{"id":22579,"date":"2022-11-01T15:48:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-01T15:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=22579"},"modified":"2023-08-16T17:08:11","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T17:08:11","slug":"how-long-does-it-take-study-for-the-mcat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/how-long-does-it-take-study-for-the-mcat\/","title":{"rendered":"How long does it take to study for the MCAT?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\">The answer to \u201chow long does it take to study for the MCAT\u201d is rarely a satisfying one. The answer is \u201cit depends\u201d. In reality, there are two questions behind this question:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"ol1\">\n<li class=\"li1\">How long will it take <i>you<\/i> to study for the MCAT?<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">How long <i>should<\/i> you study for the MCAT?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"p1\">The answers to these two questions will also vary per student, but the AAMC says that on average, pre-meds will spend 240 hours over 12 weeks studying for the MCAT. But of course, you want to be an above-average test-taker.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Based on helping tens of thousands of pre-meds reach their <a title=\"What\u2019s a good MCAT score?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/mcat\/whats-a-good-mcat-score\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MCAT score goals<\/a>, here are six questions to ask yourself when determining how long you\u2019ll need to study before test day.<\/p>\n<div  class='avia-icon-list-container   avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_sidebar  avia-builder-el-first '><ul class='avia-icon-list avia-icon-list-left av-iconlist-big avia_animate_when_almost_visible avia-iconlist-animate'>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue803' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >How strong is your science background?<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Let\u2019s get down to it. While the MCAT isn\u2019t strictly a <a title=\"What\u2019s tested on the MCAT (2018)?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/mcat\/whats-tested-on-the-mcat-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">science knowledge test<\/a>\u2014you\u2019ll also need a ton of critical thinking skills to succeed\u2014you will need a strong grasp of the core MCAT sciences to do well on the exam. You\u2019ll need at least one year with labs of biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. In addition to that, you\u2019ll want to have taken some biochemistry coursework, as well as introductory psychology and sociology courses. The more well-versed you are in the science topics that will be tested on the MCAT, the more time you can spend focusing your prep on strategy and timing. Conversely, if you\u2019re a few years out of undergrad or if you never majored in science at all, you\u2019ll need to devote much more time to content review.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue8a3' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >When will you be studying for the MCAT?<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p class=\"p1\">The <a title=\"When Should I Take the MCAT? An Ultimate Guide\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/mcat\/when-should-i-take-the-mcat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">time of year you choose to take the MCAT<\/a> will greatly affect your availability to study for the exam. For example, if you take the test in March and are also enrolled in college classes or a post-bacc program, you\u2019ll be studying for the MCAT while also trying to keep up with assignments, mid-terms, and other school-related obligations. If you don\u2019t test until June or July, you may have more school-free time to devote solely to MCAT prep, even if this means applying later in the cycle. To be ready to start your MCAT prep in earnest, you\u2019ll need to have completed your pre-requisites (or possibly taking them at the same time), have time available to spend on MCAT prep, and make sure all of these factors line up with application deadlines. The earlier you start to think about your timeline, the better you can plan.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue862' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >What does your schedule look like? <\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Pre-meds are perpetually busy with <a title=\"The Prerequisites for Medical School\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/mcat\/the-prerequisites-of-medical-school\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">schoolwork<\/a>, clubs, <a title=\"How Important Is Pre-Med Research Experience?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/mcat\/how-important-is-pre-med-research-experience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">research<\/a>, shadowing, and part-time jobs. Others are juggling full-time work and family commitments. Look at all of your current and upcoming commitments\u2014for the semester and for the year\u2014to gauge how much time you have available for MCAT prep. Some semesters are generally busier than others. If you\u2019ve taken on a long-term research project, or play a larger role in your pre-med student club, take that time into consideration. Of course, if you\u2019re not in school and are working full or part-time, consider your work schedule and how much time you can spend in the evenings or on weekends reviewing content and taking practice tests. Students with heavier time commitments outside of MCAT prep should think about prepping over 4-6 months especially since, even with the very best planning, life happens and you\u2019ll appreciate having a little leeway in your timeline. Don\u2019t have as much on your plate? You could fit your prep into 2-3 months. Caveat: longer isn\u2019t always better. For example, you don\u2019t want to spread out your prep over a year or longer or you risk losing your momentum, forgetting what you reviewed, or having the MCAT completely take over your life.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue8c6' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Where are you now? Where do you want to be?<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p class=\"p1\">One of the most difficult parts of MCAT prep is assessing how much work you\u2019ll need to do to hit your target score. Start by taking an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\/free\/mcat-free-practice-test\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MCAT practice test<\/a> or diagnostic exam to get a baseline score. Next, look at <a title=\"How to Plan Your Medical School Application Timeline\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/mcat\/how-to-plan-your-medical-school-application-timeline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the medical schools you\u2019d like to apply to<\/a>. Where is your baseline score compared to the average matriculant? The farther you are, the more work you\u2019ll need to put in. You can\u2019t prepare for what you don\u2019t know, so don\u2019t put this part off. It can be scary, but you\u2019ll come away armed with information. And remember, your baseline score is just that. It\u2019s your starting-off point, not a determinant of where you\u2019ll be in 3-6 months.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue84f' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >What\u2019s your study style?<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>You already know you can\u2019t cram for the MCAT (we hope) but beyond that, how do you learn and absorb information best? Do you like to study in shorter bursts every day or will your schedule require you to fit your prep into fewer, longer chunks? More caveats:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\">It\u2019s not realistic (and definitely not recommended) that your prep plan relies on studying for 8-12 hours a day, seven days a week for months on end. For one, you probably don\u2019t need that much time and also, don\u2019t do that to yourself.<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\">How many hours you <i>think<\/i> you can prep per day and how many hours you can or will prep per day can be pretty different. Be realistic and err on the side of caution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue836' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Are you taking a prep course?<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p class=\"p1\">Taking an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MCAT prep course<\/a> can be a great investment. It will keep you accountable, on a schedule, and make you much more efficient in your studies. That said, a prep course is a\u2026 course. To get the most out of your MCAT prep course, you\u2019ll spend time attending class, watching science tutorials, and practicing. One of the benefits of a prep course, beyond having all your study resources in one place, is that you won\u2019t waste time learning anything that won\u2019t be on the MCAT. Select a course that fits your time, schedule, and learning style the best, and stick with it.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">Answering these questions will go a long way toward determining how long you\u2019ll need to study for the MCAT to be ready for test day and <a title=\"What\u2019s a good MCAT score?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/mcat\/whats-a-good-mcat-score\/\">get your best MCAT score<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The answer to \u201chow long does it take to study for the MCAT\u201d is rarely a satisfying one. The answer is \u201cit depends\u201d. In reality, there are two questions behind this question: How long will it take you to study for the MCAT? How long should you study for the MCAT? The answers to these [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38136,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22579"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22579"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43979,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22579\/revisions\/43979"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}