A career in medicine is a calling. But the path to practicing is long, arduous, and littered with enormous challenges for those who feel the tug of the stethoscope on their heartstrings.
We’re here to make that journey a whole lot smoother with the Brainscape MCAT Academy: a rich and valuable resource that’ll equip you with the right study techniques and mindset to score well on the Medical Colleges Admissions Test, and get into your preferred medical school!
Know exactly what to expect from the MCAT
The first step on your path to defeating the mighty MCAT is knowing exactly what to expect from this notoriously challenging exam. For starters, the MCAT is a totally different beast to your pre-med courses, with a much greater emphasis on critical thinking and reasoning skills.
Then, it’s absolutely crucial to take a full-length MCAT practice test right at the beginning of your preparations because virtually no other exercise offers as detailed an understanding of what to expect than this. Just make sure you know how to take an MCAT practice test so that you get the most of this essential practice.
And finally, knowing how the MCAT is scored empowers you to interpret your performance in your practice tests, as well as becoming familiar with the goal posts you are aiming for. Armed with this preliminary information, you’ll set yourself up to do well on the MCAT … the first time!
Craft the perfect MCAT study schedule
Once you have a more fleshed-out picture of the challenge of the MCAT, you can set about strategizing a detailed study plan to get through the mountain of studying, memorizing, and practicing you need in order to confidently take on the MCAT. And we have the ultimate three-month MCAT study plan to help you achieve just that!
But more than being organized and prepared, there are the other questions that arise during MCAT prep, like: is it good or bad to take the day off? (How can you safely take a little downtime without falling behind?) Also, exam anxiety will be a pretty constant companion so make sure you know how to effectively manage MCAT stress!
Study more efficiently for all your pre-med exams and the MCAT
If there’s just one MCAT study guide you read in our entire academy, it’s: ‘How to study for MCAT more efficiently’, which provides a sweeping and in-depth review of all the tools, tricks, and hacks for preparing for the MCAT in the most efficient way possible.
We’ve also got excellent advice on avoiding distractions during MCAT study, doing well on the test’s psychology and sociology sections (what exactly do you need to memorize anyway?), and what you should do differently if you don’t do well on the MCAT the first time around.
Also, if daily, solo studying is getting a bit tiresome, switch it up once in a while with a study group … just as long as you don’t make these study group mistakes!
Defeating the MCAT and, next stop: a career in medicine
With the MCAT so close, it’s time to start thinking about your next steps, so check out our top med school admissions tips. We also encourage you to go to Brainscape’s Medical YouTube channel, where we interview experts on what med schools are looking for, besides top MCAT scores (and a whole bevvy of other helpful videos).
Finally, get Brainscape’s certified MCAT flashcards in your corner to help you efficiently master all the science content you need to destroy the MCAT. Armed with the advice in this academy and your adaptive learning flashcards, you’ll have all the tools you need to rise to the challenge of the MCAT!
