College and University Blog
Medical School - Acing the MCATs
Entry into medical school requires a lot of work during the first four years of college. Pre-med studies can be grueling. On top of making good grades in difficult classes, your MCAT score will also affect whether you get into medical school.
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, multiple-choice exam needed to enter medical school. It is designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, writing skills, and knowledge of science concepts and principles needed for the study of medicine. Scores are reported in Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, Writing Sample, and Biological Sciences.
Almost all U.S. medical schools require applicants to submit MCAT scores as part of their admissions process. Most schools do not accept MCAT scores that are more than three years old. The MCAT exam is offered in the United States, Canada and in 15 other countries.
The physical sciences section of the exam has 52 questions. The verbal reasoning section of the test has 40 questions. The biological sciences section has 52 questions. Students will be asked to write two essays in the writing section. A few strategies for successfully taking the MCAT include:
Main Idea questions – These questions ask for a restatement of the author’s main point, the primary idea, or the overall gist of the passage. Read the answer choices and pay attention to their scope. Wrong answer choices will usually be too broad or too narrow. Eliminate these quickly and look for the answer that best matches the scope of the main theme. Main idea questions are common. It’s a good idea to look for the main idea while you read the passage. Key words to look for include “theme,” “idea,” and “purpose.”
Physical science questions