Are you looking for the best free MCAT practice test?
After all, tests are a truly gut-wrenching experience for most students out there. It’s even worse if a particular test, like the MCAT, can practically determine your whole future! Trust me, I know that the stress is just too real.
But, the one solution I’ve found to reduce the MCAT exam pressure even a bit (you can never really overcome it) is by taking several practice tests. What is a good amount though? You can find out in my blog post How Many Practice Tests Before MCAT Should You Actually Take?
MCAT practice tests can help you gauge your knowledge, familiarize you with the format and time constraints, and also make you feel confident.
The only drawback is that MCAT practice tests can cost a ton.
Hence, I decided to find the best free MCAT practice tests. This way, you can understand how they work and what types of questions are generally asked.
This post is all about the free MCAT practice test.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here.
Free MCAT Practice Test
How Does The MCAT Test Work?
If you’re a premed student, I’m guessing you pretty much know everything about the test. Still, since it’s an elaborate test, and you may find yourself confused. So, allow me to break it down for you in an easy manner.
If you are already familiar, you can skip to the best free MCAT tests section!
About The MCAT
The MCAT, also known as the Medical College Admission Test, is a standardized MCQ-based test required to get admission to a med school.
Keep in mind that admission to medical school is not just based on your MCAT score, but your letters of recommendation, undergraduate GPA, extracurricular activities too, and many other factors.
About The MCAT Syllabus
The table below gives a quick idea about the whole MCAT syllabus, the total questions asked, and the duration.
Section | Contents | Total Questions | Time Given (in minutes) |
Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning and Problem-Solving,Data Analysis, and Interpretation | 59 | 95 |
Break | – | – | 10 |
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) | Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning and Problem-Solving, Data Analysis, and Interpretation | 53 | 90 |
Break | – | – | 30 |
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | Cell Biology, Genetics, Evolution, Ecology and Biodiversity, Anatomy, and Physiology | 59 | 95 |
Break | – | – | 10 |
Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior | General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, Statistics, and Research Methods | 59 | 95 |
The total duration for the test is around 7 hours and 30 minutes, including breaks. You can take breaks after each section of the test, except the first and last.
Full-Length Vs. Half-Length MCAT Practice Tests
When you’re looking for MCAT practice tests, there are two types available – Full-length and half-length.
- Full-Length MCAT Practice Tests
This type of practice test closely stimulates the actual MCAT test.
In full-length MCAT practice tests, the time duration remains the same as the MCAT test. You’ll also be provided with breaks in between.
Additionally, the testing pattern, such as the number of questions and time provided for each section, is also similar to MCAT.
- Half-Length MCAT Practice Tests
On the contrary, half-length MCAT tests are generally shorter, with no breaks as such. The exam pattern and allotted time are also not similar to MCAT.
So, I suggest full-length MCAT practice tests if you’re nearing your MCAT exam, and want an overall idea of where you stand.
But, if you just want to see the type of questions, take a diagnostic exam to get a base score, or focus on a particular section, half-length MCAT tests will help!
Best Free MCAT Practice Tests Available Online
Now, without wasting any more time, let’s get into discussing the best free MCAT practice tests available online.
1. AAMC MCAT Practice Test
Category: Full-Length and Half-Length
AAMC or the Association of American Medical Colleges develops and conducts the MCAT exam. They also provide two free tests – one sample and one practice test.
You won’t be provided with any grades for the sample test. However, for practice one, a percentile rank and scaled score are mentioned.
I recommend taking these tests as they’re conducted by the official body that develops the actual MCAT test too. So, you can get a better idea about the type of questions asked, along with their difficulty level.
However, do keep in mind that they won’t provide an extensive scorecard and report, as given by other sites.
Pros:
- Provided by the company that conducts MCAT
- Offers similar questions as that of MCAT
Cons:
- Doesn’t provide a comprehensive score report
- Less in-depth answer explanations (BUT includes links to Khan Academy videos for additional explanations)
2. Kaplan Free MCAT Practice Test – 30 Days Trial Period
Category: Full-Length
Most MCAT aspirants know Kaplan. After all, it is considered one of the best for MCAT prep.
This educational website has some of the best MCAT study materials, review courses, and tutoring options. However, it also offers an extensive and well-executed full-length MCAT practice test.
The whole process to access the test remains simple. You’ll have to register to get started with the test.
The standout feature of Kaplan is how they ask you about your schedule after you’ve registered on their website. Then, they come up with a customized suggestion on how many hours you need to study per week.
