How Hard is the MCAT? The Truth

What Is the MCAT?

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a multiple-choice standardized test that you must take as part of the medical school admissions process. This test covers nearly everything you learned during your premed and undergrad. You may be wondering, just how hard is it to achieve a competitive score? It's an important consideration because a good MCAT score will help get you noticed by admissions committees for your programs of choice. Here is a quick overview of what the test will cover:

• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
• Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills

Of course, the MCAT is a challenging exam, but it is not impossible to ace – especially with adequate preparation. If all of the horror stories you have heard about the MCAT were true, there would not be thousands of applicants accepted into medical school each year.

How Is the MCAT Scored?

While there are medical schools that don’t require the MCAT, the majority will, which is why it’s important to get the facts straight. Before discussing how hard the MCAT is, let’s answer the following questions: “what is a good MCAT score” and “how is it scored?”. By understanding how the MCAT is scored, you will be better prepared to do well on test day.

Let’s tackle the major components of how this test is scored, along with a few misconceptions:

1. The MCAT is a standardized test.

Students are trained to think about test scores in terms of how many questions they answered correctly. For example, if you take a 100-question test, and you answered 97 questions correctly, then you are confident that you did well and will likely walk away from the test feeling like it was easy. However, the MCAT is not scored this way: it is a standardized test in which your score is scaled relative to the performance of other test-takers. You are taking the MCAT alongside motivated, high-achieving peers. Imagine that on that same 100-question test, the other students taking it answered 98, 99, or 100 questions correctly. Now, in comparison, your score of 97 does not look as strong. You hardly missed any questions, but when taking a test like the MCAT, it is not about how many questions you answer correctly; instead, it comes down to your percentile rank compared to other test-takers.

2. Correct answers are converted to a scaled score.

To score your MCAT, the number of questions you answer correctly is first counted for each section. Then, the number of correct answers is converted to a scaled score. Scores from each of the four MCAT sections are converted to a scaled score ranging from 118 (lowest) to 132 (highest), with a midpoint of 125. These scaled scores for each section will add up to a total MCAT score range of 472 (lowest) to 528 (highest). Remember, because there is no additional penalty for wrong answers, you should take your best guess if you come across a question you don’t know the answer to.

3. Scores are given as a percentile ranking.

For the total MCAT score of 528, the new scoring system places a score of 500 at the midpoint, or at the 50^th percentile. The scaled score is compared to the scores of test-takers over the past three years and is given as a percentile ranking. Your percentile rank shows the percentage of test-takers who received the same score, or lower, on the MCAT as you did; essentially, your percentile rank shows how your score compares to the scores of other test-takers. For example, if you score in the 80^th percentile, then your MCAT score was better than 80% of MCAT test-takers in the past three years. Percentile ranks will not change drastically from one year to the next; however, in May of each year, the MCAT percentile ranks are updated using data from the most recent three years to ensure current and stable scoring information. This means that changes in percentile ranks from one year to the next reflect meaningful changes in your score, rather than just year-to-year fluctuations.

Average Matriculant Scores for Top Schools

It can be helpful to see some examples of average matriculant scores for a few top schools to put scoring in perspective:

1. Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

• Median MCAT: 522

2. Yale School of Medicine

• Median MCAT: 521

3. Baylor College of Medicine

• Median MCAT: 518

4. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

• Median MCAT: 522

5. Albert Einstein College of Medicine

• Median MCAT: 516

6. The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

• Median MCAT: 516

7. McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

• Median MCAT: 513

8. University of Washington School of Medicine

• Median MCAT: 511

9. Duke University School of Medicine

• Median MCAT: 519

10. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

• Median MCAT: 521

Why Are MCAT Scores Scaled?

This is simply because not every MCAT exam is identical. Scaling equates MCAT scores from tests on different days and different years. The conversion of the number of correct scores to scaled scores compensates for small variations in difficulty between tests and serves as a more stable, and accurate, assessment of a student’s performance. Two students with equal preparation, who took the MCAT on different days, are expected to earn the same scaled score, despite slight differences in the number of correct scores each student obtained on their MCAT.

