MCAT CARS: How I went from 124 to 131
Table of Contents:
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Best CARS Resources 2023
1. Official AAMC Practice Materials:
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) provides official practice materials that include CARS passages and questions. These materials are by far the most similar to the actual exam and you should definitely make them a priority before test day. If it’s your first time writing the MCAT (or if you’ve never used the official prep materials before), you might as well get the Official AAMC Prep Bundle; all their material is gold, not just their CARS stuff.
Before my exam, I did all the AAMC CARS passages twice. As long as you leave at least 2 months between repetitions, you won’t remember the passages well enough to impact your score in any meaningful way.
https://store.aamc.org/mcat-prep.html
2. Khan Academy
Yes! Khan Academy! Although some of their passages are slightly shorter than the official AAMC practice passages, these questions were also developed by the AAMC! The interface is super easy to navigate and I found their answer explanations super helpful for training my brain to think like the AAMC.
Since they were a bit shorter, I started my summer CARS prep with Khan Academy’s passages and also repeated a lot of their passages in the final 2 weeks before my exam.
https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/critical-analysis-and-reasoning-skills-practice-questions
Screenshot: Khan Academy MCAT CARS Interface
3. ExamKrakers 101 Passages in Verbal Reasoning
ExamKrakers 101 Passages in MCAT Verbal Reasoning
As far as 3rd party materials go, I found everything from ExamKrakers to be the most similar to the actual AAMC (this includes their practice exams). Although this book was designed for the old MCAT, it’s still one of the most highly reviewed CARS books that you’ll find.
As with any 3rd party material, your scores will be significantly lower than you actual CARS scores; this is to be expected as test prep companies want you to keep buying more practice materials!
Don’t stress too hard if the logic doesn’t quite align with the AAMC’s typical logic, but at the same time try and learn as much as you can from their answer explanations without outright dismissing every difficult or confusing question.
4. The Princeton Review MCAT CARS Workbook (a.k.a. TPR Hyperlearning)
The Princeton Review MCAT CARS Workbook 2nd Ed.
This is the first book I started using when preparing for CARS. I do recommend it if you can fit it in to your study schedule. Again, all 3rd party materials are a bit different than the AAMC, but each prep company is differs from the AAMC in a different way!
The reason I don’t recommend using only one prep company’s materials is because you run the risk of aligning your thinking too much with the company’s logic and forgetting what AAMC logic is like!
I used this book from January - April during 2nd semester of undergrad in the year I wrote my MCAT (Sept. 1st test date). My thinking was that I wanted to get some exposure to CARS passages without wasting the AAMC materials too early on, and it definitely did the job!
If you’re lurking around reddit you’ll probably find TPR Hyperlearning mentioned a lot. The Princeton Review has essentially re-purposed the exact same content for the new MCAT so either book will work.
5. LSAT Reading Comprehension Questions
A highly under-utilized resource: LSAT Reading Comprehension Questions
If I were to ask me what the most under-utilized CARS resource is, I would refer you the LSAT companies! When you actually think about it, it makes a lot of sense though. Many of the reading comprehension skills that lawyers use on a day-to-day basis are highly applicable to medicine. Thus, the way they test reading comprehension is very similar to the AAMC. The LSAT equivalent to the CARS section on the MCAT is the “Reading Comprehension” section. I highly recommend giving these a go before test day. You can pretty much ignore the other sections though as they’re not too relevant.
6. NextStep 108 Passages for the New CARS Section
NextStep 108 Passages for the New CARS Section
Honestly, I would skip this book altogether. I bought it for some extra practice because I heard there were good reviews, but after completing about 2 or 3 tests, I just found the logic too far off the actual AAMC for it’s own good. Your time is better spent elsewhere in my opinion!
Traps to Avoid!
1) Using information OUTSIDE the passage
While it can be tempting to rely on your prior knowledge or outside sources, doing so most-often leads to incorrect answers and a lower score. The AAMC will often put a “common sense” answer as one of the options. However, this choice is almost always wrong based on the information in the passage itself.
The cars section of the MCAT is designed to test your ability to read and analyze complex information within the given passage. Therefore, using information outside the passage to answer the questions goes against the purpose of the test.
Instead of relying on outside information, it is important to focus on the information within the given passage. This means reading the passage thoroughly within a 7-10 minute timeframe. Take the time to understand the author's argument or point of view, and use the information within the passage to answer the questions accurately.
2) Reading the questions first
Many test-takers believe that reading the questions first is a helpful strategy to approach the cars section of the MCAT. However, this can actually be a trap that leads to confusion and incorrect answers.
By reading the questions first, you may be tempted to look for specific information in the passage that you think is relevant to the questions. This can cause you to miss important details or overlook the main idea of the passage, which is crucial to understanding the author's argument or point of view.
Instead of reading the questions first, focus on reading and understanding the passage thoroughly. Once you have a solid understanding of the passage, you can then move on to answering the questions with confidence and clarity.
3) Looking for “easy” passages
Looking for the easier passages is a common trap touted by test-prep companies. The logic behind this strategy is that you can answer all the “easy” questions first and secure your score before moving on to harder questions. However, if you do the math, you’ll realize that you need to answer every single question to score 129 or higher on the CARS section.
