Voiding MCAT Scores: Great Hack or Your Last Resort?

I want to warn you about an MCAT question you may not have spent months preparing to answer. Right after you’ve just challenged your brain to exhaustion for hours and finally powered to the end of the fourth section, bam! You’re faced with two options: keep your scores and see how you did or choose to void the exam and erase it all.

Yes, you read that correctly – AAMC gives you the option of voiding your MCAT score. However, they don’t give you a breather to go home and think over it after a good night’s sleep. Nope, it’s an immediate decision.
The clock is ticking, and you have only five minutes to decide. Should you sacrifice your score and prepare for a retake, or should you hold onto it and hope for the best? I’ll break down what choosing the voiding MCAT option means, how it can impact your application profile, and the scenarios where voiding your score might actually be your best course of action.

This post is all about voiding mcat.

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All About Voiding MCAT

What Does Voiding the MCAT Mean?

Voiding your MCAT scores essentially means that you’re choosing not to have your test results scored and reported to medical schools. In other words, it’s like saying, “Hey, I don’t want anything I did here today to count at all.”

Basically, it’s like taking a big eraser to your exam. After working through the eight-hour marathon of a test, you have the option to say, “Nah, not feeling it,” and request that your hard work not be scored. But here’s the catch – you’ve only got five minutes after finishing the test to decide.

Now, if you storm out in the middle of the exam without declaring you want to void it, well, tough luck. Whatever you’ve filled in gets graded, and anything you’ve skipped over gets marked as zeros. But if you do speak up and say you want to void your MCAT, it’s like poof, it disappears into thin air. No grades, no feedback.

Does Voiding the MCAT Count as an Attempt?

Even though you voided the exam, it still counts as one of your “MCAT takes.” But here’s the deal – if you void your test but still need an MCAT score for an application, you’ll have to retake the exam.

Here’s a rundown of AAMC’s policies for repeat exams.

• You can take the MCAT up to three times in one calendar year. So, if you’re considering voiding your MCAT a third time in one year, you’ll be out of luck until next year.
• If you need a little more time, you can take the MCAT up to four times in two calendar years. 
• There’s a cap on how many times you can take the MCAT in your lifetime – seven times, to be exact. (You’ve got to prioritize making each attempt count!)
• Even if you void your score, it counts as an attempt toward the lifetime limit. So, weigh your options carefully before deciding to void your score.
• Oh, and here’s a heads up – if you sign up for an exam and don’t show up, that still counts as one of your attempts toward the lifetime limit. So, be sure you’re ready before scheduling that test date or reschedule if needed!

Does Voiding the MCAT Look Bad?

After you make the move to void, you’ll receive a message from the test proctors essentially saying, “Yep, they were here but decided to void the whole thing.” Your test won’t be graded, so you’ll never know what score you might have gotten on that particular exam.

However, while it still counts as one of your shots at the test, it won’t show up on your record. The schools you’re applying to won’t ever know that you took that test. Only scored MCAT exams will appear in front of the admissions committees. 

Why Voiding the MCAT Should Be Your Last Resort

After this grueling exam, you’re likely mentally and emotionally drained. As soon as you finish the test, doubt inevitably sets in, and the thought of your dream schools seeing your score becomes terrifying. 

As fear sets in, suddenly, canceling it may seem like your only option. You might think, “Sure, I could retake the MCAT, but those schools will see both my original score and the do-over. But if I void this one, they won’t see a thing–that means a clean slate, right?”

Stop right there! It’s not that simple. Deciding to void your MCAT score in that post-exam fog isn’t the best course of action. In fact, it’s the worst idea! Here are several reasons why.

Delaying Your Application

If you’re on a tight timeline, having to schedule a retake will push back completing your secondary application. This setback might negatively impact your chances of getting into the medical schools and programs you’re aiming for since applying early gives you an advantage

All the Time and Effort You Put into Studying Won’t Count

Picture all those long study sessions, the focus you put into creating flashcards, and the endless practice tests. If you void your score, all that hard work could feel like it was for nothing. It’s tough to accept, but remember, every study session and practice question served a purpose in preparing you for this moment.

There’s No Refund if You Void

Without fee assistance, the MCAT costs a hefty $335. That’s a pretty penny to drop on a test that you might just end up voiding. It can feel like a punch to the gut, realizing that all the money you spent on registration went down the drain. Plus, you’ll have to pay the full fee again if you choose to retake it. 

