Stop Over-Studying: Why More Hours Can Actually Hurt Your MCAT Score

The MCAT isn’t about how many hours you can sit and grind. It’s about how well you use the hours you’ve got. A lot of students assume the key to a top score is outworking everyone else. So they study all day, every day, and burn out before they even hit their full-length exams. The truth is, more time doesn’t always lead to better results. In many cases, it leads to worse ones.

Quick Version

Studying longer isn’t the same as studying better. Once you go past a certain point, your brain stops retaining information and starts pushing back. Research shows that students who study within a focused time range perform better than those who try to do it all day¹. If you want real progress, focus on active recall, spaced repetition, and consistent rest. The smartest MCAT prep isn’t about stamina. It’s about strategy.

More Time, Worse Results

It sounds productive to study ten hours a day. But it’s not. One study found that students who studied between four and six hours per week actually performed better than those who studied more¹. Once students pushed past that point, they ran into cognitive overload. They were spending more time but getting less out of it. The study made it clear that the quality of studying matters more than the quantity. Spaced repetition and targeted learning beat raw effort every time.

This isn’t just a one-off finding. Another study on licensure exam takers showed that burnout from overstudying was one of the most common challenges². Students who did best weren’t studying nonstop. They used clear structure, scheduled breaks, and focused review. They stopped wasting energy and started learning with intention.

What Burnout Looks Like

Burnout doesn’t always feel dramatic. It can show up quietly. You sit down to study, and nothing clicks. You review the same section over and over without absorbing it. Your motivation drops, your retention fades, and your confidence takes a hit. You’re still putting in the hours, but you’re not getting anything back.

A study of undergrads learning English as a foreign language captured this exactly³. Students who relied on massed study sessions reported more fatigue, lower confidence, and weaker retention. But when students used spaced learning and self-regulation strategies like retrieval practice, they saw better performance and less stress.

That’s not just a win for your brain. It’s a win for your score.

Study Smarter, Not Longer

The MCAT rewards problem-solving, reasoning, and long-term memory. You don’t build those by highlighting notes for hours. You build them by making your brain work. That’s where active recall comes in. When you quiz yourself, explain a concept out loud, or break down why an answer choice is right or wrong, you’re locking in the information. You’re not just reviewing. You’re retaining.

Spaced repetition works the same way. When you see material more than once over time, your brain holds on to it longer. Cramming might help you remember something tomorrow. Spacing helps you remember it next month. That’s what matters on a test like the MCAT.

Even large-scale educational research backs this up. One review of extended school time showed that more instructional hours didn’t help students learn more⁴. In fact, it often had the opposite effect. Students got fatigued, and their ability to retain information dropped. When you push past your brain’s capacity, you don’t gain ground. You lose it.

See our Guide to Anki if you want to study most efficiently with spaced repetition.

Know When to Stop

Most students can’t get more than six or seven hours of real, focused studying in before their efficiency drops off. If you’re trying to go past that, ask yourself whether you’re still learning or just filling time.

The smartest approach is to set a plan for each day. Know exactly what you want to accomplish. Maybe it’s reviewing a specific topic, drilling flashcards, or working through a passage set. Once you hit that goal, stop. Let your brain recover. Learning doesn’t just happen when you’re studying. It also happens when you rest.

Breaks aren’t lazy. They’re part of the process. Rest gives your brain the space it needs to consolidate what you’ve learned. If you skip it, you’re not doing more. You’re just grinding in circles.

Final Thought

There’s no prize for most hours studied. There’s only one goal: a score that gets you where you want to go. The MCAT isn’t about who can suffer the longest. It’s about who can learn the most effectively.

If your scores are flat, your brain’s tired, or your study days are getting longer and less productive, it might be time to stop pushing and start adjusting. Smarter beats longer. Every time.

If you think you'd benefit from an MCAT tutor local to East Lansing or online, feel free to check our MCAT offerings out. Otherwise feel free to browse our other resources below or share it with your colleagues. Good luck on the MCAT!