2016 Cycle applicants cannot use 2014 MCAT?

[nwu]

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I tought I had everything planned out but apparently this will not work:

I had wanted to take the MCAT summer of 2014, the end of my junior year, take a gap year and apply during the 2016 cycle since MCAT scores are good for 2 to 3 years.

My pre-med advisor recently told me this will not work and it seems my entire future needs a massive revamp. Here is what she said:

"According to the AAMC website, students applying in the 2016 cycle or later should plan to take the new exam. Thus, although MCAT scores are ordinarily good for two or three years, this will not apply during the transition to the new test..."


I'm sure she is right but are there anyone else in the same situation or has someone else heard conflicting rules about this? The AAMC dosen't really specifically address my question, but has anyone else heard something else? It seems completely unfair that this new 2015 MCAT is applied retroactively to us and that "old" MCAT score pre-2015 will no longer hold. I did not realize this and so it seems I can no longer take a gap year since I haven't even considered taking sociology classes into my schedule. Wish I was born 2 years earlier or something...
Comments?

 

[sazerac]

Q: How can you tell if a premed advisor is wrong?

A: Their lips are moving.


The AAMC has no opinion on this matter because it isn't the AAMC's decision to make. I haven't heard anything different than most schools accepting an MCAT from the last 36 months before projected matriculation, like they always do.

 

[Croooz]

Have to a agree with sazerac.

https://www.aamc.org/students/aspiring/330910/mcat2015.html

Look at the "Which exam will I take?" question. Also take a look at the language they use. It is clear this is not their decision but each individual school. I'm pretty sure they will accept 2014's exam. After all my plan is the same as yours so they have to take the 2014 exam. 😀

 

[medic86]

Haha. This is my plan, too! In fact, I was just researching how far back the schools I'm most-interested in accept MCAT scores.

I wouldn't worry about it, OP. Schools have been evaluating this particular MCAT format for a long time. I highly doubt a single medical school out there will require an updated 2015 MCAT score over a still-valid previous edition MCAT score.

 

[starlite911]

I agree that the bulk probably will still accept a 2014 score for 2016 matriculation, but I know that IU and a few other schools will require the new MCAT for 2016 matriculation. I think it's worthwhile to look and see if the schools you are applying to will require it. I am in the same position as you; just finished my junior year and took the MCAT in May with the intention of taking a gap year. I just think it's putting applicants in a very unfair position with little notice 🙁

 

[familyaerospace]

Mercer accepts old and new for incoming 2016, after that it's new only.

 

[coolguy5]

.

 

[mavric1298]

Everywhere I've talked to or looked at is accepting "old" for 2016, so it really shouldn't be an issue

 

[theSmurfette]

The school I will matriculate at requires an mcat to be no more than 24 months old at the time of matriculation. My 2nd MCAT is 2 years old on July 16. I start M1 August 1. So I had to retake last September so I could even be eligible to apply. Some schools base their date off date of application, others from date of matriculation.

So be sure that your schools will even accept a Summer '14 MCAT to start in 2016. Mine wouldn't.

 

[mavric1298]

In another thread it was pointed out that LSU shrev was one of the unique schools in not accepting "old" MCAT after this year, I think it's the exception to the rule, or one of few. Thats a really crazy timeline! That means you have to retake your MCAT every time you apply because you're first one would be no good by time you re-applied?!

 

[wholeheartedly]

I contacted the University of Minnesota and they plan to stick to their current policy.

"Thank you for contacting the University of Minnesota Medical School. We will continue to accept the MCAT for three years after the test was sat. That means we will be accepting both the new MCAT scores and old MCAT scores simultaneously.

I hope this information is helpful.

Best,

Office of Admissions
U of MN Medical School"