You should not take the MCAT lightly. It is among the most significant examinations you will ever take. Therefore, you must employ effective strategies and techniques to ensure a strong MCAT score.
Any effective MCAT study strategy must include MCAT practice exams. Prospective medical students who have studied using reliable practice exams and MCAT prep materials will better understand the test's pace and timing.
Additionally, if you take MCAT practice exams, you will gain more confidence in your ability to ace the exam when the actual test day arrives. It highlights the importance of using an MCAT practice exam and working hard to comprehend every element of the admissions test that could positively or negatively impact the results.
This article will provide you with the best practice exams for the MCAT. If you want to know what they are, please keep reading!
What are MCAT Practice Exams?
MCAT practice exams are a crucial part of your MCAT preparation.
No MCAT preparation is complete without taking at least five practice exams.
Practice exams help you feel more confident so that when you finally have to take the actual MCAT, you don't feel like you are taking the exam for the first time.
The questions on the practice exams follow the same chapter distribution and are of a similar level of difficulty.
However, take note that they are not exactly the same — you will not find any questions that are identical on the actual test.
In addition, the duration of the exam and how the questions are structured will give you an overview of how the actual MCAT will go. That is why you must take these practice exams when taking your actual MCAT.
Furthermore, you also get the chance to identify the topics and areas you need to improve on when you take MCAT practice exams. It is why taking only one MCAT practice exam is not advisable. You have to take MCAT practice exams as often as you can to ensure that your weak areas are given emphasis.
Why Do MCAT Practice Exams Matter? 6 Reasons
Practice makes perfect. As cliché as it may sound, it is true.
Although the chances of getting a perfect score on the MCAT is highly improbable, it is still worth mentioning that taking practice exams will give you the confidence and the boost you need to ace the exam.
Do not take the MCAT without taking practice exams.
Aside from the confidence, below is a list of why you should take MCAT practice exams:
MCAT Practice Exams Help You Build Stamina
The MCAT takes approximately seven and a half hours to finish.
Given how accustomed we are to multitasking in today's environment, spending hours in front of a test can be exhausting. You should take practice exams to develop your exam-taking stamina, much like bodybuilders gradually increase their weights over time. The first test or two could tire you, but as you practice more, the thought of taking tests for hours on end will seem less daunting.
MCAT Practice Exams Determine Your Strong and Weak Areas
Students are no different from others in that they frequently ignore their flaws instead of concentrating entirely on their areas of strength.
Even though it may be alluring to put all your attention on your strengths to boost your self-confidence, the only way you will do better on the MCAT is by identifying and concentrating on your weaknesses.
Practice exams assist you in doing that by highlighting your areas of strength and need for improvement in real-time.
MCAT Practice Exams Ease Your Test Anxiety
MCAT test anxiety is an actual condition. For those who experience it, mastering oneself while taking the test can be just as important as learning the subject matter.
Whether considering a career in nursing, dentistry, or medicine, taking a practice test can make you feel more at ease on test day by simulating the real thing.
You will feel more at ease when you arrive for the MCAT test the more practice exams you have taken.
MCAT Practice Exams Let You Know the Exams Quirks
Tests reveal your knowledge (or lack thereof). However, they rarely follow a clear-cut path, as you might anticipate.
It is beneficial to take practice exams because MCAT test-taking tactics differ significantly from other test-taking strategies.
You get used to the exam's peculiarities by putting yourself through rigorous testing. Knowing the format inside and out makes the procedure more effortless, making it easier for you to plan your unique study methods.
MCAT Practice Exams Aid in Spacing Out Your Learning
Starting as soon as possible is one of the most crucial things you can do to prepare for the MCAT.
Throughout your study period, MCAT practice exams will help you solidify what you have learned and allow you to revisit it afterward. A thorough practice test before the exam day can jog your memory of earlier topics that may have been dormant over your study session.
MCAT Practice Exams Track Your Progress
Monitoring your progress might be a fantastic way to determine which study techniques are practical for you and which ones you should give up on during your MCAT preparation.
Even one practice exam can serve as a baseline, providing the information you need to determine which areas require your attention. Plot your results from several practice exams to get an overview of your development.
When to Take MCAT Practice Exams?
It is usually a good idea to complete as many practice exams as possible before the MCAT, but it can be challenging to determine when to do so.
Even though it might seem daunting, we advise beginning to take practice exams about two weeks after you start the material review. By taking this first practice exam, it lets you determine your beginning score and understand the MCAT test's structure.
You can use the initial test results as a diagnostic tool to determine which topics need more intense emphasis than others. Do not make the mistake of waiting too long to do your initial test.
As the test date approaches — roughly six weeks out — start taking a full-length practice exam once a week.
Start with independent tests and save the AAMC practice examinations until the day of your test. Remember to take every single AAMC test again.
