2023 Mcat Essentials
2023 Mcat Essentials
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It also includes
MCAT® is a program of the
Association of American Medical Colleges
Fifth Edition
MCAT developers.
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© 2023 AAMC
The MCAT® Essentials for Testing Year 2023
Contents
Introduction 4
What Is on the MCAT Exam? 4
Before You Register for the MCAT Exam 6
AAMC ID 6
Registration Name 7
Common Registration Name Requirement Questions 8
All name changes must be complete 10 days before the exam date 8
ID Exceptions 8
Registration and Scheduling Violations 9
Eligible Health Professions Programs 9
Requesting Special Permission 10
International Examinees 10
Testing With Accommodations 11
The AAMC Fee Assistance Program 11
Registering for an MCAT Exam 12
The MCAT Registration System 12
Examinee Agreement 12
AAMC Policies Regarding MCAT Examinee Data 15
Release of Personal Information 16
MCAT Recruiting Service 16
Health Professions Advisor Release 16
Medical Minority Applicant Registry (Med-MAR) 17
Release to Alternate Contact 17
Scheduling an MCAT Exam 17
Scheduling Details 18
Fees and Deadlines 18
Applicable Taxes 19
Rescheduling Errors Based on Tax Rate 19
Report Suspected Violations 20
What Should I Report? 20
Investigation Procedures, Final Report, Arbitration, and Additional Actions 20
“To Be Determined” Test Centers 21
Changing Your Appointment 22
Available Appointment Notification or “Notify Me” 22
Cancellations and Refunds 22
Emergency Refund 23
MCAT Appointments Are Subject to Change or Cancellation 24
What You Need to Know About Test Day 25
Health and Safety 25
Health and Safety - Independent Third-Party Owned Sites 25
Test Center Current Address 25
Time Zones 26
Inclement Weather and Other Test Center Closures 26
Arriving at the Test Center 26
No-Shows 26
Check-In Rules and Procedures 26
Review of Test Center Regulations 26
Verification of ID 27
Digital Signature 27
Palm Vein Scan 27
Photo Capture 27
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The MCAT® Essentials for Testing Year 2023
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Introduction
Congratulations! Reading The MCAT® Essentials for Testing Year 2023 is the first step in preparing to
take the Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®) and toward a fulfilling career in medicine.
The AAMC provides the MCAT exam with the assistance of its test-delivery administrator, Pearson VUE.
The MCAT® Essentials is your guide to the official policies, processes, and procedures for taking the
MCAT exam. The information in this guide is necessary for a smooth registration, scheduling, and testing
experience. Contact information is available throughout this guide so that you know how to reach us if you
have questions. Information about AAMC MCAT preparation resources and other helpful resources are
also included.
The MCAT® Essentials is subject to change from year to year. At the time of registration and on test day,
you will be asked to certify that you have read and agree to comply with the policies and procedures
contained here. If you are a returning examinee, you must read the current version of this guide. The
version applicable to your test day is the version in effect when you register.
All of us at the AAMC wish you the best and much success as you move forward to a career in medicine!
In conjunction with its member medical schools, the AAMC develops and administers the MCAT exam
multiple times each year. The exam is administered at hundreds of Pearson VUE testing sites in the
United States, Canada, and select locations throughout the world.
The MCAT exam tests concepts that medical school faculty, residents, and students rate as important to
entering students’ success in the medical school curriculum. It is a standardized, computer-based exam
with content divided into four multiple-choice sections. Each section includes some “field-test” questions
(that is, questions being considered for future use that do not count toward your score).
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▪ 15 independent questions
▪ 15 independent questions
▪ 15 independent questions
The natural and social sciences sections are organized around 10 foundational concepts, or “big ideas,”
in the sciences. The test content draws from disciplines in year-long courses in general chemistry, organic
chemistry, introductory physics, and introductory biology and from introductory courses in biochemistry,
psychology, and sociology. Multiple-choice questions in these sections will ask you to combine your
scientific knowledge from multiple disciplines with your scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.
The Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section includes questions that test your ability to comprehend
and analyze information you read in passages taken from a wide range of disciplines in the social
sciences and humanities. This section requires no specific content knowledge.
Explore the “What's on the MCAT Exam?” content outline to learn more from the complete list and
descriptions of foundational concepts, content categories, skills, and disciplines you will need to know for
test day.
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Exam Overview
If you cannot remember your username or password, DO NOT create a new AAMC ID. For help
recovering your account information, or if you believe you have created a duplicate account in
error, please contact the AAMC Account Help Team for assistance.
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Registration Name
Enter the spelling of your first and last names in the MCAT Registration System exactly the way they
appear on the MCAT-accepted ID you will use on test day. Do not register using a nickname, partial
names, or initials, and be sure to double-check for misspellings. If your MCAT-accepted ID doesn’t
exactly match the first and last names on your exam registration, you will not be allowed to test; you will
be considered a “no-show,” you will not receive a refund, and the appointment will count toward your
testing limits.
Enter your name as your first name and then your 2. The ID's expiration date is printed on the ID and is not extended by a
last name {surname}, even if your ID lists your last sticker or similar mechanism.
name before your first name. If they don't match 3. Your ID must not be expired.
exactly, you must update your name through the If your ID will expire before your scheduled test date, you are
MCAT Registration System at least 10 days before responsible for obtaining an updated ID prior to your exam.
your exam. Account for the processing time of government agencies when
selecting an exam date.
