MCAT

Many well-known professional careers mostly begin with a single admission test that is a hallmark of their future success. One of those tests is the MCAT or the Medical College Admission Test, which nearly all of U.S. medical schools require from applicants vying for a medical career.

Strictly speaking, students are required to provide their MCAT scores in order to help medical schools assess a student’s qualifications and eligibility. The MCAT tests assess an examinee’s skills with regards to problem solving, writing skills, critical thinking, as well as know-how of scientific concepts and principles essential when studying medicine. It is for these reasons that medical schools consider MCAT scores a prerequisite to their admission process. Moreover, if you’ve taken the MCAT more than three years ago, many medical schools might no longer find your score valid.

Testing Time Of 2007 MCAT

A 2007 modification of MCAT has cut the testing time shorter to 4 hours and 45 minutes hours (though total appointment time is 5 hours and 5 minutes) instead of the traditional 8 hours, and it is now more frequently administered throughout the year (up to 22 MCAT test dates in various testing areas across the U.S.). There would be optional breaks at the end of each section. However, it is advised that students take a short respite from the test to avoid straining your brain.

MCAT Content

MCAT is a test of premed knowledge developed in a four-year college degree program. Naturally, it will cover Physical and Biological sciences, as well as verbal reasoning and writing sample. The longest sections are physical sciences and biological sciences that both run for 70 minutes with 52 questions each. Test-takers will also be asked for two writing samples, which are allotted a total of 60 minutes. Verbal reasoning is also a 60-minute section.

Despite being cut short, the content on all areas has remained identical and is proportionate across all the content of each section.

The computerized administration of the test allows test-takers to work at their own paces (as long as it is within the maximum allotted time) per section. Furthermore, there are no more counting and verifying of test booklets which eliminate a large chunk of the time in between sections.

During the Writing Sample exam, you will be allowed to execute the same functions as when typing into a Word Program. There will be cut, edit, paste, and copy options within the response field provided. However, the program does not perform spell-check on the text you wrote for the computerized MCAT.

Unfortunately, non-English-speaking students will have to learn English first if they want to take the MCAT since it is not yet available in other languages.

MCAT Scores

The average MCAT scores differ from one school to another. The computerized MCAT has made it quicker for students to receive their MCAT scores. That would be 30 days after the test administration.

The top five highest MCAT scores come from Washington University (11.4) while Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, University of California at San Francisco, Vanderbilt University, and University of California at San Diego have the same score, which is 11.0. Other schools across the U.S. score between 8.0 and 9.0.

Test Preparation

The MCAT is a very important exam to those who aspire a career in medicine. Thus, thorough and diligent preparation is required of each applicant. There are several factors that determine how students will score. A percentage of your MCAT score will be based on your premed GPA, that is, the higher your premed GPA the higher your chance of getting a high MCAT score.

Along with that, you should also review months ahead and take MCAT prep tests in order to acclimatize yourself with how the test goes.