When Should I Take the MCAT in 2023?
There are 30 MCAT test dates to choose from in 2023. When deciding on an MCAT test date, consider the fact that you’ll need 3-5 months to study and want your MCAT scores to be ready by the time primary applications are submitted in June. Other factors include whether or not you want a weekend test date, seat availability at your preferred testing center, and personal obligations.
Taking just a little bit of time now to determine your future test date can put you ahead of the game and help you develop a strong plan for your MCAT success in 2023.
2023 MCAT Test Dates
These are the 2023 MCAT test dates, plus score release dates, and registration deadlines. The standard MCAT testing time is 8:00 AM, unless noted otherwise. You can see MCAT test dates, score releases dates, and registration deadlines below.
2023 MCAT Test Date | 60-Day Registration Deadline | 30-Day Registration Deadline | 10-Day Registration Deadline | 2023 MCAT Score Release Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
January 13, 2023 | November 14, 2022 | December 14, 2022 | January 3, 2023 | February 14, 2023 |
January 14, 2023 | November 15, 2022 | December 15, 2022 | January 4, 2023 | February 14, 2023 |
January 19, 2023 | November 20, 2022 | December 20, 2023 | January 9, 2023 | February 21, 2023 |
January 27, 2023 | November 28, 2022 | December 28, 2022 | January 17, 2023 | March 3, 2023 |
March 11, 2023 | January 10, 2023 | February 9, 2023 | March 1, 2023 | April 11, 2023 |
March 24, 2023 | January 23, 2023 | February 22, 2023 | March 14, 2023 | April 25, 2023 |
April 14, 2023 | February 13, 2023 | March 15, 2023 | April 4, 2023 | May 16, 2023 |
April 28, 2023 | February 27, 2023 | March 29, 2023 | April 18, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
April 29, 2023 | February 28, 2023 | March 30, 2023 | April 19, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
May 12, 2023 | March 13, 2023 | April 12, 2023 | May 2, 2023 | June 13, 2023 |
May 13, 2023 | March 14, 2023 | April 13, 2023 | May 3, 2023 | June 13, 2023 |
May 18, 2023 | March 19, 2023 | April 18, 2023 | May 8, 2023 | June 21, 2023 |
May 26, 2023 | March 27, 2023 | April 26, 2023 | May 16, 2023 | June 27, 2023 |
June 3, 2023 | April 4, 2023 | May 4, 2023 | May 24, 2023 | July 6, 2023 |
June 16, 2023 | April 17, 2023 | May 17, 2023 | June 6, 2023 | July 18, 2023 |
June 17, 2023 | April 18, 2023 | May 18, 2023 | June 7, 2023 | July 18, 2023 |
June 23, 2023 | April 24, 2023 | May 24, 2023 | June 13, 2023 | July 25, 2023 |
June 24, 2023 | April 25, 2023 | May 25, 2023 | June 14, 2023 | July 25, 2023 |
June 29, 2023 | April 30, 2023 | May 30, 2023 | June 19, 2023 | July 31, 2023 |
July 15, 2023 | May 16, 2023 | June 15, 2023 | July 5, 2023 | August 15, 2023 |
July 28, 2023 | May 29, 2023 | June 28, 2023 | July 18, 2023 | August 29, 2023 |
August 4, 2023 | June 5, 2023 | July 5, 2023 | July 25, 2023 | September 6, 2023 |
August 19, 2023 | June 20, 2023 | July 20, 2023 | August 9, 2023 | September 19, 2023 |
August 25, 2023 | June 26, 2023 | July 26, 2023 | August 15, 2023 | September 26, 2023 |
August 26, 2023 | June 27, 2023 | July 27, 2023 | August 16, 2023 | September 26, 2023 |
August 31, 2023 | July 2, 2023 | August 1, 2023 | August 21, 2023 | October 3, 2023 |
September 1, 2023 | July 3, 2023 | August 2, 2023 | August 22, 2023 | October 3, 2023 |
September 8, 2023 | July 10, 2023 | August 9, 2023 | August 29, 2023 | October 13, 2023 |
September 9, 2023 | July 11, 2023 | August 10, 2023 | August 30, 2023 | October 13, 2023 |
Expert Test Tip
Aeri Kim, MCAT Instructor
“Try out different study schedule methods to help you stay on track. Students commonly over-budget themselves, then abandon the schedule because they’re “just not a scheduling kind of person”. Instead, the study schedule should be adaptable and fluid so that it’s a useful tool, not a source of stress.”
