The MCAT covers biological sciences, physical sciences, thinking, problem solving, and writing. Students should plan to take the MCAT after completing chemistry and physics and at least two years of biology, but not necessarily calculus.
The best time to take the MCAT is in April of the junior year. This ensures that the medical
school will have the MCAT scores in hand at the time they begin to evaluate applications.
It also permits the student to decide to retake the MCAT in August if they want. On the other hand, students may have more time to prepare for the August test date,
so taking it then may mean they don't need to repeat it later.
It is acceptable to have more than one MCAT score sent to a medical school.
Different schools have different rules about how many scores they look at.
The MCAT Interpretive Manual has replaced the paper MCAT packet. It has descriptions of the various sections of the MCAT and sample questions of each type.
MCAT tests are computer-based. You can register on-line for the MCAT at a
link on the AAMC web site.
The current MCAT testing calendar is at
this link.
The AAMC site has extensive information for students about planning for medical school, taking the MCAT, preparing the AMCAS application, and attending medical school. This is one of the most valuable resources available to pre-medical students.
Medical College Admissions Seminars--Don't miss them!
Students planning to apply to medical school should plan to attend a medical college
admission seminar at least once, preferably before fall of junior year. They are free and generally last all
day on a Saturday. They are presented by the eight Illinois medical schools, who all have
representatives there to talk to prospective students and to provide information about
their schools. There are minisessions on choosing a medical school, applying, interviewing,
writing personal statements, being a nontraditional student, financing, etc. There is usually
a panel discussion with current medical students who answer questions. These seminars would
be valuable even to students who are not applying to Illinois medical schools.
For more information, talk to the health professions advisor.
Medical School Applications
Students should plan to apply to medical schools the summer after the junior year--don't
wait until fall of the senior year. Plan to spend a substantial amount of time on your
application and especially on your personal statement. The AMCAS application materials should be
usually on-line by mid-April from a link on the AAMC site and
more directly at the link for student
information about the AMCAS application.
The AAMC site has extensive information for students about planning for medical school, taking the MCAT, preparing the AMCAS application, and attending medical school. This is one of the most valuable resources available to pre-medical students.
Minority Medical Education Program
A free summer enrichment program for underrepresented minority students is available through
AAMC at http://www.smdep.org/
Letters of Evaluation
The Health Professions Advisor is now providing a centralized evaluation letter service--ask
the Advisor for the waiver forms
(or feel free to print the forms yourself using the link below) before you talk to your evaluators. The medical
schools prefer to receive a single packet containing all of the evaluation letters for each student.
The Health Professions Advisor will gather your evaluations together and send a packet of them to each medical school to which you apply.
Evaluators should send their letters and forms directly to
The Health Professions Advisor at SIUE. Make sure that you give
Advisor
a copy of a waiver form for each evaluator for your file.
Link to Waiver Forms to Give Evaluators and Health
Professions Advisor
How to Interview Effectively
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