The MCAT is one of those things where timing matters way more than people realize. Start too early and you burn out. Start too late and you’re rushing and cramming. Start at the wrong point in your pre med courses and you’re studying content you haven’t learned yet. So when should you actually start.
First, lets talk about when you should take the MCAT. Ideally youre taking it before your senior year or early senior year so you have time to apply in June or July of your senior year. Medical school admissions are rolling which means earlier is better. If you take your MCAT in July before senior year, you can have your application ready to go in early June or July. Thats ideal.
When to take the MCAT based on your timeline
If you take your MCAT senior year, like in the spring, you’re still okay. You can have your application in by mid summer. If you’re taking it in the summer during senior year, youre a bit late but still okay. By fall senior year youre really cutting it close and next cycle is probably your option.
So backward tracking, if you want to take the MCAT in June, when should you start studying.
Most people do three to six months of MCAT prep. Thats the normal range. Some people do more, some do less, depends on your baseline knowledge and your score goal. If you’re trying to get a 520, you’re probably doing six months of serious work. Aiming for a 500? Four months might be enough. If you’re already good at science and organized, maybe three months. If you struggle with content and time management, maybe six or more.
A reasonable timeline is start studying two to three months before your target test date. This gives you time to do content review, which is learning the material, plus practice, which is doing full length tests and questions. If you take your MCAT June first, youre starting MCAT prep in like March or April.
That means what? That means you need to have your prerequisites done or mostly done by the time you start MCAT prep. You can’t be in organic chemistry and also doing full length MCAT practice tests. You’re going to tank your GPA or tank your MCAT or both.
The ideal timeline
The ideal timeline is you take organic chemistry, biochemistry, biology, all your prerequisite classes before you start MCAT prep. So like if you’re a junior you’re taking those classes. You finish them by the end of junior year. Then summer going into senior year you start MCAT prep. You take the test in June or July. You apply in July. You’re good.
Some people do MCAT while taking prerequisites and it can work if you’re organized and youre not taking a ton of classes. Like if you’re taking organic chemistry and you’re also doing MCAT prep, you better be extremely organized or youre going to struggle. Most people can’t handle that so dont try it unless you have strong time management.
Another option is taking a gap year for MCAT prep. Like you graduate in May, you take the summer off, you start MCAT prep in September and take the MCAT in December or January. This is less ideal timeline wise because you’re applying in January which is late. But if you need more time to study or you didn’t do well the first time, a gap year gives you that space.
Where people mess up with timing
Now heres where people mess up with timing. They study for the MCAT for like 10 months which is way too long. Starting in September for a June test, that’s nine months and you’re burnt out by month four. You studied the exact same content four times and youre getting tired.
Studies show like beyond six months of prep, returns diminish. You’re not learning more you’re just rehashing material. And burnout is real. You’re more likely to get a worse score if you over study because youre exhausted and your brain is fried. So dont overstuff your timeline.
The other thing people do is they delay starting. Like they tell themselves oh I’ll start in January for a June test, that’s only five months but I’m smart so it’ll be fine. Then they don’t start in January, they start in February. Then they realize the test is coming and they’re freaking out. And they’re studying frantically and sleeping badly and taking the test while exhausted. Thats how you do worse.
You need to actually commit to your timeline and stick to it. Block out the time on your calendar. Tell people you’re doing MCAT prep. Treat it seriously.
How do you know when youre ready to start MCAT prep
How do you know when youre ready to start MCAT prep. The indicators are, one, youve finished your science prerequisites. Two, youre not in a heavy course load for other classes. Like if you’re also taking organic chemistry you’re not ready. Three, youve done at least some practice questions and youre not totally lost. Like maybe do a diagnostic test or some AAMC practice questions to see where youre at.
Some people do a diagnostic test before starting any prep. Basically you take a full length MCAT practice test and see what you get. This tells you your baseline and what your gaps are. If youre a 480 baseline, you know you need more time. If youre a 505 baseline, you know you just need practice tests and refinement.
The content and practice breakdown
The content itself takes time. Biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, physics, psychology, everything is on this test. A full content review pass is like two months of work if youre doing it seriously. Reading the material, taking notes, maybe watching Khan Academy videos, doing practice problems. Two months.
Then you need practice. Full length practice tests, section banks, passage practice, question packs. Minimum another two months. More like three if youre trying to really refine your weak areas.
So realistically if youre starting from not having studied at all, youre looking at like four to five months minimum. If youre trying to go from a 500 to a 510, maybe three months. If youre starting from a place where youre well prepared and just need practice, maybe two to three months.
Test dates and scheduling study time
Another timeline consideration is test dates. MCAT is offered like every day basically. So its not like you have fixed test dates. You can pick when to take it. Thats actually really helpful. You pick your target test date first. Then work backward. If I want to take it June 1st, I need to start prep March 1st. Boom, thats your timeline.
One thing people dont always do is actually schedule study time. Like they tell themselves Im going to study for three months and then never actually block out the hours. You need like 10 to 15 hours a week of real study. Thats not like passively watching videos. Thats active work. So if you have classes and activities, you need to actually make room for this.
Most people do something like wake up earlier, study before classes, study after classes, do more on weekends. Its not like you’re not living your life youre just rearranging priorities for three months.
Reality check
Here’s a reality check. If you’re not willing to commit three to six months to serious MCAT preparation, you’re probably not going to do well. This test is hard and it requires effort. People who throw together two weeks of studying and take it usually do poorly. People who seriously study for three to six months do better. Its that simple.
If youre early in your pre med journey, start thinking about when you want to take the MCAT and work backward. If youre already in the thick of prerequisites, figure out when youre actually going to be done with classes and start your prep then.
Retaking the MCAT
If you’ve already taken the MCAT once and didnt score where you wanted, taking it again requires the same timeline. People sometimes think they can retake it with two weeks of studying. Nope. If you bombed it the first time, you need like three to four months to actually improve meaningfully.
The score improvement between attempt one and attempt two is usually small unless you actually change your study approach. So dont just study the same way and expect different results. If you struggled with content, do more content review. Timing issues? Focus on more timed practice. If you struggled with stamina, do more full lengths.
Basically think about the MCAT like a real project that deserves real planning. Figure out your test date, count backward, commit to the timeline, and actually stick to it. Youll thank yourself when you’re taking the test and you feel prepared.
Need help with your MCAT timeline?
If youre not sure whether youre ready to start MCAT prep or youre not sure how much time you need, thats worth talking through with someone. SOS Admissions can help you think through your timeline and make sure youre planning appropriately. Because MCAT timing is one of those things where a little guidance can make a huge difference in your score. Reach out and let’s figure it out together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many months should I study for the MCAT?
Most people need three to six months of serious preparation. The exact amount depends on your baseline knowledge, score goal, and how much time you can dedicate per week.
Can I study for the MCAT while taking prerequisite courses?
It’s possible but very difficult. Most people do better finishing their prerequisites first and then starting dedicated MCAT prep. If you try both at once you need excellent time management.
When is the best time to take the MCAT?
Ideally before or early in your senior year so you can apply in June or July. Taking it in the summer before senior year is the most common and strategic timing.