This might come as a surprise to hear, but your MCAT exam date doesn’t have to be set in stone. Far too many pre-med students fall into the trap of boxing themselves into taking the MCAT before they’re ready because they already registered for the test.
I’m a big believer in rescheduling your MCAT exam if you feel like you’re not fully prepared yet. It’s such an important (and expensive) test that you want to make sure you can put your best foot forward when you take it! So, here are my tips and tricks to help you learn how to reschedule the MCAT when you need more time to get ready.
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Learn How To Reschedule MCAT
Knowing When to Reschedule Your MCAT
Sometimes, you can just feel that you aren’t ready for the MCAT yet. But other times, it can be difficult to assess your own readiness, especially if you’ve already invested a lot of time studying. In that case, there are some key signs you can look for that will help you find an answer to the question “Should I reschedule my MCAT?”
Sign #1: You Aren’t Seeing Time Improvements
One of the trickiest parts of the MCAT is nailing down the timing. As you practice, you should aim to shave down your time per question as much as possible so you can have enough time to answer every question on the test. However, that can be much easier said than done.
If you notice that your time per question isn’t going down, you may want to consider rescheduling your exam and re-evaluating your study strategy. Here are some tips you can use to help speed up your timing:
- Pick out important information. Identify the most relevant information in passages, questions, and answer choices to cut out the confusion and time waste that comes with processing extraneous information.
- Read the questions first. Knowing what the question is asking before reading a passage can help you pinpoint the correct answer much faster.
- Practice, practice, and more practice. The real key to getting faster is to practice answering questions as much as possible and continue studying.
Time management is tough enough on a day-to-day basis, let alone on a nearly 8 hour test. Give yourself time to practice and improve, and try not to let yourself get discouraged. You can do this!
For many more tips on this go to my blog post MCAT Timing Breakdown: Maximize Your Test Day Success
Sign #2: You Still Have a Lot of Practice Materials to Get Through
If you still have a lot of piled up practice materials waiting for your attention, that can be another tell-tale sign that you aren’t ready for the test yet. I usually recommend to finish all the practice questions and exams in the AAMC bundle before your test date.
Having a pile-up of untouched practice materials usually means you need to re-evaluate your study timeline. Is it taking you longer than expected to work through certain sections? There’s nothing wrong with taking the extra time you need to make sure you understand concepts before you move on. However, you should factor that extra time into your overall timeline so you can make sure you end up having room to cover everything before your exam date.
Your study plan doesn’t have to be set in stone either! Don’t be afraid to move things around or spread things out. You never really know what will work until you try, so switching up your timeline to better match your needs is totally understandable.
Sign #3: Your Practice Scores Are Lower Than Expected
As you study, you should be taking practice exams regularly. Over time, you may start to notice that your practice scores aren’t improving at the rate you expected. Again, that’s okay! There’s no need to panic. It’s simply a sign that you might need to change how you’re studying or elongate your timeline a bit.
Pay close attention to your lowest-scoring parts of the practice exams. These can help you determine what’s bringing your score down and show you the path to making improvements to your study routine that will lead to improvements in your scores as well.
Sign #4: You Haven’t Adapted to Test Day Conditions Yet
Speaking of practice tests, you should always try to mimic test day conditions as closely as possible when you take them. Make your whole day into a mock MCAT day! Wake up when you would for the exam, eat the food you would eat that day, eliminate all distractions, time yourself, and follow as many exam rules as you can. Doing this helps you acclimate to the test beforehand so your mind and body will be fully ready to perform at peak capacity.
If you’re still struggling to adhere to test day conditions when you take your practice exams, that can be a sign to push your test date back. You want to have at least a few fully mock MCAT days under your belt before you try to do the real thing. That way, you’ll know what to expect and hopefully cut back on nerves and test anxiety.
How Does Rescheduling Work?
You can reschedule your MCAT test date by calling the AAMC’s number (202-828-0600) or using the online registration tool. If you choose to reschedule, there are two main things to keep in mind: scheduling fees and deadlines.
Scheduling Fees
The standard registration fee for the MCAT is $335, but the MCAT reschedule fee will be lower depending on how close to the exam date you choose to reschedule.
Here’s a breakdown of the rescheduling fees:
- 60 or more days before the exam: $50.
- 30 to 59 days before the exam: $100.
- 10 to 29 days before the exam: $200.
It’s important to note that MCAT reschedule deadlines take effect at 11:59PM local test center time on the day of the deadline.
MCAT Rescheduling FAQs
Now, let’s go over some quick answers to questions I hear all the time about MCAT rescheduling.
What Is the Last Day to Reschedule MCAT Exams?
You can no longer reschedule or make any changes to your test date less than 10 days before the exam, so make sure you call or go online to reschedule before then.
How Many Times Can You Reschedule MCAT Exams?
You can reschedule your exam as many times as you want! But, remember that rescheduling always comes with a fee. Plan ahead and make sure you will have enough time before your rescheduled test date to prepare as much as you need.
Can You Reschedule the MCAT for Next Year?
You can only reschedule your exam for test dates that are already available. In most cases, the exam dates for the following year probably won’t be posted yet, so you won’t be able to reschedule that far in advance. Another solution would be to cancel your exam and wait for the next year’s dates to become available.
Can Already Submit Your Primary Application Without Your MCAT Score?
Yes, you can. And you even should do that if you haven’t taken your MCAT yet and primary applications are already open. This way, you place yourself into the first line of applications and increase your chances of acceptance. Learn more about what it means to apply early, plus many more application strategies in my Free Premed Workshop!
Final Thoughts
The MCAT is a major piece of every pre-med student’s journey. Make sure you’re ready to score your absolute best by not being afraid to reschedule when you need it. Remember to be kind to yourself and adapt your study habits over time. Everything about the MCAT is a learning experience, so try not to get discouraged. Good luck, and happy studying!
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