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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 you don’t disadvantage your application.
You Need to Know: MCAT Test Dates
Since it takes about four weeks for examinees to get their MCAT score after taking the test, I recommend most students take it 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 ahead of the application deadlines, it is also just as important to take your exam when it is the right time for you to do so.
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).
Check out our free guide to the top 100 tips for MCAT studying.
You’re Ready to Take the MCAT When…
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…
- …have completed the recommended courses you need to grasp the concepts on the exam.
- …are able to dedicate at least 350 total study hours.
- …score within your goal range on realistic practice exams.
- …plan to apply to medical school within the next 6-12 months.
The exact recommended courses differ by student, but in general, include:
- General Biology: Two semesters
- General Chemistry: Two semesters
- Organic Chemistry: At least one semester; two semesters are best if possible
- Physics: Two semesters
- Biochemistry: One semester
- Psychology: One semester
- Sociology: One semester
These recommended courses overlap somewhat with the general prerequisites you’ll need to apply for medical school. However, since you may take the MCAT well before completing all of these courses, talk to your pre-health advisor about when makes sense to register for the test based on your own unique circumstances.
You can take the MCAT in your junior or senior year of undergrad. To get into medical school immediately after your senior year of undergrad, it’s best to take the MCAT no later than May of your junior year. If you wait till senior year, you may need to take a gap year before starting medical school.
Many pre-med students plan to take the MCAT by May of their junior year. However, sophomores who have already completed their prerequisite courses and feel well-prepared may confidently take the exam early. It’s a good idea to talk to your pre-health advisor about your specific situation before deciding what to do.
Inversely, if you haven’t completed your prerequisite courses by the end of junior year, or you haven’t had enough study time, you may want to wait till senior year (or after) to do the MCAT exam then plan to take a gap year before medical school.
The Latest Date You Can Take the MCAT
The latest exam date for the MCAT during any cycle year is early to mid-September, but my team at MedSchoolCoach has found waiting that long decreases your odds of getting accepted into med school. Remember, MCAT score release dates are usually 4 weeks after you take the test.
I recommend students take the MCAT in May right after their junior year at the latest, if they want to begin medical school after their last year of college. Students taking one or more gap years can take a more flexible approach, but they should still register to take the test no later than early May in the beginning of their application cycle year.
Having your MCAT score in hand earlier is helpful because:
- It helps create a realistic list of schools you should apply to, instead of applying to too many reach or far-reach schools.
- It lets you take advantage of the rolling admissions process that most medical schools use. While your MCAT score is not technically required to submit your application, most schools will not look at your application until the primary application service updates it with your MCAT score.
- It gives you more time to work on your application. Writing your personal statement or completing volunteer hours for your medical school application is a huge undertaking. Starting as early as January of your application year is our advice.
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.
The Earliest You Can Take the MCAT
You can take the MCAT as early as you want (between May and September), but most medical schools want a score from within the last 3 years. Ambitious test takers can take the MCAT after their sophomore year, but it’s often better to wait.
At what age can you take the MCAT? 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 a high school student or first-year pre-med student looking to see how you’d fare on the exam, consider taking a free MCAT practice exam instead.
If you’re looking to take the MCAT early but when you’re truly 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.
Considerations for Gap Year(s)
If you already know you’re taking one or more gap years — which is very 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 plan 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 May).
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 you can rack up great extracurriculars, seek out the best possible letters of recommendation, and consider post-bacc courses to boost your GPA.
Get comprehensive help with your study plan and learn how we can boost your MCAT score.
FAQ
On average, medical school candidates spend between 300-350 hours on MCAT preparation. This boils down to 10-15 hours per week over 4-6 months, making MCAT prep as intensive as adding another college course to your schedule.
Study time should be free of distractions. Using resources like MCAT tutoring, practice tests, and prep courses can keep you on track.
Some students can fit all that studying into a one-month period, but this would be very difficult unless you are free of all work and school commitments for that time. (I don’t recommend it.)
Although the AAMC never invalidates your MCAT scores, most medical school AdComs only accept scores that are less than 3 years old.
Every school is different — some count the 3 years from the student’s application date, and others count it from their matriculation date (which can be more than a year apart). Always check the med school application requirements of schools you’re interested in.
You can attempt the MCAT exam 3 times in one testing year. Over two consecutive testing years, you can take it 4 times, with a maximum of 7 overall lifetime attempts.
If you choose to retake the MCAT to raise your score, check the application timeline for all of the schools where you’re sending your AMCAS application.
Check Out Our Study Resources
A good MCAT score can be your ticket to the med school of your dreams. If you choose not to take an MCAT course or hire an MCAT tutor, craft an MCAT study schedule that includes content review, practice exams, and meta-analysis. You want to walk into the testing center feeling ready.
Here are the best MCAT resources to increase your chances of success:
- WEBINAR: How to START Studying for MCAT
- WATCH: How to Study on a Budget
- MCAT Go, a unique on-the-go MCAT learning experience
- MCAT Prep app, the best mobile app for MCAT studying
- How to study for the MCAT, tips from actual experts
- Med schools that don’t require the MCAT
Schedule a meeting with the MedSchoolCoach enrollment team to see how our 99th-percentile MCAT Tutors can help you boost your score.
Ken Tao, PhD
Ken is the Director of MCAT and Research at MedSchoolCoach. He is an alumnus of UC Berkeley and Harvard University, boasts degrees in Bioengineering, Molecular and Cell Biology, and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. Ken previously worked with undergraduate students at Princeton Review where he was the only tutor certified in all subjects. Ken was one of the highest rated MCAT tutors ever and a teacher trainer. He founded Magoosh's MCAT division and has written content for dozen's of MCAT books and guides.
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