The MCAT® Essentials for Testing Year 2025
The MCAT® Essentials for Testing Year 2025Effective: September 2024
Congratulations! Reading The MCAT® Essentials for Testing Year 2025 is the first step in preparing to take the Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®) and toward a fulfilling career in medicine. The MCAT exam tests concepts that medical school faculty, residents, and students rate as important to entering students’ success in the medical school curriculum. It is a standardized, computer-based exam with content divided into four multiple-choice sections. Each section includes some “field-test” questions that are being considered for future use and do not count toward your score.
The AAMC provides the MCAT exam with the assistance of its test-delivery administrator, Pearson VUE. The MCAT® Essentials is your guide to the official policies, processes, and procedures for taking the MCAT exam. The information in this guide includes the policies you must understand and agree to when registering and scheduling the MCAT Exam.
The MCAT® Essentials is subject to change from year to year. At the time of registration and on test day you will be asked to certify that you have read and agree to comply with the policies and procedures contained here. If you are a returning examinee, you must read the current version of this guide. The version applicable to your test day is the version in effect when you register.
All of us at the AAMC wish you the best and much success as you move forward to a career in medicine!
Required Reading
This guide is required reading and contains important information and resources about the examinee agreement, registration instructions, and test-day policies. The MCAT Essentials (PDF) registration document is required reading for all MCAT examinees, and examinees must agree to its terms and conditions.
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Next: What's on the MCAT Exam?
What's on the MCAT Exam?
What's on the MCAT Exam?The MCAT exam has been part of the medical school admission process for over 90 years. Most medical schools in the United States, and many in Canada, require applicants to submit recent MCAT scores. Additionally, many other health professions and graduate programs accept MCAT scores as evidence of academic knowledge and skill relevant to their field of study.
In conjunction with its member medical schools, the AAMC develops and administers the MCAT exam multiple times each year. The exam is administered at hundreds of Pearson VUE testing sites in the United States, Canada, and select locations throughout the world.
The MCAT exam tests concepts that medical school faculty, residents, and students rate as important to entering students’ success in the medical school curriculum. It is a standardized, computer-based exam with content divided into four multiple-choice sections.
Exam Overview
Section | Number of Questions | Content | Time Allotted |
---|---|---|---|
Test-day certification | 4 minutes | ||
Tutorial (optional) | 10 minutes | ||
Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | 59 | 10 passage-based sets of questions (4-6 questions per set) & 15 independent questions | 95 minutes |
Break (optional) | 10 minutes | ||
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills | 53 | 9 passage-based sets of questions (5-7 questions per set) | 90 minutes |
Mid-exam break (optional) | 30 minutes | ||
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | 59 | 10 passage-based sets of questions (4-6 questions per set) & 15 independent questions | 95 minutes |
Break (optional) | 10 minutes | ||
Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior | 59 | 10 passage-based sets of questions (4-6 questions per set) & 15 independent questions | 95 minutes |
Void Question | 3 minutes | ||
End-of-day survey (optional) | 5 minutes | ||
Total content time | 6 hours and 15 minutes | ||
Total "seated" time* | About 7 hours and 30 minutes |
*Total seated time does not include check-in time upon arrival at the test center.
The natural and social sciences sections are organized around 10 foundational concepts, or “big ideas,” in the sciences. The test content draws from disciplines in year-long courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry, introductory physics, and introductory biology and from introductory courses in biochemistry, psychology, and sociology. Multiple-choice questions in these sections will ask you to combine your scientific knowledge from multiple disciplines with your scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.
The Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section includes questions that test your ability to comprehend and analyze information you read in passages taken from a wide range of disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. This section requires no specific content knowledge.
To learn more about what's on the MCAT exam, visit the What's on the MCAT Exam? Content Outline. This resource contains a complete description of the competencies you are responsible for knowing on the MCAT® exam. It also lists and discusses the exam’s conceptual framework, organized around foundational concepts, content categories, and scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.
The AAMC has free and low-cost resources and practice products to help you prepare for the exam. Learn more.
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Next: Eligible Health Professions Programs and Requesting Special Permission
Eligible Health Professions Programs and Requesting Special Permission
Eligible Health Professions Programs and Requesting Special PermissionEligible Health Professions Programs
You may sit for the MCAT exam if you are preparing to apply to and attend a health professions program that accepts MCAT scores for admission and you are not currently or were not previously enrolled in a health professions program.
These programs include:
- MD programs.
- DO programs.
- Podiatric medicine programs.
- Veterinary medicine programs.
- Any other health-related programs that accept MCAT scores to satisfy a test score admission requirement.
At the time of registration, you will be required to agree to a statement verifying that you are taking the exam solely for the purpose of applying to and attending a health professions program.
Individuals who do not meet the eligibility requirement above must apply for special permission to take the MCAT exam. You must apply for special permission if any of the following statements are true:
-
You wish to take the exam for any reason other than applying to and attending an eligible health professions program.
-
You are currently or previously enrolled in an eligible health professions program and want to change schools. If you are currently accepted into a health professions program but have not yet enrolled in classes, you are not required to obtain special permission.
-
You are unable to comply with all AAMC testing procedures for reasons other than a medical condition or disability. To request adjustments to the standard testing conditions due to medical conditions or disabilities, please refer to the Testing With Accommodations section.
Requesting Special Permission
Special permission to take the MCAT exam must be requested through the “Submit another service request” option in the MCAT Registration System. Provide as much relevant detail in your request as possible and complete the “Personal Information” tab of your MCAT registration to prevent processing delays. The typical time frame for AAMC review is five business days.
Failure to obtain special permission may result in, among other consequences, an investigation by the AAMC, appointment cancellation, cancellation of scores, and/or a ban from taking the MCAT exam for a designated time period or permanently. Refer to the Registration and Scheduling Violations section to learn more about the AAMC’s investigation process.
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AAMC ID and the MCAT Registration System
AAMC ID and the MCAT Registration SystemAAMC ID
You will need an AAMC ID and an associated username and password to register for the MCAT exam. If you do not have an AAMC ID, the system will direct you to create an account and establish a username and password before logging in to the MCAT Registration System. If you have already created an AAMC ID at any time or for any reason, you must use the same username and password when registering for your MCAT exam. If you cannot remember your username or password, YOU MAY NOT create a new AAMC ID. Doing so may create delays in the registration process for you. For help recovering your account information, please contact the AAMC Account Help Team or reset your password.
The MCAT Registration System
To begin the registration and scheduling process, log in to the MCAT Registration System with the username and password associated with your AAMC ID. Before selecting a test date and location, you must complete important registration questions that ask for your contact, background, and education information and agree to the MCAT Examinee Agreement and other consents and policies.
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Registration Name and ID Exceptions
Registration Name and ID ExceptionsRegistration Name
Enter the spelling of your first and last names in the MCAT Registration System exactly the way they appear on the MCAT-accepted ID you will use on test day. Do not register using a nickname, partial names, or initials, and be sure to double-check for misspellings. If your MCAT-accepted ID doesn’t exactly match the first and last names on your exam registration, you will not be allowed to test; you will be considered a no show, you will not receive a refund, and the appointment will count toward your testing limits. To ensure your ID meets MCAT requirements, please see the MCAT-accepted ID guidelines below.
