MCAT

If you are planning on applying to medical school the term MCAT is a term that you are very familiar with, and if you are not yet then you will be. The term MCAT stands for the Medical College Admissions Test. Just like the SATs are required to get accepted into an undergraduate college or university and the GREs are essential to get accepted into graduate school. the MCATs are need in order to be accepted into a medical school. This test is an essential part of the admissions process. An MCAT score is required by any medical school that you apply to and usually schools do not accept an MCAT score if the test is more than three years old. The MCAT is a standardized, multiple choice exam. In 2005 the MCAT became computerized, no longer using pencils and test sheets to fill in bubbles. The MCAT was created in order to asses a candidates writing skills, critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, and knowledge of basic scientific ideas and concepts that would be necessary in order to study medicine. The MCATs consist of four sections. The first three sections will ask the candidate multiple choice questions on biological sciences, physical sciences, and verbal reasoning. The physical science section and the biological science section each contain 52 questions. The test taker will be given 70 minutes to complete these sections. The verbal reasoning section of the MCATs includes 40 questions that have to be answered in 60 minutes. Once you have completed these two sections you will also need to complete a writing sample section, which you will be given 30 minutes to complete. The purpose of the writing sample section of the MCATs is to assess your ability to form a well organized essay that is unified, cohesive, and relative to the central theme. Different schools all require different scores on the MCATs. The verbal section, physical science section and biological section are all scored 1-15, with 1 being the lowest score and 15 being the highest score. The writing sample portion is scored on a scale from J-T by a human and also by a computer. Competitive medical schools look for an essay score of a P or a Q. The top medical schools such as Harvard University require scores that average about 11.9, or candidates that receive an eleven and twelves on each of the multiple choice sections making a combined score of 33 or above. The score you receive on the MCATs are one of the most important parts of your application package. When an admissions panel is reviewing the initial application package that was sent through the American Medical College Application Service, the two things that they look at most are a candidate’s GPA and a candidate’s MCAT score. Students may only take the MCATs up to three times per year. Taking this test may seem stressful and overwhelming, but there are many resources available to help you prepare for the test so that you feel comfortable and confident walking into it.