Preparing for the MCAT can be physically, mentally, and financially challenging. With many expenses to allot your budget on, utilizing free resources is a great way to ensure you are preparing for the MCAT while saving money.
Thanks to many free online resources, you can study and prepare for the MCAT without spending additional money. All you need is a device and a good internet connection. Many students have aced their MCAT with the help of these free online resources.
If you're searching for the best online resources for the MCAT, you have come to the right page. This article focuses on the best of them and how to use them properly.
How Should You Use the Free Online Resources to Prepare for the MCAT?
Using free online resources for the MCAT will not yield good results if you do not use them properly. Utilizing them effectively is the key. Otherwise, you are bound to waste your time and effort. You will also not be able to achieve the results you want.
Here are a few tips on using the MCAT's free resources for optimum results.
Know Your MCAT Weaknesses and Strengths
Some MCAT online free resources focus on different topics and subjects. Before using the free online resources, you must assess your strengths and weaknesses.
Doing so allows you to identify which online resources for the MCAT to use. Doing so helps you to determine which online resources for the MCAT to use.
Use Free Resources for the MCAT with a Good Reputation
There are many free resources for the MCAT you can find these days. While they are free and you won’t waste any money if you use them, we recommend you do your research first.
Ask other MCAT students, visit MCAT online forums, and check out the websites. It It helps you save time.Do Not Be Afraid to Use More than One Resource.
Since these MCAT resources are free, we encourage you to use more than one.
You will not find all the information and help you need in only one free online resource. Pair them together to ensure maximum results.
Do Not Only Rely on the Free MCAT Online Resources
The MCAT is one of the most important exams in your pursuit of becoming a doctor. It may be costly. However, the amount you will spend for your MCAT preparation is nothing compared to how much you will spend in medical school.
Additionally, once you become a doctor, you will earn more than you spent on the MCAT and medical school. With the MCAT's free online resources, spending on other MCAT prep books, prep courses, and MCAT tutoring programs wouldn't be a bad idea.Take MCAT Practice Tests Now and Then.
Your goal for using MCAT resources is to improve your score. Therefore, you must answer MCAT practice questions and practice tests to ensure that your scores are improving. Otherwise, you are just wasting your time and effort.
Free Online MCAT Resources: Pros and Cons
Like other MCAT prep resources, these also have advantages and disadvantages. In that case, assessing if the benefits exceed the drawbacks is essential.
For your reference, here are the pros and cons of using the best free online resources for the MCAT.
The Pros of Using Free MCAT Online Resources:
The Cons of Using Free MCAT Online Resources:
10 Best Free Online MCAT Resources
As you prepare for the MCAT, using online resources could be your saving grace, especially if you are on a tight budget. If you ask other MCAT students, most of them would say that these online resources helped them a great deal to achieve a strong MCAT score.
To help you choose the best online resources for the MCAT, here are a few that you might want to check out.
1. AAMC Free Online MCAT Resource
Source: AAMC Official Website
The AAMC's website is home to a wealth of other resources on the MCAT, including guidelines, suggestions, and recommendations from prior medical students who have already taken the exam.
If you are taking the MCAT, the AAMC is the first online resource you should check out. Even if they do not have free practice exams, it is still a good source of information you might need for the MCAT.
What’s Included:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Official body that administers the MCAT Reliable information Relevant data about past MCAT | No free MCAT prep materials |
Additional Reading:
2. Khan Academy Free Online MCAT Prep Course
Source: Khan Academy Official Website
A non-profit online learning environment, Khan Academy focuses on providing academic courses in a range of areas for learners of all ages.
The Khan Academy MCAT course comprises 1,100 videos and 3,000 review questions to help you prepare for the MCAT.
The inclusion of Khan Academy in this list of study guides is because, as a stand-alone product, it might not provide an adequate content review for people who require more in-depth MCAT preparation.
What’s included:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Approved by the AAMC Has a good reputation Good quality of videos | Limited content No MCAT full-length exams No personalized study plan |
Additional Reading:
3. Princeton Review Free Online Biology Course (Trial)
Source: Princeton Review Official Website
Despite being only 7 days long, this trial made our list of the best MCAT study materials since it includes the same biochemistry learning module as the Princeton Review's commercial MCAT courses.
This free trial includes an in-depth score report for a full-length practice exam and on-demand Medflix films on topics including biological macromolecules, catalysts and enzymes, thermodynamics, and reaction coupling.
Additionally, you get to participate in practice exercises and quizzes that evaluate your understanding of enzymes and hyperuricemia.
What’s included:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Has a good reputation Quality practice materials Engaging and good quality videos | Good for only 7 days Limited content compared to the paid program |
Additional Reading:
4. MCAT Self-Prep Free Online Resource
Source: MCAT Self-Prep Official Website
You can make a thorough walkthrough of everything on the MCAT using the YouTube playlists provided by the MCAT Self Prep website, which offers a wide range of different MCAT prep channels.
