Effective: 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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