2026 MCAT Study Guide — Everything You Need to Prepare

The MCAT is a critical piece of your medical school application that can make or break your chances of acceptance. It’s a grueling 7.5-hour test that requires significant hours of planning, studying, practicing, and preparing. Use our MCAT Study Guide to familiarize yourself with how the MCAT is scored and learn critical study strategies that will lead to test-day success.

Below, we’ll cover MCAT basics, how the MCAT is scored, 7 MCAT study strategies, MCAT resources, and FAQs.

An Introduction to the MCAT Sections

The Medical College Admission Test, better known as the MCAT, is a 7.5-hour standardized exam for premeds that assesses foundational science knowledge and critical thinking skills. The test is split into four sections, each worth 132, for a perfect MCAT score of 528.

• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (Chem/Phys)
• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS)
• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems (Bio/BioChem)
• Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior (Psych/Soc)

Sections 1, 3, and 4 of the test require a deep knowledge of scientific facts and concepts, as well as the ability to integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines through inquiry and reasoning.

On the exam, you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills:

• Knowledge of scientific concepts and principles
• Scientific reasoning and problem-solving
• Reasoning about the design and execution of research
• Data-based and statistical reasoning

Section 2 of the MCAT, CARS, is a little different. It doesn’t require any memorization; instead, it tests your critical analysis and reasoning skills. In this section, you are asked to read passages and then answer questions about those passages. To do well on the CARS section, you must be able to understand, analyze, and evaluate what you read quickly.

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (Chem/Phys)

The Chem/Phys section on the MCAT is worth 132 points, with 59 total questions (44 passage-related, 15 standalone). It tests your knowledge of biology, biochemistry, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics in combination with your scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.

This section is broken down into the following testing categories:

• First-semester biochemistry: 25%
• Introductory biology: 5%
• General chemistry: 30%
• Organic chemistry: 15%
• Introductory physics: 25%

Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS)

The CARS section was developed to measure your analytical and reasoning skills. Unlike the other three sections, it’s not a section you can study for directly. It requires continual practice to hone your reading comprehension, analysis, critical thinking, and reasoning skills.

The section includes nine passages, each between 500 and 600 words. For each passage, you will need to answer 5-7 questions for a total of 53 questions.

This section is broken down into the following testing categories:

• Foundations of Comprehension: 30%
• Reasoning Within the Text: 30%
• Reasoning Beyond the Text: 40%

Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems (Bio/BioChem)

The Bio/BioChem section of the MCAT has 59 questions, 44 passage-related and 15 standalone. This portion of the test combines your knowledge of biological and biochemical concepts, such as cells and organs, how these systems work together, and your scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.

This section is broken down into the following testing categories:

• First-semester biochemistry: 25%
• Introductory biology: 65%
• General chemistry: 5%
• Organic chemistry: 5%

Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior (Psych/Soc)

The Psych/Soc section of the MCAT also has 59 total questions, including 44 passage-related and 15 standalone. It tests your understanding of psychological, social, and biological factors and how they shape health. It requires knowledge of perceptions, behavior, and behavior change, what people think about themselves and others, cultural and social differences, and the influence of other social relationships.

This section is broken down into the following testing categories:

• Introductory psychology: 65%
• Introductory sociology: 30%
• Introductory biology: 5%

How Is the MCAT Scored?

The MCAT is broken into four sections, each worth a maximum score of 132 points. A perfect MCAT score combining all four sections is 528.

Each of the 3 science-related sections has 59 total questions (44 passage-related, and 15 standalone.) The CARS section is scored a little differently, but it is still worth the same amount of your total score—132 points. The CARS section has nine passages, each with 5-7 questions, for a total of 53 questions.

What’s a Good MCAT Score?

A perfect MCAT score is 528, which requires scoring 132 in each of the four sections. Of course, a perfect score is not required to get into your top-choice medical school.

A good MCAT score is different for everyone and largely depends on the schools you hope to gain acceptance to. Average statistics for recently matriculated medical students will give you an idea of what’s expected, but you should always research exactly what is expected for each school you are applying to.

The average MCAT score for recent matriculants applying through AMCAS is 511.80

The average MCAT score for recent matriculants applying through AACOMAS is 504.77

The average MCAT score for recent matriculants applying through TMDSAS is 510.80

Remember that these are only averages. The actual score you need will vary by school, and to be competitive, you should aim for much higher than average for the best chance of acceptance at your top school.

