Standardized test scores and family income... name a more iconic duo? The earliest data I can find demonstrating the correlation between MCAT score and family income is from the 1977 AMCAS matriculation class: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/926150/

"Medical College Admission Test scores and undergraduate grade-point averages show that both lower income applicants in general and minority applicants in particular are at a competitive disadvantage in gaining admission to medical school"

The correlation is striking in this data from the ACT examination:

We can see a perfect correlation between family income and ACT scores. Similar findings present when examining scores for SAT, MCAT, PCAT, DAT, GRE, LSAT, GMAT, etc.

The reality of the matter is that students with higher family income can afford to attend better schools, secure better resources to prepare for these exams, spend months of dedicated time studying, and attend specialized classes or tutoring. In my personal interactions with pre-med students, I quickly realized that most students end up paying around $2000 studying for this exam. I've personally heard figures as high as $5000. This cost is extremely prohibitive for lower income students.

While free resources exist, very few are comprehensive, include multiple ways to learn, and tailored precisely to the vast curriculum tested on the MCAT. At FreeTheMCAT we aim to deliver exactly that.

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