MCAT

3 Things You Should Do Before You Start Studying for the MCAT (Part 1)

3 Things You Should Do Before You Start Studying for the MCAT
I’ve taught MCAT prep to thousands of students over the last 6 years and I’d like to share some tips with you that I think you’ll find helpful based on my students’ experiences and my own. 

These tips will help you to start understanding what MCAT prep will be like. I know it can be surprising for a lot of students! The more you know about the process for preparing for the MCAT before you start, the better your experience will be!
1. Decide When you Want to Prep for the MCAT
When is the best time to take the MCAT?
The answer is that it depends on your commitments and preferences, but I’ll provide more information to help you decide.

If you’re interested in applying to Canadian medical schools, many students choose to take the MCAT in the summer after their 2nd year of university. 

This way, a lot of your courses from the previous two years are still relatively fresh in your mind and by taking the MCAT over the summer, you don’t have to study for the MCAT while studying for your undergraduate courses. 

Once you’ve taken the test, you could apply early to medical school to try to get accepted after your 3rd year in university or you could apply to medical school the following year to get accepted after your 4th year in university.

If you’re interested in applying to American medical schools, students often opt to study and take the MCAT in the year before they plan on applying to medical school. For example, you could take the MCAT over the summer of 2025, and then in 2026, you could focus on your applications to medical schools.

If you are still unsure of when it would be best for you to study for the MCAT and take the test, feel free to schedule a free 20 minute chat with an expert here. They'd be happy to help you weigh out your options and design a personalized study plan for the MCAT!

2. Clear Up Your Schedule As Much As Possible
Once you’ve decided when you’re going to study for the MCAT and when you plan on taking the test, the next step is to ensure you’re actually giving yourself enough time to study.

The best advice I could give is to make sure that you have time for at least 20 hours of MCAT prep each week.

I’ve had MANY students come to me in the past feeling exhausted with their research position, jobs, and volunteering, all while trying to study for the MCAT and improve their scores. 

Try your best to cut down on your other commitments while studying for the MCAT. For example, maybe you could volunteer only once a week or take on a full-time research position next summer? 

Or if you want to do the full-time research position this summer, then maybe taking the MCAT next summer would be best for you? Giving yourself enough quality time to study will help to set you up for success on the MCAT!
3. Consider Booking Your MCAT Test Date
Now that you know when you’re going to study for the MCAT and you’ve cleared up your schedule as much as possible, you want to figure out which date is best for you to take the MCAT. 

The MCAT is only offered on specific dates of the year. You can find the dates that the MCAT is offered here.

Here are a few things to consider when booking your MCAT Test date:
On average, students need around 350 hours to prepare for the MCAT
If you have cleared up your schedule and are able to commit to studying for the MCAT for 20+ hours each week, then most students find 3-4 months more than enough time to prepare for the MCAT.
If you’re only able to study 15-20 hours a week or less for the MCAT and/or are juggling other commitments that take up a lot of your time (e.g. if you’re a full-time student or employee), then you may need to study over a longer period of 4-6 months.
That should help you to identify the best date to take the MCAT for you. I recommend booking your MCAT at least 2-3 months in advance of your test date. 

The reason for this is because spots fill up quickly! Some students end up having to travel to a test location that is farther away from their home because they waited too long to book their test.

If you want to learn more about the MCAT, you can try out my free “Intro to the MCAT” Course here. 

If you’d prefer to speak with an expert one-on-one for free, you can book a 20 minute chat with one here, and they'd be happy to answer any questions you have about the MCAT!