Every entrance test contains a writing section, so does the MCAT. The writing skills of an aspiring medical student are tested in this section, along with the thinking ability and good communication skills. The MCAT essay writing section consists of two essays on general topics that the candidate has to take with the help of the instructions along with each question. In each essay question, there will be a given a statement, that the candidate has to analyze it and write a 500 word essay (approx.) that explains the meaning of the statement and give sufficient arguments in favor of it or against it. The candidate will have to take a specific example to prove or disapprove of the statement given in the question and offer an opinion on the topic. Since the question is subjective, there is no specific answer that is correct, but there are merely answers that most perfectly the candidate throws light on the facts revolving the central idea of the essay, in the correct order, without any grammatical or logical mistakes.
The topics that appear in the MCAT writing section can be of a very wide range, involving literature, arts, science, education, philosophy, politics, technology, ethics and other similar topics. Whatever be the topic presented, the candidate is not tested for having specific knowledge of the topic but must demonstrate writing skills that defend the idea in for or against manner. The candidates can make use of real facts or make up imaginary ones and write, but they should have logical clarity and sensibility.
The examiners, while grading the essays will be looking for good language skills, proper structure of sentences, number of ideas and examples used and the flow of the essay. The flow of the essay means, the way in which the transition from one paragraph to another is taking place. Candidates can use transition words and verbs to link the passages together and write a coherent essay. The most impressive essay has 2-3 introductory statements, 10-11 sentences containing main ideas and examples and another 2-3 concluding statements. This will give one introduction and 1 conclusion paragraphs and 2-3 main paragraphs. The word limit will not be specified in the exam, so the students must write for a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 600 words. Another important thing to remember and use properly is the time limit. One essay can take only 30 minutes, so time management plays a vital role in forming and writing a great essay. It is not enough for one to just have great ideas; one must be able to express them in the best possible way. If you realize that you are running out of time, it is always better to write the conclusion passage and submit a completed essay than an incomplete one. It is the quality of the essay and the writing style that is most suitable graded by the examiners, so make sure you write a lucid and simple, but superb essay.
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