The MCAT poses a major obstacle to students aspiring to thrive in the medical field. This exam is taken every year by a great number of students. To do well in this exam you need to prepare thoroughly. Below are the best MCAT study habits you need to be aware of:

1. Taking practice tests

MCAT exams usually take a lot of time. The time allowed for taking MCAT exams is 6 hours and 15 minutes, which is broken up by small breaks. To build mental stamina you need to take several practice tests beforehand as they will enable you to stay focused throughout the real exam session. Many students struggle with completing this exam on time thereby leaving many questions unanswered. Therefore, one should take multiple practice tests while timing themselves in order to build the kind of mental stamina needed to succeed.

2. Do practice questions

This is one of the secrets of passing MCAT exams. The MCAT is not all about memorizing. It involves your ability to use the scientific knowledge gained in classes to analyze new concepts by thinking critically. Doing frequent practice questions alongside studying new concepts in class will help to sharpen your skills, and this is why practice questions are very essential when studying MCAT.

3. Only take MCAT when prepared

Before sitting for the MCAT exam ensure you are thoroughly prepared, I highly recommend an mcat prep course. If you are not fully prepared it is best to postpone the test until a later date. If your test scores are no longer closer to your target mark, then you are not fully prepared for this test. You can ask your MCAT tutor to explain some of the concepts that are not clear to you. Pre-medical students often make a mistake by rushing to their MCAT studies. If you are not prepared for the test it’s better to postpone as this will give you more time to study thus enhancing your chances of doing well on the same exam.

4. Allocate time for a study schedule

The MCAT is broad in itself. The volume of content you are required to cover is large and that why it’s important to draft a study plan and then allocate the time you will take in your prep. The MCAT is not only based on theory but also on practical skills. You will have to take a number of practice tests when preparing for the main test. Some students spend most of their time memorizing and fail to allocate adequate time for practice tests. This is the reason as to why a schedule plan is very important when studying for the MCAT. Having this plan will enable you to allocate additional time on the areas you are lagging behind in. It will also help you in evaluating whether the MCAT exam date is realistic or not. If you aren’t sure where to start, try looking for an MCAT tutor to help you create a schedule and stay on track.

5. Studying with friends

This is one of the most effective ways of studying for the MCAT. Studying as a group helps individuals to polish the areas, they are not good at and also provides room for questions arising from various MCAT topics. By discussing together as classmates, one is able to realize the areas they are fully prepared for and the ones which need more thorough preparation in order to achieve good results. Also, this technique helps one to learn the tricks used by other students to study the MCAT and this may help one to discover the best way to study before registering for the MCAT.