Pre-Med Journey Advice: Setting Yourself Up for Success! (Thinking Ahead)
For most people getting ready to apply for medical school, the MCAT is the biggest obstacle to overcome. It requires a significant investment of your precious time, especially if you are still completing school courses at the same time. Ideally, you want to have your MCAT score available when primary applications are available to submit (end of May) so that you are 1) ready to hit the ground running and 2) assist you in creating a school list.
The MCAT demands months of dedicated preparation, often requiring 300-500 hours of study time depending on your background and target score. This extensive commitment becomes even more challenging when you're juggling coursework, maintaining a competitive GPA, and pursuing meaningful extracurricular activities. Many successful applicants begin their MCAT preparation 4-6 months before their test date, creating a structured study schedule that accommodates their academic and personal obligations.
Having your score in hand by late May provides crucial advantages beyond just meeting application deadlines. Your MCAT score serves as a check for your competitiveness, helping you craft a realistic school list that balances reach, target, and safety options. Without this key piece of data, you risk applying too broadly or too narrowly, potentially wasting application fees or missing opportunities at schools where you'd be a strong candidate!
Furthermore, early score availability allows you to address any unexpected results. If your score falls short of expectations, you have time to consider a retake while still meeting application cycles. This strategic timing prevents the common scenario where students receive disappointing scores after applications are already submitted, leaving them with limited options and forcing difficult decisions about gap years or less competitive school lists.
We've laid out why early MCAT preparation is a game-changer, but we know every pre-med journey is unique. What's your biggest MCAT prep fear, or what's one piece of advice you'd give to someone just starting their studying?
Share your thoughts and let's learn from each other in the comments below!
