When the MCAT Is Offered
AAMC offers the MCAT roughly January through September, with multiple test dates per month during peak periods. Specific dates are published each year. Registration typically opens in the fall before the cycle begins.
Scores are released approximately 30–35 days after your test date. AAMC publishes a specific score release schedule each cycle.
Best Test Windows for Each Cycle
For most applicants, January through April of the application year is the optimal test window. This timing provides:
- Scores in time to inform school list construction (April–May)
- Scores at AMCAS verification (late May to June)
- Room to retake before secondary essays arrive if necessary
Testing in June is acceptable but tight. Testing in July or later forces a delay in school list finalization and can push your application into the late portion of the cycle, which meaningfully affects interview offers at rolling-admission schools.
When You Are Testing Too Early
Testing too early creates risk if your score is not where it needs to be. Premature testing often results from:
- Anxiety to "get it over with" before practice scores justify it
- Following a calendar-based plan rather than a readiness-based one
- Pressure from peers or advisors to test by a particular date
Take the MCAT only when your AAMC FL practice average is consistently within your target range. If your practice scores are not there, push the test date.
When You Are Testing Too Late
Testing after AMCAS submission creates problems:
- Schools cannot mark your application as complete until your score arrives
- You miss the earliest interview offers at rolling-admission schools
- A weak late score may force a delay to the next cycle, but by then you have already paid AMCAS application fees
If your earliest realistic test date is June or later, seriously consider delaying your application by a cycle. A strong score with a late application is usually better than a rushed score with an early application.
