Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
The MCAT should be taken at the end of your junior year or at the beginning of your senior year. Registration is required well in advance of the test dates, so make sureyou stay current on dates and deadlines through regular visits to the AAMC MCAT website.
The test covers four areas: reading skills analysis, biological science problems, physical science problems, and essay writing. Here is an outline of topics covered in the biological science and physical sciences section of the test.
Almost all U.S. medical schools require applicants to submit MCAT scores. Many schools do not accept MCAT scores if taken more than three years ago.
There are a number of commercial test-preparation programs available (links are given at the bottom of this page). For a substantial fee, these programs provide review classes, study materials, and practice tests. Participation in one of these programs may be helpful as a review of the material covered on the MCAT. However, they do not accomplish anything that you could not accomplish on your own with study guides and practice tests that are available at the WSU Bookstore or from the AAMC. The AAMC practice tests are preferred over those offered by these commercial organizations.
