Physics and Bio-Sciences are primary requirements for success on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), but the candidate for medical school must also be adept at critical thinking and problem solving. Along with those skills, a successful MCAT outcome depends upon the test taker’s ability to communicate effectively in writing. Nearly all medical schools in the United States require the MCAT. An MCAT that is more than three years old is unacceptable for admission at most schools.

The MCAT has a multiple-choice format that assesses knowledge of specific content, critical reasoning ability, logic, and reliable decision-making abilities. The MCAT can be administered on a computer, but is not computer adaptive. The test lasts approximately four and a half hours, contingent on the optional break times of 10 minutes each. The paper-based version of the exam lasts one hour longer. There are 52 questions in the physical science and biological science areas—70 minutes are allotted for each of these. The verbal reasoning portion of the test is composed of 40 questions which must be completed within an hour. The writing sample part of the MCAT has two questions, which require the candidate to respond to issues and problems. Both computer- and paper-based testing scores are treated the same way, and the administrators are currently working to shorten the 30-day period before scores become available.

The 2008 scheduling for MCAT has been set, with testing dates in January, April, May, June , July, August, and September. The test is offered on more dates in August than at any other time. The medical school candidate can take the MCAT multiple times, but no more than three times in any calendar year. Keep in mind that the medical school candidate cannot schedule sequential tests at the same time. Registration for another examination cannot be accepted for the MCAT until the second day after the initial test has been completed.

The release dates of MCAT scores may vary by two or three days when rare problems occur. The scoring process begins with raw scores, which then are scaled and shown within the context of a national percentile ranking system. While MCAT scores are important, they are by no means the only criteria for acceptance at medical colleges. Other criteria include grade performance on undergraduate work, medical experience, and the personal interview.

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