Jack Westin MCAT Podcast

Struggling with dense MCAT CARS passages full of history, old quotes, and abstract ideas? In this CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Molly and Jack walk through the Jack Westin daily passage “Western Colonization” sentence by sentence and show you how to stay calm, focused, and accurate even when the passage feels impossible. Using this tough passage, they show you how to: - Tell the subject apart from...

In this episode, Mike and Molly turn one of the most complex MCAT topics, muscle contraction, into a story you’ll actually remember. You’ll follow a single movement from brain to bicep: motor neuron → neuromuscular junction → calcium surge → actin–myosin “love story” → sarcomere changes. We break down skeletal vs cardiac vs smooth muscle, why calcium is the real puppet master, and how ATP can both...

Economic CARS passages feel intimidating or dry? In this MCAT CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Jack and Molly walk through our “Microloans” daily passage sentence by sentence and show you how to actually enjoy an econ passage while still reading with precision. In this episode you will learn how to: - Separate the subject from the argument so you stop missing main idea questions - Track big ideas lik...

Is the MCAT actually getting harder… or just noisier? 👀 In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly sit down after taking AAMC Practice Exam 6 themselves and doing a full data-backed breakdown with the JW content team. No spoilers, no specific passages or questions discussed – just trends, strategy, and what this exam tells us about the future of the MCAT in 2025 and 2026. ✅...

Economic CARS passages feel dry or confusing? In this clip from our CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Jack and Molly break down the “Economic Models” daily passage and show you how to: - Use tone words like “financial gloom” to catch the author’s attitude 🎯 - Focus on “What is the author trying to convey?” in every paragraph - Stop fearing econ passages and start using them to your advantage Read the...

Most students treat full length exams like a score check and move on. High scorers do the opposite. In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly share how they both sat for the new AAMC Exam 6, what they noticed, and why your review, not your raw score, is what actually moves your MCAT score long term. They walk through the mindset and step-by-step process for turning every exam...

Philosophy passages in CARS can feel overwhelming, but they don’t have to be. In this workshop clip, Jack and Molly walk through the Jack Westin Daily Passage titled “Moral Relativism” and break it down sentence by sentence so you can see exactly how to approach complex arguments without getting lost. You’ll learn: • How to identify the author’s main point even when the passage feels abstract • Wh...

In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly break down one of the highest-yield (and most commonly missed) topics in the entire Psych/Soc section: → Experimental vs. Observational research → When you can (and CANNOT) conclude causality → Cross-sectional vs. longitudinal → Cohort vs. case-control vs. case studies → Prospective vs. retrospective → Validity vs. reliability (intern...

Music passages are some of the most intimidating ones on the MCAT CARS section but they don’t have to be. In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Molly and Jack break down the November 12th Daily CARS Passage, “Bach’s Fugue,” sentence by sentence. You’ll learn how to handle abstract, dense topics (like art and music) even when you know nothing about them. What you’ll learn in this episode...

Data interpretation might just be the most feared skill on the MCAT, but it doesn’t have to be! In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly break down how to confidently approach data-heavy passages in Chem/Phys, Bio/Biochem, and Psych/Soc. From confusing graphs to multi-figure experiments, you’ll learn exactly what to look for, what to skip, and how to save time without missin...

Join the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast for a CARS Reading Skills Workshop where we dissect the Nov 5 Daily CARS passage, “Student Learning,” line by line. You’ll hear how Jack and the team approach each sentence, track shifts in author attitude, and distill paragraph main ideas—so you’re primed to crush the questions that follow. What you’ll learn How to read CARS passages sentence by sentence without...

Level up your MCAT Psych/Soc with the part 2 of masterclass on learning & conditioning, the way AAMC now tests it. Mike & Molly cover the exact strategies to read passages like CARS, not a terms quiz. What you’ll learn Classical conditioning: US/UR, CS/CR, generalization, discrimination, extinction & spontaneous recovery Operant conditioning: reinforcement vs punishment, positive vs ne...

Psych/Soc has officially changed… and most students are still studying it the old way. 😬 In this episode, Mike & Molly break down the NEW strategy you need to crush MCAT Psych/Soc, without drowning in flashcards or memorizing the whole Khan Academy doc. What you’ll learn in this episode: ✅ Why Psych/Soc now feels like CARS ✅ How to analyze research-style passages (not just terms!) ✅ High-y...

