What's on the MCAT® Exam?

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What's on the MCAT student

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This resource contains a complete description of the competencies you are responsible for knowing on the MCAT® exam. It also lists and discusses the exam’s conceptual framework, organized around foundational concepts, content categories, and scientific inquiry and reasoning skills. 


The outline is also available as a course in the MCAT Official Prep Hub, with links to Khan Academy lessons and other open access free resources covering the same content. Review the course
 

Content Outline

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The Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section asks you to solve problems by combining your knowledge of biological and biochemical concepts with your scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.

The Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior section asks you to solve problems by combining your knowledge of foundational concepts with your scientific inquiry and reasoning skills. 

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The Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems section asks you to solve problems by combining your knowledge of chemical and physical foundational concepts with your scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.

The Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section of the MCAT exam will be similar to many of the verbal reasoning tests you have taken in your academic career. It includes passages and questions that test your ability to comprehend what you read.