I am just getting started in studying for the MCAT’s. I plan on taking them sometime in Spring of 2013 (seems like a long way away but time seems to be flying by now a days.) What is the best way to get started?
As always, thanks for the advise.
You may want to read through the AAMC guide to the MCAT and consider registering with the AAMC website. Some people suggest taking a practice MCAT to see where you weaknesses lie in order to focus on them; others recommend reviewing everything.
Whether or not you take a review course, either an in-class review or home study review, is up to you; many of these programs promise higher scores. The AAMC believes that these testing companies (Kaplan, Princeton Review, Berkeley Review, Columbia Review, Gold Standard) provide small benefits compared to home study. Some, such as the Berkeley Review, sell their materials on-line for home study. It is not recommended to simply go from most basic to most complex: physics --> gen chemistry --> organic chemistry --> biology/physiology, with verbal along the way. Rather, try mixing them up; each week spend some time doing a topic in each topic. You can get a list of topics from the AAMC website.
Understanding the principles, doing lots of problems, and then doing many, many timed practice MCAT exams (paper and computer-based) from the AAMC or one of these private companies) seems to be the key. It also helps to know your learning limitations. The MCAT is not just testing your ability to understand new material, but it is also testing how fast you can read and understand what is presented to you. It is a test of how to quickly think critically under pressure. I personally know two doctors who both got 43’s on their MCAT using the above method, as well as several people who scored in the high 30s.
I’m in the same boat, taking MCAT spring 2013. I took my prereqs over 10 yrs ago, so I know I need to relearn alot of material.
I am trying to decide if I should audit some classes at a local community college for the next year or if I should take a reveiw course. (I had started studying to take the MCAT before and enrolled in Kaplan, have their books, but noticed that online classes I went to helped some, but I feel especially for physics and Org chem that I might need a person in front of me to answer questions). I did like all their online tests available. I considered TPR online class as they have more instruction hours and 20 hours extra help time…
Don’t know which route to take. I wouldn’t be able to audit all the classes probably just Physics I, Biology I and a class called intro to Organic and Biochemistry (maybe help with org and bio).
Have you had any bright ideas since your post a few months ago?