This helps build your confidence as you move forward in the test.ġ5. Strikethrough answers you KNOW are incorrect. Highlight keywords and phrases, both in the passage and in questions.ġ4. Highlight judiciously - but don’t turn your screen into a yellow blob. The MCAT exploits this tendency by placing pertinent information in these blind spots.ġ3. As we read long passages, our brains tend to skip the ends of paragraphs to access new information in the following ones. Check for information at the end of paragraphs. These give you just as many points as straightforward questions, but generally take longer to answer.ġ2. These include Roman numeral questions, EXCEPT/LEAST/NOT questions, and question with long stems. Once you’ve come up with your own answer, look at the ones given and use process of elimination to select the best option.ġ1. This is a tried and true standardized test technique. Answer in your own words BEFORE looking at the answers.
Make sure that you have read each question fully, and that you understand the task at hand.ġ0. Misreading the question is a common mistake made by test-takers, especially when they are rushing. Read (and understand) the question stems. Listen to your inner Admiral Ackbar to avoid these.ĩ. The MCAT loves putting in answers that seem appealing, but are just a little off. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it only needs to be better than the rest.Ĩ. Even if none of the answers seems right, one must be correct. Choose the BEST answer out of the ones given. Identify and eliminate the wrong to increase your chances of choosing the right.ħ. You’ll likely revisit the passage anyway when answering the questions, so don’t get stuck on your first readthrough - especially if you’re short on time.Ħ. If you’re a slow reader or low on time, read the first and last sentence of each paragraph. You may want to begin developing this skill by writing down paraphrases while reading, and later move on to doing the same process in your head.ĥ. You don’t need to write an essay, but you should take some notes, write down equations, and organize your thoughts.Ĥ. The AAMC gives you noteboards for a reason. So develop your pacing with plenty of practice.ģ. Go too fast and you’ll miss information, make careless errors, and end up with a lower score. You have 95 minutes for your science sections and 90 minutes for CARS.
This helps ensure that you answer every question.Ģ. Don’t constantly check the timer, but be aware of how far you are on the test and how much time has passed. Noodle Pros Utsab Das and Doug McLemore are top MCAT tutors here, they share 100 ways to improve your score, from classic test-taking strategies to specific areas of content in which to focus.ġ. As if that’s not enough pressure, the AAMC does not encourage retakes - nor do most med school advisors.īut there is plenty that you can (and should) do to prepare for the MCAT, starting by deciding for yourself that you will not let one test stand between you and your MD. It takes a whopping 7 hours and 30 minutes to complete, it covers an incredible amount of content, and it demands aptitude and skills across a wide variety of subjects.
While it’s not quite Mount Everest, there’s no denying that the MCAT is very, very high stakes. For many aspiring doctors, the MCAT appears like Mount Everest in the distance: massive, mythic, and barely conquerable even for the strong.
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