10 Proven Test Day Tips to Help You Ace the MCAT Exam

10 Proven Test Day Tips to Help You Ace the MCAT Exam

The MCAT test day is finally approaching. Rather than panic or stress out over it, you should prepare for this life-changing moment.

If you’re thinking about what to do the day before the MCAT, you’re in the right place. 

We’d like to share with you some last-minute MCAT tips to help you ace the exam. 

10 Proven MCAT Test Day Tips

1. Breathe. Don’t Panic

After coming this far and after all the hard work, time, and effort you’ve invested to study for the MCAT, don’t let fear ruin you. 

As one of the essential last-minute MCAT tips you’ll read, remember to breathe. Cast aside any doubts you might have and avoid overthinking.  

Rather than anticipate what the exam will be like, focus on how to keep yourself calm and collected. 

2. Get Plenty of Rest

A day before the MCAT, getting plenty of rest is important to your wellbeing. It allows your brain to unload any clutter or stress you recently experienced. 

A fresh and clear mindset on the day of the exam will help you remember everything you’ve learned and set a good pace throughout the exam. 

3. Do a Last Minute MCAT Review

It doesn’t hurt to do a light review a day before MCAT test day. Better yet, on the last week before your scheduled MCAT exam, a quick review would work wonders too. 

Set aside 2-3 hours of your day strictly to do a quick review. This should help you brush up on previous MCAT topics you learned 2 to 3 months ago.

4. Take a Full-length Exam

Taking a full-length exam is one of the top MCAT test taking strategies you can do. 

Full-length exams can feel daunting, but you’re actually doing yourself a favor by building your resiliency and ability to handle challenging or difficult situations. 

If doing this a day before MCAT test day seems too much, we recommend taking the test 2 weeks before MCAT exam day to give you time to assess your results too. 

5. Assess Your Weak Points

It’s easy to face your strengths and look at what you’re good at. Facing your fears and weaknesses is much harder and, yet, twice as beneficial. 

Your weak points will allow you to grow and improve day-by-day and, most of all, they help refine the skills that can help you prepare for the worst. 

6. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes Early

Arriving 30 to 45 minutes early should give you plenty of time to prepare and condition yourself before the exam begins. 

If you end up rushing into the test center, you can lose focus. You’ll end up wasting precious minutes you could have used for the exam. 

As soon as the MCAT exam begins, every minute counts. 

7. Take Care of Your Mental Health

Mental health plays a key role in your overall performance during the exam. 

Remember that the MCAT doesn’t test you based solely on content knowledge. Other areas such as analysis, comprehension, and pacing are all critical elements you need as you go through each question. 

Keeping your mind healthy is vital. So, a week before the MCAT test day, you must:

  • Get rid of mental exhaustion by doing something relaxing for you. 
  • Keep your mind clear leading up to and during the exam. Forget about other concerns you may have. 
  • Maintain focus by doing something that will help you banish any distracting thoughts. Make a list of things to do, watch documentaries, etc. 
  • Know when to just stop and free your mind. 

8. Eat a Well-Balanced Meal

For an exam that lasts 7 hours and 15 minutes, you must fill up your energy stores. 

Some of your healthy options are fruits, granola, and yogurt. You don’t need to change your meal preferences for that day. The goal is to feel full and stay alert during the exam. 

Eating a well-balanced meal, however, provides a better boost of energy, which you’ll need compared to eating food that only makes you feel sluggish on exam day. 

9. Prepare All the Requirements Needed

When it comes to last minute MCAT tips, ample preparation is one of the best MCAT test taking strategies you can apply. 

A day before MCAT test day, you must ready the valid ID required (1), create a plan on how to get to your test center, and the like. If you eliminate any possible problems on test day, it will go smoothly. 

10. Believe in Yourself

Last but not least, give yourself credit for all the months you’ve worked for. Give yourself a pat in the back for not giving up. 

Taking the MCAT in itself is already a milestone and a feat you should be proud of for doing. 

Rather than focus on what lies ahead, look back and see how far you’ve come since then. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The MCAT is considerably one of the hardest entrance exams to take; however, don’t let this stop you from trying. 
Even though the exam is difficult, many test-takers thought of the same question. What matters is preparing ahead of time and moving forward even when it’s difficult.

A good MCAT score is a total overall score ranging between 508 and 518. A score of 508, 509, or 510 is an above-average score with a good acceptance rate in many medical schools.

Summary

Be sure to get a clear overview and outline of the MCAT essentials (2) a day or two before the test day. This is vital to understanding the test taking process and what is required of you as an examinee. 

At the end of the day, the best strategy for the MCAT is to do the best you can to be well-prepared. 

References

  1. https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/valid-identification-mcat-examinees/
  2. https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fastly.net/production/media/filer_public/6b/9b/6b9b3807-1ca4-4ed2-a2eb-0c35b0a45f46/essentials_2020_combined_final.pdf