What Is MCAT?
The MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) is an examination that is used to determine whether an applicant is eligible to enter the pre-medical school program in almost all medical schools.
MCAT stands for Medical College Admission Test and it is a standardised test administered by Educational Testing Service, Inc. Which was established way back in 1933 as The Princeton Review Company.
It is a standardised test that is required for admission into graduate medical education programs. It tests for critical thinking, problem solving, physical sciences, biological sciences, and social science knowledge.
It has been recognised as one of the most important exams in determining your eligibility to be accepted into universities across the nation.
With this said, let’s have a look at what are some key facts about how to become MCAT tutor.
How Does A MCAT Work?
If you want to become MCAT tutor, then the first thing you should understand is how does a MCAT work. So here we go…
A MCAT exam consists of 4 sections:
- 1st section – Verbal Reasoning or Reading Comprehension which includes question blank on vocabulary, grammar, synonyms and definitions.
Followed by multiple-choice questions based on passages from different sources like textbooks, magazines and newspapers.
- 2nd Section – Quantitative Reasoning/Number Series, which contains question after question related to number series, proportions, percentages, ratios, quality time intervals and numerical operations.
- 3rd Section – Biological Sciences or Biology, which involves understanding concepts such as structure of cells, cell division, daily life cycle and genetics.
- 4th Section – General Science or General Knowledge which covers topics ranging from history, geography, economics, politics and sociology.
All these four sections take around 3 hours to complete with each having 100 questions. With only 75 minutes allotted per question, there aren’t many chances for mistakes!
MCAT tutors’ Qualifications
Now moving ahead to the next point. What are the qualifications needed to teach premed student for MCAT tutoring?
The MCAT is a comprehensive exam that tests fundamental knowledge across a wide range of subjects, including biological sciences, physical sciences, and verbal reasoning.
In order to become a tutor in this field, one must have a background in a related field. Many premed tutors have a background in a science.
Here is the list of things you need before becoming a MCAT tutor.
1. You must possess a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification. You also need excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
You need to be patient enough and able to handle stress situations. Also, you need to have strong analytical abilities so that you can analyse mentorship students’ weak points.
2. A Medical College Admission Test tutor must have an advanced degree or have an advanced degree in a related field.
One of the most important things the private tutoring must do is to create a positive learning environment that is conducive to learning.
3. The online tutoring should be familiar with the material and be able to explain it in simple terms, while also challenging the lives of student to expand their knowledge.
4. You also need to have basic computer skills like Microsoft Word and Excel.
5. Formal tutoring also needs to hold a current state license or certification.
6. Last but not least, you need to have access to high-speed internet connection because you will share information online through various platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo messenger and Skype.
So those were the main things you need to consider while applying for any job. Now, let’s move forward to learn some tips and tricks on how to become MCAT exceptional tutor.
Should you get a tutor for MCAT?
Yes,! This exam requires a great amount of practice and preparation. So getting help from experienced people who already took this test is always beneficial.
Another advantage of taking help from someone else is that they can prepare your weaknesses better than you can yourself.
But don’t forget one thing, award-winning MCAT tutors may charge you a lot of money depending upon their experience level.
But at the same spending time, quality matters more than quantity when choosing a teacher.
If you want to make sure about all aspects, then you can go through reviews available online.
There are plenty of websites where you can check out what other assistant students think about particular teachers.
Also, pay attention to reviews given by different universities and colleges. Some schools require specific dream score for admission.
If a school mentions nothing regarding such requirements, then worry little, otherwise you might end up wasting your hard earned money.
After choosing a private tutor, ask them to send you sample lessons or samples tests taken by the advantage of students under their guidance. It’s very helpful since you can see how he/she teaches.
Apart from that, you can try asking friends or family members who have studied medicine. They can give you a fair idea about whether or not they found the process enjoyable.
Ways to prepare for the exam
As already mentioned above, MCAT testing is quite tough even though they don’t seem to be difficult. If you haven’t taken a MCAT yet, try taking practice versions of them first.
If you want to make sure your improved scores go up, then you must study hard. But if you still think you won’t achieve anything after studying lots, then look into other options.
There are plenty of places where people offer help in preparing for this test. Some websites even allow one-on-one tutoring session at affordable rates.
However, there isn’t much research done on whether these services work, so it’s best to leave it to experience rather than relying on them.
The following are few ways to prepare yourself for the exam:
1. Make use of technology. It has been proved that using technology makes us smarter.
2. Try different strategies and techniques, such as writing sample tests, practicing all kinds of problems from past years, and memorising tables/charts.
This way, you would improve your performance during the real stressful time test.
3. Practice solving trickier questions under time in school conditions. Don’t forget about the importance of sleep!
Sleep deprivation leads to many errors and poor concentration, which affects our ability to solve problems.
4. Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Know what works best for you and get rid of everything else. For instance, you may find math easy for you to digest, but physics very confusing.
In order to fix this problem, you must focus more on areas that you excel in and spend less valuable time on subjects that give you trouble.
5. Learn new concepts every day. Keep reading books or watching videos by famous professors who specialise in medicine.
By doing this, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of medical terminology and gain confidence when faced with tricky questions.
6. Do a thorough analysis of your own weaknesses and find out what areas require improvement. Remember that no matter how smart you may feel, getting a perfect score is very unlikely.
So focus on improving your weakest subjects instead of trying to cover up your strengths by doing extra revision.
Tips as a MCAT Tutor
Being an MCAT perfect tutor can be rewarding since you get paid well for helping graduate students overcome anxiety issues before the actual test.
However, being an excellent teacher means knowing how to deal with unique personalities. Here’s some useful advice on dealing with nervous graduate student.
Always encourage your current student to come prepared with multiple-choice questions instead of essay one off questions.
MCPQs are easier to answer and usually take only 10 minutes each. They require no creativity and little thinking power.
So having them ready beforehand gives you an immense advantage over others who do not have access to them.
You should also learn to manage their stress levels without letting them know you’re worried, too. Letting them see you’re concerned will increase their anxiety, which could lead to terrible results.
To sum things up, here are the most important tips I’d recommend to any MCAT effective tutor out there:
- Stay calm. Not everyone reacts the same way to stressful situations. You need to understand your medical student’s personality and adapt.
The key is to avoid getting stressed yourself.
- Do a thorough pre-test preparation. Take practice exams, read the textbooks, and familiarise yourself with all topics covered during the exam.
In addition, review the previous year’s questionnaires for reference.
- Make sure you understand the purpose behind MCAT testing. Do NOT cram information into your brain. Instead, make it fun and interesting so they won’t feel like taking a test at all.
- Try to break down long answers into smaller ones if possible. Focus more on answering specific parts of the question rather than trying to remember every detail.