MCAT Frequently Asked Questions

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a prerequisite for admission to nearly all the medical schools in North America. Each year, over 80,000 applicants to American and Canadian medical schools submit MCAT test results. While the actual weight given to MCAT scores in the admission process varies from school to school, they are often regarded in a similar manner to your college/university GPA (i.e. your academic standing). For example, when applying for medicine at some medical schools, the MCAT score is as important as three or four years of undergraduate study! On the other hand, some universities will set a minimum level of performance on the MCAT and then analyze school grades to decide who will be invited to the interviews. Either way, doing well is imperative for most applicants. To register for the MCAT, you should consult your undergraduate/premed adviser, register online and/or contact:

• MCAT Program
• 655 K Street NW, Suite 100
• Washington, DC, 20001-2399
• Phone: (202) 828-0690

Visit AAMC or MCAT Registration for further information.

You can view the upcoming test dates at MCAT Test Dates.

The MCAT will not only test your scientific knowledge in Biology, Biochemistry, Physics, Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, but it will also test your problem-solving and critical thinking skills and grasp of the interplay between Psychology, Sociology and Biology with the context being basic research methods. All questions are multiple choice with four choices per question. To view the complete topics that are covered in the MCAT, click here: MCAT Topics List

The MCAT changed in 1991 and then some minor changes were further instituted in 2003. In 2007, the MCAT became shorter and changed to a Computer Based Test (CBT). It was approximately 5 hours vs. the previous testing time of 8 hours because there were only 3 sections. Students received their test scores more quickly. The MCAT has changed again in the spring of 2015.

For a comparison of the old MCAT and the new MCAT, click here: MCAT Changes.

For more information and a detailed schedule of the current MCAT, click here: MCAT 2016.

The new MCAT is scored for each of the four sections individually. Each section will receive a scaled score from a low of 118 to a high of 132 with a midpoint of 125. Then, these four scores will be combined to create a total score that will range from 472 to 528, with a midpoint of 500. Note that wrong answers are worth the same as unanswered questions so ALWAYS ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS even if you are not sure of certain answers.

For more information, click here: MCAT Scores.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, you may take the exam up to 3 times in a single testing year, 4 times during a two consecutive-year period and 7 times in a lifetime. Subsequently, the medical school to which you would apply may do any one of the following:

• Evaluate the most recent score
• Evaluate only the highest individual and/or set of scores
• Evaluate an average of the sets of scores
• Consider all scores equally and note the improvements.

Every student is different, but on average the recommended study time for students is 3-6 hours/day for 3-6 months. For the recommended MCAT study schedule, click here: MCAT Study Schedule. It may be more or less depending on your past study experience and habits. We have many free resources you can access to help with your preparation:

• Free MCAT Practice Test (78 questions, approx. 1/3 length)
• MCAT Videos
• MCAT Prep Forum
• Premed Advice
• MCAT Blog

Unfortunately, we do not provide medical school application information. You must directly contact the medical school that interests you or go to the AAMC website. You may also visit our MCAT Scores page. We are an MCAT preparation company.

To know your chances of getting accepted into medical school, click here: Medical School Admissions Calculator Based on GPA and MCAT Score

You can register for the MCAT online through the AAMC website. It is important to register early so that you can select your first-choice time, location and date.

MCAT-prep.com offers a program that is unprecedented in its completeness. As long as you have completed a first year college education including basic sciences and at least one course requiring English reading/writing, we can offer you a complete program. The expression "The Only Prep You Need" specifically refers to students who dedicate themselves to MCAT exam preparation by registering and fully participating in our Platinum Program. This program consists of MCAT books, e-books, MP3s, full-length practice tests, MCAT CARS tests, online videos and monthly webinars.

We generally recommend that students complete at least 3 of the 4 basic sciences in university, college/CEGEP, advanced high-school courses and speed reading courses if necessary. Depending on their knowledge or experience, some students may begin our courses weeks, months or even years prior to the anticipated time for the actual MCAT. Bear in mind, our program does not just review the information. MCAT-prep.com teaches the information you need to know to excel at the MCAT. For more information, visit our MCAT advice blog: FutureDoctor.net.

