For premed students on a budget, the expensive world of MCAT prep can often seem intimidating and out of reach. In recent years, free MCAT test prep materials have become more common than ever, especially as the AAMC itself has been trying to make the process more accessible for those coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The following are various free resources that should help form a solid foundation for anyone’s MCAT study plan.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy’s MCAT Test Prep is an extensive free study resource recognized and supported by the AAMC. Khan Academy’s easy-to-understand videos help students learn or review concepts for the MCAT and then provide plenty of practice questions to test their knowledge. The prep course contains sample content from all four sections of the exam, with 1,100 videos and 3,000 review questions to help you study. The Khan Academy course is the only substantial free test prep resource that is AAMC-approved.
AnkiWeb
Anki is a free and open-source flashcard software that can be highly individualized to your personal study needs. You can create your own decks or download pre-made flashcard decks for free on any subject you can think of. You can easily find complete study resources for the MCAT, the most used of which is the milesdown MCAT prep deck. Anki’s software allows you to indicate which flashcards were easier or harder to remember, and it will tailor your future study sessions accordingly. You can also create your own customized study sessions at any time. Easy to use and a powerful tool, Anki has been an incredible resource for me throughout college and will undoubtedly help anyone preparing for the MCAT.
AAMC Free Planning and Study Resources
The AAMC has free planning resources and a handful of free study resources. For example, they have a complete list of the foundational concepts and skills needed for the exam and a six-step guide on creating your own personal study plan. They have premed webinars that cover a variety of topics, including guidance and tips about AAMC services, such as the Fee Assistance Program. They also provide a monthly email newsletter that includes resources to help you on your path to medical school. For those who want to plan their approach to different topics on the exam, the AAMC has Road Maps that focus on the skills and concepts students need to know for the exam, specifically for the CARS section, and concepts in Sociology, Psychology, and Biochemistry. They also provide a YouTube playlist of videos and webinars to help you prepare for the MCAT. For study resources that specifically provide sample questions, the AAMC only has two free practice exams. Each are 230-question practice exams that have the same look and functionality as a real exam, but one provides a scaled score and percentile rank, while the other does not.
MCAT Basics Podcast
Hosted by Dr. Sam Smith, the MCAT Basics podcast is designed to be a comprehensive MCAT exam prep resource. The podcast covers many topics on the exam, with each episode covering a different topic, such as DNA replication, cell and tissue types, and thermodynamics. Lesson topics are directly based on practice material. Dr. Smith additionally conducts interviews with experts in the field who give advice on how to succeed on the exam.
MCAT Masterclass
MCAT Masterclass is a free resource with a series of videos for each of the sections of the exam. These videos go in-depth on various conceptual topics and serve as a great additional resource to supplement your understanding of core concepts. This site continues to add videos teaching more concepts in Biochemistry, Biology, General Chemistry, Physics, and Psychology, with videos on Sociology coming soon. If your budget allows for some paid tutoring or study materials, the website MCAT Masterclass is hosted on medschoolcoach.com, which also provides many other resources.
Thank you for reading,
Ashby Glover
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-yellow-shirt-writing-on-white-paper-3807755/