I spent the first 3 and a half months studying the content by reading through the books while also watching the corresponding teaching videos online. I found that the Kaplan book set was very detailed and the Kaplan practice tests were a little harder than the AAMC practice tests and my real MCAT, which I appreciated The Self-Paced worked well for me because of my hectic schedule and confidence that I could keep to a studying schedule without attending an MCAT class. I used the Kaplan Self-Paced MCAT prep primarily, which consists of a content book set, online teaching videos, lots of online practice resources. I was taking classes full-time, and also participating in a varsity sport that took up much of my time and weekends. What Else Were You Doing Besides Prepping for the MCAT? It was really important for me to begin studying early so I could have some breathing room built into my schedule if I needed to push it back a week or two if necessary. The key for me in situations like these was being ok with pushing my deadlines back. It was 2:00 AM and I had at least four more hours of studying if I wanted to complete the amount I had set out for the week. Because of this, there were some times when I became overwhelmed with the amount of work I had left.įor example, one Sunday after a team trip for an away match, I was overwhelmed by the amount of work I would have to do to keep to my schedule. My schedule was pretty hectic due to a heavy class load and sports practice every day, so I had to squeeze in MCAT studying wherever I could. Occasionally, I would miss a day due to exams or papers from other classes, and would make up the missed hours on the weekend. I studied for about two hours a day, usually in the evenings with the rest of my other homework. I also took Biopsychology, which focuses on the biology of the brain, instead of Introduction Psychology, so I had to teach myself most of the Psychology concepts which were not covered in the class I took. I finished all my prereqs before taking the MCAT, but I did take Physics II the semester immediately before taking the MCAT, so I had to self-study that topic a bit. Were You Done With Prereqs? If Not, How did You Decide to Which Ones You Were Okay Self-Studying? Finally, May 24th was one of the last dates I could take the MCAT and still have my score uploaded at the end of June, early enough in the application cycle to receive secondaries at the end of June/start of July. That date also gave me two full, free weeks at home after I finished final exams to focus on taking practice tests and reviewing. It was after my school year finished, so I would have finished learning Physics II in class. I decided on May 24th for several reasons. I scheduled the MCAT at the end of January, and took the MCAT on May 24th. When Did You Take the MCAT and What Was Your Decision on When You Took It? I think it was enough because I was able to finish reviewing all content before May and had over a month to focus on taking practice tests and reviewing my weak areas. I had also reviewed a set of MCAT books the previous summer to help me remember the topics I had learned Freshman year ( Biology and Chemistry ). I started studying seriously in January, about five months before I took the MCAT at the end of May. How Much Time Did You Give Yourself to Study, and Do You Think it Was Enough (why/why not?). I am majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Philosophy. What did you major in? (or what are you majoring in?)
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