AAMC MCAT Official Prep Resources: What’s Free, What’s Paid, and When to Use Each
Publication date: September 1, 2026 at 10:00 AM America/Chicago
Last reviewed: August 29, 2026
Independent-publisher disclosure: King of the Curve is an independent test-prep publisher and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Direct answer
AAMC offers a useful mix of free orientation tools, targeted question sets, and full-length practice exams. A practical sequence is to use the free Content Outline resources, Unscored Sample Test, and Practice with Exam Features to establish your baseline; use question packs, section banks, and the Independent Question Bank for targeted practice; then use scored full-length Practice Exams, including free Practice Exam One and paid Practice Exams 2–6, for increasingly realistic rehearsal. The official Free Planning and Study Resources and Official Low-Cost Products pages are the source of record for what is currently available.
Date warning: this page is reviewed as of August 29, 2026. AAMC has announced changes for September 14 and September 30, 2026. Those future products and removals are labeled as announced below, not treated as already live. If you are reading this after those dates, verify the current AAMC MCAT Official Prep Updates page before buying or planning around a product.
Free vs. paid AAMC MCAT resources at a glance
| Resource | Status on Aug. 29, 2026 | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Practice Exam One | Free; 230 questions; scaled score and percentile rank | Full-length rehearsal after you have built enough foundation to make the score report useful |
| Unscored Sample Test | Free; 230 questions; no scaled score or percentile rank | Baseline assessment and early exposure to full-length structure |
| What’s on the MCAT Exam? Content Outline Course | Free; currently includes the official outline plus 120 practice questions | Map tested content and connect gaps to free review resources |
| Practice with Exam Features | Free; includes 12 example questions | Learn the testing interface and functions before relying on a full-length for interface practice |
| Practice Exams 2–6 | Paid; five scored full-length exams | Repeated full-length rehearsal later in preparation |
| Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Question Packs | Paid targeted sets; each pack contains 120 questions | Focused subject practice when a broad discipline needs more repetitions |
| Section Banks 1–2 | Paid; 300 questions per bank across the three science sections | Targeted science-section practice emphasizing biochemistry, psychology, and sociology |
| Independent Question Bank | Paid; 150 independent questions across six disciplines | Practice discrete questions without relying on passage context |
| CARS Diagnostic Tool + CARS Question Packs 1–2 | Currently available; AAMC says sales end Sept. 14, 2026 | Current CARS-specific practice before the announced transition |
| New CARS Question Bank | Announced for Sept. 30, 2026; not live as of this review | Future consolidated CARS practice if it is live when you read this |
Start with the free baseline resources
The AAMC’s study-planning guidance recommends the free Unscored Sample Test as a baseline and its Content & Skills Breakdown for identifying gaps. It gives you full-length structure without a scaled score or percentile rank.
The free What’s on the MCAT Exam? Content Outline Course is for defining scope rather than replacing instruction. As of August 29, it includes the official outline, linked review resources, and 120 free questions from the retired Official Guide.
The free Practice with Exam Features tool simulates exam functions and includes 12 example questions, according to AAMC’s FAQ and Sample Question Guide. Use it for interface familiarity before a full-length.
Use targeted question sets when the problem is specific
The paid question sets are most useful when your goal is narrower than “take another full-length.” The Biology Question Packs, Volumes 1 and 2, plus the Chemistry and Physics Question Packs each contain 120 passage-based and independent questions focused on that discipline. They are appropriate when a broad subject area needs repetitions but you do not need to simulate an entire exam.
Section Bank Volume 1 and Volume 2 each contain 300 questions: 100 from each of the three science sections. AAMC says these banks emphasize biochemistry, psychology, and sociology. That makes them better suited to science-section practice than to CARS or general interface rehearsal.
The Independent Question Bank contains 150 independent questions—25 each in biochemistry, biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, and sociology. Because these are independent rather than passage-based, the bank can help isolate whether a miss is tied to underlying knowledge rather than extracting information from a passage.
This sequencing is King of the Curve guidance, not an AAMC mandate: match targeted products to targeted weaknesses instead of using full-length exams for every problem.
Save scored full-length exams for genuine rehearsal
AAMC currently offers two free full-lengths—the Unscored Sample Test and Practice Exam One—and five paid Practice Exams numbered 2 through 6. The scored practice exams use questions from previously administered MCAT exams and provide the same look, functionality, scaled score, and percentile rank described on AAMC’s low-cost products page.
