MCAT Prep Sheet

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MCAT Prep Sheet 


Are you getting ready to take the MCAT? This sheet is a quick overview of the MCAT, resources, and general tips as you get ready to prepare! Come to prehealth advising for any questions you have regarding MCAT prep, study strategies, or where to begin. This prep sheet is a good place to start, but is not comprehensive, so make sure to do your own research too!


Here’s what you need to do 

  1. Take a deep breath

    1. This is a long process, but you are capable!

    2. You don’t need to figure out your entire plan in a few hours!

      1. Schedule some time to focus on MCAT planning and spread it out so it is not super overwhelming 

  2. Read through the MCAT structure overview 

    1. Decide when you want to take the the exam

      1. It is common to study for 3+months 

      2. Determine what other commitments you have during study time (eg. school, work, etc.)

  3. Read through the resource list and tips

    1. Based on your schedule and preferences, decide which combination of resources + study strategies will work for you

    2. You will need

      1. Content review

      2. Practice questions

      3. Full length practice tests 

  4. Make a schedule with study goals and important deadlines 

    1. Check the AAMC website for the MCAT registration dates

    2. There are many study schedule templates online if you decide against taking a prep course 

    3. Compile your resources and keep track of rentals/expiration dates

  5. You’re ready to start MCAT prep!


MCAT structure ( 4 sections, total testing time 6 hrs and 15 minutes)

  1. Chemistry and Physics (C/P)

    1. 95 minutes

    2. 59 questions

10 minute break

  1. Critical Analysis and Reasoning (CARS)

    1. 90 minutes

    2. 53 questions

30 minute break

  1. Biology and Biochemistry (B/B)

    1. 95 minutes

    2. 59 questions

10 minute break

  1. Psychology and Sociology (P/S)

    1. 95 minutes

    2. 59 questions



MCAT Resources

*not comprehensive list, there is an abundance of free resources online

**don’t need to purchase everything, just options


Content

  • Kaplan prep books

  • The Princeton Review prep books

  • Khan academy

  • Exam Krackers 

  • There are many online, free resources for every MCAT topic 


Question Banks

  • UWORLD

  • Jack Westin 

  • The Princeton Review hyperlearning (CARS)

  • AAMC 


Practice Tests

  • AAMC 

    • Most accurate 

  • NextStep/Blueprint

  • Kaplan

    • The non-AAMC practice tests are typically deflated scores and are less reliable, but good practice 


Highly recommended purchase

  • AAMC Bundle **save for the end of your study plan

    • FLs

    • Section banks

    • Flashcards

(FL= full length practice test)


Other resources

  • Youtube

  • Reddit

  • AMSA/Prehealth advising office

    • Sometimes have prep books to borrow/rent 



General tips

  • Register and don’t go in with the intention of changing the date! 

    • Decide how much time/what time of the year you will study

  • Read through the AAMC website to familiarize yourself with the format/structure/content of the test

    • Decide which resources you will use to prepare for each section

    • Reflect on which content areas you are more/less familiar with 

  • Take a diagnostic exam at the beginning to see where you are at before studying 

  • Quality of study time over quantity

  • Find a good study environment for you

    • Less distraction

  • Practice taking FLs regularly and thoroughly reviewing them

  • Take many FLs

  • Start compiling an equation sheet 

  • Make a running list of topics missed 

  • Keep track of all your practice test section  scores

  • Focus on the major concepts that will for sure be tested on at first

    • Ie. amino acids, metabolism, P/S theories 

  • Take care of yourself 

    • Your mental health is a priority and taking care of yourself is critical to doing well on the MCAT

    • Spend time with friends and family 

    • Make time to exercise, eat well, and decompress/sleep as best as you can


Study Strategies 

*don’t necessarily have to use all

  • Enroll in an MCAT prep course

    • Expensive, but an option for people who want more structure

  • If not enrolling in a prep course,

    • Make a calendar/schedule for each day/week 

  • Break up studying into content review and practice questions

    • Spend time reading through prep books, watching videos, reviewing content

    • Spend more time completing practice questions, becoming familiar with passages and question types, and working on timing 

  • Mix up which content you cover while studying

    • Ie. Don’t study all organic chemistry for one week

  • Try to handwrite notes and review as much as possible 

  • Practice a few CARS passages each day

    • Timed and untimed 

  • Use ANKI for discrete information 

    • Eg. P/S terms, amino acids, etc. 

  • Practice doing math without a calculator

    • Long division, estimation, logs, dimensional  analysis 

  • Take FLs regularly 

    • Plan to take a FL once a week as your test day is approaching 

  • When going over FLs, write out an answer log to keep track of what content you missed and why

  • Practice with test conditions

    • on Test Day you will only have noise cancelling headphones, blank sheets of paper, and a periodic table 

    • Don’t listen to music during FLs

    • Don’t refer to notes during FLs 

    • eat/drink similar foods

      • Ie. don’t drink caffeine if you don’t plan on drinking caffeine during the exam

    • Take FLst at the same time as the real exam 



Test Day Prep

  • Drive to the testing center before test day

    • Decide if you will be driving yourself or someone else

    • Have someone call to make sure you’re awake on test day if you drive yourself

  • Pack snacks/lunch, water

  • Things not to wear

    • Scrunchies

    • Anything with a lot of pockets or zippers 

  • Try to relax/don’t exhaust yourself the day before 

    • Lighter/no studying 

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