Last but not least, stay away from studying and practice tests in the final two to three days before your test.
If you take a practice test too soon before the actual test, your brain will become overworked.
Additionally, you will not have enough time to study your results in-depth, which reduces the practice test's usefulness.
7 Tips When Taking Practice Exams for the MCAT
While MCAT practice exams are an effective strategy to ace the MCAT – to maximize their use, you must employ a reliable technique on how and when to take them. Otherwise, you will be wasting your time and effort and will not get the desired results.
We highly recommend tips and tricks to optimize and get the best results when taking MCAT practice exams.
Start Small
Do not force yourself to take lengthy exams while still reviewing the material. We advise using the countless Quizlet practice questions provided in each session of each content module.
Ensure consistently finishing the AAMC Mini Exams (consisting of AAMC Question Bank, Section Bank, and Flashcard questions) after each material module.
These Mini Exams will allow you to apply what you are learning, get a taste of how the actual MCAT will be, and see how your score is changing over time.
Know Where You Currently Stand
Find out where your scaled score stands right now.
Attempting full-length examinations before you have fully retained the material may give you an erroneous idea of the grade you might receive on test day since you cannot think critically about something you have not memorized.
Gain Confidence and Ease for Test Day
If you take full-length examinations before you are prepared, you will have a misleading impression of what the test day will be like.
Doing this will diminish your comfort and confidence on test day. When taking MCAT practice exams, you want to feel like you are taking the real deal, and that can only occur once you have covered all of the information.
Take the MCAT Practice Exams Seriously
Do not take MCAT practice exams lightly. Remember that your goal when taking MCAT practice exams is to identify weak and strong areas.
If you do not answer them to the best of your ability, you will not get accurate results. This will not have a good impact on your performance when you finally take the MCAT.
Take MCAT Practice Exams on the Same Day and Time as Your Actual MCAT
The MCAT is usually administered on a Saturday at 8:00 am.
To help you feel more comfortable and at ease on your actual MCAT, take these MCAT practice exams on the same day and time. Most students attest that this helped them improve their scores leading to the test day.
Review for the MCAT Practice Exams
Some students make the mistake of not reviewing for MCAT practice exams because it is not the actual MCAT.
Do not be one of them. To get reliable results, you must ensure that you prepare for them. This will help you modify whatever it is you are doing wrong in your MCAT preparation.
Save the AAMC Practice Exams for Last
The final MCAT practice exams you take before the test day should be from the AAMC. It is because AAMC full-lengths are renowned for providing the most accurate prediction of your performance on test day. When you step into the MCAT, you will feel assured if you receive a top score on an AAMC full-length immediately before test day.
Best Practice Exams for the MCAT
There are tons of MCAT practice exams available for you to choose from. Being a future medical practitioner, you should know that not all of them will be able to help you succeed on the MCAT. Therefore, you must be wise when choosing the best MCAT practice exams.
For your reference, here are the best MCAT practice exams.
1. AAMC MCAT Practice Exams
The AAMC practice exams are undoubtedly the industry standard and the first practice examinations that any MCAT student should take. Working through these tests is crucial because the MCAT creators are responsible for creating them.
AAMC practice exams are a great dry run to gauge your preparation and test-taking techniques with up to 4 mock exams.
The fact that there are not many AAMC tests is a significant drawback. Early in 2020, the four comprehensive tests were made available by AAMC. Each student should go over things thoroughly, essentially mastering every subject.
AAMC offers a free sample test, but you must buy their examinations if you want a comprehensive score report and explanations.
AAMC Practice Exams Pricing
USD 35 each – 4 practice exams in total |
AAMC Practice Exams Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Created by the AAMC (the company that creates the MCAT) Has the same level of difficulty as the actual MCAT Not as expensive as the others | Only four practice exams are available Some explanations lack detail |
AAMC Practice Exams: Customers User Feedback and Reviews
With AAMC, the official body that administers the MCAT, you are secured and guaranteed that they are the next big thing when it comes to the actual MCAT. Thus, students who have purchased their MCAT practice exams have nothing but good words to say about this bundle.
Below are a couple of reviews about the AAMC MCAT practice exams.
2. Altius MCAT Practice Exams
Although many students value the tests provided by Altius, their materials currently appear to be a little antiquated. The website's most recent test version dates back to 2015.
Yes, the new MCAT was released at precisely that time, and the test now uses the new format. However, 2015 has passed, and since then, the questions (and perhaps even answers, have changed).
You can still go for Altius if you are motivated to give it a shot. The advantage of these exams is that they are more similar to AAMC materials than to Kaplan or Princeton Review materials.