If your ID has your initials in place of your first
4. The ID contains a photo that can be used to positively identify you.
and/or last name, or if your initials are on the
same line as your first or last name, you must 5. The ID is tangible and whole, with no evidence of tampering (clipped
contact AAMC Services {202-828-0600} for corners, holes, etc.).
ACCEPTED NO T ACCEPTED
The most common forms of ID are: Any single ID that does not fulfill the above requirements, even if issued by
a government agency. This includes:
State driver's license {with all above Paper ID or ID application School ID.
requirements). receipt of any kind.
Employee ID.
Passport (with all above requirements). Credit card. Even if issued by a government
agency, it will not be accepted.
Passport card. Veterans ID (VIC).
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The MCAT® Essentials for Testing Year 2023
Two last names appear on your Both names MUST be entered into the MCAT Registration System in
ID. the “Last Name/Surname” field.
You prefer a “nickname” or Your full legal name must be entered into the MCAT Registration
initials, but your MCAT Accepted System. You may not be admitted under a nickname.
ID has your full legal name.
Mononymous name. If you only have a single name (e.g., Madonna), please enter “LNU”
in the Last Name field in the MCAT Registration System.
No legal first name (FNU). Please enter “FNU” in the First Name field in the MCAT Registration
System.
No legal last name (LNU). Please enter “LNU” in the Last Name field in the MCAT Registration
System.
All name changes must be complete 10 days before the exam date.
ID Exceptions
If you miss the deadline for changing your name in the MCAT Registration System, you may submit an ID
Exception Request in the MCAT Registration System between three and 10 days from your exam date.
No ID exceptions will be accepted within three days of your exam date. ID exceptions are approved at the
sole discretion of the AAMC.
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• Registering for or taking the MCAT exam under another individual’s AAMC ID.
• Providing false or inaccurate information when creating an AAMC ID or registering to take the
MCAT exam.
• MD programs.
• DO programs.
• Any other health-related programs that accept MCAT scores to satisfy a test score admission
requirement.
At the time of registration, you will be required to agree to a statement verifying that you are taking the
exam solely for the purpose of applying to and attending a health professions program.
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• You wish to take the exam for any reason other than applying to and attending an eligible
health professions program.
• You are currently or previously enrolled in an eligible health professions program and want to
change schools. If you are currently accepted into a health professions program but have not
yet enrolled in classes, you are not required to obtain special permission.
• You are unable to comply with all AAMC testing procedures for reasons other than a medical
condition or disability. To request adjustments to the standard testing conditions due to
medical conditions or disabilities, please refer to the Testing With Accommodations section.
• You are currently, or have been in the past six months, employed by a test preparation
company and work directly with their MCAT preparation products, trainings, or courses.
Special permission to take the MCAT exam must be requested through the “Submit another service
request” option in the MCAT Registration System. Provide as much relevant detail in your request as
possible and complete the “Personal Information” tab of your MCAT registration to help prevent
processing delays. The typical time frame for AAMC review is five business days.
Failure to obtain special permission may result in, among other consequences, an investigation by the
AAMC, appointment cancellation, cancellation of scores, and/or a ban from taking the MCAT exam for a
designated time period or permanently. Refer to the Registration and Scheduling Violations section to
learn more about the AAMC’s investigation procedures.
International Examinees
There are no additional eligibility requirements for international examinees. If you are in a bachelor of
medicine/bachelor of surgery (MBBS) degree program or hold the MBBS degree and meet all other
eligibility requirements, you may register for the MCAT exam without seeking special permission.
Testing Limits
Examinees who opt to test more than once must adhere to the following restrictions:
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The accommodations page of the MCAT website is required reading for all examinees
seeking testing accommodations.
A decision on most requests will be made within 60 days of receipt of a complete initial application for
accommodations. You should submit your complete application far enough in advance so that there is
time to review your request and confirm any approved accommodations before your test day. Visit our
website for more information on application types and recommended submission time frames.
You have the option to schedule a standard exam online in the MCAT Registration System before you
receive a determination on your accommodations request or you may wait to schedule your exam after
you have been approved for accommodations. You will be notified via email when a determination has
been made. If your accommodations are approved, be sure to follow the instructions provided with your
approval letter to avoid delays in scheduling your exam with accommodations.
You must be approved for accommodations and have a scheduling request submitted to Pearson VUE no
later than 15 days before your test date so there is time to prepare and implement any approved
accommodations. Keep in mind that if you scheduled a standard appointment online, it is not guaranteed
that the selected appointment will be able to support delivery of your approved accommodations. Some
changes to your appointment may be necessary to provide all of your approved accommodations. If you
have not received a decision by 15 days before your test date or if your accommodations are not
approved, you may test under standard conditions or reschedule to a later test date. Applicable
rescheduling fees apply (refer to Scheduling Deadlines and Fee Structure).
For detailed information about the accommodations application and registration processes, visit the
MCAT Exam With Accommodations page of the MCAT website or email us at
[email protected].
For information about the Fee Assistance Program, including eligibility requirements, benefits, and
application deadlines, visit the Fee Assistance Program page on the AAMC website. To contact the Fee
Assistance Program, email [email protected] or call 202-828-0600.
The AAMC and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) are piloting a fee assistance
program for Canadian examinees who register for the MCAT exam during the 2023 testing year.
Beginning Feb. 3, 2023, Canadian examinees who qualify in AFMC’s first application period will pay
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reduced scheduling, rescheduling, and cancellation fees and receive for free the MCAT® Official Prep
Online-Only Bundle. Beginning April 3, 2023, examinees who qualify in AFMC’s second application period
will qualify for reduced registration fees and receive for free the MCAT® Official Prep Online-Only Bundle.