What should you do if …
Question | Resolution |
---|---|
The first and/or last name(s) on your MCAT registration do not exactly match the qualifying ID you will use on test day. |
You MUST change your name in the MCAT Registration System to match your MCAT-accepted ID. |
Two last names appear on your ID. |
Both names MUST be entered into the MCAT Registration System in the Last Name/Surname field. |
You prefer a “nickname” or initials, but your MCAT-accepted ID has your full legal name. |
Your full legal name must be entered into the MCAT Registration System. You may not be admitted under a nickname. |
Mononymous name. |
If you have only a single name (e.g., Madonna), please enter “LNU” |
No legal first name (FNU). |
Please enter “FNU” in the First Name field in the MCAT Registration |
No legal last name (LNU). |
Please enter “LNU” in the Last Name/Surname field in the MCAT |
All name changes must be complete 10 days before the exam date.
ID Exceptions
If you miss the deadline for changing your name in the MCAT Registration System, if you are unable to provide the required identification, or if you have concerns that your identification may not be acceptable, you may submit an ID Exception Request in the MCAT Registration System under Service Requests between three and 10 days before your exam date. No ID exceptions will be accepted within three days of your exam date. ID exceptions are approved at the sole discretion of the AAMC.
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Next: Testing Attempt Limits
Testing Attempt Limits
Testing Attempt LimitsExaminees who opt to test more than once must adhere to the following restrictions:
- You may hold only one MCAT exam appointment at a time.
- You may attempt the exam no more than three times in a testing year.
- You may attempt the exam no more than four times over two consecutive testing years.
- You may attempt the exam no more than seven times in your lifetime (beginning with the April 2015 test dates).
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Testing With Accommodations
Testing With AccommodationsThe AAMC is committed to providing appropriate accommodations to individuals with disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you believe you have a disability or medical condition that requires an adjustment to standard testing conditions, you are encouraged to apply for testing accommodations. Please keep in mind that if you are testing with accommodations, aspects of your exam administration may vary from what is outlined in this guide in order to deliver specific and individualized accommodations.
The accommodations pages of the MCAT website are required reading for all examinees seeking testing accommodations.
All applications for accommodations must be submitted electronically via the online accommodations application system on the AAMC website. Requests for accommodations must be supported by appropriate documentation. Visit our website for more information on application types and recommended submission time frames. You will be notified via email when a determination has been made.
You should submit your complete application far enough in advance that there is time to review your request and confirm any approved accommodations before your test day.
- If your accommodations are approved, be sure to follow the instructions provided with your approval letter to avoid delays in scheduling your exam with accommodations.
- You must be approved for accommodations and have a scheduling request submitted to Pearson VUE no later than 15 days before your test date so there is time to prepare and implement any approved accommodations.
- You have the option to schedule a standard exam online in the MCAT Registration System before you receive a determination on your accommodations request, or you may wait to schedule your exam after you have been approved for accommodations.
- If you scheduled a standard appointment online, it is not guaranteed that the selected appointment will be able to support delivery of your approved accommodations.
- Some changes to your appointment may be necessary to provide all of your approved accommodations.
- If you have not received a decision by 15 days before your test date or if your accommodations are not approved, you may test under standard conditions or reschedule to a later test date. Applicable rescheduling fees apply (refer to Scheduling Deadlines and Fee Structure).
For detailed information about the accommodations application and registration processes, visit the MCAT Exam With Accommodations page of the MCAT website or email us at accommodations@aamc.org.
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The AAMC Fee Assistance Program
The AAMC Fee Assistance ProgramThe AAMC Fee Assistance Program assists those who would not be able to take the MCAT exam or apply to medical schools that use the AMCAS® application without financial assistance. Approved recipients receive discounted MCAT exam registration fees, all online AAMC MCAT Official Prep products, and complimentary access to the Medical School Admission Requirements™ database, and eligibility to apply for the accommodations financial benefit.
The AAMC and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) have a fee assistance program for Canadian examinees who register for the MCAT exam. For more information about the application, evaluation, or qualification processes, visit AFMC.
To contact the Fee Assistance Program, email feeassistance@aamc.org or call 202-828-0600.
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Registration and Scheduling Violations
Registration and Scheduling ViolationsCertain violations of the MCAT registration rules may result in cancellation of a testing appointment, cancellation of scores, a ban from taking the MCAT exam for a designated period of time or permanently, or other consequences. Such violations include:
- Creating more than one AAMC ID.
- Registering for or taking the MCAT exam under another individual’s AAMC ID.
- Allowing someone else to register or test under your AAMC ID.
- Holding multiple appointments at the same time.
- Improperly exceeding the testing limits for the exam.
- Providing false or inaccurate information when creating an AAMC ID or registering to take the MCAT exam.
- Selling or giving away your AAMC ID or appointment to someone.
- Purchasing an AAMC ID or appointment from someone.
- Switching registrations with another examinee.
Failure to follow MCAT registration rules may create identity validation and verification issues, the potential for mistakes in the assignment of score results, and other disruptions related to the application process. If the AAMC suspects that you may have committed a registration or scheduling violation before your scheduled exam date that, if true, would threaten the validity, integrity, and/or security of the MCAT exam, the AAMC may, at its sole discretion, cancel or reschedule your exam to conduct an investigation.
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Next: The Examinee Agreement
Examinee Agreement
Examinee AgreementYou will be presented with the MCAT Examinee Agreement when you register for your MCAT exam. To complete your registration and sit for the MCAT exam, you must accept all terms of the Examinee Agreement and of The MCAT® Essentials for Testing Year 2025.
The full text of what you will see at registration is found below.
Introduction
The Examinee Agreement is a legally binding contract between you and the AAMC that sets forth the terms and conditions under which the AAMC will permit you to register for and take the MCAT exam. In addition to the prohibitions and terms explained below, all of the policies and procedures contained in the current version of The MCAT® Essentials are expressly incorporated herein as additional terms of the Examinee Agreement, as well as the AAMC Website Terms and Conditions, the AAMC Privacy Statement, and any policy statements made on the MCAT website. Adherence to the Examinee Agreement is necessary to enable the AAMC to maintain a fair and secure testing process for all examinees.
Because the Examinee Agreement is a legally binding contract, you should read it carefully. If you do not indicate that you understand and agree to abide by the terms of the Examinee Agreement, you will not be able to register for or take the MCAT exam. By selecting “I Agree” at the end of the Examinee Agreement, you acknowledge that you have read and understand these rules. On test day, you will be presented with a Certification Statement that reminds you of your obligations under the Examinee Agreement. By accepting the Certification Statement on test day and taking the MCAT exam, you will be certifying that you understand and agree to comply with these obligations.
Prohibited Items and Behaviors
The following items and behaviors are strictly prohibited during the MCAT exam and during any scheduled or unscheduled break:
- Possessing, accessing, or using electronic devices, including cellular phones, at any time after check-in and prior to completing the exam.
- Possessing, accessing, or using cameras or recording equipment of any kind.
- Giving or receiving aid on the MCAT exam.
- Possessing, accessing, or using books, notes, or any other written materials (other than noteboards or test center rules provided for your use and review by test center staff).
- Looking at the content of another examinee’s monitor or noteboard.
- Possessing weapons, including but not limited to, firearms, knives, or any object that could be used as a weapon, in the test center, including the testing room and waiting areas.
- Leaving the test center floor or building at any point after check-in and prior to completing the exam.
- Exhibiting disruptive or abusive behavior, talking in the testing room with anyone other than a test administrator, or talking about or discussing the exam during any scheduled or unscheduled break.
