For students who hope to get into medical school, performing well on their MCAT exam is a priority. However, since this test brings a lot of pressure, stress, and studying with it, it can be very easy for students to fall into a couple of poor habits.
For example, when pupils become overly stressed, they avoid practicing and fall behind on their study schedule.
In this article, we will discuss a few good habits that you can adopt to get you through your MCAT exam successfully. This includes finding your baseline before beginning your studies, completing as many practice tests as possible, and managing your stress as best as you can.
Find Your Baseline
When it comes to efficient and effective studying, you should always find your baseline before you begin. In this way, you will monitor your progress and discover which sections of work you need to focus on the most.
A good way in which you can find your baseline is by completing a practice test beforehand. It is essential that you study before this test and not simply rely on the knowledge you have from school.
Make a note of your result and which topics you could not answer. Then, once you begin studying, you will be able to use this information as a reference.
Complete As Many Full-Length Practice Tests As Possible
All students working towards the MCAT exam have access to past papers. If you are going to achieve the result you are aiming for, you will need to work through at least two practice tests beforehand.
These tests will give you a rough idea of how questions are asked in the paper. More so, they will allow you to see which questions are frequently asked and how you should answer them to receive the maximum number of marks.
Manage Your Stress
As we have already mentioned, plenty of students struggle with stress and anxiety during their studies. To avoid this, you should find different methods to calm yourself down before each study session.
This could mean taking a walk, having a nap, or doing some yoga. In other words, you should still make time for the things that you enjoy, as they will help reduce your stress levels.
Concluding Thoughts
Preparing for a long and important exam can provoke several poor study habits. To avoid this, students should focus on adopting some good study techniques. This includes finding a baseline before starting to study, completing various full-length exams, and managing stress.