The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is a standardized exam that people who want to go to medical school in the United States must take. Almost every medical school in the United States requires MCAT scores from applicants interested in becoming doctors. As a result, the MCAT is a very important exam, and both schools and applicants take it very seriously. MCAT scores are required members of the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.
The MCAT has a long and illustrious history. When standardized intelligence tests became extremely popular in the United States in the 1920s, test administrations began. Concerned about the high attrition rate among medical students, medical school administrators devised a standardized test to assess readiness for medical school. Following the implementation of this standardized test, dropout rates fell dramatically, and most medical schools adopted it as part of their admissions process.
The MCAT covers a wide range of topics. The first is, of course, a basic understanding of physics and biology. The test also challenges the applicant’s analytical and critical thinking abilities presenting various passages and arguments that the test taker must work with throughout the test. Reading comprehension and communication skills are also tested on the MCAT, as these are important skills for doctors to have.
The modern MCAT is a computerized test, but unlike the Graduate Record Exam, it is not adaptive (GRE). Because the questions are set and static, test takers can go back through a section once they’ve finished it. The MCAT takes about five hours to complete, including breaks, and it is given in secure testing centers where candidates can work in peace and quiet.
The MCAT is divided into four sections. The first assesses the applicant’s physical science knowledge while also requiring him or her to apply problem-solving skills. The second section, verbal reasoning, contains passages that test takers must read and analyze before answering a series of multiple choice questions that assess the applicant’s ability to gather and synthesize data. The applicant responds to two brief prompts that test his or her communication and logical thinking skills in the third section, which is a writing sample. Finally, the biological sciences section covers fundamental biological concepts.
With the exception of the writing sample, which is graded separately, final scores range from three to 45, with 15 points available for each section. These scores are important, but they are not the only factor in a medical school application. In addition, applicants must write personal essays and do well in interviews. Excellent letters of recommendation, as well as experience working in the medical field and volunteering in the community, are all important components of a strong application.