If you'd prefer to read through the material in preparation books. The fact that this course incorporates the AAMC practice materials into mini-tests for monitoring your progress frequently is a great feature.
What’s included:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Access to Facebook study group Included 10 MCAT modules and other MCAT prep materials Offers alternative MCAT programs at an affordable price | Lots of ads No mobile app Lack of detailed explanations |
Additional Reading:
5. Kaplan Free MCAT Practice Test
Kaplan is renowned for offering top-notch practice materials for standardized tests. While you may opt to do so, you could also wish to take advantage of Kaplan's free MCAT Practice Test. Most of its products demand payment from customers.
You may be confident that you are receiving the most recent practice material because Kaplan does an excellent job updating its practice test content. The redesigned, condensed MCAT is used in their current practice exam.
What’s included:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Quality questions Has a good reputation Offers MCAT prep courses and tutoring programs | Some explanations lack details Prep courses and tutoring programs offered are expensive |
Additional Reading:
6. Jack Westin Free MCAT CARS Course
Source: JackWestin Official Website
JackWestin has published free daily CARS chapters that they have structured to the AAMC format. Although their questions are a little more challenging than the original AAMC CARS passages, we still think everyone should use them.
They occasionally create questions where most students select the incorrect response. The question should then be disregarded because it was probably inadequately phrased.
What’s included:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Detailed explanations Patterned from the actual MCAT Lots of MCAT CARS passages and questions | More difficult than the actual MCAT Free course focuses on MCAT CARS only Some questions and passages have grammar and spelling mistakes |
7. Blueprint (Next Step) Free MCAT Test Bundle
Source: Blueprint Official Website
A free package from Blueprint, formerly known as Next Step Test Prep, comprises a full-length exam, a diagnostic exam that is just half as long, and then some additional free material from their MCAT course.
Additionally, they provide a free 90-minute MCAT Verbal Strategy course and a free daily MCAT question newsletter. Once more, fragmenting your test preparation is not advised. Therefore if you are only interested in the free part of this test, we propose taking their free practice exam.
What’s included:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Has a good reputation Quality MCAT prep materials Offers alternative MCAT prep courses and tutoring programs | Some explanations may lack details No program to collaborate with other MCAT students |
Additional Reading:
8. Magoosh Free Online MCAT Prep Review (Trial)
Source: Magoosh Official Website
The way that Magoosh teaches sets it apart from other MCAT prep programs. With other services, potential medical students are subject to months of strict practice regimens. However, this is not the case with Magoosh.
The programs are all self-paced. You can select from a variety of pre-made schedules based on the length of your testing. However, those timetables can be modified to fit your specific needs.
Magoosh does not provide study tips, in contrast to some other test prep software. As a result, it's well-liked by those who want a more independent approach or are professionals.
What’s included:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Has a mobile app platform Score predictor feature Thorough content evaluation videos | Low quality of videos Few practice questions Does not include printed materials |
Additional Reading:
9. Charles Feng Free Online MCAT Resource
Source Charles Feng Official Website
Charles Feng offers the lesson plans he developed for his classes during his four years of teaching for Examkrackers. There he worked after receiving a score that placed him in the 99.9th percentile in 2008.
Although these guides were written before the 2015 MCAT modifications, you can still utilize them as excellent subject guides for the four sections of the MCAT.
What’s included:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Good and detailed illustrations Printable and downloadable materials Created by an actual MCAT test-taker | Patterned from the old MCAT format Not as well-known as the others in this list Does not offer alternative MCAT prep course and tutoring programs |
10. MCAT Mastery Free Online MCAT Resource
Source: MCAT Mastery Official Website
You may help yourself succeed on the MCAT by using MCAT Mastery as a resource for your medical school studies.
However, MCAT Mastery does not offer free MCAT prep courses and practice questions. We have multiple blog posts and videos about biology, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and physics. We have everything you need to know about the MCAT.
What’s included:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Covers everything about the MCAT Founded by actual MCAT test-takers Covers everything about the MCAT Offers alternative MCAT prep course and tutoring programs | Lack of in-depth explanations on some topics No full-length exams and practice materials provided |
Additional Reading:
Additional Free Resources for MCAT Preparation
Free MCAT YouTube Channels
You can check out many free MCAT YouTube channels to study and prepare for the MCAT. It is especially beneficial if you are a visual learner. YouTube channels are also a good break since you do not have to read and flip pages of an MCAT prep book.
Free MCAT Podcasts
Like YouTube channels for the MCAT, you can also opt to listen to podcasts as you gear up for the MCAT. Many students claim that listening to these MCAT podcasts helped them immensely during their MCAT preparation.
To help you achieve your goal MCAT score, we take turns hosting these 