Possessing, accessing, using, or attempting to possess, access, or use any prohibited item or engaging or attempting to engage in any prohibited behavior will be considered an intentional and willful breach of the Examinee Agreement. The AAMC will launch an investigation and may subject you to one or more of the consequences provided herein for violations of the Examinee Agreement.
Terms Governing Access to the MCAT Exam
When you accept the following agreement, you are attesting to the following:
The MCAT exam is a confidential exam, and its contents will be disclosed to me on my scheduled test day in a limited context to permit me to test and for no other purpose. I understand that the AAMC is the exclusive owner of all rights in the MCAT exam, for which it holds a series of registered copyrights and trade secrets under U.S. and international laws. Disclosure, reconstruction, capture, and/or dissemination of the confidential contents of the MCAT exam would destroy the value and defeat the purpose of the MCAT exam and irreparably harm the AAMC.
I understand that I have no license or permission to copy, adapt, or use any part of the MCAT exam.
I understand that I am bound to keep the MCAT exam content confidential indefinitely, including but not limited to exam questions, passages, graphics, incorrect responses, correct answers, and topic lists, frequency and order of exam topics, when described in more specific detail than as described in the AAMC’s guidance “What's on the MCAT Exam.”
I understand that I may comment on my general exam experience; however, I understand that discussing or disclosing MCAT content in greater or more specific detail than in the What’s on the MCAT Exam? content outline, by any means, is a violation of this Examinee Agreement.
Just as I am not permitted to share information about exam content with anyone, I understand that I also am not permitted to possess, solicit, read, study from, or otherwise use confidential information about the MCAT exam during my own exam preparation. I also agree not to ask any other individual to disclose exam content to me or to seek out actual live, confidential exam content from any other source.
I certify that I have not engaged in such conduct prior to taking the exam, and that I will not engage in such conduct during or after the exam.
I agree that if I receive or have access to information or material in any form and from any source, including but not limited to email, instant messages, text messages, website content, social media posts, electronic bulletin boards, internet-based groups, shared or collaborative digital files, electronic files, and/or paper documents that I reasonably believe contains confidential MCAT exam content, or has been represented to contain confidential MCAT exam content, I will immediately report its existence to the AAMC by sending an email to mcatsecurity@aamc.org.
I agree that I will fully cooperate with any investigation initiated by the AAMC related to my receipt or access to information believed or represented to contain confidential MCAT exam content.
I certify that all information that I have provided to the AAMC is complete and accurate at the time of registration for the MCAT exam, and if that information has changed, I submitted complete and accurate updated information. I understand that providing false, misleading, or incomplete information to the AAMC shall be considered an intentional and willful breach of the Examinee Agreement and may subject me to one or more of the consequences provided herein for violations of the Examinee Agreement.
I understand that presenting or attempting to present an MCAT score as my own that is falsified or otherwise not supported by the actual score in AAMC’s records (as reflected in the AAMC’s official Score Reporting Service) undermines the integrity and validity of the MCAT exam and is prohibited.
If I violate the terms of this Examinee Agreement, including the additional terms or conditions stated in The MCAT Essentials or any test center rules and regulations, or if I engage in any activity that may compromise the validity, integrity, or security of the MCAT exam, or fail to fully cooperate in any investigation of a violation of the Examinee Agreement, I may face the following consequences:
- The AAMC may issue a report of the factual findings of the investigation to legitimately interested parties.
- I may be subject to a civil lawsuit and/or criminal charges.
- My MCAT exam may be terminated, and I will not be eligible for a refund or any other compensation.
- My scores may be canceled, before or after the scores are reported, without a refund.
- I may be banned from taking the MCAT exam for a limited time or permanently.
I understand and agree that any alleged violation of this Examinee Agreement or any alleged activity that may compromise the validity, integrity, or security of the MCAT exam may be investigated.
I agree to all terms set forth by AAMC subject to this Examinee Agreement.
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AAMC Policies Regarding MCAT Examinee Data
AAMC Policies Regarding MCAT Examinee DataThe AAMC recognizes our responsibility to treat with care the information we collect about you and to respect your privacy relative to sensitive data. The AAMC Privacy Statement explains what kinds of information we collect and how we use this information.
The MCAT program collects personal information to administer the MCAT exam, help prevent fraud, and protect the integrity of the exam and the medical school admission and matriculation processes. The personal data collected may include demographic, contact, and education information; health or other sensitive information related to an application for an accommodated exam; and a digital (biometric) palm vein scan, a test-day photo, test-day audio or video recordings, a digitized ID document, and your signature(s).
In brief, the AAMC may share your personal information, including your MCAT scores:
- With peer not-for-profit organizations, certifying boards, licensing bodies, and other organizations involved in medical education for research, eligibility determination, verification, and credentialing purposes.
- With third parties for scholarship opportunities as directed by you during registration or use of another AAMC service or program.
- With service providers who assist the AAMC with technology, test administration, or communications management activities.
- As needed to (1) respond to information requests by law enforcement or other governmental authorities; (2) comply with any law, regulation, subpoena or other legal process, or court order; (3) investigate and help prevent security threats, fraud, malicious activity, or inappropriate, unauthorized, or illegal activity involving the AAMC’s services or networks; or (4) enforce or protect the AAMC’s rights and property. In such circumstances, personal information may be disclosed without notice to the individual.
Any information published by the AAMC related to MCAT testing is done with aggregate data. Individual test scores are not published or released to third parties unless permitted by the AAMC Privacy Statement or otherwise authorized by you. Unless otherwise noted, once your personal information is transferred to third parties, it will be treated in accordance with the third party’s privacy policies. Your personal information will be transferred to, processed, and stored in the United States and, if you test outside the United States, any country necessary to administer the MCAT exam to you from your selected location.
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Release of Personal Information
Release of Personal InformationDuring the registration process for the MCAT exam, you will be asked to consider the options below.
MCAT Recruiting Service
If you choose to participate in the MCAT Recruiting Service, you authorize the AAMC to release your name, address, age, gender, state of residence, undergraduate major, email address, and MCAT scores to those U.S., Canadian, and Caribbean schools of medicine, osteopathy, podiatry, and veterinary medicine; other health professions programs (as defined in the Eligible Health Professions Programs section of this document); and U.S. government scholarship programs that participate in the MCAT Recruiting Service. The AAMC will release your information only to the above-mentioned programs and their related joint-degree programs so long as they are accredited by nationally or internationally recognized accrediting bodies, such as the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. Those programs may send you information about their programs if you participate in the MCAT Recruiting Service. The AAMC may charge a reasonable fee for schools and scholarship programs to participate in the MCAT Recruiting Service.
Participation in the MCAT Recruiting Service is voluntary and may be elected only during the MCAT registration process. Your decision can be changed up until 10 days from your exam. The MCAT program does not instruct eligible institutions on their method or frequency of contact or about any distribution of their recruiting materials. If you wish to be removed from email lists, please reach out to individual schools.
Health Professions Advisor Release
Selecting “Yes” to the Health Professions Advisor Release during the registration process authorizes the AAMC to release a record of your MCAT scores to your school’s designated, AAMC-approved health professions advisor who has met the AAMC-established requirements and confidentiality protocols through the Advisor Information System.
The Health Professions Advisor Release is voluntary and may be elected during the MCAT registration process. Your decision can be changed in the MCAT Registration System up until 10 days from your exam date.
If an undergraduate institution does not have a designated health professions advisor or has not identified the advisor to the AAMC, we cannot release your scores to the institution through this process.
