The MCAT

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) consists of three sections of multiple-choice, standardized questions combined with one writing section. The material tested was designed to assess knowledge of scientific principles and concepts through the use of problem solving, critical thinking, and writing. In short, the MCAT tests both aptitude and knowledge. One could think of it as a synthesis of the SAT, which tests aptitude, and the ACT, which tests outside knowledge. First developed in 1928 as a way to decrease attrition rates in medical school, the MCAT has undergone several revisions, the most recent of which was to change the subject material to emphasize the skills and concepts identified by physicians and medical educators as prerequisite for the practice of medicine. The test is developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) in conjunction with its member U.S. Medical Schools. The MCAT is an unavoidable challenge that must be faced when applying to any medical school. It is one of the critical factors that medical schools use to evaluate an applicant, so it must be taken seriously.

MCAT is given in April and August of each year at established test centers, including most major universities nationally and abroad. In any one year, a candidate may test once in April and once in August. It is usually recommended that students take the MCAT about 18 months before they plan to enter medical school though they can take as far in advance as needed and up to three times total without needing special permission. For instance, if you plan on entering medical school in the fall of 2008, you should plan to take the test in April or August of 2007. Many institutions prefer that applicants take the test in April of the preceding year to allow for plenty of time to complete the application process and have your scores to the schools on time. Yet, in the event that you must take the August MCAT, the date is selected to ensure that your scores are available to meet most application deadlines. The bottom line is that a medical school needs your MCAT scores to evaluate your application and it takes about 60 days for scores to be released after the test date, so plan accordingly.

Registering for the MCAT

The only way to register for the MCAT is online at www.aamc.org/mcat. You will be able to register at this website about 8 to 12 weeks prior to the test date, but you can start checking the website about 5 months prior to the test date to get an exact date for the beginning of registration. It is highly recommended that you submit your registration early to ensure that you will be able to take the test at your first choice test center and to avoid any late fees. This will help to alleviate the additional stress of having to travel to an unfamiliar location to take the test. It is important to note that there is absolutely no walk-in registration.

You must request permission from the MCAT Program Office before registration can be confirmed if you have taken the MCAT three or more times though one can theoretically take it as many times as time allows, though it is not recommended. Also, you can take it again if you are requesting special testing accommodations due to a disability such as an illness or a death in the family. If you cannot take the test on a Saturday due to religious convictions or some other unavoidable conflict, you can complete an online written request to take the test on the following Sunday. However, special testing situations require an additional fee. There are also international MCAT testing sites that you can use if necessary for an additional fee. Please note that when your scores are reported to medical schools, all of your previous scores are sent. Therefore, it is best to feel fully prepared before attempting to take the test. Never take the official test for mere practice.

Once you register, you will be sent an Admission Ticket for a specific test center and a MCAT identification card about five weeks before the test date. You will need to bring these with you to the test center to be admitted.

Taking the MCAT is expensive! In 2006, the regular examination fee was $210.00 with a late registration fee of $50.00. There is no indication that these prices will be reduced in the future, so be prepared to pay at least this much at the time you register for the test.

Content of the MCAT

The MCAT is composed of four sections: Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and the Writing Sample. All of the sections consist of multiple choice questions except for the Writing Sample, which consists of two essays. The number of test questions for each section, the order of the exam sections, and the time allotted are as follows:

The Verbal Reasoning section consists of several passages, each about 500 to 600 words long, taken from the "humanities, social sciences, and areas of the natural sciences," which are loosely defined areas. They are often not tested elsewhere on the MCAT. Each passage is followed by five to ten questions based on the information presented in the passage. All of the information needed to answer each question is provided in the accompanying passage so you should not need to apply any outside information you may have studied.

The Physical Sciences section is designed to assess your reasoning in general chemistry and physics. The Biological Sciences section is designed to assess your reasoning in biology and organic chemistry. For a complete list of specific topics covered in each section, check the official MCAT website at www.aamc.org/mcat. Each section contains ten to eleven problem sets, each about 250 words in length that describe a situation or problem. Each problem set is followed by four to eight questions. There are also approximately fifteen questions found in each section not accompanied by a passage. Unlike the Verbal Reasoning section, the Physical and Biological Sciences section do expect you to have a background in these areas and use information you have studied before the test to answer the questions.

The Writing Sample consists of two 30-minute essays. This section of the MCAT is designed to assess your ability to develop a central idea, synthesize concepts and ideas, write clearly, and use proper grammar, syntax, and punctuation. Each Writing Sample item provides a specific topic that you must respond to. The topics vary widely from your opinions on global warming to whether or not you agree with a common adage, but do not include religious or emotionally charged issues or issues related to the application process or your decision to pursue a career in medicine.

The MCAT is truly a grueling test. The overall length of the test day is about nine and one-half hours. Test takers are expected to report to the center by 8:00am and can plan on leaving by approximately 5:30 pm. There are two ten minute breaks, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and a one hour lunch break.

How the MCAT is scored

Your total score on the MCAT is a composite of the score for each of the four sections. For each multiple choice section, your raw score is calculated by adding the number of questions you answer correctly. It is important to note that there is no penalty for incorrect answers, unlike some of the other standardized tests. Since there are multiple versions of the MCAT given at any one time, it is necessary to convert the raw scores to a scale to take this difference into consideration. For the three multiple choice sections of the test, the scaled scores range from a low of 1 to a high of 15. For the writing sample, each of your essays is read by two different individuals. Each individual score ranges from one to six and the total raw score is then converted to an alphabetic scale ranging from J (lowest) to T (highest). The alphabetic score is obtained from the summation of the scores received on each of your essays.