Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is the standard entrance examination for many medical and podiatric programs coordinated by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The exam assesses your knowledge of topics related to natural and social science, critical thinking skills, and scientific problem-solving. The MCAT is divided into four sections:
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
Students are recommended to take the MCAT in the spring (March/April) of their third year for traditional applicants. The MCAT web site is full of very helpful information about preparation and planning for taking the MCAT. The updated Official Guide to the MCAT® Exam can be bought through AAMC’s MCAT site.
For a collation of our and AAMC's resources, use the navigation below.
JUMP TO
JUMP TO
Preparing for the MCAT
Preparing for the MCAT is an ongoing process. Students should dedicate at least 3 months of focused study prior to the examination. However, we encourage students to steadily prepare for the exam throughout the completion of their prerequisites. Below are resources to help with the preparation process.
- Prepare for the MCAT
- What's on the MCAT Exam?
- Creating Your MCAT Study Plan & The Study Cycle
- Read the MCAT Essentials
- MCAT Podcast
- Choosing an MCAT Prep company? Our MCAT Resource Guide offers what to consider.
Content on the MCAT by UT Austin Course
While you can take the MCAT prior to completing your prerequisites, there is content that will be tested on from most of the prerequisite courses. If you choose to take the MCAT before formally covering the topic in a prerequisite course, you do so at your own risk based on the sufficiency of your self-study.
- General Biology (BIO 311C, BIO 311D, BIO 206L)
- Genetics (BIO 325)
- General Chemistry (CH 301, CH 302, CH 204)
- Organic Chemistry (CH 320M, CH 320N, CH 220C)
- Biochemistry (BCH 369)
- Physics (Completion of a UT Austin Physics sequence through Physics II is recommended.)
- Statistics (See approved courses.)
- Rhetoric and writing (RHE 306, RHE 309J, etc.)
- Reading comprehension (E 316L, M, N, or P)
- Ethics and Philosophy (PHL)
- Psychology (PSY 301, etc.)
- Sociology (SOC 302, etc.)
Registering for the MCAT
Registration for the MCAT is managed by the AAMC. You can find more information on how to register for the MCAT, including deadlines and fee information on their website.
- Online Test Registration
- Testing Calendar & Score Release
- Fee Information
- MCAT Fee Assistance Program
- MCAT & Exam Accommodations
Taking the MCAT Exam
The MCAT exam is analysis-based; answers will be within the question, and you will need to think through the question to get the answer. The exam is 7 hours and 30 minutes (including completing demographics and other information). The actual test time is 6 hours and 15 minutes. By now, you should have taken practice exams and should be familiar with the structure of the exam, as well as the exam questions.
Prior to your test day, make sure that you have practiced healthy testing habits. Get plenty of sleep, food, water, and energy to prepare for the long and tedious time ahead. Information on test taking, scheduled and unscheduled breaks, and test day procedures is located in the MCAT Essentials guide for that year. It is required reading prior to attending your test.
Health Professions Advisor Release
If you so choose, you can release select demographic information and your scores to the Health Professions Office here at the University of Texas at Austin. This information assists the Health Profession Office in the form of matriculation and acceptance statistics for Longhorns, as well as refines our coaching practices. The information is protected by AAMC confidentiality and privacy policies, and all data presented on pre-health students at UT Austin is always aggregated to protect a student's privacy.
To release this information, you can indicate “Yes” to the release during your exam.
MCAT Scoring & Evaluation
Each of the four subsections are scored on a scale of 118-132 with 125 being at the center of the bell curve. The overall scale is 472-528, with 500 at the center of the bell curve. They chose to center the scale at 500, since their national data with the previous exam showed that students at the center succeeded in medical school. The score report will include total score, section scores, percentile ranks, confidence band, and score profile showing strengths and weaknesses.
Application Tip
You will want to aim for a score of 511 or higher, with at least 126-127 in each of the subsections for a competitive application. This range may differ though depending on the school. If you're interested in a specific school's matriculation statistics, a great resource is the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) database.
Weighing whether to retake the MCAT? Check out our handout, "Should I Retake the MCAT?"