Medical schools take several factors into account when considering your application: your transcript, letters of recommendation, and of course, your Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) score.
What is the MCAT:
The MCAT is a standardized exam designed to measure your aptitude for a career in medicine. It provides schools an objective measure of your ability to process and analyze information, and presumably predicts your future success in medical school. It also taps your critical thinking skills and problem-solving ability. While not the sole determining factor in acceptance decisions, it provide admissions officers with a basis of comparison for the thousands of applications they review.
Who administers the MCAT:
The MCAT is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges, a nonprofit organization composed of accredited U.S. and Canadian medical schools, major teaching hospitals, and professional medical societies.
The MCAT consists of four sections:
- Verbal Reasoning: Tests your critical reading skills with nine 500-600 word passages followed by multiple-choice questions (65 questions in 85 minutes).
- Physical Sciences: After reading a series of passages, respond to 77 multiple-choice questions on chemistry, physics and data interpretation.
- Writing Sample: The writing sample requires you to write an essay in response to two statements within one hour. It taps your ability to construct coherent and well-organized essays.
- Biological Sciences: After reading a series of passages, respond to 77 multiple-choice questions on biology and organic chemistry.
When to take the MCAT:
The MCAT is administered multiple times between January and September. Take the exam the year before you intend to enroll in medical school (i.e., before you apply).
To register for the MCAT:
Information about the test, test centers, and registration details are located on the Medical College Admissions Test website.
How the MCAT is scored:
The scores you receive are scaled scores, ranging from 1 to 15 for the Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences sections, and from J to T for the Writing Sample. The average score is approximately an 8 on the three multiple-choice sections and an "O" on the Writing Sample. However, to be a competitive applicant, you'll need scores in the 10-11 range (or 12 and above for the top schools in the country).
When to expect MCAT scores:
Scores are released 30-35 days after the exam and available online. Your scores are automatically released to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), a nonprofit centralized application processing service.