MCAT Study Guide: Tips and Strategies

1 | Study Smarter, Not Harder with Active Studying

“Smarter, not harder” is a good rule for most things in life. Why put in more energy than you need to in order to succeed? It’s not about the sheer amount of time you spend studying. Carefully build a study plan that focuses on efficiency, effectiveness, and results.

More hours spent studying and simply “keeping busy” aren’t better and will likely lead to worse results due to stress and burnout. You need to focus on what will yield the best results based on your own unique strengths and weaknesses, study preferences, schedule, and personal wellness.

Practice active versus passive study techniques. Although repetition is essential, it takes much longer to consolidate key facts into memory than if you were to spend that same time practicing active learning, such as with practice questions and flashcards.

Make smart, tactical decisions about how, when, and what you study, and prioritize active study techniques in order to optimize any time spent studying.

2 | Establish a Study Routine

Routines are a critical aspect of an effective study strategy. Take time to establish a routine that works best for you. This should include routines for the time you spend studying, as well as night and morning routines.

An effective routine will help you establish a study groove, improve your overall wellness, and enhance the quality of your studying. All-nighters, sugar rushes, and stressful study habits are not your friends. Start building healthy habits early as a premed to prepare for the MCAT and your time as a medical student.

3 | Focus on High-Yield Content

Studying more or for longer hours isn’t necessarily the best strategy. There’s a limit on how much can be memorized in a given period of time. To maximize effectiveness, focus on memorizing high-yield concepts—concepts that are most likely to have an impact on your MCAT score.

There are only so many productive hours of studying in a day, and the reason for placing less emphasis on low-yield concepts is the forgetting curve.

The forgetting curve reveals the reality of memory decay. No matter how hard you work to memorize MCAT facts, you will forget them over time. The forgetting curve is why students who study for the MCAT for over two months see diminishing returns and a plateau in their scores. After a certain point, you will learn at a rate almost equal to the rate at which you forget information.

Studying high-yield information is the best solution. Of course, how do you know what content is low-yield vs. high-yield? Speak to trusted mentors or peers who have been through the process before, and consider working with an MCAT tutor.

4 | Assess Your Strengths and Weaknesses

You don’t need to spend the same amount of time studying each section. Assess yourself to understand what you’re best at and where you need the most improvement. If you know you’re an ace at physics but struggle with chemistry, spend more time studying chemistry. If you feel very confident with all of your science knowledge but haven’t picked up a book for pleasure in years, focus on building your reading comprehension to prepare for the CARS section of the MCAT.

It’s not only about what you’re studying—it’s also about how you’re studying. Are your study habits working for you? Are you confident they’ll serve you well as you prepare for this monumental test?

It’s challenging to be completely confident in your study habits since you’ve never taken the MCAT before. But your mentors and MCAT tutors have. They can objectively assess your current strengths and weaknesses to help you create a customized study approach that’s tailored to what you need to improve most.

5 | Prioritize Comprehension

Yes, memorization is a key factor when preparing for the MCAT, and you will need to memorize a great deal of science content to be successful, but memorizing what you don’t understand won’t get you anywhere. It’s far less effective to memorize facts in isolation without first building a solid foundation of comprehension.

Performing well on the MCAT comes down to three important factors: understanding, memorizing, and applying. Once you understand a concept, you must commit it to memory. Then, you must apply your understanding and memorization in a standardized format.

If you memorize something without understanding it, you cannot effectively apply that knowledge. For example, it’s not enough to memorize the periodic table. You must also know how each element relates to the others, what factors influence them, and their specific significance. 

6 | Utilize Quality Tools and Resources

Utilize the many quality tools and resources that are available to you. You don’t need to start from scratch since so many people have taken the MCAT and mastered studying before you.

Read reviews of any resource you’re considering, talk to medical students, and ask your mentors for recommendations. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to studying. Capitalize on your differences by choosing tools that align with your needs. What’s important is finding quality tools and resources that work for you and sticking to those rather than trying to use all of them at once.

7 | Intentionally Limit Distractions

Thanks to our smartphones, computers, tablets, smartwatches, and what have you, distractions and interruptions are everywhere. Unfortunately, you may rely on this technology to help you study. In order to master your MCAT studying, you also need to master your distractions. This includes your email, phone notifications, messages, and the people in your life.

Interruptions are costly to your focus. It can take an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back to the task after an interruption. As any premed will attest, time is not something you have in abundance. It’s critical that you intentionally limit your distractions in order to gain deep chunks of focus.

You can adjust the notification settings on your phone, and most phones also have settings to help you limit the time you spend on certain apps. Set limits for your own personal common offenders, such as TikTok, Instagram, gaming, news aggregators, or other distracting apps.