Additionally, you can also choose the sections for which you wish to appear for. There’s a lot of customizability available on the website. For instance, you can choose to see the answer explanations during the test, or even turn off the timer.
Moreover, it’s truly impressive how detailed the explanations are given, along with proper diagrams too. You can also choose to check out a step-by-step explanation for a better understanding.
You can also check out a proper performance report that states your score in every section, and then, in every subtopic too.
Overall, if your main purpose is to get an elaborate understanding of new and unique questions, then opt for the Kaplan test.
Pros:
- Allows you to select individual section tests
- Several customizable options like timer and explanations
- Detailed and well-explained answers
- Offers an excellent performance overview
Cons:
- Accessible for only 30 days
- The dashboard can get confusing
3. The Princeton Review MCAT Practice Test
Category: Full-Length
If you’re looking for a free comprehensive MCAT practice test, I recommend opting for Princeton Review.
The whole process to access their practice test is quite straightforward. You just need to register, add a few details, and then get started with the test. The test consists of four sections with a set number of questions (as seen in the MCAT).
Once you have started, you can set your target scores for each section.
Moreover, you can also select from several timing options – timed, untimed, double time, and so on.
The types of questions (both passage-based and non-passage-based) asked in this practice test are also very similar to MCAT exam questions.
After completing each section, you’ll be prompted for a break in between. Hence, as you can see, Princeton offers a real MCAT-like experience through this free practice test.
After completing the test, you can also check your MCAT score with a detailed report on your target score and the achieved score. You can also check the explanation for every answer on the test. So, if you were unable to grasp a question, this feature can come in handy!
Princeton Review also offers extra support with additional MCAT preparation material, student support, and paid MCAT practice tests.
Overall, this is definitely the best MCAT practice test among the others.
Pros:
- Simple and user-friendly interface
- Mimics the whole MCAT process
- Various timing options
- Allows you to set targets
- Provides a comprehensive report
- Provides answers with explanations
Cons:
- Exam access expires in four months
- The website can get a bit slow
4. VarsityTutors MCAT Practice Test
Category: Half-Length
Although full-length tests are best for MCAT preparation, I also suggest taking a few half-length tests if you need to target specific weaknesses later on in your studying.
If you have just begun with your MCAT prep, these tests will help determine your strengths and weaknesses. It will also give you a clear idea about the types of questions asked.
VarsityTutors offers a huge variety of MCAT practice tests. You’ll find over 100 practice tests for every section.
Keep in mind that they’re not similar to MCAT full-length tests, as there is no set time limit or format followed! Moreover, the questions are specific to the topic that you’ve chosen.
VarsityTutors also offers a comprehensive report on your performance. It can provide you with the time taken per question, incorrect to correct answer ratio, and many more. You can check straightforward explanations to the questions too.
Pros:
- Various test options are available for every section.
- Comprehensive progress report
- Short and straightforward answer explanations
Cons:
- Doesn’t stimulate the actual MCAT exam.
- The interface can be better.
5. Magoosh MCAT Practice Test
Category: Full-Length and Half-Length
If you’re looking for a website that offers both full-length and half-length MCAT tests, then Magoosh is extremely helpful.
Magoosh offers one full-length practice test. However, you can also sign up for their premium plan for {Insert how much} and get access to three full-length tests, along with study material.
Once you have registered on Magoosh, you can take the practice test. Unlike Princeton Review and Kaplan, Magoosh offers a much cleaner and faster interface for the test. This can help in saving any load time!
After submitting the answers for each section, Magoosh also stimulates breaks similar to the MCAT exam. You can either take it or move on to the next section.
The best advantage of using the Magoosh MCAT practice test is its final progress report.
Apart from simply displaying the score, Magoosh also displays the time taken by you to finish a specific question compared to the time taken by other users. The detailed explanations of the questions are also noteworthy!
Pros:
- Simple and efficient website
- Stimulates MCAT exam with proper breaks and question format
- Categorizes questions as per their difficulty level
- Provides detailed explanations for questions
Cons:
- No limitations as such
6. Blueprint Free MCAT Practice Test
Category: Full-Length and Half-Length
While looking for MCAT practice tests, Blueprint caught my eye due to the various additional features it offers, apart from just the tests.
Once you register for their website, you can access more than 1,600 flashcards on important topics. In addition to that, they also offer a study planner tool.
