Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
The Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT, is a test used to apply to medical schools in the Caribbean, Australia, the United States, and Canada. Pearson VUE administers it, and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) designed it. In twenty-one nations, the MCAT is given 25 times per year.
MCAT registration is available all year long. Depending on the region, the MCAT costs between $315 and 360. The MCAT tests a candidate's ability to analyze, reason, develop psychological skills, and comprehend biological systems.
During registration, candidates must mention a medical school in an application verification statement.
to pass a test for something other than going to medical school; one must obtain AAMC's special permission.
A maximum of three tests can be taken by candidates in a single year; four tests over the course of two years; and seven life tests. Check the MCAT Exam Pattern The online test has 7.5 hours to complete all four sections.
The total MCAT scores range from 472 to 528.
Highlights of the MCAT Exam
| Exam Name | MCAT |
| Full Form | Medical College Admission Test |
| Organizing Body | Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) |
| Official Website | aamc.org |
| Exam Level | International |
| Mode of Exam | Computer-based |
| Questions Type | Multiple Type Questions (MCQs) |
| Duration of Exam | 7 hours 30 minutes |
Eligibility for the MCAT
• Anyone who wants to work as an allopathic, osteopathic, podiatric, or veterinary doctor can take the MCAT.
• The exam is only open to U.S. and Canadian undergraduate students.
• To take the MCAT, international applicants must be pursuing or have completed MBBS.
• Students who intend to take the MCAT for reasons other than pursuing a career in medicine must obtain special permission from AAMC officials.
Application Forms for the MCAT
Students wishing to apply to medical school in the United States or Canada must register for the MCAT.
• Visit the official website for students and residents, students-residents.aamc.org.
• There, you can create an AAMC account by entering the required information.
• A verification email will be sent to the registered email address.
• Click on the link in the verification email to sign in.
• Click on Start Exam Registration to make an appointment.
• Enter the required information: personal information, academic background, and biographical information. Accept the terms and conditions.
• Select an exam schedule and test center.
• Pay the application fee
MCAT Fee Structure
• MCAT varies depending upon when you are applying for the exam
• The registration deadlines are divided into three zone – Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Details of these zones are as follows –
Gold Zone
The flexibility of date and location
Reschedule the exam at the lowest cost
Can get a partial refund for canceling the reservation
Low rescheduling and canceling fees for Fee Assistance Programs recipients.
Silver Zone
No increase in the registration fee
Can reschedule exam on the given fee
Can cancel the reservation but no refund
Bronze Zone
You can cancel the reservation but no refund
| Particulars | Gold Zone Deadline: 29 days prior to exam date | Silver Zone Deadline: 15 days prior to exam date | Bronze Zone Deadline 8 days prior to exam date |
| Initial Registration | 315 | 315 | 370 |
| Date and/or Test Center Reschedule Fee(non-refundable) | 90 | 150 | N/A |
| Cancellation Refund | 155 | N/A | N/A |
| International Fee (non-refundable) | 105 | 105 | 105 |
Changing the Appointment
• This service requires an additional fee.
• Before the deadline, you can change the test location and/or date if there is room.
• On the MCAT Registration System, you can check to see if the same is available.
• Rescheduling should be completed by the silver zone's deadline at the latest.
• If you need to reschedule the exam after the silver zone deadline, you will need to set up a new appointment.
Cancellation and Refunds
Cancellation is only possible until the Gold zone's deadline; Students who are hospitalized, have a family member die unexpectedly, are unexpectedly called to active military service, are unexpectedly called away for health care service duties due to a catastrophic event, are displaced from their residence due to a natural calamity, or are called to jury duty on the day of the exam are not eligible for emergency refunds after this point.
MCAT Test Structure
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized test used by medical schools in the United States and Canada to evaluate the readiness of applicants for medical school. The test measures knowledge and skills in several areas including biology, chemistry, physics, and critical thinking.
