The MCAT is an acronym for the Medical College Admission Test. It is intended for students who are seeking admission to medical schools in the US and Canada. Students who have already completed their undergraduate studies and are now keen to enroll in medical programs are eligible to appear for MCAT. There is no age bar.
Overseas students are also eligible to take the MCAT upon submission of additional documents and meeting certain requirements.
The MCAT exam assesses a candidate’s knowledge and skills in various categories like the natural sciences, critical thinking, problem-solving, and writing skills. The exam is conducted across multiple locations in the US and Canada several times a year. The questions appear in Multiple Choice Question format, and the test is computer-based.
How to Contact For Help
If you are keen to take up the MCAT exam, you must contact AAMC for relevant information and support. The following are the various ways to contact AAMC staff.
1) Through Phone: AAMC MCAT customer service center is competent enough to handle all student queries and concerns. You can reach out to them by calling 202-828-0600 any day between Monday to Friday from 8 am to 7 pm.
2) Via Email: You can also email your queries to the AAMC MCAT customer service center at mcat@aamc.org or help@aamc.org. Their representatives will revert soon.
3) Through their Website: Visit their official website and access their ‘Contact Us’ page. You can write in your request for any kind of support at their help center at . No matter what mode you are using, keep patience and you will hear back from a representative at their end.
4) Through their Chat Assistance: You can also use their chat feature for immediate assistance on the AAMC website during business hours.
What You Should Know of the Exams
The exam is divided into four sections — a) Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, b) Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills, c) Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems, and d) Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior.
The duration of the test is approximately 7 hours and 30 minutes. A candidate is required to take several practice sessions before appearing for the exam to familiarize themselves with the test format.
You are required to master a broad range of subjects and will need to train yourself diligently for months to crack the MCAT exams. The subjects include —
Biology: Cellular and molecular biology, genetics, and evolution.
Chemistry: General chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry.
Physics: Classical mechanics, thermodynamics, and electricity and magnetism.
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: This will test your ability to analyze, interpret, and evaluate complex arguments taken from social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences.
Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior: Sociology, Psychology, and Biology as they pertain to human behavior.
MCAT also tests a candidate’s English written communication skills, and their critical thinking and problem-solving ability.
How to Register for MCAT
There are certain steps involved in registering for the MCAT exams. This is what you do to register as an interested candidate.
1) Visit the official website of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) which administers the MCAT exams. Here is the link.
2) Next, create an account with AAMC. You will need this to register for the exam, receive your test results, and receive other MCAT-related information.
3) You will have the choice to select your test date, location, and time. They will present to you a list of available test centers and dates.
4) As of now, the MCAT test fee is $315, but it is subject to change. You must verify the test fee and then pay the amount.
5) They will send you a confirmation from AAMC once you have completed your registration online.
We will suggest you secure your preferred test date and location because MCAT is a popular exam and the test dates fill up fast.
How to Check Scores
MCAT results are declared a month after the exam. If you have already appeared for the MCAT exams and wish to check your scores now, follow the given steps —
1) Visit the AAMC MCAT scoring website.
2) You can access the scorecard only through your AAMC account with a valid username and password.
3) Go to the ‘MCAT Scores’ section of your account and find the exam for which you wish to view your scores.
4) Since the exam is divided into 4 different sections, as pointed out earlier, check your individual scores for each section, viz. —Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems; Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems; Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior; and Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills.
5) You will be able to view your scores in two ways — Total Scores and Section Scores. T-scores can range from a low of 118 to a high of 132. The section scores are the raw scores, which are the number of questions answered correctly.
If you face difficulties accessing your scores, you can contact the AAMC MCAT customer support helpline center for assistance.
