On Average , how many hours per day are you studying?

[sekem]

On Average , how many hours per day are you studying for the MCAT?

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[suicidal cell]

Started off at a solid 6hrs/day. Now, down to 3hrs/day. I'm burned out. I want to get over with this hoop already.

 

[BXP]

Started off at 7 hours a day, but since two weeks ago it's been 10 - 12 hours a day.

 

[xylem29]

Started off at 7 hours a day, but since two weeks ago it's been 10 - 12 hours a day.

Holy crap you are turning it on! I started going real hardcore when I realized at the end of June just how much I had to go through, so I spent about 8 hours a day, less on the weekends, barreling through the TPR books...it was quite intense, I started to feel like a zombie for awhile b/c all that was on my mind was MCAT...but I must say, having finished the content is a huge relief and makes going over things the 2nd time around less intense and less stressfull.

 

[BXP]

Holy crap you are turning it on! I started going real hardcore when I realized at the end of June just how much I had to go through, so I spent about 8 hours a day, less on the weekends, barreling through the TPR books...it was quite intense, I started to feel like a zombie for awhile b/c all that was on my mind was MCAT...but I must say, having finished the content is a huge relief and makes going over things the 2nd time around less intense and less stressfull.

Exactly! I spent way too much time going through the material the first time around cause ... it's just hard to sit and read the stupid books. The reason my study time increased so much is because all I started to do were practice problems, which is much easier and more enjoyable than trying to read dense material page after page.

Anyways, 3.5 weeks left, keep it up! Don't burn out, but don't slack off

 

[Rafa]

I started out at around an hour a day a couple of weeks ago, but since taking a practice test, I haven't studied at all. I suspect I'll pick it up again in August or in September.

 

[ChymeChancellor]

DR. EUGENIC and I study 23.5 hours per day.

 

[BXP]

I started out at around an hour a day a couple of weeks ago, but since taking a practice test, I haven't studied at all. I suspect I'll pick it up again in August or in September.

I'm assuming you are taking a CBT next year then?

 

[sekem]

so everyone is like 4-6 hours?

 

[WestTexasRambler]

so everyone is like 4-6 hours?

Wow, I wish I could study productively for more than 5 or 6 hours a day but I ain't that focused. Kudos to those who are though.

 

[sekem]

same here can't study more than 5-6 hours!

 

[Kikaku21]

4 - 6 hours? You guys are killing me! There is only so much material. It just become rehash. I am just taking practice tests every weekend, and reviewing concepts for a couple of hours a day. Focusing on ones where I miss questions in the practice tests, of course.

 

[WestTexasRambler]

4 - 6 hours? You guys are killing me! There is only so much material. It just become rehash. I am just taking practice tests every weekend, and reviewing concepts for a couple of hours a day. Focusing on ones where I miss questions in the practice tests, of course.

I'm sorry, I'm fresh out of cookies. Maybe I can beat the $hit out of a Kaplan kid and give you theirs .

 

[noshie]

I have got to know, you people who are doing so many hours a day, are you eating, drinking, sleeping, working, or actually going out in the sunlight? I am a slacker at 2 hours a day. I have summer school and work so that is all I can bust out.

 

[Kikaku21]

I have got to know, you people who are doing so many hours a day, are you eating, drinking, sleeping, working, or actually going out in the sunlight? I am a slacker at 2 hours a day. I have summer school and work so that is all I can bust out.

Do you ever wonder if these people produce "balanced doctors" let alone "balanced human beings"??

 

[MJB]

I have got to know, you people who are doing so many hours a day, are you eating, drinking, sleeping, working, or actually going out in the sunlight? I am a slacker at 2 hours a day. I have summer school and work so that is all I can bust out.

My schedule has pretty much been the following..

Up at 0630
To work by0730
Home at 1700
Start studying around 1800
Bed at about 2300

Do this Monday through Thursday...since May. Spending weekends not at the lake reviewing applications or some MCAT notecards, etc.

This week, it's been study from 5-11 PM...took a FL last night..taking an AAMC practice tomorrow...then headed for the lake. Plan to keep this schedule for the next 2 weeks...

Next week I will review the test I take tomorrow...then do kap FL 4 and AAMC 8, followed by Kap FL 5 and AAMC 9 the following week.

It's not been a fun summer trying to keep up with my career, wife, dogs, house, yard, etc...but it will be worth it.

 

[BXP]

Do you ever wonder if these people produce "balanced doctors" let alone "balanced human beings"??

In what aspects do you consider the MCATs to be normal daily life? None. And so why would you live a normal life during the period of time you are taking to study for the MCATs. Seems to me like you don't have your priorities straight. Good luck in medical school studying two hours a day.