For more information about the application, evaluation, or qualification processes, visit AFMC.
If you have received Fee Assistance Program approval but you do not see the reduced
scheduling fees within the MCAT Registration System, contact us immediately. Do not
proceed with scheduling or rescheduling an appointment.
Examinee Agreement
You will be presented with the MCAT Examinee Agreement when you register for your MCAT exam. To
complete your registration and sit for the MCAT exam, you must accept all terms of the Examinee
Agreement and of The MCAT Essentials for Testing Year 2023.
The full text of what you will see at registration is found below.
Introduction
The Examinee Agreement is a legally binding contract between you and the AAMC that sets forth
the terms and conditions under which the AAMC will permit you to register for and take the MCAT
exam. In addition to the prohibitions and terms explained below, all of the policies and procedures
contained in the current version of The MCAT Essentials are expressly incorporated herein as
additional terms of the Examinee Agreement, as well as the AAMC Website Terms and Conditions,
the AAMC Privacy Statement, and any policy statements made on the MCAT website. Adherence
to the Examinee Agreement is necessary to enable the AAMC to maintain a fair and secure testing
process for all examinees.
Because the Examinee Agreement is a legally binding contract, you should read it carefully. If you
do not indicate that you understand and agree to abide by the terms of the Examinee Agreement,
you will not be able to register for or take the MCAT exam. By selecting “I Agree” at the end of the
Examinee Agreement, you acknowledge that you have read and understand these rules. On test
day, you will be presented with a Certification Statement that reminds you of your obligations under
the Examinee Agreement. By accepting the Certification Statement on test day and taking the
MCAT exam, you will be certifying that you understand and agree to comply with these obligations.
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The following items and behaviors are strictly prohibited during the MCAT exam and during any scheduled or unscheduled
break:
Possessing, accessing, or using electronic devices, including cellular phones, at any time after check-in and prior to
completing the exam.
Possessing, accessing, or using books, notes, or any other written materials (other than noteboards or test center
rules provided for your use and review by test center staff).
Possessing weapons, including but not limited to, firearms, knives, or any object that could be used as a weapon, in
the test center, including the testing room and waiting areas.
Leaving the test center floor or building at any point after check-in and prior to completing the exam.
Exhibiting disruptive or abusive behavior, talking in the testing room with anyone other than a test administrator, or
talking about or discussing the exam during any scheduled or unscheduled break.
Possessing, accessing, using, or attempting to possess, access, or use any prohibited item or engaging or
attempting to engage in any prohibited behavior will be considered an intentional and willful breach of the
Examinee Agreement. The AAMC will launch an investigation and may subject you to one or more of the
consequences provided herein for violations of the Examinee Agreement.
I am aware that the MCAT exam is a confidential exam and that its contents will be disclosed to me
on my scheduled test day in a limited context to permit me to test and for no other purpose. I
understand that the AAMC is the exclusive owner of all rights in the MCAT exam, for which it holds
a series of registered copyrights and trade secrets under U.S. and international laws. I understand
that I have no license or permission to copy, adapt, or use any part of the MCAT exam. I
understand that I am bound to keep the MCAT exam content confidential indefinitely, including, but
not limited to: exam questions, passages, graphics, incorrect responses, correct answers, topic
lists, and frequency and order of exam topics, when described in more specific detail than the
What’s on the MCAT Exam? content outline. I agree that disclosure, reconstruction, capture, and/or
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dissemination of the confidential contents of the MCAT exam would destroy the value and defeat
the purpose of the MCAT exam and irreparably harm the AAMC.
I understand that I may comment on my general exam experience; however, I understand that
discussing or disclosing MCAT content in greater or more specific detail than in the What’s on the
MCAT Exam? content outline, by any means, is a violation of this Examinee Agreement.
Just as I am not permitted to share information about exam content with anyone, I understand that I
also am not permitted to possess, solicit, read, study from, or otherwise use confidential information
about the MCAT exam during my own exam preparation. I certify that I have not engaged in such
conduct prior to taking the exam and that I will not engage in such conduct during or after the exam.
I also agree not to ask any other individual to disclose exam content to me or to seek out actual
live, confidential exam content from any other source. I agree that if I receive or have access to
information or material in any form and from any source, including but not limited to email, instant
messages, text messages, website content, social media posts, electronic bulletin boards, Internet-
based groups, shared or collaborative digital files, electronic files, and/or paper documents, that I
reasonably believe contains confidential MCAT exam content, or has been represented to contain
confidential MCAT exam content, I will immediately report its existence to the AAMC by sending an
email to [email protected]. I agree that I will fully cooperate with any investigation initiated
by the AAMC related to my receipt or access to information believed or represented to contain
confidential MCAT exam content.
I certify that all information that I have provided to the AAMC is complete and accurate at the time
of registration for the MCAT exam and if that information has changed, I submitted complete and
accurate updated information. I understand that providing false, misleading, or incomplete
information to the AAMC shall be considered an intentional and willful breach of the Examinee
Agreement and may subject me to one or more of the consequences provided herein for violations
of the Examinee Agreement.
