Why is the MCAT challenging for science students?
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) has crushed the dreams of countless aspiring doctors with strong science backgrounds and stellar GPAs.
Most students expect to achieve high scores on the MCAT using the study methods that worked in their university courses. They think it’s just another science test. But it’s much more than that.
Surprisingly, the science on the MCAT is quite basic. The math is even simpler, and there’s not much of it. Sounds easy, right? Wrong.
Here’s what makes the MCAT a much more formidable challenge than you might expect.
The MCAT is not what you think it is
It’s not really a science test.
The MCAT primarily tests critical thinking and reasoning skills—not science knowledge. So, while you definitely need to know basic science, the test mostly requires you to apply that knowledge in new contexts to find the correct answers. To assess your science knowledge, medical schools use your GPA. To assess your intellectual dexterity under pressure, they use your MCAT scores.
It has a strange format.
80% of MCAT questions are based on dense passages of text on (mostly) unfamiliar topics. You have to extract the pertinent information – ignoring the extraneous distractions – from the passage and mix this with your prior knowledge to answer the questions. Some questions require you to apply the ideas in the passage in a completely different context.
It goes beyond science.
Passages in the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section are 500-600 words of convoluted prose on esoteric topics from social sciences and humanities. Passages, questions and answers are permeated with ambiguity and nuance. This can be exasperating for science students accustomed to clarity and precision. Wrong answer choices are so tantalizing that even strong test-takers are constantly second-guessing their decisions.
The MCAT will grind you done
It will overload you.
The science topics covered on the MCAT are not especially difficult—but there are a LOT of them: two semesters each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics, and, on top of that, a semester each of biochemistry, psychology, and sociology. Yes, all in one test.
It will exhaust you mentally.
When was the last time you did anything for 6 ½ straight hours (besides sleep)? The MCAT is an exhausting roller-coaster ride that demands peak mental stamina. You’re constantly changing gears between analyzing passages, dissecting questions, and evaluating answer choices.
You have (basically) no time.
The unforgiving time constraints (roughly 1.5 minutes per question) and the dense information-packed passages purposefully designed to slow you down, put a premium on your time management skills.
It will disrupt your flow.
The MCAT weaves together multiple subjects in each section, which makes it difficult to find your groove. Questions in the Physical Sciences section, for example, bounce around between chemistry (30%), physics (25%), biochemistry (25%), organic chemistry (15%), and biology (5%).
You don’t get a calculator.
There’s not much math on the MCAT, and when there is, it’s pretty basic (spoiler: no calculus!). But the only calculator you’ll be allowed to use is the one between your ears. So, make sure you brush up on your basic algebra, trigonometry, and geometry skills.
The MCAT is full of surprises
You have to expect the unexpected.
The MCAT challenges you to apply the basic concepts you learned in your undergraduate science courses in wholly unexpected contexts. You have to develop the intellectual agility to adjust to repeated curve balls.
The MCAT has its own language.
The MCAT isn’t easy reading. Passages are extracted from academic journals and contain dense text full of jargon and superfluous details meant to distract the undisciplined student. Questions are often worded in confusing ways, and padded with extraneous, irrelevant information (“confounders”) to throw you off track.
Best > Perfect.
On the MCAT, you’ll sometimes have to look for the best – not the perfect – answer. The best answer, while technically correct, might be weak, and is only identifiable as correct because the other answers are even worse. Confusing? Yeah, that’s the point.
It will distract you.
Each MCAT question has four answer choices—one is correct, and the other three are purpose-built to trick careless test-takers who make predictable mistakes. These “distractors” can be very enticing and can make you second-guess yourself if you’re not at your sharpest.
The MCAT will force you to adapt
It will challenge your perfectionist nature.
Most aspiring medical students habitually strive for 100%. But aiming for perfection on the MCAT is actually counter-productive. You’ll repeatedly bog down on killer questions and burn up your valuable time. To get a top MCAT score, you need to learn how to cut your losses by guessing and moving on.
It’s counterintuitive.
Many aspects of the MCAT are counter-intuitive and contradict deep-rooted test-taking habits. Some of the MCAT techniques that students struggle to accept are not trying to get a perfect score, accepting 50/50 guesses as a good outcome, taking mental pauses when time is your enemy and not using outside information in the CARS section.
You’re up against some stiff competition.
You know who else is taking the MCAT? The very best students from other faculties and other universities. Don’t underestimate the level of competition you’re facing. Instead, use it to motivate yourself to study harder and practice with purpose.
In summary: the MCAT is challenging. Maybe the most difficult test you’ll ever take. You have to take it seriously and keep your overconfidence in check. But it’s not insurmountable. A competitive MCAT score is definitely achievable with the correct tools.
