The Best MCAT Practice Exams Reviewed
For students who are about to embark on their MCAT journey, it’s important to have a comprehensive study plan that includes practice examinations. Practice questions, and more specifically Full-Length MCAT Practice Tests, are going to serve as the gold standard for your test preparation. Couple these practice tests with content review videos on each subsection, a review of practice tests, and the detailed explanations and you’ll be on your way to a great MCAT score. This list gives out the best MCAT Practice Exams available to students as they study.
Remember, the MCAT sections include Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems, Psychology and Sociology, Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior, and Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills. Some practice tests are better for some sections than others, so keep that in mind when finding the right mix for you.
Best MCAT Practice Exams
1. AAMC Practice Exams
There is no doubt that the gold standard, and the practice exams that every MCAT student should start with, are the AAMC practice exams. These tests are made by the MCAT writers, so working through them is extremely important. One major downside is that there aren’t a lot of AAMC exams. As of early 2020, AAMC has released the four full-length exams. Every student should review these in great detail, pretty much nailing all topics inside and out. AAMC also has a free sample test, although there isn’t a detailed score report and explanations so you’ll need to purchase their exams otherwise.
2. MedSchoolCoach MCAT Practice Exams
MedSchoolCoach’s exams are some of the newest in the market. Because they are so new, some students are still not using them as much as other exams, but they definitely have an amazing MCAT and medical school record. They have been created to the highest standards to mimic the actual MCAT. They have a free MCAT half-length practice exam to get started with and their practice exam simulator is spot on to the AAMC one. The questions tend to be a little harder than you may find on the actual AAMC exam, but they do a great job capturing the core essence of how MCAT passages are framed. The data analytics you get after each exam really helps break down where you are strong and weak. Each exam costs $29, but there are discounts for buying all three.
NextStep started releasing great practice exams when the MCAT changed in 2015 and they are still solid exams today. (NextStep and Blueprint merged in 2019). They provide great science content and explanations. Others have said that the verbal section “feels convoluted and cluttered to me. Blueprint just tends to pay attention to the finest details that shouldn’t even matter.” Blueprint offers a 4, 6, and 10 MCAT practice test bundle, all with the option to choose either standard-length MCAT practice tests or the shortened version. Their 10 exam bundle also comes with flashcards and costs $249. Like MedSchoolCoach, Blueprint’s data analytics are really helpful.
The two mega-MCAT players are grouped together here because their practice exams are some of the most popular given their courses are so popular. Kaplan also offers a free 3.5-hour online free MCAT practice test where students receive a detailed score report, strategies for improvement, and in-depth explanations of every question and its corresponding correct answer. Princeton review also offers a free MCAT practice exam (something most companies are doing nowadays) and then a total of 8 full-length MCAT practice tests. In general, these tests are adequate for preparation, but some students feel like they shouldn’t be first-line and that scores are deflated based on when they are taken in the course.
Altius has 10 full-length practice test bundle which costs $300, or $30 each. That’s a great value. According to Reddit user, “definitely felt that Altius was more challenging than AAMC1, but the detailed answer explanations and very heavy experimental questions (for C/P and B/B) prepares you very well. I don’t take the real thing for another 3 weeks though so I can’t speak on how similar it is to what you see on test day! Altius also gets a bad rep for the CARS. It’s challenging, but nothing out of reason.”
The EK practice tests are 6 in total and about $40 each. According to a Reddit user, “I wasn’t a fan of EK practice tests – they didn’t feel representative and I didn’t like the way they scored the test. That said, all content review questions are good questions.” Another blogger notes that they “like the way EK focuses more on critical thinking and experimental concepts. But their CARS can get very ambiguous and difficult.” Overall, it seems like the EK tests could help supplement AAMC material.
There is no doubt that MCAT practice exams are super important in any student’s study schedule, so picking the right ones is crucial. AAMC exams are a must and should be supplemented with some of the material above. One of the most important things is to make sure as you take the exams you give enough time to the content review. Every question and detailed answer explanation is a chance to study for a topic you may see on test day! It’s also important that the software mimic the exam exactly, so you are really comfortable on test day.
Which MCAT practice exam to take first?
Deciding which MCAT practice exams to take first can be a difficult decision. There are many different options available, and it can be hard to know which one will be the most beneficial when setting a baseline. However, there are a few things to keep in mind that can help make the decision easier. First, it is important to make sure that the practice exam is from a reputable source like the ones above. There are many free online resources, but not all of them are created equal. Second, it is a good idea to take a practice exam that is similar to the actual MCAT in terms of content and format as well as the software format. This will help to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the real test. Finally, it is important to take multiple practice exams so that you can identify any areas where you need Improvement. By taking these factors into consideration, you can choose the best MCAT practice exams to take first and maximize your chances of success on the actual test. We recommend taking a half-length MCAT practice exam rather than a full-length exam first
How many MCAT practice exams should I take?
The answer to how many MCAT practice exams you should take depends on how much time you have before your test date, and how confident you feel with the material. If you have several months before your exam, and you feel like you need more exposure to the material, then taking 4-5 practice exams would be a good idea. This will help you to get used to the format of the exam, and identify any areas where you need more review. However, if you only have a few weeks before the test, then taking 2-3 practice exams could be sufficient (although we’d recommend studying much more than that). The goal is to get a sense of how you will do on the actual exam, so that you can focus your studies on any areas where you need improvement. With careful planning and preparation, you can determine how many MCAT practice exams are right for you.
Is the actual MCAT harder than the AAMC practice exams?
There is a lot of debate on this topic and it largely depends on who you ask. Some students find the AAMC practice exams to be more difficult than the actual MCAT, while others find them to be a good predictor of what they will see on the test day. There are a few things to keep in mind when considering this question. First, the AAMC practice exams are designed to be as close to the real thing as possible, so they are a good indicator of what you can expect. However, they are not an exact replica of the MCAT, so there may be some differences. Second, everyone has a different learning style and some people may find the AAMC practice exams to be more challenging because they require a different approach to study. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide whether or not you think the AAMC practice exams are a good predictor of your performance on the actual MCAT.
