The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a national standardized test designed to gage medical school applicants' knowledge of basic science concepts, as well as their skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and writing. The MCAT exam is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and is required of applicants to virtually all U.S. medical schools. What is on the MCAT? The Four Main Content Areas of the MCAT Test The MCAT is composed of four scored sections including Physical Sciences (physics and general chemistry), Verbal Reasoning, Biological Sciences (biology and organic chemistry), and Writing Samples. MCAT Format The Medical College Admissions Test is composed of 4 distinct sections, administered over 5 hours. The four sections, in the order they are administered, are Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, Writing Sample, and Biological Sciences. The Physical Sciences section of the exam consists of 52 multiple-choice questions which must be completed within 70 minutes. The questions in this section will cover basic concepts in physics and chemistry. Candidates are expected to know the formulae and equations commonly used in the laboratory, though any other constants and conversions will be provided. For the most part, the questions in the Physical Sciences section will relate to those areas of physics and chemistry that have the most direct bearing on the practice of medicine. Most of the questions in this section will be based on passages of about 250 words, which will describe some situation or problem. The Verbal Reasoning section of the exam consists of 40 multiple-choice questions which must be completed within 60 minutes. The questions in this section will be based on 500-word passages taken from the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. This section of the exam is not designed to test the candidate's knowledge of the given subjects, but rather to assess reading comprehension and interpretation skills. The Writing Sample section of the exam consists of two essays which must be completed within 60 minutes. The essay prompts are taken from areas of general interest, as for instance art, education, or ethics. The basic structure of the writing exercises requires the candidate to explain, elaborate, and evaluate a proposed argument. This section of the MCAT assesses the candidate's ability to develop a central idea, synthesize diverse concepts and ideas, present ideas in a cohesive and logical fashion, and write according to the accepted conventions of grammar, syntax, and diction. Finally, the Biological Sciences section of the exam consists of 52 multiple-choice questions which must be completed within 70 minutes. This section of the exam covers basic concepts in biology and organic chemistry. Candidates are expected to know the equations commonly used in the laboratory, though any other constants or conversions will be provided. Most of the questions in this section of the test will relate to 250-word passages describing a problem or situation. How the MCAT Test is Scored All three sections of the MCAT other than the Writing Samples are in multiple-choice format and are graded based only on the number of correct answers, not on the number of errors. The three initial, raw scores, are then converted to scaled scores based on a 15-point scale, with 15 being the highest score. A total, combined score for the three multiple choice sections is also provided. Each of two MCAT writing samples is graded on a 6-point scale by two different readers. This results in four preliminary writing sample scores for each exam. The four preliminary scores are then added together to determine a raw score for the Writing Sample section. Finally the raw score on the Writing Sample section is converted to a letter grade ranging from a low score of J to a high score of T. MCAT Scores - What do they Mean? The scores issued for the Medical College Admissions Test are designed to reflect the candidate's ability and knowledge in the Physical and Biological Sciences, in Verbal Reasoning, and in Writing. Each test-taker will receive a score sheet with individual scores for each section of the exam as well as a total score. The Physical Science, Biological Science, and Verbal Reasoning sections of the exam consist of multiple-choice questions. The number of questions answered correctly is converted into a score on a scale of 1 to 15, taking into account the relative difficulty of the test version. The scaled scores also minimize the effects of factors that are not reflective of an examinee's actual skill or knowledge, allowing for a more accurate assessment of individual ability as well as comparisons of competing scores. Note the raw score is derived from the number of questions answered correctly; in other words, there is no difference between a question that is not answered and a question that is answered incorrectly. For this reason, candidates should make their best guess when they are unsure about an answer. The scaled scores will also be given in terms of percentile rank, so that candidates can see how they compare to one another. The mean score on the multiple-choice sections of the exam is 8, with a standard deviation of 2.5. The scoring system for the Writing Sample portion of the exam is slightly different. Each essay will be read and scored by two independent readers. The score scale for the Writing Sample ranges from a low of 1 to a high of 6. These numerical scores will then be converted into an alphabetic scale in which J is the lowest and T is the highest. These letters represent the combined scores from both essays, so it is possible for various combinations of numerical scores to result in the same letter score. The Importance of the MCAT Score in the Medical School Application For the majority of medical schools in the United States, the MCAT score is weighted as heavily as the GPA. In some cases, where the MCAT score and the GPA offer contradictory assessments of an applicant, schools in the U.S. may place more weight on the MCAT. Medical schools in Canada appear to place less emphasis on the MCAT scores than U.S. medical schools. Yet, Canadian medical schools are still likely to set a minimum MCAT score