Working full time while studying for MCAT?

[Ouiser]

Hi all,

I am looking to see what past experiences have been for others on this forum as well as any advice you may have to offer. When studying for the MCAT did many of you work full time, or did you pick up part time jobs so you could devote more time to studying? I currently am working a full time job in a position that was newly created at my company which means that it has become incredibly time consuming since I am the only individual working on the projects and developing the role. In the past few weeks I have noticed it becoming increasingly difficult to focus on studying once I come home from work, but I want to make the MCAT my main priority.

Those of you that worked part time, what jobs did you work or would you recommend? I have a friend who has been working as a substituent teacher and she says it is a wonderful job to have while studying for the MCAT. I just am looking for ideas because I would like to have something lined up before I consider turning in a notice to my company even though I am so incredibly eager to reallocate my time towards studying.

Warm Regards,
Ouiser

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[westsidestoryz]

I worked full time in an office.Thankfully, as long as I got my work done, no one bothered me. I studied a good 5 hours at work and more at home. If you can get an office job that allows a lot of autonomy, that is the way to go. But i wouldn't recommend working at all when you are studying for the MCAT

 

[oncotraum]

I studied full-time for 6 months before taking my MCAT and it was quite challenging! It was very tough having to go home after a full day of work and begin studying for the night. My advice is to really use your weekends as full-time studying days, and use the weekdays as a review by doing something that requires less focus such as watching videos. I found this to be the best strategy for me because I wanted to do something during the week, but it had to be something easier otherwise I knew I would retain nothing. I also took a few weeks off from work before my MCAT to focus and have no other distractions, so if this is possible I would recommend it.

 

[qtipsinear]

I worked part-time as a waiter and did a few hours (10ish) of research a week while studying for the MCAT. Can't imagine trying to work full time and studying. Best of luck!

 

[Shammyguy3]

I studied full-time for 6 months before taking my MCAT and it was quite challenging! It was very tough having to go home after a full day of work and begin studying for the night. My advice is to really use your weekends as full-time studying days, and use the weekdays as a review by doing something that requires less focus such as watching videos. I found this to be the best strategy for me because I wanted to do something during the week, but it had to be something easier otherwise I knew I would retain nothing. I also took a few weeks off from work before my MCAT to focus and have no other distractions, so if this is possible I would recommend it.

I second this. I worked full time, started studying about 5 months before my test date because of that

 

[Ouiser]

I worked full time in an office.Thankfully, as long as I got my work done, no one bothered me. I studied a good 5 hours at work and more at home. If you can get an office job that allows a lot of autonomy, that is the way to go. But i wouldn't recommend working at all when you are studying for the MCAT

That is awesome that you were able to study so much at work! I wish that were the case for me, I’m constantly bombarded with request from management and call from clients. I think I either need to find a new job or at the least push out my text date. Thanks for the input!

 

[Ouiser]

I studied full-time for 6 months before taking my MCAT and it was quite challenging! It was very tough having to go home after a full day of work and begin studying for the night. My advice is to really use your weekends as full-time studying days, and use the weekdays as a review by doing something that requires less focus such as watching videos. I found this to be the best strategy for me because I wanted to do something during the week, but it had to be something easier otherwise I knew I would retain nothing. I also took a few weeks off from work before my MCAT to focus and have no other distractions, so if this is possible I would recommend it.

Thank you so much for your advice. I think I’m going to push my test date out instead of taking it in May. I have decided to apply next year instead so I can get more volunteer and EC activities for my application first, and this will allow me more time to study for the MCAT as well.

 

[oncotraum]

Thank you so much for your advice. I think I’m going to push my test date out instead of taking it in May. I have decided to apply next year instead so I can get more volunteer and EC activities for my application first, and this will allow me more time to study for the MCAT as well.

That is a really great idea! I also pushed mine out and am so thankful I did because I had more time for ECs and I feel very strong going into this application cycle. No point in rushing if you don’t think you’ll be able to put your best application forward! You’ll get to be a doctor eventually and 1 year will not make a difference in the long run.

 

[907914]

How much to study really is a personal thing and varies so much from person to person. I study about 2 hours every other night and am getting 516-519 on the AAMC FLs. Other people need to study full time to get a 508. You won't know how much you need to study until you just start studying.

 

[fyang0414]

I worked full-time and didn't have much time at work to study (maybe 2-3 hours throughout the week?) so most of my studying was after work/weekends.

I did about 2 months of self study then invested in NextStep's 16 hour crash course tutoring over another 2 months. It was really expensive but I think it was worth it since they worked with my schedule and just that extra support helped a lot.

