MCAT INFORMATION
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, multiple-choice examination designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, and writing skills in addition to the examinee's knowledge of science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine.
Scores are reported in each of the following areas: Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, Writing Sample, and Biological Sciences. Medical college admission committees consider MCAT scores as part of their admission decision process. The degree to which committees consider the MCAT varies depending on the philosophy of the admission policies for each medical school.
Although nearly all U.S. medical schools require applicants to submit MCAT scores during the application process, many schools do not accept MCAT scores if taken more than three years ago.
Applicants should refer to the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR™) to determine specific MCAT requirements. The MSAR may be reviewed at many premedical advising offices or purchased from the AAMC Publications Web site.
Basic Facts about the MCAT:
Why Take the MCAT? |
Most medical schools require the MCAT for admission |
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How Long Is It ? |
5 1/2 hours |
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When Is It Offered ? |
22 times per year on 19 test dates. 2009 MCAT Test Dates |
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How Do I Register to Take the MCAT? |
Visit www.aamc.org |
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How Is It Scored? |
MCAT Scoring Information |
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Are There Breaks During the Test? |
There are three, 10-minute optional breaks. |
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Is the MCAT a Computer-Based Test? |
Yes. The MCAT is only administered on a computer. The skills and concepts tested on the computer-based exam are exactly the same as those tested on the old paper-and-pencil exam. Learn about how the computer-based MCAT is different. |
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MCAT Section by Section--additional information on MCAT. |
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Physical Sciences |
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Verbal Reasoning |
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Writing |
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Biological Sciences |
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How Does the Test Look? |
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(Visit the princetonreview.com website for more information about specific topics covered by subject on the MCAT)
How much does it cost to take it?
Going to medical school has to be one
of the most expensive education efforts. Not only is tuition
expensive but medical school also lasts such a long time! The
expense starts from the get-go with high priced application fees
at an average of $100.00 each. Ouch!
The Testing Expense
- MCAT registration Fee - $200.00
Application Time! Fees assume you are applying to seven medical schools:
- AMCAS application processing fee of $160 (includes one medical school). Each additional medical school application fee is $30 - $340.00
- Average application fee of $100.00 each - $700.00
- Priority mail postage of approximately $4.05 each - $28.35
- Average university registrar fee to submit transcripts of $10.00 each - $70.00
Total - $1338.35
The following is from The Princeton Review which has developed a great list of facts and myths about the MCAT:
Dispelling the Myths about the
MCAT
and Medical School Admissions
MYTH: You need a knowledge of
upper-division sciences in order to do well on the MCAT.
FACT:
According to the AAMC, you only need an introductory level of
knowledge of physics, general chemistry, biology, and organic
chemistry for the MCAT. Some passages may describe
upper-division topics, but correctly answering the questions
will not require upper-division knowledge.
MYTH: You don't need to prepare
thoroughly for the MCAT if you're doing well in your pre-med
courses.
FACT:
Nearly 50% of all MCAT test takers sit for the MCAT a second
time due to inadequate preparation the first time, and many of
those people are doing just fine in their science courses.
Believe it or not, most students who do well on the MCAT spend
between 200 and 300 hours preparing for the exam. Control the
things you can control, namely your preparation for this exam.
Trust us, you don't want to have to take it a second time.
MYTH: The MCAT tests science
skills. You don't need to worry as much about the Verbal
section.
FACT:
Good reading skills are very important for the MCAT, even in the
Science sections. For example, Humanities majors out-perform
Biological Sciences major on every part of the MCAT, not just
the Verbal section! Medical school admissions officers actually
weight the Verbal Reasoning section the heaviest of the entire
MCAT, because they view it as a measure of a student's ability
to learn and communicate.
MYTH: There is a "magic number"
that you must score on the MCAT in order to get into a
competitive medical school.
FACT:
While it's true that most very competitive medical schools look
for a combined score of 30+ on the MCAT, your score alone will
not predict your acceptance or rejection into a competitive
medical school. There is a wide range in scores that medical
schools deem to be acceptable, and they will also look at your
other application elements before making a final determination.
If your MCAT scores are lower, you'll most likely need a higher
GPA and a more substantial clinical/research record to
compensate.
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MCAT Essay: From J to
T
Like most medical school applicants, you’ve probably spent the
past four years studying biology, organic chemistry, and
physics. You probably feel pretty confident about your grasp of
the science material that will be tested. Unfortunately, most
science majors don’t have much experience dealing with verbal
reasoning, which plays a huge role on the MCAT.
English as a Second
Language
As a science major, you are actually at a disadvantage on some
sections of the MCAT. In your classes, you've developed
experience with manipulating formulas and answering questions
that may have a setup, not writing florid prose. The truth is,
the MCAT has a large verbal portion and, on average, humanities
majors tend to get slightly better scores in all of the sections
than any other major. While it might not seem fair that a test
that is supposed to evaluate your readiness for medical school
is actually an English test, you can master this test even if
English isn't your best subject.
T is for Terrific
One section that many MCAT students tend to stress about is the
Writing Sample. In this section, there are two essays, and each
must be written within thirty minutes. Each essay is scored
separately by two readers and it is assigned a tentative raw
score on a scale of 1 to 6. If the two readers assign similar
scores, the score is final. If they disagree by a large enough
margin, the essay is passed on to a third reader and the final
score comes from the average of all three scores. The raw score
for each essay is then combined and converted into a single
score on the scale of J to T, with T as the top score.
Your task on each essay is to read the statement and then write
a cohesive essay in which you explain the statement's meaning,
describe a situation to which the statement does not apply, and
resolve or settle the two points of view.
The policy created by the Association of American Medical
Colleges (AAMC) holds that each essay be read and graded
"holistically." This means things like spelling, grammar, and
punctuation won't be judged when the reader is giving a score.
They really won't notice the minor things anyway because the
graders only have 2 minutes tops to read and grade an essay. The
composition is evaluated on the overall impression it gives the
reader, so that means you MUST address the three tasks assigned
to you and make it ABSOLUTELY clear that you have done so. This
is no time to go off on tangents and make obscure points. Be
clear, concise, and incredibly generic.
To help you prepare a couple of test organizations have placed free practice MCATs. This should give you a better idea of what the test contains.
-C Lin