Working FT, long term study plan or stick to 3 months?

[chowtime_cat]

Hi all,

I am currently planning to start content review in the next month, and planning to take the MCAT sometime in the Jul-Sep bracket, depending on where I am by the beginning of April. I struggled with physics a lot in undergrad, and haven’t taken general chemistry in a few years, so I want to put some extra time into CR for those subjects and gradually cycle through the rest of the content with biology and psych/soc being my least critical areas.

I also work 40+ hours a week in an immuno lab that is really intense and takes a lot of time, energy, etc. so I am trying to plan the best way to balance in-depth content review. In this regard would it be better to start early (now) and test late (Aug/Sep) so that I have a good 4-6 months of content review and then spend the last months very focused on practice and building up endurance and proper mindset for MCAT-style questions? Or would it be better to do the typical 6-8 weeks CR, 5+ hours a day and then a month or so of MCAT practice?

Trying to think about the best way to put as many quality hours in without being completely burned out!

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[Blueprint Med School]

With a full time job, it'd definitely better for you to start studying earlier and spread it out, but you have to remain consistent. Once you decide to really get into studying, I wouldn't take more than a day off from studying at a time- many people who start early will do a couple hours of MCAT, lose motivation, and then not study for another week. Chances are, after this week, they've forgotten everything they studied before. Consistency is key for studying for the MCAT.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[anniekat2025]

Hi all,

I am currently planning to start content review in the next month, and planning to take the MCAT sometime in the Jul-Sep bracket, depending on where I am by the beginning of April. I struggled with physics a lot in undergrad, and haven’t taken general chemistry in a few years, so I want to put some extra time into CR for those subjects and gradually cycle through the rest of the content with biology and psych/soc being my least critical areas.

I also work 40+ hours a week in an immuno lab that is really intense and takes a lot of time, energy, etc. so I am trying to plan the best way to balance in-depth content review. In this regard would it be better to start early (now) and test late (Aug/Sep) so that I have a good 4-6 months of content review and then spend the last months very focused on practice and building up endurance and proper mindset for MCAT-style questions? Or would it be better to do the typical 6-8 weeks CR, 5+ hours a day and then a month or so of MCAT practice?

Trying to think about the best way to put as many quality hours in without being completely burned out!

Hello! I studied for the MCAT while working full time and wrote a pretty extensive post about it.

I got a 519 on my MCAT, working full time. Nontrad/AD military. Thoughts below.

I tested on 14 September 2019. I got a 519 (129/132/128/130). I studied on top of working full time. Don’t get me wrong, I got a lot of really great info from online forums in preparation for this test, but there were also things I wish I had heard or read while studying. This post is an attempt...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Some folks disagree, but I don't think you need to do that much content review to be ready for the MCAT. I did about 4-6 weeks of 2-3 hours a day and that was plenty. (Btw I'm not a biology major or anything. My degree is in engineering.) IMO the most important thing is to do lots and lots of practice questions (UWorld) and realistic practice tests with thorough reviews. If you have more specific questions, please feel free to shoot me a message.

 

[jhmmd]

Hi all,

I am currently planning to start content review in the next month, and planning to take the MCAT sometime in the Jul-Sep bracket, depending on where I am by the beginning of April. I struggled with physics a lot in undergrad, and haven’t taken general chemistry in a few years, so I want to put some extra time into CR for those subjects and gradually cycle through the rest of the content with biology and psych/soc being my least critical areas.

I also work 40+ hours a week in an immuno lab that is really intense and takes a lot of time, energy, etc. so I am trying to plan the best way to balance in-depth content review. In this regard would it be better to start early (now) and test late (Aug/Sep) so that I have a good 4-6 months of content review and then spend the last months very focused on practice and building up endurance and proper mindset for MCAT-style questions? Or would it be better to do the typical 6-8 weeks CR, 5+ hours a day and then a month or so of MCAT practice?

Trying to think about the best way to put as many quality hours in without being completely burned out!

I wouldn't burn the candle at both ends. Find some way to take a sabbatical from work. Study 3-4 months for the MCAT. If needed, rinse and repeat.