Jack Westin MCAT Podcast

By Jack Westin

Mike and Molly from Jack Westin discusses anecdotes, advice, and ramblings on the premed years, the MCAT, and life beyond. Have new episodes delivered to you by subscribing.... more

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FAQs about Jack Westin MCAT Podcast:

How many episodes does Jack Westin MCAT Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 247 episodes available.

Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episodes:

October 21, 2025 MCAT DNA Replication Explained: Semi-Conservative Copying, Okazaki Fragments, & Mutation Repair
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. lagging strands and Okazaki fragments
Proofreading & repair: exonuclease activity, mismatch repair, nucleotide excision repair (UV/thymine dimers)
Mutation types: silent, nonsense, frameshift (+ why location matters)
Where this shows up in cell cycle, cancer biology, and classic experimental set-ups (knockouts)
Perfect for MCAT Bio/Biochem passages that love replication, mutations, and repair pathways.

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱
📌 Free Academic Advising: https://calendly.com/academic-advising-4/jack-westin-academic-advising?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
💻 Try our Chrome Extension (video solutions to every AAMC passage) https://tinyurl.com/4jw5pad8
📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
...more
1h 13min
October 15, 2025 Central Dogma for the MCAT: Transcription, Translation & Gene Regulation
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-layered gene expression regulation (chromatin, transcription factors, miRNA/siRNA, ubiquitin, & more).🔑 What you’ll learnCentral dogma overview (DNA → RNA → protein)Transcription: promoter, template vs. coding strand, initiation/elongation/terminationEukaryotic RNA processing: 5′ cap, splicing (introns vs. exons, alternative splicing), poly-A tailTranslation: AUG start (Met), codons/anticodons, tRNA charging, ribosome A–P–E sites, stop codons (UAA/UAG/UGA)Eukaryotes vs. Prokaryotes: 40/60/80S vs. 30/50/70S ribosomes, coupled transcription–translation, operons (lac/trp)Regulation: heterochromatin vs. euchromatin, histone acetylation, DNA methylation, transcription factors, miRNA/siRNA silencing, post-translational mods (ubiquitin, phosphorylation)Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱📌 Free Academic Advising: https://calendly.com/academic-advising-4/jack-westin-academic-advising?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast💻 Try our Chrome Extension (video solutions to every AAMC passage) https://tinyurl.com/4jw5pad8📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
...more
1h 5min
October 15, 2025 “Reflective Art” CARS Passage Breakdown: Distance, Detachment & Bresson
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.

What you’ll learn:
How to find the main idea when the writing is abstract
“Concrete vs. wishy-washy” sentence filter (what to cling to vs. skim)
Why detachment changes emotional responses in reflective art
How labels like “cold” vs “hot” art can be traps
Practical CARS habits: stay engaged without importing your own opinions

Try the passage & 5 questions:
👉 Reflective Art – Oct 15 Daily Passage: https://jackwestin.com/daily/mcat-practice-passages/cars-practice-passages/reflective-art

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱
📌 Free Academic Advising: https://calendly.com/academic-advising-4/jack-westin-academic-advising?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
💻 Try our Chrome Extension (video solutions to every AAMC passage) https://tinyurl.com/4jw5pad8
📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
...more
41min
October 08, 2025 Urban Species CARS Passage Breakdown | How to Find the Author’s Argument in Science-Heavy Passages
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
✅ Stay focused when scientific details feel overwhelming
✅ Build a clear main idea from subtle cues and contrast words

💡 Practice the “Urban Species” passage here:
👉 https://jackwestin.com/daily/mcat-practice-passages/cars-practice-passages/urban-species

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱
📌 Free Academic Advising: https://calendly.com/academic-advising-4/jack-westin-academic-advising?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
💻 Try our Chrome Extension (video solutions to every AAMC passage) https://tinyurl.com/4jw5pad8
📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
...more
54min
October 07, 2025 MCAT Mendelian Genetics: More Than Punnett Squares
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) without rote memorization. You’ll also learn how linked genes and independent assortment show up on test day.

📌 Resources Mentioned:
Free Trial Session → https://jackwestin.com/sessions
Free MCAT Question Bank → https://jackwestin.com/#daily-passages

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱
📌 Free Academic Advising: https://calendly.com/academic-advising-4/jack-westin-academic-advising?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
💻 Try our Chrome Extension (video solutions to every AAMC passage) https://tinyurl.com/4jw5pad8
📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
...more
59min
October 01, 2025 CARS Passage: Soccer Fans & Identity — Find the Author’s Stance (Without Your Own Bias)
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.

What you’ll learn

Don’t fill in the blanks: How to stop your outside knowledge from hijacking the passage.
Anchor on clarity: If a point is important, there’s usually a clear sentence you can cling to.
Author stance vs. trivia: Track how the author uses Critchley (support) and pushes back on Orwell.

