Two More Essential Tips to Make Sure You Are Prepared For the MCAT 

Number 2:  Do Not Wear Contacts on Test Day 

This point may only apply to a select number of readers out there but it is another tip that will greatly help you avoid scoring low on MCAT. This test may have been the first opportunity you have experienced what the rest of your life will be like should you do well on the MCAT.  Your body is physiologically designed to be only stare at a computer screen for a specific amount of time.  After 2 to 3 hours, your vision will gradually fail and if you wear contacts like I do, you may have an unpleasant experience of being physically unable to focus on the computer print anymore because your eyes have failed you.  

What can add insult to injury is the fact that most Prometric Centers that host the MCAT Exam are notoriously cold to help make "the testing environment pleasant for all."  This may be fine for your friends taking the GRE but that exam is a 3-hour cake-walk compared to the MCAT.  Your eyes will dry out very quickly and it can make it hard for you to focus on completing the test.  If you decide to take eye drops with you to the testing center, that is a sound option but remember that you have a sign-in and sign-out process to the computer room that can take 5-10 minutes.  From my experience, I strongly recommend just by-passing the contacts for the day and use your glasses instead.  

Number 3:  Take Your Lunch Break 

This should be an obvious thing for most people but surprisingly enough, I have met 4 people this year who told me that they elected to not take their "Lunch Break" on the STEP exams because they wished to get the test over with sooner.  The first thought that popped into my head was that they were crazy.  This is a 7 hour test and you need to make sure that you have enough energy to give yourself the best chance to succeed.  Considering that most of you will probably be waking up 2 hours prior to your 8AM start time, that means that you are expecting your body to respond for 9 hours on a small breakfast and adrenaline.  Unless you are part machine, this will not end well and you will start getting headaches.  

Your brain is sabotaging your efforts as it is crying out for glucose that you failed to provide.  I would recommend taking a lunch break after finishing your 2nd section.  This will provide your body time to rejuvenate after the first two parts and then you will be able to rally and power through the next sections with a clear mind and a full stomach.  

Obviously everyone tests differently so perhaps these recommendations will not work for you.  If you want to just fly through the MCAT and are able to get a high MCAT score, my hat goes off to you.  As you progress up the Medical ladder though, STEP 1 is 8 hours long and STEP 2 CK is 9 hours long so this may not be the best strategy to use going forward.  The most important thing though is to test out what steps work for you during your practice exams.  You have studied about biological experiments for the last 6 months at least so why not try a more useful one out with you being the vessel.  Try out taking breaks, going as quick as you can, and with or without lunch breaks and see how your scores respond.  You have to make sure that all the controlled variables you can regulate like your energy level are optimized so your product will be a high MCAT score.  Good luck!