When to beging MCAT studying...

[fun8stuff]

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I am taking the MCAT next April (2004) and I was wondering when I should start studying. I heard from some people that you should start a year in advanced and spend a couple months on each section of the test. That seemed kinda like overkill to me, but I was wondering what other people's opinions were. Thanks.

 

[tBw]

Start in January if you will have had all your pre-reqs done and completed reasonably recently. A year before is silly.

 

[fun8stuff]

whew!

 

[curiousforever]

Start study for your MCAT as soon as possible.

 

[topshelfpete]

I think too much time is just as bad as too little time.

Perhaps the way to gauge when to start preparing is by considering your level of background knowledge. I would suggest evaluating your strengths and weaknesses by doing an MCAT simulation exam cold turkey. From there, you can make a realistic departure date for your studying. For instance if you're scoring above a 10 on the physical science stuff, then i'd say you don't need to spend a couple of months studying that material. If you totally fail that section, then you'll need to budget more time to "Learn" the material rather then giving your brain a refresher. Since the MCAT is only testing basic science, there is no need for overkill studying (which i'm sure a lot of you will do anyway). The MCAT is not a pure evaluation of your knowledge, since if it were, then they would give you as much time as you need to write the sections. The MCAT also tests your knowledge indirectly through applications. That said, it's important to develop exam writing savy and stamina in addition to just studying the material. This is done by having MCAT simulation exams spaced through out your study timeline. I think 3 months is ideal if you have done well in the background courses. If you're deficient in some sections then you should invest more time. As you develop your plan, make sure to include adequate time off for mental rest. Studying when you're not completely focused and alert is of little use. Don't overdo it.

Good Luck with your MCATs,

Peter

 

[Mudd]

I heard a rumor that University of Michigan has a general chemistry course that is designed for MCAT review. Is this true? If so, then obviously subscribe to the start early theory.

As far as when to start reviewing, that should be all of the time, from the day you first enter college. As far as when to start preparing, that should be a few months beofre the exam (about three or four depending on the student). Preparation means actually doing passages and analyzing the answer choices.

 

[Kovox]

You might want to start studying this summer. Take a prep course of some sort. I would advise that you begin working on the verbal section - it's the hardest area to improve upon.

 

[fun8stuff]

thanks for all the great advice... i think i just might buy the EK 101 verbal for this summer, because it is the only section that i am really unsure about... i might also take one of the old AAMC exams, just to get a feel for where I am.

As for U of M... I did hear a rumor about them having some kind of prep seminar for it one day this fall... or maybe it was summer? i dont remember hearing that it was a gen chem one, but who knows... i heard it from someone who wasnt even sure themselves... someone should probably check their website, i'm too addicted to this SDN to take time to do it! haha..jk

 

[washkeep]

My school does a prep course.. it's cheaper than kaplan or princeton, so I'm going that route. I just got the flippin' kaplan comprehensive review and it's huge! Just by looking at the size of the book, I feel like I should start looking it over.

 

[dstn2bmd]

For verbal, reading speed and comprehension were inversely proportional for me. If I read faster my comprehension went down. If I read slower for comprehension then I was always 5 minutes too long. 😡 I felt that it was equally important.

If you run across this I would say prep for verbal now. I took Kaplan and couldn't figure out why I had a 9 as my limit. They never talk about the fact that if you read slow all the logic and reasoning in the world won't help.

As far as the sciences are concerned. I started in December prior to the April test. A year for that is overkill, but what frustrated me was going back to the physics and chemistry and thinking "God that looks so familiar, but what was the relationship".😕 Frequently review equations and understand the concepts then when you start prepping for the test all you need to concentrate is your test taking skills and trying to figure out what the heck they're asking.

Hope this helps.

Heb

 

[wgu]

I've been working low pace on verbal for a year now. I think it's more effective than studying like mad for 3 months. You may, however, get away with fast studying in the science sections. Or maybe that's just me. Good luck.