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MCAT Prep for Medical School
What is the MCAT?
The MCAT is the Medical College Admissions Test. The exam is a prerequisite for admissions to almost all medical schools in Canada and the US, in addition to Australian, European, and Caribbean medical schools. It is the standardized, multiple choice exam administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The MCAT evaluates the applicant's knowledge of natural science, behavioral science, and social science, in addition to problem solving and critical thinking skills. Admission officers, whom are the persons given the authority to decide whether an applicant gets matriculated into medical school or not, use the MCAT as a predictor of the applicants success in medical school. The MCAT exam has the reputation of being one of the most difficult standardized exams a person can attempt, of all the standardized tests that exist. Most medical schools, especially the ones in Canada and the US, set a minimum cut-off MCAT score that the applicant must meet in order to be a considered prospect.
What subjects are on the MCAT and how long is the MCAT?
The MCAT consists of 4 sections:
1) Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
- 59 questions: 10 passages with 44 passage based questions, in addition to 15 discrete stand-alone questions
- This section of the MCAT consists of biology (65% of the section), biochemistry (25% of the section), organic & inorganic chemistry (10% of the section), and basic research and statistic skills (5% of the section)
- Duration of time allotted is 95 minutes for this section
2) Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
- 59 questions: 10 passages with 44 passage based questions, in addition to 15 discrete stand-alone questions
- This section of the MCAT consists of organic and inorganic chemistry (45% of the section), physics (25% of the section), biochemistry (25% of the section), biology (5% of the section), and basic research and statistic skills (5% of the section)
- Duration of time allotted is 95 minutes for this section
3) Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
- 59 questions: 10 passages with 44 passage based questions, in addition to 15 discrete stand-alone questions
- This section of the MCAT consists of concepts in psychology (60% of the section), sociology (30% of the section), and biology (10% of the section) that explores behavioral and socio-cultural determinants of health
- Duration of time allotted is 95 minutes for this section
4) Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS)
- 53 questions: 9 passages, and all of the passages are passaged-based
- This section of the MCAT consists of reading comprehension, analysis and reasoning in ethics, philosophy, cultural studies, population health, social sciences, and humanities
- Duration of time allotted is 90 minutes for this section
How long is the MCAT?
The MCAT is a total of 7 hours and 33 minutes long, including breaks. The applicant writing the MCAT spends 6 hours and 15 minutes writing the actual examination.
Is it possible to be granted more time on the MCAT?
If an applicant has a learning disability or medical condition that requires an adjustment to standard testing conditions, they may apply for consideration of more time, where the time allotted may be more than the standard time. The reasoning behind this is to provide all individuals with an opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency on the MCAT exam. This includes ensuring access to persons with disabilities in accordance to the relevant law.
If an applicant does not have a learning disability or medical condition, it is unlikely they will be allotted more than the standard time to write the MCAT.
Who can take the MCAT and how many times can the MCAT be taken?
An individual can take the MCAT if:
- They are planning to apply to a health professions school, such as a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)-granting program, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (O.D.)-granting program, Podiatric (D.P.M.)-granting program, Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M)-granting program, Allopathic & Osteopathic Medicine-granting program, or to any other health-related program that will accept the MCAT examination results to satisfy a test score admissions requirement. This also applies to international students. Individuals who are enrolled in an MBBS degree program, in addition to individuals who already possess a Bachelor of Medicine and/or a Bachelor of Surgery are also eligible to write the MCAT.
- During the MCAT registration, the applicant will be asked to verify their intention to medical school and/or to a health professionals school.
- There are no academic prerequisites to write the MCAT. Students that are either enrolled in university and/or college, or have already graduated from university and/or college are eligible to write the MCAT. Students with science and non-science backgrounds can take the MCAT examination and have the same opportunity to enter medical school. It should be noted, that students with a science background have a higher likelihood of scoring higher on specific sections on the MCAT due to their previous academic experience in the various subdisciplines of science. There are several recommended undergraduate courses that would help optimize exam performance on the MCAT, however it is not necessary to take these courses, especially if the student is taking a professional MCAT Preparation course hosted by a recognized tutoring company.
How many times can the MCAT be taken by an individual?
An individual may take the exam up to three times in a single testing year, up to four times in a two-consecutive year period, and up to a maximum of seven times in their lifetime.
How are multiple MCAT scores evaluated by medical schools?
It depends on the medical school. Medical schools will either consider 1) the applicant's most recent MCAT score, 2) the applicant's average MCAT score across all MCAT attempts, 3) the applicant's highest MCAT score, 4) the applicant's average MCAT score across all MCAT attempts with the most recent MCAT score weighing more than any previous MCAT score, 5) the applicant's 'superscore', which is a compilation of the highest section scores across all MCAT attempts.
In general, the lesser amount of attempts an applicant takes to score a viable MCAT score, the higher the likelihood is of that applicant being granted acceptance to a medical school. It is essential for students to ace the MCAT during the first few attempts, as their chances of matriculation into medical school decreases with every subsequent attempt. Enrolling into a professional MCAT Preparation Course hosted by a recognized company is essential to scoring a competitive MCAT score.
Tutor STEM's MCAT Preparation Course
What preparation and tutoring does Tutor STEM provide for the MCAT?
Tutor STEM offers individualized tutoring sessions between carefully selected, highly qualified, high aptitude, experienced MCAT instructors and students/applicants seeking to take the MCAT examination. The academy exclusively offers private 1-on-1 tutoring sessions, as 1-on-1 style teaching is far more effective than group classes, because the MCAT instructor is only focusing on one student during the class. The MCAT preparation the academy offers is intended mainly for students & applicants in Canada and the US, however individuals from other countries may still enroll.