Practice Exam One is free but scored and can bridge baseline work and the paid full-length sequence. AAMC recommends reviewing incorrect or flagged questions and working on weaknesses between practice exams.
This is a sequencing framework, not a calendar. It does not prescribe a 6-, 8-, or 12-week plan or tell every student to use full-lengths at the same interval.
The CARS product transition: what is current and what is announced
AAMC’s 2027 Official Prep update announcement creates an unusual timing issue for this article. On the August 29 review date, the CARS Diagnostic Tool and CARS Question Packs, Volumes 1 and 2 are still current products. AAMC says they will stop being sold on September 14, 2026. Students who already have access can continue using them until their subscriptions expire.
Also on September 14, AAMC says the free Content Outline Course will gain selected CARS Diagnostic Tool resources: tips for the three CARS skill areas plus 10 practice questions from two passages with video walkthroughs. Those additions are announced, not yet available as of August 29.
For September 30, 2026, AAMC has announced a new 575-question CARS Question Bank. It is slated to combine 409 questions from the retiring CARS products with 166 new questions. AAMC has announced a one-year price of $70. The Online-Only Bundle is scheduled to be unavailable from September 14–29 and return September 30 with the new CARS Question Bank included; AAMC has announced the updated one-year bundle price as $336.15.
If you purchase the Online-Only Bundle before September 14, AAMC says the future CARS Question Bank will not automatically be added and would need to be purchased separately. Because every one of those statements is date-sensitive, readers accessing this article after the transition should verify the live AAMC catalog rather than treating this August review as a current storefront snapshot.
What about bundles?
Bundles are packaging, not a separate learning stage. The Question Pack Bundle is scheduled to retire September 14, while the Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Question Packs are expected to remain available individually and in the updated Online-Only Bundle.
Before buying any bundle, check which products you already own. AAMC’s Official Prep FAQ notes that refunds and exchanges are not offered and that some AAMC products may also be included through other preparation programs. A one-year Official Prep subscription is valid for 365 days from purchase, with certain extension options available while active or shortly after expiration.
KOTC decision flow: which official resource should you open next?
The flow below is independent King of the Curve guidance, not an AAMC-required order.
- Need to understand scope? Open the free Content Outline resources.
- Need a baseline? Use the free Unscored Sample Test and review its Content & Skills Breakdown.
- Need interface familiarity? Use Practice with Exam Features before spending a full-length on basic navigation.
- Need repetitions in one science discipline? Choose the relevant science Question Pack.
- Need concentrated science-section practice? Use Section Bank 1 or 2.
- Need discrete-question practice? Use the Independent Question Bank.
- Need CARS-specific practice? Check the live AAMC catalog first because the product lineup changes in September 2026.
- Need full-length rehearsal? Use Practice Exam One or Practice Exams 2–6 under realistic conditions, then review before taking another.
Official AAMC sources
- Free Planning and Study Resources — free full-lengths, Content Outline resources, Practice with Exam Features, and other free materials.
- Practice for the MCAT Exam with Official Low-Cost Products — current full-lengths, question sets, banks, and bundles.
- MCAT Test Preparation FAQs — product access, subscriptions, exam-feature practice, and purchase guidance.
- AAMC MCAT Official Prep Updates — the announced September 2026 CARS and bundle transition for the 2027 testing year.
- Creating Your MCAT Exam Study Plan — AAMC guidance on baseline assessment and reviewing practice exams.
Frequently asked questions
Which AAMC MCAT full-length exams are free?
Practice Exam One and the Unscored Sample Test are free. Practice Exam One provides a scaled score and percentile rank; the Sample Test does not.
Are Practice Exams 2–6 paid?
Yes. AAMC currently lists Practice Exams 2 through 6 as low-cost paid full-length products.
Is the new 575-question CARS Question Bank available now?
Not as of this page’s August 29, 2026 review date. AAMC has announced it for September 30, 2026. Verify the live catalog if you are reading this on or after that date.
What happens to the existing CARS Diagnostic Tool and Question Packs?
AAMC says they will no longer be sold after September 14, 2026. Existing users can continue accessing them until their product expiration dates.
Do I need to buy every AAMC product?
No AAMC source says every candidate must purchase every product. Match official resources to your preparation needs, existing access, and available time.
