MCAT Scores

Class Location: The Internet.

Description: This course will teach students more information on how the MCAT is scored.

Objective: Learn how the MCAT is scored.

For each of the verbal reasoning, physical sciences, and biological sciences sections of the MCAT, you’ll receive a score between one and 15, with 15 being the highest. Two readers score each of the two essays in the writing sample, rating each essay with a number between one and six, with six being the highest. Those scores are then totaled and converted to a letter-rating scale between J and T, with T being the highest.

For the April 2006 test, the median total score for the verbal reasoning, physical sciences, and biological sciences sections was 25.6 and an O for the writing sample, with a standard deviation of 6.4. In general, the average score for each individual section is eight; however, those accepted into medical school averaged a 9.5 on each section.

Medical schools generally accept scores for up to three years from the date of the test. You can take the MCAT up to three times before seeking special permission. However, medical schools you apply to have access to all your test scores, so you should never take the MCAT as a practice, because the admissions officers will see those scores. Different schools judge multiple scores differently. Some will look at the most recent scores if they’re the highest; others will average the scores from each test; and still other schools will consider all the scores separately and equally. It usually takes six to ten weeks to receive your scores.

You can designate which schools you want to receive your MCAT scores in several ways. You can indicate the schools when you take the test. You can also send a letter to the AAMC or use the form that comes with your test scores. This allows the AAMC to include the scores with your AMCAS application. However, the schools won’t receive your scores separately; nor will any receive it without the AMCAS application [hyperlink tohttp://www.medicalschooladmissions101.com/amcas-application.php] . Finally, you can fill out an MCAT Additional Score Report, which appears on the AAMC website, to have your scores sent to med schools that don’t use the AMCAS application.