Mcat Essentials
2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Welcome to the 2010 MCAT® Essentials!
Welcome to the 2010 MCAT® Essentials, and to this exciting and challenging stage of your
professional journey.
We here at the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) and the MCAT exam staff
in particular, wish you the best of success as you prepare to sit for the test. With that in mind, we
ask that you please be aware of the following as you read this guide:
• This document is the official MCAT exam policy guide and provides fundamental information
about registration, test-day policies, and post-test procedures. In addition, we have included a
brief overview of exam content and scoring, some basic suggestions to help you prepare for the
exam, a list of contacts and online services, and other helpful information.
• The MCAT exam staff will be happy to clarify any rules or procedures that require further
explanation. While we cannot assist you if you fail to follow policy, we can certainly help you
understand any requirements that are unclear to you. You will find contact listings for staff and
related resources in Appendix A, and we encourage you to get in touch with us prior to
registering for the exam if you need our assistance.
Once again, best wishes from the AAMC as you take this critical step toward a successful and
rewarding medical career.
Required Reading
Please note that you are required to read the 2010 MCAT Essentials before you register for the
exam.
At the time of registration, you will be required to certify that you read this material and
understand the policies and procedures contained in it. In addition, please be aware that if you
are a returning examinee, you must read the Essentials guide associated with your new
registration. The Essentials are subject to change. The version of the Essentials that is applicable
to you is that which was in effect at the time of your registration. Please print this document for
your records.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Table of Contents
Part 1: About the MCAT Exam
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3
Exam Content
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3
Part 2: The Essential Essentials
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6
Part 3: The Complete Essentials
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10
Registering for the Exam
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10
Eligibility
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10
Registration Deadlines
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11
Registration Fees
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11
Exam Locations
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12
Changes and Cancellations
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12
Special Accommodations
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14
Special Permissions
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15
Score Release Options
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15
Test Day Procedures and Regulations
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17
Admission and Identification
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17
Test Center Regulations
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18
Examinee Agreement
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19
Additional Security Information
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21
Voiding Your Exam
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21
Test-Question Challenges
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22
Receiving and Sending MCAT Scores
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23
Exam Scoring
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23
MCAT Exam Testing History (THx) System
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24
Score Reporting through AMCAS®
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24
Score Reporting to Non-AMCAS Institutions
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25
Requests for Rescoring Tests
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25
Remedies for Errors
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25
Appendix A: Contacts and Online Resources
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29
Appendix B: Preparing for the MCAT Exam
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30
Appendix C: How Medical Schools Use Scores
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Part 1: About the MCAT® Exam
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized examination that consists of
three multiple-choice sections and a writing assessment. Its purpose is to test the skills and
knowledge that medical educators and physicians have identified as key prerequisites for success
in medical school and the practice of medicine.
The exam has been part of the medical school admissions process for more than 60 years, and
today all medical schools in the United States and most in Canada require applicants to submit
recent MCAT exam scores. In addition, many other health professions and graduate programs
accept MCAT exam scores in lieu of other standardized tests. Considering its widespread
acceptance, it is no surprise that more than 70,000 students sit for the exam each year.
The AAMC, in conjunction with its member U.S. medical schools, develops and administers the
MCAT exam and owns all aspects of it. Consequently, the AAMC may use scores for research
and reporting, but only you, as the examinee, may receive your individual test scores and
authorize their release to others.
Please research the specific application and admissions policies for the institution(s) in which
you are interested for their current requirements. Unfortunately, the AAMC cannot grant refunds
of MCAT exam fees for failure to comply with school policy.
Exam Content
Beyond testing for the mastery of basic concepts in biology, general and organic chemistry, and
physics, the exam also assesses capacity for problem solving and critical thinking as well as
general writing skills. By testing for these varied skills, medical school faculty hopes to
encourage undergraduates with broad educational backgrounds to consider careers in the health
professions and to persuade premedical students to explore a wide variety of course offerings
outside of the natural sciences—as well as to identify those candidates most likely to be
successful in the study of medicine. That is why the exam consists of the following diverse
sections:
Physical Sciences,
Verbal Reasoning,
Writing Sample, and
Biological Sciences
The chart below provides an overview of each of these four sections, including the number of
questions and the time allotted to that segment. More detailed information on each section
follows below.
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Test Section
Questions
Time
Tutorial (optional)
10 minutes
Examinee Agreement
10 minutes
Physical Sciences
52
70 minutes
Break (optional)
10 minutes
Verbal Reasoning
40
60 minutes
Break (optional)
10 minutes
Writing Sample
2
60 minutes
Break (optional)
10 minutes
Biological Sciences
52
70 minutes
Void Question
5 minutes
Survey (optional)
12
10 minutes
4 hours, 25 minutes
Total Content Time
5 hours, 25 minutes
Total “Seat” Time
Total time does not include check-in time on arrival at the test
center.
Section Analysis
Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences
The Physical Sciences section assesses problem-solving ability in general chemistry and physics,
and the Biological Sciences section evaluates these abilities in the areas of biology and organic
chemistry. Each section contains 7 passage-based sets of questions and 13 independent
questions. Each passage-based set consists of four to seven questions.
The questions, both passage-based and independent, evaluate your knowledge of basic physical
and biological science concepts and your facility at problem solving using these concepts. They
do not test your ability to memorize scientific facts.
Verbal Reasoning
The Verbal Reasoning section evaluates your ability to understand, evaluate, and apply
information and arguments presented in prose style. The test consists of seven passages, each of
which is about 600 words long, taken from the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Each passage-based set consists of five to seven questions, assessing your ability to extrapolate
information from the accompanying passage.
Please note that each multiple-choice section will include some experimental items that do not
count toward your score.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Writing Sample
The Writing Sample consists of two 30-minute essays, each of which addresses specific topics
that require an expository response and assesses skill in the following areas:
• Developing a central idea,
• Synthesizing concepts and ideas,
• Presenting ideas cohesively and logically, and
• Writing clearly, with the ability to follow accepted rules of grammar, syntax, and
punctuation consistent with the level of a timed, first-draft composition.
Topics do not assess subject-matter knowledge in or pertain to the content of biology, chemistry,
or physics; the medical school application process or reasons for the choice of medicine as a
career; or social and cultural issues not in the general experience of college students.
Information about preparing for the exam and how medical schools use scores may be found in
Appendix B.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Part 2: The Essential Essentials
Each year we hear from disappointed examinees who could have avoided disappointment if they
had only read the MCAT Essentials and heeded our advice. We don't want this to happen
anymore than you do. So while you are responsible for reading and understanding all of the
policies and procedures provided throughout this document, including ―Part 3: The Complete
Essentials,‖ we've listed below for your convenience the most frequently overlooked Essentials.
