MCAT and a Heavy School Workload Don’t Mix: Stop rushing to take the MCAT

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SN2ed

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There have been far too many threads of late with people rushing to take the MCAT with a full course-load. Attempting to take the MCAT with a heavy school workload is not a good idea. What usually happens is that the person gets a sub-par GPA and MCAT. Thus, they are locked into retaking the MCAT through both a poor first attempt and now because their GPA is lowered. Why does this happen? You simply only have so many hours in a day. Taking even 10 hours a week for MCAT studying takes 10 hours a week out of studying for your classes. While this may seem obvious, it's something that people can forget when the MCAT is looming up ahead. Sadly, 10 hours a week for the MCAT isn't even enough for the vast majority of people.

Another problem with studying for the MCAT while in school is burnout. You hear about burnout all the time when people study non-stop for the MCAT. Combining school and the MCAT increases the chance of burnout. Again, the reason behind this isn't complex, it is just overlooked. Let's look at a hypothetical school day of someone aiming for 3 hours of MCAT studying a day.


9:00 am – 12:00 am: Classes


12:00am – 1:00 pm: Lunch


1:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Classes


3:00 pm – 6:00 pm: MCAT


6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Dinner


7:00 pm – 10:00 pm or later: School work


Notice anything? There are only breaks for food and some free time after one's school work is done. Considering that this schedule doesn't calculate lab time, tests, or papers, I think it is fairly obvious that your brain is working in studying/class mode almost the entire day. That is precisely the situation people get into while studying for the MCAT non-stop that leads to burnout.


In response to the above, people normally post two responses. I'll go into both of these frequent points.


1. I'll just study a few hours a week for the MCAT, but study over a long period of time (6+ months).


By the time your test date comes around you'd have forgotten the material you studied and taking practice problems wouldn't help because they were completed so far in advance. You need concentrated studying, not something dragged out over 6+ months. Additionally, only studying a few hours a week limits the amount of practice tests one can complete. One practice test is around 5 hours, plus the time needed to thoroughly analyze your results (should be at least 4 hours). Now think about how many practice tests are necessary for proper preparation.


Another way to look at this is through one's own schooling. In college, a person usually studies various subjects for 10+ hours each subject (time includes homework + class), every week. Image if, at the end of your school year (Sept – Dec + Feb – May = 8 months), you were given a cumulative final. Could you have gotten away without additional studying time? I think most people would have to study like mad to prepare for the test. Although the situation isn't the exactly same for the MCAT, I hope you get the general idea.


2. Isn't this the same as being in school while holding a part time job? There are many students who do that and are fine.
What about non-trads who study for the MCAT along with their job?

Not really. Most jobs are not study oriented. In other words, you aren't studying during that time. I think this mixes up one's day such that their brain isn't in study mode the entire time. Even if the part time job is tutoring, that still isn't the same. In that case, your job focuses more on helping students understand the material and not on you studying the material.
Again, the problem isn't the time limits involved, it's the amount of hours studying that causes burnout. For instance, the chance of burnout would be lower for someone working 9-5 on top of studying for the MCAT than someone going to school full time and trying to study for the MCAT.

People, you do NOT need to take the MCAT during your school year. If your school workload is too much, then take the MCAT during your summer break. Should you be unable to do that, then wait until after your senior year. The common rebuttal to this statement is that you won't be able to apply early enough. What that person forgets is that taking the MCAT does not force you to apply the same year. Most schools accept MCAT scores that are three years old. Taking the MCAT one year and applying EARLY the next, still leaves one with another reapplication before needing to retake the MCAT. Furthermore, the extra year can be used to strengthen your application with better ECs. The goal is to take the MCAT once and give it everything you've got. So, STOP RUSHING TO TAKE THE MCAT.

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There have been far too many threads of late with people rushing to take the MCAT with a full course-load. Attempting to take the MCAT with a heavy school workload is not a good idea. What usually happens is that the person gets a sub-par GPA and MCAT. Thus, they are locked into retaking the MCAT through both a poor first attempt and now because their GPA is lowered. Why does this happen? You simply only have so many hours in a day. Taking even 10 hours a week for MCAT studying takes 10 hours a week out of studying for your classes. While this may seem obvious, it’s something that people can forget when the MCAT is looming up ahead. Sadly, 10 hours a week for the MCAT isn’t even enough for the vast majority of people.

Another problem with studying for the MCAT while in school is burnout. You hear about burnout all the time when people study non-stop for the MCAT. Combining school and the MCAT increases the chance of burnout. Again, the reason behind this isn’t complex, it is just overlooked. Let’s look at a hypothetical school day of someone aiming for 3 hours of MCAT studying a day.