Depending on the product purchased, the online access ranges from 6 months to 12 months. Please refer to the appropriate product on our website for more details.

The content and structure of the MCAT changed in 1991. In 2003, the new MCAT changed a bit in structure but essentially continued to have the same content as all of the MCAT exams since 1991. All paper exams including actual past exams (which you receive in our Platinum Program) require the same knowledge, though the structure is slightly different as compared to the current exam. We made extensive content changes in 2011. In 2015, we have updated our content for the new MCAT. All our ebooks, book and MCAT practice tests as well as study materials reflect the new format in content, structure and scoring. Please visit MCAT 2016 for more information on this topic.

Course extensions are usually purchased in blocks of 6 months at half the regular course fee. Course extensions for The Platinum Program are at the reduced rate of $699. Students who wish to have extensions receive full online access and privileges, but they do not receive a second set of tangible course materials.

No. All course materials including online access are exclusively for our registered students and are non-refundable. Registering under a different IP address can result in permanent account deletion according to our Terms of Use.

We believe that we are the best at teaching and preparing for the MCAT exam. If for any reason you are not satisfied with your results, you can repeat the course once for an administrative fee. Of course, you will not receive a second set of course materials. Course refunds are not possible.

A free initial access to MCAT-Prep.com includes 1 practice test (78 questions, approx. 1/3 length) and 1 hour of free videos. You can sign up here: Free MCAT Practice Test.

Other useful study tools include the following:

• MCAT Biochemistry Review Summary
• MCAT Organic Chemistry Mechanisms
• MCAT Physics Equations Lists
• Free MCAT videos

Yes, sign-up here: Free MCAT Practice Test

The 8 Gold Standard MCAT Practice Tests are Computer Based Tests (CBTs) and all multiple-choice sections are instantly corrected after you submit the test. All attempts are saved in your History section so you can review answers and explanations whenever you want.

Our GS (Gold Standard) tests are simulated practice exams based on the same format as the AAMC tests (proper timing, number of questions, CBT, on screen highlighter, strikeout function, etc.). Most students tend to find that the GS tests are somewhat more difficult.

Student Opinions and Scores:

• GS vs. Real AAMC
• GS vs. Practice AAMC

The 8 GS (Gold Standard) tests are simulated practice exams based on the same format as the AAMC tests. Our practice tests mirror features of the AAMC tests, such as proper timing, number of questions, on-screen highlighters and strikeout function. The consensus amongst students is that they tend to find the GS MCAT practice tests somewhat more difficult than the official past AAMC exams.

Student Opinions and Scores:

• GS vs. Real AAMC
• GS vs. Practice AAMC

The key elements of MCAT University are the following:

• 1) e-Books covering MCAT Psychology, Sociology, MCAT Math, Physics, General and Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biology
• 2) 30⁺ hours of online videos including science review and chapter commentary videos
• 3) 4 full-length GS MCAT practice tests
• 4) MCAT CARS tests with content that is different from the full-length tests

• MCAT University has 4 MCAT practice tests, while the Crash Course has 2 practice tests. If you have the Crash Course and would like to add individual tests separately, it will cost you $20/test.
• With MCAT University, you have access to additional 5 full-length MCAT CARS tests with content different from the 4 MCAT practice tests.

No. Our MCAT CARS exams are different from the CARS section of our full-length MCAT exams GS-1 to GS-7.

• Gold Standard Complete Home Study MCAT Course includes the Gold Standard MCAT textbook, AAMC Guide to the MCAT Exam, Examkrackers CARS/Math book, e-books, apps, MP3s, practice tests, flashcards, Medical School Interview DVD and access to our 30⁺hours online MCAT videos. All new MCAT topics are reviewed from science to non-science.
• Platinum Package that includes everything in the Home Study MCAT Package plus 2 more full-length MCAT practice tests, Official AAMC Sample Test and Practice Exam, webinars and MCAT score guarantee.

No, the Platinum Package includes all of the tangible and online products we provide.

No. The Platinum Program is currently provided to students with a 35% discount which is more than equivalent to receiving all the course materials for free. Thus, the same course materials come as a package for all our students.

