Princeton Review MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Review, 3rd Edition: Complete CARS Content Prep + Practice Tests

by The Princeton Review

Overview

Make sure you’re studying with the most up-to-date prep materials! Look for the newest edition of this title, The Princeton Review MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Review, 4th Edition (ISBN: 9780593518823, on-sale November 2025)

Publisher's Note: Products purchased from third-party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality or authenticity, and may not include access to online tests or materials included with the original product.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593516249
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	11/08/2022
Series:	Graduate School Test Preparation: MCAT
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

The experts at The Princeton Review have been helping students, parents, and educators achieve the best results at every stage of the education process since 1981. The Princeton Review has helped millions succeed on standardized tests and also provides expert advice and instruction to help parents, teachers, students, and schools navigate the complexities of school admissions. They offer classroom courses in 41 states and 21 countries, online and school-based courses, and one-to-one and small group tutoring.

Table of Contents

Get More [Free] Content viii

Chapter 1 MCAT Basics 1

Chapter 2 Introduction to MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills 13

2.1 The Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills [CARS] Section 14

2.2 Developing Your Critical Reasoning Skills 15

2.3 Fundamentals: The Six Steps 16

2.4 Guidelines for Using Your Review Materials 18

2.5 Self-Evaluation 20

2.6 Stress Management 41

Chapter 2 Summary 46

Chapter 2 Practice Passages 47

Solutions to Chapter 2 Practice Passages 52

Chapter 3 Active Reading 57

3.1 Basic Approach: The Six Steps 58

3.2 Active Reading: Reading for Structure and the Bottom Line 59

3.3 The MAPS of a Passage 62

3.4 CARS Exercises: MAPS 66

3.5 Passage Annotation and Mapping 76

3.6 CARS Exercises: Active Reading 80

3.7 Habits of Effective Readers 89

3.8 Dos and Don'ts for Active Reading 91

Chapter 3 Summary 92

Chapter 3 Practice Passages 93

Solutions to Chapter 3 Practice Passages 98

Think Like a Test-Writer: Exercise 1 105

Exercise 1 107

Solutions to Exercise 1 111

Chapter 4 Question Types and Strategies 113

4.1 Review: The Six Steps 114

4.2 Attacking the Questions 115

4.3 Question Types and Formats 118

4.4 Question Types: Sample Passage and Questions 120

4.5 Exercise 1: Identifying Question Types 148

4.6 Exercise 2: Focus on Question Types-Practice Passages 149

Chapter 4 Summary 182

Chapter 4 Practice Passages 183

Solutions to Chapter 4 Practice Passages 188

Think Like a Test-Writer: Exercise 2 195

Exercise 2 197

Solutions to Exercise 2 201

Chapter 5 The Process of Elimination [POE] and Attractors 203

5.1 The Process of Elimination 204

5.2 Attractors 206

5.3 POE Dos and Don'ts 209

5.4 The Six Steps in Action: Model Passage 209

5.5 Dealing with Stress 218

Chapter 5 Summary 220

Chapter 5 Practice Passages 221

Solutions to Chapter 5 Practice Passages 227

Think Like a Test-Writer: Exercise 3 235

Exercise 3 237

Solutions to Exercise 3 241

Chapter 6 Ranking and Ordering the Passages 243

6.1 Why Rank the Passages? 244

6.2 Assessing Difficulty Level: Now, Later, and Killer 245

6.3 Ordering the Section 247

6.4 CARS Exercises: Ranking 248

Chapter 6 Summary 254

Chapter 6 Practice Passages 255

Solutions to Chapter 6 Practice Passages 260

Chapter 7 Strategy and Tactics 267

7.1 Maximizing Your Performance 268

7.2 Focus on Pacing 270

7.3 Refining Your Pacing 274

7.4 CARS Exercises: Pacing and Self-Evaluation 276

7.5 Variations on a Theme: Refining Your Strategy 284

Chapter 7 Summary 290

Chapter 7 Practice Passages 291

Solutions to Chapter 7 Practice Passages 296

Chapter 8 Refining Your Skills 303

8.1 Continuing the Self-Evaluation Process 304

8.2 Refining Your Skills 305

8.3 Managing Stress: Preparing for the Day of the Test 341

Chapter 8 Summary 342

Chapter 8 Practice Passages 343

Solutions to Chapter 8 Practice Passages 348

Chapter 9 Final Preparation 353

9.1 Mental Preparation 354

Chapter 9 Practice Passages 355

Solutions to Chapter 9 Practice Passages 360

Cars Appendix 365

A.1 Applying CARS Techniques to the Science Passages 366

A.2 Interview and Personal Statement Preparation Questions 382

Passage Permissions Information 385