9:00 am – 12:00 am: Classes


12:00am – 1:00 pm: Lunch


1:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Classes


3:00 pm – 6:00 pm: MCAT


6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Dinner


7:00 pm – 10:00 pm or later: School work


Notice anything? There are only breaks for food and some free time after one’s school work is done. Considering that this schedule doesn’t calculate lab time, tests, or papers, I think it is fairly obvious that your brain is working in studying/class mode almost the entire day. That is precisely the situation people get into while studying for the MCAT non-stop that leads to burnout.


In response to the above, people normally post two responses. I’ll go into both of these frequent points.


1. I’ll just study a few hours a week for the MCAT, but study over a long period of time (6+ months).


By the time your test date comes around you'd have forgotten the material you studied and taking practice problems wouldn't help because they were completed so far in advance. You need concentrated studying, not something dragged out over 6+ months. Additionally, only studying a few hours a week limits the amount of practice tests one can complete. One practice test is around 5 hours, plus the time needed to thoroughly analyze your results (should be at least 4 hours). Now think about how many practice tests are necessary for proper preparation.


Another way to look at this is through one’s own schooling. In college, a person usually studies various subjects for 10+ hours each subject (time includes homework + class), every week. Image if, at the end of your school year (Sept – Dec + Feb – May = 8 months), you were given a cumulative final. Could you have gotten away without additional studying time? I think most people would have to study like mad to prepare for the test. Although the situation isn’t the exactly same for the MCAT, I hope you get the general idea.


2. Isn’t this the same as being in school while holding a part time job? There are many students who do that and are fine.
What about non-trads who study for the MCAT along with their job?

Not really. Most jobs are not study oriented. In other words, you aren’t studying during that time. I think this mixes up one’s day such that their brain isn’t in study mode the entire time. Even if the part time job is tutoring, that still isn’t the same. In that case, your job focuses more on helping students understand the material and not on you studying the material.
Again, the problem isn't the time limits involved, it's the amount of hours studying that causes burnout. For instance, the chance of burnout would be lower for someone working 9-5 on top of studying for the MCAT than someone going to school full time and trying to study for the MCAT.

People, you do NOT need to take the MCAT during your school year. If your school workload is too much, then take the MCAT during your summer break. Should you be unable to do that, then wait until after your senior year. The common rebuttal to this statement is that you won’t be able to apply early enough. What that person forgets is that taking the MCAT does not force you to apply the same year. Most schools accept MCAT scores that are three years old. Taking the MCAT one year and applying EARLY the next, still leaves one with another reapplication before needing to retake the MCAT. Furthermore, the extra year can be used to strengthen your application with better ECs. The goal is to take the MCAT once and give it everything you've got. So, STOP RUSHING TO TAKE THE MCAT.

Great advice and very well said!:):thumbup:
 
I'm in a bit of a dilemma as well. I was aiming to apply 2013 since I am currently working on my masters. My schedule is really my own so I want to fit in MCAT studying. I took it once last year and pulled off a 24Q with 3 weeks of studying (5VR, 10PS, 9BS). I'm pretty sure I can kill it if I actually put in the time to review my basic sciences (it's been ages since I've done it). I really don't want to re-write a third time.

I know everyone says avoid the 6+ month studying but I figured if I just start focusing on verbal (reading articles and start doing passages) until mid-April since I am busy until then and then start concentrated science studying for 2-3 months I should be fine?
 
moved response to new thread started by SN2ed. . .

But I also want to add that SN2ed's post on not rushing is very valuable. Even in your thirties, another year is priceless if it means your application is good enough to get you an acceptance. . . go for the acceptance. :thumbup:
 
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There have been far too many threads of late with people rushing to take the MCAT with a full course-load. Attempting to take the MCAT with a heavy school workload is not a good idea. What usually happens is that the person gets a sub-par GPA and MCAT. Thus, they are locked into retaking the MCAT through both a poor first attempt and now because their GPA is lowered. Why does this happen? You simply only have so many hours in a day. Taking even 10 hours a week for MCAT studying takes 10 hours a week out of studying for your classes. While this may seem obvious, it’s something that people can forget when the MCAT is looming up ahead. Sadly, 10 hours a week for the MCAT isn’t even enough for the vast majority of people.

Another problem with studying for the MCAT while in school is burnout. You hear about burnout all the time when people study non-stop for the MCAT. Combining school and the MCAT increases the chance of burnout. Again, the reason behind this isn’t complex, it is just overlooked. Let’s look at a hypothetical school day of someone aiming for 3 hours of MCAT studying a day.