I certify that I am the person whose name and address appear on the MCAT exam registration. I
further certify that I am the person whose name appears on the identification I will present for
admission to the testing room. Unless I have applied for and received special permission to take the
MCAT exam as set out in The MCAT Essentials, I am taking the MCAT exam solely for the purpose
of applying to and attending an eligible health-professions school or program. I understand that the
only eligible programs for which I am permitted to take the MCAT exam are allopathic, osteopathic,
podiatric, and veterinary medicine, or another health-related program that will accept MCAT exam
results to satisfy a test-score admissions requirement. I understand that presenting or attempting to
present an MCAT score as my own that is falsified or otherwise not supported by the actual score in
AAMC’s records (as reflected in the AAMC’s official Score Reporting Service) undermines the
integrity and validity of the MCAT exam and is prohibited.
I certify that, if I am a test preparation company agent or representative, MCAT tutor, or health-
professions or academic advisor, I accurately reported my status as such when I registered for the
exam and, if applicable, I will update any change in such status that takes place after registration. If
I am a test preparation company agent or representative, MCAT tutor, or health-professions or
academic advisor and am taking the MCAT exam for the purpose of applying to and attending an
eligible health-professions school or program, I understand and reaffirm my duty not to disclose any
MCAT content to any person or entity, including my employer, students, or advisees. If I am not a
test preparation company agent or representative, MCAT tutor, or health-professions or academic
advisor, I certify that I am not taking the MCAT exam for the purpose of obtaining such employment
or status.
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I understand and agree that any alleged violation of this Examinee Agreement or any alleged
activity that may compromise the validity, integrity, or security of the MCAT exam may be
investigated. Information about the AAMC investigation process may be found in The MCAT
Essentials. If I violate the terms of this Examinee Agreement, including the additional terms or
conditions stated in The MCAT Essentials or any test center rules and regulations, or if I engage in
any activity that may compromise the validity, integrity, or security of the MCAT exam, or fail to fully
cooperate in any investigation of a violation of the Examinee Agreement, I may face the following
consequences:
• The AAMC may issue a report of the factual findings of the investigation to legitimately
interested parties.
• I may be subject to a civil lawsuit and/or criminal charges.
• My MCAT exam may be terminated, and I will not be eligible for a refund or any other
compensation.
• My scores may be canceled, before or after the scores are reported, without a refund.
• I may be banned from taking the MCAT exam for a limited time or permanently.
I agree that my personal information will be collected, used, shared, transferred, and stored by the
AAMC subject to this Examinee Agreement.
The MCAT program collects personal information to administer the MCAT exam, help prevent fraud, and
protect the integrity of the exam and the medical school admission and matriculation processes. The
personal data collected may include demographic, contact, and education information; health or other
sensitive information related to an application for an accommodated exam; and a digital (biometric) palm
vein scan, a test-day photo, test-day audio or video recordings, a digitized ID document, and your
signature(s).
In brief, the AAMC may share your personal information, including your MCAT score:
• With peer not-for-profit organizations, certifying boards, licensing bodies, and other organizations
involved in medical education for research, eligibility determination, verification, and credentialing
purposes.
• With third parties for scholarship opportunities as directed by you during registration or use of
another AAMC service or program.
• With service providers who assist the AAMC with technology, test administration, or
communications management activities.
• As needed to (1) respond to information requests by law enforcement or other governmental
authorities; (2) comply with any law, regulation, subpoena or other legal process, or court order;
(3) investigate and help prevent security threats, fraud, malicious activity, or inappropriate,
unauthorized, or illegal activity involving the AAMC’s services or networks; or (4) enforce or
protect the AAMC’s rights and property. In such circumstances, personal information may be
disclosed without notice to the individual.
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Any information published by the AAMC related to MCAT testing is done with aggregate data. Individual
test scores are not published or released to third parties unless permitted by the AAMC Privacy
Statement or otherwise authorized by you. Unless otherwise noted, once your personal information is
transferred to third parties, it will be treated in accordance with the third party’s privacy policies. Your
personal information will be transferred to, processed, and stored in the United States and, if you test
outside the United States, any country necessary to administer the MCAT exam to you from your selected
location.
Participation in the MCAT Recruiting Service is voluntary and may only be elected during
the MCAT registration process. Your decision can be changed up until 10 days from your
exam. The MCAT program does not instruct eligible institutions on their method or
frequency of contact or about any distribution of their recruiting materials. If you wish to
be removed from email lists, please reach out to individual schools.
If you applied for fee assistance through the AAMC Fee Assistance Program and in your Fee Assistance
Program application you agreed to release award information to your health professions advisor, that
information will be released along with your test scores. Additionally, if you indicated in your AMCAS
application that you would like your application released to your health professions advisor, the released
AMCAS information will include your MCAT scores regardless of your answer to the Health Professions
Advisor Release question.
If an undergraduate institution does not have a designated health professions advisor or has not identified
the advisor to the AAMC, we cannot release your scores to the institution.
The Health Professions Advisor Release is voluntary and may be elected during the
MCAT registration process. Your decision can be changed up until 10 days from your
exam date.
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If you choose to participate in Med-MAR, your basic biographical information with your MCAT scores will
be distributed to the admissions and diversity affairs offices at AAMC-member schools.
If you agree to participate during the registration process, your name, address, age, gender, state of
residence, undergraduate institution, undergraduate major, racial and ethnic group identification, email
address, and MCAT scores will be circulated to U.S. medical schools and certain health-related agencies
as part of an effort to increase opportunities for minorities in medicine.
You are eligible if (1) you are a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident of the United
States (green card holder), or have been granted refugee/asylum or Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) status by the U.S. government; and (2) you are economically disadvantaged or of low
socioeconomic status or you self-identify as a member of a racial or ethnic group historically
underrepresented in medicine — African American or Black, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or
Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
Participation in the Med-MAR is voluntary and may only be elected during the MCAT
registration process. Your decision can be changed up until 10 days from your exam
date. The MCAT program does not instruct eligible institutions on the method or
frequency of outreach to participants or assist in the development or distribution of
recruiting materials.
