How long do I really need to prepare and pass the MCAT test in the first approach? This is one of the most common questions asked by the pre-med students regarding the MCAT prep. And, today, in this particular post, we are going to make things clear to you.
For your information, the answer actually differs from one person to another due to a number of inter-related issues including the level of understanding.
However, as you have been here and looking for an overall discussion on how long you need to study, we assure you are in the right place. Let’s get started!
In general, you need to follow the rules carefully:
- Reading the MCAT prep books
- Taking as many practice questions as you can
- Reviewing flashcards
- Watching MCAT tutorials online
- Reviewing what you have been prepared for
Students usually get themselves prepared following the above-stated rules by studying only three months. You need to study 5.5 hours a day, that is, 35+ hours a week and 500 hours in total. Not a big deal, is it?
You can divide those 500 hours into some effective phases that will really help you achieve your goal. We recommend you to follow these phases accordingly:
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Content Phase:
In this phase, you are to know what subjects cover the MCAT exam. After that, learn the contents that are in the subjects. Make a routine for weekly progress through which you will know how much you have progressed in each subject.
Take your time to understand and review each subject carefully and then try to master it by detail reading, solving problems, practicing demo questions, preparing flashcards and reviewing. Make sure to spend enough time to understand every topic. When you have the Top MCAT Prep Courses in hand, spend the first 3 weeks in this phase so that you can develop an understanding of the MCAT basics.
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Practice Phase:
This is the most important phase of all. In this stage, you must start practicing all the MCAT prep courses, study materials, mock exams, practice questions, and full-length tests. Allot your next 5 weeks to get yourself digest and understand this step.
Answer each question carefully and recheck if any question has been missed. Improve your skills, find your strengths and weaknesses. Work on your weak points more and more and get over them. Now review what you have read in these weeks. Once you think that almost everything is clear and you can answer questions from these topics, stop reviewing and follow the next step.
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The Final Preparation:
At this stage, you have to check out if you have mastered all the subjects accordingly. Make sure you have exercised a good number of practice questions and passages along with multiple choice questions. Find out what mistakes you have done before and re-read them once again.
Test your skills by taking at least 3 full-length tests to cope with the timing, exam hall environment, endurance, and scoring.
Then, spend the remaining 4 weeks to prepare for the last time. Study what you missed and write down again and again. Analyze and understand your approach and how you deliver them during the exam. Try to compete with yourself every week. And, this is exactly how you can crack the MCAT test in the very first attempt.
When you have scrolled down to the bottom of the post, we guess, you got to know how much time you should be spending in your study and how you need to approach it. The above-mentioned phases are suggested by MCAT experts and this simple as well as easy to follow steps have helped a number of students to qualify the test. Now, it’s your turn to get started and achieve your target score at the very first time.
