How I Improved My MCAT Score by 23 Points & How You Can Do The Same

By Evan Botterman, PreMedley Founder/CEO & Current Medical Student

If you’re reading this, you’re probably a premed student preparing for the MCAT. Maybe you’re deep into studying but not happy with your practice scores. Or perhaps you’ve already taken the MCAT and didn’t hit your target, so you’re considering a retake.

Whatever your situation, you likely have one big question on your mind: “How can I achieve my target MCAT score?!”

First, let me be honest with you: There’s no secret formula. No shortcuts. The MCAT is one of the toughest exams you will ever take. It demands deep content knowledge, discipline, and mental stamina.

If you’re not willing to put in serious time and effort, you can’t expect to score competitively enough to get into med school. That’s the hard truth.

But some strategies can help you improve your MCAT score drastically. I know this because I’ve been there. My diagnostic MCAT score started at 494. After applying the study strategies I’ll share below, I earned a 517 on my actual MCAT (94th percentile). That 23-point increase helped me get accepted into multiple top-ranked medical schools.

Now, I want to pay it forward and share the strategies that worked for me.

Keep in mind: There is no single “right way” to study for the MCAT. If you ask 10 different people, you’ll get 10 different approaches. But I firmly believe that with the right plan, mindset, and strategies, anyone can do well. And you definitely do NOT need to spend thousands of dollars on expensive prep courses or private tutoring.

Let’s dive in and see how you can improve your MCAT score!

📚 MCAT Success Factor #1: A Foolproof Study Plan

A strong MCAT study plan has three key components:

A) Content Review

This is your foundation. By the time you start studying, you’ve likely completed most of your prerequisite courses. Now, you need to find resources that help you deeply understand the topics covered on the MCAT.

There are tons of resources out there, so choose what works best for your learning style. If you prefer watching videos, I highly recommend Khan Academy’s MCAT videos—they’re free and aligned with the AAMC content. Other great video resources include Ninja Nerd, Amoeba Sisters, and Leah4Sci.

If you learn better by reading, find a secondhand MCAT book set on Facebook Marketplace or from a friend. Don’t stress about picking the “perfect” resource. Stick to 1-3 solid, credible options and avoid overwhelming yourself.

I also recommend joining PreMedley’s live tutoring sessions. They’re a great way to reinforce what you’re learning with the help of an expert tutor. If you don’t understand something, ask questions!

In terms of study timeline, there’s no hard-and-fast rule. Based on my own experience and what I hear from other successful premeds, a good rule of thumb is that a full-time study schedule should last 3-4 months, while a part-time schedule should be 5-7 months. You can use PreMedley’s MCAT study schedules to help structure your plan.

B) Practice Questions & Exams

After 4-6 weeks of content review, it’s time to start doing practice questions and full-length exams.

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  • Use free resources like Jack Westin and Khan Academy for MCAT-style practice questions.

• • Aim to complete at least 10 full-length practice exams throughout your studying. Six of these should be official AAMC practice tests.

• • Simulate real test-day conditions: no extra breaks, no Googling, and no calculator. These can cause your practice exam scores to be artificially inflated and obscure any content gaps. 

When reviewing practice exams, go through every single question—even the ones you got right. Ask yourself:

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  • Why is the correct answer right?

• • Why are the incorrect answers wrong?

• • How could the wrong answers be made correct?

Thorough exam review is crucial. I spent about two full days reviewing each practice exam.

C) The AAMC Bundle (Non-Negotiable!)

Purchasing the AAMC MCAT Official Practice Bundle is a must. Complete everything in that bundle—all practice questions, flashcards, section banks, and exams. This is where I saw the biggest jump in my score.

Many PreMedley tutors also go through AAMC passages and exams in our live sessions. These are excellent opportunities to identify and address content gaps.

📈 MCAT Success Factor #2: Test-Taking Strategies

A strong content review can get you to a 500. To go beyond that, you need to refine your test-taking strategies.

For example, one of my favorite strategies for saving time on Chem/Phys and Bio/Biochem passages is the “Now vs. Later” approach.

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   1. Spend the first minute skimming the passage for a basic understanding.
   2. Go through the questions and categorize them as “Now” or “Later.”
      
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        • “Now” questions: Answer right away if they don’t require deep passage analysis.
      • • “Later” questions: These require passage details—save them for after you’ve answered the easier ones.
        • By tackling “Now” questions first, you build confidence and minimize wasted time.

This method doesn’t work for every passage but is especially helpful for dense, tricky sections. Our PreMedley tutors teach many other helpful strategies during their live sessions, too. 

🧠 MCAT Success Factor #3: Cultivating a 528 Mindset

I often hear students say, “I just want a 500/505/510.” While it’s okay to set a target score, don’t limit yourself.

You need to believe there is nothing on the MCAT that is too difficult for you to learn. I call this the 528 mindset (since 528 is the highest possible MCAT score).

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  • Commit to never making the same mistake twice.

• • Face your weaknesses head-on. If you get a practice question wrong, review the concept until you know you’ll get it right next time.

• • Break down intimidating topics. Watch extra videos, read explanations, and attend tutoring sessions to fully understand challenging material.

• • Reassess your approach if needed. If your score isn’t improving after weeks of studying, something isn’t working. Adapt your strategy.

Final Thoughts

The MCAT is tough, but you CAN do this.

Believe in yourself. Address your weaknesses. Stay disciplined. And remember, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to succeed. With the right plan and mindset, you can crush the MCAT.

You got this!