5 Ways to Raise Your MCAT Score in 3 Weeks

Is it three weeks before your MCAT? Are you feeling worried that you haven’t done enough and there’s not much time left to do anything? While increasing your MCAT score in three weeks is a tall order, it can be done. In this article we will walk you through how to increase you MCAT score in three weeks, what to do if you are not seeing improvement, and which resources are going to be the most important during your study.

Whether you have been preparing for months or feel that you have not done enough and need to squeeze in more studying, you probably have many feelings about the upcoming test. So, how does one learn the MCAT in 21 days? Although we recommend postponing the MCAT if you can devote more time to preparation, some students have to reach the desired MCAT score they need in less time due to unpredictable circumstances.

You can increase your MCAT score in three weeks if you approach your preparation process strategically. Knowing how to take the test is almost as important as knowing its content. That’s why we highly recommend you focus your efforts on practicing how to take the exam and reviewing it during the time you have. Here, we’ve put some essential last-minute tips to help level up your score in three weeks!

Never Put All Eggs in One Basket

Our main advice in this section is to focus on your weak points. Every student comes to the MCAT differently. Some students outperform on the sciences, others on the CARS section. Wherever you are in your MCAT journey, it’s incredibly important to hit your weak areas.

The Jack Westin MCAT Diagnostic is the perfect place to start. This one diagnostic will tell you exactly what areas you need to focus on and where you should spend your time. It’s important to note that the Jack Westin Analytics tool will track your results on the MCAT Diagnostic and measure your improvement over the next three weeks.

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED

Find Strategies That Work For You

There are hundreds of different resources out there to help you prepare for the MCAT. Trying out each one of them can be time-consuming. Instead of trial and error, it’s best you take a look back at what learning strategies have worked for you so far and stick with them.

Question banks, tutoring, online classes, and flashcards are among the many resources you can choose to work with while preparing for the MCAT.

One recommended tool is the free ANKI app that you can install on your computer or mobile phone. The most advanced flashcard app lets you download deck cards online for easy reading. In addition, there are a few excellent MCAT card update decks that you can already install in the app and update daily.

If you find yourself struggling with a specific subject, we recommend working with a tutor to speed up your learning process and save time. You can always check out Jack Westin’s online courses and live sessions to find a course on your desired subject.

Take Care of Your Mental Health

Never underestimate the value of your mental and physical well-being during this period. You should pay attention to your mental health while studying for the MCAT. Unfortunately, many candidates sacrifice their health to improve their score, which often results in the exact opposite. You can find many resources that can help you check on yourself and maintain a healthy balance.

Stay focused and confident in yourself in order to do well on this test. Proper self-assurance can go a long way.

Another essential piece of advice to help with mental health is to read motivational stories about the students who once were at the same place you are right now. Reading their success stories will motivate you to stay focused on your study plan, keep a positive outlook on things, and believe that your hard work will eventually pay off with an outstanding score.

It’s OK to Ask for Help

Sometimes, it takes a little guidance to see what is missing. About 3-4 weeks before the exam, you can start looking for tutors. They can help you with the areas you need to work on more and create an effective study plan for the rest of the time you have left. In addition, tutors can send you high-yield math charts and help you understand what is holding you back.

Signing up for weekly newsletters can also help since it will remind you that you are not alone in this and that you are a part of a bigger community and provide you with the proper guidance and motivation. Sometimes, all you need is a pat on the shoulder and a few words of encouragement.

Advice for each MCAT Section

Chemistry / Physics Advice

The best Chemistry / Physics strategy is knowing the numbers and when to use them. All the clues you need are in front of you. So remind yourself that the math you need is somewhere in your head, and you just have to find it.

You can also use flashcards to memorize equations and certain basic chemistry words, but practice is the focus. Anki Cards are great sources to prepare for this part. This is good for content reviews and to build confidence around your knowledge of the subject and practice recalling them.

Biology / Biochemistry Advice

The Biology / Biochemistry section is a different struggle for the MCAT candidates. Often, they get preoccupied with memorizing content for Chemistry and Physics that they overlook the content for this section. You can prepare for this section by reading the flashcards and taking notes in your books.

