No discipline in studying for MCAT

[Fdsa2495]

So I've been trying to study for the MCAT and I feel like I'm not studying as much as I should be. I didn't make a schedule, I HATE schedules because something always comes up and I just can't follow it.
I'm researching, working, shadowing and "studying" for the MCAT (exam date MAY 18). I've been meeting up with a friend 6 or 7am to practice problems, review and write down our goals for the next day/week. We try to accomplish these goals but have been meeting inconsistently.
On my own I sometimes study in between my research project (waiting for centrifuge to run for 1hr etc.), and after research. I even wake up 3am somedays when I can't sleep, open the review book on my phone/laptop and begin studying for the MCAT. - I know this is bad but I just can't rap my head around being consistent. I grt exhausted after a full day lf work and want tp take a nap and then wake up in the middle of the night to study.
I've only taken 1 diagnostic and got a 498 so I obviously really need take more practice exams.

But how did everyone else that has done well stick to a schedule, or just have self-discipline to study well and not procrastinate. I did okay throughout undergrad (3.84) but now I just can't study properly for something set for the future.

PLEASE give me some SDN advice

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[banthapug]

You're not going to want to hear this but I'm going to say it anyways because this is the only answer.

You HAVE to make a schedule and you HAVE to stick to it. You HAVE to prioritize MCAT studying over anything. The only person who can make this happen is YOU.

No excuses. Make a schedule you can stick to and keep it. I studied for MCAT while having 2 part time jobs. I woke up at 5:30am every single week day to study in the morning, because I knew I wouldn't want to study after work. Did I just magically wake up at 5:30 in the morning? Hell no - I HAD to MAKE myself get up. Sure, sometimes I didn't get up, but those days were not common. I also made a point to not study at all on Sunday and use that day for having fun and socializing, because studying 24/7 is not practical and you will burn out.

Just make yourself do it. It's not easy for anyone - if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Let other people help you - it might even be worth speaking to a counselor about it. But the only person who can get this done is YOU. No excuses.

So I've been trying to study for the MCAT and I feel like I'm not studying as much as I should be. I didn't make a schedule, I HATE schedules because something always comes up and I just can't follow it.
I'm researching, working, shadowing and "studying" for the MCAT (exam date MAY 18). I've been meeting up with a friend 6 or 7am to practice problems, review and write down our goals for the next day/week. We try to accomplish these goals but have been meeting inconsistently.
On my own I sometimes study in between my research project (waiting for centrifuge to run for 1hr etc.), and after research. I even wake up 3am somedays when I can't sleep, open the review book on my phone/laptop and begin studying for the MCAT. - I know this is bad but I just can't rap my head around being consistent. I grt exhausted after a full day lf work and want tp take a nap and then wake up in the middle of the night to study.
I've only taken 1 diagnostic and got a 498 so I obviously really need take more practice exams.

But how did everyone else that has done well stick to a schedule, or just have self-discipline to study well and not procrastinate. I did okay throughout undergrad (3.84) but now I just can't study properly for something set for the future.

PLEASE give me some SDN advice

 

[kb1900]

agree with the above poster - you need to organize your priorities. it has nothing to do with motivation but everything to do with habits. even if you dont develop strong work ethic for the mcat and manage to do okay, what do u plan to do in medical school? or as a busy resident? or as a parent?

one thing that helped me with this during mcat stuff was to simply starting testing more often. having to take a full length requires an extended period of focus and helps you set realistic targetted goals of what content you need to review. i wouldn't worry about your "diagnostic" score. FWIW i got a 495 on my "diagnostic" and a 519 on the real thing.

 

[TXMED_1695]

You listed the only tips you need in your post. No one had to force me to study, because I want to become a doctor. There is no secret formula to hard work. WORK hard - you listed the things you need to do in your own post. If you do not want to study for the MCAT you have no chance of getting into medical school. Randomly waking up at 3:00 AM to study does nothing for you, but these are things you should of learned in UG. There are oscillators in your body for a reason, when it is time to sleep, you should be sleeping.

1.Use common sense
2.Do not procrastinate
3. Create a study schedule

 

[Astra]

If you're having trouble with a lack of discipline, just imagine yourself failing the MCAT and never becoming a doctor.

 

[CAFFEINE!]

Perhaps you can make use of a motivational poster?

 

[Runner500]

Perhaps you can make use of a motivational poster?

Perhaps a beautiful looking picture like that isn't the best way to get the point across...

 

[ScreenName23]

Schedules can be difficult because they really build up if you get behind. Life happens and you can't always get done what you planned to. I made a schedule but always left at least one day a week blank so that I could use it to catch up if I got behind. Build a schedule with some flexibility and stick to it. If your AAMC exam score is low close to your test date, postpone and rework your schedule as retaking is best avoided.

 

[Dr.Kat]

But how did everyone else that has done well stick to a schedule,

we just did. just do it.

 

[mistafab]

If you can't set a schedule, there are still some productive practices you can employ. Why don't you force yourself to do 45-60 minutes of studying before you do anything you enjoy for the day?

Lets say you unwind every day with netflix. You can just set up a rule for yourself that you can't watch netflix until your 45-60 minutes a day is finished. Something simple like this can add up over time. It is basically tricking yourself into being disciplined.

Otherwise, now would be a good time to just say that you don't want to be a doc anymore. You really haven't invested much time into the med path - you can just use all your experiences to apply for a job or tech position. Maybe after working for a year or two you get the hunger back to succeed again. There is no rush and there is no real need to become a doctor if after the time you still don't feel like it. Life goes on.

