Last Updated on June 26, 2022 by Laura Turner
Studying for the MCAT exam can be daunting, and chances are, you’ve typed “How do I study for the MCAT exam?” or “What’s the best way to prepare for the MCAT exam?” into your search engine. You may have even wondered how long you should spend studying.
Whether you are about to begin studying or are currently in the process, it’s likely you are still looking for guidance about where to start or where to find the best review strategy, or whether you are on the right track with your preparation. To find these answers, you may have searched the web, skimmed online forums, and consulted with friends or family, likely uncovering hundreds of different results, advice, and opinions that can leave your head spinning.
As you study for the MCAT exam, it’s important to remember there’s no right or wrong way to prepare. What works for you depends on your own personal study habits and schedule. But sometimes the best sources of advice come from those who have just gone through the process, and with their recent experience in mind, you may discover different study tips and lessons learned that can work for you.
To help you on your preparation journey, the AAMC has developed a new resource, How I Prepared for the MCAT Exam, a collection of student profiles that showcase study tips and approaches used by students who were satisfied with their MCAT scores. Each profile includes study schedules, strategies, personal challenges, dos and don’ts, as well as their MCAT scores, as narrated by the students themselves. The collection includes 17 different profiles, with stories that highlight the wide variation of ways you can prepare for the exam. Some of their tips may even surprise you!
Keep in mind that these profiles are not designed to be a representative sample of the entire MCAT examinee population, and the students were selected for their different study approaches and unique stories. We hope you will see yourself in some of these stories and learn valuable tips and information to incorporate into your own preparation.
To read the student testimonials, visit our website.
The AAMC leads and serves the academic medicine community to improve the health of people everywhere. Founded in 1876 and based in Washington, D.C., the AAMC is a not-for-profit association dedicated to transforming health through medical education, health care, medical research, and community collaborations.