The MCAT begins with the Physical Sciences testing section. During this portion, questions will pertain to basic physics and general chemistry. The questions will also assess data interpretation and analytical skills. On the test, there will be seven to nine passages that describe situations, problems or experiments. These passages are roughly 250 words long and may be examples of journal articles, experimental research, scientific-style editorials or data analysis. The majority of the questions will relate to the information and ideas of these passages. There will also be questions that are independent from the passages. The Physical Sciences section consists of a total of 52 multiple-choice questions. Examinees will have 70 minutes to complete this portion of the test.
The next part of the test is the Verbal Reasoning section, which may seem familiar because it is comparable to the reading comprehension portions of other standardized tests. This section of the MCAT will test critical reading and comprehension skills. The questions will require you to analyze, evaluate and apply the information of the passages. Typically there are five to six reading passages that are approximately 500 words long. Topics of the passages vary, but may include social science, humanities or natural sciences. There are 40 multiple-choice questions and each will relate to one of the passages. The Verbal Reasoning section has a time limit of 60 minutes.
During the MCAT Writing section, you will need to write two essays. The essays will test written communication, intellectual organization and critical thinking. Each of the essays will be written in response to a topic sentence or statement. Following each topic sentence will be instructions for three writing tasks that you must use within the essay. Essays will be scored upon how well you develop and combine complex ideas, writing clarity and proper use of grammar. You will have 60 minutes to complete the entire section.
Biological Sciences is the final section of the MCAT. This portion of the test will be remarkably similar to the Physical Sciences section. Questions in this section will test your biology and organic chemistry knowledge. The test will present seven to nine passages that are about 250 words in length. Just like in the Physical Sciences section, the passages will describe a problem or situation. There is a total of 52 multiple-choice questions and most will relate to the passages. Other general questions that do not pertain to the passages will also be included. The time limit for this portion of the test is 70 minutes.
You will complete the entire MCAT exam, including the writing section, on a computer. The test session beings with an optional five-minute tutorial of the testing software. During the test, you will be able to go back, review and change answers within the current testing section. Once a section is complete, you will no longer be able to access it. For each section, a timer will be visible on the screen counting down the time limit. If you finish a section early, you have the option of moving on to the next. Breaks will also be provided in between each section. The entire MCAT testing session will take just over five hours.