What year should I take the MCAT?

Often, students will choose to take their MCAT exam in the same year they are applying to medical school. For example, if you are thinking about attending medical school in fall 2023, you might consider taking your exam during 2022.

Do you take the MCAT junior or senior year?

The MCAT is something that requires planning and should not be taken on a whim. The ideal time to take the MCAT is the spring of your junior year of college, if you plan to attend medical school immediately following graduation.

What year should you start studying for the MCAT?

Students who are strong academically may choose to take the MCAT this early and begin studying for the test in the spring of their sophomore year if they wish to apply to medical school as soon as possible. However, most students will want to study for and take the MCAT during a break period from their studies.

What is the best year to take the MCAT?

Doing this helps ensure applicants have plenty of time to work on other application components, such as AMCAS work and activities and the medical school personal statement. The earliest that students opt to take the MCAT is during the latter part of their sophomore year or the summer between sophomore and junior year.

What year of school do you take the MCAT?

You should aim to take the MCAT after your sophomore year of undergrad. At this point, you've taken most, if not all, of the prerequisite courses, so you should have a firm grasp of the material.

When should you take the MCAT? | Medical School Application Guide

What is the minimum age for 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.

Is a year too long to study for the MCAT?

Students who have a science background and have received an A in all of their science classes may just need three months to study for the MCAT. Students without a science background or who have not studied the sciences in a long time, on the other hand, should take up to six months to prepare.

Do med schools take highest MCAT?

There is no rule that they have to follow. It's not like there is an AAMC mandate of what to do with multiple MCAT scores. So, they're just going to see all of them and take the most recent or the highest. If they're looking for a reason to reject you, they take the lowest.

Is May 12 too late for MCAT?

If you take a May 12 MCAT, your scores will be in around June 12. The application generally doesn't get processed by schools until later in June. It seems that AMCAS has gotten more considerate of early May test takers to make sure they don't get a timing disadvantage.

Can I take the MCAT for fun?

MCAT Eligibility

Interested test takers that have no desire to apply for a health professions schools or current medical students are not eligible to take the MCAT. However, they may request what is called “special permission” from the AAMC to take the test.

Is Khan Academy good for MCAT?

The Khan Academy MCAT prep course is a good resource for students who not only have a tight budget but want an MCAT prep course that is AAMC-approved. With thousands of practice questions to help you study for the MCAT, you might not need to look for other supplemental MCAT resources.

Can you do well on the MCAT without studying?

A 511 on the MCAT currently corresponds to the 81st percentile, meaning that fewer than 20% of testers achieve a 511 or higher. Clearly, scoring well on the MCAT is hard if you do not study properly.

Is one year enough to study for MCAT?

Generally, three months is enough time to study for the MCAT. However, you may need more or less time depending on how often you're studying weekly and how much you want to improve.

Do you apply to med school before MCAT?

In order to apply to medical school with one year in between, you would need to take the MCAT by early May of your senior year to get your score before submitting your application in June.

How much does the MCAT cost?

How much does the MCAT cost? It costs $330 to take the MCAT (and $370 for late registration 1–2 weeks before your test date). This initial MCAT registration fee includes the distribution of your MCAT scores to medical schools.

Is it hard to pass the MCAT?

Some will find it very tough while others might be able to breeze through it. Depending on one's skills, knowledge, and level of preparation, the MCAT can prove to be very hard or manageable. Only a few will dare say that it's easy, however.

When can I take MCAT if I have no gap year?

You should plan to take the MCAT for the final time between January and April of your application year. For instance, if you'd like to enroll in medical school in August 2025, you'll want to take your MCAT during the first four months of 2024—that is, no later than April 2024.

How long should I study for the MCAT?

Most people need 10–15 hours per week to study for the MCAT over a period of at least four to six months . In total, you should aim for at least 200 to 300 hours of MCAT study time.

When should I take the MCAT if I graduate in 2025?

When should you take the MCAT? The simple answer: Take the MCAT in April or May of the calendar year before you want to start medical school. So if you're planning to become a first-year medical student in August 2025, then take the MCAT in April or May of 2024.

What MCAT is needed for Harvard?

But every school varies in what they consider a “strong” score. The top schools will have high average MCAT scores: for example, Harvard and Stanford have average scores of 520 and 518, respectively. A high MCAT score certainly does not guarantee an acceptance letter at the most competitive medical schools.

What MCAT score does Harvard accept?

Harvard Medical School obviously has the luxury of selecting students from an outstanding pool of applicants. If your MCAT and GPA are excellent (517 and 3.8 or higher) or there are other extenuating circumstances about your background that distinguish you, try applying.

Has anyone got a 528 on MCAT?

Since this method is not perfect, we'll leave you with a range; between 30 and 70 students every year achieve a perfect 528 MCAT. This is out of the nearly three hundred thousand students who take the exam.

Does taking the MCAT 3 times look bad?

If necessary, retake the MCAT up to two to three times total—space out attempts with enough time to thoroughly review and improve your study strategy. More than three attempts can reflect poorly.

Do med schools average MCAT attempts?

While medical schools will see all your MCAT scores, admissions committees will use multiple scores in different ways, including: Considering your highest score only. Considering the average of every score.

Is 2 months full time enough to study for MCAT?

For most students, two months is not enough time to spend studying for the MCAT. As the official MCAT prep of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), Kaplan recommends that you spend 300-350 hours studying so you can earn a good MCAT score.