I am planning to go to a good university for medical and I noticed there is a test that they require and it is really important because the universities look at that. Anyone know what to do to be able to study well for the test?
2006-12-24 17:38:28 · 4 answers · asked by graceful_night_nightingale 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Standards & Testing
Cysteine, if you're gonna nitpick, it's spelled G-R-A-M-M-A-R.
The MCAT is not a hard test, it's just long and arduous. Kaplan is good if you like to study alone and work online. Princeton Review is good if you like studying in groups and listening to classroom lectures.
Tip #1 - Learn discipline. Form good study habits now. Avoid procrastination, and learn to separate important info from fluff. Harness and hone your mental focus. I like to practice meditation, and I find that helps immensely.
Tip #2 - Understand your optimal study style. Do you study best alone or in groups? Knowing your study style will help you figure out your best plan for MCAT prep.
Tip #3 - Don't waste your chances at the exam. You only are allowed 3 attempts at this exam in your lifetime. You have to petition to take it more than 3 times. Top medical colleges will only take scores taken within the last 2 years. Lesser schools will take scores 3 to 5 years old. I had to take the test twice because my first score expired. This is not a test you want to take more than once.
Tip #4 - Know your current events and be broad in your cultural literacy. Cysteine already commented on your grammAr. There is an essay portion to this exam, and it will require you to say something interesting. I have written MCAT essays on Shaw's 'Pygmalion', Kierkegaardian philosophy and Dot Com guy. Not only does spelling and punctuation matter, but so does content. btw, the essay is handwritten, so God help you if your script is illegible. Illegible essays receive a score of ZERO.
Tip #5 - Practice. Duh. Practice. The hardest part of this test isn't the test content. The hardest part is that it's a very long exam (8 hours!!!), and you're mentall and physically exhausted when it's over. I couldn't speak after I took it. I just slurred and babbled. The MCAT is like a marathon. We know how to run -- it's one foot in front of the other. But you have to train yourself to keep it up and not collapse before the finish.
As for prep classes, I always recommend them. I'd rather take the class and not need it, than wish I'd have had that extra help after the exam. Cover your bases, don't take any chances. Choosing your prep class depends on your study style (see Tip #2). If you study best alone, then go for Kaplan. they have more practice books and more online material. If you like group study, Princeton Review is the way to go because they offer more classroom time.
And devote your time to the MCAT. I pity the people who don't have the luxury to devote all their time to the test. I actually finished my masters degree program a semester early and postpones finding a job so that I could spend ALL my time prepping for the MCAT.
http://www.aamc.org Check out AAMC for old exams. Wanna know real pain? Do a timed trial of one of those old MCATs.
2006-12-27 10:20:14 · answer #1 · answered by Gumdrop Girl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mcat Tips And Tricks
2016-11-07 08:42:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i took it last april and found several things to be helpful:
1) Exam Kracker study guides-I took the Kaplan class and it was a waste of time. These books are EASY to quickly read and review, offer practice questions (several of which I saw word-for-word on my actual exam) and aren't too think that you're overwhelmed. They filter out a lot of the excess so sometimes you may need to refer back to a textbook if you don't remember something, but I cannot speak highly enough about them! My score didn't change while in Kaplan but after I found these books it shot up! I wish I had found them earlier!
2) Start early and study frequently! I started about 6 months before my exam and this probably was a little early but better early than late. Know how much time you have to dedicate and put it into your schedule. Even if it's just 20-30 minutes a day to work passages, make yourself do it! Do what works for you and your schedule! If you can, take a light load if you're going to be in school!
3) Find a study partner! Studying for the exam sucks and misery loves company! I found a great partner and we motivated each other to work every day!
4) Find plans that work for you! For example, for physics I sat down every night for a few weeks before my exam and memorized about 45 formulas, 3 new ones per night (physics was my weakest area). This little bit made such a difference and it took very little time!
5) Practice as much as you can! I took one of my study guides with me everywhere and did passages when waiting because it was the only free time I had some days. I tried to do at least a passage a night (usually 3-4) just to keep my mind in that mentality!
I'm not a great standardized test taker but my hard-work paid off with a good score! What works for me may not work for you, but try new things until you find what works! Good luck!
2006-12-28 07:53:18 · answer #3 · answered by dally1025 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kaplan offers a pretty good tutorial service for MCAT prep. I would also suggest brushing up on your grammer. Your post contained a huge run on sentence. There is a writing portion for this test.
2006-12-24 17:45:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The test is extremely hard!! But the good thing is that there are great MCAT prep guides out there! My friend just took it and she said it didnt test you on everything, so it was just some little parts.
2006-12-31 07:26:15 · answer #5 · answered by Joe 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