By completing this authorization, you release the AAMC from any liability resulting from release of
information to the person you designate. This release does not in any way obligate the AAMC to provide
any information to the designated parties.
A separate release is required if you are applying for testing accommodations and would
like the MCAT Accommodations Services to correspond with medical professionals or
others on your behalf. You may submit this release through the MCAT Registration
System “Service Request” function.
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Scheduling Details
The most current list of test centers is available on the Pearson VUE website. Test centers have limited
capacity, and seats are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
You must complete your registration online via the MCAT Registration System before you can schedule
your MCAT appointment. Once your exam is scheduled, you will receive an email confirming your
appointment. If you do not receive an email confirmation within 24 hours of scheduling (be sure to
check your spam folder first), then please contact us. This confirmation email will include the details
of your appointment — including the name you used to register. Be sure to compare this name to the
name on the MCAT-accepted ID you will use on test day.
If you are scheduling, rescheduling, or canceling on the deadline date and experience
technical problems, we may not be able to assist you in time to meet the deadline to
secure your appointment.
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*Examinees testing outside the United States, Canada, or U.S. territories will also be charged a $120 international fee in addition to
the initial registration fee. International fees are nonrefundable upon registration cancellation.
The last day you can schedule an exam is 10 days prior to exam day.
Applicable Taxes
You may be required to pay applicable sales tax, value-added tax, goods and services tax, or similar tax
required by law in the country or locality in which you are testing. If taxes are applicable, they will be
collected at the time of scheduling.
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Reports of Examinee Agreement violations, cheating, disclosure of confidential MCAT exam content,
wrongdoing, or other alleged actions that undermine the integrity of the MCAT exam will be treated in a
confidential manner. If you report such activity, the AAMC will not disclose your identity except on a need-
to-know basis, including responses to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal processes.
• Presenting false, altered, or tampered identification to attempt to gain admission to the test
center.
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truthfully and completely answer all questions posed during investigative interviews conducted by
or on behalf of the AAMC.
• If the AAMC initiates an investigation, it will notify you before issuing an investigation report.
Investigation-related communications will be sent to you via email. It is your responsibility to
ensure that you have an active email address on file with the AAMC that you check frequently. All
responses to the AAMC must be submitted in writing.
• At its sole discretion, the AAMC may elect to send a fact-based investigation report documenting
the violation and subsequent investigation, with any attachments provided by the applicant, to
legitimately interested parties, both now and in the future.
You will be provided with a draft investigative report to review and an opportunity to respond before the
final report is issued. If in your response you conclude that the draft report unfairly characterizes the
matter under investigation or if agreement between the parties on the content and language of the report
cannot be reached, you may request arbitration. Arbitration shall be conducted through written
submission to the American Arbitration Association in Washington, D.C. The sole issue for arbitration
shall be whether the AAMC acted reasonably and in good faith in making its decision.
In addition to issuing and disseminating the investigation report, the AAMC may take actions for policy or
rules violations including but not limited to:
• Terminating an exam administration.
• Issuing a warning letter to an examinee.
• Placing MCAT scores on hold.
• Canceling an existing MCAT registration or score.
• Suspending MCAT registration eligibility for a limited period or permanently.
The AAMC may, at its sole discretion, file a civil lawsuit against you for material breaches of the
Examinee Agreement that cause damage to the AAMC and/or a third party or for any other violation of
the AAMC’s legal rights. In addition, the AAMC may, at its sole discretion, refer you to one or more
federal, state, or local prosecuting attorneys for criminal investigation and prosecution when it has a
reasonable basis to conclude that you may have committed a crime in the course of violating the
Examinee Agreement.
The AAMC reserves the right to investigate if there is evidence that you may have
engaged in any behavior that may be considered detrimental to a fair and secure testing
process or impacts the testing environment, security, and integrity of the exam. If you
violate procedures or engage in irregular behavior, it will be reported to the AAMC.
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You will be sent the TBD site address no less than 30 days before your exam date via email. The address
information will also appear in the MCAT Registration System at that time.
Please note: Applicable fees will apply regardless of how soon a change takes place after
your initial scheduling. No exceptions will be made. (Refer to Scheduling Fees.)
Making all your changes at one time will save you money. For example, if you make a simultaneous
change to both test date and test center, you will only be charged one rescheduling fee; however, if you
make the changes separately, you will be charged a fee for each change.
You may change your test date and/or test center, provided:
• Scheduling has opened for the desired exam date.
• Space is available. Current availability can be found online via the MCAT Registration System.
• Changes are made at least 10 days before the exam you are currently scheduled to take.
• Changes are made at least 10 days before the exam you wish to reschedule into. Once that
exam date is within 10 days, rescheduling is no longer allowed.
Fees paid for rescheduling or for international sites are nonrefundable, and we will not
extend any deadlines for any reason.
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Refunds are automatically applied to the credit or debit card used for the initial scheduling. Depending on
the bank card’s policy, the funds may take a few days to clear. We are unable to provide a refund to a
different form of payment than was originally used, even if your card was lost, stolen, or deactivated.
Emergency Refund
If you experience an extenuating hardship prior to your MCAT exam appointment that affects your ability
to attend your exam, the AAMC will review your circumstances. The following table summarizes qualifying
events and required documentation.
