3 Scenarios For When to Take the MCAT and Apply to Medical School
Scenario 1: Taking the MCAT just once and applying ASAP
The most ideal scenario is that you achieve your goal MCAT score by the time the med school applications open up in early June. This means taking your MCAT either in the winter/early spring (Jan – April test dates) or in the year prior (remember that MCAT scores remain valid for two or three years, depending on the school).
If you opt to take the test during the Spring semester, keep in mind that things will become busy (e.g., classes, MCAT, application, practice tests, extracurriculars). Depending on your semester workload, it might be best to take the MCAT during the summer prior to applying or during a gap year. That way, it’s not as difficult to carve out MCAT study time.
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Scenario 2: Taking the MCAT just once and applying without an MCAT score
This scenario is fairly common for test takers who take the MCAT in the later spring/early summer.
If you take your MCAT any time after late May, you won’t have your score back before June 30th, the date that schools will begin receiving primary applications. You can still submit your AMCAS application to schools without an MCAT score. Keep in mind that they generally won’t review your application until your score is released.
This may not be the absolute end of the world if you take the MCAT early June and your score comes out early July.
But remember that the later schools are considering your application, the lower your odds are of receiving an interview invite. This means it’s generally best to have already received your score prior to June 30th so your application can hit the desk of medical school admissions committees as soon as possible.
Scenario 3: Taking the MCAT multiple times
If you weren’t happy with your scores, or you just really like the test center, you can take the MCAT more than once.
This is another reason why it’s better to take the MCAT in the winter/early spring or in the year prior to application. With these test dates, it’s possible to retake the MCAT if you don’t achieve the score you’re looking for prior to submitting your application.
If, on the other hand, you take the MCAT in June and apply without your test score, you won’t be able to retake it soon enough if it doesn’t turn out as you hoped. By then, your score will already have been released to schools and you may have set yourself up for rejection by admissions committees.
Ultimately, it’s probably best for most students to take the MCAT in the year prior to applying or early in the spring/winter. This gives you plenty of time to retake it if you don’t achieve the score you’re looking for.
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