Award-Winning MCAT Courses & Classes in Portland, OR

Applying to medical school is a major step requiring several actions, including taking the MCAT. If you want to apply to a great local medical school like the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Varsity Tutors has an online Portland MCAT prep course to help you. Join a group of fellow medical students studying for the MCAT led by a knowledgeable instructor from the comfort of your own home thanks to our convenient online portal.

The MCAT, or Medical College Admissions Test, is required by every medical school in the United States and many in Canada. Most people who take the MCAT have been studying for years already, preparing to attend medical school. You likely have an undergraduate degree in medical studies or science, and you may have some experience working in the medical field already. However, the MCAT is a rigorous test lasting several hours, covering chemistry, biology, and psychology, among other questions. You must have a deep understanding of not just how multiple-choice standardized tests are formatted, but which parts of the exam you have less knowledge in so you can focus your study and be fully prepared on the day you take this test.

What can a Portland MCAT course do for me?

We know you've been preparing for this exam and understand that it is a complex, in-depth test that you must perform well on. If you've already taken the first steps toward in a pre med program, you know how to focus and study. But, working with other students who are also studying hard can provide incentive. You may find that, when you work in a group led by a knowledgeable MCAT instructor, you are able to learn more effectively. You have access to others with a better understanding of certain sections where your knowledge may be weak. Best of all, the Portland MCAT course is online, so you can study from the comfort of your home - even in your pajamas with a cup of coffee in hand if you want!

Varsity Tutors is proud to support these online courses, helping students everywhere gain confidence in their ability to take standardized tests like the MCAT. We vet each and every MCAT instructor with a thorough interview process, so we know they can impart information about this medical exam in a way that works for you. They must be able to lead groups through study sessions, but they must also be able to help you individually if you request time outside of your regular sessions.

Taking an online Portland MCAT course means you have regular meetings through our online portal, so you know you have time set aside to study for this important test. Working with others also helps you review information you may not understand as well, and can help you gain new information from questions others ask that you may have thought of to improve your preparation for the MCAT.

What will a Portland MCAT class teach me?

Studying for any standardized test, including the MCAT, involves learning test-taking strategies, like how to eliminate wrong answers and find the most likely answer in a multiple-choice question. Taking an online Portland MCAT class will help you become more familiar with each section of the test, too. Let's take a quick look at the sections on the MCAT so you understand what a course can cover.

There are four sections to the MCAT: Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems, Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior, and Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills. You can expect to spend 7 and a half hours in the testing room, with 6 hours and 15 minutes of that time being dedicated just to taking the test. With so long spent on this exam, studying in an online Portland MCAT class will help you review important information for the exam but will also help you develop the endurance you need to complete this test.

The first three main sections of the MCAT all focus on various aspects of the medical field, including organic and inorganic chemistry, biology, physics, and social systems. You will need to understand how cells, tissues, and organ systems all work together in living creatures, including in humans. You will need to understand how the body grows, reproduces, maintains homeostasis, and manages nutrition. You will need to understand basic psychological processes, and how mental and behavioral health influence physical health. Each of these three sections has 59 questions, divided into 10 sections with 4 to 6 passage-based questions each and 15 independent questions. You will have 95 minutes to answer the multiple-choice questions in each section.

The fourth section, Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills, features 53 questions divided into 9 passage-based sets of 5 to 7 questions each. This section tests your verbal reasoning ability, reading comprehension, and ability to analyze the information you've read. You must be able to infer information from written passages, apply and extrapolate that information to different contexts, and assess the impact of introducing new information to a passage, among other aspects of language comprehension. Although this section does not focus as heavily on medical, biological, or scientific questions, it is crucial for you to have good reading and analysis skills to deal with medical texts and scientific papers throughout medical school and into your career as a doctor.

Where can I find a Portland MCAT course?

Varsity Tutors offers online instruction through our easy-to-use website portal. You can choose either a 2-week or 4-week class, which will help you brush up on needed medical and scientific information, learn more about the structure of the MCAT itself, and help you make the most of the limited time you have to take this test. Group instruction with additional assistance from an instructor can help you focus and feel prepared. If you want additional help leading up to the MCAT, we can help you find a tutor to work with you, in person, individually on a specific subject.

Studying by yourself to take the MCAT can certainly help you prepare for this important examination, but working online in your living room or favorite coffee shop with a group of fellow students can help you stay focused on your studying goals. Reach out today to get started.