 

[karlin009]

I dunno, but I'm starting to burn out. Seems like it's becoming more difficult for me to sit still.

 

[Moses MD]

I study for 25 hours each and every day

 

[Moses MD]

In what aspects do you consider the MCATs to be normal daily life? None. And so why would you live a normal life during the period of time you are taking to study for the MCATs. Seems to me like you don't have your priorities straight. Good luck in medical school studying two hours a day.

Actually, it has been shown that the best doctors, and people who regularly perform well on the MCAT, are people who focus on quality of time instead of quantity. 8 hours is great, but how many breaks do you take, how many times do you read the same page or boil over the same concept because you are tired and unattentive. I'd rather study 3-4 hours a day during the week, and 4-6 on the weekend and pace myself rather than do 8-10 hours a day and burn myself out.

 

[Kikaku21]

In what aspects do you consider the MCATs to be normal daily life? None. And so why would you live a normal life during the period of time you are taking to study for the MCATs. Seems to me like you don't have your priorities straight. Good luck in medical school studying two hours a day.

I'll do what it takes, thanks.

 

[BXP]

Actually, it has been shown that the best doctors, and people who regularly perform well on the MCAT, are people who focus on quality of time instead of quantity. 8 hours is great, but how many breaks do you take, how many times do you read the same page or boil over the same concept because you are tired and unattentive. I'd rather study 3-4 hours a day during the week, and 4-6 on the weekend and pace myself rather than do 8-10 hours a day and burn myself out.

I take probably 5-6 breaks during a 10 hour stretch. I have not yet found myself to become unattentive or lose attention in any way. I've built this stamina up from 6 hours a day at the beginning of the summer. Studying, just like weight lifting or running, becomes easier to do the more you do it.

 

[Kikaku21]

Actually, it has been shown that the best doctors, and people who regularly perform well on the MCAT, are people who focus on quality of time instead of quantity. 8 hours is great, but how many breaks do you take, how many times do you read the same page or boil over the same concept because you are tired and unattentive. I'd rather study 3-4 hours a day during the week, and 4-6 on the weekend and pace myself rather than do 8-10 hours a day and burn myself out.

YES

 

[akinf]

Probably an hour or less a day.

 

[UofT_475]

study from 1- 11...about 10 hours, no lunch, or dinner includled in that time.

some days just 6-8 hours (ie. weekends).

 

[xylem29]

Wait a minute here - don't bash people who study 4-6 hours a day here, we're all trying to slay the same beast. Some people can get away with going 2 hours per day and some people like myself, can't get it all done - for instance, it took me about 2 weeks to go over the entire physics section of TPR, and my goals were to understand the concepts, and work through the examples - for topics like capicitance and magnetism, things that i was learning anew, I would take two days to do them. If I did 2 hours per day, I would not have been able to finish the TPR books and would still be doing them now for the first time. Had I just taken the prereq courses recently, I probably would have gone through the material quicker and required less time to study but that's not the case.

And 10 hours is just an apprxmation, no one goes 10 hours straight, there's always food breaks, walks, bathroom, sdn, etc. Kudos to you for doing 2 hours a day and for your information - the AAMC in their MCAT manual recommended that you give yourself 3 months of preparation, more if you haven't taken the classes in awhile, the doctor from MCAT pearls recommended you give 16 weeks, review content 3x, apprx 300 hours total I think. You do the math. I remember reading some posts about how in dental school, you won't be able to have a part time job - that you will be studying 10 hours a day or will have to work till the wee hours of the morming on some nights...and some ppl who are in meds told me that they want you to know everything about everything and that you will be studying a lot....also, apparently, during clerkship and residency, you'll have little time for other things what with working, reading, studying, working...so I guess you'll be the only balanced doctor who knows the answers to life, superstar.

 

[WestTexasRambler]

Wait a minute here - don't bash people who study 4-6 hours a day here, we're all trying to slay the same beast. Some people can get away with going 2 hours per day and some people like myself, can't get it all done - for instance, it took me about 2 weeks to go over the entire physics section of TPR, and my goals were to understand the concepts, and work through the examples - for topics like capicitance and magnetism, things that i was learning anew, I would take two days to do them. If I did 2 hours per day, I would not have been able to finish the TPR books and would still be doing them now for the first time. Had I just taken the prereq courses recently, I probably would have gone through the material quicker and required less time to study but that's not the case.

