- PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. I took 9 practice tests from different companies. Each company had its own strengths and weaknesses and helped me learn different strategies for the test. Also, I used the AAMC material. I did not use it much for my first test, which contributed to my low score.
- Review everything that you get wrong with a fine tooth comb. If it was content that you do not understand, thoroughly review the material. For example, I had issues with the cardiovascular system. I constantly got answers wrong. I did not have a strong foundation when I started studying, so I paid extra attention to this section. If it was a mistake, do more practice problems in that area.
- Use Anki or some other form of recall/repetition while studying. To quote Lil Wayne, "Repetition is the father of learning." I used Anki to recall facts that I got wrong, as well as basic content information. This helped me retain information a great deal. I definitely would not have gotten my score without it.
- Realize that you do not truly know something until you are getting every question in that area right. I thought I knew chemistry because biochemistry was my major. I ended up getting the lowest score in that section because I overestimated my abilities.
- Study your weak areas. I literally studied CARS the week of my MCAT and Pysch/Soc about a month before. I was a philosophy minor so reading critically has never been an issue for me. I scored the highest on those two sections. Most of my prep was in biology. I did not have a good background in biology. The biochemistry was not particularly difficult but learning all of the systems of the body and basic cellular mechanisms took up most of my practice. I went from scoring 123/124 to scoring a 128 on the actual exam. This may not sound like a big improvement, but most pre-meds are biology. Therefore, they tend to skew the percentiles, so it was a huge accomplishment for me personally.
- You will make stupid mistakes. I certainly did after every practice test. Mistakes are opportunities for learning. However, a mistake should only be made once.
I hope this helps and good luck studying!