What were your MCAT passages about?

[Premed315U]

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I'm wondering if there are certain passage topics that always appear. Could you please write the topics of MCAT passages that you remember were on your MCAT?

Hopefully we can get a big string of MCAT topics together. Thanks so much!

 

[warpath]

Originally posted by Premed315U:
•I'm wondering if there are certain passage topics that always appear. Could you please write the topics of MCAT passages that you remember were on your MCAT?

Hopefully we can get a big string of MCAT topics together. Thanks so much!•••

I've totally deleted that experience from memory. This is what I know, though: The passages a grouped (not explicitly) into natural sciences (biology, geoscience,etc), social sciences (sociology,politics,etc), and humanities (literature, history,etc). You don't need prior experience in any of the above, everything you need in order to answer the questions is in the passage. Hope that helps.

 

[Premed315U]

Thanks so much.
Actually, I meant for the sciences--what type of questions topics were then? i.e. kidneys, etc.

Thanks!!

 

[eagle26]

know details of renal function (i.e., ADH response, role in pH homeostasis, functions of distal and promimal tubules, glomuleris, etc.), know cardiac anatomy and function, differences in striated vs smooth vs cardiac muscle, respiratory anatomy and function, adrenal gland function, autonomic nervous system, anatomy of cranial nerves, hormonal influence on nervous system response, gastric and digestive hormones as well as hormonal influence on these....should I keep going? I don't mean to bog you down, but if you know your physiology well, you'll do fine. I never took a physiology or histology class, and it's been 8 years since I took O. Chem and I scored a 13 on the bio section...as far as the physical sciences, I didn't do too well so I'll let someone else field that one!!!


Joe

 

[UCLA2000]

I found that Princeton review was right on the money about what was important for the MCAT. Do AMCAS 1-5. They will give you an idea about what the MCAT people feel is important.

 

[Premed315U]

Hi everyone, Thanks for your help.

I'll try to clarify my original post.

I'm wondering if, on the real MCAT, there are trends. Do certain passage topics almost ALWAYS appear? For example, I've heard kidneys almost always appear. Does anyone remember some other passage topics they had on their real MCAT?

UCLA, thanks for your advice. I have PR diags 481-484, and did 482 and 483 so far. Did you find these exact topics to be right on the money?

Thanks!!

 

[toobsllik]

Originally posted by Premed315U:
•Hi everyone, Thanks for your help.

I'll try to clarify my original post.

I'm wondering if, on the real MCAT, there are trends. Do certain passage topics almost ALWAYS appear? For example, I've heard kidneys almost always appear. Does anyone remember some other passage topics they had on their real MCAT?

UCLA, thanks for your advice. I have PR diags 481-484, and did 482 and 483 so far. Did you find these exact topics to be right on the money?

Thanks!!•••


My Biology section (August 2001): p53, obese gene in mice, types of vaccines, metabolism (high carb vs. high protein vs. high fat diets), protein transport, fetal circulation, haloforms, and a passage that tested 6-membered ring concepts (although the passage itself was on a steroid-like molecule). The other O-chem questions are not easily defined as they were based on reactions I had not seen previously.

TPR diagnostics are poorly worded; I missed questions because I simply did not understand what they were asking. The real MCAT was not like that.

BS

481: 14
482: 12
483: 13
August 2001: 15

Good luck!

 

[Mossjoh]

One of the trends I saw on my MCAT and I know will have more emphasis in the future is genetics. Physiology is important also, but know the genetics well. I had several questions on linked genes and test crosses (mating with a homozygous recessive genotype). I would also study some DNA and its structure and replication mechanism. (Transcription, Translation ect). Know how proteins are put together by the two subunits of the ribosome with each codon specifying an amino acid.
With physiology, know the effects of various endocrine glands and their hormones. ADH was a big one, especially with its effect on the nephron. I would also stress the immune system and the concepts behind it including the B-lymphocytes, helper T cells, and cytotoxic T cells. Know their specific roles in humoral and cellular immunity.
With respect to organic, I remember one specific question about reactions of ethers with alcohols. We had not yet covered this at the time of my test, but with my knowledge of organic I was able to figure this out relatively easy. Just remember that negative always attacks positive.

Best of luck

Mossjoh 😉

 

[Optimistic]

I have been trying to block the whole expeience from my memory too but i remember little tid bits.
In verbal reasoning I had
-passage on six senses in cat(only easy oneI had)
- something on agriculture
-3 long passages with lots of question . I didnt know what they were about even when I was talking the test. so how do I know now .
Also my verbal reasoning was alot more difficult than any of my practice verbal reasoning at kaplan

Biological sciences
- endocrinology ,something about NYP,NPY or something.I basicaly had no clue what they were asking in any of the question following that passage. they might as well had just put it in verbal reasoning part.

physical sciences
- I had no question on pulleys and tension so I was glad about that .
-I had passage on inclined plane
-a passage on electrochemical cell ,pka etc.
- a passage about something about universe galaxy something.

Thats basically all I remember.