 

[DrCrazyDiamond]

Hi all,

I am looking to see what past experiences have been for others on this forum as well as any advice you may have to offer. When studying for the MCAT did many of you work full time, or did you pick up part time jobs so you could devote more time to studying? I currently am working a full time job in a position that was newly created at my company which means that it has become incredibly time consuming since I am the only individual working on the projects and developing the role. In the past few weeks I have noticed it becoming increasingly difficult to focus on studying once I come home from work, but I want to make the MCAT my main priority.

Those of you that worked part time, what jobs did you work or would you recommend? I have a friend who has been working as a substituent teacher and she says it is a wonderful job to have while studying for the MCAT. I just am looking for ideas because I would like to have something lined up before I consider turning in a notice to my company even though I am so incredibly eager to reallocate my time towards studying.

Warm Regards,
Ouiser

Hi Ouiser,

A lot of good answers here from others. I figured I'll share my past experiences too.

I wrote the old (<2015) MCAT a couple times back in 2014 and decided to write the new (2015 onward) exam in 2018. So I am completely new to Psych/social and some biochem material.

I studied approximately 4 days a week, while still working 2-4 days part time a week. I work in shifts at hospitals so typically by the time I get home I can dish out approx. 2 hours each night reviewing material for MCAT. On days that I am not working, then I can devote the whole day (~8am - 5pm) into studying, while still keep the evenings to relax.

It took me about 3 months of content review to feel comfortable tackling passage-based questions in all sections.
This format/style seemed to work for me and may/may not work for others. I knew I wanted to do well on the MCAT, so it's fine for me to sacrifice my social life for the long term goal. From beginning to end I would say approx. 10 months duration (I got my results back in Oct).

Depends if you have other obligations in life (family) - working full time and studying for MCAT should be do-able if you can manage your time wisely. When I set aside the 2 hours of studying in the evening after work, I made sure I focus for those 2 hours (ie no distraction from TV, Facebook etc). Just keep reminding yourself that once it's all done, you will feel much better!

Best of luck!!

 

[FutureSurgical]

Currently working FT in a research lab, M-F 8-5. It sucks but I'll reiterate what others have said:

1. There will be a sacrifice somewhere along the way. I have no choice but to work FT because of financial reasons. I live on my own and have bills to pay. I also just love the job I have and wouldn't quit it just to study for this exam. I sacrifice a lot of my social life except for my very understanding girlfriend who's taking the exam in June. She's also working FT but at a hospital as a tech. I could go on and on about how wonderful and understanding she is; however, I'll keep it short. She and I get our "social fix" through each other by spending time together and studying together.
2. You'll need extra time to get content review down and practice. You'll see people on here (esp. 509+ study habits) that will say "I got a 520 by studying for a month and practicing hardcore for 2 more months." They are likely in school or on a summer break, where they have the luxury of sitting down 8+ hours a day to just study with minimal commitments outside of school and volunteering. You and I don't. I work 40-70 hours a week in my lab on top of volunteering once a week on Saturdays. We both have commitments that take more and more time away from our studying and dedication. So realize you'll need more time (~5-7 months) of total content review + practice.
3. BALANCE OUT YOUR LIFE. It seems slightly contradictory to what I said previously, but you need to have an escape from the pressures of working and studying. I learned that the stress does add up pretty quickly. I would notice that, by day 5 of non-stop work/study in the evenings, that I would start feeling burned out. I couldn't focus, think critically, and didn't retain any of the content I'd reviewed, even if it wasn't a new concept to me. So my girlfriend and I devote one day during the work week to not focusing on the MCAT; rather on ourselves and spend time together. That helps us recharge and head into the weekend ready to spend long hours each day reading, practicing, and going over missed questions. Now I love working out and being active. 5x a week I will work out for 60-90 minutes. During the work week, that's at 6 a.m. before work. Weekends are variable depending on what I have going on or if I need to head back into work for assays/colony management.
4. Develop your network to include people who are very supportive of you. As time went on with studying, I noticed that few people, including my parents, brother, and girlfriend were one of the few people who were understanding of the sacrifices I had to make in order to get a good score. Many people kinda fell off when I became less social with them. I know they'll come back in my life once I can actually be more social again; however, they aren't going through this journey so they don't understand the grind I'm on in order to get my goal score (511+.) My inner circle contains far less people now. Which is okay, Every day they encourage me to keep going, study hard, and dedicate 100% of myself to this test. They are the ones that prevented me from burning out and cancelling my test. They are invaluable to your well-being and ability to kill it on this test.

 

[Ouiser]

Hi Ouiser,

A lot of good answers here from others. I figured I'll share my past experiences too.

I wrote the old (<2015) MCAT a couple times back in 2014 and decided to write the new (2015 onward) exam in 2018. So I am completely new to Psych/social and some biochem material.

