCAT....

1) When should I start studying? I plan to take the MCAT in 2019 because I am aiming to start med school in the fall of 2020. I am thinking about starting as early as this semester (lightly with maybe Barron or Kaplan flash cards..nothing extreme yet)

2) When I do get into studying for it, what methods are the most useful? I like flashcards...but will they truly help me?

3) (if my first score isn't satisfactory) Can I take the MCAT again and up to how many times? Does taking it more than once do more harm than good?

Thanks.

1. When you should start studying depends on how you would like to divide your time. Theoretically you should get 300 or more hours of study time total. If you plan to study 30 hours a week like I did, do 10 weeks. You really don’t want more than 6-7 months of studying otherwise you’ll forget everything you learn. Something you can do now that will greatly help is really focusing in your classes and doing well in them. If you can retain information well from them, you’ll do better on the MCAT.

2. I love flash cards. I never picked up a single one for the MCAT. The best methods depends on your best study style. I’m a reading/writing learning style, and people who love flash cards tend to be as well. I worked through Kaplan’s course review books and took several section tests and full lengths. I tried to do at least one CARS passage per day as well. The most important thing when taking tests and answering questions is reviewing them afterwards and figuring out why you are missing the questions you’re missing.

3. Don’t even think about retaking the MCAT. Yes you can retake. But your primary goal is to take it once and score well enough to not need to take it again. Don’t ask about retaking again until after you’ve taken the first time. Work to make your first score satisfactory.

Feel free to ask me any other questions!