9:00 am – 12:00 am: Classes


12:00am – 1:00 pm: Lunch


1:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Classes


3:00 pm – 6:00 pm: MCAT


6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Dinner


7:00 pm – 10:00 pm or later: School work


Notice anything? There are only breaks for food and some free time after one’s school work is done. Considering that this schedule doesn’t calculate lab time, tests, or papers, I think it is fairly obvious that your brain is working in studying/class mode almost the entire day. That is precisely the situation people get into while studying for the MCAT non-stop that leads to burnout.


In response to the above, people normally post two responses. I’ll go into both of these frequent points.


1. I’ll just study a few hours a week for the MCAT, but study over a long period of time (6+ months).


By the time your test date comes around you'd have forgotten the material you studied and taking practice problems wouldn't help because they were completed so far in advance. You need concentrated studying, not something dragged out over 6+ months. Additionally, only studying a few hours a week limits the amount of practice tests one can complete. One practice test is around 5 hours, plus the time needed to thoroughly analyze your results (should be at least 4 hours). Now think about how many practice tests are necessary for proper preparation.


Another way to look at this is through one’s own schooling. In college, a person usually studies various subjects for 10+ hours each subject (time includes homework + class), every week. Image if, at the end of your school year (Sept – Dec + Feb – May = 8 months), you were given a cumulative final. Could you have gotten away without additional studying time? I think most people would have to study like mad to prepare for the test. Although the situation isn’t the exactly same for the MCAT, I hope you get the general idea.


2. Isn’t this the same as being in school while holding a part time job? There are many students who do that and are fine.
What about non-trads who study for the MCAT along with their job?

Not really. Most jobs are not study oriented. In other words, you aren’t studying during that time. I think this mixes up one’s day such that their brain isn’t in study mode the entire time. Even if the part time job is tutoring, that still isn’t the same. In that case, your job focuses more on helping students understand the material and not on you studying the material.
Again, the problem isn't the time limits involved, it's the amount of hours studying that causes burnout. For instance, the chance of burnout would be lower for someone working 9-5 on top of studying for the MCAT than someone going to school full time and trying to study for the MCAT.

People, you do NOT need to take the MCAT during your school year. If your school workload is too much, then take the MCAT during your summer break. Should you be unable to do that, then wait until after your senior year. The common rebuttal to this statement is that you won’t be able to apply early enough. What that person forgets is that taking the MCAT does not force you to apply the same year. Most schools accept MCAT scores that are three years old. Taking the MCAT one year and applying EARLY the next, still leaves one with another reapplication before needing to retake the MCAT. Furthermore, the extra year can be used to strengthen your application with better ECs. The goal is to take the MCAT once and give it everything you've got. So, STOP RUSHING TO TAKE THE MCAT.

Wow, that schedule pretty much sums up my experience as a student athlete (practice 3pm - 6pm everyday). It definitely sucks, but you can do it! Just understand it won't be easy and that you'll have to make some sacrifices.
 
Last summer I worked 12 hours a day, 3-4 days a week, while studying for the MCAT on my off days -- approximately 4 hours per day for 15 weeks. By the 10th week I realized that it simply wasn't enough time. I hadn't finished content review and I definitely couldn't fit full length practice tests into my schedule. I ended up cancelling my exam and eating the $120 cancellation fee.

I plan on working part time after I graduate: 2 days a week (16 hours) for 3-4 months, so I can dedicate myself to studying for the MCAT. Maybe some of you are smarter or better adapted to handling such a schedule but I couldn't work full time and study for the MCAT.
 
I'm in a bit of a dilemma as well. I was aiming to apply 2013 since I am currently working on my masters. My schedule is really my own so I want to fit in MCAT studying. I took it once last year and pulled off a 24Q with 3 weeks of studying (5VR, 10PS, 9BS). I'm pretty sure I can kill it if I actually put in the time to review my basic sciences (it's been ages since I've done it). I really don't want to re-write a third time.

I know everyone says avoid the 6+ month studying but I figured if I just start focusing on verbal (reading articles and start doing passages) until mid-April since I am busy until then and then start concentrated science studying for 2-3 months I should be fine?

As another student taking graduate-level courses (PT school, in class from 8 AM to as late as 5:30 PM some days, with heavy group projects, written assignments, clinic visits, exams, and outside employment thrown in), it was difficult to find some days to study for the MCAT. I had originally scheduled to sit he exam in August, only one week after finals week of an intensive summer term (big mistake!), and wound up burning out and getting mono over finals week and test week. My GPA suffered that semester due to the illness and trying to cram in studying for the MCAT, my job, and shadowing physicians.

