When you register for the exam, you are asked to select a testing date and location. As of January 2011, registration fees are $235. Fees are reduced to $85 for test takers who applied to and were accepted into the AAMC's Fee Assistance Program. Test takers are charged an additional fee of $60 for late registration, date rescheduling and test center changes. In 2011, the AAMC only accepted credit card payments through its website. Test takers may take the exam a maximum of three times per calendar year.
The MCAT is composed of four sections: physical sciences, verbal reasoning, biological sciences, and writing. Each section except the writing section is scored using a 1 to 15 scale. The writing section is scored using a letter-based range, with the lowest possible score being a "J" and the highest possible score being a "T." According to the AAMC, the mean test score for the physical sciences, verbal reasoning and biological science sections were 8.3, 7.9 and 8.8 respectively for 2010. The median score for the writing sample was "O."
You must have a valid government-issued ID to sit for the test. Before the test is administered, you are fingerprinted, and your photograph is taken. Food, drinks and personal items are not allowed in the testing room unless they are required for medical reasons. When you complete the test, you have one chance to void your exam. If you do so, your work is not graded or recorded. This is the only chance test takers have to void their scores.
Scores are released approximately 30 to 35 days after the test date. Once released, scores are available for viewing online using the MCAT Testing History System (THx). Test scores issued after 2003 automatically are released to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). The AMCAS is the application processing service used by many medical schools to collect applicant information.