Don’t approach MCAT passages like short textbook chapters and try to absorb everything, because it will divert you from the goal of actually answering questions.
Use the passage to develop a framework of “should I answer this question from knowledge, pull it directly from the passage, or a mix of both?”
Most passages are written to present a narrow research situation. The questions then probe whether you can navigate that situation.
For example, in bio/biochem, a passage about signaling pathways might look intimidating at first glance, but the questions usually focus on the relationships introduced inside the experiment. Which protein increased? Which condition changed? Which variable remained constant? That’s why I recommend using flowcharts for this section, so that you can reference it while answering questions to save time.
If you understand the small system the passage constructed, you’ll have a much easier time breezing by passages that would otherwise seem overly complicated.
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