How hard is the MCAT? Watch this to learn more:

How Hard Is the MCAT? The Facts

During the last application cycle, 55,188 students applied to medical schools and 22,712 students matriculated. The mean total MCAT score for applicants was 506.5, while the mean total MCAT score for matriculating students was higher, at 511.9. This means that, on average, last year’s medical school matriculants achieved a percentile rank of around 80%. Additionally, a higher score can mean the difference between just applying and actually being accepted to medical school.

What about the individual MCAT sections? Here is a breakdown of the data for matriculants:

Does this mean that you need to score in the 83rd percentile or better on the MCAT to get into medical school? Not necessarily. Although this number represents the mean for matriculating students, there are students accepted each year with a lower MCAT score. On the other hand, there are students who achieve a near-perfect score and are not accepted. What does this tell you? It implies that the MCAT, while an important part of your medical school application, is not the only factor considered by admissions committees. A number on a piece of paper will only get you so far. Although a competitive MCAT score is a fundamental part of your application, and will help you get your foot in the door, you will still need to demonstrate to the admissions committee who you are as a person. This is where your medical school personal statement editing and knowing how to prepare for your medical school interview will set you apart and secure your spot in next year’s medical school class.

What makes the MCAT difficult? Here's a quick guide:

What Makes the MCAT Challenging?

Ok, you’ve seen the data – achieving a competitive MCAT score is certainly within reach with diligent preparation. So why is the MCAT viewed as such a difficult test? You will, of course, need to review MCAT psychology practice passages, MCAT physics practice passages, MCAT chemistry practice passages, and MCAT biology practice passages, which is by no means a simple task, but there are other reasons:

Reason #1 – The MCAT is long.

How long is the MCAT? The testing time for the MCAT is six hours and fifteen minutes. Including introductory steps and breaks, the total seated time for the MCAT is just over seven and a half hours for students who take the optional breaks between sections. The grueling length of the MCAT makes it a challenge and something that students fear because you will likely not have taken such a long exam before. College exams, and other lengthy standardized tests, are generally between three and four hours long and do not even measure up to the length of the MCAT.

Here is a breakdown of the sections and their corresponding lengths:

Reason #2 – The MCAT includes many questions, covering many different subjects.

The MCAT is an interdisciplinary exam that contains 230 total questions covering many different subjects over the span of four sections. It can be compared to a cumulative exam testing multiple years of college courses. The main subjects tested include your medical school prerequisites, such as general and organic chemistry, physics, biology, biochemistry, psychology, and sociology. These are challenging topics but ones you’ve covered in your introductory-level college courses. In addition, you will be tested on your critical analysis and reasoning skills in the CARS section of the MCAT. The CARS section is the only MCAT section that does not relate to specific prerequisite coursework, which can generate test-day nerves. What types of questions are in the CARS section? Check out our blog that goes over an MCAT CARS practice passage with questions and expert feedback. Simply having an excellent knowledge base in each of these subjects is not enough to ace the MCAT. You will need to apply your knowledge to passages and multifaceted questions that you have not seen before.

Reason #3 – The MCAT is passage-based.

To get a strong score, you will need to know how to review MCAT CARSlink. For starters,, you will not just be regurgitating facts and information that you previously memorized. The MCAT is passage-based: you will first read a six-to-seven paragraph passage; then, you will be asked questions about the passage that require you to apply your knowledge of specific topics, such as biology or sociology. This makes the MCAT challenging because you cannot just memorize information. You will need to read each passage critically, pull together several pieces of information from the passage to fully understand it, then answer questions that combine details from the passage with your knowledge base. A passage-based exam requires you to use many skills at once: reading comprehension, critical reasoning, data analysis, and more. For these types of questions, you may want to consider an MCAT CARS prep course or an MCAT coach. If you aren’t interested in these types of services, you can also look into MCAT prep books.

