MCAT Breaking down the MCAT: CARS

John_Linick

The CARS section of the MCAT might seem out of place compared to the rest of the exam, but it's actually trying to test a similar thing as the rest of the exam! It just does so in a totally different context. Contrary to what many testers think, CARS (Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills) is not a reading comprehension test (much like what you might have seen on the ACT or SAT). Instead, the name itself tells you what it's testing: your ability to think critically and analyze information. This means that when you read a passage, instead of thinking "what" is the passage saying, I suggest you think "who" is the one writing it! Is the author opinionated? If so, what is that opinion? Is the author arguing for or against something? Or is the author simply describing something? 

Now, while this might seem a bit different from the science sections, there's a deep connection here. In all of the sections, the test is forcing you to connect the dots between different ideas and then sometimes apply them in novel situations. In the science section, that means connecting something like physics and chemistry, but in the CARS section, it means connecting different ideas presented in the passage to each other or connecting ideas from the passage to ideas being presented in the question stems (or answer choices). This is the true task of the MCAT: connecting seemingly unconnected concepts and leveraging your knowledge base and critical thinking skills to reveal those connections! As with all things on the MCAT, the best way to get good at the task isn't to study for it, but to PRACTICE it!