When I first began studying for the MCAT, I knew it wasn’t just a test of content – it was a test of endurance, discipline, and mental agility. Much like the endurance cycling I love, the MCAT demands more than just raw knowledge. It demands strategy, self-awareness, and the ability to stay consistent when the motivation inevitably dips.

Here’s the full story of how I tackled the MCAT, what I used, what I skipped, how I stayed on track while working full-time, and the mindset that helped me walk into test day with quiet confidence.

Key Takeaways: 

• Prioritize questions over passive review 
• Commit to a consistent Anki routine 
• Balance work and study with environment hacks- use your free time wisely! 
• Avoid resource overload

Building the Schedule: Efficiency > Excess

I studied for about five months total. In retrospect, that timeline was one of the best decisions I made. It gave me enough breathing room to not feel like I had to learn everything now—I could absorb things at a sustainable pace and iterate my study strategies along the way.

For structure, I used Blueprint’s MCAT prep course. Their calendar-based organization gave me a great jumping-off point, but I didn’t just follow it blindly. I made it mine. My daily schedule was built around two pillars: content + questions. I did both every day, no exceptions.

Each weekday included:

• Watching Blueprint content videos
• Doing passage-based practice questions
• Completing my daily Milesdown Anki cards (20 new + all scheduled reviews)

I didn’t try to use everything under the sun – something I see trip up a lot of other students. There are a million resources out there, but I made an early decision to consolidate. I stuck with Blueprint + Milesdown + AAMC resources, and I didn’t let myself get distracted by “maybe I should be doing UWorld” or “what if I’m missing out on the Jack Westin cars passages?” I had my tools. I committed to consistency with these tools to see results. 

My Resources

The Questions-First Strategy That Changed Everything

The biggest leap in my score didn’t come from content review. It came from prioritizing passage-based questions. Every Saturday, I took a full-length practice exam. Every Sunday, I spent several hours breaking it apart.

The mindset that guided this was simple: MCAT success is less about what you know and more about what you can apply.

So many students spend months in passive review—highlighting Kaplan books, watching videos, feeling productive. But the MCAT isn’t going to test you with flashcards. It’s going to test whether you can read a dense paragraph about an unfamiliar experiment and figure out what’s really being asked.

When students ask me for advice, I always say this:
Questions are the key. You will never learn how to think like the MCAT until you make questions your main form of study. Content is necessary, but insufficient. Practice questions teach you how to see what the MCAT is actually asking—and that’s what raises your score.

I reviewed questions not just to see “what did I miss?” but to ask:

• Why did I fall for this trap?
• How did the exam structure this question?
• What should I have noticed in the passage?

That’s where the growth was. Not in the right answers – but in the wrong ones.

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How I Used Anki (And Why It Worked)

Milesdown’s Anki deck was the backbone of my content retention. I committed to it like it was a job:

• 20 new cards a day
• All reviews every single day

Even if I didn’t want to, even if I was tired, I did my cards. The consistency mattered more than the volume. Over time, I built rock-solid recall of formulas, amino acids, definitions, and factoids that show up in weird MCAT corners.

That deck was my low-cost, high-efficiency content review. It freed up my time so I could spend my energy on application-based studying.

The Work-Life-Study Balance (Yes, I Was Working Full-Time)

During my MCAT prep, I worked full-time at the Allen Institute for Brain Science. That meant I had to be intentional with my time. I studied before work, after work, and on weekends. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was doable because I made my environment support my goals.

Here are a few strategies I used:

• I taped an amino acids chart to my bathroom mirror so I could review it during brushing teeth, getting ready, etc.
• I listened to MCAT podcasts while doing repetitive lab tasks or walking to work.
• I meal prepped and minimized decisions around food/clothing/social plans to reduce mental fatigue.

The goal wasn’t to grind myself into burnout. It was to automate motivation by making my environment a study-friendly one.

On Motivation and Burnout: The Discipline of Showing Up

People ask me how I stayed motivated for five months. The honest answer? I didn’t.

But I didn’t rely on motivation. I relied on discipline and a mindset I developed through endurance cycling:

“Nothing is given. You work for it. Some parts will be easier. Some will suck. Show up anyway.”

I genuinely enjoy a challenge, and I like strategy. Studying for the MCAT was like training for a hard ride. Some topics I was naturally better at. Some dragged me. But I kept showing up, doing the reps, tweaking the plan. I found fun in solving the puzzle.

As for burnout, yes—it hit me. I’d get weeks where my brain felt foggy or I felt like I was plateauing. But having that five-month window helped me mentally. It meant I didn’t have to “fix it all tomorrow.” If I had an off day, I reminded myself: I’m playing the long game. One day doesn’t define me.

The Mindset Shift That Changed the Game

About halfway through my study plan, I had a realization:

The MCAT doesn’t want you to be perfect. It wants you to be calm, analytical, and agile.

I stopped obsessing over getting everything “right” and focused more on how I think. I started talking to myself during passages:

• “What’s the central experiment?”
• “What variable are they manipulating here?”
• “What’s a distractor here trying to do?”

By treating each question like a scenario to navigate rather than a test of my worth, I took the pressure off. I wasn’t fighting the MCAT—I was learning its rhythm.

The Advice I Give Every Student

Whenever someone comes to me for MCAT advice, I always return to a few key tips:

1. Pick your resources and stick with them. Don’t try to use everything. Pick one primary content source and a solid Anki deck. Don’t be seduced by Reddit threads listing 23 “must-use” tools.
2. Start with questions. Don’t wait until you “feel ready.” Do passage-based questions early and often—even if they feel hard. Especially if they feel hard.
3. Review your mistakes like they’re gold. That’s where the learning happens. Dig into why you got it wrong and how you’ll catch it next time.
4. Build a study lifestyle. Put study tools in your daily life—mirror charts, audio while walking, Anki on the train. Make it part of who you are, not just what you do.
5. Play the long game. This is a test of stamina. Give yourself time, grace, and space to grow. No single day defines you.

Conclusion

When I walked into my MCAT test center, I wasn’t expecting perfection. I was expecting to meet the challenge with strategy, calm, and confidence. And that’s exactly what happened.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned through this journey—and through the thousands of questions, podcasts, reviews, and bathroom mirror flashcards – it’s this:

You don’t need to be a genius to crush the MCAT.
You need to be strategic.
You need to be consistent.

And most importantly, you need to believe that with enough effort, you can train your brain to think like the test.

Resources Mentioned: 

• Blueprint MCAT Prep Course 
• Milesdown Anki Deck 
• AAMC Practice Exams 
• MCAT Podcasts

If you’re looking for structured support, proven strategies, and a team that truly understands the MCAT, EMP is here for you. Whether you’re just getting started or fine-tuning your approach, we’re ready to help you reach your goals – don’t hesitate to reach out.