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About the MCAT

All you need to Know

The MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is required for admission to most medical schools. This rigorous exam will test your knowledge of physics, biology, biochemistry, general chemistry, organic chemistry, sociology, and psychology. Additionally, it assesses your capacity for problem-solving and critical thinking.

Getting into your top-choice medical school is highly competitive, so you'll want to prepare thoroughly for the MCAT. The MCAT exam is unlike any other standardized test. Even the most gifted students will often score poorly on this test unless they know the correct approach to taking the MCAT.

Click on the links below to learn more:

  1. About the MCAT
  2. MCAT Test Dates 2024
  3. Contact Dr. Donnelly about MCAT lessons
  4. Read our MCAT students' reviews
  5. MCAT Exam - Section by Section
    1. Biological & Biochemical Sciences Section
    2. MCAT Chemical & Physical Sciences Section
    3. MCAT Behavioral Sciences Section
    4. CARS Section
AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP Chemistry

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Dr. Donnelly can teach you the correct strategy for each section of the MCAT exam. This will significantly increase your chance of getting your target score to attend the medical school of your choice.

Private lessons with Dr. Donnelly are available either online or in-person at either his Manhattan, New York-based office (depending upon the time of year) or at his San Diego-based office in California.

Over the years, Dr. Donnelly has helped hundreds of students to improve their MCAT scores significantly and achieve their goal of getting accepted into a top-tier medical program. We are confident that he can do the same for you.

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About Private MCAT Tutoring

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"Dr. Donnelly is simply the best in his field. I came to him just three weeks before my exam in desperate need of a strategy to improve my CARS score. In just three lessons, I jumped 30 percentiles in my practice exams on that section and ultimately scored in the 95th percentile on the MCAT. Dr. Donnelly is professional, kind, patient, and so willing to do everything he can to support his students in succeeding on the MCAT. I wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone in need of strategizing their test preparation!"

Jenny. F., Miami, FL - (online student).

Best Private Tutor

5 star review

"Dr. Donnelly is a great tutor and genuinely cares about you doing well in your MCAT. Thanks to Stuart, I was able to understand the concepts of general chemistry much faster than I would have on my own. He made learning easy and stress-free. His strategy for dealing with the CARS section was also REALLY effective! I shot up by 7 points in that section alone and ended up with a 516 overall"

Peter H. Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York.

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5 star review

"Excellent service. My daughter improved immensely because of her work with Stuart. She developed much better work habits and took control of her academics. Our experience with Doctor Donnelly was exceptional!"

Cassandre C. Manhattan, New York.

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5 star review

"My daughter has worked with Dr Donnelly for the last three months, and it has been wonderful. Dr. Donnelly has been able to focus on her weaknesses and provide enormous insight. In addition, his advice with regard to strategy for the MCAT has been invaluable. He is able to engage students and provide support well beyond other tutoring services. He is sincerely committed to student success and offers a personalized service with sound methodology. Within 3 months, her scores improved significantly. In addition to all his talents ... he is just one of those really smart people that can teach."

Deborah W., Bergen, NJ.

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Overview of the MCAT

Section by Section

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The MCAT Exam

In 2015, the MCAT was updated to the new version of the test. The new MCAT has more tested topics. There are now three additional semesters’ worth of material in college-level biochemistry, introductory psychology, and introductory sociology, increasing the number of prerequisite classes from eight to eleven. Passages will also emphasize integrating topics, with general chemistry, physics, and biochemistry (for instance) all appearing within the same passage!

The new version of the MCAT is almost double the length compared to the old version. You’ll face 230 questions over 6 hours and 15 minutes on the new MCAT. Each science section will contain ten passages with 4 to 7 questions each and 15 stand-alone questions. The CARS section has nine passages with a total of 53 questions.

MCAT scores: You will receive five scores from your MCAT exam: one for each of the four sections and one combined total score. Each of the four sections is scored from a low of 118 to a high of 132, with a midpoint of 125. Your total score is the sum of your four section scores and, therefore, will range from 472 to 528. The midpoint is 500.

Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Section

Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems</span> section of the MCAT

The Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the MCAT is 95 minutes long and contains 59 multiple-choice questions. This section asks you to combine your knowledge of foundational biological and biochemical sciences concepts with your scientific inquiry, reasoning, and research and statistics skills to solve problems that demonstrate readiness for medical school.

Understanding the processes unique to living organisms, such as growing and reproducing, maintaining a constant internal environment, acquiring materials and energy, sensing and responding to environmental changes, and adapting, is important to the study of medicine.

You will be tested on your knowledge of how cells and organ systems within an organism act independently and in concert to accomplish these processes, as well as your ability to reason about these processes at various levels of biological organization within a living system. Click for more details.

Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills (CARS) Section

CARS section of MCAT

The CARS section of the MCAT is 90 minutes long and contains 53 multiple-choice questions. This section includes passages from various disciplines in the social sciences and humanities, followed by questions that lead you through comprehending, analyzing, and reasoning about the material you have read.

Specific knowledge of these disciplines is not required for this section; all the information you need appears in the provided passages. The areas from which content is drawn are ethics and philosophy, cultural studies, and population health. Click for more details.

Psychological, Social, & Biological Foundations of Behavior Section

Psychological, Social, & Biological Foundations of Behavior Section

The Psychological, Social, & Biological Foundations of Behavior section of the MCAT is a 95-minute section containing 59 multiple-choice questions. This section tests your knowledge and use of the concepts in psychology, sociology, biology, research methods, and statistics that provide a solid foundation for learning in medical school about the behavioral and socio-cultural determinants of health and health outcomes.

Understanding the behavioral and socio-cultural determinants of health is important to the study of medicine.

You will be tested on your knowledge of how psychological, social, and biological factors influence perceptions and reactions to the world; behavior, and behavior change; what people think about themselves and others; the cultural and social differences that influence well-being; and the relationships between social stratification, access to resources, and well-being. Click for more details.

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Section

Chemical and Physical Foundations section of MCAT

The Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems section of the MCAT is a 95-minute section containing 59 multiple-choice questions. This section asks you to combine your knowledge of foundational chemical and physical sciences concepts with your scientific inquiry, reasoning, and research and statistics skills to solve problems that demonstrate readiness for medical school.

Understanding the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of tissues, organs, and organ systems is important to the study of medicine.

You will be tested on your knowledge of the basic chemical and physical principles that underlie the mechanisms operating in the human body and your ability to apply an understanding of these general principles to living systems. Click for more details.

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