About the MCAT

I can't tell you how pleased I am with the tutoring and other support given to my son Seth at a very crucial time. I am a physician and very aware of the the enormous pressure on these students who yearn to be doctors someday. I must admit that despite Seth's excellent academic record, I was not optimistic that tutoring would make a substantial difference in my son's MCAT Scores. Boy, was I wrong! Seth went up an unheard of 12 Points on the exam. I suppose that the generic Standardized Exam Prep Courses are just that, and don't address the individual nuances of the student. Again, I feel your tutoring services and his individual tutor went beyond the call here and certainly allowed Seth choices and options he might not have had otherwise. His tutor and your organization took a genuine interest in Seth's performance and success. Thank you for your hard work. Keep it up!
- Harmon C Stein, MD

A prerequisite to the study of medicine, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, multiple-choice exam designed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMMCC) to assess test-taker’s problem-solving, critical thinking, and writing skills, as well as his or her knowledge of scientific concepts and principles.

Students are expected to demonstrate competency in biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. The topics tested are treated in the introductory-level biology, chemistry, and physics courses offered at most undergraduate institutions. The MCAT also features a verbal reasoning section, composed of reading comprehension questions, and requires two writing samples.

Quick MCAT Facts

• Almost all U.S. medical schools require applicants to submit MCAT scores and consider them heavily as part of their admissions decisions.
  
  
• The MCAT is a computerized exam (not a computer-adaptive one) divided into 4 sections: biological sciences, physical sciences, verbal reasoning, and writing.
  
  
• Each multiple-choice section—biological sciences, physical sciences, and verbal reasoning—is scored on a 1 – 15 scale. The written responses are given a combined grade from J to T.  The highest possible score is 45T.
  
  
• The average individual currently accepted to an American medical school program achieves a combined score of 30 on the MCAT.
  
  
• The MCAT is a 5 and 1/2 hour-long event, including 4 hours and 20 minutes of actual testing time. It is offered 25 times per year on 23 separate test days. See Upcoming MCAT Test Dates and Opening Registration Dates, by clicking here .

For additional information about registering for the MCAT click here .

Format of the MCAT

Physical Sciences

This section evaluates your knowledge of basic, non-calculus physics (motion, force, gravity, electricity and electromagnetism, waves, circuits, light, etc.) and inorganic chemistry (atomic structure, energy flow, chemical reactions, reaction kinetics, etc.). It also tests your ability to understand science passages, interpret visual representations of data, and to solve problems based on them.

Generally, two semesters of both general chemistry and physics cover the information tested by this section of the MCAT. Additionally, this section requires knowledge of some high school math topics, including algebra, logarithms, trigonometric functions, finding slopes, interpreting graphs, solving quadratic equations, and vector problems.

Biological Sciences

This section covers topics in biology and organic chemistry, including the function of different proteins and molecules in cells; knowledge of body systems ranging from the immune to circulatory systems; and organic compounds and reactions. The biological sciences section primarily tests the student's ability to solve problems based on newly presented data and information related to the aforementioned topics.

Two semesters of introductory college biology and of organic chemistry cover the information tested by this section of the MCAT.

Verbal Reasoning

This section covers topics not generally studied by premedical students. All necessary information is given in 500 – 600 word passages, from which the student is expected to make inferences and draw conclusions, in order to answer the related questions.

The verbal reasoning component measures the student’s ability to read critically, understand vocabulary and concepts, evaluate the reasoning of an argument, and apply the information to new situations. It includes passages from the social and natural sciences as well as the humanities, but it does not test specific factual subject matter in those areas.

Writing Sample

Each student is allotted 60 minutes to write two essay responses to two provided topics. Each topic consists of a statement about an opinion, philosophy, or policy. The student is then asked to compose a 3-part essay that:

1. interprets and explains what you think the statement means,
2. describes a situation in which the statement would not apply, and
3. resolves the conflict between the given statement and your counter-example.

Essays are scored according to whether they present a clear and coherent central idea, develop logically, and thoroughly explore the statement. Quality is considered more important than length.

Why the MCAT is Important

Your MCAT score and your GPA are two of the most important factors used in evaluating your medical school applications. If one of these factors is low, a high value on the other can serve to offset the lower one. A high MCAT score might therefore compensate for less than stellar academic performance in college.

The MCAT is also the one component of your medical school applications that may be improved in a relatively short amount of time. It takes years to build your college GPA, but only months to prepare for, and score high on, the MCAT—and your MCAT scores will be just as important as your GPA in the admissions process!

For information about the admissions process in general, visit our medical school admissions pages .

Our Approach to MCAT Tutoring

Med School Tutors offers personalized MCAT preparation from only the most qualified and effective tutors. Our MCAT preparation plan includes:

• An introductory diagnostic test, the results of which help our tutors to assess the strengths, weaknesses, and goals of each individual student.
  
  
• Access to our exclusive MCAT materials, which include comprehensive notes on all science topics tested by the exam.
  
  
• A rigorous and comprehensive review of all scientific material relevant to the exam, from molecular biology to thermodynamics to translational motion.
  
  
• A commitment to developing students’ analytical and problem-solving skills, in addition to teaching test-taking strategies specific to the MCAT.
  
  
• An abundant supply of timed practice tests. These tests familiarize students with the MCAT’s different sections and its unique format and style, while providing regular opportunities to evaluate student progress throughout his or her instruction.
  
  
• Continuous and diligent review of the material with an eye toward refining each student’s test-taking and time management skills.
  
  

Our MCAT Tutors

All of our MCAT instructors are current medical school students at some of the country’s top medical schools, including Columbia, NYU, and Albert Einstein. Above all, our MCAT tutors are selected for their exceptional ability to translate their own success with the MCAT into outstanding scores for their students. If you want to get into the medical school of your choice, what you need from your tutor is results. Med School Tutors instructors have all scored exceptionally well on their MCAT exams, and have since spent time reviewing, reevaluating, and most importantly teaching all of the material and strategies that are covered by the exam. They are, in short, MCAT experts .

Further Information

For additional information, or to register for Med School Tutors’ customized MCAT program, click here .
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