I took the phase 4 MCAT in about 1977, so I do not have much experience with the most recent iteration. But it is interesting to look at the history and evolution of the test and what the AAMC feels is important to emphasize in the testing program. It is interesting to note from the last graph (Medical School Acceptance vs. MCAT ) presented in this citation (at the time I looked) which reveals that you don’t have to have the top score on the MCAT to get accepted into medical school. While much fewer do, some of those accepted are low scorers.
And for full disclosure, I have never applied for, tested for or been accepted at any other type of professional school. Still, I think that the same principals apply.
Despite multiple choice tests (MCT) being a standard by 1930, essay and fill-in-the-blank tests were still common in the 1970s. The changes in education that occurred about this time were that teaching changed from teaching the subject to teaching the test. The major thing I’ve noticed in these changes is that there are people that can ace MCTs and those that struggle with them, despite the knowledge level of the test taker. This paper is focused on the later, those that struggle.
So, I will suggest how to prepare for the test.
See one, do one, teach one. Somewhere along the way, I was taught that there are 5 ways to learn new material. We can hear it, see it, teach (speak) it, write it, and experience it. Yes, having brain surgery just to learn how seems a little drastic so by experience it, I mean practice the test.
Read the material, in the textbook, the lecture’s slides, your notes, other’s notes and everything you can get your hands on. Write notes in class and, repeatedly after class until you take the test for the last time. Organize your notes into outlines; one-time lump categories and the next time split the categories, repeatedly alternating. Use pen and paper and not just a keyboard. Use your notes to teach the material, to others, your dog or your cat. Form study groups and take turns teaching each other the same material. You get to repeatedly write, say and hear the material many times. You get another’s view in addition to the repetition. Find the best test taker in your class and get them to join your study group.
Experiencing the material. Collect every sample/practice question you can get your hands on. The AAMC has sample packets that it sells and there are several commercial firms that provide practice questions. Some of the commercial firms require you to take their whole test preparation course to get the sample questions. I recommend taking a test prep course, but if you can’t, ask others who have taken the courses if they will share their material. You still might have to pay but it should be less than the whole course.
The pro’s and con’s of multiple choice standardized tests can be argued forever, but MCTs are here right now. Learn how to take them.
MCTs give you the question and the answer. You just have to choose which of the 2-5 choices offered is the right one. They are intentionally designed to have at least one of the choices very close to being the correct answer, but not as close as the correct answer. Most who struggle miss a question because they rationalize the next closest answer into being the correct answer or miss read the question. Practice will help overcome these faults, to some degree.
Go to the Association of American Medical Colleges web site and read what the current test tests.
Here is a site that offers free assistance studying, flashcards and practice tests. Check it out, it may help.
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History
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_College_Admission_Test
Multiple choice testing
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/dark-history-of-multiple-choice-ainissa-ramirez
The cons of MCT
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/12/schools-standardized-testing-fail-students
AAMC site
https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/taking-mcat-exam/about-mcat-exam/