For those of you that have taken the MCATs already, what do you recommend as a good time period for studying for the test? I plan on taking them in April. I don’t want to start too soon because then you just have to restudy everything. But I also don’t want to wait too long and have to cram or not have enough time. I am retaking the basic prerequisite science courses this fall / spring in school (I took them almost 10 years ago) so I know that will serve as good preparation too. But as far as actually getting down and dirty with a MCAT review manual or a review course or something, I’m not sure when to start. What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Adrienne
I took ten weeks, using the Examkrackers books and a schedule from their Web site. I don’t know if I’d try that while retaking ALL the pre-req courses, though. That sounds like a stretch.
I recommend the opposite tack spread it over 2 semesters, particularly if you are planning a Kaplan or Princeton Course. In Kaplan you can take a course starting in September and it finishes April or May, once a week meetings. More importantly, is that you have access to the online material and practice exams for all that time. I found in my busy life, that a semester-length prep while taking courses and working and having life come at you was too much.
Additionally, the test isn’t just content, or even how to take it. You want to go in there feeling so at ease with material, with your practice scores, with your ability to take whatever is thrown at you, that you “feel one with the exam” (yeah, a little spacey way to describe it.)
That’s my 2 cents.