I studied approximately 4 days a week, while still working 2-4 days part time a week. I work in shifts at hospitals so typically by the time I get home I can dish out approx. 2 hours each night reviewing material for MCAT. On days that I am not working, then I can devote the whole day (~8am - 5pm) into studying, while still keep the evenings to relax.

It took me about 3 months of content review to feel comfortable tackling passage-based questions in all sections.
This format/style seemed to work for me and may/may not work for others. I knew I wanted to do well on the MCAT, so it's fine for me to sacrifice my social life for the long term goal. From beginning to end I would say approx. 10 months duration (I got my results back in Oct).

Depends if you have other obligations in life (family) - working full time and studying for MCAT should be do-able if you can manage your time wisely. When I set aside the 2 hours of studying in the evening after work, I made sure I focus for those 2 hours (ie no distraction from TV, Facebook etc). Just keep reminding yourself that once it's all done, you will feel much better!

Best of luck!!

Thank you for the advice, I have found that 2 hours of studying is what is what works best for me after work. I definitely need to push my test out so I can study content more and practice passage questions.

Thanks again!

 

[Ouiser]

Currently working FT in a research lab, M-F 8-5. It sucks but I'll reiterate what others have said:

1. There will be a sacrifice somewhere along the way. I have no choice but to work FT because of financial reasons. I live on my own and have bills to pay. I also just love the job I have and wouldn't quit it just to study for this exam. I sacrifice a lot of my social life except for my very understanding girlfriend who's taking the exam in June. She's also working FT but at a hospital as a tech. I could go on and on about how wonderful and understanding she is; however, I'll keep it short. She and I get our "social fix" through each other by spending time together and studying together.
2. You'll need extra time to get content review down and practice. You'll see people on here (esp. 509+ study habits) that will say "I got a 520 by studying for a month and practicing hardcore for 2 more months." They are likely in school or on a summer break, where they have the luxury of sitting down 8+ hours a day to just study with minimal commitments outside of school and volunteering. You and I don't. I work 40-70 hours a week in my lab on top of volunteering once a week on Saturdays. We both have commitments that take more and more time away from our studying and dedication. So realize you'll need more time (~5-7 months) of total content review + practice.
3. BALANCE OUT YOUR LIFE. It seems slightly contradictory to what I said previously, but you need to have an escape from the pressures of working and studying. I learned that the stress does add up pretty quickly. I would notice that, by day 5 of non-stop work/study in the evenings, that I would start feeling burned out. I couldn't focus, think critically, and didn't retain any of the content I'd reviewed, even if it wasn't a new concept to me. So my girlfriend and I devote one day during the work week to not focusing on the MCAT; rather on ourselves and spend time together. That helps us recharge and head into the weekend ready to spend long hours each day reading, practicing, and going over missed questions. Now I love working out and being active. 5x a week I will work out for 60-90 minutes. During the work week, that's at 6 a.m. before work. Weekends are variable depending on what I have going on or if I need to head back into work for assays/colony management.
4. Develop your network to include people who are very supportive of you. As time went on with studying, I noticed that few people, including my parents, brother, and girlfriend were one of the few people who were understanding of the sacrifices I had to make in order to get a good score. Many people kinda fell off when I became less social with them. I know they'll come back in my life once I can actually be more social again; however, they aren't going through this journey so they don't understand the grind I'm on in order to get my goal score (511+.) My inner circle contains far less people now. Which is okay, Every day they encourage me to keep going, study hard, and dedicate 100% of myself to this test. They are the ones that prevented me from burning out and cancelling my test. They are invaluable to your well-being and ability to kill it on this test.

Thank you for the great input. I like hearing that other people are succeeding while still working full time. It is kind of nice that you and your girlfriend are both preparing for the MCAT so you understand the commitment that it requires to study. My boyfriend is always encouraging me, and he doesn’t mind that I don’t always have time for him. He is a medicinal chemist and went through a tough grind as well while getting his PhD so he understands my lack of free time.

I don’t have much a social life. We recently moved from Nashville to Boston for his job, but I think it’s probably a good thing. I don’t have the temptation to go out with friends instead of studying.

Thanks again for the input. Best of luck to you and your girlfriend with your exam so/applications!

 

[Naruhodo]

I worked full time (in a challenging job) while studying and I never studied while at work. However, I was in a fortunate position because I had a science background started off scoring a 510 on my first practice test. I second not having a social life (it was OK, we'd just relocated to a new city so I didn't really have a social group to start with). What worked for me was to do at least an hour studying every night after I got home (sometimes I got in the groove and did more). I benefited from the structure of a class, so I had 3hrs of that twice a week. I did at least a 4hr block on one of the 2 weekend days. The other weekend day I just held myself to the 1hr and did normal life things like laundry and exercise, but I tried to never skip a day. I kept it up for 3 months and it worked out well for me. Obviously everyone needs to find what works for them, but it can be done!

Good luck to you!