I wound up postponing the test until January because I was too sick to even leave bed on test day and and I knew I hadn't given myself enough time in the first place. Those extra few months gave more than enough time to work on content review. It helped to allocate certain days to PT school coursework and other days to studying for the MCAT, depending on what sort of projects/tests/deadlines I had. My GPA for the semester was considerably higher and I felt more confident about the MCAT having two weeks in December and all of January to focus on that. I also decided to postpone shadowing until this semester.

So, dear graduate and professional students who realize medicine is a better fit, don't rush to change your career! Although it means spending more time in a field in which you're unhappy, make the best of it and use that extra time to make your application more competitive.
 
Hello.

I'm a freshman taking 17 credits this semester and I have a job where I work 8 hours a week in the library administration office where I pretty much get paid to sit there and do homework. (And I have this job secured for me all four years of my undergrad.) I know I'm not to the point where I need to start studying for the MCAT, but since you guys mentioned research (which I'm working to become a part of ASAP), I thought I'd ask... Because I'll need to study for it eventually, right? :p

I assume it would be impossible to have a job once the MCAT studying rolls around, right? I believe biochemistry majors at my school typically have 16-18 credits every semester. I'm just wondering how it would be possible to do research with that many credits and a job. Or study for the MCAT with research and that many credits. How does one manage that?

I mean, I'm sure it's possible since plenty of people do have similar situations.
 
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What about us non trads that are married, have kids, work 20-40 hours do ECs and have to take at least 12 credits? For example I'm taking my ochem over the summer, lowering my credit load to 12 from 18 in the fall to take a kaplan course and have a rigorous study schedule. I am planning on taking the MCAT in January. But during those few months I am still planning on doing at least some ECs. Obviously I'm going to tone it down from where I'm normally at, but with commitments I've made I can't just do nothing but go to school and study for the MCAT. Not to mention to keep my job I have to work at least 20 hours. My question is; is that too crazy of a schedule? I plan on starting my prep this summer because o chem os the only class I'm taking so I'll have more time (hopefully) and in the fall I'm planning on putting in 15-25 hours of MCAT prep a week. Luckily my classes should be fairly easy, (biochem, physics 2, sports med) but still, there's only so many hours in a day. I know some people will say it's impossible to do extremely well on the MCAT with that kind of schedule but I hope there are others out there that can give me some hope :)
 
What about us non trads that are married, have kids, work 20-40 hours do ECs and have to take at least 12 credits? For example I'm taking my ochem over the summer, lowering my credit load to 12 from 18 in the fall to take a kaplan course and have a rigorous study schedule. I am planning on taking the MCAT in January. But during those few months I am still planning on doing at least some ECs. Obviously I'm going to tone it down from where I'm normally at, but with commitments I've made I can't just do nothing but go to school and study for the MCAT. Not to mention to keep my job I have to work at least 20 hours. My question is; is that too crazy of a schedule? I plan on starting my prep this summer because o chem os the only class I'm taking so I'll have more time (hopefully) and in the fall I'm planning on putting in 15-25 hours of MCAT prep a week. Luckily my classes should be fairly easy, (biochem, physics 2, sports med) but still, there's only so many hours in a day. I know some people will say it's impossible to do extremely well on the MCAT with that kind of schedule but I hope there are others out there that can give me some hope :)

If you truly believe you can do it, go for it. I just would worry that you're setting yourself up for failure with so many things going on. As a non-trad myself, I know how hard it is to listen to people saying to 'wait one more year' but you've got to ask yourself if you can succeed with no free time.
I initially planned to take the mcat immediately after taking summer ochem I&II with labs so I could apply for 2013, but people told me to wait and make sure that when I took the test I would be ready.
As I close in on test day, I am really glad I heeded that advice.
 
So my other option is to wait until a may test date and take it and immediately apply. I think I am motivated enough to do well and the good thing is if I don't feel ready I can push back until spring/summer
 
This thread is interesting. I am now graduated and I am taking a year off to study. Do you guys recommend that I take a year off or study intensively in the summer and take the mcat at the end of the summer.
 
This thread is interesting. I am now graduated and I am taking a year off to study. Do you guys recommend that I take a year off or study intensively in the summer and take the mcat at the end of the summer.

A year for the MCAT is overkill IMO, big time. A good 3-4 months of MCAT being your primary or only time commitment should be sufficient to get yourself ready. How long have you been out of school?
 
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This is a workable schedule. I wouldn't even call it brutal. Maybe difficult but workable. We are awake for 16 hrs not only 12 or 13. Some are awake for 17 hours. So if your day is starting at 9am it should end around 12:30am not 10pm.

New rule: You can't call a schedule brutal if a 10 year old in India making soccer balls works more than you.

