MCAT Cheat Sheet

Welcome to the MCAT!

The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is a standardized, multiple choice examination
designed to assess the examinees problem solving, critical thinking, writing skills, and knowledge of
science and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine. There are four sections to the exam;
Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, Writing Sample, and Biological Sciences.

Whats in each Section?

Physical Sciences
https://www.aamc.org/students/download/85562/data/ps_topics.pdf
Biological Sciences
https://www.aamc.org/students/download/85566/data/bstopics.pdf

Verbal
https://www.aamc.org/students/download/85564/data/vstopics.pdf
Trial Section

Beginning in January 2013, on test day you will have the opportunity to volunteer for the Trial
Section. The Trial Section is a voluntary and unscored section that asks you to test out questions
for a future version of the MCAT exam. It will be the last section of the test day and take 45
minutes to complete.
Even with the Trial Section, the test day will be shorter for you than it was for last years
examinees. Instead of spending 60 minutes writing MCAT essays, were asking you to test out
32 new questions in either: biochemistry, biology, chemistry, and physics or in psychology,
sociology and biology.
You do not need to prepare for the Trial Section. You will get questions based on the answers
that you provided during MCAT registration about the courses that youve taken. Whenever
possible, the AAMC will assign questions from courses youve already completed. You don't
have to worry about not doing well, just try your best. No one will know how well you did but
you - not the medical schools or your advisor. Your answers on the Trial Section will not
contribute in any way to your MCAT score.

If you volunteer to participate, youll have an opportunity to preview content that medical
school admissions officers want applicants to know. You will also receive the following if you
put forth a good-faith effort:

$30 Amazon.com Gift Card* Claim Code** e-mailed to you within 3-4 weeks, and

Feedback on your performance that will allow you to compare yourself to others who
participated in the Trial Section.

How does the exam look?

Exam Overview
Section
Tutorial (optional)
Examinee Agreement
Physical Sciences
Break (optional)
Verbal Reasoning
Break (optional)
Biological Sciences
Void Question
Break (optional)
Trial Section (optional)
Satisfaction Survey
(optional)
Total Content Time
Total Seated Time*

# of Questions

Time Allotted

10 minutes
10 minutes
70 minutes

52
10 minutes

60 minutes

40
10 minutes

70 minutes

52
5 minutes
10 minutes

45 minutes
10 minutes

32
12

4 hours | 5 minutes
Approx. 5 hours | 10 minutes

Study Materials:
ExamKrackers
http://www.examkrackers.com/
Kaplan
http://www.kaptest.com/MCAT/Home/index.html
Princeton review
http://www.princetonreview.com/medical/mcat-test-preparation.aspx
Berkley Review
http://www.berkeley-review.com/

Websites to know:
https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/
www.e-mcat.com
www.mcat-review.org
https://www.aamc.org/students/download/63060/data/mcatessentials.pdf

http://www.prep101.com/mcat/wp-content/uploads/ES_MCATPhysics.pdf
http://www.prep101.com/mcat/wp-content/uploads/ES_MCATChemistry.pdf

http://www.prep101.com/mcat/wp-content/uploads/ES_MCATOrganic.pdf
https://www.khanacademy.org/

New MCAT
January 2015 will be the very last month that the old MCAT will be administered
Spring 2015 the new integrated MCAT exam will be released
Changes:
All sections will be redesigned
4 sections instead of 3, no writing sample
Sections are:
Biological foundations of living systems (similar to biology)-(1-15)
Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems (similar to physical sciences) - (1-15)

Psychological, social and biological foundations of behavior section (new section) - (1-15)
Critical analysis and reasoning skills (similar to verbal) - (1-15)
Exam is a 6 hour test
4 scores
https://www.aamc.org/students/download/266006/data/2015previewguide.pdf

You can do it---plan to study 3 months before you intend on taking the exam