Altius MCAT Practice Tests Pricing
USD 40 for 1 practice exam USD 175 for 5 practice exams USD 300 for 10 practice exams |
Altius MCAT Practice Exams Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Affordable Includes a free practice exam Has great experimental passages Questions have high relevance to the actual MCAT | Outdated Some explanations lack detail CARS section needs to be improved |
Altius MCAT Practice Exams Users’ Feedback and Reviews
Although some say that the Altius MCAT practice exams are a little outdated, this does not stop them from being able to help students prepare well for the MCAT and get their target scores.
After all, their practice exams have a high resemblance to the actual MCAT.
Below are some testimonials of previous clients who used the Altius MCAT practice exams.
3. Blueprint MCAT Practice Exams
Blueprint offers some unique data that will assist you in better understanding your shortcomings and the areas where you need to improve.
For instance, one of the analytics tools displays the percentage of answers you changed from right to wrong and from wrong to correct. This feature can help you understand your thinking and overcome any uncertainties you may have when responding to a question.
Many users have said that the Blueprint is more challenging than the actual AAMC tests and that it is also highly relevant to the AAMC subject in terms of both difficulty and relevancy.
The four AAMC practice tests complement the Next Step practice exams for this reason alone.
Additionally, Blueprint provides a free trial membership where you may access a free online MCAT practice test, 7 instructional modules, a half-length diagnostic MCAT, and much more.
Blueprint MCAT Practice Exams Pricing
USD 134 for 4 practice exams USD 179 for 6 practice exams USD 269 for 10 practice exams USD 359 for 10 practice exams and Qbank |
Blueprint MCAT Practice Exams Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Free trial option Great for improving CARS High relevance to the AAMC practice materials | Harder than the actual MCAT Sentence constructions can be confusing |
Blueprint MCAT Practice Exams Users’ Feedback and Reviews
Over the years, Blueprint has proven to be a reliable MCAT prep company.
Thousands of students who avail of their MCAT prep programs will attest to this. Their MCAT practice questions are no different. Blueprint ensures that they reflect those of the actual MCAT.
For your reference, here are some reviews and feedback about Blueprint’s MCAT practice questions.
4. Examkrackers MCAT Practice Exams
The practice exams on Examkrackers are among the top tools despite the platform's age and lack of functionality. Notably, it has great passage questions for developing critical thinking.
However, the procedure for its analytics and test evaluation can be cumbersome. The questions cannot be checked by navigating to specific questions, which is generally less intuitive than most online platforms. You must complete them in the proper order.
Overall, the structure and subject matter closely match the MCAT exam. Examkrackers offer the most difficult questions, which are ideal for enhancing your general test-taking proficiency.
Examkrackers Practice Exams Pricing
USD 25 each, 6 practice exams in total |
Examkrackers MCAT Practice Exams Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Affordable Excellent passages to improve critical thinking High relevance to the actual MCAT | Outdated platform Can be difficult to review your answers Lack of detailed explanations to some content |
Examkrackers MCAT Practice Exams Users’ Feedback and Reviews
Like the others on this list, Examkrackers has assisted med students in succeeding on the MCAT. They employ unique strategies and techniques to ensure students tackle the MCAT without being burnt-out.
Below are a few reviews about the Examkrackers MCAT practice questions for your reference.
5. Gold Standard MCAT Practice Exams
Gold Standard MCAT practice exams of full-length AAMC-format MCAT practice exams tailored to the exam's difficulty level; and even question distribution are included in this MCAT preparation course.
Students receive raw scores for the MCAT practice exams. The scores are immediately converted to scaled values. The thorough examination gave applicable justifications and solutions that drew on a multimedia backdrop.
The Gold Standard MCAT practice test package included access to the online post-exam discussion threads, which is very beneficial.
Also included in the Gold Standard MCAT practice test package is a year's worth of online access to the MCAT exam's questions and solutions.
Gold Standard Practice Exams Pricing
USD 35.95 for 7 practice exams |
Gold Standard MCAT Practice Exams Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Budget-friendly Good exam for mental training Has a lot of CARS passages | Explanations lack detail Passages not of the best quality |
Gold Standard MCAT Practice Exams Users’ Feedback and Reviews
Regarding MCAT practice exams – Gold Standard is one of the most comprehensive you can find. They have helped students ace the MCAT for over three decades by creating reliable and effective practice exams.
Here are a couple of reviews about Gold Standard MCAT practice exams.
6. Kaplan MCAT Practice Exams
The Kaplan MCAT practice exams offer various passage questions and explanations. Before making an actual purchase, you can access one Kaplan free MCAT practice exam if you genuinely want to test it out for yourself.
The passage questions are content-heavy, and if you sign up for the in-person course, these will be a massive help to you as you prepare for the MCAT. These passage questions are a fantastic way to practice reading comprehension and pace.
