6 MCAT Reddit Study Tips That Are Absolutely Wrong

This blog was originally published in 2022 by Dr. Benjamin Mittman and updated for accuracy in May 2025 by Dr. Xana Dias-Vaughman

The internet is teeming with MCAT study tips and tricks that pre-med students can take advantage of. This amount of information is a double-edged sword for the premeds out there. On one hand, there’s a rich community of students, MCAT tutors, doctors and educators who can offer an insider’s perspective on success. On the other hand- some forums (e.g, MCAT Reddit) have a reputation for inaccurate information, competitive mindsets and a general aura of anxiety. 

Here are, in our opinion, the most misleading tips we see on MCAT reddit- and our more nuanced opinion on the issue. 

1. FALSE: The MCAT is a test of pure memorization. Or, the MCAT is a test of pure critical thinking.  

MCAT Reddit will often push one extreme narrative about the content and application of the test. Some threads will insist that the MCAT is a test of memorization, and you HAVE to know key details to succeed. Some will insist that all you need is a strong ability to critically think on test day. 

As with most things in medicine and science, the reality is more nuanced. Many MCAT questions are designed to test memorization—recognizing an amino acid structure, for example, is very likely. Others challenge you to think critically and apply your knowledge to new situations, concepts, or unfamiliar data.

At the end of the day, you need BOTH memorization and critical thinking skills to succeed in med school and beyond. Neither learning nor memorization is sufficient on its own to produce excellent results on a standardized exam, instead, both are necessary. As such, the MCAT is designed to test your ability to do both. 

These skills develop from different parts of your studying. My students’ ability to recall memorized information tends to improve rapidly with the number of practice questions they complete. Critical thinking, on the other hand, takes more effort—it’s tied to question volume but also depends on actively reviewing missed questions and identifying where their reasoning went off track.

Each plays a different role in your ability to demonstrate your academic ability and studying skills. If you focus too much on one and neglect the other, your performance will suffer as a result.

2. FALSE: Your score will automatically increase the more questions you do.

Some Reddit threads will have you believe that your key to MCAT success is brute force: lots and lots of questions. The reality is a little less cut and dry. Practice questions, in our opinion, are one key element to success. However, reviewing your practice questions is equivalently important. What are your common pitfalls? Is there a content gap you need to go back and review? Am I getting the same type of questions wrong (calculations, “except” questions, questions that require understanding of a passage graph). 

If your score is landing in the 490-500s, this might mean you need more practice questions under your belt to secure a strong footing in the content. We believe that 505+ scores come after you’ve mastered the content AND strategy. This is not unlike the point above: you need a combination of critical thinking and memorization skills. As such, use your practice questions as an opportunity to reflect on your weak areas (both content and critically!) 

3. FALSE: Anki is the answer to all your issues. 

This is likely the debate of the century in the medical education community- to Anki, or not to Anki? Anki is a spaced repetition flashcard tool widely used by medical students throughout the country. It is more customizable/flexible than other flashcard tools, so there are many avid fans. Some Reddit threads insist you need exposure to Anki before you can realistically succeed in med school and the MCAT. 

The reality is that not all med students use Anki and in fact, many achieve considerable success without it. Proponents of Anki often speak more loudly than those who don’t use it, giving a false impression that they comprise a strong majority. The truth? Flashcards aren’t for everyone, and that’s okay! 

Anki is highly regarded because it uses what’s called “spaced repetition”. This means that the content is presented to you at spaced intervals that are meant to increase the memory consolidation for this piece of information. With that said, you don’t HAVE to use Anki to achieve spaced repetition. Here’s an example of a schedule that would help you remember the amino acids using spaced repetition: 

1. Day 1: Learn all 20 amino acids (names, structures, properties).
2. Day 2: Quick review—active recall with flashcards (e.g., Anki) or self-quizzing.
3. Day 4: Review only the ones you missed or struggled with.
4. Day 7: Another review, reinforcing weak areas.
5. Day 14: Test yourself again. If recall is strong, increase the interval.
6. Day 30+: Periodic long-term reviews before the exam.