These are the rules that AAMC staff and the Test Center Administrators are required to strictly
enforce. While we don't spend much time here explaining the reasons behind the policies—we’ll
be happy to explain if you contact us—we have provided here the most critical information
necessary for a smooth registration and testing experience. Examinees who do not follow the
instructions below may have difficulty taking the exam and will not be eligible for rescheduling
or refunds.
Using Your AAMC ID
Since we consider your AAMC ID part of your identity as you use our services, it’s very
important that you neither register for the MCAT exam under another examinee’s AAMC ID nor
allow someone else to register under your AAMC ID. Not only are such actions violations of our
registration rules, we also consider them akin to taking the exam for someone else. Additionally,
you may not obtain more than one AAMC ID. Consequences may be registration or score
cancellation, suspension of registration eligibility, and an investigation report to the institutions
receiving your applications.
Selecting a Test Date
If you absolutely need to test this year to meet an application deadline, do not chose a September
test date. On rare occasions, we experience problems with servers or workstations and
sometimes we experience other events outside of our control, such as inclement weather.
Although these events are unfortunate (affecting less than .05% of examinees each year) and no
fault of examinees, the AAMC cannot arrange for make-up exams after the testing year ends.
Our only remedy for confirmed problems that should have been within the test center's control
will be a refund of registration fees.
Additionally, we also suggest you test early in the year, January through May, if you think you
may want to test more than once within the year.
Registering for the Exam
Don’t wait until the last minute to register for the test. For the best chance at reserving your
preferred test date and location, we recommend you register 60 days or more in advance of the
exam day. Additionally, if you are registering on the last day of registration and experience
computer problems, we may not be able to assist you in time to meet the deadline.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Make sure that you enter your name in the registration system in EXACTLY the same way it
appears on the ID you’ll use on test day. Have your ID out when you are entering your name
into the registration system. If you realize after submitting your registration that there is not an
exact match, you are welcome to change your name in the registration system to match your ID,
as long as you make the change by the late registration deadline associated with your test date.
(New York State ID holders: if your ID has your initials, please contact us at (202) 828-0690
prior to the regular registration deadline associated with your test date for instructions.)
Visit our website for additional Registration Tips.
Reporting on Test Day
Getting to the Test Center
Know the time zone for your test center, which may be different from what you expect. Some
states, for example, do not follow daylight savings or have some areas that follow it and others
that do not. Know what your test center follows, especially if you are crossing a state or county
line. Although we can’t vouch for any particular resource, there are several Web sites available
to help you figure out the time zone for your test location. Unfortunately, the MCAT Resource
Center Staff are not familiar with the time zones for each of the over 400 test sites.
Before heading out to the test center, make sure you have the current address. Sometimes test
center addresses change. We make every effort to notify you before test day, but if you don’t
have the email or didn’t get the phone message, our Web site should display the current address.
Make sure you get to the testing center 30 minutes before your scheduled start. The Test Center
Administrator will begin checking in examinees a half hour before the appointment time on your
confirmation. They will check your identification, take your fingerprints and help you get settled
into your workstation. For many reasons, some examinees miss their start times. If this happens
to you – it happens to the best of us – go into the registration system two days after the test date
you missed to register and pay for another test. You should also plan ahead of time by locating
the test center prior to test day – you won’t be allowed to enter the center, but you can make sure
you know how to get there and how long it will take to get there.
Providing Identification
Make sure you bring proper identification. Here are a few things you need really need to know
for test day about identification:
It is the examinee’s responsibility to obtain and provide eligible identification at the test
center. Your identification must be in the form of a current (unexpired), major
government-issued ID that includes a photo that the Test Center Administrator can use to
positively identify you, an expiration date, and your signature. We know some ID's do
not have signatures, so if your identification meets all of the other requirements, we can
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
accept a supplemental ID with a signature if you provide it along with your valid
government-issued identification.
A "major" form of ID is typically a driver's license or passport. These are the types of
ID's we are able to validate. Regretfully, we cannot accept employee ID's, student ID's,
library cards, etc., even if they have been issued by governmental or government-
sponsored institutions. If you have an ID that is not a driver's license or passport, but you
think it may be eligible, you must contact us no later than the regular registration deadline
for your test date to seek permission to use it on test day.
The Test Center Administrator will look for an exact match of the name on the
identification you present with the name that appears on the test day list. If the list has a
partial name, nickname, or any derivation of the name that appears on your identification
(including misspellings), the administrator is not allowed to admit you to the testing
room.
Know when your ID expires. If your identification will expire by your test day, you are
responsible for obtaining an updated ID. Please note that temporary ID’s and ID
application receipts will not be accepted at the test center because we are unable to
validate their authenticity. Also know how long it takes to get a new ID in your state.
Some states, such as Texas, mail ID’s about 6 weeks after you submit your request. If
you find that you will not have an updated ID by your test date, you will have to change
your test date and be responsible for applicable fees.
Reporting a Problem
Submit a test center concern if you need AAMC to research a problem that you experienced on
test day. There are two things you need to do if you experience a problem on test day: 1) file a
Center Problem Report with the test center administrator, and 2) Send your test center concern to
the AAMC. While the test center is not responsible for researching or resolving any problems
you experienced – only the AAMC can do that – the problem report is necessary for the AAMC
to follow-up on your concerns. See page 26 for more instructions on submitting a test center
concern.
Registering for another Test Date
You may register for another date 48 hours after your scheduled test date. This rules applies to
all registered examinees, including examinees who experience a problem at the test center, are
turned away for improper ID, or simply do not show up for the exam.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Releasing your Test Scores
To see how you did, sign into our score reporting system a month after your test date to get your
scores. You will be able to view your scores in the Testing History (THx) Score Reporting
System 30 to 35 days after your test date, between 5 pm and midnight Eastern time. See the
Registration Deadline & Score Release Schedule for the tentative release dates. The Testing
History (THx) System is also where you will release your scores to institutions that do not
participate in the American Medical College Applications Service (AMCAS).
If you’re applying to medical school through the American Medical College Application Service
(AMCAS), we’ll automatically send your scores to the schools you’ve selected.
There is no extra step you need to take to insert your scores into AMCAS. Additionally, since
the medical schools want to see your entire testing history along with the many other credentials
you submit in your application, this also means that you cannot withhold your scores from
AMCAS.
Contacting us
Contact us before it’s too late for us to help you. For most questions or concerns, this typically
means that you should reach us no later than the regular registration deadline associated with
your test date. MCAT Specialists are available to assist you with the registration process, test
day procedures and score reporting. For general inquiries related to any of these topics, contact
us at mcat@aamc.org, or (202) 828-0690. Our MCAT Resource Center is open Monday –
Friday, 9 am – 5 pm Eastern, with the exception of Thursdays when we are open from 9 am – 3
pm. In addition, we are also open during Saturday test days for limited hours.