Try to connect the subjects you learn whenever possible. Learning by association can improve your memory and recall of information, making learning more cohesive and enjoyable. Online videos also can help you here. Sometimes a visual image can help place content in its proper place in your mind. This is especially true for biological systems and processes.

Each week Jack Westin hosts a live session on mastering the science section on the MCAT. CLICK HERE TO RSVP.

Tips for the CARS section

Start by learning as much as you can about the CARS section of the MCAT. But apart from learning, you need to choose a strategy that works for you as you approach the CARS.

Familiarize yourself with non-MCAT practice passages too. Basically, if you challenge yourself to identify the main ideas in a text you are reading, you can practice for the CARS section whenever there’s a passage in front of you.

You will get better once you get used to analyzing texts with this mindset.

Try timing yourself as well when you are practicing since, in the actual exam, you won’t be able to spend more than 10 minutes on each passage. Mastering time management can be a great help when sitting for the MCAT.

Each week Jack Westin hosts a live session on mastering CARS on the MCAT. CLICK HERE TO RSVP.

Psychology / Sociology

Psychology / Sociology is all about memorization. The more terms you know, the less likely you will get stuck on one question because you do not know the definition of one or more of the terms on the multiple-choice answers. So here, flashcards are your best friend. You can find Psychology / Sociology decks online for Anki.

Make sure you go through the cards often. When you do practice tests, make sure you read all the answer options even if you did not correctly answer the question. It’s important to put into practice what you memorize. Because if you only know a definition but don’t know how to apply it while answering questions, you won’t be able to score high enough on this section.

You can also start reading graphs and articles of psychological research from time to time to improve your understanding of scientific reading. But only if you have enough time and psychology/sociology is an area you need more practice in.

The good news is that your practice for the CARS section can come in handy in this part as well. So by combining CARS strategy and memorizing psychology/sociology terms, you will have what it takes to master this section of your test.

Quick Tips for the Last Three Weeks Before the MCAT

There are some last-minute MCAT tips on how to improve your MCAT scores in three weeks. So here’s how:

Take (and review) your final practice test at the beginning of the week. Then, depending on what categories and types of questions you still need to work on, you can decide how to prepare for the last weeks before the MCAT.

Continue to follow your study plan, but make sure you give yourself a break a day before the MCAT test. It’s OK to review your flashcards or 1-2 pages of notes you’ve collected, but that’s it. A day before the test is not a good time to learn new content. Relaxing will be more beneficial for you at this moment than trying to cram.

In the last weeks, you should try to divide your time 50/50 between working on areas of weakness which could be content areas where you still struggle. The rest of the time you have should be dedicated to improving your strengths. While reviewing what you already know may seem like a waste of time, it is important to make sure that the content is fresh in your mind. Secondly, it helps build your confidence, which you are going to need to succeed in this exam. You need to believe in your knowledge and your readiness to be able to do your best on the exam. But never forget that feeling anxiety and stress is a normal part of the process.

MCAT Last Minute Tips

If you want to get a better MCAT score within three weeks, you will need to use all your time strategically.

Suppose you were committed to your study plan up to now. In that case, you should spend a well-deserved amount of time doing something fun — physical activity is a good option, as it will help you process adrenaline and extra cortisol (the notorious stress hormone). Alternatively, you could do something fun like watching a movie or spending some time with a supportive friend. Whatever you do, remember that the goal is to relax and enjoy yourself.

Maintain a balanced diet, drink plenty of fluids, and try to allow for a solid eight hours of sleep. Including some physical exercise in your daily schedule would help decrease your stress levels and help you sleep better. If you are dealing with test anxiety, devoting some time to mindfulness practices and meditation can also get you In the habit of managing your stress simply by controlling your mind and teaching you some effective breathing techniques. Avoiding excessive amounts of caffeine on the days leading up to your exam can also prove beneficial.

Conclusion

Studying for the MCAT in three weeks is difficult but not impossible. The key to increasing your MCAT score in three weeks is knowing your limits and managing your expectations. We hope that these last-minute MCAT tips will help boost your confidence and score. Regardless of the time issues, make sure you are physically and mentally prepared for the upcoming exam.

It’s also important to know which tools you have available to you when your MCAT is right around the corner. Here are all of the tools available to you from the Jack Westin team:

Regardless of where you are in your study, we’re here to help. You got this!