A Time for Reflection: MCAT Study Guides 

Number 5:  Do Practice Exams 

This is a very different point compared to just practice questions. When you are working through a set of practice questions, there is no pressure and if you make a mistake, you can read about why you were wrong and keep going.  Practice exams are a whole different beast entirely. This is the only way to get a real experience of what an actual exam will be like when you sit in for it on Test Day without having it count.  I would recommend that you do at least 8 different practice examinations during your preparation in order to prepare for this exam.  

The MCAT prep courses are beneficial for several different reasons.  When you write a test, you experience the sensation of having a timer counting down each section.  If you don't think that is going to be an issue, try it once and let me know how it goes. This is something that is impossible to prepare for unless you do the actual tests. This added stress takes it toll on your brain and it may have a hard time recalling even the most simple of facts when under pressure. "What was I thinking?" will be a common phrase you utter after just a few of these tests.  It is important to adjust yourself to this timed questions in order to make sure you are as calm as possible for when it counts.  

Another key point to consider is that after the end of each test, you will have a comprehensive breakdown of your strengths and weaknesses on the test.  These statistics are worth their weight in gold.  You must analyze what you do well and poorly and do whatever you need to do to make sure you master your weaknesses. You only get one shot so you want to make sure that you do everything in your power to make sure to put yourself in the best position possible.  

Number 6:  Don't be scared to push your exam back! 

This is a big test, the consequences are huge.  The best thing you can do for yourself is be honest and decide if you are truly ready once Test Day approaches.  If you were scoring poorly on practice tests, having a hard time mastering some subcategories, or just feel overly anxious about the whole thing, pay the penalty fee and change your test date.

Only you will truly know if you are ready.  Realize that after the examination, everyone feels like they failed. No matter how well you prepared and how many times you rehearsed with practice questions, you feel like garbage after that test, guaranteed.  It is important to just be confident in the process and if you scoring in the 90th-percentile on practice tests, you should be in the neighborhood once you actually get your results. If you aren't scoring in that quartile before the test, there is a very low chance you will have a miracle and score dozens of points higher than you normally average.  The MCAT is not a Microeconomics Final, your score will reflect the amount of effort you put in during preparation so if you aren't scoring well before it, push it back a long as it takes until you have a satisfactory result. If this means taking a year off just to study after graduation, that may be what it takes as well.  

Your MCAT score is a magical key that can either open a lot of doors for you or close a lot of them so you want to make sure that you forge it as best you can.