Wondering how to prepare for the MCAT to get the desired score? MCAT is nothing but a Medical College Admission Test. If you want to get admission to the medical school you need to get a good score on this MCAT. By studying smart, and scheduling it in a proper way, we will get a good score in this exam.
Most medical school admission boards place much weight on an applicant's MCAT score as they do on their GPA. It is very common to place more weight on the MCAT scores. Most of the students prepare for this MCAT during their summer break by testing in September. In this article, we are going to discuss what is MCAT, how to prepare, and tips and tricks to study MCAT easily.
- What is MCAT?
- How to Prepare for MCAT | Tips & Tricks to Study MCAT
- Is it hard to study MCAT?
- How long should you study before taking the MCAT?
- What food should I bring on the test day?
- What is the hardest subject on MCAT?
What is MCAT?
The MCAT exam is one of the most important tests for medical school admissions. This test is mainly based on multiple-choice questions, a computer-based, standardized exam that is required to get admission to medical schools in US and Canada.
In this MCAT exam, we will have subjects like biological sciences, physical sciences, verbal reasoning, and writing. If you see the marks shared for each section will be like the physical science section will have 5 multiple choice questions and should be completed in 70 minutes' time and also same with the biological sciences.
Verbal reasoning will have 40 multiple choice questions and should be completed in 60 minutes. In the final section, you need to write 2 essays. The MCAT exam is a bit more difficult than a college test. Best preparation in advance will help you to get a high score.
How to Prepare for MCAT | Tips & Tricks to Study MCAT
We have so many resources and tricks to study for the MCAT, preparation is the key to passing/getting a high score on MCAT. As we have an ocean of options to study it is quite profuse to determine the best practices. Fortunately, below given are the best tips and preparation strategies to study MCAT.
1. When to Start Preparing MCAT Always this will be the main thing. When you decided to take the MCAT exam you need to start preparing yourself very early. Start preparing from 2 to 6 months before your main test exam of MCAT. The best overall amount of time you need to spend for MCAT exam preparation is 200 -300 hours. And also before going to the main exam once after completion of your preparation just take the diagnostic practice test to see where you are. So that you can prepare well.
2. Take Practice Test The MCAT exam is a very long test as it nearly takes 8 hours to complete the exam. Taking practice tests will strengthen you for your main exam. Not only strengthens you will get used to the MCAT exam format but you will be cool when you are taking the main exam as you have practiced the same format many times and also your skills will improve by practicing more and more. If you take practice tests you can track your progress and you will know how much you need to prepare.
3. Find Your Weak Spots By taking a practice test you can easily identify your weak spots and keep an extra effort to overcome them. You can change your study schedule according to your goal.
4. Look after your Physical and Mental Strength When you are preparing for the exam, being a healthy person is also important. If you are not strong mentally and physically you cannot able to concentrate on your studies well. So, ensure that you are well-rested, hydrated, and take regular breaks. Don't sit for long hours at the midnight.
5. Gather the Best MCAT Study Materials One of the most important things, when you are studying for the MCAT, is also choosing the best study materials. Most universities will help in providing the best study materials and resources for the MCAT. Most highly recommended study materials are which will be published by the AAMC(Association of American Medical Colleges). And also along with these study materials, take time to read the other challenging books outside of the core subjects. You should also prepare for CARS(Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills) as it is a bit more difficult than core subjects.
6. Take Guidance from Experts When you are preparing for the MCAT, the best thing to do is take advice from the experts who have already scored high on MCAT. You can ask them how they scheduled their plans, and what books they have collected and used. Ask them for some tips to study well. If you get any doubts in your preparation seek help from them.
7. Schedule Your Study Find when you should start your study during the day. Don't waste your time sitting on one topic the whole day. You need to map out how much time you have each week to study. Be sure not to burn out your time for other things like work, classes, friends, etc.
FAQs on Preparing for MCAT
No, it is not hard but as it is a bit challenging it needs a proper time to study well.
For the best preparation for the MCAT, you need 200 -300 hours, in other words, it needs 2 - 6 months of study.
You should bring a balanced healthy diet with a good portion of protein as you need to sit for long hours you should not feel tired or heavy.
According to the AAMC report, the hardest subject in MCAT is CARS.
Conclusion
Hope that the information given above on How to Study for MCAT is useful for you to prepare for MCAT. As everyone's work-life balance is different, how you choose to study for the MCAT is up to your specific needs. Still, if you need any advice on preparing for MCAT or if you think we have missed anything, you can comment to us in the comment section. If you like this article, and looking for more articles like this, bookmark our site Onlinestemdegrees.Com and stay connected.