AAMC MCAT Exam Format and Strategy 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How many sections does the MCAT have and what is the total test duration?
- 4 sections; approximately 7.5 hours total including breaks (Correct answer)
- 3 sections; approximately 5 hours total
- 5 sections; approximately 9 hours total
- 4 sections; 4 hours with no breaks
Correct answer: 4 sections; approximately 7.5 hours total including breaks
The MCAT has four sections and lasts about 7.5 hours including optional breaks and the tutorial, with roughly 6 hours and 15 minutes of actual testing.
Question 2: What is the scaled score range for each MCAT section?
- 118–132 per section; total 472–528 (Correct answer)
- 0–100 per section; total 0–400
- 1–15 per section; total 4–60
- 200–800 per section
Correct answer: 118–132 per section; total 472–528
Each of the four sections is scored 118–132, and the total ranges from 472 to 528, with 500 being the mean score.
Question 3: What does AMCAS stand for?
- American Medical College Application Service (Correct answer)
- Association of Medical Colleges Admissions System
- Advanced Medical Colleges Admissions Screening
- American Medical Certification and Admissions Service
Correct answer: American Medical College Application Service
AMCAS is the AAMC-administered centralized application service that collects and distributes applicants' materials to participating allopathic MD-granting schools.
Question 4: How many times may a student take the MCAT in a single calendar year?
- 3 times per year (Correct answer)
- 1 time per year
- 5 times per year
- No annual limit
Correct answer: 3 times per year
AAMC policy permits up to 3 attempts per calendar year, 4 in any two-year period, and 7 total lifetime attempts.
Question 5: What is the MCAT 'void' option?
- Choosing not to score the exam at the end of test day, preventing score reporting (Correct answer)
- Canceling a registration before the test date
- Requesting a rescore of an already-reported exam
- Withdrawing an AMCAS application after submission
Correct answer: Choosing not to score the exam at the end of test day, preventing score reporting
At the end of the MCAT, test-takers can void their score so no record is kept or reported, though registration fees are not refunded.
Question 6: Which organization develops and administers the MCAT?
- AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) (Correct answer)
- NBME (National Board of Medical Examiners)
- AMA (American Medical Association)
- USMLE program
Correct answer: AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges)
The AAMC develops, administers, and scores the MCAT, and redesigned it in 2015 to add the Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations section.
AAMC MCAT Exam Format and Strategy 1
How many sections does the MCAT have and what is the total test duration?