Two coexisting themes:

Fandom can make us lose ourselves / escalate aggression
Fandom can foster fairness, rational analysis, and identity
When language gets flowery: Keep reading to the next testable, explicit claim

Referenced ideas & examples

Simon Critchley on phenomenology & soccer experience
“Lose yourself” vs. “best selves” (fair play, rationality)
Liverpool as a case study (extremes, yet desire for fairness)
Orwell’s “war minus the shooting” — why the author says he missed the point

Try the passage:
Read the Oct 1 “Soccer Fans” then do the questions to stress-test your reasoning: https://jackwestin.com/daily/mcat-practice-passages/cars-practice-passages/soccer-fans

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱
📌 Free Academic Advising: https://calendly.com/academic-advising-4/jack-westin-academic-advising?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
💻 Try our Chrome Extension (video solutions to every AAMC passage) https://tinyurl.com/4jw5pad8
📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
...more
50min
September 30, 2025 How to Master MCAT BioBiochem Passages (Without Memorizing Everything)
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 the most high-yield topics, like amino acids, enzymes, metabolism, and cell signaling, that show up again and again on test day.

📌 Resources Mentioned:
Free Trial Session → https://jackwestin.com/sessions
Free MCAT Question Bank → https://jackwestin.com/#daily-passages

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱
📌 Free Academic Advising: https://calendly.com/academic-advising-4/jack-westin-academic-advising?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
💻 Try our Chrome Extension (video solutions to every AAMC passage) https://tinyurl.com/4jw5pad8
📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
...more
1h 19min
September 24, 2025 CARS Breakdown: “Late Turner” How to Read Dense Art Passages (Find the Clear Sentence!)
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 challenges it.
- Main idea: Turner’s late work isn’t free-form abstraction; it’s formal reinterpretation of classical myths.
- Follow the structure: Evidence → counterpoint → author’s claim → examples.
- Use examples as support, not trivia: Apollo & Daphne, Regulus, Mercury, Bacchus & Ariadne all illustrate reinterpretation.
- Stay focused in dense writing: When sentences get murky, keep reading for the next clear, testable claim.

Before you watch:
Read the Sept 24 “Late Turner” daily passage: https://jackwestin.com/daily/mcat-practice-passages/cars-practice-passages/late-turner

Want more guided practice?
Join our free weekly sessions (CARS, science strategy, 516 planning, admissions) and tap into our free CARS QBank, practice exams, and CARS textbook: https://jackwestin.com/sessions

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱
📌 Free Academic Advising: https://calendly.com/academic-advising-4/jack-westin-academic-advising?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
💻 Try our Chrome Extension (video solutions to every AAMC passage) https://tinyurl.com/4jw5pad8
📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
...more
47min
September 23, 2025 Why You’re Overstudying OChem for the MCAT (and What to Do Instead)
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, functional groups, and core reactions, and how to avoid overstudying. We’ll also cover spectroscopy, chromatography, and the most common mistakes students make.

⏱️ Timestamps
02:09 – How Much OChem Really Appears (10–12 Questions)
05:20 – OChem Isn’t All Mechanisms (Reality Check)
08:36 – High-Yield Topic #1: Stereochemistry
13:30 – High-Yield Topic #2: Nucleophiles & Electrophiles
18:23 – Why You Shouldn’t Memorize Mechanisms
19:35 – High-Yield Topic #3: Functional Groups
23:30 – High-Yield Topic #4: SN1 vs. SN2
25:40 – High-Yield Topic #5: Redox in Organic Chemistry
30:40 – Why Functional Groups vs. Reaction Memorization
33:19 – High-Yield Topic #6: Spectroscopy & Chromatography
41:05 – How OChem Shows Up in Passages
50:30 – Key OChem Study Tips & Pitfalls to Avoid
55:10 – Connections Across Subjects (Bio + Biochem)
57:43 – Final Takeaways: OChem is Only Scary if You Over-Memorize

📌 Resources Mentioned:
Free Trial Session → https://jackwestin.com/sessions
Free MCAT Question Bank → https://jackwestin.com/#daily-passages

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱
📌 Free Academic Advising: https://calendly.com/academic-advising-4/jack-westin-academic-advising?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
💻 Try our Chrome Extension (video solutions to every AAMC passage) https://tinyurl.com/4jw5pad8
📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
...more
1h 3min
September 17, 2025 Wittgenstein and Mathematics CARS Passage Breakdown: Master Dense Philosophy Passages (Math = Logic?)
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 — and why that repeats (so it’s the main idea)
- Early vs. later Wittgenstein: from one monolithic language → many language games (each with its own rules)
- How to track shifts between language, logic, and math without getting lost
- When to slow down, when to move on, and how to extract the main idea fast

Pro tips covered:
-Use contrast/qualifiers (“in fact,” “later,” “still”) to spot high-yield sentences
-Treat ultra-dense lines as support, not the thesis

Before you watch:
Read the Sept 17 daily passage: https://jackwestin.com/daily/mcat-practice-passages/cars-practice-passages/wittgenstein-and-mathematics⁠

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱
📌 Free Academic Advising: https://calendly.com/academic-advising-4/jack-westin-academic-advising?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
💻 Try our Chrome Extension (video solutions to every AAMC passage) https://tinyurl.com/4jw5pad8
📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast
...more
38min

FAQs about Jack Westin MCAT Podcast:

How many episodes does Jack Westin MCAT Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 247 episodes available.

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