First off, I have 16 units (all science) and I don't spend 5 hours per day in school. 2 hrs MWF and 4 hrs on T TH, plus 2-3 hr lab. So at max 3-3.5 hrs per day on average. If you are diligent and focused in your work, you can finish school work in under 4 hrs per day (again, if done every work day. you can't do nothing for one week then catch up). I also shadow and volunteer, which I am leaving out of this equation for the sake of simplicity..

Note: this is all assuming taking sundays off, completely. Maybe not on test week though. so 3 sundays off per month.

So:

class 3-3.5 hr
homework 3-4 hr

This is 8 hours max. This is easy. You should be able to get a 4.0 (at least 3.5) with this effort.

I guess an exception is if you are a physics major or something like that, then school may take more effort. Non physics/math majors who spend 12 hrs studying likely have not worked hard 6 days a week, they likely have procrastinated some of the work load until exam time. OR they study inefficiently or in a group that wastes productivity time.

add 7-8 hrs of sleep: 15 hrs

This leaves 9 hrs for health (exercise and nutrition) and the MCAT, you obviously have travel time to (1 hr).

I've taken 1-2 breaks/naps etc mid-day and still been able to do class/homework/5 hrs of MCAT. I am a nontrad and have had more difficult schedules than this. I don't work more than 12 hrs per day

Work:
8 hrs school
4-5 hrs MCAT

12-13 hrs

I've had 14 hour days in sales. Much harder to constantly face rejection in sales over and over and over than it is having a person talk to you and/or read a book.

With all this said, I probably wouldn't have had the motivation/discipline/consistency to keep this schedule 1st time around in school. It is too easy to take it easy for the week or two after exams, then ramp back up to prepare for exams.

The most common response I hear, "what do you do for fun?" or something like this. My response, #1 this is a busy schedule and isn't to be for 10 year periods of time. This is a 4 month period. Like when a farmer has spring or harvest, he works sunrise to sunset, he works hard during this small window. It is ok to have a brief intense work period in life. #2 I still get about 8-10 hrs of social time per week. This is sufficient for me. I don't need to hang out 20+ hrs per week. Some people need to socialize 4 hrs everyday, I don't. Social time is for the one day off per week (Sunday for me) and Friday/Saturday nights. That is it. M-Fri until 7pm is hustling time, it isn't play time. I guess if you need more playtime M-F then you shouldn't study MCAT during the semester.

The smartest way to make this schedule work is to work hard early, then take a 2-3 hr break (nap or whatever), then work hard again until late. Winston Churchill followed this schedule.


this is awesome! you are totally right.
 
I'm planning to study concepts and vocabulary by writing them all down on flashcards over a period of 6/7 months, because I'm really worried that my newly learned knowledge will become blurry or unfamiliar. I know that it's not beneficial to have a prolonged, spread out period of study, but will it be effective if I always go back and review all of my MCAT flashcards as I add new terms? Would the flashcards aid in converting the information from my short-term memory to my long-term memory bank?
 
I'm planning to study concepts and vocabulary by writing them all down on flashcards over a period of 6/7 months, because I'm really worried that my newly learned knowledge will become blurry or unfamiliar. I know that it's not beneficial to have a prolonged, spread out period of study, but will it be effective if I always go back and review all of my MCAT flashcards as I add new terms? Would the flashcards aid in converting the information from my short-term memory to my long-term memory bank?

This can work, I essentially did the same thing and got a 514. What helped me was dedicating a day week to one content area, so bio mondays, Chem tuesdays, etc. even if you can only do 2 hours that day, you'll likely cover most of the material you made.

It can be rough at first but you will start picking things up with time!
 
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This can work, I essentially did the same thing and got a 514. What helped me was dedicating a day week to one content area, so bio mondays, Chem tuesdays, etc. even if you can only do 2 hours that day, you'll likely cover most of the material you made.

It can be rough at first but you will start picking things up with time!

Thank you so much! I plan to do a term per flash card, so maybe for neutrophils, I would write "circulate in the blood, are attracted by signals from infected tissues and then engulf and destroy the infecting pathogens". Is that how you did it? What else would you suggest that I put on the flashcards?
 
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Thank you so much! I plan to do a term per flash card, so maybe for neutrophils, I would write "circulate in the blood, are attracted by signals from infected tissues and then engulf and destroy the infecting pathogens". Is that how you did it? What else would you suggest that I put on the flashcards?

I actually put a lot of content on each card, so to use your example I would define neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils etc all on one card.. that worked better for me in terms of making a distinction between terms.

But everyone is different and you should go with your gut and what worked for you in pre reqs.
 
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