You are displaced from your residence due to a natural disaster, or the
Documentation of such event within 10 days of your
national weather service or government recommend you shelter in
exam date.
place or evacuate.
Positive COVID-19 test taken by you,
You test positive for COVID-19 10 or fewer days prior to exam day. dated within 10 days prior to or within 7 days after
your exam date.
Other events not listed above will be considered at the AAMC’s discretion. The AAMC reserves the right
to limit the number of approved Emergency Refund Requests (ERRs) per examinee.
*If you believe you are experiencing COVID symptoms, but these are not supported by a positive test, we
will consider a note from a medical professional as described in the first box above.
Requests must be submitted using the Emergency Refund Request Form located in the Service
Requests section of the MCAT Registration System. Complete requests, including all necessary
accompanying documentation, must be received no later than 10 days after your scheduled exam
date.
The maximum emergency refund amount is the amount of the 30-day+ cancellation refund. This
exam may still count as one of your attempts toward your testing limits. The emergency refund
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request process does not result in AAMC immediately canceling your exam. Your exam will go
into a “no show” status and the refund will be processed after your exam date. You will be able to
schedule a new exam after your current exam date. If you know you will be unable to take your
exam and have not yet reached the cancellation deadline, you are encouraged to cancel or reschedule
your appointment to guarantee your attempt is not counted.
Do not submit an Emergency Refund Request until you are absolutely certain you will not be able
to make your exam. Do not go to the test center once you’ve submitted an ERR. Emergency Refund
Requests are not reversible.
The AAMC will email you the decision about your request within two weeks of receipt of the required
documentation. Approved refunds will be applied to the method of payment used during the initial
scheduling process. We are unable to provide a refund to a different form of payment than the form
originally used, even if your card was lost, stolen, or deactivated.
Refunds are not guaranteed and are issued at the AAMC’s sole discretion. The AAMC will not
refund rescheduling fees.
The AAMC and Pearson VUE will not administer makeup exams after the testing year ends or reimburse
or compensate for lost wages, phone costs, or travel expenses. Additionally, the AAMC is not responsible
for missed application deadlines and will not expedite the release of scores as a result of a rescheduled
appointment.
If the AAMC or Pearson VUE cancel your appointment for any reason, you will receive a full refund of
your base registration fee. To sit for the exam, you must schedule a new appointment. Keep in mind that
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toward the end of the year seats fill up and rescheduling may not be possible. The fee CANNOT be
applied toward a future testing year.
The AAMC will continue to monitor conditions closely, and any widespread changes in testing conditions
will be communicated to examinees directly and on our website. Health and safety protocols at the testing
centers, including mask requirements and social distancing, are established by Pearson VUE. Protocol
requirements may differ between test centers as COVID-19 conditions differ across the world. Pearson
VUE offers guidance on their website to aid examinees in understanding requirements prior to exam day.
You are encouraged to check this site often, especially in the days leading up to your exam.
Plan ahead by locating the test center before test day. You will not be allowed to enter
the testing center, but you will learn how to get there and how long it will take.
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Time Zones
Know what time zone your test center adheres to, especially if you are crossing a state or county line. It
may be different from what you expect. For example, daylight savings time is not adhered to by all U.S.
states or local regions within a state.
Due to the nature of the check-in process, not all examinees will begin testing precisely at the scheduled
start time. This will not affect your total testing time. Please note: Outside guests are not allowed in the
testing center at any time.
No-Shows
If you are late or do not sit for an exam you registered for, you will be considered a “no-show.” No-shows
will not be reported to schools or programs to which you are applying, but they will count toward the
maximum number of test attempts you are allowed (refer to “Testing Limits”).
Your scheduling fee will not be refunded if you are a no-show. This policy also applies to examinees
who are not admitted due to improper identification or other policy violations.
Once you begin the exam, you are considered to have used one of your testing attempts even if you void
or do not complete the test (refer to Voiding Your Exam.) A voided exam counts as one of your attempts,
regardless of the reason.
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Failing to comply with the AAMC Candidate Rules Agreement or test center regulations may result in the
termination of your exam.
Verification of ID
To be admitted into the exam, you will need to provide an MCAT-accepted ID, as described earlier in this
document. The test administrator may scan the ID, in whole or in part, and information stored digitally on
the ID may be collected.
Digital Signature
You will be required to provide a digital signature during the check-in process. Your signature indicates
your agreement to adhere to the AAMC Candidate Rules and is verification of your identity; it may also be
used as part of the AAMC’s investigation procedures.
Palm vein recognition allows Pearson VUE to detect people trying to take exams under assumed tester
identities. By preventing proxy testers, this technology helps Pearson VUE maintain the integrity of
examinations, which maintains the validity of your MCAT scores.
Photo Capture
A digital passport-style photo of you will be captured during the check-in process. The test-day photo may
also be used as part of the AAMC’s investigation procedures.
The AAMC recommends you bring as few personal items as possible, including jewelry
and watches, to the test center. You will be asked to remove these items on test day. You
will also be required to turn out your pockets to demonstrate they are empty.
You may bring ONLY the following personal items into the testing room:
• Eyeglasses, subject to visual and physical inspection by test administrators.
• MCAT-accepted ID.
• Items provided by the test center:
o Earplugs (personal earplugs are not allowed).
o Storage key.
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o Noteboard booklet.
o Fine-point marker.
No other items are permitted unless previously approved by the AAMC.
