When to Take the MCAT Exam

The MCAT is a standardized test that is required by most medical schools for acceptance.

There are many possible times through out the year and through out your undergrad that you can take this exam. Here I explain more about the exam and give you tips to help you pick the best testing slot for you!

Picking a Testing Date

When should I take the MCAT and how should I sign up?

First, you need to know when you intend to apply to medical school. Students apply for Medical School the summer before they intend to matriculate (or start) to medical school.

If you want to apply “Traditionally” – meaning going straight into medical school the summer that you graduate from your undergraduate school, you will want to apply to medical school the summer BEFORE going into your Senior year.
If you want to take a Gap year or two you will want to apply to Medical School the summer BEFORE you want to start medical school.

For example, if I was an Undergraduate student graduating in the Spring of 2025, I would need to apply to medical school in the Summer of 2024 – A YEAR before I wanted to attend.

If the same student wanted to take a gap year they would apply to Medical School the Summer that they graduated (2025) to start medical school in 2026.

You want to take the MCAT BEFORE the summer that you will apply to Medical School and I recommend that you give yourself plenty of time in case you decide that you need more time to study or that you need to push your exam date back. Almost 40% of students retake the MCAT. I’m not saying this will be you, but it is important to take the exam early enough that allows some flexibility for retakes.

Testing Dates for the MCAT are not offered year-round. Testing dates are usually on weekends (Friday or Saturday) starting in January and running through September. You will receive your score for the exam 1 month after you take the exam.

You can find a list of the testing dates for 2024 here:

U.S. MCAT® Calendar, Scheduling Deadlines, and Score Release Dates | Students & Residents

Common Times to take the MCAT

There are a few times that most students plan to study and take the exam. The first is the Summer before the year that they plan on applying to medical school. For traditional applications, this would be the Summer BEFORE going into your Junior Year. The recommended study time for the MCAT is 3-6 months. Studying over the summer gives students the ability to dedicate more time to studying because they will not be involved in a full course load of school like in the Fall and the Spring. These students usually sign up for an exam time in August and Early September.

Another common time to study and take the MCAT is over Winter break the months leading up to your application cycle. For example, if you are applying in May 2024, you could study starting at the end of your Fall 2023 semester and into Winter break if 2023. These students take the exam in January or March. For some reason, there are no exams scheduled for February 🤔

I recommend both of these time periods because they allow you time to take the exam, get a score back, and allow time to take the exam again if you are striving for a higher score.

The latest time that I recommend to take the MCAT is in April of the year that you intend to apply. This will allow you 1 month to get your score back before you apply in May, but the downside is that you will not be able to retake the exam and get a score back early enough to submit an application at the beginning of the summer. Applications to Medical School are rolling, so the earlier you submit the better are your chances for admission. Getting your score back over the summer that you apply could delay your App and hurt your chances.

You can sign up for an MCAT exam HERE:

The exam costs around $320 USD so make sure you are prepared when it comes time to schedule. There is more information on their website about financial assistance. Make sure to check that out before you plan to schedule to make sure everything is set up. It is important to sign up for an exam as early as possible! Testing spots can go quickly, especially if you don’t live in a big city. For me, living in Austin, there were NO testing centers for the date that I planned to take the exam, so I had to travel to San Antonio the night before, and stay in a hotel.

Stay tuned for MCAT study tips and resources that helped me succeed on the exam!

♡ Z