If you applied for fee assistance through the AAMC Fee Assistance Program and in your Fee Assistance Program application you agreed to release award information to your health professions advisor, that information will be released along with your test scores. Additionally, if you indicated in your AMCAS application that you would like your application released to your health professions advisor, the AMCAS information released will include your MCAT scores — regardless of your answer to the Health Professions Advisor Release question in the MCAT Registration System.
Medical Minority Applicant Registry (Med-MAR)
The Medical Minority Applicant Registry (Med-MAR) enhances outreach to applicants from groups historically underrepresented in medicine. Medical school applicants who self-identify as being from groups historically underrepresented in medicine or who are economically disadvantaged can elect to participate in Med-MAR.
Participation in Med-MAR is voluntary and may be elected only during the MCAT registration process. Your decision can be changed up until 10 days from your exam date. The MCAT program does not instruct eligible institutions on the method or frequency of outreach to participants or assist in the development or distribution of recruiting materials.
If you choose to participate in Med-MAR, your basic biographical information with your MCAT scores will be distributed to AAMC-member schools.
If you agree to participate during the registration process, your name, address, age, gender, state of residence, undergraduate institution, undergraduate major, racial and ethnic group identification, email address, and MCAT scores will be made available to U.S. medical schools attempting to increase outreach to potential applicants from groups historically underrepresented in medicine and economically disadvantaged.
You are eligible if (1) you are a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States (green card holder) or have been granted refugee/asylum or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status by the U.S. government; and (2) you are economically disadvantaged or of low socioeconomic status or you self-identify as a member of a racial or ethnic group historically underrepresented in medicine — African American or Black, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
Release to Alternate Contact
You may designate an alternate contact who is authorized to contact the AAMC on your behalf to obtain information about your MCAT registration and exams. To protect your private information, the AAMC does not share your MCAT total or section scores or other sensitive personal information with your alternate contact.
By completing this authorization, you release the AAMC from any liability resulting from release of information to the person you designate. This release does not in any way obligate the AAMC to provide any information to the designated parties.
A separate release is required if you are applying for testing accommodations and would like the MCAT Accommodations Services to correspond with medical professionals or others on your behalf. You may submit this release through the MCAT Registration System “Service Request” function.
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Next: Scheduling an MCAT Exam
Scheduling an MCAT Exam
Scheduling an MCAT ExamOnce you have answered the necessary registration questions, you will be able to schedule an MCAT test date and location. Test centers have limited capacity, and seats are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once your exam is scheduled, you will receive an email confirming your appointment - including the name you used to register. Be sure to compare this name to the name on the MCAT-accepted ID you will use on test day. If you do not receive an email confirmation within 24 hours of scheduling your appointment, that means it was not successfully scheduled. You will need to schedule the appointment again. The AAMC does not extend deadlines for any reason.
You may make changes to your appointment online up until 10 days before your appointment. There are three deadlines for making changes to your appointment: 60 days from exam date, 30 days from exam date, and 10 days from exam date. All deadlines take effect at 11:59 p.m. local test center time. For example, if your MCAT exam is scheduled for April 30, 2025, in Los Angeles, your 10-day deadline is 11:59 p.m. PT on April 20, 2025. Refer to Calendars, Scheduling Deadlines, and Score Release Dates for details about specific deadline dates. It is your responsibility to understand and meet the scheduling deadlines. If you need assistance, please note our available call center hours.
Available Appointment Notification or “Notify Me”
If your MCAT exam appointment search indicates “None Available” for your preferred date and test center location, you can ask to be notified by email from Pearson VUE if an appointment becomes available at that test center location on that MCAT test date by clicking “Notify me.” Learn more about this functionality here.
“To Be Determined” Test Centers
You may see “To Be Determined” test center sites (TBD sites) listed with generalized locations in metropolitan areas as decided by Pearson VUE. These sites do not have determined addresses at the time of scheduling. TBD sites exist for the sole purpose of offering as many seats as possible on each test date. TBD sites should be chosen only if you have the flexibility to travel up to a 40-mile radius within a metropolitan area from the central location. Examinees who register for a TBD site will not be eligible for a free reschedule to another site when they find out the actual location of the TBD site.
You will be sent via email the TBD site address no fewer than 30 days before your exam date. The address information will also appear in the MCAT Registration System at that time.
Test Center Current Address
The current address of your test center is available in the MCAT Registration System. On rare occasions, a test center address or location may change. If such an address change occurs, the AAMC or Pearson VUE will make every effort to notify you via email before your test date. Plan ahead by locating the test center before test day. You will not be allowed to enter the testing center, but you will learn how to get there and how long it will take.
Time Zones
Know what time zone your test center adheres to, especially if you are crossing a state or county line. It may be different from what you expect. For example, daylight saving time is not adhered to by all U.S. states or local regions within a state.
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Registration Fees, Cancellations, and Refunds
Registration Fees, Cancellations, and RefundsWhen purchasing an MCAT exam, there is an initial base registration fee and, for international locations, an international fee. Refer chart below for more information.
Registration Fees (in USD)
Registration Type | Registration Cost* |
---|---|
Standard Registration | $345 |
Fee Assistance Program Registration | $140 |
*Examinees testing outside the United States, Canada, or U.S. territories will also be charged a $120 USD international fee in addition to the initial registration fee.
International fees are nonrefundable upon registration cancellation.
Rescheduling and Cancellations (in USD)
Standard Change Fees |
Date and/or Test Center Reschedule Fee |
Cancellation Refund |
---|---|---|
60 or more days before exam | $50 | $170 |
30-59 days before exam | $100 | $170 |
10-29 days before exam | $200 | $0 |
Fee Assistance Program Change Fees |
Date and/or Test Center Reschedule Fee |
Cancellation Refund |
---|---|---|
60 or more days before exam | $20 | $70 |
30-59 days before exam | $40 | $70 |
10-29 days before exam | $90 | $0 |
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All changes must be at least 10 days before your exam date.
- You cannot reschedule into a future testing year.
- Refunds will be returned in USD and are based on the exchange rate the day the refund was processed. The amount may not be equal to what you originally paid because of the exchange rate. We are not able to refund more than the value based on the exchange rate.
- Applicable fees will apply regardless of how soon a change takes place after your initial scheduling. No exceptions will be made.
- If you have received Fee Assistance Program approval but you do not see the reduced scheduling fees within the MCAT Registration System, contact us immediately. Do not proceed with scheduling or rescheduling an appointment as the benefits are not retroactive.
- All deadlines are at 11:59 p.m. local time of the test center on the day of the deadline.
Applicable Taxes
You may be required to pay applicable sales tax, value-added tax, goods and services tax, or similar tax required by law in the country or locality in which you are testing. If taxes are applicable, they will be collected at the time of scheduling.
In the event you are attempting to reschedule to a location that has a different tax rate (typically from country to country outside of the US & Canada), you will not be able to reschedule through the MCAT Registration System. Please call Pearson VUE for assistance (866-281-7532).
Cancellations
Cancellations may be made online through the MCAT Registration System or by calling Pearson VUE up to 10 days before your appointment. You will receive an email confirming your cancellation. If you do not receive an email within 24 hours of your cancellation request, the cancellation did not go through, and you will need to try again. If you do not cancel your appointment and you do not sit for the exam, you will be considered a no-show, and you will lose a testing attempt. It may take up to 24 hours after your original appointment time before you’re able to schedule a new appointment. You will be required to pay the full registration fee following a no-show.