And 10 hours is just an apprxmation, no one goes 10 hours straight, there's always food breaks, walks, bathroom, sdn, etc. Kudos to you for doing 2 hours a day and for your information - the AAMC in their MCAT manual recommended that you give yourself 3 months of preparation, more if you haven't taken the classes in awhile, the doctor from MCAT pearls recommended you give 16 weeks, review content 3x, apprx 300 hours total I think. You do the math. I remember reading some posts about how in dental school, you won't be able to have a part time job - that you will be studying 10 hours a day or will have to work till the wee hours of the morming on some nights...and some ppl who are in meds told me that they want you to know everything about everything and that you will be studying a lot....also, apparently, during clerkship and residency, you'll have little time for other things what with working, reading, studying, working...so I guess you'll be the only balanced doctor who knows the answers to life, superstar.

Some of us are just a heck of a lot smarter than the rest of you.......I kid, I kid. When I talk to people outside of my batcave about what I am doing in my batcave I tell them that I am "preparing" for the MCAT as I do not feel studying is a broad enough definition. My preparation also includes at least 18 holes a week and 180 balls at the driving range..

Let's be honest, this is a beast of a test for 90%+ of the people preparing for it. Disclaimer: Generalization unsupported by empirical evidence but any critics of my statement may be selected for an internet smackdown.

 

[sekem]

any one else!

 

[deleted106503]

Didn't do anything today and felt GREAT! I'll go over my 5R results later tonight. Tomorrow I will spend the day going through the molecular bio thread learning some more and over some EK bio. Then 6R will be taken Friday morning. I find it difficult to study now since I've already learned the EK material. I guess it's just been review since last Monday.

 

[olemissbabydoc]

I'm getting about 2 1/2 to 4 hours a day, but i'm not sitting until April..

 

[STIG]

I'm getting about 2 1/2 to 4 hours a day, but i'm not sitting until April..

lol. thanks!

I dont know why but i find this so funny.

I think I am freaking out somebody help me.

 

[Darlaa]

I think I am freaking out somebody help me.

It's not worth the freak out. I keep remembering that the dork in the front row of my orgo class that kept asking "but what if I add a cloro to the C4, what is it called then" is writing this as well. He will make me look brilliant!

 

[estairella]

Actually, it has been shown that the best doctors, and people who regularly perform well on the MCAT, are people who focus on quality of time instead of quantity. 8 hours is great, but how many breaks do you take, how many times do you read the same page or boil over the same concept because you are tired and unattentive. I'd rather study 3-4 hours a day during the week, and 4-6 on the weekend and pace myself rather than do 8-10 hours a day and burn myself out.

Wait, so basically, you've just admitted that you are such a failure, you can't handle more than 4 hours a day without burning out. (Did you feel that? I think I just burned you ).

And I should point out that if what you say is true (what study do you refer to?), then means someone who spends 8 hours of quality time studying is going to be the best doctor.

Some people study little and get great marks. Some people study lots and get great marks. And many unlucky people study lots and get crap marks. And yes, I would say that's due to normal variation in intelligence and study methods.

But if it's a choice between getting a 38 because I studied 6 hours a day, or getting a 34 because I studied 4... yea, it's an easy choice to make.

On that note, I haven't studied in 2 days. It felt pretty good, except I spent that time on stuff I had been neglecting (student loans, credit card forms, volunteering, testing out new mp3 player).. it felt even more tiring than studying, but at least not mentally tiring.

 

[MJB]

I think the best way to go about this is to take all the pre-req's your first 2 years, then spend the summer studying for it...I honestly don't think it would be that bad in that case.

I know that the "take Physics and Bio. classes and wait 10 years" approach isn't easy...that's for sure.

 

[Moses MD]

Wait, so basically, you've just admitted that you are such a failure, you can't handle more than 4 hours a day without burning out. (Did you feel that? I think I just burned you ).

And I should point out that if what you say is true (what study do you refer to?), then means someone who spends 8 hours of quality time studying is going to be the best doctor.

Some people study little and get great marks. Some people study lots and get great marks. And many unlucky people study lots and get crap marks. And yes, I would say that's due to normal variation in intelligence and study methods.

But if it's a choice between getting a 38 because I studied 6 hours a day, or getting a 34 because I studied 4... yea, it's an easy choice to make.

On that note, I haven't studied in 2 days. It felt pretty good, except I spent that time on stuff I had been neglecting (student loans, credit card forms, volunteering, testing out new mp3 player).. it felt even more tiring than studying, but at least not mentally tiring.

Please tell me that you are not trying to (ahem) 'burn' me on student doctor network. And as for not studying more than 4 a day, some people have work.

 

[rcwhite007]

About 4-6 hours a day gives me just enough to soak up w/o going overboard. Its better, in my opinion, to know something all the way and others just a little. If you go over too much at one time it causes hell w/multiple choice. We all know that there are always at least two answers that sound right.

 

[Kikaku21]

My MCAT practice scores have been good, so I've turned it down a notch. Why kill yourself? Just need to review everything again before the real deal... and 2 more practice tests.