The MCAT is offered each April and August (April is usually the month of choice because it provides enough time to get the AMCAS application in on time and allows the option of retaking the exam in August, if necessary).

You must register for the MCAT; the test cannot be taken on a walk-in basis. Registration materials may be obtained from the Chair of the HPAC (Dr. Douglas Light, Department of Biology), the Office of Career Development, or by writing:

• MCAT Registration
  MCAT Program Office
  P.O. Box 4056
  Iowa City, IA 52243

The MCAT is almost six hours long and is administered all on one day (the test day ends up being about 9.5 hours). It has four main sections:

• Reading comprehension
• Physical sciences (physics and general chemistry)
• Essay writing
• Biological sciences (organic chemistry and biology)

Four separate scores are derived from the MCAT, one for each section. Scoring for all parts but the essay ranges from 1 to 15. This score is based on the number of questions you answer correctly; that means there is no additional penalty for wrong answers. Therefore, even if you are unsure of the correct answer to a question, you should make your best guess. The essay is scored from J to T.

MCAT scores cannot be canceled by examinees. However, during the actual test day administration, you may void your answer document and your test will not be scored.

The MCAT may be retaken if necessary. However, medical schools are notified of MCAT results for each test you take, not just the latest exam. Some schools only consider the most recent scores. Others take an average of the scores. A larger number of schools consider multiple sets of scores equally and note improvements.

On the day of the exam

• If possible, go to the test center before the exam and survey the exam room.
• Arrive an hour early the morning of the exam (report no later than 8:00 AM).
• Bring a photo ID, at least three no. 2 pencils, an eraser for multiple choice sections, two ball-point pens with black ink for writing samples, and a watch to pace yourself.
• No calculators are allowed, and do not bring into the testing room anything that beeps or has an alarm. Scratch paper is not permitted and you will not be allowed to eat, drink or smoke in the testing room.
• Dress comfortably -- it is going to be a long day.

Scores are sent by mail usually 60 days after the exam.

Preparing for the exam

• Doing well on the MCAT reflects planning and fastidious long-term preparation. Plan to spend at least six months on MCAT review and taking practice exams.
• Work at least 20 problems per day each in Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences, and write at least one essay per week. Reading is a process based on skill and will improve with practice.
• Work out a test-taking strategy for the Verbal Reasoning section (e.g., read first sentence of each paragraph, then skim each question, go back to the passage and then answer questions). There are always nine passages on the Verbal Reasoning section. If, on average, you spend nine minutes on each passage set, you will be able to finish the test in the 85-minute time limit.

The Writing Sample

The Writing Sample is designed to show how well you can consider more than one side of an issue, how logically you can think and express your thoughts, and how sophisticated your knowledge and understanding of the world is. The instructions for the Writing Sample direct you to explain or interpret the meaning of a statement and support your explanation with evidence. Next, you are instructed to describe a situation which appears to contradict the first statement. Finally, you are asked to establish the decision-making rules that help you choose between the two alternatives or resolve the differences inferred between them.

• For the Writing Sample, learn about argument and how to be persuasive. Claims must be supported and this can come in the form of examples, statistics and expert opinion. The essay scorers are not looking for a simple restatement of the prompt but a well-developed explanation filled with examples that illustrate the meaning of the statement.
• The essay will be judged according to thought, organization, style and mechanics. Moving from general to specific is a logical pattern of organization, and the reader should have cues to follow when moving from one idea to another (e.g., statements such as on the other hand, nevertheless, therefore, instead of, in contrast, etc.). The tone should be serious but not strident. Slang expression should be avoided, and a variety of vocabulary desirable. Avoid word repetition, and short sentences should be balanced with long sentences. Use the active voice.

Physical and Biological Sciences Section

To prepare for the Physical and Biological Sciences sections, it is important that your preparation include both review of content and development of facility with the problem-solving skills needed to answer them. The scientific competencies you will be expected to demonstrate are derived from basic principles and concepts in biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics. However, the MCAT questions do not assess simple memorization of facts. The majority of questions are linked to passages, and your preparation should include practicing problem-solving skills. You will need facility with interpreting graphs, tables, diagrams and figures. You will need to know how and when to apply concepts. You will be required to evaluate methods, evidence and conclusions and to asses the consistency of information and validity of arguments presented in passages.

Other Information

The results of a study comparing the MCAT performance of students who had enrolled in commercial review courses indicate that the gains derived from these courses are small. The gains do not support the contention that review courses provide increased knowledge and facility in test-taking. You should realize that the small differences in test scores of individuals receiving coaching may simply be due to the time devoted to reviewing relevant material.

Medical school admission committees will consider your MCAT scores along with other information in evaluation your qualifications for medical school. The emphasis that the committees place on your scores will vary from school to school. Other sources of information used by admission committees include:

• Undergraduate grade-point average
• Breath and difficulty of undergraduate coursework
• Letters of evaluation from undergraduate advisers and others
• Personal comments on the AMCAS and/or institutional applications
• Involvement in extracurricular activities and community service
• Involvement in and quality of health-related work and research
• Participation in other activities and demonstration of motivation, responsibility and maturity
• Integrity, resourcefulness, tolerance, perseverance, dedication to service
• Medical school interview results
• State or county of legal residence for some institutions

The Application

In general, your chances of admission are greater at schools in your state of legal residence.

• The application has a cover page for basic personal information and several pages for your academic record (your grades and credits must be recalculated for listing on the academic record pages, and this is time-consuming).
• The single most important item in the AMCAS application is the personal statement. It is a chance to show what you have been doing in life besides chasing A's. Take several months to write and revise this statement.
• Many schools will require a secondary application and fee before deciding whether to offer an interview. These often require a passport-size photograph of yourself.
• Letters of recommendation will be required (the number and kinds vary). Begin securing letters early. Once submitted, check that your letters have been received.

The Interview

An interview is designed to obtain the following information:

• Your communication and interpersonal skills
• Your commitment to serve others
• Your familiarity with issues in medicine
• Your leadership ability
• Your motivation for medicine
• An overal impression of you as an individual and potential physician

You usually will receive a letter of invitation. Plan on the interview taking the entire day. The interview format varies and may be involve a single interviewer or a group of people.

• Be careful about your demeanor outside the interview room (e.g., don't suck on a lollipop).
• Dress appropriately.
• After the interview, thank the admissions office in writing.

Prepare for your interview by anticipating every possible intrusive or stressful query and with an answer prepared and rehearsed. Anticipate tough questions. Keep in mind that most interview questions do not have a single correct answer, but there can be wrong answers. Stage mock interviews.

Typical questions may include:

• Why are you interested in medicine as a career?
• Why are you applying to our medical school?
• What are your plans for financing your education?
• Do you know what you'll be getting into?
• Have you talked to physicians about what a medical career is like?
• Have you engaged in any extracurricular activities or any hobbies that gave you a chance to exercise leadership?
• What is the latest book you have read?
• Did you enjoy your college classes?
• What do you think is the number one issue in medicine today?
• What are your three strongest qualities?
• What do you foresee yourself doing in 10 years?
  

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