How To Get Free MCAT Questions
The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) examination is the most important event in gaining admission to Medical School. Although it is not the only thing that Medical School Admissions Offices look for, the MCAT score and your grade point average (GPA) are the numbers that count.
According to the American Medical Association (AMA), the MCAT’s purpose is very specific. It is formulated to test key skills specific to medical school success, including “natural, behavioral, and social sciences knowledge and analysis.”
Officially, the four sections are:
- 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 (CARS) section.
To be prepared for this marathon exam, you need not just to memorize the material. You need to be able to understand it thoroughly. While your official preparation won’t usually begin until three to six months before your exam date, you must expose yourself to MCAT practice questions before completing your undergraduate education.
Studying For The MCAT
Taking a practice exam is a good starting point for preparing for the MCAT. This will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. It will also show you what exactly you are studying for. Several free MCAT practice tests are found in the books and on the internet.
Once you have identified your strengths and weaknesses, you mustn’t just focus on one. Yes, you will need to strengthen your weaker areas, but don’t sacrifice your strengths by only focusing on your weaknesses. It is also important that you don’t just blindly memorize the material. You should be able to answer the MCAT questions and explain why the answer is correct.
Although it is, of course, possible, don’t try to do it all by yourself. At least have a friend to study with. It is also crucial that you don’t immerse yourself only in studying for the exam. You will need to maintain a work-life balance so you don’t get burned out.
Beyond that, you will want to be familiar with what is expected of you regarding the exam. There are a lot of books out there to help you prepare. Do your homework. Find the one that will help you review what is offered. There should be practice tests and flashcards. There should be a databank of MCAT questions that you can practice with.
Enrolling in an MCAT Question of the Day program is one way to begin your exposure to MCAT practice questions. No two question-of-the-day programs are the same. Some will only focus on a single aspect of the test. Some of these programs will be designed for your learning, while others will be actual sample exam questions. You must decide which type is better for your personal study preferences.
MCAT Question of the Day
The original MCAT question of the day program came from Mprep. Their questions come from official practice tests and are emailed each morning. They are straightforward, and you submit your answers. Their questions are close to the MCAT formula. They can be free and standalone or part of their paid prep course.
MCATSelfPrep.com is probably one of the better companies offering Questions of the Day. Their basic service is free, and their questions come with video explanations. They offer several levels of prep programs at a variety of prices. Their core belief is that no matter the budget, everyone deserves a chance to test for medical school.
MCATQuestionoftheday.com offers high-quality questions to help you learn the material and stay sharp throughout your preparation for the exam. Each daily question is identified based on the part of the MCAT exam from which it is sampled. It is possibly the best organized of all of these programs. They also offer study and preparation tips about the exam itself.
Kaplan offers to send a question of the day to your inbox along with detailed descriptions of the answers. This is a free service, although most of their products are paid. They also offer other “bite-sized” MCAT practice programs such as their 20-minute workout, pop-quiz, practice test, and Mini Bootcamp programs for free. Kaplan is one of the most popular exam prep courses.
Varsity Tutors offers free questions of the day from each separate section of the MCAT exam. This service offers several other free study aids and practice tests. A free account will also allow you to track your practice test progress throughout your MCAT prep experience.
Jack Westin has a great question-of-the-day site for preparing for the CARS portion of the exam. Many students focus on the CARS questions the least. These questions are very telling to admissions offices, as they are designed to determine whether you will be successful as a medical student.
Blueprint (formerly Next Step Test Prep ) offers you a question of the day for every weekday. This site provides a question and an explanation of the answer. They also offer a free MCAT Practice Bundle in addition to a variety of paid prep services.
Although the quantity of information can seem overwhelming at times, when it comes to preparing for the MCAT, there is no such thing as having too many resources. Each of these sites offers something different. With this extensive selection, you can decide which ones are better for your individual learning preferences. You must balance questions from all four sections in your prep and not just those you feel are your weaknesses.
Other Factors Towards Admission
While your MCAT scores and grade point average are two very important steps toward getting into Medical School, they are not the only important considerations. By the time you complete your undergraduate degree, you should have a paper published or played an important role in a research project. You must show your community involvement through volunteer work that preferably serves the medical community in some capacity.
When looking at the various aspects of your application, the admissions committees note any extracurricular activities. These small details show them that you can have a healthy work-life balance.
While it almost seems like it is too soon to ask for some of this, a huge factor in those who cut the admissions programs is a preference for their students to have some degree of medical experience. This requirement is difficult to meet because it is illegal for you to provide medical treatment unless you are a medical personnel with a degree and a license. Most candidates will shadow a doctor for a few days. Other candidates might become a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) to gain this experience.
