When is a good time to start preparing for the MCAT?

[cclawfjj]

subject says it all.

The sooner, the better presumably?

(or maybe not)

 

People who have taken the MCAT already can, perhaps, voice their opinions about this matter.

[Chowchilla]

at least 2 months of dedicated studying. of course there are those who'll claim they spent a three weeks/two weeks and still managed to get a 42t ...

 

go over all the study material and just estimate how much time you'll need to study. maybe 2 chapters per day? and you'll have to set aside an entire day for practice tests, and then are days when things just happen and you won't be able to study at all. gotta factor it all in. good luck.

[Kuantum]

I think studying verbal a little bit (about half an hour) every day for 3-4 months and hardcore sciences for at least 2-3 weeks should be good. However, this varies depending on your background. I am talking from the perspective of a 2nd year science student with Biochem 1 and 2, organic 1 and 2, microbiology 1 and 2, and all the intro science courses under my belt. However, I think ensuring that you are comfortable with verbal and have enough time to improve (if necessary) is a must.

 

EDIT: I should also mention, I took Kaplan so I got some MCAT exposure a couple times a week for about 3 months...that helps too.

[haiku_guy]

I did a Kaplan course, which works out to be a full-day of classes each week. On top of that I studied at least another half-day every week. This all started about 2 months before the exam.

 

I can't stand chemistry, and my first year physics didn't cover a lot of the concepts tested on the MCAT, so I focused on PS (which went from a 6 on my diagnostic to a 10 on the actual MCAT)

 

As for VR - read lots. And diverse articles. Get a subscription to Harpers, or the Economist, or McLean's or the Globe and Mail.

 

The most important thing are practice tests, timed. Do them until you think that you might go insane, then do some more.

 

Because of this, I smashed the exam into submission. 36Q!!

[testEasy]

So, When is a good time to start taking the Practice tests. if taking the test in Jan 06.

[Kuantum]

Probably a week or two after your December finals are over. Try one or two a week and then ease up towards the test date.