The MCAT assesses analysis and problem solving for a reason. The exam is designed to reveal whether applicants have strong critical thinking skills. After all, being a physician is not just about remembering facts. A physician’s job often involves assessing a patient who presents with several symptoms and making a diagnosis that may not be straightforward. On the MCAT, medical school applicants are asked to demonstrate their ability to connect several pieces of information, identify extraneous facts, recognize patterns, and think critically to determine the best answer. The MCAT will bombard you with a large amount of data to simulate diagnostic scenarios and will include questions and formatting intended to trick test-takers. This is done to assess your capacity to ascertain which details are important and whether you have the knowledge and critical analysis skills needed to be a successful physician.

Reason #4 – The MCAT has a time limit.

How much time do you have to answer each question on the MCAT? Even though the whole test is long, the MCAT asks a lot of questions in a short amount of time. Students often struggle to finish some sections of the MCAT, which means their scores on those sections are not as high as they could have been with more time. In which sections do students typically run out of time? Time tends to cause more trouble in the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (CPBS) section and the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) section. If you find yourself running out of time, remember that wrong answers will not count against you, so aim to fill in an answer for every question – even if it is just an educated guess.

How Can I Do Well on the MCAT?

The data outlined in this article show that the MCAT is not an impossible exam, but understandably, there are many reasons students find the MCAT to be more challenging than any exam they have ever taken. Let’s address the reasons that students find the MCAT challenging and discuss tips to overcome each hurdle.

1. Work on your timing.

The length of the MCAT is something that you cannot change; however, you can prepare for this aspect of the test. The MCAT is a marathon, not a sprint. Your success will require training and endurance. Have a look at our blog to find out when to start studying for the MCAT. In general, you don’t want the first time that you take a full-length MCAT exam to be on test-day when nerves are running on high. We recommend that you take 8–10 full-length practice exams throughout your MCAT preparation to provide sufficient practice. This will help you to prepare for many aspects of the MCAT, but importantly will allow you to get used to the length of the test and how to power through it.

2. Cover subjects adequately.

Yes, there are many questions, and many different subjects, covered on the MCAT. Our recommendation for tackling such an expansive knowledge base: divide your MCAT preparation into two stages:

In the first stage, at least 70% of your study time should be spent reviewing content. Remember, studying content must come before in-depth practice that tests how well you are applying your knowledge. Take note of concepts that have interdisciplinary relevance – concepts that you have seen in multiple science courses – as these concepts will likely be addressed on the MCAT. Focus your studying on high-yield MCAT topics for each subject area: strengthening your understanding of big ideas is more important than small details since the MCAT emphasizes analysis and application of knowledge, rather than rote learning of information.

Wondering how to study for the MCAT effectively? Watch this video:

3. Focus on understanding, rather than memorization.

Medical schools are not looking for students who can memorize complex information but do not understand the mechanisms behind the facts they have memorized. If you cannot explain the why behind a concept, you will need to increase your MCAT reading comprehension! Deeper understanding is crucial to the practice of medicine. It is important to understand that the MCAT is testing for this deeper understanding, which separates a mediocre score from a competitive score. Lastly, do not ignore the social science aspects of the MCAT. Be sure to allow time to prepare for the Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior (PSBB) section – this is your chance to demonstrate that you will understand the psychosocial complexities of your future patients.

Content revision should make up 70% of your MCAT in the initial stages of studying for the exam.

Why is content revision so important?

Some applicants might be eager to jump right into practice tests, but it’s important to review content beforehand so you can get a clearer picture of how you perform on the practice exams. There are many ways to revise, and part of how you spend your time is a matter of personal preference. However, the following methods are most commonly used during this stage of preparation:

How should I spend my time revising?

Once you complete the content-heavy phase of your studying, focus on the practice phase of your MCAT preparation. Switch gears so that at least 70% of your study time is now devoted to completing MCAT practice questions and full-length practice exams. As you practice, focus your content review on topics you find yourself doing poorly on during your practice. A knowledge gap in a particular area will not only impact your ability to answer questions on that subject, but also limit your capacity to answer an interdisciplinary question.

