![]() ![]() Don’t try to incorporate too many different reading strategies (like speed reading or skimming). How to review MCAT CARS materials? Stick with the tried and true! A lot of students become so focused with practicing and creating foolproof strategies to ace the CARS section that they forget that they already know how to read. Next, think about how the author wants you feel about what they wrote. So when you read, either for leisure or for MCAT prep, think about why the author felt strongly enough about the topic to sit down and write about it. For instance, in a passage about 90’s fashion, whether the author referred to overalls as “fascinating” or ‘’ridiculous” would make a difference to how you would approach the question set. But start out by looking for context clues. As students of science, this may be difficult at first. Answering questions that test your reasoning will require this bit of knowledge. Are they encouraging or condescending? Are they serious or light-hearted? Are they trying to persuade you or are they rehashing Elizabethan literature? Knowing where the author stands on a given topic is important–and you can get there by looking for specific words. The biggest “secret” on the MCAT CARS is figuring out how the author feels. Our online Magoosh MCAT course includes 36 CARS passages with 212 accompanying practice questions! ![]() The best way to do this is by doing practice passages. You have to actively work on polishing this skill. You won’t learn to do this by reading alone. The test-makers want to see how well you can take a piece of information, analyze it, and apply what you’ve learned to a practical situation. Throughout each section of the MCAT, “application of information” is a major theme. Over time you will learn how to approach MCAT-type questions, improve your reading speed and comprehension (and your insight!), and most importantly you will notice an improvement in your score. When it comes to this section especially, repetition is the golden ticket to making all of your MCAT dreams come true. If you do nothing else to prepare for the CARS section, be sure to do this. ![]() Even if it’s just one passage, reading the passages and answering questions will build stamina and improve your analytical skills over time. When you set your study schedule commit to doing CARS passages every day. Read things that are thought provoking and that will challenge you to form an opinion. So burying your nose in volumes of pharmacology won’t result in vast improvements to your critical analysis skills for the MCAT. Remember that the CARS section will not contain passages pertaining to the natural sciences. Everything from books to magazines is good material to build up you stamina. ![]() The content of this section encompasses both the social sciences and the humanities and is basically just a test on how well you can think critically about what you’ve read and how well you can reason, both within a passage, and beyond it. You don’t need to take any special courses nor do you need any outside knowledge to do well on this section because everything you need will be contained in the passage. According to the AAMC, this section is designed to “test your comprehension, analysis, and reasoning skills by asking you to critically analyze information provided in passages”. Know what the CARS section is designed to examine.With that in mind, here’s what you need to keep in mind to master the CARS section at home during MCAT prep and on the official exam! Has 9 passages of 500-600 words, with 5-7 questions each.Contains 53 multiple choice questions, with four answer choices each.Tests critical reading and reasoning skills.So what do you need to know about MCAT CARS? Here are some fast facts! The CARS section of the MCAT: Prospective medical students have a natural affinity for the hard sciences, which makes the MCAT CARS a different kind of beast. There’s something about the ambiguous MCAT CARS passages, the hard to decipher verbal reasoning questions, the seemingly too short time frame that causes test-takers a lot of grief. Of all the sections on the MCAT, the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) is most difficult for a lot of students. By Kat Thomson on Apin Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) ![]()
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