How Many Times Can You Retake the MCAT? Important Considerations for Retaking the Exam

4 min readPublished On: January 5, 2023Categories: Medical School
Pre med student taking the MCAT exam

 

One of the most prominent steps you’ll take in preparation for your medical school applications is sitting for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). This exam challenges aspiring physicians to demonstrate their knowledge and show their preparedness for a Doctor of Medicine (MD) program.

The MCAT assesses pre-med students on their aptitude in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and behavioral sciences. While this may seem like another formality on your road to medical school, it’s important to take your MCAT preparation seriously—a satisfactory score is among the most important criteria for admission to most MD programs.

If you sit for the exam and you’re not happy with your score, however, you do have the option to retake it. But how many times can you take the MCAT? And how does one go about improving their score?

Can you retake the MCAT? How Many Times?

Pre-med students are permitted to retake the exam if they choose, but there are some parameters to consider:

  • The MCAT can be taken up to three times in a single testing year.
  • Students can sit for the MCAT up to four times in a two-year period.
  • An individual can take the MCAT up to seven times in total.

It’s not uncommon for students to feel dissatisfied with their performance on the exam due to factors such as anxiety or lack of preparation. Retaking the MCAT is certainly an option for those motivated to increase their score, but there are some important factors to keep in mind.

A college student examines their previous MCAT scores

Retaking the MCAT: 3 Things to consider

If you’re eager to improve your MCAT score, there are a few things you should know. Read on for the details you need.

1. Your previous MCAT scores are still visible

One important thing to know when considering retaking the MCAT is that the medical schools you apply to will be able to view all of your MCAT scores. What they do with this information may vary, however.

Some MD programs simply consider an applicant’s highest score. Other institutions may take the average of all the applicant’s scores. And some opt to place greatest emphasis on an applicant’s most recent score.

2. Retaking the MCAT is a significant investment

You already know how much time and energy the MCAT takes. The exam itself takes more than seven hours to complete, covering 200+ questions that span a range of topics. You’ll also be responsible for paying the registration fee each time you sit for the exam. In 2022, that fee is $330.

Those who are on the fence about whether they should attempt to sit for the exam again may benefit from reviewing national data related to MCAT scores. While the maximum MCAT score is 528, the AAMC reports that the average score among applicants for the 2022–23 school year was 506.5.

What’s more important, however, is the average score among those who matriculated—or those who were accepted to and enrolled in medical school. For that same academic year, the average score among matriculants was 511.9.

This information can help you gauge how your score would measure up among the nation’s most recent pool of applicants. If you see room for improvement based on the numbers, it may be your sign that retaking the MCAT would be a wise investment.

A pre med student studies and prepares for the MCAT exam

3. Improving your MCAT score requires a fresh approach

Once you’ve committed to retaking the exam in hopes of a higher score, it’s time to hit the books in preparation. The good news is you won’t need to start from scratch. You can use your past MCAT performance as a roadmap to help guide your study plans.

Preparing for the MCAT requires a few core steps: setting specific goals, establishing a timeline, taking practice exams, and strengthening your weak spots. Because you’ve taken the exam previously, you have a relatively clear idea of what those weak spots entail, so you can focus more of your efforts on the areas in which you scored the lowest.

It’s also important to make some alterations to how you prepare when retaking the MCAT. If you don’t change the way you approached your study plan the first time around, you may end up receiving similar results.

Some find it helpful to consult a current medical student or fellow pre-med student who performed well on the exam to learn more about the tips and tricks that were effective for them. If available, you can also meet with a pre-med counselor at your undergraduate institution for additional guidance.

Achieve MCAT Success

Receiving an unsatisfactory score on the MCAT can feel like a make-or-break moment as an aspiring physician—but it doesn’t have to be. Now that you know how many times you can take the MCAT, how your original score measures up, and how to go about improving your performance, you can move past this setback with confidence.

If you’re looking for additional guidance in preparation for your retake, visit our article “How to Study for the MCAT: 6 Tips and Tricks to Try.”

