MCAT PREPARATION
Dr. Richard Kyung
4. Application
Steps
•
Are you realistically competitive?
•
Finish medical school pre-requisites
Apply Broadly
•
Take the MCAT
J. Hong with 35 MCAT (PS11/BS14 /Verbal 10)
•
Submit AMCAS Primary / Secondaries
-
•
Interview Æ Get accepted
- Rejected by 12
-
Applied to 17 schools
Accepted by 5
1. Quick MCAT Facts
• The MCAT is a computerized exam divided into 4 sections:
biological sciences, physical sciences, verbal reasoning,
The AMCAS Primary
- Takes a long time
- Start ASAP (May 1st this year)
and writing.
• Each multiple-choice section scored on a 1 – 15 scale.
(Highest possible score is 45T)
•
Submission
5 and 1/2 hour-long test
• May – mid July : early
- 4 hours and 20 minutes of actual testing time
• mid July – mid August : Peak time
- Offered 26 times per year
• mid August – deadline: late
2. Format of the MCAT
Secondaries
MCAT BY SECTION
- File will not be reviewed until all secondary application material
Section
Minutes
Questions
has been received
Physical Sciences
70 minutes
52 multiple choice
- you have not actually applied to the school until you have
questions
completed your secondary application, even if you submitted the
52 multiple choice
primary application on 5/1.
Biological
70 minutes
Sciences
Verbal Reasoning
questions
60 minutes
40 multiple choice
questions
Writing Samples
60 minutes
2 questions
Two important sections in Application
• Work/Activities
• Personal Statement
3. Preparation
• Finish introductory biology, chemistry, physics, and organic
chemistry courses before taking the MCAT.
• Start preparing 3 to 12 months prior to the test.
• Study mainly from MCAT review books, using course notes
and textbooks only as reference material.
Final Thought
It is crucial to submit your AMCAS and secondary applications
as quickly as possible. However, be sure to thoroughly review,
revise, and rethink everything you write.
5. Review Materials
Summary
- Use several different books, one book doesn't have
Biology
EK Bio, PR, Kaplan Workbook
everything you need to cover.
Organic Chemistry
EK O-Chem, PR/Kaplan Workbook,
Kaplan
Chemistry
EK Chem, PR/Kaplan Workbook
• Great for general review, but not specific enough
Physics
PR/Kaplan Workbook
• Condensed version of material from your textbooks
Verbal
EK Verbal & Math, EK 101, PR Verbal
• The course give you practice tests / workbook
Writing
Kaplan 45, Free list of MCAT practice
• Studying on your own with the books could work
Tests
AAMC 3R~11R
Princeton Review
Check **
• Comprehensive
- Secondary applications will ask you to complete additional
• Review Workbook and Verbal Workbook are great
essays on topics related to your preparation for medical school
• The practice tests tend to be more difficult than the real
and a career in medicine.
test
- Your research experiences may prove very valuable at this stage.
NOVA Series
It can be incorporated into your essays for the secondary
• The MCAT Physics is an EXCELLENT book
applications.
• The book takes a lot of time to go through
- if you submit your secondary applications and letters of
• Nova has Biology, Chemistry, Physics book is the best
recommendation late, you have lost all the advantage you had in
the beginning as an early applicant,.
Examkrackers
• All of their books are good with MCAT-style practice
2015 MCAT to add psych, sociology, biochemistry
• Printed on glossy paper and are printed in color
• The 1001 physics and chemistry book are good
• The 101 Verbal passages book is a must buy
• Audio Osmosis audio CD product.
- The new 2015 exam will place more emphasis on psychology,
sociology and biochemistry.
- The 2015 MCAT is set to place twice as much emphasis on
psychology as organic chemistry and more on sociology than
Berkeley Review
physics.
- It will also be lengthened to around seven hours, from its current
• Offered in California.
five and a half.
• Great stuff and if you take the course they guarantee a 30.
• Sell their books online.
AAMC Practice Tests
• These are MUST BUYS!
• sold on their website
• (caution) Do not buy them on online auctions
• (caution) Do not buy the unrevised versions