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Premed MCAT* Information
The new Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a
prerequisite for admission to nearly all the medical schools in North
America. Each year, over 50,000 premed applicants to American and Canadian
medical schools submit MCAT test results. While the actual weight given to
MCAT scores in the admissions process varies from school to school, often
they are regarded in a similar manner to your premed CGPA
(i.e. your academic standing).
In applying for medicine at some medical schools, for
example, the MCAT score is as important as your four years of premed! On the other hand, some universities will set a
minimum level of performance on the MCAT and then analyze school grades to
decide who will be invited to the interviews. Either way, doing well is
imperative for most applicants.
The MCAT is administered on a Saturday biannually, at
the beginning of the academic year (usu. August) and at the end of the
academic year (usu. April). To register for the MCAT, you should consult
your premed adviser or contact:
MCAT Program
P.O. Box 4056
Iowa City, Iowa, 52243
Phone: (319) 337-1357
Web site: www.aamc.org
What are the upcoming MCAT* dates?
MCAT Test Dates
Is the MCAT* changing?
The MCAT changed in 1991 then instituted some minor changes in 2003; in 2007, the MCAT will be somewhat shorter and will change to a Computer Based Test.
Premed students preparing for the MCAT in 2006 will not be affected.
Here is a summary of the 2007 changes:
• the MCAT will be shorter (approximately 5 hours vs. the current testing time of 8 hours).
• Students will receive their MCAT scores more quickly.
• the MCAT will be offered more frequently throughout the year (up to 20 testing dates).
• the MCAT will be given in smaller, climate-controlled rooms.
The computer based exams at MCAT-prep.com prepares for both formats of the MCAT.
What Subjects are on the MCAT*?
The MCAT will not only test your scientific knowledge in
biology, physics, inorganic and organic chemistry, but will also measure
your problem-solving, critical thinking and writing skills. The exam is
divided into four sections: Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, the
Writing Sample and Biological Sciences.
The Physical Sciences section contains physics and
general chemistry. The Biological Sciences section contains biology and
organic chemistry. All questions, save the Writing Sample, are multiple
choice with four choices per question.
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What is the Exam Schedule?
Click here: MCAT Schedule
How
is the MCAT* scored?
The MCAT is scored for
each of the four sections individually. The sections consisting of
multiple choice questions are first scored right or wrong resulting in a
raw score. Note that wrong answers are worth the same as unanswered
questions so ALWAYS ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS even if you are not sure of
certain answers. The raw score is then converted to a scaled score ranging
from 1 (lowest) to 15 (highest). The scores are scaled to ensure that the
same proportion of individual marks within each section (i.e. 1-15) are
given year to year.
The essay is scored by
two readers on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 6 (highest). The combined scores
from the two essays (2 to 12 out of 12) are then converted to a scale
ranging from J (lowest) to T (highest):
| J |
K |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
R |
S |
T |
| 2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
1
2 |
The scores for each
section and a cumulative score (i.e. a maximum of 45T) are reported to
you, the schools you designate and, with your permission, to your
undergraduate advisor.
Every MCAT includes a small number of questions which will
not be scored. These questions are either used to calibrate the exam or
were found to be either too ambiguous or too difficult to be counted. So
if you see a question that you think is off the wall, unanswerable or
inappropriate, it could well be one of these questions so never panic!
How many times can I write the MCAT*?
According to the Association of American Medical
Colleges, you may write the exam essentially as often as you wish.
Subsequently, the medical school to which you would apply may do any one
of the following:
(i) evaluate the
most recent score;
(ii) evaluate only the highest individual and/or set of scores;
(iii) evaluate an average of the sets of scores;
(iv) consider all scores equally and note the improvements.
Free MCAT* Tests, Free Streaming Videos
and more...
www.MCAT-prep.com
GMAT, LSAT and GRE
Test prep info at
www.prep.com
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