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MCAT Writing

MCAT Writing Section Explained

MCAT writing section is a 30-minutes paper, which checks your ability to express yourself. MCAT writing is a medium used by the admission officials to check, how well you can gather your thoughts and explain them in a limited span of time. MCAT writing section requires you to write two essays in the allotted time. It is scored on the basis of the opinion received from two readers, one is human and the other is a computer. The raw scores are then converted to an alphabetic scale of J (lowest) to T (highest). A good doctor is one who can connect with his patients and colleagues well. This requires good communication skills and MCAT writing acts as a source for testing the candidate's writing skills.

MCAT Writing Section Explained

MCAT writing section contains two essays, the topics for which are of a generalized manner. This means that topics will not include anything concerning you, your religion or other beliefs. The topics asked may include more general topics related to history, art, a widely-shared belief etc.



The questions are usually based on expressing two different points of views for the same topic. If you are given a statement- Education is good in improving one's lifestyle. The question is followed by two sets of tasks, one may be to explain the positive side of the statement and the other task requires you to explain its negative side. The final task will be to provide a common solution for the statement.

In the MCAT writing section, you will be given a topic, followed by instructions on what you have to write about the topic. The essay should be written such that, every instruction is strictly followed. In each MCAT writing, only the topics change, the instructions are usually the same. The first task requires you to explain the topic; the second task is to present an opinion just opposite to the initial statement. You can support the second task using examples that can be from real-life or imaginary situations. The third and final task is to provide a solution, by solving the confusion arising because of the different statements. So, MCAT writing section requires you to explain the given statement, explain the two different possibilities of the statement and finally provide a solution for solving the confusion. MCAT writing section is designed to test your critical thinking skills.

Before beginning with your essay, take 5-10 minutes for arranging your thoughts, this will help in expressing your ideas easily on paper. Your essay should begin with an explanation of the topic. What do you understand from the topic, do you support the statement, if so why? All these points can be covered in the initial part of the essay. The second section requires you to present a different perspective of the same statement. As there are two arguments involved in each essay, you should support your side of view with appropriate examples. Finally, your conclusion should provide a solution for the argument. The position that you take concerning an essay is not of any significance, but how well you arrive at the stand and express your point is considered more important.

Be clear about what you are writing. Try to use simple sentences to express your ideas. Remember that quantity doesn't matter, quality only matters. Usage of correct grammar and legible handwriting gives you an added advantage.

Reading books, articles and newspapers will help you in the MCAT writing section. Practice writing on different topics, express your side of view. In the beginning, take untimed practice sessions, later write under time limits. This will help in organizing your ideas quickly and expressing them easily in the given time limit.

The MCAT writing section is just a medium to know how well you can communicate. It should not be taken very lightly and should be prepared with the required seriousness. A habit of reading and writing will provide the required grade.




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