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The MCAT exam tests for mastery of basic concepts in biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. Additionally, it serves to assess examinees’ capacity for problem solving and critical thinking. These concepts are presented in basic science courses offered at most undergraduate institutions. Typically, no advanced coursework is needed to do well on the MCAT exam.
The MCAT is about a five-hour test. There are four sections, though the Trial Section is optional.
Physical Sciences
Verbal Reasoning
Biological Sciences
Trial Section
The schedule for the test day and allocated times for each section are as follows:
| Section |
No. Of Questions |
Time alloted |
| Optional tutorial |
|
10 minutes |
| Examinee Agreement |
|
10 minutes |
| Physical Sciences |
52 |
70 minutes |
| Optional Break |
|
10 minutes |
| Verbal Reasoning |
40 |
60 minutes |
| Optional Break |
|
10 minutes |
| Biological Sciences |
52 |
70 minutes |
| Void Question |
|
5 minutes |
| Optional break |
|
10 minutes |
| Voluntary Trial Section |
32 |
45 minutes |
| Optional Satisfaction Survey |
12 |
10 minutes |
| Total Test Time |
|
4 hours 5 minutes |
| Total Seated Time |
|
About 5 hours 10 minutes |
Note: Each of the three scored multiple-choice sections includes some experimental items. Experimental items, as well as questions contained in the Trial Section, do not count toward your score.
Physical Sciences :
The Physical Sciences section assesses problem-solving ability in general chemistry and physics. All questions in this section are designed to evaluate your knowledge of basic physical sciences concepts and problem-solving skills.
The Physical Sciences section is divided as follows:
- Total of 52 questions
- 7 passage-based sets of questions
- 4–7 questions per set
- 13 independent questions
Verbal Reasoning :
The Verbal Reasoning section assesses your ability to understand, evaluate, and apply the information and arguments contained in each passage. Content is based in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
The Verbal Reasoning section is divided as follows:
- Total of 40 questions
- 7 passages (approximately 600 words per passage)
- 5–7 questions per passage
Participation in a variety of undergraduate courses in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences will enhance your performance on this section, as will familiarizing yourself with the types of critical thinking and reasoning skills these disciplines use. No advanced study is required.
Biological Sciences :
The Biological Sciences section assesses problem-solving ability in the areas of biology and organic chemistry. All questions in this section are designed to evaluate your knowledge of basic biological sciences concepts and problem-solving skills.
The Biological Sciences section is divided as follows:
- Total of 52 questions
- 7 passage-based sets of questions
- 4–7 questions per set
- 13 independent questions
Trial Section
The Trial Section is a new segment for 2013 that is replacing the Writing Sample section. The Trial Section is voluntary and takes 45 minutes. Questions include either a set on sociology, psychology or biology, or biology, chemistry or biochemistry and physics. It is not necessary to prepare for this section, though AAMC attempts to assign relevant questions pertaining to courses you have taken. This section is not scored.
| Paper |
Time in minutes |
Format |
Topics |
| Physical Sciences |
70 |
52 total questions 7 passages 4-7 questions each 13 independent questions |
General chemistry General physics Problem-solving |
| Verbal Reasoning |
60 |
40 total questions 7 passages 5-7 questions each |
Humanities Social sciences Natural sciences Critical thinking Reasoning skills |
| Biological Sciences |
70 |
52 total questions 7 passages 5-7 questions each 13 independent questions |
Biology Organic chemistry Problem-solving |
| Trial Section (optional) |
45 |
32 questions |
Biochemistry Biology Chemistry Physics OR Psychology Biology Sociology |
Exam Scoring :
You will receive a separate score for each of the first three content sections of the MCAT exam, as well as a total score. The following explains scoring in detail and highlights certain aspects of the process.
Note: Examinees who elect to void the scored portion of the MCAT exam will not receive a score on the exam and will not be given the opportunity to participate in the Trial Section.
Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and Biological Sciences:
These sections are scored from a low of 1 to a high of 15.
Every form of the MCAT exam measures the same basic skills and concepts. However, each form is different in regard to the specific questions it uses. Because each form has the potential to be easier or slightly more difficult than another, raw scores are converted to a scale that takes into consideration the level of difficulty of the test questions on a given form. This conversion minimizes variability in the meaning of test scores across forms.
There is no penalty for guessing.
Your total score is the sum of the three individual section scores.
For more detail information :
"2013 MCAT Essentials," AAMC, https://www.aamc.org/students/download/63060/data/mcatessentials.pdf
"Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)," AAMC, https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/
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