MCAT Prep at UCLA
The AAMC recommends that students spend between 300 to 350 hours over several months preparing for the MCAT. When you take the MCAT is up to you. Consider the workload of the classes you’ll be taking in the 3-5 months leading up to the test, as well as any other commitments you’ll have that will put a strain on your time to study. But keep in mind that the application cycle opens each year in June—you’ll want to make sure you have your official MCAT score ready to go when you submit your application.
Below are upcoming classes near UCLA as well as the resources you need to get that dream score.
UPCOMING MCAT PREP COURSES AT UCLA
Most in-person MCAT courses have been cancelled due to COVID-19. However, Kaplan has been offering Live Online MCAT courses, taught by expert instructors, for years. Read more about Kaplan’s Live Online courses below.
Enjoy the structure, support, and convenience of live online classroom sessions taught by one of our highest-rated, score-qualified MCAT instructors. Get your questions answered in real-time by our team of expert MCAT instructors in your core class sessions and via The MCAT® Channel. Plus, with our best-selling books, a complete library of science review videos, and over 8,000 practice questions including all available AAMC practice materials, you’ll get more total prep hours of MCAT instruction and practice than any other course.
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We offer Live Online courses to fit any schedule and any MCAT test date. Choose a class that fits well with what you already have on your plate, and we’ll make sure you’re confident walking into that room on test day.
AERI KIM
What’s your best advice for students?
The MCAT is not like an undergraduate class exam. Make sure you clear mental space and time in your schedule to tackle this efficiently.
Explain an analogy you use to create an aha moment
Reduction potential in electrochemistry is like greedy children. The greedier the molecule is for electrons, the higher reduction potential. If you want your kids to pass along the toy spontaneously, you need to order your children from least greedy to most!
Tell us something fun you can teach in 5 minutes
I can teach someone how to do a fun duet with me on the piano!
Nzinga Mack
What’s your best advice for students?
Don’t beat yourself up over any setbacks in your progress. It’s perfectly fine to be a little down about it, but be determined to find out what caused the setback and fix the underlying problem. Keep problem-solving until you arrive at your desired result.
Explain an analogy you use to create an aha moment
Think of your exam as a balloon you’re trying to fill with water. The amount of water you need it to hold is the score you’d like to achieve. When you first start studying, there are big holes in the balloon and when you try to fill it, all of the water flows out. As you continue to prep, you’re repairing the large holes. As you near the end of your studying, you’ll start to painstakingly repair the tiny holes, one by one, until finally, your balloon holds the amount of water you need it to hold.
Tell us something fun you can teach in 5 minutes
Hmmmm… How to make a bracelet… make a pair of earrings… write hieroglyphics… wrap a head wrap… change the inner tube on a bike… start different plants from seed… differentiate aromatic herbs by sight and smell…
Daniel Able
What’s your best advice for students?
The keys to successful prep are having a plan that is specific and balanced. Know specifically what you are aiming to accomplish each day. Find balance by taking breaks when you need them.
Explain an analogy you use to create an aha moment
When I have a student that is overwhelmed, I like to compare preparing for the MCAT (or DAT or OAT) to playing Whack-a-Mole. You don’t try to hit all the moles at once (just like you don’t try to master all the content at once), you focus on one mole at a time until you win the game.
Tell us something fun you can teach in 5 minutes
How to pitch a tent or how to start a campfire.
MCAT PREP RESOURCES
If you prefer to prep on your own, we’ve got what you need.
Self Paced MCAT Class
A full on-demand class that gives you the guidance and freedom you need. When flexibility meets on-demand instruction, your score is what benefits.
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MCAT Qbank
Practice with a Qbank. Over 2000 questions and in-depth explanations.
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Practice MCAT Test Pack
Practice like it’s test day with 3 realistic practice tests, plus full explanations.
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Kaplan MCAT Review Books
Our test prep books include content review for each section of the MCAT and offer our essential test-taking strategies and tips.
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PRE-MED AT UCLA: STATS AND RESOURCES
Of the UCLA students who apply to medical school, about 42-46% get accepted to at least one school (the acceptance rates have varied over the past few years), and nearly all students who get an acceptance letter end up matriculating. UCLA has more applicants to medical school than any other undergraduate institution in the U.S—in 2019, 1014 UCLA students applied to medical school.
The vast majority of students who get accepted matriculate at a school in California, followed by schools in New York, Michigan, Illinois, and Florida. Over the past three years:
- 89 students matriculated at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (160 were accepted; 6.3% acceptance rate)
- 87 at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (124 were accepted; 4.6% acceptance rate)
- 74 students matriculated at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine (164 were accepted; 6.3% acceptance rate)
The medical schools with the highest acceptance rates for UCLA students over the past three years are:
- University of Mississipi School of Medicine (33.3%)
- University of Texas Southwestern (26.5%)
- Texas A&M College of Medicine (26.5%)
- The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (20.0%)
UCLA Pre-Health Services provides the following resources on campus for pre-med students:
- A basic course of study for students interested in applying to med school is outlined here. You can also consult with your College advising unit or a Department Advisor to explore programs that might be a good fit and to get support with the med school admissions process.
- The UCLA Career Center has Pre-Health Advising appointments.
- Graduate mentoring is available for students in the Academic Advancement Program.
- The Undergraduate Writing Center can review your Personal Statement and supplemental essays for your medical school applications.
- To stay in the loop for various Pre-Med events on campus, follow the Pre-Health at UCLA Facebook Page
MCAT SCORES OF UCLA STUDENTS ACCEPTED TO MEDICAL SCHOOLS
Here are the average MCAT scores of UCLA students accepted to medical school in 2017, the most recent year for which data are available:
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: 128.4
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: 128.4
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: 127.0
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior: 128.5
- Total MCAT score: 512.3
On average, accepted UCLA students had an undergraduate GPA of 3.6109.
Located in Los Angeles, UCLA has a total undergraduate enrollment of 31,577, with 90% of its student body graduating in 6 years. The school offers 337 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and was named the best public university in the U.S. by U.S. News and World Report. For the Class of 2023, UCLA had an acceptance rate of 14%.