Go to your members page, click on the Tests tab. Then click on the fourth column ‘Last Taken’ of the exam you would like to view.

Approximately 20% are passage based and most chapters have a passage based unit. Although 80% of the questions are discrete, most of our discrete practice questions require reasoning skills. For more information about the new MCAT biology and Biochemistry book, click this link: Gold Standard New MCAT Biology and Biochemistry Book.

Your PC should include: Windows 95, 98, Me, XP, or NT 4.0, or 2000; Pentium 200Mhz or greater; 32 MB RAM or greater (64 MB for NT or 2000); Sound card and speakers or headphones; 28.8kb modem (56kb recommended) and reliable Internet service; Internet Explorer 5.5 SP1 and Internet Tools or higher; Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher (available as a free download from www.adobe.com); JAVA 2.0 plug-in and greater (also available as a free download from www.java.com) and cookies must be enabled; America Online users will need 5.0 or higher, and will need to minimize the AOL window and open Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher.

To register, click here: Signup Signup

In the Sign Up section, it is recommended that you fill out the registration form completely. This gives us a better understanding of what you want as a customer and allows us to give you relevant and accurate information when you need it. We do require, however, you supply the proper information for the fields with an adjacent *.

• E-mail - your e-mail address. (e.g. jdoe@mcat-prep.com)
• Password - a case-sensitive phrase you must create and use to log into the web site. It must be at least 6 characters long and contain any characters the student wants. Password again
• Username - a case-sensitive name that you must create and use when you log onto the web site. It must be at least 6 characters long and can contain letters and digits.
• First Name - your given name (e.g. John)
• Last Name - your family name (e.g. Doe)

At the upper right corner of MCAT-prep.com, click on the Login button and enter the email address and password that were created when you registered.

Login into your member profile and click on the Account tab. Then click on the link "change". You will be prompted to enter your existing password and then enter the new password as well as confirming the new password.

Scroll down to Add More Packages on the Members home Page. This table shows the packages that you haven't added to your portfolio. It shows all the packages on your first visit. A package will move up the Package Portfolio table on the same page once it is added.

After you have selected the package(s) from the MCAT Home Page, you will be directed to our subscription page containing our varied courses and products. Go to the desired course/product and click Sign-Up. You will be taken to a PayPal checkout page. The next page will show a breakdown of the details related to that package or product.

Please enter your shipping destination for a calculation of your shipping costs (for tangible items). Click on Checkout and you will be redirected to complete your payment via PayPal. Please confirm the shipping address by modifying the shipping form and verifying the items purchased.

If you do not want to make your payment via PayPal, you can do so through our Secure Credit Card Payments. Enter the Package or Item, as well as the Total Cost. Please note that the Total Amount should include both the product cost and if applicable, the shipping cost. Click Checkout to enter your credit card and shipping information.

If you would like to pay via phone, call our toll-free number 1-866-333-3138 to complete your payment. Please note that there is an additional $15 administrative charge for orders and payments made over the phone.

Due to pre-arranged methods or agreements, we are unable to accede to your request. But, if you wish a bulk purchase for your institution or tutor service, please contact us directly for possible discounts at learn@gold-standard.com.

Once your payment has been processed, you will receive an email from Authorize.net or PayPal with the amount deducted and an invoice number for tracking purposes. If the deduction is unsuccessful, you will also receive an email and the content will state the nature of the problem.

Once your payment is processed successfully, you will be redirected to the members page and the new subscription will be available under Subscriptions in My Account. You will receive an e-mail from MCAT-prep.com support, confirming the package purchase. Please check your junk mail, since emails can get sent sometimes to that folder.

To check the status of your order, refer to the order summary that was provided to you upon purchase. If you have any problems, please contact us at learn@gold-standard.com. Please have your transaction number and email address of purchase handy.

An email on how to download the MP3 files will be sent to you once your payment is processed.

You need to Log into the Members page. Go to your Account page and find the course you want to unsubscribe from. Click the Unsubscribe button beside the selected course.

Another option: go to Paypal and cancel the payment manually.