If you require an item in the testing room for medical reasons, you must obtain prior approval from the
AAMC through the accommodations request process. (Refer to Testing With Accommodations.) If you
believe you require an electronic medical device in the testing room due to a medical condition or
disability, please review the MCAT Exam With Accommodations website and contact
[email protected]. You are encouraged to contact us as early as possible in advance of your
test date to ensure we have enough time to review your request.
Personal items that appear suspicious may be photographed or confiscated.
Noteboard Booklets
You will be provided with a noteboard booklet for note taking during the exam. It contains nine 14-by-8.5-
inch wet-erase pages.
You will be required to begin your exam immediately upon sitting at your workstation. Due to the volume
of examinees at your test center and check-in procedures, the actual start times will vary by individual.
Any time you wish to leave the testing room, whether you have completed your exam or wish to take a
break, you must raise your hand to alert the test administrator and remain seated at your workstation until
the test administrator escorts you out of the testing room. You will be required to provide your palm vein
scan and/or ID every time you leave the testing room.
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Should you finish a content section early, you must end that section before you take your scheduled
break. Any remaining time in the section may not be used to extend any subsequent sections or breaks.
If you return from a break before the break time expires, you will be required to continue
the exam immediately upon being seated. Any remaining break time will not be applied to
subsequent sections of the exam or future or scheduled breaks.
Follow the exam schedule carefully. (Refer to MCAT Exam Content.) Taking breaks longer than the
allotted time can lead to loss of exam time or ability to void the exam. If your break exceeds the allotted
time, any overage may be subtracted from the time in the following test section. You will need to allow
time for check-in procedures when you return from your break.
You are permitted to bring your own food and drinks; however, these items must be stored outside the
testing room in your assigned locker or other storage provided to you at the test center. You may access
them on your breaks. You will not be permitted to leave the test center floor or building to retrieve food or
drink, nor will you be permitted to have food or drink delivered to the testing center. There are no
microwaves or refrigerators available in the test centers for your use.
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When you finish your exam, you will see the screen above.
You have ONE opportunity to score or void your exam. Once you select “Next” to submit
your selection, your decision is final. Voiding or scoring cannot be reversed after the
exam.
The AAMC understands that circumstances in a testing room (e.g., lighting, temperature, noise) or
circumstances particular to a person on test day (e.g., illness) may impact an examinee’s performance
and relies upon the examinee to make the subjective determination of whether the circumstances
impaired his or her performance such that they should void their score on exam day.
Please note:
• If you do not want your exam scored, you must select “I wish to VOID my MCAT exam” when
prompted on your computer screen. Notifying the test administrator of your intent to void your
exam is not sufficient. If you are not presented with the void-exam question, ask the test
administrator to file a report before leaving the test center, and submit a Test Center Concern for
the situation to be investigated.
• If you must leave before completing your exam due to illness or unforeseen circumstances, the
AAMC advises you to click through your exam in order to void it. Otherwise, you must ask the test
administrator to file a report before you leave the test center, and, after you leave the test center,
you must submit a Test Center Concern so the AAMC may void your exam for you.
• Failure to properly void your exam may result in the release of your scores. These scores cannot
be removed from your testing history and scores cannot be voided after they have been released.
• If you do not make a selection when presented with the void-exam question before time expires,
your exam will be scored.
• Once you make your decision to score or void your exam, you cannot change it.
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• A voided exam does count toward your testing limits. (Refer to Testing Limits.)
• Your score or void decision will be included in the confirmation letter you receive from the test
administrator.
• The AAMC Services Contact Center may not have the information about your decision to score or
void your exam until at least five days after the test date.
Once the waiting period is complete, the MCAT Registration System will allow you to register or schedule
another test date.
If an Error Occurs
The AAMC takes great care to ensure registrations are properly processed and exams are properly
prepared, administered, and scored. In the unlikely event that the test administration service is not
successfully delivered or completed, the AAMC may, at its sole discretion, permit you to either retest at no
additional fee or receive a partial or full refund of the registration fee in lieu of receiving a score. Please
note: The remedies described within this section are the exclusive remedies available for errors in
registrations, exam information, scoring (including score reporting), testing disruptions, or potential
compromises to exam content by one or more examinees through prior access.
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• Ask the test administrator to file a case report at the time the incident occurs. You should ask
for the case report number so you can include it in your Test Center Concern service request.
o If you do not ask the test administrator to witness and document your concern at the time
the problem occurs, the AAMC may be limited in its ability to research your test center
concern.
o The test center is not responsible for researching or resolving any problems you
experienced (only the AAMC can do that); however, filing the case report the day of the
exam allows the AAMC to act on your test center concern.
• Submit the MCAT Test Center Concern service request form through the MCAT Registration
System no later than five calendar days after your exam.
o When you log into the MCAT Registration System, the service request forms are located
on the bottom left-hand tile. You will receive an automatic email confirmation upon
submission.
o Concerns received after five calendar days or sent via other channels will not be
reviewed.
Once your test center concern has been investigated, an MCAT specialist will email you with a resolution
or request additional information. The investigation process can take up to 35 days from the date of your
exam. In the event that we are unable to complete our test center concern investigation prior to the
scheduled score release, your score may be held until the investigation is concluded. If your score is on
hold, you will not be able to view or release your score until it is released.
Testing Irregularities
The MCAT exam is a standardized test, which requires that certain aspects of the exam remain constant
across the entire testing population, including, but not limited to, the number of questions, the subject
areas covered, the difficulty of the exam overall, and the conditions under which the test is administered.
