MCAT Exam

What is MCAT Exam?

For more than 90 years, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) has been a standardized, multiple-choice, computer- based test used in the admissions process for medical schools. Each year, more than 85,000 students take the exam. All medical schools in the United States, as well as many in Canada, require MCAT scores for ordinary admission. Many health profession colleges and graduate programs accept MCAT results instead of other standardized assessments. The MCAT exam assesses the skills and information that medical educators, physicians, medical students, and residents believe are essential for success in medical school and in practice. The content is separated into four sections.

• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
• Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills

The MCAT exam is developed by the AAMC and administered numerous times every year, from late January to September, at hundreds of test sites across the United States and Canada, as well as in select cities across the world.

MCAT Exam Eligibility

The MCAT is available to students who wish to pursue a career in allopathic, osteopathic, podiatric, and veterinary medicine. Those who want to take the exam must meet the following requirements to be eligible:

• For candidates from the United States and Canada, possessing an undergraduate degree is a requirement to qualify for the exam.
• International candidates must either be enrolled in or have already completed an MBBS program to be eligible for the MCAT.
• If individuals intend to take the MCAT for non-medical purposes, they must seek special permission from the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC).

You must adhere to the following guidelines if you wish to take the test more than once:

• Only 1 MCAT exam appointment is permitted per person at a time.
• The exam can only be administered 3 times in a testing year.
• The exam cannot be taken more than 4 times in 2 consecutive years.
• Maximum 7 times you can appear for the exam in total. Not more than that.

MCAT Exam Registration

The MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) registration process involves several steps. Here’s a general outline to guide you:

1. Create an AAMC Account

• Visit the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) website.
• Create an account or log in if you already have one.

2. Review Test Dates and Locations

• Check the MCAT test dates and testing locations available for the year.
• Dates and locations can be found on the AAMC MCAT registration page.

3. Register for the MCAT

• Once logged in, go to the MCAT registration section.
• Choose your preferred test date and location.
• Enter required personal information and answer any necessary questions.

4. Pay the Registration Fee

• The standard registration fee is around $330 (as of 2024), but it may vary.
• Payment is usually made by credit/debit card.
• After payment, you’ll be prompted to schedule your test time.
• Choose a time slot that works best for you.

5. Receive Confirmation

• After completing the registration and payment, you’ll receive a confirmation email with details about your test date, time, and location.

6. Prepare for the Exam

• Once registered, focus on preparing for the test. Make sure to review MCAT content and practice with sample questions and full-length practice exams.

7. Rescheduling or Cancelling

• If you need to reschedule or cancel, log in to your AAMC account. There are deadlines and potential fees associated with changes.

MCAT Exam Fees

For the MCAT exam, the usual registration fee is $335, while the assistance program registration fee is $140. The additional $120 for international registration is required of candidates who do not reside in the US, Canada, or US territories. Only online registration and payment for the MCAT exam are required of candidates. The MCAT exam is offered to applicants to medical schools from January through September. If necessary, candidates must finish the cancellation procedure by the specified deadlines. The $120 additional payment for MCAT exam international registration is non-refundable in the event of a cancellation. Click here to learn more

MCAT Syllabus

The MCAT exam syllabus is divided into four sections.

1. Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems

• Structure and function of proteins and their constituent amino acids.
• Transmission of genetic information from the gene to the protein.
• Transmission of heritable information from generation to generation and the processes that sustain it.
• Principles of bioenergetics and fuel molecule metabolism.
• Assemblies of molecules, cells, and groups of cells within single cellular and multicellular organisms.
• The structure, growth, physiology, and genetics of prokaryotes and viruses.
• Processes of cell division, differentiation, and specialization.
• Structure and functions of the nervous and endocrine systems and ways these systems coordinate the organ systems.
• Structure and integrative functions of the main organ systems.

2. Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

• Translational motion, forces, work, energy, and equilibrium in living systems.
• Importance of fluids for the circulation of blood, gas movement, and gas exchange.
• Electrochemistry and electrical circuits and their elements.
• How light and sound interact with matter.
• Atoms, nuclear decay, electronic structure, and atomic chemical behavior.
• Unique nature of water and its solutions.
• Nature of molecules and intermolecular interactions.
• Separation and purification methods.
• Structure, function, and reactivity of biologically relevant molecules.
• Principles of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics.

3. Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behaviour

• Sensing the environment
• Making sense of the environment
• Responding to the world
• Individual influences on behavior
• Social processes that influence human behavior
• Attitude and behavior change
• Self-identity
• Social thinking
• Social interactions
• Understanding social structure
• Demographic characteristics and processes
• Social inequality

4. Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills

• Humanities
• Social Sciences

MCAT Math

The MCAT does not have a designated "Math Section," however you may be asked to do certain calculations in any subject. Although the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems section of the test may appear to contain the majority of the math-based MCAT questions, there may also be questions in the other science sections that call for calculations, statistical analysis, or manipulation of experimental data.

To be prepared for the MCAT, you should be adept at doing the following types of math without the use of a calculator.

You’ll have to be prepared for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, proportions, ratios, percentages, and estimations of calculated values.

You’ll have to be familiar with concepts like isolating a variable, slope-intercept and simultaneous equations.

Be ready for/to convert metric-metric, metric-English (conversion factors will be provided), and dimensional analysis.

You should also be prepared for related concepts like scientific notation and estimates of square roots.

…and logarithms (base 10 and natural), and semi-log and log-log graphs.

You’ll be tested on topics including sine, cosine, and tangent functions as well as inverse functions, and sine and cosine values of common angles.

Be sure to review slope-intercept calculations, as well as vector addition and subtraction.

Be ready for questions including mean, median, mode, standard deviation, and interpretation of p and r values.

MCAT Exam Pattern

The MCAT exam consists of four portions, each of which is scored separately. In order to attain the highest possible results, candidates need to understand each set of topics and subtopics in each area. There are 53–59 questions in each subject, and 90–95 minutes are given for each section. The range of possible maximum scores is 472–528.

The MCAT lasts for 7.5 hours, of which 6 hours and 15 minutes are spent on the tests; the remaining time is spent on breaks and other activities.

These are only estimated percentages of questions from each subject, fundamental idea, and reasoning skill that you'll see on an exam. Overall, the MCAT exam is intended to measure the skills and knowledge needed for success in the field of medicine.

How MCAT Score is Calculated

Your number correct scores on the four multiple-choice sections of the MCAT exam are based on the numbers of questions you answer correctly. Wrong answers are scored exactly the same as unanswered questions and do not affect your score. There is no additional penalty for wrong answers, so even if you are unsure of the correct answer to a question, you should make your best guess.

The number correct score for each section is converted to a scaled score ranging from 118 (lowest) to 132 (highest). For example, if your number correct score on one of the sections is between 35 and 37, your converted score might be 123. Number correct scores ranging from 46 to 48 might have a converted score of 128, and so forth.

To know more about how MCAT Score and Percentile is Calculated You can visit AAMC Website.

MCAT Exam Date

2025 Testing Calendar: