Exam (elaborations)
How to Create a Study Plan for the MCAT® Exam
How to Create a Study Plan for the MCAT® Exam
[Show more]
Content preview
How to Create a Study Planfor the MCAT® Exam
Association of
American Medical Colleges
,Preface
Preparing for the Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®) takes time and dedication. While
you are trying to find a balance between your courses at school, work obligations, research and
labs, family and friends, and extracurricular activities, you need to find time to prepare for the
MCAT exam. So it’s no surprise that one of the most frequently asked questions is, “What is the
best way to prepare for the exam?”
There is no conclusive evidence about a right or wrong way to prepare, but the MCAT team at
the AAMC created this guide to help you develop your own study plan using free resources and
low-cost products. We will walk you through the six steps to creating a personalized study plan.
While we can’t tell you how much time to spend preparing for the exam, we have the following
data from the 2018 Post-MCAT Questionnaire (PMQ):
Time spent preparing for the MCAT exam:
Time in weeks Percentage of respondents
0–8 weeks 26.2%
9–12 weeks 27.4%
13–16 weeks 18.8%
More than 16 weeks 27.6%
Time in hours Percentage of respondents
0–10 hours per week 20.7%
11–20 hours per week 28.0%
21–30 hours per week 22.0%
More than 30 hours per week 29.4%
The majority (79.4%) of survey respondents studied 11 or more hours per week, with 29.4%
studying more than 30 hours per week. Do remember that preparation takes time, and you
should start preparing earlier rather than later.
Taking the MCAT exam is one of the milestones in your path to becoming a physician, and the
AAMC wants to support your journey. To do that, this guide offers helpful information in addition
to the six-step Study Plan. Included in the last section, for example, are links to inspiring stories
from medical students and physicians who’ve overcome significant obstacles to achieve their
dreams. On days when you feel anxious or overwhelmed, stop for a moment and remind
yourself of why you’re on this path. We hope that the inspiring stories will help propel you
forward!
1|Page
, Table of Contents
This guide walks you through six steps:
1. Find Out Everything You Can About the Exam
2. Figure Out Where You Stand: How Much Do You Know?
3. Use Free and Low-Cost Resources to Help You Prepare
4. Create Your Study Plan
5. Study and Practice
6. Commit to a Final Rehearsal or Practice
Worksheets and blank templates accompany the guide:
1. Sample Test Worksheet
2. Resources and Strategies Worksheet
3. Study Plan Worksheet
4. Study Plan
2|Page
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Hkane. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £6.51. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
75323 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now