If you need the extra push, set up a distraction blocker on your phone and computer to ensure you can’t access any distracting websites or apps during your study time. When it is time for a break, avoid the urge to turn to your phone and instead take a moment to stretch, walk, or grab a healthy snack.

Where to Find MCAT Resources

MCAT Flashcards

MCAT flashcards accelerate your learning by providing clear, easy-to-retain blocks of information. Flashcards will help you master the knowledge and skills needed to succeed on the MCAT.

MCAT Practice Questions

Practice passages help you review and practice your knowledge and skills on a regular basis. There are a number of resources to help you practice both CARS and the science-based sections of the MCAT.

MCAT Practice Tests

Practice tests aren’t all that helpful in the beginning, but they do play a critical role in helping you decide when you are ready to take the MCAT.

Med School Insiders MCAT Course

Gain access to our MCAT Course—a streamlined process honed by top-percentile achievers, focusing on quality resources, effective study strategies, and all the many intangibles that influence your performance. It offers a clear, comprehensive study plan that combines top-tier MCAT prep books, full-length practice tests, and live sessions to ensure you’re fully prepared.

How to Perform Well on Test Day

It’s essential that you adequately prepare so that you are ready on test day and can go into the exam relaxed and at ease. All-nighters and rushing to study leading up to the moment of your test will not serve you. Here are some of our top tips for succeeding on test day.

• Don’t change it up—stick to the routine and habits you have developed leading up to the test.
• Ensure you get lots of sleep and maintain your regular sleep routine.
• Eat brain-healthy foods and avoid sweets, sugary drinks, and fast food. (Note: It’s more important to stick to what you know. If you haven’t developed these healthy habits yet, don’t completely switch things up on the day of your test. It’s better to stick with what you know.)
• Get someone to check on you when you need to be up, just in case something goes wrong, such as a missed alarm.
• Pack everything you need for the day before your test, such as valid identification, required medication, wallet, keys, snacks, etc.
• Before test day, go to the testing location for a practice run. This will get you familiar with how to get there, parking, entrances, etc., so you’re not surprised by anything on the day of your test.
• A week before test day, switch to reviewing the most important material. At this point, your focus shouldn’t be on learning new material.

MCAT FAQ

How Do I Sign Up for the MCAT?

Register for your MCAT exam through the AAMC website. You’ll need to create an account to access AAMC services.

When Can I Take the MCAT?

Each year, AAMC posts a new set of MCAT test dates and score release dates. MCAT test availability runs from January through September, and you can expect to receive your scores about a month after taking the test.

When Is the Best Time to Take the MCAT?

Take the MCAT when you feel ready to do so, but if you plan on attending medical school immediately after college, we recommend taking the MCAT during the summer after your sophomore year. If you plan to take a year off after college, take the MCAT during the summer between your junior and senior years.

How Do I Know If I’m Ready to Take the MCAT?

Delaying your MCAT could be a costly mistake. Take careful care assessing if and when you are ready, and keep in mind that the longer you spend studying, the more chances you have of forgetting previous material.

The three main factors to consider are:

• How well your MCAT studying is going
• Your results on practice tests
• Personal state of mind (your own timeline, mentality, confidence, etc.)

How Long Does the MCAT Take?

Including breaks, the MCAT takes 7.5 hours. Each of the four MCAT sections takes 90-95 minutes to complete, and each section is broken up by an optional 10-30 minute break.

Is the MCAT the Hardest Test?

The MCAT is certainly a difficult test and ranks among the hardest examinations in the world. The length alone—7.5 hours—makes it a grueling feat for any premed. That said, test difficulty depends entirely on the person and how well they prepare and stick to a study schedule.

Is MCAT Tutoring Worth It?

All methods have pros and cons, but MCAT tutoring offers a customized approach to your MCAT studying. A tutor can objectively assess your strengths and weaknesses and provide you with one-on-one attention on your own schedule.

A Customized Approach to MCAT Tutoring

Med School Insiders offers tailored MCAT tutoring designed around your strengths and weaknesses to help you make the greatest improvements. You’ll be matched with a top-scoring tutor for a custom-built strategy and one-on-one mentorship.

The Med School Insiders MCAT Course comes with the industry’s first-ever honest 510 score guarantee, with gold standard content, three full-length and two half-length practice tests, and guidance from those who scored in the 100th percentile. We’re so confident you’ll find incredible value in our course that, on top of the 510 score guarantee, we offer a 10-day 100% money-back guarantee. Try it at zero risk.