It is not enough to simply review practice sections and skim answer explanations. It is essential to learn from your mistakes! Ensure that you are taking ample time to understand why you missed a question so that you can approach each round of MCAT practice with new knowledge. Continuing to expand your knowledge base is essential for improving your MCAT score. 

A small disclaimer: while it can be helpful to be a part of a community while you’re revising, one place you should avoid is MCAT Reddit. Anonymous advice can be inaccurate, and it can hurt your confidence or your preparation in some cases.

What Can I Do if I Need Help Organizing My Time?

The sheer number of hours that you will need to study for the MCAT can make it pretty daunting. If you need help creating a study schedule that progresses from in-depth content review to intensive MCAT practice, you can use our comprehensive six-month MCAT study schedule as a guide. Before you make your schedule, you should consider MCAT test dates so that you can plan around your timeline effectively.

How Can I Approach MCAT Passages Effectively?

To ace the MCAT, you will need to have a solid knowledge base in the content areas that the MCAT covers; however, the MCAT is about more than just memorization because it is passage-based. To do well on the MCAT, you will also need to think critically and learn how to apply information to novel questions.

Understand how the MCAT is formatted.

The first step: understand how the MCAT is written. On a passage-based exam, you need to understand where, or how, to find the answer for each question. For some questions, the answer will be within the passage; for other questions, you will need to apply your outside knowledge to determine the answer. Some questions will require a combination of these approaches to deduce the answer. Knowing that these three question types exist is important in starting to understand how to approach a passage-based exam. If you cannot figure out the answer to a question, it is likely that you have missed an important detail hidden within the passage. These tips work well for all MCAT sections except CARS. Why is CARS different? The CARS section does not rely on outside information; the answer to every question in this section can be found within the passages.

2. Practice, practice, practice!

Obtain as much practice material as you can. You will need practice passages for each MCAT section as well as several full-length practice MCAT exams. A great source of practice materials can be found on the AAMC website, as their materials most closely resemble the difficulty and format of the actual MCAT.

Want our help studying for the MCAT? This is what our students say about our services:

3. Time yourself.

The MCAT is timed, which means you will need to consider MCAT timing strategies to make sure you’re allocating enough time for MCAT biology questions, MCAT chemistry questions, and more. Again, this is something that you cannot change, but you can prepare for the time crunch. When completing MCAT practice sections or full-length exams, try to mimic test-day conditions as much as possible. Complete your practice in one sitting and under the appropriate time constraints. This is the best way to learn how to use your time effectively, understand how test anxiety may affect you, and determine any weaknesses you need to address.

For CARS, aim to spend ten minutes per passage on the nine passages. For all other MCAT sections, aim to spend eight minutes per passage-based question and one minute per stand-alone question. If you complete your MCAT practice with these guidelines in mind, by the time test-day rolls around, you will be proficient in pacing yourself during the MCAT.

4. Know that there are ways to improve.

It’s important to acknowledge that while there’s a lot of stress associated with taking the MCAT, and the pressure to perform is immense, there are ways to recover if you don’t receive the desired score. For example, you could consider the easiest medical schools to get into. You can always take the test next year and prepare differently, perhaps using an MCAT private tutoring service. Look at medical school acceptance rates and find schools that might be more strategically optimal for you to apply to. You can identify areas to improve and apply better preparation methods to increase your MCAT reading comprehension, for example. So, try your best to approach the test with the right mindset. Yes, it is difficult, and yes, you should prepare accordingly. But try not to think about how you’ll score until it’s over. You can always seek help from professionals who know what it takes to get into medical school, even when scores aren’t optimal.

Conclusion

Is it impossible to do well on the MCAT? Absolutely not! By reading this blog, you have gained insight into the main reasons the MCAT is considered difficult, which is your first step to successfully navigating the test. Now that you know what to expect, engineer your MCAT preparation to tackle each of these MCAT difficulties. Always keep in mind the why behind what you are studying so that you can get the most out of your MCAT preparation. If you need help along the way, we will be here to support you! Like being a physician, acing the MCAT will require hard work and discipline. Building these habits now will help you to become an exceptional physician in the future!

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To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting

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