Pre med student taking the MCAT exam

How Many Times Can You Retake the MCAT? Important Considerations for Retaking the Exam

 

One of the most prominent steps you’ll take in preparation for your medical school applications is sitting for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). This exam challenges aspiring physicians to demonstrate their knowledge and show their preparedness for a Doctor of Medicine (MD) program.

The MCAT assesses pre-med students on their aptitude in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and behavioral sciences. While this may seem like another formality on your road to medical school, it’s important to take your MCAT preparation seriously—a satisfactory score is among the most important criteria for admission to most MD programs.

If you sit for the exam and you’re not happy with your score, however, you do have the option to retake it. But how many times can you take the MCAT? And how does one go about improving their score?

Can you retake the MCAT? How Many Times?

Pre-med students are permitted to retake the exam if they choose, but there are some parameters to consider:

  • The MCAT can be taken up to three times in a single testing year.
  • Students can sit for the MCAT up to four times in a two-year period.
  • An individual can take the MCAT up to seven times in total.

It’s not uncommon for students to feel dissatisfied with their performance on the exam due to factors such as anxiety or lack of preparation. Retaking the MCAT is certainly an option for those motivated to increase their score, but there are some important factors to keep in mind.

A college student examines their previous MCAT scores

Retaking the MCAT: 3 Things to consider

If you’re eager to improve your MCAT score, there are a few things you should know. Read on for the details you need.

1. Your previous MCAT scores are still visible

One important thing to know when considering retaking the MCAT is that the medical schools you apply to will be able to view all of your MCAT scores. What they do with this information may vary, however.

Some MD programs simply consider an applicant’s highest score. Other institutions may take the average of all the applicant’s scores. And some opt to place greatest emphasis on an applicant’s most recent score.

2. Retaking the MCAT is a significant investment

You already know how much time and energy the MCAT takes. The exam itself takes more than seven hours to complete, covering 200+ questions that span a range of topics. You’ll also be responsible for paying the registration fee each time you sit for the exam. In 2022, that fee is $330.

Those who are on the fence about whether they should attempt to sit for the exam again may benefit from reviewing national data related to MCAT scores. While the maximum MCAT score is 528, the AAMC reports that the average score among applicants for the 2022–23 school year was 506.5.

What’s more important, however, is the average score among those who matriculated—or those who were accepted to and enrolled in medical school. For that same academic year, the average score among matriculants was 511.9.

This information can help you gauge how your score would measure up among the nation’s most recent pool of applicants. If you see room for improvement based on the numbers, it may be your sign that retaking the MCAT would be a wise investment.

A pre med student studies and prepares for the MCAT exam

3. Improving your MCAT score requires a fresh approach

Once you’ve committed to retaking the exam in hopes of a higher score, it’s time to hit the books in preparation. The good news is you won’t need to start from scratch. You can use your past MCAT performance as a roadmap to help guide your study plans.

Preparing for the MCAT requires a few core steps: setting specific goals, establishing a timeline, taking practice exams, and strengthening your weak spots. Because you’ve taken the exam previously, you have a relatively clear idea of what those weak spots entail, so you can focus more of your efforts on the areas in which you scored the lowest.

It’s also important to make some alterations to how you prepare when retaking the MCAT. If you don’t change the way you approached your study plan the first time around, you may end up receiving similar results.

Some find it helpful to consult a current medical student or fellow pre-med student who performed well on the exam to learn more about the tips and tricks that were effective for them. If available, you can also meet with a pre-med counselor at your undergraduate institution for additional guidance.

Achieve MCAT Success

Receiving an unsatisfactory score on the MCAT can feel like a make-or-break moment as an aspiring physician—but it doesn’t have to be. Now that you know how many times you can take the MCAT, how your original score measures up, and how to go about improving your performance, you can move past this setback with confidence.

If you’re looking for additional guidance in preparation for your retake, visit our article “How to Study for the MCAT: 6 Tips and Tricks to Try.”