Expert Tips for MCAT Success with Big Future Academics

Are you currently on the path to prepare for the MCAT exam and looking for expert tips to ensure your success?

At Big Future Academics (BFA), we’re proud to offer a customized, efficient, and cost-effective approach to MCAT preparation. With over a decade of experience guiding students to elite scores, we combine proven methods, deep content knowledge, and a highly personal approach to help future physicians succeed.

Our Unique Approach

There are over 170 MD schools and 50 DO schools in the U.S.—each highly competitive and requiring strong MCAT scores for consideration. BFA offers customized study plans and timelines to help students save both time and money while boosting the strength of their applications. Our approach includes:

• Personalized Program Design based on academic background, timeline, score goals, and more.

• Integrated Curriculum with top-tier digital platforms offering real-time feedback and content analytics.

• Small, Expert Coaching Team focused on building student confidence, skill, and test-readiness.

• Holistic Support including application guidance for medical school.

Whether you’re coming from a science background or pivoting from an unrelated field, our adaptable approach ensures you can develop the skills and content mastery necessary for MCAT success.

Why Personalization Matters

The MCAT covers a vast amount of content, much of which may be unfamiliar to students with narrower undergraduate focuses. Our approach allows:

• Full-content coverage or section-specific focus

• Flexible pacing to match your calendar

• Support for clinical and nontraditional backgrounds

• Emphasis on efficient studying without unnecessary costs

We’re proud to offer value-driven programming that supports aspiring physicians regardless of their academic origin, and our track record shows that our methods consistently deliver.

Understanding the MCAT

The MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) bridges undergraduate study and medical school. The test comprises four sections:

1. Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems

• 95 minutes | 59 questions

• Mix of passage-based and discrete questions

• Score range: 118–132

2. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

• 95 minutes | 59 questions

• Score range: 118–132

3. Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior

• 95 minutes | 59 questions

• Score range: 118–132

4. Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS)

• 90 minutes | 53 passage-based questions

• Score range: 118–132

Total Test Time: 6 hours, 15 minutes | Total Questions: 230Total Score Range: 472–528

Reading comprehension and analytical reasoning are essential across all MCAT sections.

Retakes & Score Strategy

Students can take the MCAT:

• Up to 3 times per calendar year

• Up to 4 times over two consecutive years

• Up to 7 times total in their lifetime

While many students test only once or twice, retaking can significantly boost scores, especially for those who scored between 493–508 initially. Deciding to retake depends on your target schools:

• Top-tier programs like Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and UPenn expect scores around 521–522

• Mid to upper-tier programs like Baylor, Emory, and Michigan: 515–519

• Broadly competitive programs (TCU, Drexel, Indiana): 509–513

We help you interpret your scores, build a retake strategy (if needed), and match your MCAT performance to application targets.

The BFA Advantage

We understand that MCAT success depends on more than just studying. With steep medical school costs and limited time, our programs aim to:

• Maximize comprehension and retention

• Target the highest possible MCAT score

• Minimize wasted effort and risk

As advances in medicine push expectations even higher, our students are well-positioned to rise to the challenge. Whether you're aiming for MD or DO school, we offer a proven, personalized path forward.

Ready to build your custom MCAT prep plan? Contact Big Future Academics today to get started!