MCAT test format

[Monkeymaniac]

Hi,

I have a general idea about the format of the MCAT, following are the data I could find on the Internet.

Section Number of Questions Length
Verbal Reasoning 40 60 minutes
Physical Sciences 52 70 minutes
Biological Sciences 52 70 minutes
Writing Sample 2 thirty-minute essays 60 minutes

But is number of passages per each section predefined? If not, would someone please give me the range of the number of passages for verbal and science sections?

Also it seems to be a general consensus that

For verbal, we should spend 2:30 for reading each passage and 1 minute for answering each question.

And for science, we should spend 2:00 minutes for reading each passage and 1 minute for answering each question.

How has this been working for you guys? Does anyone have other time distribution strategies?

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[ACSheldor]

7 is the lucky number on passages. 7 per section. As far as timing goes, you really can't have a set number in my opinion because some passages are hard and some are easy. Maybe you should do the timing at first but after that I wouldn't stress it because you develop an internal clock. I just look at the clock when I start and finish a passage and just make sure I do it in # of questions plus 2 minutes. So a 7 question passage usually takes me 8-9 minutes. If you are spending a long time on a question then you know to just guess and move on and come back at the end of the passage if you answer the last few questions quickly, if not then just try to come back at the end. I think it hurts if you try to put a number of minutes to spend on a passage because some require more time and some less but it should balance out in a span of 3 or 4 passages. Generally though, half or more of your time should be on the questions.

So what I'm trying to say is that you should move quickly and with a sense of urgency but not so quickly that you screw up on questions or make a lot of careless mistakes.

 

[NickNaylor]

Uh... pretty much any strategy that incorporates hard deadlines will probably not work so well. You'll figure out your timing as you take practice FL exams. You should have plenty of time to work all of the problems (except perhaps VR, as many people seem to struggle the most with that section as far as timing goes) and maybe even go back and do some double-checking.