The MCAT test is divided into four main sections:
• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
This section assesses knowledge and skills in biology and biochemistry. It includes 59 multiple-choice questions and 10 passage-based sets of questions.
• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
This section assesses knowledge and skills in chemistry and physics. It includes 59 multiple-choice questions and 10 passage-based sets of questions.
• Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
This section assesses knowledge and skills in psychology and sociology. It includes 59 multiple-choice questions and 10 passage-based sets of questions.
• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
This section assesses critical thinking and reading comprehension skills. It includes 53 multiple-choice questions and 9 passages.
Each section is timed separately and includes a mix of multiple-choice questions and passage-based sets of questions. The MCAT test also includes a trial section that is not scored but is used to evaluate new test questions for future exams.
The total testing time for the MCAT is approximately 7.5 hours, including breaks. In addition to the multiple-choice questions and passage-based sets of questions, the test also includes a tutorial and a survey section. Test-takers should plan to arrive at the testing center at least 30 minutes before the scheduled start time.
Overall, the MCAT test is designed to assess a wide range of knowledge and skills that are important for success in medical school. It is a challenging exam, but with careful preparation and practice, it is possible to do well and achieve your goals.
MCAT Syllabus
MCAT requires diverse knowledge in major areas of science, psychology and sociology. Besides these, critical reasoning and analytical skills are also assessed in the test. Given below are the important topics that are primarily tested in the MCAT exam –
| Column1 | Column2 |
| Sections | MCAT Important Topics |
| Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills | Ethics, Philosophy, Population Health, Social Sciences, Humanities Disciplines and, Studies of Diverse Culture |
| Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | Chemistry: Organic, and Inorganic, |
| Biology: Cellular and Molecular, Biochemistry (introductory topics), | |
| Natural sciences: Research, Reasoning and Statistics | |
| Basic Biochemistry concepts, Statistics Concepts and Introductory Research Methods | |
| Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behaviour | Social and Behavioral Sciences: Scientific Inquiry, Reasoning, Research |
| Concepts of Psychology, Sociology, and Biology about the Behavioral and Socio-Cultural Health Determinants | |
| Mental Processes and Behavior, Concepts of Psychology and Sociology, Introductory Statistics Concepts and Research Methods of Introductory Science | |
| Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | Introductory Biochemistry and Biology Concepts |
| Chemistry: Organic and Inorganic, Concepts of Physics | |
| Show Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning, Research Methods and Natural Sciences | |
| Introductory Molecular Biology, Introductory and Statistics Concepts |
MCAT Preparation Material
• There is a lot of MCAT-prep material available from the AAMC.
• Candidates can sign up for MCAT practice tests and sample papers.
• The AAMC website also offers online tutorials and video lectures.
Score on the MCAT
• The MCAT score ranges from 472 to 528.
• The sectional score ranges from 118 to 132.
• Incorrect responses result in consequences.
• The score range is derived from the students' raw marks.
MCAT Score Report
On the day of score release, MCAT scores must be reported by 5 p.m. Eastern Time. One can check the result by logging into their AAMC account.
MCAT score report has the following information:
• The candidate's name
• AAMC ID
• date of birth
• Exam date
• sectional score
• total score
• overall percentile rank
Instructions for the MCAT Exam Day
• Candidates are required to arrive at the test center 30 minutes prior to the exam. They may not be permitted to take the test after that, and there will be no refund.
• The test center will only allow examinees with valid identification to enter; otherwise, they will be considered "no-shows."
• At the testing center, the student must present a valid ID. The candidate's photo and signature must not have been altered or damaged in any way. Temporary IDs, paper IDs, IDs with extension stickers, or ID application receipts are not accepted. The first and last names on the ID must match those on the MCAT registration. An ID is considered valid if it is issued by the government and is not past its expiration date. The issue could be resolved through AAMC services in the event of any inconsistency in this regard.
• They get two breaks of ten minutes each and one of thirty, but they can't leave the testing center for any reason.