• Log in to your PayPal account.
• Click the 'Settings' icon at the top of the page.
• Under 'Payment settings', click Pre-approved payments..
• Use the filter to select the seller whose agreement you want to cancel and click Cancel.
• Click Cancel Profile to confirm your request.

We apologize for the misunderstanding. It is indicated on our website that all of our online programs are monthly subscriptions. Our aim is to provide the service while allowing you to sign up for a limited duration of your choice, hence providing you the freedom to cancel at anytime. Moreover, when the MCAT University program was purchased, you should have been redirected to a PayPal page to create a subscription/recurring payment. Additionally, monthly PayPal notifications are also sent to the email address associated with the subscription.

As per our Terms of Use, we do not refund any of our online products and hence, we are unable to refund your payment. Please note that the AAMC has similar policies regarding refunds.

Once payment is processed successfully, you will receive 2 emails almost immediately. The 1st will be from either Paypal (if paid via Paypal account) or from authorize.net (if paid using a credit card). The 2nd email will be from help@mcat-prep.com and will contain your login details. This email sometimes goes into the junk or spam folder.

If you haven't received your login information, contact us through Live Chat and provide us with the following information: (1) email address used to purchase the product and (2) Paypal confirmation. Note: If the product was purchased through ebay or Amazon, the login details will be sent to you within 24 hours.

A brand new book comes with online access code to 6 months of free online access to additional practice questions with helpful solutions. Please enter your access information here. If your access has expired or if you have purchased a second-hand Gold Standard textbook, you can purchase The Gold Standard Owners Access for a one-time fee of $39.95 USD for 12 months.

Once you are logged in as a Gold Standard MCAT BIO Owner, click on Account on the top Menu and it will show the products you are registered for. As an Owner, you have 6 months access to Biology and Biochemistry lessons, extra practice questions and 2 hour access to our online science video library.

You need to register for The Gold Standard Owners Access. The chapter review questions can be found under the Lessons tab of your MCAT-prep.com account.

Once you own an MCAT Home Study Package, you automatically gain access to Lessons and Practice Tests.

For further support, contact us through Live Chat or email learn@gold-standard.com

You can find free science review videos at MCAT Videos. You can also sign-up for a free account on our website to access 1 hour of free videos of your choice.

You can upload our videos onto your iPod. An email is sent to you with all the necessary information once you purchase access to the online videos.

Yes, you can purchase online access to the videos you would like to watch. You can make your purchase by visiting MCAT Videos. Click on the subject you want and purchase the video(s) you need. It will cost you from $3/video for 4-month access.

No, online access unfortunately does not generally work that way. This policy is explained further in our Terms of Use.

No, online access unfortunately does not generally work that way. You are paying to have access for a specific time period. Whether you used it frequently or not at all during your access period does not change the rate of payment. This policy is explained further in our Terms of Use.

In your member profile, click on the Account Tab and you will see the registered since date and below that you will see the Access Expiration date.

Yes, you may extend your access to the MCAT exams even after your access period has expired. For information on extensions, login into your profile and click on the Account tab in the top menu. Then click Extensions. Extensions period are for 1, 3, 6 months or 1 year.

When the email address associated with the payment is not the member email address to which the extension should apply, it is important to inform us in one of the following ways:

• Provide "merchant instructions" within the payment process to inform us of the member profile to which the extension should be applied
• Send an email to learn@gold-standard.com providing us with the appropriate details
• Chat with us online using the Live Chat button shown on the right corner of your monitor
• Call our customer service toll free line 1-866-333-3138 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm EST)

It is recommended Mozilla Firefox be used for the tests, as they work best with this browser. You need to enable Java Script by following these steps: navigate to the Edit tab on Firefox, click on Firefox Preferences, then Content and Enable JavaScript.

Also, if you use add-ons on Firefox, check if any of them require JavaScript to be off since these can block the application. You can check the add-ons by navigating to the Tools tab and clicking on Add-Ons. Lastly, before closing any test or browser, please ensure that you wait a few seconds so that all of the test data can be properly stored in our database.

Once the account has expired, it reverts to a free account and the History section will only reflect the results for the free GS-Free test. However, we do keep all the practice test results in our servers so if you renew or extend your access, the History will be fully reinstated automatically.