Next set of MCAT test dates

[working_hard1]

When will the next round of MCAT dates be posted (October - December of 2020)? I am scheduled to take the MCAT next month (August) but I think I need to postpone to December. However, I don't see any test dates.

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[lumya]

When will the next round of MCAT dates be posted (October - December of 2020)? I am scheduled to take the MCAT next month (August) but I think I need to postpone to December. However, I don't see any test dates.

The MCAT is administered January-September. So the next one will be in January. It’s unknown of AMCAS will add more dates due to Covid but historically there have been no dates October-December.

 

[KnightDoc]

When will the next round of MCAT dates be posted (October - December of 2020)? I am scheduled to take the MCAT next month (August) but I think I need to postpone to December. However, I don't see any test dates.

And you won't. The MCAT year runs from January to September each year, with no tests in February or from October through December.

January through June typically opens in October, and July through September usually opens in February. The month between December and January will be irrelevant to you with respect to an application next cycle.

The good news is that this year, due to all the COVID issues, AAMC will refund your money if you cancel before the deadline. There is normally a penalty that they are waiving this year, and fees never transfer between test years, so if you postponed from August to January in a regular year, you'd be out the $320, but not this year!!

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

The next exam after the season ends in September is typically the third week of January. They generally open registration around the middle of October, and it's a veritable freeforall getting a January test date.

 

[MoUdoMoUget]

And you won't. The MCAT year runs from January to September each year, with no tests in February or from October through December.

January through June typically opens in October, and July through September usually opens in February. The month between December and January will be irrelevant to you with respect to an application next cycle.

The good news is that this year, due to all the COVID issues, AAMC will refund your money if you cancel before the deadline. There is normally a penalty that they are waiving this year, and fees never transfer between test years, so if you postponed from August to January in a regular year, you'd be out the $320, but not this year!!

Can the January test dates next year be used to apply for schools from this application cycle? For example, DO schools that tend to accept applicants later int the cycle. In other words, if I was not able to take the MCAT but don't want to miss applying, I wonder if there is a chance that schools might allow test dates next year if the application and other qualifiers have been submitted already.

 

[lumya]

Can the January test dates next year be used to apply for schools from this application cycle? For example, DO schools that tend to accept applicants later int the cycle. In other words, if I was not able to take the MCAT but don't want to miss applying, I wonder if there is a chance that schools might allow test dates next year if the application and other qualifiers have been submitted already.

Most likely not. Of the MD schools I applied to, all of them say an MCAT taken by September 2020 is required. For DO schools, I have seen a lot of September 2020 requirements but there might be a couple that don’t have it. However, many schools say that your app is not complete without an MCAT score, which means your app would just be sitting and waiting while the school finished a good portion of their application cycle already and you would drastically limit your options.

 

[KnightDoc]

Can the January test dates next year be used to apply for schools from this application cycle? For example, DO schools that tend to accept applicants later int the cycle. In other words, if I was not able to take the MCAT but don't want to miss applying, I wonder if there is a chance that schools might allow test dates next year if the application and other qualifiers have been submitted already.

Unfortunately, no. Aside from test deadlines set by the school, the simple truth is that scores from January tests aren't available until mid-February, and that's too late, even for DO. Yes, the DO cycle is later, but even they are not set up to first begin reviewing an application in February.

The accommodations this year at most schools are designed to allow for scores to be received in mid October and still be used for this cycle (normally even this would be too late for most MD schools, while still okay for DO). No school is going to wait 4 months beyond that to pick up stragglers. They have enough candidates to choose from without having to do that.