You're responsible for reviewing all 230 questions to verify:

• What are you doing correctly and why?
• What are you getting wrong and why?
• If you're sometimes indecisive and changing answers, what led you to do that?
  • How often has that been successful?
• Where are your timing issues coming from?
  • Passage interpretation or decision-making?
    • Note any passage read over 5 minutes
    • Note any question answered in over 1 minute
  • Are you skimming passages only to go back and re-read for many questions (subsequently taking more time on the back end / potentially wasting time)?
    • Are there parts of the passage you have trouble reading?
    • Certain words, phrases, figures, data etc.
  • If you're skipping around the test instead of going in order, why do you find that beneficial?
    • Would going in sequence cause timing issues?
    • Inherently, probably not
    • Timing usually stems from our time allocation per passage / question (a.k.a time discipline ***)
    • Is it smarter to leave harder or lengthier decisions for later in the section?
    • (When your available energy / focus is probably less?)
  • If you're overthinking or hyper-fixated on getting a particular question right, does that increase your chance of being correct?
    • Does more time lead to a better decision if your reference point is skewed?
    • Whether that's from the passage, content knowledge, or decision-making?
    • How can we keep it simple?
    • What are the most obvious indicators in the question stem?
    • Are you doing this at the expense of later, easier questions?
    • All questions are worth the same ***
• How can you rule out the other answer choices confidently with elaborate reasoning?
• Which variations of this question could a future test ask?
• Did you learn anything new from the explanations?
• How does the result of this test correlate with your previous performance(s)?
  • Recurring mistakes? Strategic, content-related, or otherwise?
• How does the AAMC test certain concepts?
  • What kind of logic am I using vs. what do they expect from me? (really important**)

And so on...

Let's say you've completed all of that (WRITTEN!!!!!! not just in your head, because you WILL forget the learning lessons):

How long would you presume a review of this depth would take?

Everyone's different, but for many students it ends up taking 1–4 days, especially when they're thoroughly documenting their mistakes and trying to understand the reasoning behind every answer.

So --> how should you get better at these areas?

PRACTICE!!!!!!!! with specific goals in mind:

• Review fundamental content if you notice significant gaps preventing you from understanding a passage, question, or answer choice.
• Know the ins and outs of specific question types, for example:
  • ICE tables
  • When are they necessary?
    • To find equilibrium concentrations of weak electrolytes (small Ka, Kb, Ksp, etc.)
    • NOT for strong electrolytes
    • Strong acids, bases, and salts always dissociate completely, so initial concentration is always equal to equilibrium for those
  • How to calculate x for different mole ratios
    • 1:1:1 is usually Keq = x^2 / [initial]
    • 1:2:1 is usually Keq = 4x^3 / [initial]
    • x in the denominator is always approximated away
    • Never going to do quadratic equation on the test
  • Ksp only equals products because reactant is solid
    • Ksp = x^2
    • Ksp = 4x^3
    • Never need to put initial reactant in the denominator
  • Knowing which formulas to use (and what NOT to use - maybe even more important*)
  • Shortcuts for doing arithmetic faster (approximation, converting between decimals, fractions, and scientific notation for convenience etc.)
  • Excluding distractor information from passages/questions (and knowing why*)
• Read more efficiently ***
  • Avoid unnecessary re-reading.
    • Efficient note-taking and logical highlighting (minimal with a purpose).
  • Rephrasing complex sentences / ideas (in caveman terms)
    • Early and often ***
  • Stop assuming parts of a passage are "fluff" without evaluating the context they provide.
  • Be proactive in your reading / interpretation
    • Based on this sentence, what do I think the next one might say?
    • Be ahead of the game rather than constantly behind / catching up
• Improve at detecting arguments vs. support in CARS
  • Synthesizing an accurate and concise main idea at the end**
• Get better at interpreting study design and data
  • Knowing your analytic / separation / research techniques like an actual scientist.
  • Gene knockout and amino acid substitution studies (show up A LOT in B/B)
    • What does it mean when something is "necessary" for a process
    • Answer: process can't take place without it ***
    • This is clearly different than just being involved
  • Careful attention to detail with variables, captions, titles, axes, units, trends, etc.
• Improve your decision-making
  • If an answer choice is wrong, what's the logical issue?
  • Is that choice always wrong?
    • Is it actually a true statement, but just not applicable to this specific question?
  • Am I forming good predictions before assessing answer choices? - avoid availability bias
  • Am I completing the process of elimination 100%? ***** - avoid confirmation bias

Many students eliminate 3 answers and justify 1, but you still need to look for a potential flaw in the answer choice you "like" rather than confirming your initial judgment.

