Kevin's Opinion

MCAT is used differently by different schools, so make sure you check out the section "school profile" for the specifics. Some schools use it as a flag and others use it as a cutoff. McMaster uses only the verbal section, while Ottawa does not even require you to write the MCAT. However, all in all, MCAT is not a big factor when it comes to medical school admission in Canada (with a few exceptions). Of course you need to meet those cutoffs in order to apply, but once you are over the cutoffs, a 42T compared to 33R will not significantly affect your chances of admission. This is contrary to our neighbors down south, where a killer MCAT can be a big deciding factor and get you interviews/acceptances to big name schools. As far as Canada is concerned, aim for 30+ total score, 9+ in each section, and P or Q in the writing sample.

I treated the MCAT as a "once only" deal. Repeating the entire process of exam preparation was just too ludicrous of an idea to me, and so I tackled the MCAT with all seriousness. I started exam preparation during the summer after 3rd year, and I gave myself three months. Like many, I decided to take the Kaplan preparation course, which included classroom lectures, 5 books, online curriculum, and around 20 online practice exams. If you already have a good grasp of the basic sciences learned in undergrad and feel that you are a self-motivated individual, I would recommend against the Kaplan course since the lectures will repeat many of the simple concepts that you are either familiar with or can easily relearn. This was the case for me as I ended up skipping ~50% of the classroom lectures. However, what Kaplan does a great job in is giving you test taking strategies that allow you to be a more efficient test taker. Although Kaplan didn't quite work for me, I know many people found the course highly useful, so exercise your own judgment.

Although I started the summer determined to ace the MCAT, my motivation declined progressively with time. It was such a grind to go through exams after exams, each of which is around five hours long. I applaud some of my friends who've had the dedication to plowing through all 20 sample exams. In retrospect, I really did not give it my all. However, that was okay since the MCAT had relatively minor place in the Canadian admission process. Once my score was consistently 35+, I lost motivation and found more time to enjoy my summer break. Since I had a good science background coming out of 3rd year, I can't say I put much effort into MCAT preparation. Therefore, Michael (an ex-MCAT instructor) probably have more valid/helpful opinions.