You may need to reach us because you have a specific concern about a test item, a test center, or
your scores. Detailed instructions for these topics are available in the MCAT Essentials. If you
have any questions about procedures provided in the Essentials, please contact an MCAT
Specialist.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Part 3: The Complete Essentials
Registering for the Exam
The MCAT exam is administered multiple times from late January through early September, and
offered at hundreds of test sites in the United States, Canada, and throughout the world. After
you have read the material in MCAT Essentials, you will be able to register online for the exam
at the AAMC Web site.
Please note that online preregistration is required and that walk-in registration is not
available.
When Should You Take the Exam?
You will want to take the exam the year in which you will apply for medical school, so that, for
example, if you are applying in 2010 for entrance to medical school in 2011, you should take the
exam in 2010. (Medical schools will, however, accept scores dating back two or three years. In
the event you have taken the exam previously, we recommend that you check the application
policies of each school in which you are interested.)
Eligibility
You may sit for the exam if you are preparing to apply to a health professions school. These
include schools of:
Allopathic,
Osteopathic,
Podiatric, and
Veterinary Medicine.
You may take the exam up to three times in one calendar year, although you may register for
only one test date at a time.
You must register under your own AAMC ID. If we find that you have registered under another
person’s AAMC ID, or that you have obtained multiple AAMC ID’s, we may cancel your
registration or test scores and you will not be eligible for a refund.
At the time of registration you will be required to accept a statement verifying that you are taking
the exam solely for the purpose of applying to a health professions school. If, however, you are
not applying to a health professions school, or if you are a currently enrolled medical student,
you may obtain ―special permission‖ to register for the exam. (See Page 14 for more
information.)
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
International Students
If you are an international student, you are welcome to register for the exam provided that you
meet the eligibility requirements described above.
Early Registration Encouraged
Please register early for the test date that you prefer, as test centers have limited capacity and
registrations are processed in the order they are received. Please visit our Web site for the 2010
Deadlines & Registration Schedule.
Exam Dates and Registration Deadlines
Exam Dates
The AAMC selected exam dates to ensure that scores are available to meet most medical school
application deadlines. Please choose the test date that fulfills the requirements of the school(s) of
your choice. (The Medical School Admissions Requirements handbook published by the AAMC
outlines school requirements. If you prefer, you may contact the school directly.)
Registration Deadlines
You must register through the online program hosted by the AAMC.
The regular registration deadline is 14 calendar days prior to the test date.
If you miss the regular deadline, you may be able to register during the late time period,
up to seven days prior to the test date. A late fee will apply. (The AAMC will be unable
to grant fee assistance, ADA accommodations, or special permission during late
registration.)
Registration Fees
The following chart lists fees associated with MCAT exam registration. Please note that payment
must be in the form of a credit card (MasterCard or VISA), payable in U.S. funds. We will
process your registration immediately upon submission.
Regular Registration
$230
International Test Site*
$65
Late Registration*
$55
Date Reschedule*
$55
Change of Test Center*
$55
*These fees are added to the regular registration
fee.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
International sites include all countries, provinces, or territories except Canada, Guam, Puerto
Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The registration process cannot be reversed once it has begun, and thus you will be
responsible for all fees. If you reverse the credit card charge, or if payment is declined for any
reason, you must provide an alternative form of payment on request. Otherwise, the AAMC
must cancel your registration, withhold all scores, and disallow future registration and other
services until arrears are made current.
AAMC Offers Fee Assistance Program
The AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP) aids individuals with extreme financial limitations
who otherwise could not take the exam. The program reduces the regular testing fee for eligible
individuals from $230 to $85.
Please be aware that you must receive a final FAP approval before you register. Visit
www.aamc.org/students/applying/fap for complete information on the FAP, including eligibility,
the application process, and associated deadlines.
NOTE: FAP eligibility decisions are tied directly to the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services’ poverty-level guidelines. For the 2010 calendar year, applicants whose total family
income is 300 percent or less of the poverty level for their family size are eligible for fee
assistance.
Exam Locations
The MCAT exam is offered at hundreds of locations throughout the world. We suggest you rely
on the most up-to-date list found on the MCAT Scheduling and Registration System.
Changes and Cancellations
Test Center or Date Changes
You may change your test date and/or test center, provided that space is available, you make the
change prior to the regular registration deadline associated with your initial test date, and you are
rescheduling into the current calendar year. Additional fees will apply (see chart on page 11). If
you make a change in both test date and center simultaneously, a single charge of just $55 will
be levied; however, if you make separate changes, you will be charged individually for each,
resulting in a total charge of $110.
You will be charged for a change regardless of how quickly it is requested after your initial
registration. We regret we cannot make exceptions to this rule.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Cancellations
If you decide not to sit for the exam after you have registered for it, you will be eligible for a
refund of $115 if you cancel your registration by the regular registration deadline. If you
received fee assistance from the AAMC, the refund will be $85.
Please cancel your registration online via the MCAT Scheduling & Registration System.
Requests for cancellations after the deadline may be considered for special, personal
circumstances, however, refunds cannot be provided. Examinees who wish to cancel after a
deadline should submit a written request to the MCAT Resource Center no later than 48 hours
before the exam date. The request must indicate that the examinee understands no refund will be
issued. Emails are acceptable. Documentation may be required to support the request.
Special Note: Selling or giving away your registration to someone else is strictly forbidden since
your registration is made under your AAMC ID. Please see “Using Your AAMC ID” on page 6
for more information.
Cancellation Refund
Make your refund request by canceling your exam online at least 14 days before your test date.
In most cases, the refund will be automatic and applied to your original form of payment;
however, the funds may not appear on your account for a few days. Please note that the AAMC
does not grant deadline extensions, or have an appeal process.
AAMC and its test-site vendor, make every attempt to ensure facilities and equipment are
available on test day. We may need to reschedule a small percentage of examinees, however, to
new locations and/or dates when an event occurs necessitating such action. Very infrequently,
rescheduling is not possible and the only option is a refund. Therefore, appointments are subject
to change or cancellation. Please keep your contact information current so that we can contact
you in the unlikely event that we need to notify you of a change.
