Julia SwarthoutBiological Sciences senior and pre-med student extraordinaire Many students planning to apply to graduate and professional schools have to take admissions test as part of the process - MCATs for medical school, DATs for dental school, PCATs for pharmacy school, OATs for optometry school, LSATs for law schools, GMATs for business school, and GREs for most other graduate schools. These exams differ in their content and format so it is important that you research your specific exam (and if you need to take it!). Then - like all studying - the best approach is to make a plan. Most students take these exams in the summer so the spring (term that is, aka January!) is the best time to start thinking about making your plan. 1. Start by making a schedule. Decide how many weeks you plan on studying, and be honest with yourself about how much time you will have to dedicate to studying. Think about all of the other responsibilities and time commitments you will have during the semester, and plan with those in mind. I like to use this site when making my schedules, as it allows you to add classes, breaks, jobs, study time, and whatever else you might need. 2. If using a book set to study, assign chapters/lectures to get through each week. Think about how well you already know the content; if it is fresh in your mind, perhaps save it till closer to the test date, so it is more of a review. If a topic is completely new to you, allocate more time to studying that topic. 3. Think about the study techniques that have worked for you before, and incorporate those into your learning. If you are a visual learner, search YouTube or Khan Academy for videos related to the topics you are studying. Create content maps and diagrams to return to as a review later on. If you are an auditory learner, get in the habit of explaining the content out loud, either to yourself or to a friend. If you do not know what kind of a learner you are, consider taking this quiz to help you find out! 4. Find a Study Buddy so you can hold each other accountable. It can be easy to get off track while studying, but having someone else there to support you and remind you why you are studying so hard can help! 5. Take at least one day a week off for yourself. Studying for long periods of time can be exhausting; your brain needs time to rest. Studying for major admissions tests is a MARATHON, not a sprint. Take it slow, and remember to breathe and make time for the things that you enjoy. 6.If you find yourself falling behind… Don’t beat yourself up over it! Sometimes life gets in the way of the plans we make, and that’s ok! Look at what is keeping you from sticking to your schedule; if it is something you can change, try to! If it is something out of your control, rework your schedule around it. Readjusting the schedule you made in the beginning is a normal part of the process, and you should not feel bad about it. 7. Reach out to your peer advisors for help! Many of us have been through the process, and we all have more tips and tricks that helped us along the way. We love to help! Keep an eye out for an MCAT/DAT/GRE information session coming up early next semester! https://www.facebook.com/events/1261034204107116/
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January 2022
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