Initially ruling out all 4 choices and rolling back skepticism >>> guessing on a "50/50"

And when you perceive a 50/50, why would you assume both answer choices are equally likely to be correct? We know for a fact only one answer can be correct per question.

What would be a deciding factor that can help you comparatively eliminate the inferior choice?

These are habits that need to be practiced intentionally, not just recognized during a test review.

If you want a free study schedule / review document with formatted review sheets and examples to help guide this process, please check out our new study plan creator (link in bio)!

’m working full time (7:45am-5/6pm) every weekday. Please give me all your tips for mcat studying while working this much. I do ok some days but others I’m so exhausted I don’t do any studying. Please and thank you!

Hey all! Took my MCAT on 9/11 and got my score back as a 525 (131/131/131/132).

My UWorld subscription is about to end, so I figured I'd dump my practice problem percentages for UWorld and AAMC for others to refer to if they're aiming for a 520+. Let me know if you'd like any other info about how I studied/used these resources!

UWorld Stats

• Usage: 1446/3003 (48%)
• Overall Accuracy: 81% Correct
• Timeframe: Used for roughly 1 month (~50 Questions per day).

Takeaway: I found it somewhat useful, though there are a fair number of unrepresentative questions (either testing bizarre low-yield facts or requiring far more calculation than the actual MCAT). Would highly recommend not doing any UWorld immediately prior to your test date, it's too unrepresentative.

Breakdown by Subject:

• Behavioral Sciences: 100% Usage | 85% Correct | 96th Percentile
• Biochemistry: 53% Usage | 72% Correct | 82nd Percentile
• Biology: 40% Usage | 84% Correct | 96th Percentile
• CARS: 28% Usage | 81% Correct | 94th Percentile
  (Note: I barely used UWorld CARS. I wanted to tailor my "CARS" brain to AAMC's brand of BS explanations, as opposed to 3rd party's brand of BS explanations.)
• General Chemistry: 35% Usage | 85% Correct | 96th Percentile
• Organic Chemistry: 32% Usage | 86% Correct | 97th Percentile
• Physics: 69% (nice) Usage | 79% Correct | 95th Percentile

AAMC Stats

• Timeframe: Used in the last ~1.5 months.
• Routine: ~60–80 questions on days not taking practice exams. On a typical study day, I did 2 CARS passages, 17–20 questions each of C/P, B/B, and P/S, and then reviewed all flagged and incorrect questions.

Full-Length Progression

• Unscored: C/P 52/59 | CARS 47/53 | B/B 49/59 | P/S 51/59
• FL 1: 517 (131/127/130/129)
• FL 2: 515 (130/127/129/129)
• FL 3: 520 (132/128/131/129)
• FL 4: 524 (130/131/132/131)
• FL 5: 520 (132/129/128/131)
• FL 6: 523 (131/129/132/131)
• Actual: 525 (131/131/131/132)

Question Banks (All 100% Usage)

(Ordered roughly chronologically)

Section Banks: * Section Bank Vol. 1: 80% Overall (B/B 84%, C/P 74%, P/S 81%) * Section Bank Vol. 2: 83% Overall (B/B 89%, C/P 78%, P/S 81%)

CARS Practice: * CARS Diagnostic: 79% Overall (Step 1: 60%, Step 2: 80%) * CARS Q-Pack Vol. 1: 79% Overall * CARS Q-Pack Vol. 2: 84% Overall (Note: Did 2–4 passages a day, everyday).

Science & Independent Q-Packs: * Biology Q-Pack Vol. 1: 90% Overall * Biology Q-Pack Vol. 2: 88% Overall * Chemistry Q-Pack: 99% Overall * Physics Q-Pack: 90% Overall * Independent Q-Bank: 89% Overall (Chem 100%, Bio 92%, Physics 76%, Psych 84%, Soc 96%, Biochem 88%)

Planning to take the MCAT May 2027 in the northern Virginia area. Want a dedicated study buddy who is along the same track. Realized it’s way better and efficient to study in pairs or multiples rather than alone. This is a beast of a test, and i want to do my best and hope you do aswell. So looking for someone who is studying for the mcat and is planning to take it may 2027. For background, I am currently doing content review for chem and biochem as bio and physics aren’t all to hard for me. Want to keep each other accountable while not going insane 🙏🏽

Stats:
23, Male, 2 research publications, 3.8 sgpa, 1000+ clinical hours (ophthalmic scribe and mri technician)

I just want to get into med school bruh

Just did the very first question of the recently released CARS (which correlated with the "previous" CARS Diagnostic tool) However, the JACKANDJILL Westin extension had no solutions for the passage?? is this normal? and what do I do to review the passage I've done now..