Refunds are automatically applied to the credit or debit card used for the initial scheduling. Depending on the bank card’s policy, the funds may take a few days to clear. We are unable to provide a refund to a different form of payment than was originally used, even if your card was lost, stolen, or deactivated.
Rescheduling and international fees are nonrefundable. Deadlines will not be extended or waived for any reason.
Inclement Weather
You will receive an email from Pearson VUE or the AAMC if a test center is closed for any reason. Unless you are otherwise notified via email, test centers will be open in the event of inclement weather or a similar reason, and you are expected to report for your appointment. Fees will not be refunded if you are delayed or unable to reach the test center. If you have questions or concerns about weather affecting your ability to reach the test site, please submit an Emergency Refund Request Form in the Service Requests section of the MCAT Registration System.
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Emergency Refund Requests
Emergency Refund RequestsIf you experience an extenuating hardship prior to your MCAT exam appointment that affects your ability to attend your exam, please submit an emergency refund request (ERR). If approved, you will receive a partial refund of your exam registration fee. The following table summarizes qualifying events and required documentation.
Event | Documentation Requirements |
---|---|
You are or were hospitalized or visited the doctor for an unexpected acute medical emergency. | A doctor’s note that indicates you are unable to take your exam due to a medical emergency or hospitalization that you experienced within 30 days of your exam. Please do not send hospital records. *We will not accept a doctor’s note that indicates you had a doctor’s visit after your exam date. |
You experience a death in your immediate family. | Funeral program, obituary, or death certificate. The death or service must have taken place within 10 days of your exam date. |
You must perform primary caregiver duties for someone who is sick. | A doctor’s note that states the person you are primary caregiver for cannot be left without your assistance or availability on exam day. We will also accept power of attorney documentation for health-related emergency decision-making. Please do not send hospital records. The illness must have occurred within 10 days of your exam date. |
You are unexpectedly called away to active military service. | Official request for deployment dated within 30 days of your exam date. The deployment date must also be within 30 days of your exam date. |
You are unexpectedly called away for health care service duties related to a catastrophic event. | Official request for deployment dated within 30 days of your exam date. The deployment date must also be within 30 days of your exam date. |
You are required to report for jury duty on exam day. | Official documentation that you attended jury duty on your exam day. |
You are displaced from your residence due to a natural disaster, or the national weather service or government recommend you shelter in place or evacuate. | Documentation of such event within 10 days of your exam date. |
You test positive for COVID-19 five or fewer days prior to exam day. | Positive COVID-19 test taken by you, dated within five days prior to or within seven days after your exam date. |
*If you believe you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, but they are not supported by a positive test, we will consider a note from a medical professional as described in the first row of this table.
Other events not listed in the table above will be considered at the AAMC’s discretion.
Requests must be submitted using the Emergency Refund Request Form in the Service Requests section of the MCAT Registration System.
Complete requests, including all necessary accompanying documentation, must be received no later than 10 days after your scheduled exam date.
- The maximum emergency refund amount is the amount of the 30-day+ cancellation refund.
- This exam may still count as one of your attempts toward your testing limits.
- The ERR process does not result in the AAMC canceling your exam.
- Your exam will go into a no-show status. If approved, the refund will be processed after your exam date, and the testing attempt will be returned.
- You will be able to schedule a new exam after your current exam date.
- The AAMC reserves the right to limit the number of approved Emergency Refund Requests (ERRs) per examinee.
Do not submit an ERR until you are absolutely certain you will not be able to attend your exam. Do not go to the test center once you’ve submitted an ERR. Emergency Refund Requests are not reversible.
The AAMC will email the decision about your request within two weeks of receipt of the required documentation. Approved refunds will be applied to the method of payment used during the initial scheduling process.
Refunds are not guaranteed and are issued at the AAMC’s sole discretion.
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Check-In Rules and Procedures
Check-In Rules and ProceduresReport to the test center at least 30 minutes before your exam start time to ensure you have enough time to check in, store your personal belongings, and prepare to test. If you arrive more than 30 minutes before your start time, the test center may not yet be open.
If you arrive after your exam start time, you might not be allowed to test. There are no refunds granted for late arrivals or missed exams (no-shows). A no-show counts as one of your attempts, regardless of the reason. If you are late or don’t show up, you will be considered a no-show. No shows will count toward the maximum number of testing attempts.
Your scheduling fee will not be refunded if you are a no-show. This policy also applies to examinees who are not admitted as a result of improper identification or other policy violations.
Examinees will be checked in and seated in the testing room one at a time by the test administrator. Depending on the volume of examinees at your test center and the check-in procedures, actual start times will vary by individual. This will not affect your total testing time.
Once you check-in for the exam, you are considered to have used one of your testing attempts even if you void your exam or do not complete the test.
The check-in process consists of the following steps, although the order of the steps may vary slightly.
Check-in Step | Check-in Step Description |
---|---|
Review of Test Center Regulations | You will be presented with the AAMC Candidate Rules Agreement, which outlines the standard test center rules and regulations. Failing to comply with the AAMC Candidate Rules Agreement or test center regulations may result in the termination of your exam. |
Verification of MCAT-Accepted ID | The test administrator may scan your ID, in whole or in part, and information stored digitally on the ID may be collected. |
Digital Signature | Your signature indicates your agreement to adhere to the AAMC Candidate Rules and is verification of your identity; it may also be used as part of the AAMC’s investigation procedures. |
Palm Vein Scan | Palm vein biometric recognition examines the unique patterns in the veins of your palms using a safe, near-infrared light source like that in a TV remote control. Palm vein recognition allows Pearson VUE to detect people attempting to test under assumed identities. By preventing proxy testers, this technology helps Pearson VUE maintain the integrity of examinations, which upholds the validity of your MCAT scores. |
Photo Capture | A digital passport-style photo of you will be captured during the check-in process. The test-day photo may also be used as part of the AAMC’s investigation procedures. |
Entering and Exiting the Testing Room
Every time you enter or exit the testing room, you will be asked to provide your ID and place your palms on the scanning device. You will also be required to pat yourself down to show the administrator you do not have any prohibited items in your clothing and to turn your pockets inside out to show they are empty.
You may be asked to remove sweaters or sweatshirts for inspection. Coats and jackets of any kind are not permitted in the testing room.
You will be required to begin your exam immediately upon sitting at your workstation. Any time you wish to leave the testing room, you must raise your hand to alert the test administrator and remain seated at your workstation until the test administrator escorts you out of the testing room.
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Storage of Personal Belongings
Storage of Personal BelongingsUnless authorized by the AAMC prior to your test date, all personal items must be stowed in the provided secure storage as directed by the test administrator. You will be required to store cell phones and small electronic devices in sealed bags given to you at the test center. The bag must remain sealed until a test administrator opens it at the conclusion of your exam. Neither the AAMC nor Pearson VUE will be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
You may bring only the following personal items into the testing room:
- Eyeglasses, subject to visual and physical inspection by test administrators.
- MCAT-accepted ID.
- Items provided by the test center:
- Earplugs (personal earplugs are not allowed).
- Storage key.
- Noteboard booklet.
- Fine-point marker.
No other items are permitted unless previously approved by the AAMC.
If you require an additional item or a medical device on test day for a medical condition or disability, you must obtain prior approval from the AAMC through the accommodations request process (refer to Testing With Accommodations). If you have additional questions, email us at accommodations@aamc.org. You are encouraged to contact us as early as possible in advance of your test date to ensure we have enough time to review your request.
