How to Prepare for the MCAT Test and What to Expect

Anyone who intends to take the Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT, should devote a large amount of time to studying for it due to the exam's complexity.

Timothy Malone, a student at St. George's University in Grenada, a Caribbean island nation, who is enrolled in a dual-degree program leading to an M.D. and a Master of Public Health, advises students, "Make sure that you feel that you are absolutely ready to take it before you sit for the exam." "Schedule the exam for a later test date if you are unsure."

Here are the essential facts to know about the MCAT before signing up to take the test.

What Is the MCAT Like and What Is Its Purpose?

The MCAT is designed to assess the extent to which medical school applicants have the conceptual understanding and analytical skills necessary for success in medical education, and admissions officers often use MCAT results to gauge the level of an aspiring doctor's preparedness for med school.

“We support applicants by providing a standardized test and testing experience that allows them to signal to schools their academic readiness for the rigors of the medical education curriculum," Javarro Russell, senior director of admissions testing service with the Association of American Medical Colleges – the organization that creates and administers MCAT exams – wrote in an email.

Critics of the MCAT question whether and to what extent the test is an accurate measure of someone's potential to be a good medical student or doctor. Some say the MCAT impedes low-income premeds of all ethnic backgrounds, especially those whose parents did not attend college or who were raised in rural areas, and that the test particularly deters premeds from underrepresented racial groups, including Black and Hispanic students. The average MCAT score within these demographic categories is lower than the norm – a phenomenon MCAT skeptics attribute to systemic inequalities that hinder the educational opportunities of certain populations.

MCAT Sections

The MCAT has four sections, and a test-taker's performance on each section is weighted equally in his or her overall score. The sections are:

• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems.
• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems.
• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills.
• Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior.

Three of the four sections focus on natural and social sciences and are based on lessons learned in premed undergraduate courses. In contrast, the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section of the MCAT is not scientifically oriented, does not require background knowledge and tests reading comprehension abilities.

How Much Does the MCAT Cost?

According to the MCAT fee schedule posted on the AAMC website, the initial registration fee to sign up for the MCAT is $325 for the 2022 testing year. However, med school hopefuls with difficult financial circumstances may qualify for the AAMC's fee assistance program. The program enables premeds with demonstrated financial need to receive discounts on their MCAT registration fees, alongside free test prep resources, a complimentary two-year subscription to the Medical School Admission Requirements database, fee waivers for the AAMC PREview professional readiness exam (previously called a situational judgment test) and one American Medical College Application Service, or AMCAS, entry form, which can be submitted to as many as 20 medical schools at no charge.

How Long Is the MCAT?

The MCAT lasts 7 1/2 hours, including 6 hours and 15 minutes of time spent on the exam, 50 minutes devoted to breaks and 25 minutes assigned to logistical tasks at the beginning or end of the test.

MCAT Scores

An MCAT test-taker's total score on the exam can be as low as 472 or as high as 528. This score is determined based on the sum of a student's section scores, each of which ranges from a minimum of 118 to a maximum of 132. MCAT test-takers are rewarded for correct answers to test questions, but they are not penalized for wrong answers, so they should make their best guess on questions where they are unsure of the right answer, according to the AAMC.

MCAT Registration

Premeds should attempt to schedule their MCAT exam as soon as possible after slots open up for their desired test date since spots may run out, experts say.

Students who need their MCAT scores back by a certain date should take that into account when they schedule their test, since it takes 30 to35 days after the test to receive a score. Test-takers should also figure out where in the country they would prefer to sit for an exam — whether that location is close to their school, hometown or elsewhere, Jurgens says.

Premeds who wish to test between January and June can sign up for those test dates starting in October, and those who plan to take the test during July, August or September may sign up as early as February. The AAMC announces registration opening times in advance both on their website and on Twitter.