The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, computer-based test taken by prospective medical students. Your MCAT score will determine the college or university that you’ll be accepted to, as you continue on your path to becoming a full-fledged doctor. The test assesses your problem-solving skills, critical thinking, written and analytical skills, and the depth your knowledge of scientific concepts. Acing these exams requires hours of preparation and dedication.
There are different methods of preparing for the exam that you can explore. Here’s a list of the common prep materials and methods to help you get started:
This style of exam preparation is recommended more as a means of revision,or after you’ve thoroughly gone throughmost of the material. Remember, podcasts won’t cover all the materials that you need to know for the exam.
- Online MCAT Courses
Online learning is a popular choice for many prospective med students because they’ll have multiple resources to access whenever and wherever it’s most convenient for them. Different MCAT courses offer a range of material from printables, live instruction, practice tests, practice exams, in-person instruction, and personal tutoring. Your access to these materials depends on the type of course that you choose.
You can compare different courses here, if you’re trying to find which one suits you best.The site provides a comparison of the top courses available right now, as well as a summary of their features and offerings so you don’t have to research on your own.
- Podcasts
Podcasts have become a popular means of sharing information for those who prefer to listen rather than read and write. People who fare better in exams through this means of learning are called auditory learners. You can find podcasts discussing MCAT materials on various online platforms such as YouTube.
- Mock MCAT Exams
Doing mock MCAT exams may help you prepare and condition yourself for the actual test day. Your school might provide these mock exams. If they don’t, you can register with independent exam centers. Taking mock exams is encouraged because they can help boost your confidence, familiarize yourself with exam settings, and allow you to review the materials you’ve already studied.
- Past Exam Papers
Past exam papers can be accessed online or in the form of hardcover books from the local library or book store. These practice books are accompanied by answers for your self-assessment. Similar to taking a mock MCAT exam, studying past exams can work help you, as long as you’ve already studied the material beforehand. Banking on past exams to learn the material you need can leave you unprepared on the day of the test.
- After-School Preparation
Learning in a classroom setting can be more conducive to your prep work. You can receive one-on-one guidance, and get clarity on the topics and concepts that you might be struggling with. Your school might offer after-school lessons or you can sign up with a local center that does.
After-school preparation is, however, time-limited and can only cover so much material before the day of the exam. You might not want to solely rely on these after-school classes. Instead, use these as a complementary study method.
- Study Groups
Forming study groups with your peers is a way to prepare for the MCAT exams. This requires that every member of the group comes prepared to share concepts and topics for discussion. Effective study groups are designed to help individual members work through certain areas they're finding difficult to digest or understand, rather than make them cram the information that’s shared. Study groups typically work better as refresher sessions.
- Flash Notes
Flash notes can work well for those who didn’t have enough time to extensively study for the exam. The concepts and topics that you're not completely familiar with can be written in the form of flash notes that you carry around with youduring your commute, or while you’re on a work or school break.
Conclusion
Fully preparing for the MCAT exams requires extensive study. The different forms of material that are available come in the form of online MCAT courses, podcasts, mock exams, past exams, after-school prep sessions, study groups, and flash notes.
Some of these preparation methods work better for refresher study sessionsrather than as your initial study material. Using a combination of the materials and methods listed above will help you become better prepared and more confident to take the MCAT exam. Justmake sure to dedicate enough time to go through all the materials you’ve gathered.
