Why is the test changing?
The MCAT is undergoing its biggest change since its inception. Medical schools are modifying their curricula to better train the doctors of tomorrow and want to ensure that you can apply the science you know versus just being able to recite the facts. To adjust these changes, AAMC has worked closely with medical schools to assess the MCAT, keep what works, remove what doesn’t and enhance the test to include concepts that the next generation of doctors will need to know.
How will MCAT2015 be different?
The content is changing
- In 2015, AAMC add a new section called Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior. This section will test your ability to understand socio-cultural, biological and psychological influences on behavior and social interactions, as well as how people process emotion and stress. You can understand why medical schools would value these skills in future applicants.
- The Biological Sciences section is changing to include an emphasis on biochemistry and will be titled “Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems”. This new material will cover the biochemistry content found in many first semester biochem courses.
The test is getting longer
- All sections will increase both in time and questions
- The addition of the new section and the increased length of existing sections will raise the seated time for the test from 5 hours and 10 minutes to 7 hours and 30 minutes. This will add almost 50% to the total testing time, making the test significantly more challenging.
The maximum score is rising
- The new Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior section will be scored on the 1-15 scale; raising the new maximum MCAT score from the current 45 to 60.
What should you do now?
Whether you plan to take the MCAT in 2013, 2014 or after the test changes— The Princeton Review can help.
If you are in the class of 2014 or 2015, the changes should not affect you. To prepare for the current test, The Princeton Review's Ultimate course delivers the most comprehensive MCAT prepby a team of 3 to 5 subject-matter experts. Get 260 hours of prep delivering an in-depth review of all the content tested, our exclusive test-taking strategies and a complete suite of practice materials. You'll benefit from 105 hours of live instruction including 22 hours of verbal coaching—the most in the industry, 135+ hours of online resources, 19-full-length practice tests with all 8 AAMC exams and 15 diagnostic tests, including 5 AAMC diagnostics. In addition, your instructors will offer all the extra help you need, with 20+ hours of scheduled office time to review topics or go over difficult questions one-on-one.
Learn more about our courses for the current test.
If you are graduating after 2015 or simply planning to take the test in 2015 or later, The Princeton Review's MCAT experts have all the information you need to stay one step ahead. Find out more about the 2015 MCAT with a free online suite that gives you exclusive access to a series of video outlining what's new, two interactive modules to test your knowledge of the upcoming changes and a 2-hour MCAT assessment including questions from the new Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior section.
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