How I Studied for the MCAT

Things to keep in mind before you read my strategy. I took ochem1,2 and bio1,2 the year I took the MCAT. This, I think gave me a valuable advantage.

Period of study: June 1 - August 17 (~2.5 months)
MCAT test date: August 19

Materials Used
KAPLAN 2005 Science Review ($23.00)
AAMCAS official practice tests ($120.00)
Textbooks ("free")

The Breakdown

June 1 - July 15: Thoroughly reviewed each subject in the KAPLAN Science Review Book
study period: 9am-1:00pm; 5 days a week
I sat down and systematically reviewed every chapter in that book. Almost all the material is the most basic parts of the subjects covered, so its not a problem to understand if you took the courses. I used my textbooks to supplement some things, and learn material new to me.

July 17 - August 17: Reviewed each subject two more times.
study period: 9am-1:00pm; 5 days a week; Practice MCAT every Saturday for next four weeks

This I think was the most beneficial decision I made. I am now convinced that reviewing material is crucial. I went back and each week reviewed everything for two subjects. For example the first week I went over all of physics and bio, and the following week all ochem and chem.

I also started taking practice MCAT tests every Saturday. I did this under real test conditions, with correctly timed breaks and test times. This is where I learned how to pace myself and how to deal with the test. I also developed a timing scheme that I will talk about in a little bit.

My Timing Protocol