Question About Self Study for MCAT

[MCAT2014Study]

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Hi Everyone,

I took all of my pre-reqs about 11-12 years ago. I have decided not to retake the courses again. I have decided to study for the MCAT and take it next year. However, it has been a very long time since I have studied the materials so I don't think it would be helpful to start taking any prep courses right now because I won't be able to catch up with the prep program.

I need some advice as to what is the best study method for someone like me.

My plan is to study for 4-5 months on my own just to have a thorough content review and then register for Princeton Review for their prep course and intensively study and take sample tests for about 3 months. Is that a good plan???

Also, does anyone know of a good self-paced program that I can register for or a study schedule that I can look at online to pace myself in my reviewing of the content materials????

Thank you for helping out! 🙂

 

[Lya]

If you know you will be able to study better through a prep course, I would say sure. Some people might say 4-5 months of content review is too much, but considering you took pre-reqs so many years ago, I think that is a good plan.

Regarding a study schedule, a good place to start will be this one here for your information:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=623898

Check out other threads in the MCAT forum and you will probably find better answers there. =)

 

[DrHoffy]

Please research the schools you are going to apply to- many of them have an expiration date for course work. The last thing you want to do is take the mcat, and then have to spend a year or two retaking courses to apply...then jeopardizing your mcat expiration date. When I applied I ran into a lot of schools that said 8 years as the maximum. So just research ahead of time. Many schools don't put it on their website because it is not a frequent issue...so may need to call them.

 

[MCAT2014Study]

Thank you for your responses!! =)

 

[wholeheartedly]

Also some of the coursework expiration a are soft. Ie you might not have recent general bio, but took something else with some bio more recently and they will let it slide.

 

[Moose A Moose]

For brushing up: khanacademy.com

 

[Captain Sisko]

I took the mcat after most of a year of biochem, and no biology since I took AP bio over ten years before my exam. I attribute my score on the BS section to that course- so if you don't have it, it may be worth your while to give it a go at your local university.