Emergency Refunds
If you become hospitalized, experience a death in your immediate family, or are unexpectedly
called away to active military service or other health-care service duty for a catastrophic event
after the regular registration deadline, you may request an emergency refund. We will ask you to
provide documentation that includes the date of onset or deployment, the duration of the illness
or service, and its impact on your ability to take the exam on your scheduled date. Please contact
the MCAT Resource Center for more detailed rules and instructions. We will ask you to provide
documentation that includes the date of onset or deployment, the duration of the illness or
service. Please contact the MCAT Resource Center at (202) 828-0690 or mcat@aamc.org for
more detailed rules and instructions. We will process approved refunds within two weeks of
receipt of the required documentation.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Note about H1N1 (swine flu): In recognition of the extraordinary impact H1N1 may have on our
examinees and in keeping with recommendations from the U.S. Government’s Center for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), we are encouraging examinees who believe they have the swine
flu to stay at home and reschedule the exam. Special testing dates have been established for this
purpose. Rescheduling fees will apply. Please contact the MCAT Resource Center if you find
yourself in this situation, so that we may help you reschedule into one of the special dates.
Absences
If you do not attend an exam for which you are registered, neither your registration nor your
absence will be reported to schools. Additionally, the registration will not count toward the
maximum three attempts you are allowed within the testing year. If you wish to schedule a new
test date, registration will be available two days after the date you missed. All fees for the new
registration will apply—unfortunately, we cannot transfer the fees from the date you were absent
to a new appointment.
Registering For Another Test Date
You may register for another test 48 hours after your test date. This waiting period applies
regardless of your individual circumstances, i.e., it applies whether you took the exam, were
absent from your scheduled date, or voided your exam. Further, it applies regardless of the
reason for your absence or void.
Special Accommodations
Accommodations will be made for examinees with disabilities or other health conditions,
pending review and approval from the MCAT Office of Accommodated Testing. If you would
like to take advantage of this opportunity, you will be required to submit documentation of your
disability or condition at the time of registration. We will notify you in writing if your request
has been approved, providing you with additional steps to confirm your registration. (Please
make certain that you follow the instructions provided with your approval letter to guarantee
your accommodations.)
If your request for accommodations is not granted, your initial registration for the exam remains
valid. In this instance, you must decide whether to keep your registration (in which case no
further action is necessary), or to cancel your registration. If you cancel in accordance with the
cancellation and refund policies described above, you will receive a 50 percent refund.
Since there’s much more to say about the accommodations application and registration
processes, we can’t explain it all here. Please visit ―Applying for Accommodations‖ on our Web
site, which includes applications procedures, processing times and other important and helpful
information. The accommodations Web pages are required reading for all applicants.
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Special Permissions
There are two circumstances in which you must apply for special permission to take the MCAT
exam: (1) you wish to take the test for any reason other than applying to a health professions
school, or (2) you are a currently enrolled medical student.
To apply for special permission, please send an e-mail request to mcat@aamc.org, stating the
reason(s) you wish to take the exam. The MCAT exam office will attempt to review and respond
to your request within five business days, although heavy volume may delay our ability to reply
within this time frame. We therefore ask that you be mindful of registration deadlines, as staff
cannot extend closing dates for any reason.
Score Release Options
Primary Release
When you register for the MCAT exam, you authorize release of your scores to the AAMC and
its affiliated institutions for research purposes. (As part of the registration process, you will be
required to check ―YES‖ when asked about release of information.) Please be assured that these
institutions will maintain the confidentiality of your scores at all times and will not report them
in any personally identifiable way, except with your permission.
Secondary Release
If you are applying for medical school, you and the American Medical College Application
Service* (AMCAS) will receive your scores automatically. Beyond that, though, there are three
different score release options, described below, which you will be asked to consider and decide
on at the time of registration. These options relate to services that may benefit you as you pursue
admission to medical school and provide the opportunity to have your MCAT exam scores and
contact information sent to the institution or agency described. The costs of these services, which
are detailed below, are included in the basic registration fee.
*For a description of the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS®), please see
page 24.
Health Professions Advisor
This release gives the AAMC permission to include your scores and demographic information in
a Web-based report to undergraduate health professions advisors, who find such data useful
when counseling students. In addition, advisors may share your scores with members of their
premedical committees or others involved in preparing letters of recommendation.
The MCAT Scheduling & Registration System allows you to release to advisors at only one
institution. If you attended more than one school and you use the American Medical School
Application Service (AMCAS®), you will have an opportunity within AMCAS to release to
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
additional schools. Also, if you did not release to your advisors at the time you registered for the
exam, you may do so later within the AMCAS application.
In some instances, undergraduate institutions have not designated an official health professions
advisor (or have not identified the advisor to the AAMC), and in these cases, we cannot release
your scores to these institutions.
Med-MAR
This release is for use by disadvantaged students and under-represented minorities who plan to
apply to medical school. It gives the AAMC permission to include your scores and biographical
information in the Medical Minority Applicant Registry (Med-MAR), a service created to
enhance admission opportunities for individuals from groups currently under-represented in
medicine.
Med-MAR distributes Web-based basic biographical information on prospective medical school
applicants to admission offices of AAMC members (and certain health-related agencies) who
wish to increase opportunities for economically disadvantaged students and those from under-
represented groups. The registry is updated after each score release, at no cost to students or to
medical schools.
You are eligible for Med-MAR if you are a (1) U.S. citizen or permanent resident visa holder,
and (2) member of a racial or ethnic group currently under-represented in medicine and/or
economically disadvantaged.
MCAT Recruiting Service
This release gives the AAMC permission to include your contact and MCAT exam score
information in reports produced by the MCAT Recruiting Service. Accredited U.S. and Canadian
schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, and veterinary medicine, along with
scholarship programs of the U.S. government (including those of the U.S. military), may request
information about examinees and use that information to send you material as part of their
recruiting efforts.
Please note that you cannot change your response to the three release options described above
after you have submitted your registration.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Taking the Exam: Test-day Procedures and Regulations
Admission and Identification
You must report to the test center at least 30 minutes prior to your appointment time in order to
be admitted to the exam. When you arrive at the center, you will verify your identity, proceed
through admission procedures, and receive your seat assignment. In the event of inclement
weather, most test centers will be open and examinees are expected to report to their
appointments. Registration fees will not be refunded to examinees who are delayed or unable to
reach the test center.
The Test Center Administrator will admit only those examinees who can be positively identified
through qualifying forms of identification. Please be prepared to provide personal identification
in the form of a current, valid government-issued ID containing an expiration date, your photo,
and signature (e.g., a driver’s license or passport) in which the name matches that of your
registration exactly. We regret we cannot accept employee ID's, library cards, school ID's, or
other similar forms of identification, even if issued by a governmental or government-sponsored
institution. We also cannot accept temporary ID’s. If you are unsure if your ID meets our
requirements, please contact us well in advance of test day. Please see our Registration Tips for
more information.
