Studying for MCAT while also taking classes?

[jal06c]

So I took the MCAT this past July and received a 25. So I decided to take a year off and retake next summer and apply then. I am leaning towards taking it May 27, so I can still get my applications in early while giving myself plenty of time to study.

Jan-April though I will be taking 2 classes (8 credit hours). They are two science classes needed for my major but are not pre-reqs, and shouldn't be too hard.I will also have an 8 hr/wk internship as a phlebotomist at a hospital for the semester. Outside of these two things, MCAT will be my main focus.

So I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with studying for the MCAT while still in school and balancing other things, and how you managed it. Did you create a schedule and stick to it? Did you just go with the flow, and study whenever you had time? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mcatdesperate]

You are Awesome for making this thread.

I am going through the same experience, except instead
of 25 I had 18 on my mcat practice test.

Anyway, I spend the first 2 weeks of school like this:
3 days do all the work for course one (foreign language spanish)
then spend 3 days after that doing nothing but mcat practice
passages/questions...
week 3 of fall semester: do mostly biochem, spend
a couple hours each night or every other night doing
mcat passages, but again most of the time is biochem
week 4/5: exams coming up- no time for mcat...studying for
several exams (Now)

week 6: hopefully can do subject studying during the day and mcat
during the evenings for a couple hours 3-5 days/week, hopefully

But I am really concerned that I am not spending much time with
mcat- I have only been able to do some passages- 4 or 5, in these
weeks...in the same time frame over the summer I did whole tests passages.

 

[IndianVercetti]

You are Awesome for making this thread.

I am going through the same experience, except instead
of 25 I had 18 on my mcat practice test.

Anyway, I spend the first 2 weeks of school like this:
3 days do all the work for course one (foreign language spanish)
then spend 3 days after that doing nothing but mcat practice
passages/questions...
week 3 of fall semester: do mostly biochem, spend
a couple hours each night or every other night doing
mcat passages, but again most of the time is biochem
week 4/5: exams coming up- no time for mcat...studying for
several exams (Now)

week 6: hopefully can do subject studying during the day and mcat
during the evenings for a couple hours 3-5 days/week, hopefully

But I am really concerned that I am not spending much time with
mcat- I have only been able to do some passages- 4 or 5, in these
weeks...in the same time frame over the summer I did whole tests passages.

In another thread, you said you're taking the April 2010 MCAT. Why are you doing such intense preparation with passages this early? Actually, I'm one of the people on here who thinks it's a good idea to study more than 3 months away from the test, but I'm not so sure if killing away your passages this early is such a good idea.. But, I guess it's your call.

 

[mcatdesperate]

I was gonna take it august of this year- but my practice was insufficient as made very clear by my AAMC 3 score- so I had to post-pone- meaning I didn't find SDN until after 2 months of studying (until July)- and SDN is what made me realize my problem was lack of practice not content.
Since finding SDN, I've been much more serious about practice.

Given that thinking- I should probably take it in January 2010, but because my course load
is really taking much more time than anticipated- I may have to wait till April (in other words
take a much easier load next semester)

 

[JayX]

take it in late june, mid july so that you have atleast 45 days to dedicate just to the MCAT. This will be your best route to success

 

[jal06c]

take it in late june, mid july so that you have atleast 45 days to dedicate just to the MCAT. This will be your best route to success

So what do you think of this plan? Push my MCAT back til mid-june. Hit my content review hard during the spring semester. Then I'll have a solid 6 weeks to do practice problems, take full-lengths, and review any additional material I find myself to be weak in. Does this sound like a recipe for success?

 

[mcatdesperate]

So what do you think of this plan? Push my MCAT back til mid-june. Hit my content review hard during the spring semester. Then I'll have a solid 6 weeks to do practice problems, take full-lengths, and review any additional material I find myself to be weak in. Does this sound like a recipe for success?

sounds awesome

 

[da Vincis World]

So I took the MCAT this past July and received a 25. So I decided to take a year off and retake next summer and apply then. I am leaning towards taking it May 27, so I can still get my applications in early while giving myself plenty of time to study.

Jan-April though I will be taking 2 classes (8 credit hours). They are two science classes needed for my major but are not pre-reqs, and shouldn't be too hard.I will also have an 8 hr/wk internship as a phlebotomist at a hospital for the semester. Outside of these two things, MCAT will be my main focus.

So I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with studying for the MCAT while still in school and balancing other things, and how you managed it. Did you create a schedule and stick to it? Did you just go with the flow, and study whenever you had time? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

The good news is that you have plenty of time. I too had to study for the MCAT while taking OChem and working 50 hours a week and yes the trick is to set a schedule and STICK TO IT. There are several study schedules that can be found here on SDN...I used the EK one.

P.S. You've got to stick to the schedule!