What Does Rolling Admissions Mean for the MCAT?

Question: What Does Rolling Admissions Mean for the MCAT?

Answer: More than 75% of US medical schools have a rolling admissions process. Check this list of schools to see the admissions process of schools you're interested in.

What this means for you, as a prospective applicant, is that the earlier you complete your application (with an MCAT score), the better your chances for admission. This is because more spots are open early on, both for interviews and acceptance. If you take the MCAT in the late summer or early fall, spots will be filling up even before your application is complete.

You can begin submitting your application on June 1st, even if you haven't taken the MCAT yet or your scores aren't available by that time. That way, your schools will have all of the information they need about you except for your MCAT score. Then, try your best to take the MCAT as soon as you can while being fully prepared. Earlier testing is an advantage, but proper preparation is vital - make sure to balance those two factors as you pick a test date.

It's a great idea to contact the admissions offices of the medical schools you're interested in to ask whether your chances of admission will be significantly decreased by taking the MCAT in late summer or fall.