MCAT Study Method?

[OneCutAtATime]

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So I know it may or may not be a little early to be thinking about this as I am an incoming freshmen, but I'm trying to figure out my best course of action to deal with the MCAT and here's my plan: At the end of my freshmen year, I'll have Gen Chem 1 and 2 done as well as Bio 1 and 2 so I was thinking I could do MCAT prep all throughout the following summer of freshmen year only on those questions focused on those two subjects as well as the psych/soc section. Then the fall of sophomore year I will have taken Org 1 and during winter break I would just study MCAT questions an hour or two a day on GenChem and Bio and psych/soc. That spring I will have taken Org 2 and I would hit the MCAT hard on Organic Chemistry as well as a little GenChem and Bio. The fall of Junior Year I will have taken Biochem and Physics 1 and I would just figure out some sort of daily study routine in order to prepare to take the MCAT in the spring of Junior year so I can apply that following summer.

Is this plan just completely pointless? I really want to score high and I'm trying to figure out an ok study method that will work. I know I can put off applying for a year and take the MCAT later, but I want to stay on the traditional pathway. Any advice would be beneficial, thanks!

 

[efle]

So I know it may or may not be a little early to be thinking about this as I am an incoming freshmen, but I'm trying to figure out my best course of action to deal with the MCAT and here's my plan: At the end of my freshmen year, I'll have Gen Chem 1 and 2 done as well as Bio 1 and 2 so I was thinking I could do MCAT prep all throughout the following summer of freshmen year only on those questions focused on those two subjects as well as the psych/soc section. Then the fall of sophomore year I will have taken Org 1 and during winter break I would just study MCAT questions an hour or two a day on GenChem and Bio and psych/soc. That spring I will have taken Org 2 and I would hit the MCAT hard on Organic Chemistry as well as a little GenChem and Bio. The fall of Junior Year I will have taken Biochem and Physics 1 and I would just figure out some sort of daily study routine in order to prepare to take the MCAT in the spring of Junior year so I can apply that following summer.

Is this plan just completely pointless? I really want to score high and I'm trying to figure out an ok study method that will work. I know I can put off applying for a year and take the MCAT later, but I want to stay on the traditional pathway. Any advice would be beneficial, thanks!

If you're looking to build a competitive app, there are much better uses for your time during freshman and sophomore summers/breaks than MCAT prep. Volunteer, shadow, do research, work, etc.

If you take your prereq classes seriously and perform well, you'll have plenty of background familiarity with the MCAT topics, and can get fully prepared for the exam over a single semester (or summer) of review.

 

[huskies403]

My advice: take general bio, chem, orgo, and biochem before you start studying for MCAT. Then if you don't plan on taking a gap year I would highly recommend taking it the the month before junior starts (sometime in August). This gives you time to retake if need be, and allows you a stress-free junior year to focus on classes and applications. Don't really worry about ALL the classes "needed" for the MCAT. You are just as fine going over a review book for a subject you didn't take a class in. Most people study for the MCAT in 2-5 months.