Building the Foundation - MCAT Prep for Community College and 1st/2nd Year Students

Sep 28, 2026

Webinar focuses on building an MCAT study plan for community college and first-/second-year undergraduates, starting with the course prerequisites to take before testing. It presents study-approach decisions such as group versus independent learning, note-taking and flashcards, and using libraries versus recordings. The session breaks down why MCAT Chem/Phys and CARS are challenging, including integrated subjects, reasoning demands, time pressure, and the way CARS passages span humanities and social sciences. It then gives actionable tips for high-yield memorization and consistent CARS practice.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

What we’ll cover in today’s webinar

Focus On Your Courses Before the MCAT

Develop a Study Approach

MCAT Chem/Phys: Why it’s difficult

Tip 1: Commit high yield content to memory

MCAT CARS: Why it’s difficult

Tip 2: CARS is like strength training

Tip 3: Who is the author?

Building the Foundation: MCAT Prep for Community College and 1st/2nd Year Students Meet Your Speaker Ken Tao Director of MCAT, MedSchoolCoach [www.medschoolcoach.com](www.medschoolcoach.com) 2 Introduction What we’ll cover in today’s webinar How to Develop Study Skills as a Community College or 1st/2nd year undergraduate student Strategies for Preparing for Each Section of the MCAT Q&A [www.medschoolcoach.com](www.medschoolcoach.com) 3 Focus On Your Courses Before the MCAT ● Ideally, you want to take all of the MCAT pre-requisite courses before you take the MCAT. Here are all of the courses you should plan on taking: •General Chemistry I and II •Organic Chemistry I and II •Physics I and II •Biochemistry •Biology I and II •Introduction to Psychology •Introduction to Sociology [www.medschoolcoach.com](www.medschoolcoach.com) 4 Develop a Study Approach ● Some students benefit a lot from studying with others while other students do better with independent study ● Some students enjoy studying in the library while others prefer cafés or their bedroom ● Some students like to take notes, make study guides, or create flashcards for review ● Some students like to go class and others like to watch class recordings [www.medschoolcoach.com](www.medschoolcoach.com) 5 Why is the MCAT Chem/Phys section so difficult? 1. Integrates a broad range of subjects 2. Luck Factor 3. Requires a complex set of reasoning skills 4. Math • Time pressure from calculation questions • Equations and constants Subjects • 30% General Chemistry • 25% Biochemistry • 25% Physics • 15% Organic Chemistry • 5% Biology Skills Tested • Knowledge of scientific concepts and principles • Scientific reasoning and problem solving • Reasoning about the design and execution of research • Data-based and statistical reasoning [www.medschoolcoach.com](www.medschoolcoach.com) 6 Tip 1: Commit high yield content to memory • Keep a running list of physics/chemistry equations in your notebook • Review those formulas often • Memorize the key biochemical pathways and the amino acids • Study important lab techniques in chemistry and biochemistry [www.medschoolcoach.com](www.medschoolcoach.com) 7 Why is the MCAT CARS section so difficult? 1. No content knowledge required 2. Critical analysis and reasoning skills can be difficult to obtain 3. Passages cover a variety of disciplines (humanities and social studies) 4. Time pressure (90 minutes, 9 passages, 53 questions) Humanities Disciplines Architecture Art Dance Ethics Literature Music Philosophy Popular Culture Religion Theater Studies of Diverse Cultures Social Studies Disciplines Anthropology Archaeology Economics Education Geography History Linguistics Political Science Population Health Psychology Sociology Studies of Diverse Cultures [www.medschoolcoach.com](www.medschoolcoach.com) 8 Tip 2: CARS is like strength training: you have to do some heavy lifting to see any gains • Regular CARS practice is the best way to improve your score in this section. o If you are close to your CARS goal score 1-2 passages per day is sufficient. o If you are far from your CARS goal score you need to add even more practice. [www.medschoolcoach.com](www.medschoolcoach.com) 9 Tip 3: Who is the author? • Try to paint an image of the author in your head based on their opinions • Language of emphasis like “undoubtedly, surely, especially” are the best places to locate the author’s opinion. • Also, you need to figure out the audience of the piece and why the author bothered to write it in the first place. Every author has areason for why they wrote a piece, so what is that reason? [www.medschoolcoach.com](www.medschoolcoach.com) 10

FAQs

Which prerequisites courses should students plan to take before the MCAT?

The webinar recommends completing General Chemistry I and II, Organic Chemistry I and II, Physics I and II, Biochemistry, Biology I and II, Introduction to Psychology, and Introduction to Sociology before taking the MCAT.

How can students develop a study approach that fits their preferences?

Students should choose strategies that match their learning style, including studying with others or independently, using libraries or other locations, and reviewing with notes, study guides, or flashcards. They can also decide between attending class or using recorded sessions.

What makes the MCAT Chem/Phys section difficult, and what skills does it test?

Chem/Phys is difficult because it integrates many subjects, involves a luck factor, and requires complex reasoning skills, including math under time pressure. It tests scientific knowledge, scientific reasoning and problem solving, research reasoning, and data-based statistical reasoning.

How should students practice CARS based on their progress toward a target score?

For students close to their CARS goal, practicing 1–2 passages per day is sufficient. For students far from the goal, they should add even more practice to increase gains.

Sep 28, 2026

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