MCAT
Overview
Almost all U.S. medical schools require applicants to take and submit scores for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), a computer-based, standardized examination administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), as part of the admissions process. The MCAT is designed to assess applicants' problem-solving, critical thinking, analytical, and writing skills, as well as their knowledge of science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine.
As one of the few objective measures available to compare applicants and a relatively reliable indicator of applicants’ future academic success in medical school, medical school admissions committees place a great deal of weight on MCAT performance. Moreover, the MCAT will probably be one of your longest and most challenging exams. Given the importance of your MCAT score in the admissions process and the difficulty of the exam, devoting significant time and effort to preparing for the MCAT should be a top priority as you apply to medical school.
The MCAT is administered multiple times per year at testing centers around the country, and advance registration is required. The best source of information about the MCAT is the AAMC website (see links below). When to take the MCAT is a personal decision with many factors to consider.
Useful Links on the AAMC Website:
Contact
Contact Name
Courtney Hance
Director of Health Professions Advising
