Now let’s talk more about the MCAT…

Christina Chapman, MS4Derek Mazique, MS1

Alyssa Reyes, MS1

Everything You WantedEverything You Wantedto Know About the MCATto Know About the MCAT(But Were Afraid to Ask)(But Were Afraid to Ask)

Janell’s Case: MCAT StressJanell was a junior and studied for the MCAT for

two months. She hadn’t taken organic chemistry yet but heard it was only a minor part of the test, so she wasn’t worried. To prepare for the biology section, she studied intently from her dusty biology book that she used freshmen year for Bio 101. She registered a month before the test, and was surprised when she got put at a testing site 1 hour away and had to wake up early on testing day. When her scores came back, she felt frustrated as she got seven points below the average for her target school.

How can we help Janell?

A lesson learned…

Create an Academic Schedule

Learn about the subject areas tested in the MCAT Biology Physics General Chemistry Organic Chemistry All sections except the Writing Sample will have many, many

passage-based questions! Don’t forget about the Verbal Reasoning and Writing sections of the

MCAT

Consider summer programs or scholarships that provide free or reduced MCAT prep

You should plan on taking the MCAT at least during the spring of the year in which you plan on applying to med school

Have a conversation with your pre-medical advisor ASAP to discuss your plan

Preparing for the MCAT Don’t resort to calling yourself a “bad test taker”

Study, seriously, don’t be the type who sits in the library and talks to your friends However you prepare, do lots and lots and lots of practice MCAT’s. These

will be your best predictors of performance on the real exam. Read explanations for all correct and incorrect answer choices If you have a wide variability in your practice test scores, you’re probably

not ready

Test Prep Courses Berkeley Review, Kaplan, Exam Krackers (EK) and Princeton Review (PR)

all provide materials and may provide in-class tutoring PR, Kaplan, and EK allow you to sit in on the course Each company has its own strengths and weaknesses

Prep books (sometimes with accompanying CD-ROMs) by Kaplan, Princeton Review, and other companies can be purchased new or used off websites like Amazon.com for prices ranging from $6 to $110.

Preparing for the MCAT continuedNature is an excellent resource for reading comprehension of

scientific articles. Devote time reading it in order to develop speed and understanding

The AAMC provides one free practice exam online Order others for $35 each from website

www.e-mcat.com – This site includes free access to a single, full-length MCAT with all the features of MCAT Practice Online. For a fee ($40), you can access hundreds of additional MCAT items, including several full-length practice tests. Additional features include automated scoring, diagnostic reports, and daily test-taking tips.

However you prepare, spend at least three months of intensive studying before taking the MCAT

More Creative Ways to Prepare!Free on Facebook! The Kaplan MCAT Qbank

Daily Challenge app is free from Kaplan Test Prep and gives you daily MCAT practice questions.

Several iPhone apps – Search “MCAT”

Both Kaplan and Princeton Review give FREE practice MCATs to advertise their services – take advantage of these sessions!

Registration

Register early and sign up with the AAMC Medical Minority Applicant Registry (Med-Mar) Program when you take the MCAT

The registry distributes biographical information about examinees and their MCAT scores to diversity/multicultural and admissions offices of medicals schools interested in increasing opportunities for applicants who are underrepresented or are economically disadvantaged.

MCAT: Test Day and BeyondGet sleep the night beforeIf you get stuck on a problem, move on and

come back to it laterPace yourself with a watchContinue to live life while your wait for your

scoresRetake if necessary, but study harder – again,

for 3 months or more – or else your score will be unlikely to improve

How is the MCAT Scored? How are these sections scored?

Physical Sciences (gen. chem and physics), Verbal Reasoning, and Biological Sciences (organic chem. and biology) are all scored on a scale of 1 (low) to 15 (high)

The Wring Sample section consists of 2 essays, with each scored on a scale of 1 (low) to 6 (high) This is eventually converted to an alphabetic scale from J to T

Aim To Take the MCAT Once, but if Aim To Take the MCAT Once, but if you take it more than once …you take it more than once …

Know that medical school admissions committees have varying methods to evaluate multiple sets of MCAT scores.

Some will take your latest set of MCAT’s (Penn Med)

Others average scoresStill others might take your highest score from each set of MCAT’s

Christina Chapman, MS4 cchap@mail.med.upenn.eduDerek Mazique, MS1mazique@mail.med.upenn.eduAlyssa Reyes, MS1alreyes@mail.med.upenn.edu