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What factors contributed to your decision to take the exam when you took it?
I decided to take my MCAT in January of my 3rd year. My strategy was to plan my exam around a few key factors. Mainly, I wanted to strike a balance between waiting to take my exam until I had studied the subjects covered while at the same time leaving myself enough time to study and take it again if necessary. By the time I started thinking about the MCAT (summer between my 2nd and 3rd year), I had taken general chemistry, introductory biology, organic chemistry, and a psychology class or two. However, I had not taken any physics (I didn't have AP physics in high school) or a biochemistry course. I knew biochemistry is a huge portion of the exam and I wanted to have at least some exposure to physics before taking it. At the same time, I was planning on applying to medical school during my fourth year and didn't want to apply without having my scores. My solution was to take biochemistry and physics I in the fall of my 3rd year, take the MCAT in January, and then get my results in time to take it again just before applying that summer.
How long did you prepare for the exam?
I dedicated about one month to exclusively preparing for the exam. When I was choosing the date of my exam, I wanted to leave myself some time to study when I wouldn't also be taking classes and taking the exam in mid-January left me with all of winter break to set aside for studying. I was able to stay at home with my parents and because I did not need to work, I was able to study for 6-9 hours a day, everyday for a month. One month may not seem like a long time, but if you really focus, you'd be surprised how much you can get done in a month.
That being said, the way I look at it, I actually prepared for a lot longer than one month for the exam. You're really doing the hardest part by taking your science classes. In class is where you learn everything you need to know for the exam and if you plan carefully, the exam preparation you do should mainly be review, test-taking skills, and practice.
What methods of preparation did you use?
I will be the first to admit I do not think I would have done well with "self-studying." I have no doubt there are people out there who would do perfectly fine studying on their own for the MCAT, but I do not see myself as one of them. Personally, I studied for the exam by taking a course offered by the Princeton Review. The course was online "Winter Bootcamp" that coincided really well with my winter break and lasted about 4 weeks. It offered live sessions taught by instructors in each of the different subjects covered on the MCAT along with a set of review books and access to online practice exams. A typical day for me would consist of 2 or sometimes even 3, 3-hour long sessions where instructors reviewed almost all of the material on the exam. The format of the class was a sort of web classroom where everyone logged in and the teacher spoke over slides, asked questions, and was able to see our responses. I also made sure to plan times for taking practice tests.
Describe how you felt the day of the exam.
To be honest, I was extremely anxious. I remember it was really difficult for me to fall asleep the night before, even though I knew I had to be up early. While I knew I had worked hard, there is always that feeling of "I could have studied this subject a little more." But at some point, you need to relax and feel confident in yourself and in your preparation. the MCAT is such a big part of an application that it can really feel like a lot of pressure, but I think the key is to be able to manage that pressure and even find ways to turn it to your advantage. Rather than feel overwhelmed, try and use that pressure as motivation to help you study. It's also important to remember that at the end of the day, the MCAT is just another test. We've taken hundreds of tests before (if you're here at UVA you must be pretty good at them!) and even if you have a bad day, you have the chance to take it again.
Describe how you felt after taking the exam.
RELIEVED. I can't tell you how good it feels to walk out of that testing center after 7 hours and realizing you're done. The exam was long, but it was honestly such a blur. It was one of those experiences where you're so focused that you don't really noticed the passage of time. One piece of advice I have is to try not to read too far into how you think you did. If you felt good about it - good! And if not, don't spend your time hung up on any particular section or questions. It can be extremely hard to gauge how well you did. I came out of my exam thinking "oh man, that CARS section was really hard," only to find out later that I did really well.
The next month of waiting for your scores to be released can be pretty tough, but try not to worry about it too much. It will come soon enough and you might just surprise yourself like I did! If you are applying to medical school, get used to waiting. Trust me, it's a common theme.
What advice do you have for students preparing to take the exam?
The most important thing is to make a plan that works for you and stick to it. Make sure you're honest with yourself. Are you someone who can study by themselves using books or would you benefit from a more structured program? I know classes can be expensive, but this is not a time to skimp if you don't have to. Think of this as an investment in your future -- it will pay off in the end if you put in the work and you can pay your parents back when you're a physician. If you want to take a class and your family really can't afford it, don't give up. You'd be surprised how willing people are to help in situations like this and there are ways to find assistant if you ask. Also, check out the Fee Assistance Program through the Association of American Medical Colleges. Check out more resources and student testimonials.
Consider your timeline for applying, the classes you've taken, and your study method, and then schedule your exam so you can balance all those factors as best you can. If possible, try and set aside some time for studying outside of the school year so you don't have classes on top of preparation. If you have to work, plan ahead and let your boss know your situation so you can balance work and studying.
I would highly recommend taking at least a semester of biochemistry before taking the MCAT. Taking biochemistry the semester right before my exam made a huge difference for me. In general, you'll have it so much easier if your studying is more review and refreshing your memory rather than learning new material.
Good luck! If you have any questions at all about what I did to prepare or my MCAT experience, please don't be afraid to shoot me an email at cjl3pu@virginia.edu. I'm happy to talk more about it!