The academy offers in-person & virtual options for students & applicants taking the MCAT Preparation Course. The in-person classes will either take place at our academy or at the student's/applicant's home (in-person classes at the academy follows the standard rate equivalent to the virtual rate; whereas, in-person classes at the student's/applicant's home is subjected to additional premiums due to the instructor's travel time & travel cost). The in-person tutoring sessions for the MCAT will take place at our MCAT Department which is located at our Markham Campus in Toronto, Canada. The academy also offers virtual tutoring which takes place online, using an online whiteboard software, where the student can see everything the teacher writes, draws, posts, explains, etc. and the teacher can see everything the student writes, draws, posts, explains, etc. This mode of tutoring is preferential to students who are not at a commutable distance to the academy hosting the MCAT Preparation. Virtual tutoring is 100% as effective as in-person tutoring. Some students may prefer in-person tutoring over online tutoring, or vice versa. Both modes of tutoring are available and effective.
The MCAT Preparation Course includes free materials and resources that are intended to heighten the students' understanding on concepts tested on the MCAT.
How is the MCAT Prep course structured?
1) Applicant registers for the MCAT Preparation Course.
2) An assessment is held during the first tutoring session. The assessment is a condensed version of the MCAT. Based on the results of the initial assessment, an individualized plan that is tailored towards the applicant's strengths & weaknesses will be created by the Tutor STEM administration and the applicant's assigned MCAT instructor based on the questions and concepts incorrectly answered on the assessment.
3) The majority of the materials, including the video lecture materials, practice tests, mock exams, and online resource drills will be distributed during the first class after the assessment is completed. The MCAT instructor will devise a study plan with the student, after considering the students' other commitments (i.e. school or work), in order to ensure the self-studying that occurs outside of the 1-on-1 tutoring sessions the student has with the MCAT instructor is spent efficiently.
4) The basis of the 1-on-1 tutoring sessions the student will have with the MCAT instructor from the second tutoring session and onwards is based on the individualized plan, which is formulated using the data from the initial assessment the student completed during the first session. Essentially, the concepts the student was found to not understand or comprehend will be the focus of the 1-on-1 tutoring sessions.
5) The tutoring sessions will begin with the student asking the MCAT instructor any questions they may have relative to the MCAT, whether it be from the video lectures assigned to them or from any other resource. Typically, the first 15 minutes of every session is used to answer the students' pre-existing questions. Once the student has finished asking their questions, or if the student does not have any questions during the start of class, the MCAT instructor will commence with the pre-planned lesson.
6) As the tutoring sessions come to a finish, the remaining materials and resources will be distributed to the student. The Blueprint, which is a free resource that is complimentary to the MCAT Preparation course, is the last material/resource that will be distributed to the student. The Blueprint is a condensed study guide that organizes all of the concepts the student is expected to be tested on during their exam. The MCAT instructor will thoroughly go over the Blueprint with the student, and will answer any questions the student may have pertaining to the concepts on the Blueprint.
7) The last tutoring session will consist of the student completing a diagnostic test, which is similar to the initial assessment the student will write during the first tutoring session. The diagnostic test is a condensed version of the MCAT. The student will complete the diagnostic. Based on the data of diagnostic results, the MCAT instructor will be able to graphically and numerically show the student their improvement & progress throughout the MCAT Preparation course. The MCAT instructor will also give recommendations to the student on which concepts to prioritize self-studying based on the results of the final diagnostic.
8) During the final moments of the last tutoring session, the MCAT instructor will devise a self-study plan with the student, for them to use and follow after the tutoring sessions have ended and before the date of their examination.
What resources & materials are included?
Resources and materials are included with the MCAT Preparation Course for free. There is no additional cost for the resources and materials provided alongside the tutoring.
The resources and materials that are distributed to students prior to their MCAT examination include:
- 750 video lectures - 150 videos on Biology, 150 videos on Biochemistry, 150 videos on General Chemistry, 150 videos on Organic Chemistry, 50 videos on Physics, 25 videos on Math, 25 videos on CARS, and 50 videos on Psychology & Sociology
- A collection of recent MCAT exams which consist of multiple choice questions that closely resemble upcoming MCAT examinations and their respective set of questions across all sections of the MCAT (Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems; Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems; Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior; & Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills)
- A collection of MCAT mock exams with questions relevant to the most updated version of the MCAT
- A collection of test banks with thousands of relevant and updated MCAT multiple choice questions (both passage-based & discrete type questions) for all sections of the MCAT (Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems; Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems; Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior; & Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills)
- MCAT software-based access: software based MCAT multiple choice question drills & virtual MCAT practice; access to MCAT computerized test-like conditions
- MCAT concept sheets comprised of all previously tested concepts and any new concepts that recently may have been added into the MCAT curriculum
- Comprehensive MCAT condensed notes that are routinely updated to more accurately mirror concepts tested for on the most current MCAT examinations
- Blueprint for the MCAT - A concept sheet that is essentially a condensed study guide that organizes all of the concepts the student is expected to be tested on during their exam. The Blueprint is ordered from a third-party organization and is complimentary with the tutoring.
The resources and materials that are available to students after they have written their MCAT examination include:
- Medical school application assistance - including counseling on which medical schools would most likely grant acceptance considering the students' culminative university GPA and relative MCAT scores.
- Reference letter editing - the majority of medical schools require reference letters to be submitted in order for medical school matriculation consideration. Tutor STEM offers free editing of reference letters. Reference letters are typically expected to be written by either university professors you have previously worked alongside or doctors whom you have shadowed.