In addition, you must accept the terms of the Examinee Agreement. If you do not indicate that
you agree with this statement, or if you do not answer this question within the five minutes
provided, you will be unable to test and you will not receive a refund. See page 19 for detailed
information about the agreement.
These measures help prevent fraud and protect the integrity of the exam. The Test Center
Administrator will capture your identification electronically, including your fingerprints and
photograph (biometrics). If you refuse to provide fingerprints or photo, the Test Center
Administrator will not be able to admit you to the testing room. Electronic capture of your
biometric data allows for easier and quicker return to the testing facility after breaks. The
biometric and other identity data will be retained by the AAMC and made available for identity
verification at future MCAT administrations, should you choose to retake the examination.
Should you continue to pursue a medical career, these data may permit you to verify your
identity when you arrive at a medical school, board exams or health care facility. Please see our
Web site for more information on biometrics.
Please take the following actions, if necessary:
1. If you cannot obtain government-issued identification, you must contact
the MCAT Office prior to registering for the exam.
2. If your photo ID does not have your signature on it, you must bring a
second form of identification that does have your signature.
3. If the name on your identification does not match your registration (you
were recently married, for example), you must bring official proof of
your name change. The proof must be an original document that
includes both the old and new names.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Test Center Regulations and Procedures
The AAMC is deeply committed to ensuring the authenticity and validity of test scores. In order
to do so, and to provide fair, equal, and secure testing conditions for all examinees, the staff at
each test center will adhere to the following common procedures:
The Test Center Administrator will check examinees into the testing room one by one to
begin the exam. The actual starting time of the exam will vary for individuals due to
volume and pre-administration procedures; therefore, please be prepared to wait up to an
hour, possibly a little longer.
The center will provide scratch paper or dry erase boards, ear covers (industrial), and
pencils. No other testing aids are allowed. The Test Center Administrator will collect
your scratch paper before you leave.
With the exception of earplugs (see below), you may bring no personal items into the
testing room other than your ID. You must store personal belongings, including
telephones, pagers, books, handbags, and food in the secure area that will be provided for
you. You are encouraged to leave personal items at home on test day, neither AAMC nor
the testing contractor are responsible for loss of damage to personal belongings.
You may bring your own earplugs to wear with or without the headphones provided at
the test center. They must be in the original, unopened package and must be presented to
the Test Center Administrator for inspection.
You must sign in and out on the Signature Log and present identification each time you
enter and leave the testing room.
A digital image of your fingerprint will be taken, and your identification will be
rescanned each time before entering the test room.
The Test Center Administrator will assign you to a seat, which you will maintain for the
duration of the exam.
Access to the examination room will be restricted to test center personnel, examinees,
and authorized observes.
Once the examination begins, you are considered to have tested even if you void or do
not complete the test. Please see Page 21 for information on voiding the exam.
The testing clock will begin to count down as soon as the examination is started. The
timer is visible on your testing monitor throughout the examination, and time is counted
down by section. If you end a section early, you may continue on to the next section, but
additional time will not be counted towards any subsequent sections or breaks.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
You may not eat, drink, or smoke in the testing room. The day includes three optional 10-
minute breaks between each section. You may wish to bring snacks for your breaks, since
eating facilities may not be located near the test site or may not be equipped to handle
large crowds.
To protect the security of the exam questions, examinees may not study or use cell
phones or other messaging devices during breaks.
You may not wear caps during the test. Earplugs are permitted, but upon arrival at the test
center they must be presented to the Test Center Administrator for inspection in their
original sealed packaging.
Energy-saving practices vary widely, and you may find the testing room colder or
warmer than you expected. You should therefore dress comfortably and be prepared for
varying room temperatures. If you remove an item of clothing (for example, a sweater)
during the exam, you will be instructed to place it in the secure area. The exam clock will
not stop during this time.
We take care to ensure that registrations, the exam, and the answers are properly processed and
scored. In the unlikely event that a mistake occurs in processing registrations, scoring, or in
reporting scores, the error will be corrected, if possible. If this is not possible, the examinee will
be permitted to either retest at no additional fee or to receive a refund of his or her examination
fee.
Examinee Agreement
In addition to agreeing to the policies contained herein when you register for the exam, you will
also be asked to accept the MCAT® Examinee Agreement on test day. The agreement will appear
on four screens, including an introduction and instructions on the first screen and three
statements to which you must agree on the following screens. Below is the full text of the
agreement:
Page 1
Before you continue with this exam, you must agree to each of the statements on the following screens,
adherence to which is necessary if we are to maintain for you and other examinees a fair and secure testing
process. Each of these statements reflects a requirement that has previously been communicated to you in
the MCAT® Essentials, which sets forth MCAT testing policies. If you do not agree to these terms within
the allotted time of 10 minutes, you will not be permitted to test today. You will not receive a refund.
Please indicate your acceptance to the statements by clicking the appropriate buttons.
Page 2
I certify that I am the person whose name and address appear on the registration. I am taking the MCAT®
exam solely for the purpose of applying to an allopathic, osteopathic, podiatric, public health, veterinary
medicine or other health professions school, or alternatively, if I am taking the exam for any other purpose,
I have applied for and received special permission to take the MCAT exam as set out in MCAT®
Essentials.
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I have read and agree to the terms set forth in MCAT® Essentials, including but not limited to, the rules and
regulations concerning test-day procedures; the remedies available to examinees in the event of any errors
in test delivery or administration, scoring, or score reporting; and the ban on bringing study materials or
other prohibited information or items into the testing room and on other prohibited conduct before, during
or following the exam administration.
Page 3
I am aware that the MCAT® exam is a confidential exam, and that its contents are being disclosed to me
today in a limited context to permit me to test and for no other purpose. I have been informed that the
MCAT exam and exam questions are copyrighted, and that they are protected by U.S. and international
copyright and trade secret laws.
I agree that I will not discuss or disclose MCAT exam content orally, in writing, on the Internet or through
any other medium. I agree that I will not copy, reproduce, adapt, disclose or transmit exams or exam
questions, in whole or in part, or assist anyone else in doing the same. I further agree that I will not
reconstruct exam content from memory, by dictation or by any other means, for the purpose of sharing that
information with any other individual or entity.
Examples of prohibited acts include, but are not limited to: describing questions, passages or graphics from
the exam; discussing exam questions on web ―chat‖ rooms or through other means; identifying terms or
concepts contained in exam questions; sharing answers to questions; referring others to information you
saw on the exam; or reconstructing a list of topics tested.
Page 4
I understand that any alleged violation of this Examinee Agreement or any alleged activity that may
compromise the validity, integrity or security of the MCAT® exam will be investigated and may be
reported to interested parties. I also understand that I might be subject to a civil lawsuit and/or criminal
charges if I violate this Agreement.
