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MCAT Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MCAT?

Thenew Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a prerequisite for admission to nearly all the medical schools in North America. Each year, over 50,000 applicants to American and Canadian medical schools submit MCAT test results. While the actual weight given to MCAT scores in the admissions process varies from school to school, often they are regarded in a similar manner to your college/university CGPA (i.e. your academic standing). In applying for medicine at some medical schools, for example, the MCAT score is as important as your four years of undergraduate study! On the other hand, some universities will set a minimum level of performance on the MCAT and then analyze school grades to decide who will be invited to the interviews. Either way, doing well is imperative for most applicants. The MCAT is administered on a Saturday biannually, at the beginning of the academic year (usu. August) and at the end of the academic year (usu. April). To register for the MCAT, you should consult your undergraduate adviser or contact: MCAT Program
P.O. Box 4056
Iowa City, Iowa, 52243
Phone: (319) 337-1357
Web site: www.aamc.org

Is the MCAT changing?

The MCAT changed in 1991 then instituted some minor changes in 2003; in 2007, the MCAT will be somewhat shorter and will change to a Computer Based Test. Students preparing for the MCAT in 2005 and 2006 will not be affected. Here is a summary of the 2007 changes:

• the MCAT will be shorter (approximately 5 hours vs. the current testing time of 8 hours).
• Students will receive their MCAT scores more quickly.
• the MCAT will be offered more frequently throughout the year (up to 20 testing dates).
• the MCAT will be given in smaller, climate-controlled rooms.

The computer based exams at MCAT-prep.com prepares for both formats of the MCAT.

What Subjects are on the MCAT?

The MCAT will not only test your scientific knowledge in biology, physics, inorganic and organic chemistry, but will also measure your problem-solving, critical thinking and writing skills. The exam is divided into four sections: Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, the Writing Sample and Biological Sciences.

The Physical Sciences section contains physics and general chemistry. The Biological Sciences section contains biology and organic chemistry. All questions, save the Writing Sample, are multiple choice with four choices per question.

Click here for a complete MCAT topics in PDF

What is the Exam Schedule?

The MCAT is over seven hours long (including breaks). There are two morning sections and two afternoon sections separated by a lunch break. This is the schedule for the test day:

	Number of Questions	Time
Physical Sciences	77	100 minutes
Break		10 minutes
Verbal Reasoning	60	85 minutes
Lunch		60 minutes
Writing Sample	2	60 minutes
Break		10 minutes
Biological Sciences	77	100 minutes

*MCAT is a registered service mark of the Association of American Medical Colleges which is not associated with this product. The above reflects the new format for the MCAT which began in 2003.

How is the MCAT scored?

The MCAT is scored for each of the four sections individually. The sections consisting of multiple choice questions are first scored right or wrong resulting in a raw score. Note that wrong answers are worth the same as unanswered questions so ALWAYS ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS even if you are not sure of certain answers. The raw score is then converted to a scaled score ranging from 1 (lowest) to 15 (highest). The scores are scaled to ensure that the same proportion of individual marks within each section (i.e. 1-15) are given year to year.

The essay is scored by two readers on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 6 (highest). The combined scores from the two essays (2 to 12 out of 12) are then converted to a scale ranging from J (lowest) to T (highest):

J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T
2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	1 2

The scores for each section and a cumulative score (i.e. a maximum of 45T) are reported to you, the schools you designate and, with your permission, to your undergraduate advisor.

Every MCAT includes a small number of questions which will not be scored. These questions are either used to calibrate the exam or were found to be either too ambiguous or too difficult to be counted. So if you see a question that you think is off the wall, unanswerable or inappropriate, it could well be one of these questions so never panic!

How many times can I write the MCAT?

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, you may write the exam essentially as often as you wish. Subsequently, the medical school to which you would apply may do any one of the following: (i) evaluate the most recent score;
(ii) evaluate only the highest individual and/or set of scores;
(iii) evaluate an average of the sets of scores;
(iv) consider all scores equally and note the improvements.

When should I take MCAT-prep.com?

We generally recommend that students complete at least 3 of the 4 basic sciences in either university, college/CEGEP, advanced high-school courses, and essay writing or speed reading courses if necessary. Some students may begin our courses weeks, months or even years prior to the anticipated time to write the actual MCAT depending on their knowledge or experience. Keep in mind, our program does not just review the information, MCAT-prep.com teaches the information you need to know to excel at the MCAT. In other words, we teach the 4 basic sciences, essay writing, speed reading, etc.