Full time research and MCAT

[Lost&Found]

Hi guys,

 

I was wondering how difficult it is to do full-time research and the MCAT over the summer? I was thinking about taking Princeton Review and their study schedule is crazy...they pretty much expect you to meet 5 days a week, 3 hours each day for two months...has anyone ever taken a prep course, worked full-time and still managed to pull off a good score on the MCAT? I'm starting to get worried about whether this is even manageable.

 

Any experiences you can offer will be helpful

 

Thanks,

 

~L&F

[<abstract>]

Hey there,

 

Well I haven't written the MCAT yet, but I have already decided to write it this summer. I also have a research position (full time), and other commitments but I am not taking a prep course. I already purchased the Kaplan MCAT prep book and will likely start studying in my spare time in April... I guess we will be in the same boat.. so I too would like to hear from then other posters regarding this.

 

Cheers,

ABS

[bridge]

Hey L&F,

 

Doing full-time research and scoring well on the MCAT is definitely possible. I studied and wrote last summer (no prep course) with a full-time research position (not to mention the hefty 1.5h one-way commute), and some casual volunteering to maintain my ECs. Honestly, I too thought it would be an impossible task. However, with commitment, motivation and some very, very serious discipline it is possible. Here's what I recommend:

 

1. Extend your study schedule

 

You'll probably need double the time to study as someone who is taking time off to study, though it varies between people. I allocated 4 months and planned a strict study schedule in advance.

 

2. Fix the number of hours you study per day

 

I found this really helped my sanity throughout the summer, because once you're done that "x" number of hours you get a well-deserved break. You definitely need something to look forward to as you slog through each day. 5 hours per weekday was all I could muster. Then 8-10 hours Saturday and a practice test Sunday.

 

3. Take 2-3 weeks off work before you write

 

This was excellent advice from previous MCAT writers on the forum! This is an excellent opportunity to do practice tests (I did aamc to get used to the online format and wording). I took one test per day in the morning, then reviewed topics for which I had performed weakly/felt unsure about in the afternoon. Evening = break.

 

Hopefully that helps!

 

Cheers,

Bridge (PS14/VR12/BS14 R)

[Lost&Found]

Thanks for the great answer, Bridge! And congrats on the awesome score (holy crap!)

 

Do you have any tips for reading the passages and answering the questions? I'm worried I'll run out of time.

[bridge]

Thanks! . Although I definitely had to re-write (from a <30 score). I think time-wise the best thing you can do for yourself is consistently do practice tests (e.g. 1/wk). I also found that I had to consistently remind myself to abandon the more difficult questions (especially on VR) if you find yourself spending too much time on them. There's a good chance that if you have to think about it THAT much you're going to get it wrong regardless, and you could be using that time to gain points on much easier questions. I also found I had a tendency to skip around the questions, which drastically reduces the time I had to actually think about them and answer (because re-reading is required). For that same reason, I found previewing the questions was generally a time-waster too. Do the questions in order and learn to let go.

[bored]

I did full time job and mcat last summer. I wouldn't recommend it. I would say its because I had to commute to get to downtown and that chewed away a lot of my past time. so if its close by, go ahead, if not.. think about your own potential before doing it.

[skier87]

It is definitely possible to work and study (and do well!). As someone else said, dedicate a specific number of hours each day to study and then reward yourself with a break - I dragged my butt out to UBC from Burnaby for most of June to study for 4-5 hours in the morning, then hit the beach after. Did practice exams in July and volunteered for 2 weeks at a summer camp before the actual test day (Aug 5). Prep course not necessary if you are confident in your ability to learn independently and self-motivate.

[bridge]

To address the commuting problem, try and take public transit rather than driving (although this isn't always a possibility). If you can grab a good set of earplugs, you can use that time to effectively study. Since my commute was 3 hours each day, I ate up a lot of study time before returning home, leaving a good portion of my nights free.

 

Another tip: EK audio osmosis lectures were awesome for studying while in the lab. They're easy to follow, and the constant exposure to the material really helps. I think I can still recite some of the lectures, lol.

[bridge]

To add to the comment by the previous poster - no, it's definitely not a cakewalk. Your life will suck for the 4 months you're studying and research sometimes adds to the stress and sometimes alleviates it. You're going to have good study days where your motivation is high and others where you question whether its all worth it. Is this any different than the experiences of other writers? Well, arguably you'll have additional stress, but it doesn't vastly depart from the experiences of others.

 

On those days when you're having trouble sticking to your studying just remember...if you just keep going and do well, you will NEVER have to write that beast again.

[TheBookWorm]

Hey bridge, thank you for the wonderful advice.

 

I took the MCAT last summer and did well on every section except verbal (got an 8). Now, I am likely getting a research opportunity like you did for the summer. However, my issue is that I would like to write the test by mid-July. So after school ends in April I will have about 2 and 1/2 months.

 

So do you suggest I move the test date a little further? Or do you think it can still be done with in 2 and 1/2.

 

I mean, I'd really like to do it in mid-July and if you could suggest how to organize the schedule, it'd would be really helpful. How long should I study from the books and when should I do practice tests? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.