Getting started with MCAT studying can be overwhelming. It may seem like there are a million different resources and ways to structure your MCAT study schedule. How do you cut through the noise and create an optimized, efficient study schedule using Memm?

We’re here to help. We asked our community of thousands of Memm users, with an average MCAT score improvement of 11.6 points, about how they approached their MCAT study plan. Our analysis focused on what sets the top scorers apart and how different students incorporated Memm into their study schedule to maximize their success.

We’ve now heard countless MCAT success stories with Memm. Although MCAT test takers are a very diverse group, many different types of students find Memm valuable. Both students at the beginning and closer to the end of their MCAT studying experienced new MCAT score breakthroughs with Memm. Here’s our breakdown of the most common approaches to studying with Memm, along with sample study schedules, quotes from users, and case studies based on what really works.

For students starting to study for the MCAT

The most common way to use Memm is as the cornerstone of content review. Most students traditionally have used it alongside a set of review books, such as the Kaplan 7-book set for their first pass-through of content. 

“Memm is the king of content review.”

L. L, scored 520

More and more students have reported skipping review books and using Memm alone with the included Med School Insiders course content as a complete resource for content review. Memm is designed to be completely comprehensive for content review. We’ve heard that review books include many unnecessary details and promote an inefficient, passive learning style. 

“[Memm was] incredibly helpful. I can’t emphasize it enough. It’s all the content review you need, a thousand times better than the Kaplan review books (I used both). Kaplan includes SO Many details that you really don’t need to know to do well, its so easy to get bogged down. I wasted a half a month of inefficient content review before I sucked up the money I dropped on them and never touched them again”

T. M., scored 523

Here are two sample study schedules under this approach, using a 3-month and a 6-month time frame.

For students further along in MCAT studying

We’ve heard success stories from many students who used Memm later in the MCAT study process, after having already completed content review and moved on to question-based practice and full lengths. Memm allowed them to further improve their MCAT scores and break through barriers that previously seemed insurmountable. 

In this setting, Memm serves as a hyper-efficient tool for drilling and consolidating key concepts for the MCAT. It complements the question-based practice from qbanks and full-length exams to allow you to shore up your weaknesses and retain more information. This combination increases confidence of recall and maximizes your success on test day.

“[Memm] was super helpful. I used it super heavily during the later studying crunch to make final improvements on my scores.”

M. L., scored 525

“I scored 521 (131/130/130/130). Memm sheets paired with active recall flashcards were very helpful. I think it would traditionally be used by a student at the beginning of their studying, or after their content review phase, yet I found it very useful near the end of my studying to reinforce old material.”

F. T., scored 521

Here is one example study schedule incorporating Memm under this approach, using a 3-month time frame.

For students retaking the MCAT

Another common demographic that has found striking success using Memm is re-takers. In general, improving on your MCAT score is really difficult. Among all-comers, the AAMC has found that the median score gain for repeat MCAT takers is around 2 points.  With Memm however, we’ve seen much bigger jumps. In our post-test survey the average re-taker improved by 9.8 points. 

Memm provides several benefits that appear to greatly help retakers. The focus on high-yield but comprehensive information allows retakers to hone in on concepts that will actually show up on test day, and cut out extraneous info from previous attempts. In addition, the organization of Memm presents information in context and allows for better retention compared to other available study resources.

“With Memm, things were so clean and organized. It made sense why the information was on each card. It’s one of the most efficient ways of studying for the MCAT that I’m aware of. It’s really high-yield stuff.”

Noah Rice, improved from 507 to 514

“Memm was the biggest factor in my improvement. After I started using Memm, immediately, something clicked. The mnemonics made sense and stuck, and the added information on the review sheets and underneath the flashcards helped things take hold.”

Martin Balch, improved from 490 to 510

Usage of Memm

Different students will use Memm in different ways, depending on their other resources and where they are in their overall study plan. These patterns are intended as a rough guideline, but thoughtfully considering your own personal situation is the only way to use Memm “optimally.”

In our post-test survey the majority of students, particularly top scorers, said that they incorporated Memm as a major part of their studying and used Memm 5-7 days per week. There is huge variation in daily usage due to students having different schedules, study styles and extracurricular obligations. However, many spend 1-3 hours a day on Memm and the median number of cards per day ranges from 100-150 cards.

Students generally aim to complete a first pass of Memm content partway through their overall MCAT study schedule and transition to Memm reviews, to focus on more dedicated full-length practice in the later part of their schedule. For a 3 month MCAT study schedule, this means students complete a first pass of Memm within 6-8 weeks and transition to maintaining reviews afterwards. For a 6 month MCAT study schedule, students will aim to complete a first pass around 4 months.

Summary

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to studying for the MCAT. However, we’ve seen a huge diversity of students incorporate Memm into their MCAT preparation with success. 

The most common approach is to incorporate Memm with or without review books during the initial phase of content review, to actively learn the MCAT material and promote retention. However, others are using Memm later in the MCAT studying process, by using it alongside question banks and full-length exams to further drill key concepts and break through score barriers.

If you’re looking to maximize your MCAT score, get started with Memm today!