Since I am planning to learn much of ARCT on my own (without weekly lessons with an instructor), I will need to be able to practice efficiently on my own.
Three things to keep in mind while starting to practice:
1. Understand the RHYTHM before you start - using flawed rhythms that you are unsure of will be time-consuming after you realize you need to correct what you haven't learnt accurately in the beginning.
2. STRICTLY the correct FINGERINGS - vitally important, especially through 'faster-paced' passages and/or cadenzas.
3. Practice SLOWLY - I have made the upsetting mistake in the past of playing a piece at normal tempo right after I've learnt it. This creates instability with the piece and is vulnerable to mistakes being made without realization.
I know these things usually present themselves as common sense, but it's something that a lot of students overlook and tend to rely on their teachers for. And trust me, the rhythms I see aren't so simple. They consist of dotted 16th notes, 32nd note passages in various parts of the keyboard, not to mention the great amount of articulation you will need (especially in Bach). I was never the very strong in rhythm - I was more interested in the musicianship of the piece, the emotions that it presented and how to execute it. Yet I understand that to be an ARCT student, you must be more well-rounded.