Personal items that appear suspicious may be photographed or confiscated.
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Next: Noteboard Booklets
Noteboard Booklets
Noteboard BookletsYou will be provided with a noteboard booklet for note taking during the exam. It contains nine 14-by-8.5-inch wet-erase pages.
- The noteboard booklet must remain on your desk and in one piece. You may use the noteboard when the test administrator starts your exam.
- You may not:
- Rip, tear, or separate the noteboard booklet.
- Conceal or remove the booklet, in whole or in part, from the exam room, including during any breaks or at the end of the exam.
- Wipe or erase any of your notes from the booklet.
- Use your noteboard booklet upon returning from a break prior to beginning the next section.
- If you require an additional noteboard booklet during the exam, please raise your hand to alert the test administrator, who will exchange your original booklet for a new one.
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Next: In the Testing Room
In the Testing Room
In the Testing RoomYou must adhere to the following procedures while in the testing room:
- Your MCAT-accepted ID must be visible on your desk at all times.
- You must follow all directions and verbal instructions provided by the testing staff.
- If you require assistance or encounter a problem while taking the exam, raise your hand immediately. The test administrator will come to you and, if needed, may escort you out of the testing room.
Test-Day Certification Statement
You will be presented with an on-screen Certification Statement at the start of your exam. The Certification Statement reminds you of the obligations under the Examinee Agreement and The MCAT® Essentials to which you agreed when you registered for the exam. By clicking the circle indicating that you agree with the Certification Statement, you will be certifying that you have read and agree to abide by all rules and policies set forth in the Examinee Agreement and The MCAT® Essentials. If you refuse to agree to the test-day Certification Statement, you will not be able to continue with the exam. The full text of the Certification Statement that you will see on test day is as follows:
Test-Day Certification
By proceeding with today’s MCAT® exam, you certify that you have not and will not engage in any conduct that compromises the integrity, validity, or security of the MCAT exam. You certify that:
- Prior to the exam, you did not give or receive information about the questions that might appear on your MCAT exam. During the exam, you will not give or receive information about the content of the exam.
- You will keep the MCAT exam content confidential indefinitely, including, but not limited to: exam questions, passages, graphics, incorrect responses, correct answers, and topic lists, frequency and order of exam topics, when described in more specific detail than the What’s on the MCAT exam.
- You are taking the MCAT exam for the sole purpose of applying to and attending a health-professions school and program that accepts MCAT exam results to satisfy a test-score admissions requirement, unless otherwise approved by the AAMC.
- You will not access any written materials, electronic devices, cell phones, or other unauthorized items at any point during today’s MCAT administration which includes any scheduled or unscheduled breaks.
- You will abide by all MCAT policies and procedures found in The MCAT Essentials, including the Examinee Agreement to which you agreed when you registered for the MCAT exam.
- You understand that a violation of any MCAT rule may result in an investigation which could lead to a report of factual findings sent to legitimately interested parties, score cancellation, a partial or permanent ban from taking the MCAT in the future, or civil or criminal penalties.
I have read, and agree to comply with, the terms of this Test-Day Certification, including all additional terms and policies set forth in The MCAT Essentials, and I understand the consequences for failing to comply.
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Next: Breaks, Food, and Drink
Breaks, Food, and Drink
Breaks, Food, and DrinkThe MCAT exam contains three optional, scheduled breaks. Follow the exam schedule carefully (refer to MCAT Exam Content). Taking breaks longer than the allotted time can lead to loss of exam time or ability to void the exam. If your break exceeds the allotted time, any overage may be subtracted from the time in the following test section.
- You will need to allow time for check-in procedures when you return from your break.
- You will be responsible for tracking your break time using the clock in the test center waiting area. If you do not see a clock, you may ask the test center staff where you can monitor your time. Test center staff are not responsible for recording or tracking your time.
- You will not be permitted to leave the test center floor or building to retrieve food or drink, nor will you be permitted to have food or drink delivered to the testing center.
- You are permitted to bring your own food and drinks; however, these items must be stored outside the testing room in your assigned locker or other storage provided to you at the test center. You may access them on your breaks. There are no microwaves or refrigerators available in the test centers for your use.
- If you return from a break before the break time expires, you will be required to continue the exam immediately upon being seated. Any remaining break time will not be applied to subsequent sections of the exam or future or scheduled breaks.
- If you finish a section early, you must end that section before taking your break. If you finish a section early, you may continue to the next section and skip your break, but additional time will not carry over to any subsequent sections or breaks, should you choose to take your break. You will not be able to return to a previous section once it has been completed.
- If you take an unscheduled break at any time, your testing time will not stop.
- Outside guests are not allowed in the testing center at any time.
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Scoring or Voiding Your Exam
Scoring or Voiding Your ExamOn test day, you have the option to void your MCAT exam if you do not want your test to be scored. When you finish your exam, you will see the screen below. You have ONE opportunity to score or void your exam. Once you select “Next” to submit your selection, your decision is final. Voiding or scoring cannot be reversed after the exam.
The AAMC understands that circumstances in a testing room (e.g., lighting, temperature, noise) or circumstances particular to a person on test day (e.g., illness) may impact an examinee’s performance and relies on the examinee to make the subjective determination of whether the circumstances impaired his or her performance such that they should void their score on exam day.
- If you do not want your exam scored, you must select “I wish to VOID my MCAT exam.” when prompted on your computer screen. Notifying the test administrator of your intent to void your exam is not sufficient. If you are not presented with the void-exam question, ask the test administrator to file a report before leaving the test center, and submit a Test Center Concern for the situation to be investigated.
- If you must leave before completing your exam because of illness or unforeseen circumstances, the AAMC requires you to click through your exam in order to void it. Otherwise, you must ask the test administrator to file a report before you leave the test center, and, after you leave the test center, you must submit a Test Center Concern so the AAMC may void your exam for you. If you do not submit a Test Center Concern, your exam may be scored.
- Failure to properly void your exam may result in the release of your scores. These scores cannot be removed from your testing history, and scores cannot be voided after they have been released.
- If you do not make a selection when presented with the void-exam question before time expires, your exam will be scored.
- Once you make your decision to score or void your exam, you cannot change it.
- Information from voided exams is not included on score reports sent to medical schools. Indication of a voided exam will be displayed in the MCAT Score Reporting System after the scheduled score release date, for only you to see.
- A voided exam does count toward your testing limits regardless of the reason.
-
The AAMC Services Contact Center might not have the information about your decision to score or void your exam until at least five days after the test date.
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Next: After the Exam
After the Exam
After the ExamAfter you complete your exam and return to your locker to collect your belongings, you must hand the test administrator your sealed digital device bag(s) to be opened and present your ID again to the test administrator. A test administrator will then provide you with a completion confirmation letter. This letter is for your records and is proof that you sat for and completed the exam. Your score or void decision will be included in the confirmation letter you receive from the test administrator.
Scheduling Another Exam
There is a 24-hour waiting period once you complete your MCAT exam before you are permitted to register for another exam through the MCAT Registration System.
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Reporting a Test Center Concern
Reporting a Test Center ConcernIf you believe that an issue or disruption at the test center interfered with your performance on the exam, including an issue with the delivery of your approved and scheduled accommodations, and you wish to have the AAMC investigate what occurred, you must:
- Ask the test administrator to file a case report at the time the incident occurs. Ask for the case report number so you can include it in your Test Center Concern service request.
