Preparing for the MCAT: Tips and Advice from an Expert

In the tutoring world, Dr. Stuart Donnelly is known as “Dr. MCAT.” With 24 years of teaching experience, a unique take on MCAT prep, and a great sense of humor, he has become a favorite tutor of Apply Point clients (and consultants). 

We asked him to answer some of our clients’ most frequently asked questions. 

When should I begin studying for the MCAT? “I would say six months before you take it—though, some students leave it until a little later, say, five months before the test. It depends on how strong your background knowledge is in chemistry, physics, biology, biochemistry, psychology, and sociology. If you’re not feeling confident in these areas, start six months before because it will take three months just to get through the material.” 

What’s the biggest mistake I could make when prepping for the MCAT? “A major mistake students make: They wait to take the practice test until they get through all the material. And because it takes three months to read the material the first time, by the time they take a practice test, their score is nowhere near where they want to be, and they freak out. So, they go back to reading the material again for another month or two. They’re putting off that next practice test often until the week before the real thing. And their score is still terrible. I think students can begin taking practice tests as soon as two weeks into the studying process. When you’re taking a practice test for the first time, you don’t know how to take the test yet. The first two or three practice tests are going to be just awful. So, get used to it and get it out of the way quickly.”  

Is there a "best way" to take a practice test? “When you’re taking a practice test, take it at the same time in the morning as when the tests are; have your routine be the same as it will be on test day.

The MCAT is such a long exam—the “seat time,” including breaks, is about seven and a half hours. How can I build my stamina? “By doing lots and lots of practice tests. Seriously, that is the only way to do it. Early into practice, students don't have the stamina yet and lose concentration. They don’t have any time management skills yet either. It's only when you've taken three, four, or five practice tests that your score starts to improve. And when you’ve taken seven or eight of them, you get closer to your target figure. I would say nine or 10 tests into it, you start to score in the ballpark you're looking for. And then you want to do that at least two or three times more to make sure that it wasn't a fluke. Then you're ready to take the test. We’re talking about 20 weeks—at least—of preparation. You could take the test every other week.”

Any advice for test day? “Keep your schedule the same as it normally is. If you’d normally have a cup of coffee in the morning, make sure you get your cup of coffee. You'll also want to be familiar with the testing center. Go the day or week before just to make sure you know what train to catch or where to park, and which room the test is in. On the day of the exam, you want to get there as calm and relaxed as you can be.”

Related: Thinking of Retaking the MCAT? Here’s What You Need to Know.

Post-MCAT Survey Shows Prospective Medical Students are Increasingly Interested in Schools that Provide Academic and Social Support

Earlier this year the AAMC released its 2020 Post-MCAT Survey results. This survey, administered annually, provides insight into the individuals who take the MCAT—their backgrounds, preparation strategies, career plans, and interests. In 2020, 39.2 percent of test-takers responded to the online survey, which equates to over 30,000 people. The survey is provided after the MCAT is submitted, but prior to the test-taker receiving results. This year’s findings show slight, but persistent shifts in the socioeconomic background of MCAT test-takers, an increased interest in the academic and social support provided by medical schools, and growing concern about the cost of applying to and attending medical school. 

Below, we provide selected findings from the latest survey:

Premedical Life and Experiences

To gauge socioeconomic status, the AAMC uses the Education Occupation (EO) indicator, which classifies test-takers as EO-1 through EO-5 based on a parent’s highest educational level and occupation. Every year since 2016, the largest proportions of MCAT test-takers have come from those categorized as EO-5 (a parent obtained a doctoral degree and/or is employed in an executive, managerial, or professional occupation) and EO-1 (a parent obtained less than a college degree and/or is employed in any occupation) at 25.4 percent and 24.1 percent, respectively. It is important to note, however, that the percentage of MCAT test-takers classified EO-1 has declined slightly each year since 2016, with a 2.6 percentage point decline over the last five years.

Most respondents, 61.9 percent, decided that they wanted to study medicine prior to entering college. And a large number reported having spent time volunteering in a healthcare setting (84.9 percent), shadowing a physician or other healthcare professional (80.9 percent), and just over half (50.7 percent) participated in a laboratory research internship program for college students. 

More respondents graduated from college prior to taking the exam (53 percent) than not (47 percent). But this percentage has shifted annually, with the exact opposite occurring in 2016 (53 percent taking the test pre-graduation and 47 percent taking it post). Most of those who had graduated did so recently: 42 percent within the last year and 31.9 percent within the last one to two years. Just 12 percent had taken five or more years between graduation and the MCAT. About 60 percent reported taking courses at a college or university in the three months prior to the MCAT, while just over a quarter (27.6 percent) said that they had not attended school in the past three months. 

MCAT Preparation Strategies

Most respondents reported that they started their preparation by reviewing the scope of topics that the MCAT covers (81.4 percent) and assessed their progress throughout their study period using practice exams (82.4). Over three-quarters of respondents created a study plan to fit their schedule (75.2 percent), identified their strengths and weaknesses using practice exams (78.3 percent), and assessed their readiness by taking a final practice exam (78.4 percent).

In terms of the concepts, most prepared by answering practice questions while studying each topic (87.8 percent), consistently reviewing content they had previously studied throughout their preparation (82.6 percent), and testing their understanding of concepts studied (80.7 percent). Slightly fewer made sure to review each answer choice in the practice questions to determine why they were correct or incorrect (74.7 percent) and mixed in their review of different topics throughout their studying (74.9 percent).

The most used resources were the Official MCAT Practice Exams (85.4 percent) and commercially published MCAT prep books (72.6 percent). In terms of utility, 73.1 percent of those who used the Official MCAT practice exams described them as “very useful,” and 61.7 percent of those who used the Official MCAT Section Bank found it “very useful”. While just 45 percent of those who used commercially published MCAT prep books called them “very useful,” another 38.4 percent labeled them “useful.”

Almost all (89.7 percent) respondents said that they prepped for the day of the test by taking a timed, online practice test with scheduled breaks to “mimic the exam day.” A large number also practiced pacing so that they could get through all the questions in each section in a timely manner (85 percent), and most (79 percent) made sure to get plenty of sleep the night before the exam. 

When asked to name their biggest challenges in preparing for the MCAT, over two-thirds said that they struggled with maintaining confidence in their ability to succeed on the MCAT (67.6 percent) and 60 percent noted their difficulty with getting through the large amount of material they needed to learn for the test. 

Career Plans and Interests

Most respondents noted that they are “very likely” to apply to an MD-granting medical program (86.8 percent), while just under one-third said that they are “very likely” to apply to a DO-granting program (32.4 percent). Both percentages have been relatively stable since 2016. 

When asked what would encourage their application to medical school, students were most likely to select: finding a school where I will feel comfortable (88.9) and a fit between my interests and a school’s mission (83.4). However, the number of students who selected availability of academic support in medical school (71 percent) and availability of social support in medical school (63.9 percent) both increased significantly from 2016 (+7.8 percentage points, +11.5 percentage points respectively).

When test-takers were asked to describe what would discourage them from applying, most students selected grades, MCAT Scores, and other academic qualifications (72.5 percent). The number of those who selected the cost of applying to medical school (53.1 percent) and the cost of medical school (68.9 percent) as deterrents has increased by 6.5 and 6.1 percentage points respectively since 2016.

For full survey results visit https://www.aamc.org/media/51241/download