How Many Times Can You Take the MCAT | The Ultimate Guide

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a doctor? Often the idea of being a doctor is different from the process to get there. You might be on the fence about being a doctor because of the amount of work it takes to get there. With the right advice, our team can support your every step.

The ticket into med school is the MCAT. It’s ok if you don’t feel fully confident at first. With lots of practice and preparation you’ll be well on your way to receive the MCAT score you’ve always wanted! 

How Many Times Can You Take the MCAT

When you take the MCAT the first time your nerves can really kick in. This can result in your scores not being as good as you anticipated. Taking the MCAT again is not a bad thing. It’s the preparation that goes into taking the next test that matters. 

You can take the MCAT up to three times in one year. It’s best to knock out your best score in the first two tries, but if you need to take more it’s fine. If you decide to take the MCAT again it’ll have to be in a two year time period

Overall if you take the MCAT again and again and you still aren’t getting the results you want just know that in your whole lifetime you’re able to take the MCAT only seven times.

The scores from each test exam will be separately shown in reports. You can attempt to take the MCAT up to seven times which is a good time line to plan out your MCAT plan. Taking the MCAT to get a better score will benefit you in the long run. 

What is the MCAT?

You know that the MCAT is to get into medical school, but what is it exactly? The official name for the MCAT is the Medical College Admission Test. It is more than just an exam it is a formal ticket into medical school.

It is facilitated by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The MCAT helps med schools decide on your preparedness for the rigorous med school requirements. By practicing, MCAT prep books reviews you can get an overview of what will be on the MCAT. 

The exam measures your knowledge in chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, physics, and psychology. It’ll challenge you to think critically and problem-solve different scenarios. 

The underlying concept of the MCAT is to see if you can apply test content to any situation. Since becoming a doctor requires going through high pressure situations, they want to see students have strong skills to adapt and adjust.

Why Take the MCAT?

The MCAT is your main ticket into med school. It is a good overall way to determine your eligibility for med school. Since becoming a doctor requires you to be responsible for many lives, the MCAT is a prep starter to see how you can persist in these situations.

Taking the MCAT will take a lot of personal discipline and hardwork, but with the proper studying habits you can be well on your way to success. The MCAT can help you get into the school of your dreams.

Since certain schools have a specific score criteria you want to look into it before you begin your MCAT process. If you have a dream medical school like UCLA or Harvard chances are no matter how much work you put on our resume a huge factor will be your MCAT score. 

Taking the MCAT shows med schools how serious you are about the process. If you receive a solid score it can boost your acceptance to a school you’ve always wanted to go to!

Can You Take MCAT More Than Once?

Are you a nervous test taker? Sometimes it can feel so overwhelming taking the MCAT for the first time. Lucky for you it’s common for the MCAT to be taken up to three times in one year.

After multiple practice tests try to keep track of your consistent score. This way when you go to take the MCAT you can get a better idea of your performance. This method is a good way to prepare yourself for the results.

If you feel like you want to make another attempt, you can take it the fourth time as long as it is in a two year period. This is good because it gives you time to prepare for your MCAT grade.

Take your time in the preparation process and get familiar with what to bring to the MCAT. When people rush this process the scores will be heavily impacted. Once you take your first MCAT score if you aren’t completely satisfied in the score you can try again! 

MCAT Test Dates and Score Releases

Are you planning for your test date? It’s important to plan around your date because you want to be taking as many practice tests as you need to. The test dates are different for each state. 

The test dates and score release are around a month apart. You want to be prepared to see your score the next month. For instance, if you took the MCAT test on January 17 your score release date will be February 18.

Every year the MCAT test cycle is updated. So you want to plan accordingly especially if you plan to test in the new year season. Dates will be updated based on your testing site.

Make sure you’re aware of your test date before you start anything to prevent any form of complications. It’s best to be sure so you can have a reliable study plan.

Colin Ma
 

As the first hire of Study Prep Lounge I primarily help with growth strategy, but also assisted with managing our small team of writers and designers. Another aspect of work I've taken up is writing and I thoroughly enjoy it! I grew up in Arcadia, CA, and went to school at University of California, Santa Barbara before transferring to University of California, Irvine where I got my BS in Computer Science. I am currently working full time in software and am also fulfilling my prerequisites so I can apply to Medical School.

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 0 comments