standard that applicants must achieve in order to be considered. MCAT Scores and Your Medical School Application? The Medical College Admissions Test was developed in order to predict which applicants would be most likely to succeed in medical school. Recent studies indicate that the exam does an excellent job of forecasting performance on the medical licensing examinations. However, although MCAT scores are an important part of the medical school application, they are by no means the only component considered by the admissions department. In fact, the Association of American Medical Colleges asserts that MCAT scores receive only moderate emphasis in the consideration of an application. Besides exam scores, a medical school admissions department will look at a candidate's college grades; breadth and difficulty of coursework; letters of reference; personal interview; state or country of legal residence; knowledge of health care issues and commitment to health care; extracurricular activities; and any health-related work or research experience. One of the main purposes of the MCAT is to give admissions officials a standardized measure so that they can interpret all of these other factors. When making admissions decisions, schools try to select those candidates who have both the intellectual framework and the personal qualities to survive the rigors of medical school. Also, since medical schools may have different specialties and areas of emphasis, many of them will try to select those candidates who best fit into the school's mission. For all of these reasons, it is unwise to consider MCAT scores as a foolproof indicator of application success or failure. It is typical for a medical school to select a candidate with inferior exam scores if that applicant has proven to be exceptional in another area. How to Know When You Are Ready to Take the MCAT The AAMC as well as several standardized test prep companies, including Kaplan and Princeton Review, provide limited free online and/or proctored MCAT practice tests. Updated versions of actual, retired MCAT exams are also available for order through the AAMC. Your scores on these practice tests should help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, as well as ascertain your preparedness. Once you are satisfied with the results of your practice tests, you may be ready to conquer the MCAT itself. A recent analysis of MCAT practice test scores by StudentDoc.com suggests that the AAMC practice tests were the single best predictors of performance on the actual MCAT. MCAT Test Dates, Registration Schedules and Score Release Dates With the introduction of the computer-based MCAT (cbMCAT) there are numerous MCAT testing dates available each year between the months of January and September. Registration for testing dates in the upcoming year usually begins in the fall of the previous year. For the official AAMC schedule of upcoming test dates and details on regular MCAT registration, late registration, and tentative MCAT score release dates. Choosing MCAT Test Dates Clearly, medical school admissions officials recommend that the MCAT be taken in the winter or spring of the year prior to the year you plan on attending medical school. This way, you have the advantage of submitting your complete medical school application early. In addition, in the event that you are not satisfied with your MCAT results, you would still have time to retake the exam and meet your medical school application deadlines. If you are not prepared to take the MCAT early, be sure to carefully consider your medical school application deadlines when selecting your testing day. First, find out the application deadlines for the medical schools to which you are applying, then work backwards from your earliest deadline. Check the MCAT score release dates (see above) for the testing dates you are considering to be sure AMCAS will release your scores prior to the earliest application deadline. Build some extra time into your planning process for unexpected delays. Regular registration deadlines are typically two weeks prior to the test date; late registration deadlines are typically one week before the test. It is recommended that you register early, as testing sites have limited capacity. MCAT Registration Fees In January 2010, the standard fee for regular MCAT Registration is $230. For individuals registering to take the exam at an international test site, there is an additional $65 fee. An additional $55 fee is charged for late registration, rescheduling the testing date, or changing the testing location. For current, official registration rates, With no additional cost, scores are released to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). For more information on releasing scores to non-AMCAS institutions. The AAMC also offers the Fee Assistance Program (FAP) to MCAT applicants who would otherwise be unable to afford the MCAT exam or med school application process. Click here for more information on fees and for information on cancelling your MCAT registration prior to the exam date. Cancelling MCAT Scores You cannot void your MCAT results once the exam has been taken and scored, however the MCAT computer based test does automatically provide you with the option to void your exam (without refund) during your scheduled examination time. This automatic void option appears at the end of your exam. At that time, you must select either to have your test scored, or to void your MCAT exam. If a selection is not made within five minutes, your MCAT exam will be scored. It is also possible to access the void option prior to completing the exam. If needed, the test administrator can instruct you on how to access the void screen early. Once you have selected to have your test scored (or if it is scored by default because the void option had not been selected during the examination), the exam may not be voided. If you void an exam, it will not be scored and your participation in that MCAT administration will not be reported to schools. Nevertheless, the AAMC does register that you attended the MCAT administration. Your attendance of the exam is counted toward the total of 3 times a student is eligible to take the MCAT exam without special permission from the AAMC. Source
