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The ideal time to take the MCAT is in March of your junior year. Since roughly one quarter of medical students retake the MCAT, this gives you time to receive your score and prepare for another test date if necessary.
The absolute last time you should take the MCAT is April of your application year, as the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) opens in early May and scores take 30-35 days to release.
While many students agree that taking the MCAT late isn’t a good idea, the same applies to taking it too early. Don’t take the MCAT in January of your junior year (the earliest scores become available) if you’re not ready to ace the exam.
You need ample time to prepare for the MCAT, and a lot happens in January. Take the MCAT in March (ideally during your spring break) in case you need to retake the exam.
If you didn’t receive your target MCAT score, an early test date allows time for a second MCAT attempt before application season arrives. You can take the MCAT up to three times in a single testing year, four times across two consecutive years, and seven times total in your lifetime.
However, the most important thing to remember is to take the MCAT when you’re ready. If you’re not fully prepared by March of your junior year, taking the exam will just be a waste.
In Inspira Advantage’s Plan Ahead: Your Medical School Application Timeline webinar, Dr. Munoz, a resident at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and expert advisor at Inspira Education, emphasizes that practice exam scores are highly predictive of actual performance.
Don’t take the MCAT if you haven’t reached your target score on practice exams. Dr. Munoz highlights that this is a major financial and tactical decision. That’s why aiming for March in your junior year is ideal, as this gives you ample time to hit your target score.
The When to Take the MCAT: The Best MCAT Timeline for Med School video below explains the ideal time to take the MCAT in greater detail.
Meet with one of Inspira Advantage’s expert MCAT tutors with proven strategies that help you prep for the exam efficiently. Our experts can help you secure a guaranteed 515 MCAT score to increase the competitiveness of your application.
The table below outlines optimal timelines for taking the MCAT and completing key med school application tasks based on your gap year plans.
The MCAT runs from January through September, with 31 test dates spread across the calendar. The AAMC recently added a February test date, closing what used to be a two-month gap between January and March. MCAT test dates are held on Fridays and Saturdays, starting at 8:00 a.m. local time unless otherwise noted.
Testing centers operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and popular locations fill up within hours of registration opening. Secure your seat the moment you find a center and date that work for you. Waiting even a few days can mean settling for a test site two hours away.
Once your test date is secured, make sure you know exactly what to bring on MCAT test day so nothing catches you off guard at the testing center.
The AAMC uses a tiered deadline system that rewards early planning and penalizes last-minute changes. Three key cutoffs control what you pay and how much flexibility you have:
MCAT scores are released roughly 30–35 days after your test date, by 5:00 p.m. ET on the scheduled release day. Work backward from your application deadline to pick the right test date.
For example, if you're applying in the current cycle and want your application submitted by June or July, a spring test date gives you the best margin. Take the MCAT in late May, and you might not see your score until early July, which is cutting it too close if you need to adjust your school list based on results.
The AAMC publishes exact score release dates alongside each test date on its calendar. Check those dates before you register, not after.
AMCAS opens in early May, and submitting your primary application within the first week of June gives you the strongest chances of submitting an application early. Since scores take 30–35 days to release, take (or retake) the MCAT no later than April (ideally in March) of your application year to learn if you received a competitive MCAT score.
If you take a gap year, you have more time, but don't let that become an excuse to procrastinate. Pick a target test date, build your study plan around it, and hold yourself to the timeline.
Schedule the MCAT after you've completed the core medical school prerequisites: biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, psychology, and sociology. Testing while you're still mid-semester in a foundational course puts you at a measurable disadvantage on that entire section.
The MCAT registration fee is $345. Taking the exam before you've mastered the content is an expensive way to learn that you weren't ready. If you haven't finished your prerequisites, push your test date back and use that time to master the MCAT’s content.
Take at least three or four practice exams under real testing conditions (timed, no breaks that you wouldn't get on test day, in a quiet environment), and track your scores across all four sections.
We offer a full-length MCAT practice test for completely free. Our expert 525+ MCAT-scoring admissions experts designed this practice test to help test-takers simulate test-day conditions and maximize their score.
If your practice scores consistently land within two to three points of your target score, you're ready to take the real exam. If they don't, reschedule your test date. Rescheduling during the 60-day window costs $50. That's a fraction of what you'd spend retaking the entire exam because you rushed to the exam center before you were prepared.
When you choose an MCAT date, allow for enough time for a possible retake within the same application cycle. Many students need a second attempt to reach a score that aligns with their target schools, and testing too late can leave you with no realistic retake window before deadlines.
You should also check how long your score will remain valid at the schools you’re applying to, since many programs only accept MCAT scores that are two to three years old at the time of matriculation. If you test in your sophomore year and later decide to take multiple gap years, an older score won’t be valid anymore, even if it was competitive.
Most pre-med students should take the MCAT in the spring of their junior year. Testing in your junior year gives you a score in hand before AMCAS opens in May, lets you retake the exam over the summer if needed, and keeps you on track to apply during the first week of June. Senior year testing only makes sense if you're planning a gap year, still finishing prerequisite coursework, or need more time to hit your target practice scores.
Yes, you can take the MCAT after college. If you're applying straight after undergrad without a gap year, test between January and April of your senior year so your score arrives before you submit your AMCAS application in early June. If you're taking one or more gap years, you have the flexibility to test whenever you're ready, but keep score expiration in mind.
No, you must physically sit for the MCAT before schools will consider your application complete. You can submit your AMCAS application before your score is released, but you should not apply without at least having taken the exam.
Submitting before you’ve tested offers no real advantage in a rolling admissions process because most schools will not review your file until your MCAT score posts. A smarter approach is to schedule your MCAT so that your score is available by the time you plan to submit or shortly afterward, allowing you to confirm that your score is in range for your target schools.
MCAT scores take 30-35 days to be released after your exam date. Scores become available by 5:00 p.m. ET on the scheduled release date listed by the AAMC.
You can take the MCAT up to three times per testing year (January-December), four times over any two consecutive years, and a maximum of seven times in your lifetime. Every attempt counts toward these limits, including voided scores, no-shows, or incomplete tests.
The earliest MCAT test date is usually in early January. You must create an AAMC account and verify eligibility before registering.
The latest MCAT test date is usually in mid-September. Testing wraps up around this time, with no exams after that until January of the following year.
MCAT scores do not expire with the AAMC, but medical schools typically accept them for 2-3 years from the test date. Most MD programs consider MCAT scores valid if earned within two to three years of your matriculation year.
Start studying for the MCAT 3-6 months before your target test date to allow 300-500 hours of focused prep. Begin with a diagnostic practice exam to set your baseline score, then begin content review 12-24 weeks before your test date, splitting your study time 70/30 between content and practice initially.
Reviewed by:
Orthopaedic Surgery Resident Physician, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
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