Choosing the optimal date for the MCAT requires weighing study plans, application deadlines, prerequisites and more. With so much to consider, it’s important to choose a test date that aligns with your objectives and sets you up to do your very best.
“There are several factors that impact the optimal timing for taking the MCAT,” says Julie Raynor Gross, founder and president of Collegiate Gateway, an admissions consulting company. “Each student’s situation and preferences are unique.”
The Association of American Medical Colleges, which develops and administers the exam, schedules MCAT dates from January through September to work with the medical school application cycle. For 2025, there are 30 MCAT dates.
Here are things to consider when choosing your MCAT date.
Determine When You Want to Start Medical School
Before circling a date on your calendar to take the MCAT, experts say it’s important to first determine when you want to start medical school, experts say.
This means students should figure out whether they “wish to go directly after college, in which case they would be applying around June 1 of junior year, or whether they plan to take one or two gap years, which has become the norm,” Raynor Gross says.
For example, a student who wants to take their MCAT exam in the year they plan to apply to medical school, such as Fall 2026, might take their exam during 2025.
[What Is the MCAT Test Like and How Do You Prepare for It?]
“While an applicant can submit an application with a pending MCAT score, the most complete application is submitted with an MCAT score included,” says Valerie Wherley, a premed and prehealth admissions consultant at Accepted, an admissions consulting firm.
Beginning on May 28, 2025, med school applicants can submit their information in the American Medical College Application Service, or AMCAS, for the 2025-2026 application cycle.
“Therefore, applicants would want to bookmark this date, and plan accordingly to have their MCAT test results back in time for submission,” Wherley says.
Set Your MCAT Study Timeline
Students should generally give themselves about three to six months to study for the MCAT, experts say. However, different factors can affect dedicated study time, such as work and family commitments.
“If an applicant has devoted three months of study time, resulting in increased practice MCAT scores, they may be ready to sit for their MCAT exam within 12 weeks,” Wherley says.
She notes that students may need to extend their study plan a month or so if outside factors interfere with the ability to remember information. She says students should take planned, systematic, full-length MCAT practice exams as part of their study plan.
“These will not only help increase your test-taking stamina, as the exam is 7.5 hours long, but will provide feedback regarding your content retention and overall performance,” Wherley says.
Know When You Will Complete Prerequisite Courses
Figuring out when you will get those important prerequisite courses out of the way can help you zero in on your MCAT date.
That means finishing premed requirements like two semesters each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics, Raynor Gross says. She adds that biochemistry and introductory psychology can also be helpful for the MCAT.
Ideally, Raynor Gross adds, once students complete the prerequisite courses they can then spend several months studying for the MCAT.
“Learning this material in a classroom setting, and being assessed on it as a precursor to the MCAT exam, deepens the level of both learning and retention,” Wherley says.
There are situations when applicants plan to submit their application and MCAT results before completing all prerequisite courses, and those applicants should plan some type of self-study, Wherley says.
“Keep in mind, this increases the level of overall difficulty, as you are now studying concurrently for both the overall MCAT exam and content-specific material,” Wherley says.
Figure Out Test Center Logistics
Decide if you want to test on a weekday or weekend and consider test center location and availability.
“Scheduling a test date and location is critically important. In this case, the early bird certainly does get the worm,” Wherley says. “Test centers and dates fill up quickly.”
[Read: The Worst Advice Ever Given to Premed Students.]
Wherley recommends choosing a location that is convenient and nearby.
“Getting a good night’s sleep the night before cannot be underestimated, and with most exams starting at 8 a.m., applicants would hope to not have a long morning commute prior to beginning” the lengthy exam, she says.
If your top-choice location is booked, Wherley says you can arrange to be notified via email if a spot opens up. She suggests selecting a different day and location in the meantime.
Students should know that if they decide to change the test date or location any time between 10 to 29 days before their exam, “they will be charged a $200 rescheduling fee and will be given $0 in a cancellation refund,” Wherley says.
The MCAT can be taken up to three times in a single calendar year, four times within two consecutive years and no more than seven times total. No-shows count toward the overall limit.
“Applicants should know that admissions committees will see the scores of every completed MCAT exam,” Wherley says. “Applicants should consider retaking their exam if their score is not competitive for their target schools, if you didn’t study sufficiently or if you have a solid plan to address the deficiencies seen in exam number one.”
Medical schools assess MCAT scores in different ways. Wherley says they may weigh the most recent score most heavily, average multiple scores, consider only the highest score, or consider the highest score from each section across multiple tests.
Experts say those who want to keep the retake option open should consider taking the MCAT earlier in a testing year so that they can get their scores, decide whether to retest and schedule a test date for later in the year.
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How to Choose the Correct MCAT Date originally appeared on usnews.com
