MCAT prep courses and the classes needed for the MCAT

Courses needed for MCAT content

The AAMC does not list required classes for MCAT registration; eligibility depends on preparing to apply to a health professions program that accepts MCAT scores. But the content is built on specific college coursework, and the AAMC publishes approximate discipline weights for each science section, rounded to the nearest 5%.

These weights show which classes needed for MCAT success carry the most points. Introductory biology dominates one section, general chemistry and physics another, and psychology and sociology the third. First-semester biochemistry appears in two sections at 25% each.

• Biological and Biochemical Foundations: introductory biology 65%, first-semester biochemistry 25%, general chemistry 5%, organic chemistry 5%
• Chemical and Physical Foundations: general chemistry 30%, introductory physics 25%, first-semester biochemistry 25%, organic chemistry 15%, introductory biology 5%
• Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior: introductory psychology 65%, introductory sociology 30%, introductory biology 5%
• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: no additional coursework or specific knowledge required

Source: AAMC — Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Overview. Checked 18 October 2026.

The official AAMC course for the MCAT

The AAMC’s own MCAT course is the What’s on the MCAT Exam? Content Outline course in the MCAT Official Prep Hub. It is free, follows the official content outline, links to open-access textbooks and includes 120 free practice questions from the retired Official Guide to the MCAT Exam.

The AAMC’s study-plan guidance uses this course as the backbone: you rate every content area as low, medium or high confidence after a baseline test and work through the low-confidence areas first. The AAMC also publishes videos and webinars on preparing for the MCAT exam.

Source: AAMC — Free Planning and Study Resources. Checked 18 October 2026.

MCAT prep courses, classes and programs: do you need one?

MCAT prep classes, MCAT prep programs and MCAT study programs from commercial providers are independent of the AAMC. None of them is required by the AAMC, and the official practice exams and question banks come from the AAMC itself. MCAT preparation courses make most sense if you need structure and a fixed schedule, or if a large share of the content is new to you.

If you completed most of the coursework above, a self-built plan from official material may be enough. Among the students the AAMC features in its How I Prepared for the MCAT Exam testimonials, one put it simply: you do not have to spend a lot of money.

Source: AAMC — Free Planning and Study Resources. Checked 18 October 2026.

What is the best MCAT prep course?

The AAMC publishes no ranking of prep courses on the pages we checked. When people search for the best MCAT prep course or top MCAT prep courses, the honest answer is the course that fits your baseline. Judge any MCAT test prep class on these points before you pay:

• Does it map every lesson to the AAMC content outline and the four sections?
• Does it include timed, full-length practice in the real 230-question format, or at least use the AAMC’s official practice exams?
• Does it start with a diagnostic and adapt to your weak areas, as the AAMC’s own study-plan method does?
• Does it treat CARS as a skill to practise with timed passages rather than as content to memorise?
• Does it force active learning? The AAMC notes that active learning requires more than just reading or watching a video.

Source: AAMC — Creating Your MCAT Exam Study Plan. Checked 18 October 2026.

Official prep at no cost with AAMC Fee Assistance

If cost decides between courses for the MCAT and self-study, check the AAMC Fee Assistance Program first. Its MCAT prep benefit is the MCAT Official Prep Online-Only Bundle, which contains all online official AAMC products. You must actively elect to receive the prep product benefit after approval.

Source: AAMC — What Are the Benefits of the Fee Assistance Program?. Checked 18 October 2026.

Checking readiness alongside any MCAT course

A course teaches the content; questions under time pressure show whether you can use it. Certsqill’s MCAT question bank adds expert-developed questions mapped to the four sections, an explanation for every answer option and a readiness score per section, so you can see where your MCAT prep course left gaps.

MCAT training & courses: questions people ask

What classes are needed for the MCAT?

The AAMC says content draws from year-long general chemistry, organic chemistry, introductory physics and introductory biology, plus introductory biochemistry, psychology and sociology. CARS needs no specific coursework. Source: AAMC, checked 18 October 2026.

Are there required classes to register for the MCAT?

No course requirement is listed by the AAMC. You may sit the exam if you are preparing to apply to a health professions program that accepts MCAT scores. Source: AAMC, checked 18 October 2026.

Does the AAMC offer an MCAT prep course?

Yes, the free What’s on the MCAT Exam? Content Outline course in the Official Prep Hub, with 120 free practice questions. Source: AAMC, checked 18 October 2026.

What is the best prep course for MCAT?

There is no official ranking. Choose one that maps to the AAMC content outline, includes timed full-length practice and adapts to your diagnostic results.

Do I need an MCAT prep course to do well?

No course is required. Many candidates prepare with official AAMC material and targeted practice; a course mainly adds structure.

Which subject carries the most weight in the MCAT?

Introductory biology is 65% of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations section and introductory psychology 65% of the Behavior section, per AAMC approximations. Source: AAMC, checked 18 October 2026.