Investigations Process
If a claim of violation of test-day procedures or post-test conduct (including copyright
infringement or violation of the terms of the Examinee Agreement) arises, MCAT exam
officials will investigate the claim and may issue a report of the factual findings of the
investigation.
If a report of the incident is to be issued, the AAMC notifies the examinee first, providing
information about any available options, which may include the opportunity to submit a
statement explaining the examinee’s actions, to request a reconsideration or to appeal the
AAMC’s decision.
In its sole discretion, AAMC may elect to send the report documenting the incident, with
any attachments provided by the examinee, to legitimately interested parties, including,
all persons or agencies to which the examinee has instructed that scores be sent, both
presently and in the future.
The AAMC may also elect to cancel an examinee’s test scores, when there is reason to
believe that the scores are invalid or that the examinee has engaged in behavior that
violates this Examinee Agreement. AAMC may also elect to suspend an individual’s
eligibility to test, for a limited period of time or permanently.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Additional Security Information
Test Day Irregularities
The AAMC may investigate any action that negatively impacts the testing environment or the
security and integrity of the exam. If an examinee violates procedures or engages in any
irregular behavior, it will first be reported to the Test Center Administrator and then to the
AAMC. At AAMC’s discretion, the investigations process, as described above in the MCAT®
Examine Agreement, may apply to any rules violation. Examples of prohibited actions include,
but are not limited to:
giving or receiving assistance,
copying another examinee’s work,
using prohibited aids (e.g., desktop timers, calculators, other electronics),
attempting to take the test for someone else,
attempting to remove scratch paper from the testing room,
attempting by any means to duplicate, record, or memorize test content, answer
documents, or any other test materials,
leaving the testing room without permission,
failing to follow the supervisor’s instructions after being warned,
creating a disruption of any kind,
violating test center regulations or procedures,
violating local laws, regulations, or policies, and
being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.
The AAMC may also investigate unusual similarities in the answers of examinees at the same
test center or other indicators that scores may not be valid.
Exam Registration
The investigations process as described in the MCAT® Examine Agreement may also apply to
registration rules violations. Examples of such violations include but are not limited to:
using another examinee’s AAMC ID or allowing someone to use your AAMC ID,
obtaining multiple AAMC ID’s for the purpose of:
o registering for more than one exam at a time,
o registering for more than three exams in one testing year,
o avoiding score release rules.
Voiding Your Exam
The AAMC offers you an option to void your MCAT exam if you are uneasy with your
performance and do not wish your test to be scored. This opportunity occurs only at the end of
the exam, when you will be asked to select one of the following two options:
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
―I wish to have my MCAT exam scored.‖
―I wish to VOID my MCAT exam.‖
Please note the clarifications below:
Voiding your scores on test day means that you will not receive scores. Scores cannot be
―unvoided‖ at a later date.
If you begin each section but do not complete one or more of them, your test will not be
voided unless you request it. To ―begin‖ means that you have answered at least one
question in the multiple choice sections and that you have opened the Writing Sample. If
you intend to void the test before completing it, and do not know how to proceed to the
screen to select the void option, inform the Test Center Administrator, who will provide
instructions for doing so. Notifying the Test Center Administrator of your intent to void
your exam is not sufficient. You must select ―I wish to void my MCAT exam‖ on the
void screen to have your exam voided.
If you have begun each section, whether you answered questions or not, your exam will
be scored if you do not elect to void on the void screen. If you do not begin each section
and must leave due to illness or other unforeseen circumstances, we may void your scores
on your behalf; however, you should make every effort to follow the void instructions
above to prevent confusion about your intentions.
You will have five minutes to make a selection on the void screen. If you do not select
one of the statements above during that time, your exam will be scored. You may not
void scores at a later date.
If you have selected one of the statements but do not submit your response within five
minutes, the selection you made will be automatically submitted for you. You may not
change the selection later.
The AAMC will not approve refunds for voided tests, regardless of the reason for the
void.
The AAMC will not report your participation in the test to AMCAS or to non-AMCAS schools if
you void your scores. We will, however, regard you as having attended the test and will therefore
count the attempt toward one of the three permitted each year.
Test Question Challenges
If you discover a question you think is flawed or ambiguous, please notify the MCAT Program
Office.
You have the right to a written response from MCAT exam officials. To ensure this response, we
must receive your communication—via fax or regular mail—no later than five days following
your test date. In your correspondence, please include your name and address, your AAMC ID or
Social Security Number (SSN/SIN), the location of the center where you tested, the question
number, the section of the test in which the item was found, and a detailed description of the
nature of the problem.
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You may expect a response within four to six weeks from the date we receive your
correspondence. Please note that we cannot accept challenges by email.
Please address your communication to:
Attention: Test Question Challenges
Association of American Medical Colleges
2450 N Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037-1127
Fax: (202) 828-4799
Receiving and Sending MCAT Exam Scores
Exam Scoring
The four sections of the MCAT exam each result in a separate score. The Physical Sciences,
Verbal Reasoning, and Biological Sciences sections, each comprised of multiple-choice
questions, are scored between a low of 1 and a high of 15; the Writing Sample section, consisting
of two essays. Each essay is scored twice on a scale of 1-6 (and ultimately converted to an
alphabetic scale). The following explains the scoring in more detail and highlights certain aspects
of the process:
Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and Biological Sciences
Although all test forms of the exam measure the same basic skills and concepts, each
form contains different questions. Since one form may be slightly more difficult or
slightly easier than another, we convert the raw scores to a scale that takes into
consideration the difficulty of test questions. Regardless of the particular test form used,
equal scaled scores will represent the same level of skill mastery.
Your raw score on the Writing Sample is the sum of four individual scores. Two scores
are assigned to your first essay, and two are assigned to your second essay.
There is no penalty for guessing.
Taking into consideration the relative difficulty or ease of specific questions on your
form as described above, your raw scores are converted to a scaled score ranging from a
low of 1 to a high of 15. This conversion minimizes variability in test scores and tends to
provide a more stable and accurate assessment of your abilities, since two examinees of
equal ability would be expected to get the same scaled score even though there might be a
slight difference in their raw scores.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Writing Sample
Each essay is scored twice and your total raw score on the Writing Sample is the sum of
the four individual scores.
Each individual score ranges from 1 to 6.
Your total raw score is converted to an alphabetic scale ranging from J (the lowest) to T
(the highest).
The same alphabetic score can result from different combinations of individual scores.
For example, a candidate whose individual scores are 4 and 5 on the first topic and 4 and
4 on the second—for a raw score of 17—would receive the same alphabetic score as a
candidate who scored 3 and 3 on the first topic and 5 and 6 on the second.