Sharpen your CARS instincts with a full walkthrough of an AAMC-style “History & Literature” passage. We’ll map the argument, separate author vs. viewpoint voices, and dismantle common trap answers so you can move faster without sacrificing accuracy. What you’ll learn: Passage mapping for humanities texts (thesis, tone, shifts) Timing & pacing: when to skim vs. slow down Question strategy b...

In this episode we connect genetics + central dogma to the next big step: how cells copy DNA and what happens when it goes wrong. What you’ll learn (MCAT-high yield): Semi-conservative replication: why each daughter DNA has one old + one new strand Origins of replication & replication bubbles Key enzymes: helicase, SSB proteins, topoisomerase, DNA pol III & I, primase, ligase Leading vs. l...

DNA doesn’t “do", it instructs. In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly walk through the central dogma, how we go from DNA → RNA → protein—and the regulation that makes different cells, well, different. Perfect for MCAT Bio/Biochem: we hit transcription, RNA processing, translation mechanics (A–P–E sites), start/stop codons, eukaryote vs. prokaryote differences, and multi-l...

Join Molly and Jack for a CARS Reading Skills Workshop as they unpack Susan Sontag’s “Reflective Art”. Learn how to spot main ideas, separate concrete from “wishy-washy” lines, and use author tone and repetition to navigate dense prose. We also dive into why Sontag highlights emotional distance, postponed gratification, and filmmaker Robert Bresson and how these themes show up in CARS questions. W...

Science-heavy CARS passages got you zoning out? In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Molly and Jack unpack the “Urban Species” passage, showing how to track scientific tone, spot the author’s stance, and separate data from argument without overreading. You’ll learn how to:
 ✅ Identify when examples (like species adaptation or ecology studies) support vs. distract from the claim ✅ St...

Most MCAT students waste time memorizing Punnett squares and ratios without really understanding probability. That’s why genetics feels overwhelming. In this episode, Molly and Mike break down Mendelian genetics for the MCAT: the truth about dominant vs. recessive, how to use Punnett squares correctly, the probability errors that cost students points, and how to master classic ratios (3:1, 9:3:3:1...

Sports fan? Careful, your background knowledge can hurt you in CARS. In this Reading Skills Workshop, Molly and Jack walk through the Oct 1 Jack Westin Daily (“Soccer Fans”) and show how to read a familiar topic without injecting assumptions. You’ll learn to spot the author’s claim, track competing themes (losing yourself vs. rationality/good citizenship), and use clear sentences as anchors, fast....

The BioBiochem section has the hardest passages on the MCAT, packed with experiments, pathways, and overwhelming detail. But with the right strategies, you can decode them and gain confidence. In this episode, Molly and Mike break down why BioBiochem is so difficult, the 4 main passage personalities, and strategies to stay engaged, use scratch paper, and avoid common mistakes. You’ll also learn th...

Art-history CARS passage got you spiraling? In this Reading Skills Workshop, Molly and Jack break down the Sept 24 Jack Westin Daily, “Late Turner,” and show you how to read dense, abstract prose without panicking. What you’ll learn: - Anchor on clear sentences: If it’s important, there’s a clear line you can cling to. - Track the author’s stance: The passage sets up “Turner = abstract” and then c...

Terrified of Organic Chemistry on the MCAT? Most students bring their undergrad trauma into MCAT prep, memorizing endless mechanisms and drowning in arrow pushing. That’s the wrong approach. In this episode, Molly and Mike reframe OChem for the MCAT: small footprint, high-yield focus, and strategy over memorization. You’ll learn why OChem is only 10–12 questions, how to master stereochemistry, fun...

Philosophy passage got you spiraling? In this CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Molly and Jack unpack the “Wittgenstein and Mathematics” daily passage (Sept 17) and show you exactly how to read dense, abstract prose without panicking. - How to anchor yourself on clear sentences (and ignore the “interesting nonsense” that isn’t testable) - The core claim: mathematics = a kind of logic built on rules —...

Struggling with Chemistry & Physics on the MCAT? You’re not alone. Most students panic at ChemPhys passages, skip data figures, and waste time on equations. This episode breaks it all down: passage personalities, the TAUT method, and how to avoid the most common mistakes that cost you points. Molly and Mike walk you through physics setups, titrations, spectroscopy, biochem-heavy passages, and...