Work and Studying?

[neuroscience_nerd]

For everyone who previously wrote the MCAT, did you work while studying? How many hours a week did you work? Did you get a good score?

 

I'm having a lot of trouble deciding if I should work part time while preparing for the MCAT, or if I should just concentrate all of my efforts into studying for the summer. I'm doing TPR and I find that I don't have enough time to study as it is. Any advice and previous experiences would be appreciated!

[Jochi1543]

Depends on what kind of job you have. I had a 30 hr/wk job where I did actual WORK for maybe 5-10 hours a week on average. Worked great for me.

[xi88]

I took the MCAT at the end of January, so I had class then exams until christmas break. Then class again starting in January + part time job (10hours/week). It was totally do-able. You definately dont have to spend all your time studying.

[future_doc]

I'm having a lot of trouble deciding if I should work part time while preparing for the MCAT, or if I should just concentrate all of my efforts into studying for the summer.

 

All our experiences are unique to each of us, so any advice we give, take it with a grain of salt. I am not prepared to gamble with working this summer, although I just got an offer too good to refuse to work as paid employee with patients part time. So, I am cutting back on my volunteering to allow for this work. Otherwise, this summer is strictly for MCAT (volunteering is a needed and enjoyable break).

[Hopeful Med]

I work from 9-4 every day and I have plenty of time to study. I've gotten good scores on all my practice tests so far... I find it absurd that people actually study all day for the whole summer, unless they don't come from a science background... then there is a lot of catch-up to do.

 

It depends on the person. I find 9 to 5 work plus studying very tiring. So I worked part time, took a MCAT course and studied. This worked for me but others may find they can work full time, part time or not at all. It's not fair to judge.

 

neuroscience_nerd are you fresh out of first/second year or has it been awhile since you had the material? There are so many factors to consider and what you find to be comfortable for yourself.

[rmorelan]

Yeah I think that it is just a personal thing - how prepared are you already, how much material is new to you, have you already written it and so done the ground work prep before and know what to expect, how critical is it to get it right this time for sure, what is your goal on the test...... So everyone's answer is going to be different. I rewrote it 5 years after doing it initially with very little prep and working full time, but I was probably lucky there.

 

I do think that most other considerations should be secondary to doing well on the test though, and doing a practice test might give you a good idea of where you currently stand

[Shadowplay]

Its possible, though it doesn't make for a fun summer. I worked full time, took a spring course during the first part of summer, and wrote my MCAT in mid-August last year (I got a 34R). By the time school started again, I didn't really get the chance to recharge. So its up to you. Its possible, but tiring.

[Gavanshir]

I worked 40+/week last summer and did terrible on my August MCAT; I'm working 20 hours/week this summer.

[Ninjaface]

I did not work, and instead studied about 6-7 hours a day for 3 weeks straight. I wrote the MCAT 6 years after the pre-reqs and a month after returning from living in South America for a year, and got a 33O (9 in PS, 12 in the other two). My practice average was around 36, but I bombed the PS (for me) due to tiredness caused by test-night anxiety. My practice average was still going up after 3 weeks, so I likely would have benefitted from more studying than I did. I am one of those 4.00 'kids' everyone loves to hate though, so take that into consideration if you want as well.

 

I used an outdated EK set and a recent copy of Kaplan's Gold Standard to study. I found the two complimented each other well.

 

I would have preferred to work part time and study part time for 3 months rather than the way I did it, but then, I got in with my 3 week 33 O, so not really.

 

The ideal would be working at a job where you can study, like a lot of lab tech jobs for example.

[bethechange]

Agreed that it's individual. I did the Princeton Review classroom prep (I took the night class option) and worked 24 hours/week at a job where I couldn't study. I did that from the beginning of the summer until mid-July when I wrote the MCAT. After working and going to the prep class, I didn't feel like I had much time to just sit down and study on my own. Thankfully, it ended up working out for me, but I always felt like I was taking a gamble and was afraid I wouldn't be well-prepared. Then again, no matter how much I studied, I probably would've been doubting my preparedness going into it.

[fluorescein]

I have (almost) the same problem. I took on 4 courses (May 15-Aug 10) before I registered for the MCAT. Now I'm taking 4 courses and studying for the MCAT 6-7 hours per day. I write on Aug 14th and I have finals on the 10th, 11th, and 15th. haha. My advice: you may only write the MCAT once... do what you can to ensure that you get a good score the first time. If you really want to get a job, you could always try it and quit if you cant handle it .

[AdamP]

I have (almost) the same problem. I took on 4 courses (May 15-Aug 10) before I registered for the MCAT. Now I'm taking 4 courses and studying for the MCAT 6-7 hours per day. I write on Aug 14th and I have finals on the 10th, 11th, and 15th. haha. My advice: you may only write the MCAT once... do what you can to ensure that you get a good score the first time. If you really want to get a job, you could always try it and quit if you cant handle it .

 

that's intense, I don't know, I sort of have the opposite opinion, I would probably concentrate on my courses more since they will follow you to most of the schools you apply to, where as Canadian schools don't seem to mind too much if you have multiple MCAT writes.

 

I suppose if the courses are easy though than balancing both might not be impossible.

 

All the best though,

 

PS i love the username, my entire summer so far has been working with that lovely chemical known as fluorescein (i always spell it wrong though).

[fluorescein]

that's intense, I don't know, I sort of have the opposite opinion, I would probably concentrate on my courses more since they will follow you to most of the schools you apply to, where as Canadian schools don't seem to mind too much if you have multiple MCAT writes.

 

I suppose if the courses are easy though than balancing both might not be impossible.

 

All the best though,

 

PS i love the username, my entire summer so far has been working with that lovely chemical known as fluorescein (i always spell it wrong though).

 

The courses aren't too bad... they're basically bird courses (random psych and ethics classes) that will count as the electives I need towards my degree.

 

Somehow the MCAT seems like more of a priority to me, despite the fact that I can write it again (and again haha)... I wish I had written it immediately after first year though, its difficult trying to recall all that first year science info!

 

And thanks, fluorescein is my favorite chemical haha.

[AP_gooner]

I'm writing this year (summer between 3rd and 4th) and I'm working full time 9-5 for half of the summer.... but half of the full-time work will coincide with MCAT study time.

 

I just plan on coming home at 5, eating quickly, then off to the library till around 12 everyday after... hopefully it works!

[covarubious]

I am writing for the first time and working part time (minimum 24 h) and full time in the research lab, also working on a student documentary for class which I should be finnsihed soon attempting to maintain freindships and some sanity. lol I expect to have pulled out every hair out of my head by my aug test date BTW doing self study with EK, pretty decent base in the sciences.