You should take the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) 1-6 months before submitting your primary medical school applications. Primaries (AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS) open in May, and you should submit no later than early June so that you don’t disadvantage your application.
Since it takes about four weeks for examinees to receive their MCAT scores after taking the test, we recommend most students take the test no later than the first week of May in their application cycle year — earlier, if possible.
While it’s best to submit a completed application with an MCAT score as soon as possible, it’s just as important to take your exam when it’s the right time for you.
Let’s take a detailed look at when you know you’re ready, the earliest or latest you should take the MCAT, and considerations for gap year(s).
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A major consideration for when to take the MCAT is to know when you’re academically prepared to get a good score. A competitive MCAT score is paramount to getting into your medical school of choice.
You know you’re ready to take the MCAT if you…
The AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges), who administers the MCAT, recommends taking the following courses before tackling the MCAT:
These recommended courses overlap somewhat with the general prerequisites you’ll need to apply for medical school. Talk to your pre-health advisor about when it makes sense to register for the MCAT based on your own unique circumstances.
Free Guide: Coursework You Need for the MCAT
You can take the MCAT as early as you want (between January and September), but most medical schools want an MCAT score from within the last three years. Ambitious test takers can take the MCAT after their sophomore year, but it’s usually better to wait.
There is no age requirement for taking the MCAT. However, taking the MCAT early, just to see how you’ll do, is not a good idea.
Medical schools will see this score, and you simply won’t be as prepared. (Plus, it counts against your 7 total lifetime chances to take the exam.)
If you’re looking to take the MCAT early but are still prepared, the earliest recommended time to schedule your exam is the summer before junior year. Just make sure it is the right time for you to take it, when you can fit in study time and other commitments like extracurriculars.
Read Next: Requesting MCAT Accommodations
The latest exam date for the MCAT during any cycle year is early to mid-September. Still, MedSchoolCoach Physician Advisors have found that waiting that long decreases your odds of getting accepted into med school.
Some admissions committees are already sending out interview invites in July and August, so you’ll be missing out on the earlier interview offers as slots fill up if you wait till the end of the MCAT cycle in September to take the exam.
We recommend you take the MCAT in January-May of your junior year at the latest — if you want to begin med school after your last year of college.
Students taking one or more gap years can take a more flexible approach, but you should still register to take the test no later than early May at the beginning of your application cycle year.
Having your MCAT score in hand earlier is helpful because:
Most students who take the MCAT in August or September (around the beginning of their senior year) apply to medical school the following application cycle, which is perfectly acceptable; it simply necessitates a gap year.
If you’re taking the MCAT in September at the start of your junior year, then you’re ahead of the curve and can still aim to enter medical school immediately after finishing your senior year.
If you already know you’re taking a gap year — which is more and more common — you don’t need to take the MCAT test while in college. Because most med schools only consider MCAT scores from the previous 3 years, plan ahead and take it 1-6 months before you intend to apply.
Study Smart: MCAT Master Class Course
If you’re only taking one gap year, you can take the MCAT exam at the beginning of senior year (MCAT cycle finishes in September) or the end of your senior year (the new MCAT cycle starts in January).
If you’re taking multiple gap years, or you’re applying to medical school long after you were in undergrad, you simply need to take the MCAT within 3 years of applying or matriculating — depending on the school.
Pro Tip: If you’re taking one or more gap years, use that time not only to ace the MCAT, but also to rack up great extracurriculars, seek out the best possible letters of recommendation, and consider post-bacc courses to boost your GPA.
MCAT score release dates are usually 4 weeks after you take the test. The AAMC says that they release scores “30-35 days after an exam date.”
Our MCAT Test Dates article includes exam dates and score release dates so that you can plan ahead.
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To boost your odds for a high MCAT score, there are a lot of powerful and free resources for MCAT prep. We recommend 300+ hours dedicated to studying, on top of everything else you’re doing to prepare for medical school. Don’t leave this vital metric up to the fates.
Here are the best MCAT resources to increase your chances of success:
A good MCAT score can be your ticket to the med school of your dreams. If you choose not to take an MCAT prep course or hire an MCAT tutor, you need to craft an MCAT study schedule that includes content review, practice exams, and meta-analysis.
You want to walk into the testing center on test day feeling ready and relaxed. You’ve spent a lot of time and money getting this far. Don’t leave it up to chance now.
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