In the rare event an irregularity occurs and results in one of the standardized aspects of your exam being
altered to an extent that you may have been unfairly impaired or advantaged, the AAMC may, at its sole
discretion, cancel your scores. In such cases, the raw or scaled score will not be disclosed to you,
medical schools, or any other interested parties. The AAMC will make every effort to find you a test date
to retake your exam. If you wish to retake your exam, you will be required to retake it in full. In cases
where rescheduling is not possible, especially late in the testing year when fewer opportunities remain,
your registration fee will be fully refunded. The fee CANNOT be applied toward a future testing year. The
AAMC and Pearson VUE will not reimburse or compensate for lost wages, travel expenses, or other costs
associated with taking the MCAT exam.
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You may submit an MCAT Test Question Challenge through the MCAT Registration System. Challenges
received after five calendar days will not be investigated.
The AAMC will provide a written response via email to test question challenges submitted in a timely
manner. You may expect a written response within two to three weeks from the date we receive your
correspondence.
What IS permitted:
• Commenting on your general exam experience, such as test center conditions or how you felt
about a particular test section.
• Describing the exam with the same level of detail as in the What’s on the MCAT Exam? content
outline.
• Describing in more specific detail than in the What’s on the MCAT Exam? content outline: exam
questions, passages, graphics, incorrect responses, correct answers, topic lists, and frequency
and order of exam topics.
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MCAT Scores
Exam Scoring
You will receive a separate score for each of the four sections of the MCAT exam, as well as a total
score.
• Your raw score on each of the four multiple-choice sections is based on the numbers of questions
you answer correctly in each section. There is no penalty for guessing.
• The raw score for each section is then converted to a scaled score ranging from 118 (lowest) to
132 (highest).
• Your total scaled score is the sum of the four individual section scores and will range from 472 to
528.
• Every test form of the MCAT exam measures the same basic concepts and skills. However, each
form is different in the specific questions it uses. While care is taken to make sure that the forms
are equivalent in difficulty, one form may be slightly more or less difficult than another. The
conversion of raw scores to scaled scores, through a process called equating, compensates for
small variations in difficulty between sets of questions and ensures that scores have the same
meaning, no matter when you test or who tests at the same time you did.
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• A percentile rank is reported along with each section and total score. The percentile ranks of
scores are the percentages of test-takers who received the same score as or lower scores than
you did. Updates to the percentile ranks will be made on May 1 each year. The percentile ranks
will be updated with all examinees’ scores from the most recent three years.
For additional information on exam scoring, please visit our MCAT scores webpage.
AAMC staff will not provide scores over the phone or via email. The AAMC is not responsible for any
claims for damages resulting from delayed transmission of test scores for any reason.
Since April 2003, the AAMC has followed a full disclosure policy. Under the full disclosure policy, all
tests taken from April 2003 onward will be included in score reports or be made available through your
AMCAS application. Scores from exams taken before 2003 will also be included in your AMCAS
application if they were previously released to the AMCAS program.
Official score reports that are printed and provided to a third party must be accompanied with a
verification URL on the PDF. Screenshots, PNG or JPG files, or other representations of an MCAT score
report that do not contain a verification URL are not considered to be legitimate and should not be
considered official by recipients. Any attempt to present such artifacts as an official MCAT score report
will be considered a false claim and will be subject to investigation procedures.
Consistent with our full disclosure policy, all tests for which you received a score from April 2003 and
beyond will be included in electronic score reports. If you elected for an exam to be scored, you cannot
exclude that score from the score report, or send an individual score to a program, through the Score
Reporting Service.
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Once you request your scores be sent to institutions through the Score Reporting System, all scores in
your score report will be released to the authorized institutions as they become available. Additionally,
any new scores released in the following one year (365 days) will be automatically transmitted to the
authorized institution as they become available. If you receive new MCAT scores more than a year after
your previous request, you will need to submit a new request to have your new scores sent to the
authorized institutions. A history of your requests, including where you requested your scores be sent and
the date of your requests, can be accessed via the “Scores Sent to Institutions” report under the “My
Reports” menu in the MCAT Score Reporting System.
It is ultimately an examinee’s responsibility to make sure MCAT scores are received by authorized third-
party programs or application services. False or inaccurate claims made to the AAMC, any institution, or
any other entity related to scores or their submission to various entities is a violation of AAMC policy that
is subject to investigation procedures.
Rescoring
The process to compute and report MCAT scores is rigorous, and the AAMC conducts a variety of quality
control procedures to verify score accuracy. The possibility for error in the scoring process is extremely
low. However, if you believe that a scoring error has been made, you may request that your answers be
independently rescored by hand to double-check the accuracy of your scores.
To request a rescore, you may submit an MCAT Rescore Request through the MCAT Registration
System. Rescore Requests can be submitted no later than 30 calendar days after the score release
date. After submitting a Rescore Request, you will receive an invoice for payment via email. A Rescore
Request is not complete until full payment is received. The price associated with a Rescore Request is
$65 USD for the 2023 testing year.
The AAMC will respond to your email request within three weeks of its receipt. The response letter will
either confirm your original scores as reported or inform you of the corrected scaled scores for each test
section. We will not disclose your raw scores or provide any additional feedback on your exam
performance or experience.
Contacting Us
AAMC customer service specialists are available to assist you with the registration process, test-day
procedures, and score reporting. To help ensure resolution of your question or concern before your test
date, contact us no later than the 10-day deadline associated with your test date. Please allow up to
two business days for a reply to your email.
On MCAT test days, staff are available at a minimum from 7:30 a.m. to noon ET.
These hours are subject to change. Please visit the MCAT website for the most up-to-date information.
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