How long are MCAT scores valid for?

[ifonlyifonly]

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If I take the MCAT this summer would the scores still be valid for a 2015 application cycle? I looked it up and people are saying that "scores are valid for up to 36 months before matriculation", but what does that mean? Matriculation as in graduating medical school?

 

[ifonlyifonly]

sorry about the double post..don't know what happened

 

[Doctor Strange]

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matriculate

 

[Jepstein30]

If I take the MCAT this summer would the scores still be valid for a 2015 application cycle? I looked it up and people are saying that "scores are valid for up to 36 months before matriculation", but what does that mean? Matriculation as in graduating medical school?

If matriculation meant graduating medical school.. 3 years would take you right to the end of M1. Meaning your MCAT scores would never be valid..

Probably can't mean that.. 😉

 

[VictorAlpha]

don't some schools accept more than 36 months prior?

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Matriculating = when you begin classes at that school

So let's say you got an MCAT score this year. That means you're good for the 2013 application cycle, the 2014 application cycle, and the 2015 cycle. In the case of 2015, you would be matriculating in 2016 which is three years after you took the test, so they would just barely be valid. You could not, however, apply with those same scores in 2016 since you would then be matriculating in 2017 which would be four years after you took the test.

Also, the date you take the MCAT doesn't matter. A January MCAT and a September MCAT both expire at the same time. All that matters is the year you took the test in.

There are some schools that accept scores older than three years though, but there's not many of them.

 

[Cells4life]

Matriculating = when you begin classes at that school

So let's say you got an MCAT score this year. That means you're good for the 2013 application cycle, the 2014 application cycle, and the 2015 cycle. In the case of 2015, you would be matriculating in 2016 which is three years after you took the test, so they would just barely be valid. You could not, however, apply with those same scores in 2016 since you would then be matriculating in 2017 which would be four years after you took the test.

Also, the date you take the MCAT doesn't matter. A January MCAT and a September MCAT both expire at the same time. All that matters is the year you took the test in.

There are some schools that accept scores older than three years though, but there's not many of them.

hi how does a sept and jan MCAT expire at the same time if they both are in different years?

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Ask the schools. Requirements vary. Usually three years.

 

[jr93]

I'm guessing that there will be some type of informal cutoff for 2015. Personally, I wouldn't use an old MCAT after 2015. You never know what adcoms will think about comparing unequal MCAT's. It could be your advantage or it could be a disadvantage but I wouldn't chance it.