If you stick with your selected MCAT test date, you will avoid rescheduling or cancellation fees, which increase the closer you get to your test date.
The importance of choosing your 2023 MCAT Test Date
In 2023, the MCAT will be offered in January and every month from March through September. With so many MCAT test dates coming up, it can be easy to put your decision of when to take the MCAT on the back-burner. But think about it like this: lots of longer-term decisions—like when to schedule your test prep—depend on your 2023 MCAT test date. Taking just a little bit of time now to determine your future test date can put you ahead of the game and help you develop a strong plan for your MCAT success.
Taking the MCAT in time for your Med School application
We generally recommend that students give themselves at least three to five months to prepare for the MCAT. As such, if you want to test in January or March, then you’ll want to get started in September or October. If you’re testing in April, May, June, or July, then January or February is the perfect time to get started on your prep.
Remember that the application cycle opens in June of each year, and you will want your official MCAT score to be released and ready to go when you submit your medical school application. That way, your application can immediately be considered as soon as it is received, since most schools operate on rolling admissions.
Is the January 2023 MCAT test date right for you?
If you have completed all or most of your MCAT prerequisite coursework, you are definitely a candidate for taking the January MCAT exam. Even if you are completing those courses this term, you can still be ready for the January MCAT test date.
If this describes you, it’s a great idea to get your MCAT preparation and administration out of the way early in the year. Taking the January exam will allow you to put the MCAT portion of your application away for the Spring term so you can free up your focus for the application itself—including the preparation and revisions of your personal statement.
In addition, a lot of students choose to take the MCAT in January because there is usually a lot of break time leading up to the test date, which provides a nice chunk of time for them to focus on MCAT prep without the distraction of classes and finals.
Are the March, April, and May 2023 exams right for you?
March, April, and May have historically been—and will likely continue to be—the most popular testing months because they occur before the application cycle opens in June. While these Spring months might seem far away, now is the perfect time to get started preparing for these exams. This way, you can comfortably pace your MCAT study and not be rushed into cramming—an unadvisable strategy when it comes to preparing for standardized tests—during the Spring terms.
MCAT Prep Tip
As the official MCAT prep of the AMSA, Kaplan has many MCAT classes to prepare you for any test date. You can register months in advance, so you can enroll and save your spot for when they begin. This way of thinking ahead has an additional payoff: Even though you might not start your MCAT class meetings right away, once you enroll, you get access to your Kaplan materials and can get a jumpstart on your preparation.
What about the summer 2023 MCAT test dates?
The MCAT test dates scheduled for the summer are ideal for students who want to spend the academic year completing coursework and therefore need to dedicate their summer months to studying. If you are planning on taking the MCAT in June, you will want to start your preparation no later than February, but if you are thinking of July, August, or September, you can wait until the latter part of the spring to get started.
Testing in summer allows you to intensely study for the MCAT without worrying about classwork. But just remember—if you wait until these later exam dates to test, you will be entering the application cycle once it is in full swing.
Why you should start prepping for the 2023 MCAT now
As you start to think about your MCAT prep and how it affects—and is affected by—your chosen MCAT test date, remember the immediate benefits of taking an MCAT prep course. As soon as you enroll, even if your class sessions aren’t starting for months, you get access to all of your materials, including the review books, class sessions and workshops, and Science review videos.