Kaplan Practice Exams Pricing
USD 329 for 3 practice exams, 6 months of access USD 449 for 6 practice exams, 12 months of access USD 549 for 10 practice exams, 12 months of access |
Kaplan MCAT Practice Exams Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
More practice exams than others Detailed and in-depth explanations Includes a free MCAT practice exam | Not affordable for most students Most passages are information-based, with no application of concepts Questions are more difficult than the actual MCAT |
Kaplan MCAT Practice Exams Users’ Feedback and Reviews
Kaplan has earned a decent reputation in MCAT preparation, and over the past few decades, they have helped many students succeed in the MCAT. Their MCAT practice questions are created by MCAT experts who ensure that students benefit from them.
For your reference, here are a few testimonials from students who use the Kaplan MCAT practice questions.
7. Magoosh MCAT Practice Exams
The substance and general complexity of Magoosh MCAT practice exams are adequate and even as challenging as the AAMC course material. You can easily comprehend the explanations since they are clearly stated and simple.
The application from Magoosh is beneficial because of its analytics and explanations. The timer element of the analytics, which displays your average time spent on each question, also aids in helping you pace yourself during the practice exam.
Finally, Magoosh is a reasonable deal that is neither very pricey nor too affordable.
Despite not directly selling practice examinations, the provider's course package is less expensive than what most prep organizations on this list have to offer.
Magoosh Practice Exams Pricing
USD 179 for 3 practice exams, 1 month of access USD 199 for 3 practice exams, 12 months of access |
Magoosh MCAT Practice Exams Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Includes a free trial More affordable than other alternatives Excellent choice if you wish to reaffirm the pre-med course's fundamental ideas | Less relevant to the actual MCAT Does not offer individual practice tests |
Magoosh MCAT Practice Exams Users’ Feedback and Reviews
Magoosh is also one of the most well-known MCAT prep companies. Like the others on this list, they have assisted many med students in succeeding on the MCAT.
Below are a few reviews and testimonials of students who used the Magoosh MCAT practice exams.
8. The Princeton Review MCAT Practice Questions
The Princeton Review MCAT practice exam has content-heavy passage-based questions, like Kaplan's program, but it is significantly more difficult and demanding.
While The Princeton Review's user interface may take some getting accustomed to, it has been demonstrated that the application itself raises students' scores by at least 10 points.
Overall, it is a reliable, well-rounded practice test reviewer. It blends challenging and information-dense questions for better MCAT preparation. With its practice exams, The Princeton Review excels at providing a thorough review with its practice exams.
The Princeton Review Practice Exams Pricing
USD 299 for 8 practice exams |
The Princeton Review MCAT Practice Exams Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Comprehensive explanations Good price for 8 full-length practice exams Has a good reputation when it comes to MCAT prep | Not a lot of the material has relevance to AAMC |
The Princeton Review MCAT Practice Exams Users’ Feedback and Reviews
When you think of MCAT preparation, the Princeton Review is one that comes to mind. Why not? It has been around for years and has helped many students perform well on the MCAT.
Their MCAT practice questions are no exception. Hence, students have nothing but good words about Princeton Review’s full-lengths.
Here are a few testimonials from students who avail of the Princeton Review MCAT practice exams.
Summary Table of the Best MCAT Practice Exams
MCAT Prep Company | Price | Number of MCAT Full-Length Exams |
|---|---|---|
AAMC | USD 35 each | 4 |
Altius | USD 40 USD 175 USD 300 | 1 5 10 |
Blueprint | USD 134 USD 179 USD 269 USD 359 | 4 6 10 10 + Qbank |
Examkrackers | USD 25 each | 6 |
Gold Standard | USD 35.95 | 7 |
Kaplan | USD 329 USD 449 USD 549 | 3 6 10 |
Magoosh | USD 179 USD 199 | 3 – 1 month access 3 – 12 months access |
Princeton Review | USD 299 | 8 |
Additional FAQs – Best Practice Exams for the MCAT
How Many Practice Exams Should I Take Before the MCAT?
Aside from giving you the confidence you need for the MCAT, these practice exams also let you identify the weak areas you need to improve on.
Therefore, you should take at least 2 to 5 full-length MCAT practice exams before your test day.
What is the Best MCAT Practice Exam?
Since the MCAT and the AAMC practice exams are written by the same testing experts, they should be comparable.
Many students assert no difference between their actual MCAT score and their performance on the AAMC practice tests. It is why almost all test-takers use the AAMC study materials.
Are There Free MCAT Practice Exams?
Magoosh, Kaplan, Blueprint, and Altius are some of these prep companies. If you are unsure whether you want to buy them completely, you can try their free trial first.
Are the MCAT Practice Exams Harder than the Actual MCAT?
However, as most students would say, taking MCAT practice exams that are more difficult than the actual MCAT is good because you get to identify the topics you are struggling with. In turn, you have the opportunity and the time to work on these areas.
To help you achieve your goal MCAT score, we take turns hosting these 
