How to destroy the MCAT with minimal study time (Part 2- Writing Sample)

The Writing Sample

Update (7/18/2014): Commenting has been disabled- it's been more than 4 years since I wrote the MCAT & I don't think I should continue giving out random advice & the new MCAT will render a good chunk of my MCAT-related writing obsolete. Good luck to everyone, regardless.

If you have done any prior studying for the Writing Sample, you would be familiar with the general format of the essay:

1. Thesis- explain the prompt/statement

• Explain what the prompt is talking about, how it applies in a situation.
• You can start the thesis in a couple of ways:
• The statement that "prompt" is true in the sense that... (follow-up with explanation of prompt using examples) OR
• Restate prompt in your own words, summarizing what you thought the prompt means and why (with an example).
• I generally went with the second method, but that depends on the prompt and whether you're comfortable with rephrasing.

2. Antithesis- opposing view of the thesis.

• Explain how the opposing view of the prompt may apply in certain situations.

3. Synthesis- resolve the conflict between opposing views.

• Create a "rule" and explain it clearly, when the rule should apply, and when it doesn't. Basically, how to decide when to do one and when to do the other?
• Conclusion, but not taking a side (leave it ambiguous)

That's about as short as I can describe the general format of the essays you should be writing on the MCAT.  There are a lot of online resources describing in detail on how each section should be presented, but that's really unnecessary- you know the format, you know how to think and write, it should be fine as long as you prepare properly.

Preparing for the Writing Sample

1. Before you start anything, read this PDF thoroughly:

Scoring the Writing Sample- AAMC

It's surprising how so many people preparing for the MCAT don't know about this document, which basically provides a very detailed guideline to the marking scheme as well as many examples of marked essays (with detailed explanations behind the marking) with a variety of scores (1-6). Reading through the marked essays and descriptions will give you a very good idea of what is expected, and how you should be writing to get the score you want. You will even be able to mark your own essays by making comparisons to the samples in the PDF, which is obviously very useful. 

2. Always practice writing under timed conditions.

This is pretty self-explanatory- it's pointless getting good at writing the essay in an hour+, when you should be aiming to finish one essay in ~25 minutes. Practice under strict timed conditions for maximum efficiency, and you will be ready for the real thing.

3. Be self-critical: judge your own work harshly.

If you have read the PDF above, you should know where you currently stand in terms of your writing level, how prepared you are for the writing sample, etc. You may be at a 2, 3, or a 6. Don't BS yourself- if you know you need a lot of work, then do so. Continue practising with prompts from AAMC, until you are at a score range of your desire.

4. Use real-life examples to support your arguments.

This is also something a lot of people don't know about, unless they did prior research elsewhere. In using examples to support your arguments:

Real-life examples >>> Theoretical examples >>>>> No example at all

Using any real life, specific examples to support your arguments makes your essay a lot stronger. The writing sample asks you to only explain the prompt but doesn't ask for an example to support it. However, you should provide examples for both your thesis and antithesis (examples for when the statement applies and when it doesn't), preferably real-life examples. Remember that your essay is marked by a computer as well as a human marker- this is why using real life examples usually results in a better score.

Some things you should know:

• You can twist real-life examples to fit your needs- you can write the examples with some bias so that it can support your argument better.
• In fact, the examples I used were real-life examples about things I knew very little about, some things I heard in passing- it was almost lying, but I was able to use the little bit of information I had regarding the subjects to twist it into a good examples to support my arguments.
• I used examples that the marker couldn't possibly know about, just in case (i.e. corporate espionage in Samsung's DRAM technology, recent actions by the president of South Korea, etc). I knew very, very little on the subject but I knew enough to vaguely cite the example and make it into good examples for my essays.
• You can use theoretical examples ("For example, if a fireman walks into a burning building while knowing..."- possibly for a "heroism" prompt), but they are less effective than real-life examples.
• Use any example you can think of, even those you know barely anything about- maybe something your friend mentioned the other day, a news article you skimmed through. However, make sure to word it in a way that supports your argument.

That's pretty much it- you know what you're expected to write, you should know the level of writing you should be at to get the score you want. It's just a matter of (strictly timed) practice until you can get to the level you want. Keep these in mind as you write:

• Good transition, flow, and structure in your overall writing (look at the scored essays in the PDF, especially the ones marked 6 for an idea of what you should be aiming for)
• Strong, clearly stated arguments- both thesis and antithesis- backed by relevant (real-life), specific examples.
• Clear, concise writing that's easy to understand- especially your synthesis. Don't use unnecessarily long and difficult words you're not familiar with, stick to short, effective sentences.
• Good vocabulary (wide range), grammar, spelling- remember your essay is marked by a computer as well, and minor mistakes in spelling and grammar will cost you marks.
• Practice until you feel comfortable under timed conditions and are writing essays that are in a score range you're aiming for.

Part 2- End for now. Part 3 will discuss test day tips, as well as general advice for the MCAT.

Matt