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Aim528 — Exam Overview & Study Tools
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, computer-based exam required by nearly all U.S. and Canadian medical schools. It tests scientific knowledge, reasoning, and critical analysis across four sections in a single ~7.5-hour day.
Disclaimer. All questions and passages in this toolkit are original, AAMC-style practice items written for studying — not real MCAT questions. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the AAMC. Always confirm current format, scoring, and dates on the official AAMC site.
Start learning → One page: lecture + video + cheat sheet + quiz per topic, with a study-plan generator.
Study tools
Learn (all-in-one)
The unified curriculum: lecture, video, cheat sheet, and quiz for every topic, plus a daily study-plan generator.
Practice
Original AAMC-style questions with instant feedback & explanations. Filter by section, difficulty, or your missed ones.
Exam Simulator
A timed, section-weighted mock with a question navigator and a full per-section score breakdown.
Flashcards
Spaced-repetition cards on the highest-yield facts across all four sections.
Dashboard
Per-section mastery, mock-exam history, study streak, and a weak-area recommender.
Video Lessons
Curated Khan Academy MCAT videos and others, organized by section.
Cheat Sheets
Printable high-yield quick reference: equations, amino acids, hormones, theories.
Notes
Your own study notes, exportable to Obsidian-friendly Markdown.
Study Guide
Condensed, high-yield content for every subject in every section.
Resources
Verified materials — Khan Academy, AAMC practice, Anki decks.
3-Month Plan
A week-by-week schedule that takes you to test day.
CARS Trainer
Per-passage timed CARS practice with pacing feedback and explanations.
Rapid Drill
Fast recall sets: equations, amino acids, hormones, theorists, and more.
Scores & AAMC Tracker
Score-to-percentile reference and a tracker for your official AAMC full-lengths.
Insights
Subtopic mastery, pace, confidence calibration, projected score, and an activity heatmap.
Reference
Mnemonics library, an interactive amino-acid trainer, and high-yield diagrams.
Search
Search across every question, flashcard, drill, mnemonic, and cheat sheet.
Exam facts
| Sections | 4 — three science sections + CARS |
|---|---|
| Total questions | 230 scored (multiple-choice, 4 options each) |
| Total seat time | ~7 hours 30 minutes (content ~6h 15m + breaks & admin) |
| Score range | 472–528 total; each section 118–132 (midpoint 500/125) |
| Format | Computer-based at a Pearson VUE test center (or approved online, per AAMC policy) |
| Scoring | Scaled & equated (not raw %); you also receive percentile ranks |
| Registration | Through the AAMC MCAT registration system; fee assistance available via the AAMC Fee Assistance Program |
| Cost | Standard registration fee set by the AAMC (confirm the current amount on their site) |
The four sections
Three sections are science-and-reasoning; one (CARS) is pure reading and analysis with no outside content.
| Section | Questions | Time | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chem/Phys Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | 59 | 95 min | General chemistry, physics, organic chemistry, and biochemistry as applied to living systems. |
| CARS Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills | 53 | 90 min | Reading comprehension & reasoning over humanities and social-science passages. No prior content needed. |
| Bio/Biochem Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | 59 | 95 min | Biology, biochemistry, and some organic/general chemistry. The most content-heavy section. |
| Psych/Soc Psychological, Social & Biological Foundations of Behavior | 59 | 95 min | Psychology, sociology, and biology of behavior. Heavy on vocabulary and theories. |
How questions are built
Most questions in the three science sections are tied to a short passage (an experiment, figure, or study) — you apply concepts, interpret data, and reason, rather than just recall. Some are standalone "discrete" questions. CARS is entirely passage-based. This toolkit includes both discrete and passage-based practice.
Strategy in one line: Content gets you to the door; reasoning and timing get you through it. Build content with videos + flashcards, then spend the majority of your prep doing timed practice and reviewing every miss.