MCAT Exam - Pre-Medicine Undergraduate Information - Biology Department: Wartburg College

MCAT Exam

What is the MCAT? MCAT stands for Medical College Admissions Test. It is the most important test you will take to get into medical school! You are scored 1-15 in the subject areas of verbal reasoning, physical sciences and biological sciences. There is also a writing sample that is scored alphabetically.

A competitive applicant for medical school (M.D.) should have an MCAT score of 10 or higher in each subject area and an "O" on the essay. An average of 9 or better is competitive for osteopathic medical school while an average of 7-8 or better would be appropriate for podiatry school.

Average MCAT scores for entrants into the following medical schools:

School	Average MCAT Score
University of Wisconsin-Madison	10.1
University of Iowa	9.9
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	10.0
Medical College of Wisconsin	10.1
Mayo Medical School	11.0
University of Minnesota-Duluth	9.1
Southern Illinois University-Springfield	9.0
Washington University - St. Louis	11.9
University of Nebraska	9.5
Des Moines Osteopathic Medicine University	8.3

**You must register online at: MCAT registration**

It is strongly advised that you take the MCAT in April of your Junior year for the following reasons:

you can retake the MCAT in August if your score is low
you can complete your application sooner
you can focus on your ACMAS or ACOMAS application during the summer

How do you study for the MCAT?

Familiarize yourself with the format of the exam and practice taking the test.
Begin studying EARLY! It is probably best to start preparing for the MCAT the summer before your Junior Year.
UNDERSTAND what you are studying. It has been stated that only 15% of the MCAT is based on memorization of facts, the rest is understanding and applying knowledge.
Be organized in how you go about your studying. Set aside some specific time into your schedule for study each day or several times per week. You might want to start an MCAT study group with some fellow Wartburg pre-med students. You can provide each other support and keep yourself on track!
Check out a good MCAT review guide and/or practice test from the Wartburg College Pathways Center or buy one used. Check out e-Wart for listings from previous years students or you can buy a good review book online at Admission Consultants.
Below are summaries of experiences and tips that past Wartburg pre-med students had in preparing for and taking the MCAT. Browse through for information and advice:
- Experience#1
- Experience#2
As a Wartburg College student, after you have taken the MCAT, please help current students in their quest for successful MCAT preparation by filling out and submitting this form to Dr. Ed Westen. Thanks!

Questions regarding this site or its content should be directed to Dr. Ed Westen