Should I start preparing for the MCATs?

[Artimacia]

I am now a sophmore (just finished freshman year). I have a 3.9 GPA. I have taken bio 1 and chem 1 and am taking bio 2 this summer. During this year coming up, I am taking chem 2, physics 1, physics 2, organic chem 1, and next summer organic chem 2 (also calculus in the fall, but i don't think that has any effect). Should I go ahead and start preparing? I want to do very well on it. Also, I'm in the honors program, do volunteering, and different things like that. Any advice to help me get into a medical school as well?

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[tncekm]

Start prepping for VR now by reading articles from places like Harpers and The New Yorker. Read them for speed and comprehension. You'll need (well, most people do in order to do well) 3-6 months to prep, around 15hrs/wk for the actual MCAT--having courses done beforehand is preferred. If you don't get to Organic II, no big deal, the Organic on the MCAT is really easy and most of the time the information is given in the passages. So just do that so that you can apply around June/July the year before you want to matriculate.

 

[studiddy]

Why start now? You have better things to do.

 

[JA Prufrock]

I guess you could review stuff from the classes you have already taken, but I don't know if it's going to help much. I'd say start prepping next year around this time.

 

[RSAgator]

just focus on doing well in your classes and learning the material as well as possible the first time around. Unless you're doing a focused MCAT studying you're just going to be wasting your time.

 

[tncekm]

Just remember, almost everyone struggles with verbal, and almost every one of them says they wished they started reading earlier. Starting BS and PS studies now is pointless, and maybe even doing VR practice tests is pointless, but reading complex articles for speed and comprehension, IMHO, is a definite PLUS. It doesn't make much time, and she/he'll be way more prepared for the VR section.

 

[marbou3]

The pre-reqs you are taking ARE prep for the MCAT!! Beside VR...every section in the mcat comes from your pre-reqs. At some point you will need to learn the MCAT's specifics and question types, but that is way too early now.

 

[Artimacia]

I'm just saying that I want to be ready and do light studying now so I won't stuff it all in at last minute. I plan on taking it my junior year anyway and I was told that a lot of people start a year in advance but only light.

 

[tncekm]

Most of the people who do exceptionally well start between 6 months and a year in advance from what I've seen- they also spend most of their time analyzing the "psychology" of the test.

I started a little over 4 months in advance (I take the test in a month, so I'm three months in). I think I'll be fine as long as my VR is good. VR was my biggest headache, and if I could do one thing over if I could redo the past few years of my life it would be to learn to enjoy reading, and do it for speed and comprehension because it helps you tremendously in VR and, although less so, in the BS and PS sections.

Any more than that is unecessary.

 

[kevinb]

It sounds like you're on a great track. I agree with most posters that it's too early for you to start studying, but here are a couple things you can do:
1) Work hard to really understand the concepts presented in your science courses. It sounds obvious, but true understanding (as opposed to plugging and chugging numbers and formulas) will not fade as much with time and will serve you well on the MCAT.
2) As you take these courses, organize your study materials (note cards, formula sheets, etc.) so that they will be ready for review when you get closer to taking the MCAT.
3) If you really have to study something, go over your old bio flashcards once a month.

 

[Artimacia]

Good Ideas.

Good thing I love to read haha! I read atleast once everyday (I have a lot of books) so my speed has gone up a lot.

Maybe I'm just getting a bit anxious. To be honest though, I get bored a lot so I study stuff. I have nothing better to do, so I read parts out of my MCAT book. I seem to be really good at biology but decent in chemistry. I am taking College physics this fall, will the affect my preformance on the test (since there is college and general physics classes) or is the MCAT based off college physics. I was just wondering

 

[tncekm]

If you enjoy reading about the information that will be tested on the MCAT, then go ahead start your MCAT prep early as far as learning the material is concerned. I don't think there is any need to start doing practice tests before 4-6 months of your actual MCAT date. Save the material for when you're really prepared to use it.

 

[Artimacia]

Oh no, I wasn't planning on doing the practice tests yet I was just meaning to look over things.

I look back at all of you guys posting your MCAT scores, I get so nervous when I read about people posting up to the date the scores come out.