MCAT Exam 2023: Check Exam Dates, Registration , Scores, Exam Pattern, and Cutoff for Top Medical Schools

MCAT Exam 2023: The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized computer-based examination required for admission to medical schools in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the Caribbean Islands. Students aspiring to pursue medical education in countries such as the United States and Canada need MCAT scores to apply to health profession schools. A good MCAT score will lead to a higher probability of securing admission to one’s preferred medical school. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) administers the MCAT exam multiple times in a year. 

The MCAT exam evaluates skills that are essential for the candidate’s success in medical school, which are, critical thinking and problem-solving, and knowledge of concepts and principles in natural, behavioural, and social sciences. The MCAT total score ranges from 472 to 528, and students are encouraged to keep a target score of above 515 for admissions to top medical schools. The average MCAT score of incoming students for the top 39 medical schools in the year 2022 was 518. 

The MCAT exam is of 7.5 hours duration and is a multiple-choice question-based test. The MCAT score card will give the scores obtained in each section, the total score and the percentile rank. There is no negative marking in the MCAT test. The percentile rank gives the percentage of test takers who scored less than or equal to the candidate. On the basis of the percentile rank, a student can decide whether they want to take the exam again or not. Read More : MCAT Scores

MCAT Exam 2023

The MCAT exam is essentially an evaluation of the candidate’s skill set in scientific reasoning and problem-solving, data-based and statistical reasoning, knowledge of scientific concepts and principles, and reasoning about the design and execution of research. These skills are necessary for an excellent medical education and high performance in the field of medical sciences. Candidates are advised to go through the MCAT syllabus and exam pattern in order to create an informed preparation strategy for themselves. 

MCAT Eligibility 2023

Students who are seeking to apply to and attend a health professions program that accepts MCAT scores as a part of its application process can take the MCAT exam. Candidates are eligible to apply for the MCAT exam only if they are not currently or previously enrolled in a health professions program. On the other hand, international students are eligible to take the MCAT exam if they hold an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery) degree or are currently enrolled in MBBS program. 

Students can appear for the MCAT exam if they are looking to apply for the following health profession programs: 

• MD programs
• Podiatric medicine programs.
• DO programs
• Veterinary medicine programs.
• Any other health profession-related program that accepts MCAT scores as a part of its admissions process

Candidates can only appear for the MCAT exam for a limited number of times. Aspirants can check the testing limits from the table given below.

MCAT July 2023 Exam Dates

Candidates who are planning to appear for the MCAT exam in July 2023 can refer to the table given below for MCAT July 2023 exam dates for each country.

MCAT August 2023 Exam Dates

Candidates who are planning to take the MCAT exam in the month of August 2023 can check the MCAT August 2023 exam dates for each country from the table given below.

MCAT Registration 2023

Students can register for the MCAT exam on the official website of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Students will need an AAMC ID and the associated username and password to register for the MCAT test. To get the AAMC ID, one needs to create an account with AAMC. The MCAT standard registration fee is $ 330. 

Candidates can check the steps for MCAT exam registration given below.

Step 1 : Students need to visit the official website of AAMC

Step 2 : Create an account with AAMC and Click on ‘Start Exam Registration’

Step 3 : Provide the required information which include personal details and educational background

Step 4 : Candidates are required to agree to the terms and conditions

Step 5 : Check the exam schedule and select the test centre

Step 6 : Pay the application fee for MCAT exam

MCAT Scores and Exam Structure

The MCAT exam is an assessment of the following four sections : 

• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
• Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior

The score range of each section is from 118 to 132. The total score is the combined score of all four sections, ranging from 472 to 528. 

The MCAT test evaluates the following skills in the candidate : 

• Knowledge of scientific concepts and principles.
• Data-based and statistical reasoning.
• Scientific reasoning and problem-solving.
• Reasoning about the design and execution of research.

Details Mentioned in MCAT Score Report 

• Sections
• Section-wise Scores
• Confidence Band
• Percentile Rank of Section-wise Scores
• Score Profile
• MCAT Total Score
• MCAT Overall Percentile Rank

MCAT Exam Scoring

• The raw score for each of the four sections is based on the number of questions which have been answered correctly in each section by the candidate.
• There is no negative marking. 
• The raw score of each section is converted into a scaled score ranging from 118 (lowest) to 132 (highest). 
• The total scaled score is the combination of the four sectional scores and ranges from 472 to 528. 

MCAT Exam Pattern 2023

The MCAT exam pattern and syllabus consists of four components, which are, critical analysis and reasoning skills; biological and biochemical foundations of living systems; chemical and physical foundations of biological systems; and psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour. 

MCAT Cutoff 2022

Students can check the average MCAT score of the incoming students (as per U.S. News and World Report) to the top medical schools for the year 2022 in the table given below.