Part One: MCAT Basics
What is the MCAT?
The MCAT is the Medical College Admission Test. It’s the “big deal” standardized test you have to pass before you can be considered for admission into medical school. It’s kind-of-like the SAT for medical college admissions.
Who runs the MCAT?
The MCAT is administered by an organization called the Association of American Medical Colleges (the AAMC).
How is the MCAT scored?
The MCAT is scored on a 3-to-45 point scale,. The part of the test scored via the number is broken into three sections, which are the Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences and Verbal Reasoning sections.
What is the average MCAT score?
Since the MCAT is a standardized test, the AAMC wants to produce an exam that can be compared between students, and between test administrations. In other words, the goal of the MCAT is to be a consistent measure of your capability, regardless of when you take it.
The average MCAT score is 8-8-8, or a 24. My article on how to get your highest MCAT score.
What topics are covered in the MCAT?
The MCAT includes topics taught during the following college courses: general biology, general (inorganic) chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. Physiology and some biochemistry is also tested.
Within the Verbal Reasoning section of the MCAT, a wide range of topics are utilized as reading material for the test questions. The topics may include English literature, anthropology, psychology, social sciences and political science.
What are the MCAT test dates?
The MCAT is delivered approximately 28 times per year.
How Do I Register for the MCAT?
Register for the MCAT on the MCAT website.
Onto Part Two, below.
Harvard Medical School doesn’t seem out of reach when your MCAT score is 33+
Part Two: MCAT Preparation
Where Can I Find Free Practice Tests for the MCAT?
You can obtain a free practice MCAT directly from the AAMC. Go to the link and then enter your email in the upper-right-hand side to access. Princeton Review offers a free online practice MCAT. Go to this page and enter your ZIP code to get access.
What are some Great MCAT Books?
There are a number of excellent books to help you with MCAT prep and review. Here are some of the most popular:
Princeton Review’s Guide to Cracking the MCAT 2012-2013 (I am a contributor to this one.)
Examkrackers has a well-respected package of their own
And of course, you have to consider Kaplan’s book, too.
I also wrote my own course on advanced test-taking tactics, which you can get on this site. Get my “Tactical Nuclear Test-Taking Techniques” now.
You can also get additional Verbal Reasoning passages from me.
How Should I Study for the MCAT? Can You Give Me An MCAT Study Schedule or Study Plan?
Yes. Broadly, you want to start studying for the MCAT a good six months before you take it. For the typical pre-med, if you want to take the MCAT in April or May, then you want to start to prepare six months before that — October.
Why six months? Mostly because you need a good solid three months to practice, and another three months to fit in review of the topics you’re rusty in. Honestly, you’re a full-time student, or you work full time, and trying to jam MCAT prep into your life is going to take some getting used to.
Set yourself up for success — give yourself a nice six months to go at the MCAT, nice and consistently, and you’ll end up much better off than trying to cram everything into your brain in less than two months.
My article on a great MCAT study plan.
What Else Should I Know About the MCAT?
First, AAMC will do away with the writing sample section of the MCAT in 2013. They are removing this section in part to make room to test some questions and prepare for the new format and new content of the exam that will come out in 2015. You can volunteer to take an trial section to help AAMC design new questions for the revised test. (They’ll give you a $30 Amazon gift card for your trouble. Not bad.)
So this gives you a good overview of everything MCAT. If you have additional questions about the test, feel free to leave them below.
My name is Don Osborne. I am the author of this article and the publisher of INQUARTA.com.
Before I give you the big overview of the MCAT, let me tell you a little about myself, and why I am qualified to talk about medical school admissions and the MCAT.
Since 1994, I have run a premier medical school admissions advising company (INQUARTA).
I also taught MCAT Verbal Reasoning for The Princeton Review, and was part of a four-person team to rewrite the verbal reasoning section of the MCAT course when Princeton Review merged with Hyperlearning.
In the mid-1990s, I created a course called “Verbal Accelerator” for Princeton Review, which was based on the relationship between critical thinking skills and visualization identified by Nanci Bell of the Lindamood-Bell Centers (Visualizing / Verbalizing).
I taught MCAT for nearly 10 years, and I trained many dozen other instructors for them during my time there.
Since then, I have been a contributing author / fact-checker for Princeton Review’s “Cracking the MCAT 2012-2013” and I also wrote my own set of MCAT verbal reasoning passages, “30 MCAT Verbal Reasoning Passages.”
As an admissions coach, I have worked personally with nearly 10,000 premeds, helping them package themselves for medical school admissions. I’ve seen the medical school application’s transition from a four-page paper form to the multi-part online behemoth of today.
So that’s my background … enjoy my overview of the MCAT!
— Don Osborne
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Pls let me know how much I have to pay for you guidance
HI Ismail — You can find prices for my online courses here:
http://www.inquarta.com/member-dashboard
If you’re looking for something specific, just let me know!
DonO
Dan, I’m a non-traditional student. I’m 26; I have an undergraduate in civil engineering with a 3.2 GPA. I have to take a few classes to even qualify for schools. I know MD schools are out, but that leaves DO and Caribbean schools. Being that my GPA sucks and will barely be affected by the grades I get in the few classes I have to take, is it worth me even trying to get into medical school?
Hi Cody: Yes I think it is very worth it to try to get into medical school, for two reasons. First, a physician with an engineering background is very valuable; second, med schools look more and more to more mature, experienced students for acceptances. So I strongly encourage you to apply and become a great doctor! –DonO
Mr. Osborne,
I am a junior civil engineering student at Carnegie Mellon. I currently have a 3.5 gpa and have not taken chem 2, biology, orgo, or biochem. I wanted to ask if you think it’s possible for an engineering student with my background to score high enough on the MCAT to be admitted to medical schools? Or should i not waste 6 months preparing?
Thank you,
AJ
Hi AJ – thanks for your question. I think you’ll need to go thru the rest of chem as well as the other courses you haven’t taken yet, before you can really think about starting to study for the MCAT. Besides preparing for the test, you’ll need most of those courses to meet the prerequisites for medical school admissions. -DonO