There is a better option that will give you your medical experience while at the same time being on an adventure of a lifetime while doing some important and life-changing work. There are opportunities to participate in an international internship shadowing doctors and nurses as they provide care in countries who do not normally have access to top-notch medical care. An International Medical Aid Healthcare Internship can provide you with much more than just medical school shadowing opportunity. You can also gain recommendations, tutoring, interview practices, and unforgettable real-world experience.
How International Medical Aid Can Enhance Your MCAT Prep and Admissions Journey
Hands-On Clinical Internships That Reinforce Learning
While rigorous MCAT preparation is essential, offers Healthcare and Pre-Med Internships that place you in busy clinical settings abroad. Here’s how these internships benefit your MCAT preparation:
Applying Theoretical Knowledge
- Real-World Context: By shadowing physicians and observing patient care, you see how the principles you study for the MCAT are applied in practice. This reinforces your understanding of subjects like physiology and biochemistry.
- Enhanced Retention: Active clinical exposure helps solidify difficult concepts, making them easier to recall during the exam.
- Skill Development: Working in a hospital environment develops your critical thinking and problem-solving skills—both crucial for the MCAT and medical school.
Building a Competitive Application
IMA’s internships do more than prepare you academically. They help you build a robust portfolio that enhances your medical school application. Admissions committees look for candidates who perform well on standardized tests and have significant clinical and volunteer experiences.
- Demonstrated Commitment: A successful internship abroad shows that you are proactive about gaining hands-on medical experience.
- Mentorship and Networking: The connections you make during your internship can lead to strong letters of recommendation and mentorship, which are vital for your application process.
Personalized Medical School Admissions Consulting
In addition to clinical internships, IMA offers Medical School Admissions Consulting. This service is tailored to help you navigate the complex medical school application process. Here’s how it supports your journey:
Refining Your Personal Statement
- Expert Feedback: IMA’s experienced admissions consultants review your personal statement, ensuring that it effectively communicates your passion for medicine and unique experiences.
- Structured Guidance: Consultants help you organize your thoughts and articulate your motivations, making your personal statement a compelling narrative that resonates with admissions committees.
Preparing for Interviews
- Mock Interviews: Practice interviews are a critical part of the admissions process. IMA provides simulated interviews with expert feedback to help you improve your responses and build confidence.
- Targeted Strategies: Learn how to answer common and challenging interview questions, and receive personalized advice on how to highlight your clinical experiences and personal strengths.
Strategic Application Planning
- Customized Roadmap: IMA advisors work with you to create a strategic plan for your applications. This includes selecting the right medical schools, understanding each school’s specific requirements, and timing your application process effectively.
- Residency Insight: With a focus on long-term success, the consulting service offers insights into residency match trends and what residency programs look for in candidates, ensuring that you present a well-rounded profile.
Integrating Clinical Experience with MCAT Preparation
IMA’s services provide a dual benefit by combining direct clinical exposure with personalized admissions support. This integration offers several advantages:
Enhanced Academic Understanding
- Concept Application: The practical experiences you gain during IMA internships reinforce the scientific and clinical concepts tested on the MCAT. Seeing real cases in action makes the material more tangible and easier to understand.
- Critical Thinking: The fast-paced environment of clinical settings develops your critical thinking skills, which are essential for solving complex MCAT questions.
Improved Time Management and Study Habits
- Structured Experience: Balancing an internship with MCAT prep teaches you effective time management—an essential skill for both exam preparation and your future medical career.
- Real-World Feedback: Regular interactions with physician mentors provide insights into how to focus your study efforts, identify key areas for review, and avoid common pitfalls.
Building a Competitive Application
- Holistic Profile: Admissions committees value applicants who have both strong test scores and meaningful clinical experience. IMA’s offerings help you build a profile that demonstrates your commitment, resilience, and readiness for medical school.
- Professional Networking: The relationships you develop during your internship can lead to valuable recommendations and long-term professional connections, both of which are critical when applying to competitive medical programs.
Conclusion
Becoming a doctor can be a long and exhausting path. Preparing for medical school is hard enough as it is even without factoring in the marathon MCAT examination. However, if you have gotten through your undergrad preparation and are still motivated enough to begin to prepare for the MCAT, then you are right where you need to be.
There are a lot of resources out there for you to access what you need to prepare for the MCAT and ultimately gain admission to medical school. You are the only one who will know which preparation situation will work best with your study habits. It is not unheard of to use resources from several different sources.
Try a free MCAT practice test first. That will allow you to see what you are going to need to focus on. While the focused test prep comes as your MCAT date approaches, no time could be considered too soon to begin with some questions of the day.
One thing that you should always remember during your preparation is that simply memorizing answers will never be enough for either the exam or Medical School. You will need to understand the material and be able to explain it completely. Only then can you claim to know it.
Original Publication Date: November 2, 2019 11:35 am CST