You’ll Have No Idea How You Performed

Voiding your score means you won’t get feedback, which can be a major setback. You’ll miss out on the opportunity to see your strengths and weaknesses. Knowing how you performed can help you make informed decisions moving forward, whether that’s retaking the test or focusing on certain areas for improvement.

Retaking the MCAT Means Starting All Over Again

Voiding the MCAT won’t erase all the knowledge you’ve crammed into your brain. But you’ll have to double down on studying again thanks to something called the forgetting curve. Unfortunately, all those MCAT facts you worked so hard to memorize will slowly start slipping away. And let’s be real, getting another test date isn’t as easy as ordering a pizza – it can take time. 

Scheduling Time to Study for the MCAT Again Can Be a Hassle

Ramping up your MCAT prep again might mess with your busy schedule. Between extracurriculars, crafting that killer personal statement, and balancing study time, you may find it challenging to put together the strongest version of your primary application.

When Would Choosing to Void Make Sense?

You want to give the MCAT your best shot, but sometimes life throws a major curveball that’s beyond your control. In this case, it’s a better choice to void than receive a drastically low score that every medical school you apply to will see and require an explanation about what happened. 

So, what are the potential scenarios where it’s better to select void than have your exam scored? 

Physical or Mental Health Issues

A sudden illness like food poisoning, flu symptoms, or a major panic attack during the exam could seriously affect your performance. If these health issues prevented you from focusing, understanding questions, or completing sections, voiding your scores would be a wise choice.

External Distractions

Unexpected life events right before the test date (without enough time to reschedule) like a family emergency, the death of someone close to you, a breakup, or any form of chaos can throw you off your game on test day. Under these circumstances, you’ve likely lost your ability to concentrate, causing you to miss large portions of the exam, clearly think through your answers, or complete a reasonable amount of questions before time runs out. 

Technical Difficulties

Sometimes, technical glitches can occur during the exam, disrupting your flow and causing unnecessary stress. If you faced great issues like computer malfunctions, timer errors, or any other technical problem that interfered with your performance, voiding your scores could be a sensible decision.

Tips for Steering Clear of Having to Void

While you can’t control an unexpected illness, serious life event, or other external factors, you can take steps to ease your anxiety by being as prepared as possible for the MCAT. Following these tips to be better equipped to ace the MCAT on your first try and hopefully avoid ever having to consider voiding your score.

• Make the phrase “once and done” your motto. After having used this motivational phrase the first time, only to have my score expire and have to retake the MCAT, I can honestly tell you that I don’t recommend taking this exam more than once if you don’t have to. So, give it your all the first time around.
• Prepare a study schedule and stick to it. Successful MCAT prep relies on a plan and steady consistency. Resist the temptation to procrastinate!
• Take plenty of practice tests. Practice makes perfect, right? Well, in this case, practice makes a better score. Take as many practice tests as you can to get feedback on your strengths, areas in need of improvement, and your overall readiness. Plus, practice tests help you get comfortable with the format and timing of the exam.
• Schedule the MCAT when you’re truly ready to take it. Don’t rush into taking the MCAT just because you feel pressured to take it by a certain date. Make sure you’re fully prepared and confident in your abilities.

Override post-exam anxiety. The AAMC scales MCAT scores to adjust for differences in difficulty between tests. So, if you’re stressing because you feel like your test was particularly tough and you didn’t do as well as expected, don’t rush to void your scores. It may just be that you took a more challenging test that will reflect that once you receive your score.

To Void or Not to Void the MCAT: Final Thoughts 

The MCAT is a beast, no doubt about it.  It has huge implications for your medical school journey. So, of course, immediately after you finish the last question, you’ll likely feel like you’re second-guessing every answer you marked. Totally normal and expected! But that doesn’t automatically mean you should void your score and go back to square one.

If an upsetting event, sudden illness, or a technical glitch caused you to bomb the MCAT, as in having to exit the exam early, leaving whole sections blank, or not being able to think so you just rolled the dice on every question, okay, then yes, it’s time to consider voiding. 

But if you’ve put in the hard work, studied like a champ, and gave it your everything, then all that’s left is to leave the void question unchecked and believe in yourself! Trust the process and your preparation. Once you receive your score, you may be pleasantly surprised. And if not, you can make a more informed plan going forward.

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