Anyway, all the best.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Perhaps you can make use of a motivational poster?

To think that Touro NY which shares its space with a 99 cent store has better student outcomes...

 

[motu]

But how did everyone else that has done well stick to a schedule, or just have self-discipline to study well and not procrastinate. I did okay throughout undergrad (3.84) but now I just can't study properly for something set for the future.

PLEASE give me some SDN advice

Disable social media. Deactivate Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. Zone in on the MCAT, it matters more than anything right now. So take out all your distractions. I suggest stop shadowing and reducing research hours as well. Good luck

 

[Foodology]

I studied a month and a half for the MCAT. I took a course with Princeton because I knew I needed something to push me, keep me accountable, and give me a sense of direction. The course helped most with keeping me on track (the classes weren't that great). Everyday was a study grind combined with self-care (gym, swimming, etc.) so I wouldn't go insane.

 

[ScottTenorman54]

To think that Touro NY which shares its space with a 99 cent store has better student outcomes...

Does anyone have a description of the inside of Touro-NY? I've always wondered. What if it's like those tents from Harry Potter 4 and 7?

 

[libertyyne]

SMART goals are all the rage these days.
Specific: Write down a chapter, to complete
Measurable: Time you will spend on it or number of pages you want to review or the number of practice questions you want to complete.
Attainable: Make sure it it is reasonable like you will increase the number of pages you review per hour, or take the test under timed conditions.
Realistic: Dont say you will complete all of physics in 2 hours.
Timely: Dont start studying for Step.

What really helped me was having something physical to manipulate after completing a task. I used sticky notes, some people check off a box etc etc. The pleasure obtained by completing this ritual after the task helps you stay motivated.

 

[WGSgrad]

If you have the funds, consider taking a class. It will help to establish a schedule and deadlines.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Saifa]

StudySchedule will generate a custom schedule based on your knowledge, funds, and available time.

 

[Chelsea FC]

Sad no one made the Southpark joke that is obvious from the title.

 

[tarheelpenner]

I made a schedule. As you mentioned, sometimes you will not have the time to work on it every day, so I treated it a little bit like those 100 book challenge lines (did anyone else have this in elementary school? Read X number of minutes by this week?). Anyway, if my schedule said Chapter 2 on Tuesday, I read it like: I need to have completed chapter 2 BY tuesday. Whenever I had extra time, I did extra studying so usually I was ahead of my schedule, which both allowed me to feel like I was ahead ( a great feeling and helped me stay motivated, rather than feeling behind ) and gave me that leeway if for some reason I couldn't get any studying done one day. Honestly, staying motivated is all a mind game you play with yourself so you have to find out what works for you. Feeling ahead and "crossing things off" works for me, so that's what I use.

 

[Vrachika]

Nobody but you can make you do it, and if you can't I imagine you would have a hard time in med school/with boards which I understand requires a lot of independent learning (though I am only premed so I can't say for sure)

I totally get where you are coming from though. The first time I took it I was like you, couldn't find time to study or make myself study. Got a 29 (not horrible but I knew I could do a lot better).

Next time I took it I was bound and determined to achieve my potential. I also hate how schedules never work out like I want, but you need at least some structure. I got a 515 the second time with the following adjustments:

-reduced my other commitments (in order to be able to dedicate 20-30 hrs a week to MCAT)

-more practice tests and active learning and
less passive reading/highlighting (the other benefit to this is its slightly more "fun" than just reading)

-rough study schedule. I divided up the number of chapters/subjects/practice test by week and made myself stick to meeting my "quotas". That meant some days where I was lazy and did maybe one hour and other days 10 hours. That way it is more like having to meet deadlines for undergrad versus sticking to an exact schedule (which for the life of me I cannot do lol). This also worked with my erratic schedule that changes from week to week.

My study wasn't perfect and I did get a bit burned out by the end (didn't do some of physics, scored the worst in the CP section), but was quite happy with a 515. I plan to continue to try to get better at studying and crush boards in a few years!!

Also if you are taking it May 18th and scored a 498 recently, you might want to consider bumping your date up to June or early July. A little risky for applying but as long as you are prepared you can still get everything submitted by August. If you are not applying this cycle DEFINITELY change your test date, esp because you seem to have a lot of other commitments and therefore might have to spread your studying out over a longer period of time.

Good luck!

 

[Fdsa2495]

If you have the funds, consider taking a class. It will help to establish a schedule and deadlines.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

So I actually took a Kaplan class a year ago and I wasted lots of money and time because I hated going to the class and I never did the reading cuz it was during a school semester.

 

[WGSgrad]

So I actually took a Kaplan class a year ago and I wasted lots of money and time because I hated going to the class and I never did the reading cuz it was during a school semester.

Ahhh...okay. Seems like you have a lot to figure out.

 

[Luka75]

?

Sad no one made the Southpark joke that is obvious from the title.

 

[Gryffindor20]

Here's some additional motivation for you. The first time I took the MCAT, I didn't study enough and I got a 26. The next time I took it, 3 years later, I buckled down and studied hard, because my life's trajectory depended on it. I ended up getting a 32.

Don't slack off just because you don't feel like sticking to a schedule. Physicians have self-discipline. You know what you need to do, so, as Nike so eloquently says, "Just. Do. It."

 

[Mclovin0351]

Discipline is a choice.