Ready for your big expedition? photo source:  National Geographic. 

Although everyone will approach the MCAT slightly differently, a bird's-eye view of studying will often show a predictable pattern. Typically, when students start studying, they get overwhelmed by the amount of material they need to cover and they don't necessarily know how to approach it. After they form a study plan - either by themselves, with a tutor, or as part of a class - they tend to become comfortable in their rhythm of targeting the material on a regular basis and methodologically completing content review and practice problems, with intermittent practice tests. In the weeks just prior to the test, however, the test looms and panic sets in as students start to question their preparation.  

For many students, the SAT essay is one of the most challenging parts of the exam. The short length of time means that you don't have the ability to develop a strong, well-thought-out 5 paragraph essay. Fortunately, similar to other sections on the SAT, you can succeed by taking a methodical approach, and after some practice, this will come naturally.

A lot of students struggle with the timing aspect of the MCAT -- between reading all of the passages and thinking through all of the questions, it’s easy to lose track of time and start feeling rushed towards the end. If timing is a problem for you, try switching up your technique.

Let's get practical about studying for the MCAT verbal section!

The MCAT verbal section is often seen as the trickiest section of the exam, especially for those of us who haven’t necessarily taken a ton of verbal-type classes in college. The content in the science parts is hard, but at least there seems to be some method of approaching the passage and the questions, and an easy way to study. With some practice and some strategy, it’s possible to make the verbal section slightly more intuitive and less scary on the actual exam.

 Asking the right people is crucial!

For many students looking to apply to medical school, asking for a letter of recommendation can feel pretty daunting, especially if you’re requesting it from people whom you may not have seen for a couple of years. And since you often don’t get to see your letters before submission, this is the part of your application that is least in your control. I remember wondering who the best people to write my letters were, especially coming from an engineering major with not too many ‘traditional’ pre-med biology courses. In this post, I’ll suggest some tips for navigating the recommendation letter process!

 Test anxiety is real! Good thing is it's manageable.

For many pre-med students, the MCAT can feel like the final ‘hurdle’ before an application cycle begins. You’ve spent a couple years in college trying to do your best in school, be involved in extracurriculars, and form relationships with professors who will eventually provide recommendation letters. All that’s left is this big, scary, standardized test. There’s no surprise that it’s important to prepare well content-wise and to do a lot of practice exams -- those are pieces of advice people will talk about time and time again. Unfortunately, what people talk about a little less is all of the nerves and anxiety that inevitably creep up during the preparation process. It’s crucial to be in your best state of mind while both preparing for and taking the MCAT, so here are some tips to make you as relaxed as possible.

1. Have a plan.

Oh, the things you'll do!

Good thing there's always room for improvement!

You’ve decided you want to retake the MCAT (if you haven’t decided yet, check out our blog post Should I Retake the MCAT?), and now it’s time to sit down and figure out how. Here are a couple things to consider as you start to make your study plan and head in to round 2.