Furthermore, what may seem like an easier passage at first glance may actually have more difficult questions that require deeper analysis and critical thinking skills. Therefore, it is important to not solely rely on the perceived difficulty of the passage to determine which ones to tackle first. Simply put, looking for “easy” passages is a complete waste of time.
4) Skimming passages
Another trap that test-takers may fall into when approaching the cars section of the MCAT is looking for passages to skim through quickly. Skimming can be helpful if you have already read the passage and are going back to look for a specific detail to answer a specific question. However, relying solely on this approach can predispose you to using outside information to answer the questions, a trap that we are already well-aware of.
5) Alternating between the passage and the questions
By constantly switching between the questions and the passage, you may lose track of important details or overlook the main idea of the passage. Additionally, this approach can cause you to spend too much time on individual questions, making it difficult to complete the section within the allotted time.
It’s fine to look back at the passage for specific details that you know are in there such as dates, names, places (and even better if you can remember where they are in the passage). However, this jumping method should not replace a thorough 7-10 minute initial reading and comprehension of the passage itself.
90th Percentile Strategy
1) Find the author’s tone
There are several strategies that can be employed to discern the author's tone effectively.
Word choice: Paying attention to the language used is crucial. Look for specific word choices, such as strong adjectives or emotionally charged words, which can indicate the author's attitude towards the subject matter.
Style: Consider the overall style of writing. Is it formal and objective, or does it contain personal anecdotes and subjective opinions? These elements provide valuable clues about the author's tone. Examining the author's arguments and the evidence presented can also shed light on their perspective and intent.
Genre: Evaluate whether the author's tone is persuasive, informative, critical, or even satirical.
Intent: Finally, considering the context and purpose of the passage can provide insights into the author's tone. Are they trying to inform, entertain, or persuade the reader?
By combining these strategies and actively engaging with the text, test takers can successfully identify the author's tone and utilize this understanding to navigate the CARS section of the MCAT more effectively.
1) Ignore vague terms
Honestly, this is the oldest trick in the book and goes back to grade school. If you come across a term that you’re unfamiliar with (i.e. gerrymandering) ignore it and move on. The authors have purposely put that term there to confuse and distract you from the main idea of the passage and the author’s tone. Most often, you don’t need to know exactly what that word means to get the main idea of the passage.
2) Strategic highlighting
Strategic highlighting in the CARS (Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills) section of the MCAT can be a game-changer when focusing on three key categories: obscure details, opinionated words, and transition words.
Obscure details: Highlighting obscure details such as names, dates, and places helps ensure their easy retrieval when needed. This prevents confusion or wasted time in searching for specific information.
Opinionated words: Opinionated words like "always," "never," or "absurd" allows for a clear identification of the author's stance or bias, helping test takers recognize the author's tone and perspective.
Transition words: transition words such as "but," "however," or "therefore" aids in tracking the flow of the argument and understanding the logical connections between different ideas.
By selectively highlighting these three categories of information, test takers can effectively organize their reading and thought process, ultimately improving their comprehension and accuracy in tackling the questions within the MCAT CARS section.
3) Active reading: The “Piano Player” technique
An active reading technique that draws inspiration from a piano player's coordination can be further enriched by incorporating additional strategies. A piano player’s left hand usually plays the chords, while the right plays the melody. Similarly, when writing the MCAT CARS section, one part of your brain should be reading and understanding the text while another simultaneously engages, summarizes and analyzes the arguments being presented.
Through my own experience, I have found the following 3 techniques to be most effective to promote active engagement with the text:
Summarize the text: While reading, attempt to summarize what the author is saying in your own words
Example: For the first paragraph of this section, I might say to myself “MCAT CARS like piano player, left hand = reading and understanding, right hand = engage, summarize and analyze).
Challenge the text: As you read the passage, you can actively engage with the text by asking thought-provoking questions. For example, they can reflect on their own opinions and evaluate where they agree or disagree with the author's perspective
Example: For the first paragraph of this section, I might disagree with my own analogy by suggesting that the brain is one organ and thus cannot be subdivided into 2 different compartments.
Analyze the text: For the deepest understanding, you can analyze the logical consequences that would follow if the author's argument were true. By exploring the implications of the author's claims, the test taker develops a more comprehensive understanding of the passage's underlying reasoning.
Example: For the first paragraph of this section, I might suggest that just as playing piano becomes intuitive with practice, so can the CARS section of the MCAT. While I might initially have to think about what exactly my left and right hands are doing, with practice, pieces of music will eventually become second nature. Similarly, practicing these 3 MCAT strategies will require effort at first, but eventually happen automatically while reading.
This multifaceted engagement allows the reader to go beyond surface-level comprehension and actively interact with the ideas presented.
Mindset: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for CARS
Trusting yourself on test day is paramount. Have confidence in your preparation and trust your instincts when choosing an answer. Avoid second-guessing yourself, as overthinking can lead to doubt and potentially incorrect responses. Remember to answer each question to the best of your ability and move on. Dwelling on a single question for too long can eat up precious time and negatively impact your performance. Equally important is to avoid getting caught up in thoughts about the previous passage. Each passage is separate and requires a fresh approach. Take a deep breath between passages to reset your focus and clear your mind. This brief pause allows you to approach each new passage with renewed concentration and clarity. By adopting these habits—trusting yourself, avoiding second-guessing, staying present, and taking breaths to reset—you can optimize your performance on the MCAT CARS section and maximize your overall success on the exam.