Coming back to the free full-length test offered by Blueprint, the best feature is the customizable timing option.
You can give the test at the regular duration, or even at 1.25x, 1.5x, and 2x speed! I believe this is a great feature for people who wish to take the test in an extremely limited time period.
The interface is the same as that of the original MCAT test. So, you can choose to take a break here too, or continue with the test.
Finally, once you’re done with the test, the complete score report is quite intricate! You can check your progress plotted on various graphs and charts to get a much better idea about your performance.
Pros:
- Free study material (including flashcards and demos)
- Various timing options are available – unlimited, regular, 1.25x, etc.
- Original MCAT-like test interface
- Affordable practice test sets are available for purchase
Cons:
- The website can get slightly confusing to navigate
7. MCAT-PREP Free MCAT Practice Test
Category: Full-Length
MCAT Prep also offers a full-length MCAT practice test. Once you have registered, you can access their free practice test.
Before you begin, this website provides quite useful information about the actual MCAT test environment, security measures taken, and the features (like strikethrough and highlight) offered in the test. I suggest reading it thoroughly at least once to avoid any last-minute hassle during the real MCAT exam!
Just like other full-length practice tests, this one also mimics a similar format and appearance as that of the real MCAT.
After you are done with the test, you’ll get a scorecard stating how many questions you got right and wrong.
The standout feature of this test is that you can get free video explanations for every question. This will help you understand each concept asked in the question in a more detailed manner.
Pros:
- Video explanation for every answer
- Elaborate questions asked
- Mimics MCAT-like arrangement properly
Cons:
- Doesn’t provide an elaborate score report
8. Test-Guide Sample MCAT Practice Test
Category: Half-Length
I suggest trying out Test-Guide for gauging your conceptual knowledge only. This practice test doesn’t mimic MCAT-like settings.
Moreover, the number of questions and topics covered is also less. Yet, this is a good resource for anyone who has given most of the tests mentioned in this blog post!
There is no need to register on this website. You can choose any test from a set of eight different tests.
Once you have chosen a test, you can get up to 10 questions to answer. There is no time limit, so it’s simply for testing your knowledge.
Pros:
- No registration
- Contains a few good practice questions
- Simple website
Cons:
- Not a lot of questions are available
- No proper score reports
- Plenty of ads
Never Skip: Reviewing Your MCAT Practice Exams
One of the most important parts of taking regular MCAT practice exams is to actually review them thoroughly. Only then can you learn from your mistakes and tweak your study strategy as needed. This way you can find out if you have not really understood certain concepts, if your time management is off or if you problem is with just one section in particular.
Without proper review, you might be repeating the same mistakes over and over without seeing consistent progress in your score. So don’t skip this step, ever.
To make this 10x easier for you, let me share the exact spreadsheet template I used for reviewing my own MCAT practice exams. Fun fact – I am still using this template today for other practice exams like my Step 1 not too long ago.
Creating Your Perfect MCAT Study Plan
It doesn’t stop with great resources. MCAT is a beast of an exam that usually takes 3-6 months to prepare for, so you don’t want to just start somewhere and try to wing it as you go. What helped me the most to stay consistent with my studying and finally hit my target score? A clear, strategic study plan.
You have no idea where to start, how long it might take you to get ready or how much you should actually study each day? My online course MCAT Roadmap includes not only lots of step-by-step videos but also an epic Study Schedule Tool. Using this, you will wake up knowing exactly what to study each day, staying consistent even after the 2-month mark and giving procrastination not even the slightest fighting chance.
I know there are a lot of ready-made MCAT study schedules out there which might feel like a quick, easy solution to get started. But then they might end up not being realistic for you, cramming up your schedule and leaving you more anxious than before. Not to mention the very real burnout potential if you don’t schedule enough time for rest and recharge (yes, that should also be a firm part of your perfect study plan).
In MCAT Roadmap, you will get the chance to create your own realistic study schedule that fits nicely into your personal timeline, including other responsibilities like school, work or family as well. The Study Schedule Tool makes that super easy for you without getting overwhelmed or having to figure it all out by yourself. Ready to get started?
Final Thoughts
MCAT practice tests are god-sent due to how useful they are to build up that confidence and check your knowledge.
So, don’t wait till the time runs out. Try out the above-mentioned free MCAT practice test options once to know where you stand. In case you don’t perform as per your expectations, try not to feel too disappointed. Just focus on your weaknesses, and I’m confident that you’ll get the score you manifested all along!
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