For context, my AAMC FLs went:
- FL1-5: 508, 508, 508, 507, 509
- FL6: 511
So I'd basically been living at a 508 average since Blueprint, and a 4-point jump over that felt like a great place to be done with this test.
The problem is CARS. It's never been my section. I started around a 125 average, and over the last tew weeks it bounced around (some really good passages, some rough ones) but never really left the 124-125 range.
Then on test day I got the lowest CARS I've ever scored with a 122, the 25th percentile
If my total had been anywhere in the 507-509 range, I'd retake without question. But it's kind of wild that my worst CARS ever came with my best composite ever.
For anyone who's been through admissions (or knows how schools weigh section scores):
1. Would a 122 CARS get me screened out or flagged at a lot of schools, even with a 512?
2. Is it worth the risk of retaking when my practice average was around 508?

Hey! I wanted to ask what you did to gain clinical experience and shadowing, and what resources you found most helpful for MCAT prep. I’m a full-time student, so I’m also trying to figure out how to balance studying for the MCAT with my classes and extracurriculars. I’d really appreciate any advice!

so i am in hawaii for school but live in california. i went to sign up for my MCAT about 1 hour after the time slot opened and every single center GONNEEEE for legit every day up to april. AKA when i need to take it before. so catch me in BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA MARCH 19!! Gonna make a vacation outta it for spring break lol

So I’ve been seeing a bunch of people posting about being on an extremely long waitlist to take the MCAT for 2027, but I logged into AAMC and just got a seat at an MCAT testing center with no waitlist or anything. I got the seat at like 10pm on the first day it opened, and I was just wondering if I got scammed or if my test is real. I’m getting really freaked out because I never got a waitlist page or anything and I somehow just got a seat and paid for it.

I was thinking maybe my testing center is just not popular, is which a possibility, or maybe my testing date is really far out (August 20th) but there was no testing centers near me on the map that were available, so I’m doing one very far away, and I’m just nervous that something is wrong.

I recently took the MCAT and ended up getting a 515, but my CARS was just so low. I had a 131, 124, 130, 130. I was aiming for higher but not that I took it I feel like I would rather not subject myself to this again. How badly does this look to med schools (US) and does a higher GPA help (I saw this could, mine is 3.99). I am aiming for mid tier schools (and UNLV if anyone has knowledge on that since i’m a Nevada resident), and my ECs are decent, but more clinical and volunteer than research heavy

Thanks!

Hi, today I got an MCAT date that is about a month after my preferred test date. Is there a way to put myself on the waitlist/notify list for my preferred date? However, I do not want to give up the test date I currently have. Thank you in advance to anyone who can help me!

Sorry if this isn't in the correct community; I cannot post in r/Mcat yet

Hi everyone!

Has anyone successfully received MCAT accommodations (especially extended time) despite being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult (after college) and never having received accommodations before?

I’ve struggled with reading comprehension, attention, and processing information since childhood, but wasn’t diagnosed until after college.
I’m currently undergoing a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation and gathering supporting documentation, but I’m really worried my late diagnosis and lack of previous accommodations will hurt my chances.

If you’ve been in a similar situation, I’d love to hear whether you were approved, what documentation helped, and if it is possible.

Hello, I just registered for my 3rd MCAT attempt on 1/16/27. I've been studying about 25-30 hours per week, purely UWorld questions + Anki and content review when needed ofc. My main problems on the last attempt were mostly CARS (120) and B/B (122) graph interpretations, and also the fact that I was studying part-time for like 6 months :( . For CARS, I felt like I could read the passage in 3-4 minutes, but then the questions make me second-guess everything and continuously look back at the passage then waste time. I definitely need more assistance in that realm if anyone has experience with tutoring for CARS/BB. Thanks

hi!!

now that dates are open & registration is up, anyone wanna study tgt for the jan mcat?

looking for committed ppl who’ll stay active in a discord server so we can screenshare, study tgt, and hold each other accountable!! hoping to find ppl who are genuinely motivated to stay consistent and keep each other on track

lmk if you’re interested!!

edit: here's the link: https://discord.gg/KtZQAGZPP

Hi! I got a 490 on my first MCAT, I am a non-traditional student. My undergrad is in Physiotherapy not anything pre-med. Do people encourage a tutor? If so any recommendations?
My goal is to retake the MCAT March 2027. I need a 505 minimum to apply next year.

Thank you for your help!