A lot of students who want to get a leg up on their competition start using those materials right away. Not just to jump start their MCAT prep, but also to get the edge in their undergraduate courses. Take a page from their book and you’ll in essence be killing two birds with one stone: prepping for the MCAT while getting extra resources for your classes.
Here’s one good way to get the most out of those resources. For example, if you are taking biochemistry this year, you could use the MCAT Channel sessions and Science review videos that focus on biochemistry to give yourself a boost in those courses—think of it as background material.
Also, your access to the review notes, which nicely summarize the big topics of biochemistry, could give you an added advantage. Might as well get the maximum value out of enrollment, with the longest course access possible leading up to your test date. That’s extra time to prepare for the exam and simultaneously fortify your knowledge of the topics that will help you get into, and succeed in, medical school.
How Long Do You Need To Prepare For The MCAT
A typical amount of time to prepare effectively for the MCAT is between 200-300 hours total. We actually recommend 300-350 hours. Ideally, you would spread this out over several months, especially if you have other commitments such as school or work. A common error that many test-takers make is to try to study for the MCAT while carrying a very heavy load of activities. Remember, the more things you are involved in, the less time you’ll have to study effectively.
Some test-takers spend six months preparing for the MCAT, while others choose to cram it all into just a month before the test. Consider your own schedule carefully, be realistic about all of your commitments, and plan as far in advance as possible. Then you can be realistic about your ability to master the demands of the MCAT.
[RELATED: MCAT one-month study plan & MCAT three-month study plan ]
When to Register for the MCAT in 2023
It’s crucial that you check the registration dates for the date you want to test ahead of time. Historically, testing seats fill up very quickly—some in less than 24 hours— and we expect the same to occur this year. You might say that MCAT seats were just as popular as the hottest music events!
Of course, in order to register, you’ll need to know which MCAT test date you’re going for—just another reason to select it now so you are prepared. (Notice how much we’re emphasizing this?) Take some time now to build out your calendar for the next few months. Include personal, academic, and professional obligations so the date doesn’t sneak up on you.
MCAT Academic Background Requirements
The MCAT does not require you to have taken high-level science courses. In fact, introductory-level courses that are typically taken in the first two years of college are almost all that you need to have the right background for the MCAT. The only exception is Biochemistry, which is typically taken later in your college career.
The undergraduate courses that are reflected in the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems section of the MCAT are:
- Introductory General Chemistry (30%)
- Introductory Physics (25%)
- Organic Chemistry (15%)
- Biochemistry (25%)
- Introductory Biology (5%)
The undergraduate courses that are reflected in the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the MCAT are:
- Introductory Biology (65%)
- First-semester Biochemistry (25%)
- Introductory General Chemistry (5%)
- Introductory Organic Chemistry (5%)
- Additional biology classes such as Cell Biology, Genetics, Anatomy, and Physiology, or Microbiology can be helpful but aren’t required.
The undergraduate courses that are reflected in the Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior section of the MCAT are:
- Introductory Psychology (65%)
- Introductory Sociology (30%)
- Introductory Biology (5%)
The Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section of the MCAT does not require any specific coursework. As the name implies, this section of the MCAT asks you to use critical reasoning skills to read, analyze and interpret passages and answer related questions. Reading at a level expected of a college undergraduate is appropriate for this section of the test.
[RELATED: What’s Tested on the MCAT? ]
Considerations When Choosing an MCAT Test Date in 2023
In summary, there are several factors that MCAT test takers should take into consideration when deciding when to test.
No matter when you choose to test in 2023, you can still get started now and spread your preparation out. Even if you haven’t completed your prerequisite courses, reviewing old content can ensure you stay fresh and up to date. At any point, signing up for a Kaplan MCAT course gives you access to our Review Books, The MCAT Channel, Science Review Videos, and much more.
Kaplan is the official MCAT® prep of the American Medical Student Association.