Fortunately, my subsequently underwhelming exam scores brought me the realization that a detailed study plan was going to be the key to success as a medical student. In the years that followed, discovering an optimal study plan has helped me to succeed as both a medical student and internal medicine resident.

Over the course of any student’s MCAT studying journey, they might see that their score has stopped improving, or no matter what, they can’t seem to remember certain content areas. If you find yourself in this situation, you may want to reevaluate how you’re studying—are you passively or actively learning?

As many of you may know, the AAMC cancelled eight MCAT test dates from March 27th through May 21st due to coronavirus (COVID-19). MCAT testing will resume on May 29th; however, the AAMC has made a number of important changes to the upcoming MCAT schedule in an effort to accommodate examinees whose test dates were cancelled while maintaining safe social distancing practices. As an MCAT tutor and prior examinee myself, I understand that these changes have likely added stress to an already challenging process in a very uncertain time. For all students preparing to take the MCAT these next few months, I’d like to provide some clarity to the recent changes to the MCAT.

High-quality, passage-based questions are the gold standard of MCAT preparation, but unfortunately, they are perennially in short supply for our students. Luckily, UWorld's MCAT Qbank is a top-quality resource for MCAT preparation. Read on for our review of UWorld's MCAT Qbank, how best to use it for MCAT success, and why the MCAT is an important milestone for incoming medical students.

Why you want to ace your MCAT exam on your first try

It is highly advantageous to ace your MCAT the first time around. Apart from the frustration of a second study period, all MCAT scores are reported to medical schools.

While many schools will take into account your improvement on a second attempt, many will average or otherwise consider both attempts when evaluating your application. As a result, it is in your best interest to do your absolute best on your first attempt!

UWorld MCAT Qbank: A top-tier MCAT resource

In 2017, UWorld introduced a 1,000 question passage bank for the MCAT. Since then, UWorld has nearly doubled the size of the qbank, with 1,944 questions at the time of this post. While a relatively new name to most MCAT test-takers, UWorld has built top-tier resources for the NCLEX and USMLE exams, so we are excited to see UWorld continuing to expand their MCAT resources.

Why is this so important? Beyond the official AAMC practice materials, the offerings of prep companies have been of mixed quality. Given the limited quantity of official AAMC materials, we recommend our students save the AAMC content until their final preparation leading up to test day and use the UWorld MCAT Qbank for initial prep. 

We've worked with countless students for the MCAT for more than a decade, and through the years — and the changes to the exam — we've had front row seats to the techniques and approaches that have yielded the greatest results in terms of score increases.

Here are the top 5 things you can do to significantly raise your MCAT score: 

By Contributors Masis Isikbay + Kevin Wang

Summer will be here before we know it. And so will the MCAT for many of you.

If you’ve already chosen your test date, have you already asked yourself, “Am I really ready for this? (And do I have enough floaties?!)” I know — it’s a bit of a trick question — but if you haven’t seriously thought it through, let's do so now.

There are a number of things I wish I had known before I sat for my own MCAT. Spare you some of the headaches I experienced and help you incorporate all the info we’ve given you about the MCAT, our MCAT Expanded Psych/Soc Outline, and MCAT test prep resources.

Are you ready for the MCAT? Here are 8 essential questions to ask yourself: 

Update: 1/23/20 — Our MCAT team just finished updating the Psych/Soc outline to reflect current resources, new info and more. Get started here. Want to know more about how this outline came to be? Read on below!

In 2014, our MCAT Special Ops Team—led by Dr. Birju Patel, a psychiatry resident—embarked upon creating our in-depth expansion of the AAMC's official MCAT2015 Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior outline.

Our goal was to provide a free and thorough supplemental MCAT resource via our expanded outline, with in-depth definitions, visuals, and resource references so you can master the Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior section and crush it on exam day.

Congratulations! Your child wants to go to med school. They are feeling called to take on one of the most noble (and challenging) careers out there. You [mostly] knew how to support them through grade school, junior high, high school, and perhaps even college. But what about their pre-medical studies and med school? Where to even begin? Even if you carry a medical degree yourself, you are probably acutely aware of the rapidity with which things are changing.

First, take a slow, deep breath. Settle back somewhere comfy, and let us walk you through what you can expect, and how you can help when you're expecting your child to embark on the pre-med — and ultimately medical — path.

As you begin studying for the MCAT, you might consider taking an MCAT review course. While these courses have their merits, many students who have taken such courses end up feeling like they didn’t really gain much from it.

If you are currently taking an MCAT course or are considering doing so, here are some tips to help you assess your next best steps and how to make the most of a course should you choose to take one.