
Think about your commitments during Spring Break and/or the end of the academic year (especially graduation if you are a senior). You might choose to set an easier load of courses in the spring semester.
March/April dates: Study over winter break and then during the spring.
You might choose to set an easier load of courses in the fall semester.
January dates: Study through the fall, over winter break, and the first weeks of the spring semester. Registration usually opens in February and in October for dates 3 to 6 months in advance. Register early so you can take the exam at your desired location. Plan to take the exam only once and prepare well. It has been said that it is often better to plan for 3 months of intense study rather than 6 months or longer of protracted study, as you might forget what you learned at the beginning. FIND TIME TO STUDY: Assume you will need at least 300 hours to review material, study, and take practice exams. MCAT study materials you can purchase:. Recommendations for the day of the exam:. MCAT Official Prep Hub - lists free resources you will need an AAMC account to log in: (Note: If you have difficulty logging in, go to and log into your account then go here and click on the link to the MCAT Official Prep Hub: ).
Dates of MCAT exams and the dates when scores are released:.This has information about the exam, suggestions on preparation, registration, and other details:.