MCAT Test Taking StrategiesMCAT Test Taking Strategies

Chris ManuelChris ManuelPrinceton Review MCAT Instructor, Premier MCAT Tutor,Princeton Review MCAT Instructor, Premier MCAT Tutor,

MCAT Trainer, MCAT Research and Development,MCAT Trainer, MCAT Research and Development,Ultimate MCAT Co-Founder and Senior Lead InstructorUltimate MCAT Co-Founder and Senior Lead Instructor

•In 1997, a study showed evidence that the limitedtime during the MCAT separated women frommen.

•This means:

•Test-taking skills matter

•Practicing questions with a stopwatch matters

•Getting help matters, if you are only an aboveaverage college student, and not outstanding.

General Test Taking Strategies

• Do test-taking strategies really work?

• How can I become proficient with testtaking skills?

• How do I manage my time?

• Is it really true that certain answers arecorrect more often than others?

General Test Taking Strategies

• The average student studies for theMCAT for 300 hours.

CONTENT vs. TEST-TAKING SKILLS:

•SCIENCE REVIEW•LOTS OF READING•UNTIL YOU’RE ACCURATE

•USE REAL AAMC EXAMS•SILVER BULLET MCAT OR AAMC.ORG•TESTS 8,9,10 HELP PREDICT YOURREAL SCORE, ESPECIALLY TEST 9•TEST SCORING UNDER 20 ON TEST 5MEANS YOU NEED A REVIEW COURSE

Specific Test Taking Strategies

• It is true that certain questions lendthemselves to be certain answers.

• Example:

• All of the following are true EXCEPT– A

– B

– C

– D

Where is the answer going to be?

Specific Test Taking Strategies

• Example:

• Which of the following Roman Numeralsis correct

– A I only

– B I and II only

– C I and III only

– D III only

– Which Roman Numeral should youapproach 1st?

So more General approaches

• Do I read the questions first?

• Do I go back to the passage and verifyanswers?

• Do I need to use figures?

• What if I don’t understand what aquestion is asking?

• How do I annotate Verbal passages?

It is now Test Week

• What do I do the 24 – 48 hours beforethe MCAT?

• It is test day, the proctor says go, whatdo I do?

• I am half way through time wise but Ihave a 2/3rds of the questions left, whatdo I do?