When Should I Take the MCAT?

Question: When Should I Take the MCAT?

When the MCAT became fully computerized in January 2007, the number of MCAT test dates increased from 2 each year to 22!

Answer: You have 22 chances to take the MCAT each year. The latest possible time to take the MCAT is the summer before you plan to submit your medical school application, which you will do a year before you hope to begin medical school.

You should choose a test date that takes into account these 3 factors:

1. Completion of the relevant college classes. You won't be prepared for the MCAT until you've taken 2 semesters of general chemistry, 2 semesters of organic chemistry, at least 2 semesters of biology, and 2-3 semesters of physics (depending on how your physics department structures its introductory physics sequence). These are the basic classes that medical schools require applicants to take, and they compose the subject matter of the MCAT.

2. Sufficient test preparation. Besides taking classes, you'll need to engage in MCAT-specific preparation. This involves taking practice tests and reviewing lessons in a MCAT study guide. If you already know the material well from your college classes, this review and preparation could take as little as a month.

3. When you're going to apply to medical school. If you want to enter medical school in the fall of 2008, for example, you need to submit your application in the fall of 2007. That means that, at latest, you should take the MCAT in the summer months before sending your application.

Traditional college students typically take the organic chemistry sequence in the sophomore or junior year, and finish all of the other class requirements by the end of their junior year as well. You should plan to take the MCAT soon after finishing these courses so that they will be fresh in your memory, especially organic chem. Late spring of junior year is an ideal time to begin preparing for the MCAT, because taking the MCAT in the summer will give you plenty of time to submit your scores if you hope to enter medical school directly after college.

If you've decided to go to medical school after being away from college for a while, take the MCAT whenever you feel adequately prepared. Make sure that your scores won't be older than 3 years at the time you plan to enroll in med school.

It's not common to re-take the MCAT, so pick the date when you think you can do your best - don't worry about leaving enough time to re-take it to raise your scores.