- If you do not ask the test administrator to witness and document your concerns at the time the problem occurs, the AAMC will be limited in its ability to research your test center concern.
- The test center is not responsible for researching or resolving any problems you experienced (only the AAMC can do that); however, filing the case report the day of the exam allows the AAMC to act on your Test Center Concern.
- You must submit the MCAT Test Center Concern (TCC) service request form through the MCAT Registration System no later than five calendar days after your exam. Concerns received after five calendar days or sent via other channels other than the service request form in the MCAT Registration System will not be investigated.
- After you file a Test Center Concern, the AAMC will investigate the issues you reported and will provide a written response. The AAMC may, in rare situations and at its sole discretion, offer an additional remedy to include the option to void the exam and/or a refund. These are the exclusive remedies available following the submission of a TCC.
- We will not investigate your concern based solely on the case report filed by the test administrator. You must submit a test center concern for an investigation to take place regardless of a case report being filed by the test center or if you left information in the End of Day survey.
- You will receive an automatic email confirmation upon submission. If you do not receive an automatic email, we did not receive your TCC submission.
- Your results will not be scored differently, nor your score reports notated in any way because of a test center concern investigation.
- Test Center Concerns are confidential. Submitting a TCC does not impact your score, and a record of the TCC is not reported to institutions by AAMC.
- The investigation process or response can take up to 35 days from the date of your exam. In the event that we are unable to complete our Test Center Concern investigation prior to the scheduled score release, your score may be held until the investigation is concluded.
- If your score is on hold, you will not be able to view or release your score until it is released.
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Report Suspected Violations
Report Suspected ViolationsFair testing for all MCAT examinees is a priority for the AAMC. The MCAT exam is administered under strict supervision and security measures. If you receive, or have access to, information or material in any form from any source that you reasonably believe contains confidential exam content or has been represented to contain confidential exam content, it is your responsibility to immediately report its existence to the AAMC.
Before, during, or after test day, please report to the AAMC and/or the test administrator any questionable behavior you observe or reasonably believe to have occurred or that may occur, including but not limited to examinees:
- Receiving assistance or copying from another test-taker.
- Taking a test for someone else.
-
Having access to secure test questions before or after the exam.
- Presenting false, altered, or tampered identification to attempt to gain admission to the test center.
- Attempting to record or otherwise capture test questions during the exam.
-
Using notes or unauthorized aids.
- Altering or falsifying score results or reports.
- Falsifying accommodations documentation.
AAMC utilizes a third-party app called STOPit! for the reporting of suspected violations. Users can submit incident reports directly through the app and may include text, photos, or videos, allowing for comprehensive documentation of any issues related to MCAT content.
STOPit! enables anonymous two-way communication between users and administrators. This feature allows follow-up questions, additional information, and clarifications while maintaining complete anonymity.
Reports of Examinee Agreement violations, cheating, disclosure of confidential MCAT exam content, wrongdoing, or other alleged actions that undermine the integrity of the MCAT exam will be treated in a confidential manner. If you report such activity, the AAMC will not disclose your identity except on a need-to-know basis, including responses to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal processes.
The AAMC reserves the right to investigate if there is evidence that you may have engaged in any behavior that may be considered detrimental to a fair and secure testing process or impacts the testing environment, security, and integrity of the exam. If you violate procedures or engage in irregular behavior, it will be reported to the AAMC.
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Next: Investigation Procedures, Final Report, Arbitration and Additional Actions
Investigation Procedures, Final Report, Arbitration, and Additional Actions
Investigation Procedures, Final Report, Arbitration, and Additional ActionsThe AAMC Policies and Procedures for Investigating Reported Violations of Admission and Enrollment Standards apply and are incorporated into The MCAT® Essentials for Testing Year 2025.
- If you are the subject of an investigation by the AAMC, you shall fully cooperate with the AAMC investigation, produce all documents and materials requested by the AAMC, and submit to an in-person interview conducted by or on behalf of the AAMC at the association’s request. You shall truthfully and completely answer all questions posed during investigative interviews conducted by or on behalf of the AAMC.
- If the AAMC initiates an investigation, it will notify you before issuing an investigation report. Investigation-related communications will be sent to you via email. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have an active email address on file with the AAMC that you check frequently. All responses to the AAMC must be submitted in writing.
- At its sole discretion, the AAMC may elect to send a fact-based investigation report documenting the violation and subsequent investigation, with any attachments provided by the applicant, to legitimately interested parties, both now and in the future.
You will be provided with a draft investigative report to review and an opportunity to respond before the final report is issued. If in your response you conclude that the draft report unfairly characterizes the matter under investigation, or if agreement between the parties on the content and language of the report cannot be reached, you may request arbitration. Arbitration shall be conducted through written submission to the American Arbitration Association in Washington, D.C. The sole issue for arbitration shall be whether the AAMC acted reasonably and in good faith in making its decision.
In addition to issuing and disseminating the investigation report, the AAMC may take actions for policy or rules violations including but not limited to:
- Terminating an exam administration.
- Issuing a warning letter to an examinee.
- Placing MCAT scores on hold.
- Canceling an existing MCAT registration or score.
- Suspending MCAT registration eligibility for a limited period or permanently.
The AAMC may, at its sole discretion, file a civil lawsuit against you for material breaches of the Examinee Agreement that cause damage to the AAMC and/or a third party or for any other violation of the AAMC’s legal rights. In addition, the AAMC may, at its sole discretion, refer you to one or more federal, state, or local prosecuting attorneys for criminal investigation and prosecution when it has a reasonable basis to conclude that you may have committed a crime in the course of violating the Examinee Agreement.
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Next: Score Cancellation
Score Cancellation
Score CancellationIf the AAMC determines that your scores are invalid for any reason, the AAMC may, at its sole discretion, cancel your scores. The AAMC will notify you of the potential of a score cancellation as soon as possible via email. If your score is canceled, the raw or scaled scores will not be disclosed to you, medical schools, or any other interested parties. There is no appeal of this decision.
If your scores are canceled through no fault of your own, the AAMC may, at its sole discretion, permit you to either retest within the same testing year for no additional fee or receive a full refund of your initial registration fee. If you wish to retake your exam, you will be required to retake it in full.
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MCAT Exam Delivery Disruptions
MCAT Exam Delivery DisruptionsThe AAMC and its test-delivery administrator, Pearson VUE, try to ensure all facilities are properly equipped and fully functional on test day to ensure exams are properly administered. On those rare occasions when we are unable to administer the exam as scheduled, it may be necessary for the AAMC to cancel or reschedule an exam to a new location or date based on availability.
If we cancel your exam on or before test day, or if you are unable to complete the exam after starting, we will notify you via email and provide a full refund of your base registration fee and return your testing attempt. To sit for the exam, you must schedule a new appointment, which is subject to availability. Remember that toward year's end, seats fill up and rescheduling may not be possible.
AAMC will not administer special makeup exams at the request of the examinee or reimburse or compensate for lost wages, travel costs or other ancillary expenses incurred as a result of a canceled or rescheduled MCAT exam. We will not reimburse or compensate examinees for any costs beyond the MCAT base registration fee. The AAMC is not responsible for missed application deadlines and will not expedite the release of scores due to a rescheduled or canceled appointment.
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Next: Test Question Challenges
Test Question Challenges
Test Question ChallengesIf you believe a question or content on the MCAT exam was ambiguous, flawed or redundant, submit an item challenge. You must submit item challenges in the MCAT Registration System no later than five calendar days after your exam. Challenges received after five calendar days will not be investigated and reported back to you. The AAMC will provide a written response via email to test question challenges within two to three weeks from the date we receive your correspondence.
