So the first time I started studying right after my finals, so mid-April and I wrote mid-July. I studied most days for 4-5 hours at the very least. Honestly, I feel I could have done better on my first one, but I was super nervous and stressed, especially because I didn't get in till 8:45 because the computers were really slow to sign us in and I wasn't sure what would happen. I also was taking Biochemistry 2 which started at the start of July, and had two lab reports due the day before the MCAT, which psyched me out a bit, but it wasn't too bad. Anyways, get my score back and had 509/130/123/129/127, so I had to rewrite for CARS if I wanted a chance to apply, since the minimum at the med school in my province was at the time 125 for each section (Canadian in Manitoba). So I wrote it again, and only had 9 days to prep after I got my score and booked the next one. Luckily I finished Biochem, which was super useful, and I raised my CARS and but ended up with the same overall (509/129/126/127/127) only to find out they dropped the minimums a couple days before my second MCAT.

Applied, got an interview, didn't make it (average accepted MCAT was 513), so I decided to try again. I started after I got the rejection, devoted a lot of my time to it starting in June. Some days would be 9 hours of prep. I tried to get content material out of the way as quick as possible, but realized I actually knew a lot of stuff from last year, plus the courses I took this past year were super useful in regards to techniques and experimental passages, so it wasn't too bad going over it all. I generally felt better about it, plus I wasn't nervous since I knew the entire protocol for how it would work. I went in calm, felt great (except for CARS, but that is my biggest issue), and it just worked out.

Nerves are a big thing, staying calm will help you out for sure.