It is still recommended that you take a diagnostic MCAT exam before jumping into studying for the MCAT. It is essential that you get a look at the format of the MCAT, how the questions are being asked, and that you have an understanding of which content areas you will need to focus on as your study.
When should I start taking full lengths MCAT?
about 4-5 weeks
In my experience as an instructor, however, I’ve found that it’s nearly always best to take your first full-length about 4-5 weeks into your prep. If you need one, sign-up to receive a free MCAT full-length practice test in our Blueprint MCAT Practice Bundle!
How long should you study before taking the MCAT?
between 200 and 300 hours
How long should I study for the MCAT? Believe it or not, most students who do well on the MCAT spend between 200 and 300 hours preparing for the exam. When you start your prep will be determined by your test date and by what other work and academic commitments you have—usually 3 to 6 months before your exam.
How often should you take a full-length MCAT?
All in all, you should work your way through all 8 of the full practice MCATs offered by the AAMC and do them once a week. That means, at a minimum, you should expect to spend 2 months prepping for your MCATs. Of course, many students spend quite a bit more than that, but those 2 months should be a minimum.
Is it ever too early to start studying for the MCAT?
It’s not ideal for anybody to begin studying during their freshman year of college. The earliest we recommend taking the MCAT is the end of the summer between your sophomore and junior year of college. In that case, we recommend beginning to study no earlier than the spring of your sophomore year.
What is a normal first practice MCAT score?
As for how to assess your preparedness for the real MCAT, there are a few baselines for official AAMC practice scores. The average medical school matriculant’s MCAT score is a 510.
When should I take my first practice test MCAT?
When to Take MCAT Practice Tests. Although it might feel daunting, we recommend beginning to take practice tests about two weeks after you start content review. This first practice test will help you get a feel for what the test is like, and you’ll learn your baseline score.
Is 6 months too long to study for MCAT?
Even with six months to prepare, you will need to put aside a good chunk of study each week to attain a competitive score on the MCAT. Let’s take a look at how the next six months should shape up for you. First thing to consider is that this is a long term plan.
Is 2 Months enough to study for MCAT?
According to the AAMC, the average pre-med student should spend about 240 hours preparing for the MCAT over three months. As the official MCAT prep of the AMSA, Kaplan recommends that you spend 300-350 hours studying so you can be above average.
Is 4 months enough time to study for the MCAT?
If you’re a proud average student, be sure to give yourself ample time for MCAT Phase 1. This can range from 2 months of full-time MCAT study to 4 months of part-time MCAT study just for content review. You’ll then have to focus on passages/practice questions (phase 2) and, of course, full lengths (phase 3).
Is 8 MCAT practice tests enough?
A good number of practice tests for a well-prepared MCAT student to take would be five or six. You take three from AAMC and another three from a prep company like Next Step. If you need to go beyond that, that’s fine. But if you’re reviewing them properly, there shouldn’t be any need to go past nine or ten tests.
Is 6 MCAT practice tests enough?
If you fall into these categories, you may be able to get by with only 5-6 MCAT practice tests, but be sure to complete sufficient practice outside of full-lengths to fully master the MCAT science material. 3. Avoid taking more than one full-length per week!
What year of college should I take the MCAT?
While you can technically take the MCAT any time, you should take it during the summer after sophomore year at the earliest, and April of your application year at the latest.
Which MCAT prep is best?
Best MCAT Prep Courses Summary
- Best Overall MCAT Prep Course: Blueprint MCAT.
- Most Immersive MCAT Prep: Altius.
- Best Value MCAT Prep Course: Magoosh.
- Best MCAT Live Online Classes: Princeton Review.
- The Popular MCAT Pick: Kaplan.
- Most MCAT Study Material: Gold Standard.
Can you take the MCAT after sophomore year?
Applicants typically take the MCAT after they have finished their prerequisite classes for medical school because these classes usually cover most of the material on the actual MCAT. This means that students are typically taking the MCAT after their sophomore or junior year of college.
Is 495 a good MCAT score?
Attaining a score of 495 on the MCAT means you performed in the 35% percentile. An even distribution for the section scores is preferred.
What’s the lowest MCAT score accepted?
Your correct answers in each section are converted to a scaled score ranging from 118 (lowest possible score) to 132 (highest possible score). The scores for all four sections are added together. This means that the lowest possible MCAT score you can get is 472 and the highest is 528.
How many questions can you miss on the MCAT to get a 128?
If the real MCAT that you get is more difficult, then you might be able to miss 11 or 12 questions and still get a 128.
What’s a good baseline MCAT score?
A “good” MCAT score is one that puts you near or above the average percentile for matriculants at your target medical schools. For comparison, the average MCAT score for students admitted to an MD program in the United States in 2017–2018 is between 510 and 511, with an average GPA of 3.71. (Source: AAMC ).
Should I take a practice test the week of my MCAT?
You should have saved your AAMC practice exams up until the end of your study period. You should aim to do two practice exams this week. If you have time go through your answers—think critically about the ones you got wrong, and try to locate your error in thinking and correct.
Should I take the AAMC sample test before studying?
Take it before you work through the AAMC practice tests. If you have ample time in your schedule and plan to take all 4 scored AAMC tests, the Sample Test can be a great way to get comfortable with the pacing and structure of the MCAT without using one of the scored exams.
