MCAT CARS study plan

Map every passage you read onto the three CARS domains and label each question type you miss by domain

Summarize each paragraph of a 6-paragraph passage in six words or fewer before answering any question

Distinguish the author's central claim from supporting evidence in 10 passages, writing one sentence per passage stating the main point

Identify the function of 5 transition words per passage (contrast, concession, causation, elaboration) and note what each signals

Complete 4 timed passages at 10 minutes each and log every error with a one-line cause

Practice extracting the main idea of humanities and social-science passages in under 90 seconds each

Paraphrase each author's tone and attitude using precise adjectives rather than vague labels like positive or negative

Locate and restate the explicit thesis sentence in 12 passages, noting where in the passage it appears

Build a vocabulary list of 30 words that signal argument structure (however, notwithstanding, ostensibly) and use each in a sentence

Complete 5 timed passages and review every wrong answer to classify it as comprehension or reasoning failure

Trace how evidence supports or undermines a claim across 8 passages, drawing an explicit arrow diagram for each argument

Identify assumptions the author leaves unstated in 6 passages and write each assumption as a declarative sentence

Distinguish claims the passage asserts from claims it merely reports or attributes to others

Answer function questions (why does the author mention X) by naming the role rather than paraphrasing content

Complete 6 timed passages and write a one-sentence justification for every answer choice, including the ones you reject

Evaluate the strength of evidence in 8 passages, ranking each piece as strong, weak, or irrelevant and stating why

Detect shifts in scope or qualifiers within a passage and note where the author overreaches

Practice eliminating answer choices that are true but do not answer the question asked

Compare paired passages on the same topic and articulate the precise point of disagreement in one sentence

Complete a timed section of 5 passages and review it the same day

Predict what the author would likely say about a new scenario and justify the prediction with a specific line reference

Draw inferences that require combining two separate parts of a passage, practicing on 10 passages

Apply an author's principle to a hypothetical case and test whether the analogy holds

Identify when an answer choice goes beyond what the passage supports and articulate the missing link

Complete 6 timed passages and flag every inference question for a second review pass

Analyze how new information would weaken or strengthen an argument in 8 passages, writing the effect in one sentence

Evaluate analogies by naming the shared feature and testing whether the comparison breaks down

Practice answering application questions under a 90-second cap per question

Review all week 1 and week 5 error logs and reclassify errors that now look different

Complete a timed section of 5 passages and compare accuracy to week 4

Complete two full-length timed CARS sections and record per-passage timing

Diagnose pacing problems by comparing time spent on correct versus incorrect answers

Target your two weakest question types with 20 focused practice questions each

Practice triaging passages, deciding within 30 seconds whether to attempt or defer a passage

Rehearse a consistent answer-selection routine for 50/50 choices

Complete two full-length timed sections under test-day conditions and review both thoroughly

Re-read your entire error log and write the three habits you will stop and three you will start

Practice a 2-minute reset routine for recovering after a difficult passage

Confirm timing targets per passage and rehearse them in every practice set

Do a final pass on your structure-signal vocabulary list