The MCAT is a beast that every hopeful pre-med student has to conquer. That’s why I believe in prioritizing preparing for the MCAT as much as you possibly can. However, that’s not always a possibility, especially when you have other commitments to juggle like work, family, and just life in general.
Studying for the MCAT while working full time is definitely not an easy task, but it is possible. I know because I did it myself!
If you find yourself struggling to make time for your studies, here are 6 tips you can use to help you strike a balance between work and studying.
This post is all about studying for the MCAT while working full time.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here.
All About Studying For The MCAT While Working Full Time
1. Cut Down on Commitments
Before you even think about making a study schedule, you need to start by taking an audit of your current commitments. Evaluate each one and see what you could possibly cut out or reduce.
I knew I would be working while studying, so I planned out my schedule three months in advance, including the days I would want to call out or take off to study. I reduced my work commitments whenever necessary (avoiding too many shifts as an EMT) to prioritize my studying.
Where can you reduce your commitments? Is your job flexible enough to allow you to take days off when you need some extra studying time? Can you get help from friends and family members to stay on top of other life commitments?
Exploring these questions can help you identify areas where you might be able to streamline your schedule.
2. Create a Detailed Study Schedule
I believe that a detailed study schedule is key to success on the MCAT. Planning it all out will help you establish a routine that you can reasonably follow and pinpoint areas where you might be able to switch things up or fit in some more study time.
Consider all the following factors as you plan out your study schedule:
- What days will you study?
- When will you start?
- When will you end?
- What will you study?
- When will your off days be?
- When will you take full length exams?
If you don’t have a clue where to start, how long you might actually need and all the nitty gritty details for your schedule – MCAT Roadmap is the answer.
In this course, you will get a ready-to-fill spreadsheet that makes it 10x easier to create a schedule that actually fits for YOU. Step-by-step video lessons will guide you through each component, including how to choose your MCAT date, what materials to use, how to use the 3-phase studying and much more.
This includes all the strategies I used to set up a study plan that helped me reach my personal goal score of 516 on the MCAT. Plus, earned me 10 acceptances shortly after!
3. Re-Evaluate Your Study Routine After a Few Weeks
Once you have your study routine planned, go ahead and try it out for a while. After a few weeks (no more than three), sit down and assess how well you were able to stick to your study routine:
- If you’re right on schedule, that’s awesome! Keep doing what you’re doing.
- If you feel a little behind, try making some minor tweaks to help yourself adjust.
- If you’re way behind and super overwhelmed, don’t freak out! Go back to the very beginning, re-evaluate your commitments, and create a brand new study routine.
I know it can be hard to accept that a study routine just isn’t working for you, especially after you’ve already spent a few weeks on it. But, you don’t have to race to the finish line. Studying for the MCAT is a marathon, and it’s better to take a few tries to set the right pace for yourself instead of rushing your way through and ending up stuck with a score you don’t love.
4. Incorporate Rest Days to Avoid Burnout
Burnout is very real, and you’ll probably feel it at some point while studying for this absolute beast of an exam. To avoid letting burnout completely destroy your motivation, build rest days into your schedule as often as you need them. Don’t devote every single day to either working or studying. It’s okay to let yourself have fun!
When studying, I used to cut myself off at 4:30PM every day to make sure I didn’t overdo it. Honestly, I think that non-negotiable is the main reason I was able to actually stay consistent with my schedule, right up to the very last week. Give yourself those non-negotiable rests too and stick to them just as strictly as you do to the rest of your schedule.
5. Take Plenty of Practice Exams
Practice exams are the best way to track your progress as you study. Start by taking a diagnostic test at the very beginning of your studies to give yourself a baseline score. This should be the first thing you do, before you even put one second into studying.
By comparing that baseline score to the rest of the practice exams you take throughout your study schedule, you can figure out exactly how to adjust your routine. I also just loved the confidence boost I got from watching my score gradually improve over time.
I ended up taking 13 full-length practice exams while studying for the MCAT for over 5 months. But, in general, I would recommend shooting for between 7 and 10 total.
6. Don’t Be Afraid to Reschedule
Many of us fall into the trap of thinking we have to stick with the first MCAT test date we choose. But, in reality, there isn’t anything tying you to that date (as long as you still have time to reschedule) other than your own mental commitment. You don’t lose anything by making the decision to postpone.
This isn’t a free pass to procrastinate your study sessions though. Think of it more like a reminder that you can’t know for sure how fast you’ll move through your study schedule.
If you aren’t progressing as fast as you hoped or your external commitments are making it too hard to stick to a shorter schedule, don’t be afraid to push your exam back to a later date. The date itself isn’t what’s important. What’s important is making sure you’re actually ready to do your best.
Remember: It’s Okay to Take Your Time
Even if you’re not working full time at the moment, there might be other factors at play that end up lengthening your study time. You might have family commitments and other responsibilities that demand a lot of your attention. If studying can’t be your full time job, it’s perfectly okay to stretch out your study plan over a longer period of time.
Check out my blog post How Long to Study for the MCAT? 3 Realistic Timelines to learn more.
You might also notice while studying that you just aren’t progressing as quickly as you thought you would. That’s okay too!
It’s important to remember to take it easy on yourself and be patient. Everyone learns at their own pace and with their own style. Try taking a step back and re-evaluating how you’ve been studying to see if there are aspects of your current study routine that aren’t working for you.
Your previous academic experience can obviously affect your studying too. If you’re a non-traditional student like me, you might have completed your undergraduate degree a while ago. As a result, things might not be as fresh in your mind anymore. Leave yourself enough time to catch back up on your base knowledge so you can have a strong foundation as your starting point while studying.
Non-traditional students may also be missing a few of the helpful MCAT classes here and there. Depending on the difficulty of the subjects you’re missing, you might need a little more time to familiarize yourself with the material before you really dig into your studying. It’s better to spend that extra time preparing than to throw yourself straight into studying with absolutely no legs to stand on.
My Study Schedule While Working Full Time
The first time I took the MCAT, I was able to dedicate my entire summer to studying. But the second time around, I needed to get in some valuable clinical experience for my med school applications. So, I ended up working as an EMT while studying for the MCAT. Luckily, I was able to call off in advance when I needed to really focus on my studies.
That’s right – I’m not afraid to say I prioritized the MCAT over work! It’s a necessary step toward your dream, and you absolutely should prioritize it as much as you can.
Here’s what a day in the life looked like for me when I was working full time and studying for the MCAT at the same time:
- 7:00AM: Wake up and have breakfast
- 8:00AM: Complete 3 CARS passages (timed)
- 8:30AM: Review CARS passages
- 9:00AM: Complete 60 science questions (ex: biology)
- 10:30AM: Complete 40 science questions (ex: biochemistry)
- 11:30AM: Take a break and eat lunch
- 12:30PM: Review science questions
- 3:30PM: Study flash cards
- 4:30PM: Done for the day
I stuck to my routine every single study day, and I firmly believe that’s a huge part of why I was able to make so much progress and reach my target score.
The truth is, you’re not going to feel like following your routine every time, especially when you work full time. There will be moments when your motivation just isn’t there, but there are also ways you can overcome those feelings.
For me, having a little motivational paper on the wall by my desk reminding me why I was putting myself through all that studying in the first place really helped. If that’s not your jam, try using fun tools and study aids like a habit tracker, a goal setting system, daily calendar blocks, or an accountability buddy. Do what you need to do to make it happen!
No matter how full your schedule is, you can make time to succeed on the MCAT. You just might have to be a little creative and very patient. You got this. Happy studying!
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