Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Tutors.
How much does an MCAT tutor cost?
MCAT tutors charge an average of $50 to $150 per hour. Tutors provide personalized, one-on-one, or small group instruction to help you prepare for the MCAT. They may focus on test-taking strategies, review practice materials, and help you improve your performance on practice tests.
Some students hire a tutor who specializes in the subjects where they are weakest. For example, if chemistry is your lowest-scoring area, you may hire a tutor to help you with that section of the MCAT only. Some tutors may offer package deals for multiple sessions or long-term commitments.
What is the MCAT?
The MCAT is a standardized computer test that most medical schools require for admission. It is given throughout the year at Pearson VUE testing centers around the world. Medical schools use MCAT scores to gauge a student's readiness for the challenges of medical school.
The 6-hour, 15-minute test has four multiple-choice sections that assess a student's knowledge of chemistry and physics, biology and biochemistry, psychology and social behavior, and critical reasoning skills.
How long is the MCAT?
The MCAT is an all-day exam. The actual seated time for the exam is 7 hours 30 minutes, which includes instructions and breaks in between sections. While these breaks are optional, they are recommended. The actual testing time is 6 hours and 15 minutes long for the 4 sections.
What is a good MCAT score?
A good MCAT score depends on the school you want to attend. The median MCAT score is 500 on a scale from 472 to 528. The highest-ranked med schools typically have higher average score requirements. Less competitive medical schools take students with lower scores.
Most students attempt to score as well as or better than the average score of admitted students. The higher the average score at your preferred school, the higher you will need to score to have a chance at admission to their program.
What is on the MCAT?
The MCAT has 4 sections designed to test your science knowledge, including:
Biological and Biochemical foundations of Living Systems– This 95 minute section includes 59 multiple-choice questions about biology, organic chemistry, and inorganic chemistry concepts.
Chemical and Physical foundations of Biological Systems– This 95 minute section includes 59 multiple-choice questions about biology, organic and inorganic chemistry, and physics concepts.
Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior Section – This 95 minute section includes 59 multiple-choice questions about psychology, sociology, and biology concepts.
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Section – This 90 minute section includes 53 multiple-choice questions that test your comprehension, analysis, and reasoning skills by asking you to analyze information provided in written passages.
How hard is the MCAT?
The difficulty of the MCAT depends on how well you are prepared, your familiarity with the test content, and your abilities as a test-taker. The test is considered difficult because it is a full day exam covering a vast number of scientific topics.
The test is high stakes since the score can determine your admission to medical school. This pressure to do well, along with the time-pressure of the test itself, make it one of the hardest exams you will ever take.
How many times can you take the MCAT?
Students are permitted to take the MCAT 7 times in their lifetime. Additionally, your attempts are limited to 3 times in a single testing year, or 4 times in a two-year period. No shows or void attempts are included in these limits.
A voided attempt is when you choose at the end of the exam to not have your attempt scored. Students use this option when they feel they performed poorly and do not want that score to count on their permanent record. Instead, they void the exam and are not scored. The test attempt counts toward the annual limit, but the possibly low score is not recorded for medical schools to see.
How to save money on the MCAT?
Here are some helpful suggestions that can save you money on your MCAT costs:
Apply for financial aid through the AAMC Fee Assistance Program.
Keep your original test date and testing site to avoid costly rescheduling fees. If you must make changes, do it as early as possible to avoid higher fees.
Use free or low-cost study materials rather than more costly MCAT tutors or prep courses.
Prepare well to ensure a good score on your first test attempt. Test attempts are costly and limited.
What questions should I ask an MCAT tutor?
Some questions you should ask a potential MCAT tutor include:
How much is your tutoring rate per hour?
Do you offer packages or discounts for long-term commitments?
What is your educational background?
Have you taken the MCAT yourself?
How long have you been an MCAT tutor?
Have you been able to help students improve their MCAT scores?
What is your teaching style?
Do you tailor your approach to my learning style?
What study materials do you include?
Will you provide practice tests to gauge my improvement?
What is your availability? Will we meet in person or online?
Reviews for Ashburn MCAT tutoring services
Recent success stories from people in the Ashburn area.
Lynne L.
Maureen is an excellent tutor. We were fortunate that she was able to tutor all three of our kids - over a span of 8 years on both the SSAT and SAT. After working with Maureen, each of our children did significantly better on the standardized tests. A very experienced tutor, Maureen is smart, organized, creative and really seems to love working with kids - and they love working with her. She created a comfortable and supportive learning environment for each of our kids. By teaching them techniques and strategies in such a clear and effective way, Maureen helped them to stay focused and not overwhelmed. She boosted their confidence and, subsequently, helped them boost their test scores. Over the years, we have been so grateful for Maureen's kindness, patience, encouragement and enthusiasm as she helped our children navigate the standardized tests. Needless to say, you really can't get a better tutor than Maureen. I absolutely recommend her!
Access Point Tutoring
Joel A.
Great experience!!
10/10
I love SoFlo because they raised my son Joel's score by 240 points. Now he is going to Princeton!!
SoFlo SAT Tutoring
K L.
Helen helped me so much with my genetics class - she helped me understand complex topics by breaking them up into manageable, smaller concepts and was super patient with me during her explanations. She also helped me improve my essay writing skills in both an academic and professional capacity
Helen He
Sherry K.
Sora's enthusiasm for teaching is contagious. Her passion for the subjects they teach inspired me to strive for excellence. She consistently encouraged me to reach my full potential and provided constructive feedback to help me improve.
SK Tutoring
Andrea B.
I was struggling with Chemistry in High school when I got in touch with Iraj at KK Tutoring, I wasnt sure what I was looking for but i just needed help with tests and basic concepts since I was having a hard time grasping the basics and an even harder time remembering anything. I was doing horrible in my class tests and was very worried. I got connected to an amazing tutor who helped me every step of the way! She was available on text at anytime and she'd do multiple revisions with me until I would precisely remember the content. I'll be taking tutoring from the same tutor in senior year too!
KK Tutoring
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