Every year the AAMC offers the MCAT exam on specific dates. Typically, there are a couple of MCAT test dates in January and then a slight break followed by exams throughout spring and summer.
You will probably be dying to see your results right away. However, MCAT results are provided 1 month after the exam date.
Below we have provided all the offered MCAT test dates in 2020, as well as the score release dates.
| MCAT Test Dates 2020 | Score Release Date |
| Friday, January 17, 2020 | Tuesday, February 18, 2020 |
| Saturday, January 18, 2020 | Tuesday, February 18, 2020 |
| Thursday, January 23, 2020 | Tuesday, February 25, 2020 |
| Saturday, March 14, 2020 | Tuesday, April 14, 2020 |
| Friday, March 27, 2020 | Friday, May 1, 2020 |
| Saturday, April 4, 2020 | Tuesday, May 5, 2020 |
| Friday, April 24, 2020 | Wednesday, May 27, 2020 |
| Saturday, April 25, 2020 | Wednesday, May 27, 2020 |
| Saturday, May 9, 2020 | Tuesday, June 9, 2020 |
| Friday, May 15, 2020 | Tuesday, June 16, 2020 |
| Saturday, May 16, 2020 | Tuesday, June 16, 2020 |
| Thursday, May 21, 2020 | Tuesday, June 23, 2020 |
| Friday, May 29, 2020 | Tuesday, June 30, 2020 |
| Friday, June 5, 2020 | Tuesday, July 7, 2020 |
| Friday, June 19, 2020 | Tuesday, July 21, 2020 |
| Saturday, June 20, 2020 | Tuesday, July 21, 2020 |
| Saturday, June 27, 2020 | Tuesday, July 28, 2020 |
| Tuesday, July 7, 2020 | Thursday, August 6, 2020 |
| Saturday, July 18, 2020 | Tuesday, August 18, 2020 |
| Thursday, July 23, 2020 | Tuesday, August 25, 2020 |
| Friday, July 31, 2020 | Tuesday, September 1, 2020 |
| Saturday, August 1, 2020 | Tuesday, September 1, 2020 |
| Friday, August 7, 2020 | Wednesday, September 9, 2020 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2020 | Wednesday, September 9, 2020 |
| Friday, August 14, 2020 | Tuesday, September 15, 2020 |
| Saturday, August 29, 2020 | Tuesday, September 29, 2020 |
| Thursday, September 3, 2020 | Tuesday, October 6, 2020 |
| Friday, September 4, 2020 | Tuesday, October 6, 2020 |
| Friday, September 11, 2020 | Tuesday, October 13, 2020 |
| Saturday, September 12, 2020 | Tuesday, October 13, 2020 |
There are a lot of dates to choose from and I know from experience that the decision can be overwhelming. Here are 4 things to consider when registering for the MCAT.
# 1 Your Study Plan
How long do you plan on studying for the MCAT?
Consider when you will start your MCAT studying and register accordingly. Check out my post on when the best time to take the MCAT is.
Here are 4 questions you should ask yourself when making a study plan and deciding when to register for the MCAT.
- When do you plan on applying to Medical School? This is important because before a medical school can consider you for an interview, they need to have your MCAT score. If you take your exam in July, make sure you understand that your MCAT scores won’t process for 1 month.
- When do you plan on being finished with your MCAT prerequisites? Also very important. From day 1 as a premed student, you should already be taking the MCAT prerequisites. However, there are a lot of premed courses and sometimes we have to leave a specific class for senior year. Plan on taking the most important MCAT prerequisites before taking the MCAT.
- Can you balance MCAT studying and being a full-time student? I know I couldn’t. Be honest with yourself. If you are the kind of person that needs to focus on one task until it is finished, then you should consider taking the MCAT outside of school.
- Will you need to retake the MCAT? Very important to think about. If you decide to take the MCAT September 14th and you are not happy with your performance, you won’t have the option to take another exam until next year.
# 2 The “Zones”
There are 3 “Zones” for MCAT registering. The Gold Zone, the Silver Zone, and the Bronze Zone. The AAMC describes what these zones entail. Essentially they are cutoffs for refunds for cancelations, rescheduling, and even editing registration information such as name, address, consents, etc.
Below is a snapshot from the AAMC containing all the information regarding the “Zones.”
As you can see, it is important to pay attention to when you are about to approach a zone deadline. Not only is money at stake, but you must be aware of when your last chance to reschedule is.
# 3 MCAT Seats Fill Up
This is often overlooked. But I can’t stress how important this is. Do not wait till the last minute to register for the MCAT.
Sometimes, even the Gold Zone is not a good representation for registering early. For instance, the last time I took the MCAT I registered about 30 days out. However, even though I registered 30 days out, I was registering during the summer which tends to be a popular time. The date I needed to take the MCAT was completely booked in all the locations in DFW. I ended up having to register in Waco, TX which is over an hour and a half away. This was problematic because that would either require me to wake up VERY early for the exam or sleep in a hotel the night before. Neither situation is ideal.
Luckily for me, a spot opened up nearby last minute. I did have to pay a fee but it was worth it to avoid the stress of getting to Waco in time.
Registering early is especially important if you plan on taking the exam towards the end of Summer. If the last seats fill up, you may end up having to wait until next January!
You can avoid extra fees and the stress of all the nearby seats filling up by registering for the MCAT early!
# 4 AAMC Fee Assistant Program
If your income is below the Fee Assistant poverty line, you may be eligible for the AAMC Fee Assistant Program. Make sure you check this out before MCAT registration. You need to apply for the assistance and this can take time.
Ready to begin your MCAT Prep?
When you have picked a date to take your exam, check out our MCAT resources to help with your prep.
I am a firm believer that the best way to study for the MCAT is practice problem after practice problem. Although content review is also important, you need to make sure you are doing practice problems daily when preparing for the exam. That being said, you will need a lot of material if you plan on spending a couple of months studying. The AAMC material is the best out there, but they are limited. Check out our post on the best MCAT practice problem books for extra practice.
We also recommend checking out Khan Academy for free MCAT content review. In my opinion, a visual representation of certain topics on the MCAT will really help drill that material into your brain. That is what Khan Academy specializes in. And they’re free, can’t beat that. Read our post on Khan Academy MCAT prep for a more detailed description of how valuable their material is and how to use it.
Finally, if you need to spend as little time as possible studying for the MCAT, check out our 1 month MCAT study plan. I used this plan to raise my MCAT score by 12 raw points.
Good luck studying!
Let us know when you plan on taking the MCAT in the comments below. We are always looking for feedback.