Presenter: Allison Chae
The MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) is an approximately 6.5-hour test that all medical school applicants must take. It is divided into 4 sections with 53 or 59 questions each, and they cover Chemistry and Physics, Biology and Biochemistry, Critical Reading, and Psychology and Sociology. Students can take it up for 7 times total and 3 times a year, but the preparation process and cost is extremely high, so most take it only a few times. The Biology and Biochemistry section is generally one of the most difficult and Critical Reading is extremely obscure. It involves reading and answering questions about non-science topics, and is difficult to prepare for. Each section is graded on a scale from 118 to 132, for a total of 472~528. Last year, students scored an average of 511.5, although people applying for more prestigious colleges scored higher on average, based on the selectivity of the college. There are two major ways to prepare for the test. Some people do it over the course of a school year, while others choose to study over the summer. Although the method is the same for both paths, doing it during vacation results in more of a time crunch because you have 3 months instead of 5. Over the first third of study time, most people review the scientific content in the MCAT and familiarize themselves with the style of questions on the test. Over the next few months, people focus practice questions and review of concepts, then one month before test day, they take practice tests provided by the official test maker, AAMC. Chae recommends flashcards and Khan Academy for practice and review, UWorld QBank and AAMC for practice questions, and emphasizes well-being.