MCAT Testing History (THx) System
The AAMC offers an online score-reporting capability via the MCAT Testing History (THx)
System by which you may view your most recent MCAT exam scores as soon as the AAMC
releases them—at no charge.
In addition to that, and also at no charge, you may send THx score reports online to application
services (besides AMCAS), as well as podiatry, veterinary, and public health programs. You
may also print an Official Score Report to send to whomever you wish to receive your scores.
(Recipients can verify examinee printed official score reports online, allowing examinees to send
an official score report anywhere they wish.)
MCAT exam scores from 1991 to the present may be accessed through the THx system at
https://services.aamc.org/mcatthx.
Please be aware that AAMC staff will not provide scores to examinees over the phone, nor will
the AAMC or the MCAT Program Office be responsible for any claims or damages resulting to
any person from delayed transmission of test scores for any reason whatsoever.
Score Reporting through AMCAS (American Medical College
Application Service)
AMCAS®, a centralized application processing service of the AAMC, was developed to make
the process of applying to participating medical schools easier and more uniform. AMCAS®
applies only to first-year entering-class applicants to allopathic medical schools.
If you wish to apply to a medical school that participates in the AMCAS®—and almost all
medical schools currently do— you must complete an AMCAS application and submit it to the
AAMC. Advanced standing and transfer applicants should contact medical schools directly for
application information.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
If you take the MCAT exam after you have submitted your AMCAS application (for example,
you submit your application in June and take the exam in September), AMCAS® will send
updated application information to the schools to which you applied, specifying your new test
date and scores.
You may obtain AMCAS information either from your advisor or directly from the AAMC Web
site at www.aamc.org/amcas. If you have particular questions, either concerning MCAT exam
scores within an AMCAS application or about AMCAS procedures in general, please direct your
question(s) to amcas@aamc.org.
Please see Appendix C for information on how medical schools use MCAT exam scores in their
admissions process.
Score Reporting to Non-AMCAS Institutions
If you want your scores sent to a non-AMCAS school or application service, please use the
online MCAT THx system (https://services.aamc.org/mcatthx) when your scores are released. If
the school to which you want your scores sent is not listed, you may print a copy of your scores
from the THx system and mail them directly.
To obtain MCAT exam scores prior to 1991, please use the form available at
www.aamc.org/students/mcat/sendscores/thxapplication.pdf. It can be either faxed or mailed; a
small payment will be required.
Requests for Rescoring Tests
The AAMC and the MCAT Program Office maintain a variety of quality control procedures to
ensure the accuracy of scores and score reporting. If, however, you think that a scoring error has
occurred, you may request that your multiple-choice answers be rescored by hand. You will
receive the results of this rescoring in writing, and the response letter will either confirm that
your original scores were correct as reported or inform you of the corrected scaled scores for
each test section. Raw scores will not be disclosed.
If you wish to use this service, please write to:
Rescoring Fees
Multiple-Choice sections (one
Attention: MCAT Rescoring Service
fee for PS, BS, and VR
$55
Association of American Medical Colleges
combined)
2450 N Street, N.W.
Writing Sample
$55
Entire Exam
$110
Washington, D.C. 20037-1127
In order for AAMC staff to process or respond to requests for rescoring, your letter must include:
Your full name,
AAMC ID number
Mailing address,
Telephone number, (cont.)
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
E-mail address,
Date of test,
Sections of the test you wish rescored—either the three multiple-choice sections and/or
the Writing Sample.
Explanation for why you feel rescoring is necessary, and
Check, money order, or credit card information (MasterCard or VISA 16-digit card
number, expiration date, and amount) for the full fee. If you are paying by credit card,
you must also provide your signature. Checks and money orders should be made payable
in U.S. funds to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Note: Your letter must be postmarked no later than 30 days following the score release date.
We will begin processing rescoring requests once all scoring and data analyses following the test
date have been completed and your scores have been reported to you. You will receive the
results of rescoring the multiple-choice answers about four weeks after we receive your request.
Due to the time involved in imaging the essays (and the nature of the essay scoring process),
essay rescoring may require up to four months. We will, however, notify you of the outcome as
soon as possible.
Remedies for Errors
The AAMC and the MCAT Program Office take great care to ensure that exam registrations are
properly processed, and that exams are properly prepared, handled, and scored. In the unlikely
event that a mistake occurs during the registration process; in preparing, handling, processing or
scoring an exam; or in reporting scores, AAMC will correct the error, if possible, or may permit
the affected examinee(s) to either retest at no additional fee or to receive a refund of his or her
examination fee. Please note, the remedies described below are the exclusive remedies available
for errors in registrations, exam information, scoring (including score reporting), testing
disruptions or potential compromises through prior access to exam content by one or more
examinees.
Disruptions in Testing and Potential Compromises
The AAMC and the MCAT Program Office take steps to ensure standardized administration on
test day. If events occur that result in the cancellation or interruption of testing or a deviation
from required testing procedures, raise concerns about possible advance access to an exam’s
content by one or more examinees, or otherwise disrupt or compromise the normal testing
process, the AAMC will examine the situation and determine if corrective action is necessary,
including score cancellation(s) or non-scoring of answers. If the AAMC concludes that action is
warranted, each affected examinee will be offered the option to either retest at no additional fee
(normally on a future test date) or to receive a refund of his or her examination fee.* If the
AAMC offers a retest, examinees who select that option must retake the entire exam in order to
produce a valid score.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
If affected examinees are found to have caused or been involved in the conduct that resulted in
corrective action, the AAMC may withhold either or both of these options and may pursue the
investigations process as described above in the Examinee Agreement.
Test Center Closures or Workstation Outages
If a test center is closed or an individual workstation is out, an effort will be made to reschedule
all affected examinees. If this is not possible (especially late in the year when fewer testing
opportunities remain), registration fees will be refunded. We regret we are unable to add test
dates at the end of the year.
If you should be rescheduled due to a test center or workstation problem, the same cancellation
policies, change fees, and deadlines will apply to the new date. This means that if you then
decide to change or cancel your new date, you must do so by the regular registration deadline
associated with the new date and pay any applicable fees.
Test Center Concerns Reported by Examinees
If you believe test center conditions interfered with your performance on the exam, you should
report your concerns to the Test Center Administrator, who will file a Center Problem Report.
The MCAT Office uses these reports in its investigations. If you would like a written response
about a concern, you may ask the MCAT Office to research your concern. Please be aware that
you must send your correspondence—either by fax or regular mail only—no later than five days
following your exam, if you would like a response by the time scores are released. We will
investigate any concern received within 10 days following an exam, however the processing time
may be longer. Complaints received after 10 days will not be investigated.
