How to do Well on the MCAT
The Medical College Admission Test is the last hurdle between you and the coveted medical school acceptance letter. However, that last hurdle is hardly easy. A student needs to start preparing for the test while he is still taking regular courses. Buy a MCAT student manual early and compare its sample questions and notes to whatever you happen to be studying. You will need to start early to get the best score.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Study the format of the MCAT. Study all four areas -- physical sciences, biological sciences, reading comprehension and writing -- but study them separately. Clip or copy any helpful notes you come across, and organize them in a way you'll understand.
-
2
Map out a study calendar. Schedule a regular day or study session for each subject. You should plan to study this for at least a 10- to 12-week period and about 10 hours per week.
-
-
3
Read anything and everything to prepare for the reading comprehension section. It may cover everything from global warming to Indian literature. Ask yourself questions about everything you read, such as what was the major argument in an article. Train your mind to read actively.
-
4
Start taking practice tests a few weeks ahead of the real test date. Take a practice test in the morning, then review the material you got wrong in the afternoon. If you hate physics, concentrate on the formulas and make them make sense. Don't waste your time mastering a single subject that doesn't connect with your mind. Memorize the main formulas and move on.
-
5
Relax the day before the test. By then it's too late to "cram" and you need time to rest.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
The MCAT likes to take formulas you know well and make them different by inverting a number or manipulating the problem in some way.
Let people know you are preparing for the MCAT. Friends and family need to give you space to study. Put yourself first during this time.
Most successful medical applicants took the MCAT more than once. Schedule the MCAT so you will have two sets of scores for the application process in case you don't care for the first score.
