For students hoping to find their way to medical school, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a term that is both dreaded and familiar. The test is in place to test prospective students on knowledge in physical sciences, biological sciences, and verbal reasoning. The MCAT is usually taken in the calendar year that is the year before you plan on applying to medical school, also ensuring that you have time to retake the exam if you do not get the results you had wanted. Deciding when to take the MCAT is a process in itself; however, you should be starting out with the plan of how to prepare yourself for the MCAT. The thought of trying to fully prepare yourself for the MCAT alongside regular studies if you are preparing earlier, or other time commitments, is overwhelming, especially if you have no idea where to start. As a first step into a daunting journey, start out with the basics and figure out what the MCAT entails. The Association of American Medical College’s (AAMC) website geared for medical students – both prospective and current — will help define what exactly will be on the MCAT. You are most likely going to be studying for the MCAT in the midst of a busy schedule and you may find yourself lacking time to sit down and properly study. Instead of stressing about how you can’t find time to solely study, try downloading some of the following apps on your smartphone to take your studying on the go as you go about your daily routine. 1. MCAT Prep: Ready4 MCAT (formerly Prep4 MCAT) This app allows you to have full-time access to content from The Princeton Review and further encourages you to fit in studying during your down time. The app features a collection of over 70 lessons, 1,000 detailed flashcards, and 1,600 practice questions. As you spend more time using the app’s content, the app will automatically track your progress with the material. The tracking makes it easier for you to identify what material you have mastered and what material you should be spending more time on. The app’s practice tests are customizable to suit your needs, ensuring that you are getting the most out of your studying time with the app. Along with content to help you study, the app offers a list of top medical schools and admission details. With each school listed, you will know their average MCAT score, ranking in the nation, and tuition cost, which will help you compare your level of studying to your end goal. Be aware that the initial download is free along with the first free lessons as a trial, but you will need to spend $149.99 to have full access to the app’s contents. It may seem like a lot of money, but will ultimately be your best option financially compared to other MCAT courses that cost around $2,000 or other expensive preparation books. 2. MCAT Mnemonics For just 99 cents, you can have access to acronyms and memory tricks to guide you in your preparations for the MCAT. It does not have extensive content like other MCAT-related apps, but it does offer helpful and easy-to-use content for studying on the go. The app allows you to search and filter mnemonics based on subjects, such as anatomy, biology, and physics, add items to a favorite list for easy access, edit existing mnemonics to suit your needs, and create mnemonics of your own. The simplicity of the app may seem off-putting, but can also be more efficient as you may not necessarily want to be diving into dense content on your commute or on a break in between lectures. 3. SDN MCAT Comprehensive At $2.99, the Student Doctor Network (SDN) offers an app that helps prospective medical students maximize the efficiency of studying for the MCAT on the go. While it does not have extremely detailed study guides like other applications or prep books, it features condensed study guides that only have the most commonly tested topics and facts on the MCAT. You can customize your own quizzes and save personalized quizzes for later use, along with being able to generate random quizzes. The app’s content is easy to navigate and makes it easy for users to pinpoint the information they need more help on. Users can also email questions out of the app for studying elsewhere. 4. Higher Learner Technologies’ MCAT Mastery 2017 The app is compliant with the MCAT 2015, along with updated sociology, biochemistry, and psychology, that allows its users to access study guides to help them pass the MCAT. The initial download of the app is free, as it is considered a trial. However, if you decide to commit and upgrade the app, you will have full access to the app for life. Source