When writing to us, please include the following information:
your full name,
AAMC ID number or Social Security Number (SSN/SIN),
mailing address,
telephone number,
e-mail address,
date of test
location of test center,
detailed description of problem.
Attention: Test Center Complaints
Association of American Medical Colleges
2450 N Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037-1127
Fax: (202) 828-4799
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
We may need up to six weeks to conduct our research. We will notify you by regular mail of the
result. Regardless of the result, scores will not be changed or voided.
©2010 Association of American Medical Colleges. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any
form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Appendix A: Contacts and Online Resources
Accommodations
www.aamc.org/students/mcat/accommodations/
Email: accommodations@aamc.org
General Questions
Email: mcat@aamc.org
Item Challenges
Rescore Requests
Phone: (202) 828-0690
Test Center Complaints
MCAT Office
Association of American Medical Colleges
2450 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037-1127
Please use a subject or attention line stating the reason you are writing to us.
Exam Scores
https://services.aamc.org/mcatthx
Practice Tests
www.aamc.org/students/mcat/preparing/
Publications
www.aamc.org/publications
Fee Assistance Program
www.aamc.org/fap
Email: fap@aamc.org
Phone: (202) 828-0600
AAMC Fee Assistance Program
Association of American Medical Colleges
2450 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037-1127
American Medical College
www.aamc.org/amcas
Application Service (AMCAS®)
Email: amcas@aamc.org
Phone: (202) 828-0600
AMCAS
Association of American Medical Colleges
2450 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037-1127
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Appendix B: Preparing for the MCAT Exam
Begin with a careful review of the information available on the Preparing for the Exam
section of the MCAT Web site. The site includes sample topics, a description of skills
assessed, test items, and answer keys for the Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and
Biological Sciences section of the exam. The Writing Sample section includes sample essays
and score explanation, and describes how to organize and compose responses.
You may also want to purchase The Official Guide to the MCAT Exam for exam statistics,
tips on coming up with the right solutions, and passages and questions from actual MCAT
exams with detailed explanations of both correct and incorrect answers.
In addition, you will also need to review relevant course outlines, notes, and textbooks,
particularly in the sciences.
After you have studied the material online and reviewed course material, you should take one
or more of the official MCAT Practice Tests in order to help determine the areas in which
you may need further study. When you take a practice test, try to replicate an actual testing
environment as closely as possible. Minimize distractions, time yourself, and take the
sections in their standard order (Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, Writing Sample, and
Biological Sciences).
A free practice test is available online at www.e-mcat.com. This practice test provides
optional interactive feedback that you can turn on or off, automated scoring, and a
sophisticated diagnostic summary report across content areas. It also permits you to select an
entire examination or section only, and to customize items selected by content area, type of
skill, type of reading passage, or item difficulty.
Although little computer skill is required to complete the computerized MCAT exam, you
can acquaint yourself with the format and functionality through the tutorial at the beginning
of the practice tests.
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More About the Exam Sections
Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences
The scientific competency that you will be expected to demonstrate involves fundamental
principles and concepts in biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics that are
presented in basic science courses offered at most undergraduate institutions. Consequently,
because the depth of knowledge you will be expected to exhibit is limited, it is unlikely that you
will improve your performance by enrolling in advanced science courses in preparation for the
MCAT exam.
Verbal Reasoning
In this section, you will read a series of passages that will contain all the information you need to
answer the accompanying questions. Participation in a variety of courses in the humanities,
social sciences, and natural sciences during your undergraduate studies will enhance your
performance. Please be aware that you need not specialize in any of these areas, but you should
become familiar with the types of critical thinking and reasoning skills used in these disciplines.
Writing Sample
The best preparation for the Writing Sample is course work in expository writing or composition,
which enables you to become acquainted with the components of a well-written, well-organized
essay. You may also benefit from taking courses in the humanities, social sciences, and natural
sciences that have strong writing requirements. In responding to the Writing Sample, you should
be certain that you address the given topic, respond to the specific writing tasks, and fully
develop your ideas into a complete, unified essay.
Retaking the Exam
If you feel that your scores are low or do not accurately reflect your abilities, you may wish to
take the MCAT exam again. (It may be beneficial to discuss your decision with your premedical
advisor and also take a look at The Official Guide to the MCAT Exam’s section on retaking the
exam).
The AAMC recommends retaking the MCAT exam only if:
There exists an unusual discrepancy between your college grades and MCAT exam scores,
Your course work in areas covered on the test was inadequate,
Your misunderstood the directions or incorrectly recorded your answers,
You had a serious illness at the time of the test, or
A member of a medical school admissions committee recommended that you retest.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
How are Multiple Scores Used?
According to a survey of medical school admissions officers, schools use multiple sets of scores
in several ways:
Some schools weigh all sets of scores equally and note improvements,
Others consider only the most recent set of scores,
Still others take an average of all sets of scores, or
Finally, some schools use only the highest set of scores or the highest individual sections
scores.
Of the four methods used by medical schools, the first (using all sets of scores equally and noting
improvements) is the most common. You may wish to contact an institution’s admission office
directly for information about it procedures.
How Can You Use the Scores If You Are Not Admitted to Medical
School?
If you are not accepted to medical school, you may use the exam to help identify the academic
areas in which you may need further study. You should remember, however, that the MCAT
exam is only one of the criteria medical schools consider, so you should identify all areas in
which you may need to improve if you intend to reapply to a medical school.
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2010 MCAT® ESSENTIALS©
Appendix C: How Medical Schools Use MCAT
Scores
A survey of medical school admission officers showed that the MCAT exam serves three main
functions:
1. Identification of applicants who are likely to succeed in medical school and those likely to
experience academic difficulty,
2. Assessment of applicants’ specific strengths and weaknesses, and
3. Supplementation to applicants’ transcripts and letters of evaluation.
Still, the MCAT exam is just one of a set of criteria that schools use to compare qualifications of
applicants, and the emphasis that committees place on MCAT scores (as well as the range of
acceptable scores) varies from school to school. In general, MCAT scores are considered in
combination with a number of other factors, including:
undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate grade-point averages,
breadth and difficulty of undergraduate course work,
letters of evaluation from undergraduate advisors or others,
personal comments on application forms,
involvement in extracurricular activities such as student governance and community
service,
involvement in and quality of health-related work and research,
participation in other activities demonstrating motivation, responsibility, maturity,
integrity, resourcefulness, tolerance, perseverance, dedication to service, citizenship, or
other relevant non-cognitive characteristics,
compatibility between the applicant’s characteristics and professional goals and the
institutional mission,
knowledge of health care issues and commitment to health care,
medical school interview results, and
state or county of legal residence.
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