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Discussion of the MCAT Exam
Discussion of the MCAT ExamThe AAMC developed guidelines to help you understand the prohibition on disclosure of exam content and how you may appropriately share your exam experience.
What is permitted:
- Commenting on your general exam experience, such as test center conditions or how you felt about a particular test section.
- Describing the exam with the same level of detail as in the What's on the MCAT Exam? content outline.
What is not permitted:
- Describing in more specific detail than in the What's on the MCAT Exam? content outline: exam questions, passages, graphics, incorrect responses, correct answers, topic lists, and frequency and order of exam topics.
- Outlining the steps or process to answer a question.
- Speculating about which questions are field-test or experimental questions.
- Assisting anyone else in doing any of the above.
While you may read or hear other guidelines inconsistent with these statements, keep in mind that the information contained herein, and in the binding MCAT Examinee Agreement, is directly from the AAMC. By following these guidelines, it is possible to share your MCAT experience without committing a violation.
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Next: MCAT Exam Scoring
MCAT Exam Scoring
MCAT Exam ScoringYou will receive a separate score for each of the four sections of the MCAT exam, as well as a total score.
- Your raw score on each of the four multiple-choice sections is based on the numbers of questions you answer correctly in each section. There is no penalty for guessing.
- The raw score for each section is then converted to a scaled score ranging from 118 (lowest) to 132 (highest).
- Your total scaled score is the sum of the four individual section scores and will range from 472 to 528.
- Every test form of the MCAT exam measures the same basic concepts and skills. However, each form is different in the specific questions it uses. While care is taken to make sure that the forms are equivalent in difficulty, one form may be slightly more or less difficult than another. The conversion of raw scores to scaled scores, through a process called equating, compensates for small variations in difficulty between sets of questions and ensures that scores have the same meaning, no matter when you test or who tests at the same time you did.
- A percentile rank is reported along with each section and total score. The percentile ranks of scores are the percentages of test-takers who received the same score as or lower scores than you did. Updates to the percentile ranks will be made on May 1 each year. The percentile ranks will be updated with all examinees’ scores from the most recent three years.
For additional information on exam scoring, please visit our MCAT scores webpage.
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Receiving and Sending Scores
Receiving and Sending ScoresYour test scores will be available for viewing no later than 5 p.m. ET on the day of the score release for your exam.
You can view your scores by signing into the MCAT Score Reporting System. You will not see your recent exam date(s) in the history section of the MCAT Score Reporting System until scores are released. Refer to 2025 Calendars, Scheduling Deadlines, and Score Release Dates for release dates.
AAMC staff will not provide scores over the phone or via email. The AAMC is not responsible for any claims for damages resulting from delayed transmission of test scores for any reason.
There are two systematic ways to share your MCAT scores; via the AMCAS application and/or the MCAT Score Reporting System.
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Score Reporting Through Your AMCAS® Application
Score Reporting Through Your AMCAS® ApplicationIf you are applying to medical school through the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®), your scores are automatically pulled into your application as soon as they are released, regardless of application status. No action is necessary on your part.
Since April 2003, the AAMC has followed a full disclosure policy. Under the full disclosure policy, all tests taken from April 2003 onward will be included in score reports or be made available through your AMCAS application. Scores from exams taken before 2003 will also be included in your AMCAS application if they were previously released to the AMCAS program.
To contact the AMCAS program, email amcas@aamc.org or call 202-828-0600.
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Next: Score Reporting Through the MCAT Score Reporting System
Score Reporting Through the MCAT Score Reporting System
Score Reporting Through the MCAT Score Reporting SystemThe MCAT Score Reporting System (SRS) can be used to send your scores electronically to participating programs or application services other than the AMCAS program. Alternately, you can print official score reports to send to whomever you wish. Printed official score reports can be verified online using a unique verification URL found on the resulting PDF. Both features are accessible under the “My Reports” menu within SRS and are available to you at no additional charge.
Official score reports that are printed and provided to a third party must be accompanied by a verification URL on the PDF. Screenshots, PNG or JPG files, or other representations of an MCAT score report that do not contain a verification URL are not considered legitimate and should not be considered official by recipients. Any attempt to present such artifacts as an official MCAT score report will be considered a false claim and will be subject to investigation procedures.
Consistent with our full disclosure policy, all tests for which you received a score from April 2003 and beyond will be included in electronic score reports. If you elected for an exam to be scored, you cannot exclude that score from the score report, or send an individual score to a program, through the Score Reporting Service.
Once you request that your scores be sent to institutions through the Score Reporting System, all scores in your score report will be released to the authorized institutions as they become available. Additionally, in the following one year (365 days) after you requested your scores to be sent, any new scores released will be automatically transmitted to the authorized institution as they become available. If you receive new MCAT scores more than a year after your previous request, you will need to submit a new request to have your new scores sent to the authorized institutions other than those in the AMCAS program.
It is ultimately an examinee’s responsibility to make sure MCAT scores are received by authorized third-party programs or application services. False or inaccurate claims made to the AAMC, any institution, or any other entity related to scores or their submission to various entities is a violation of AAMC policy that is subject to investigation procedures.
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Next: Rescoring
Rescoring
RescoringThe process to compute and report MCAT scores is rigorous, and the AAMC conducts a variety of quality control procedures to verify score accuracy. The possibility of error in the scoring process is extremely low. If you believe there may be an error in the scoring of your MCAT exam, you must submit a “Rescore Request” in the MCAT Registration System within 30 days of your score release date. The AAMC will rescore your exam within 30 days of receipt of your payment.
To request a rescore, you may submit an MCAT Rescore Request through the MCAT Registration System. Rescore Requests can be submitted no later than 30 calendar days after the score release date. After submitting a Rescore Request, you will receive an invoice for payment via email. A Rescore Request is not complete until full payment is received. The price for a Rescore Request is $80 USD for the 2025 testing year.
The AAMC will respond to your request within three weeks of payment. The response letter will either confirm your original scores as reported or inform you of the corrected scaled scores for each test section. We will not disclose your raw scores or provide any additional feedback on your exam performance or experience.
We will not provide information about responses you did or did not select or information about other content related to the exam. The AAMC will not accept appeals to this process.
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Next: Contacting Us
Contacting Us
Contacting UsWe welcome all feedback about your experiences when registering and sitting for the MCAT exam, including ways we can better serve you.
We do not tolerate abusive, threatening, aggressive, or dehumanizing treatment of any kind toward the people with whom you might interact virtually or in person at the AAMC, Pearson VUE, or in the testing center or exam room. The AAMC and Pearson VUE reserve the right to refuse service to any individual who presents a threat or serious disruption to AAMC staff, Pearson VUE staff, or other examinees. Such behavior will be investigated in accordance with the investigation procedures outlined in this document and may be referred to law enforcement.
AAMC customer service specialists are available to assist you with the registration process, test-day procedures, and score reporting. To help ensure resolution of your question or concern before your test date, contact us no later than the 10-day deadline associated with your test date. Please allow up to two business days for a reply to your email.
Contact MCAT (Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. ET, closed Wednesdays 3–5 p.m. ET) for assistance with registering or preparing for the exam. Telephone: 202-828-0600
On MCAT test days, staff are available at a minimum from 7:30 a.m. to noon ET.
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