Anki is a favorite, but not be-all-end-all tool. If you are a fan of Anki, and looking for a solid place to start, our MCAT Neuroscience Anki deck is a great example of how spaced repetition can work in action.

4. FALSE: You should take the AAMC practice exams multiple times to get the questions down. 

The AAMC full-length (FL) practice exams are excellent practice and study tools. The questions are written by the same people who write the actual exam, so you know you are testing your knowledge and test-taking skills in the best possible way.

Some Reddit threads suggest that you should take these AAMC exams multiple times due to their high-yield material. We do NOT recommend doing this. The likelihood of remembering some content from the exam is very high, even months later. 

The real challenge of the MCAT is applying your knowledge and understanding to new situations. If you remove the novelty, you are no longer simulating exam-day situations. Once you have taken a practice exam, taking it again within 2 years can lead to skewed scores and an inaccurate benchmark of your progress. Use your valuable time to review content or practice new MCAT questions instead.

We believe Reddit is correct when it recommends MCAT prep question banks like UWorld or Blueprint- these are great resources for practice BEFORE utilizing your AAMC material. Save the very best for the very last! 

5. FALSE: Everything is high-yield for the MCAT. 

Because the terms “high-yield” and “low-yield” are thrown around so much, many—rightfully so—question their usage and meaning.

We need to be thoughtful about how we use these terms, but they still serve a purpose. Everyone should be confident in understanding the structure and function of amino acids, but you may get away not knowing the structure of the enzymes in the Krebs cycle. 

What makes a concept high-yield? A “high-yield” concept is one that’s likely to be tested—and likely to show up in multiple questions, either directly or indirectly. We like to have our students envision a bell curve when it comes to content on the exam- there are some topics that are going to land smack dab in the middle of the bell curve and show up in almost all practice exams and materials. Others fall at the edges—you might see them once in a while, but they’re much less common. Yield is a matter of statistics. What is the statistical probability that this question will appear on my exam? 

You’ll start to get a “feel” for the highest yield concepts the more practice questions and tests you do. The more you practice, the more you’ll start to notice where topics fall on that curve – so pay attention.

6. FALSE: Read quickly so you have ample time to review after each section. Or, skip to see which passages are easiest and answer those first. 

The MCAT is a timed exam, so you do not have the luxury of taking as much time as you need to read everything and consider all the answer choices. Some of my students feel more stressed about timing than they do the content of the exam: this makes sense given how tight it is! 

Because it’s an anxiety point, there are lots of suggestions on Reddit on how to succeed on the MCAT. Some folks recommend skipping around to see which passages are easiest and then moving on to more difficult ones. Others recommend reading and answering as quickly as possible so you have ample time for review after each section.

The MCAT is brutal with timing, so you need to be strategic. Questions vary significantly in length and difficulty, so trying to stick too closely to an average time per question might lead you to drag your feet unnecessarily on easier/shorter questions or rush through longer/more difficult questions.

You can be cognizant of your time by keeping an eye on the timer and setting benchmarks for each section, e.g., “I should be at or around question 30 by 45 minutes,” without being too picky about timing for each individual question. For most questions, if you read through them carefully enough the first time, your initial instinct will most likely be correct. Second-guessing or re-reading the question will not raise your score- and you risk convincing yourself that an incorrect answer is true. 

We recommend taking the MCAT from front to back, without skipping around. Pay attention to how time is passing, but don’t set hard and fast rules about spending exactly 90 seconds on each question- some will be easier, some will be harder! 

Last but not least, remember that you always have the option to guess and move on if you’re feeling the pressure of time. It’s okay to miss questions on the MCAT- being strategic about moving past a question you don’t understand could give you time to answer one correctly later on! 

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