MCAT expiration

[tomahawk518]

<p>I am considering getting a business job after my senior year of college.
I am currently a rising junior and I feel as though I would do on the MCATs if I took them now.
The question is, though, if my scores would still be valid in four years when I’ll apply for medical schools.</p>

[bluedevilmike]

<p>I believe they’re three years until expiration.</p>

[MyOpinion]

<p>Most schools will have an MCAT expiration of three years, but you need to check with the specific schools in question. Canadian schools could be 4 or 5 years. For instance, Manitoba is 4 years and Ontario 5 years. Some changes may have taken place after 2007.</p>

<p>The correct answer to your question is: check with the schools.</p>

[bluedevilmike]

<p>Well, the AAMC sets its own expiration date. After that time, it simply won’t tell schools anymore what your MCAT score was. If memory serves, that timeline is three years.</p>

[Shraf]

<p>i don’t know if that’s true BDM…</p>

<p>In the MSAR it says the earliest MCAT each school will accept. So if it were true that the AAMC has its own expiration date why would they put individual expiration dates for each school. Btw some of these expiration dates are 4 and even 5 years back. Some though are 2 years…for instance Mount Sinai only accepts MCATs that are 2007 or later…guess I won’t be applying there then.</p>

[bluedevilmike]

<p>Schools are always free to demand something newer, of course. But surely there must come some point where the AAMC will simply say, “We don’t keep scores that far back.” Let me login to my 2004 account and see if it’ll still let me, for example. Back in a minute.</p>

[bluedevilmike]

<p>Interesting. AMCAS is willing to do it for me, four years back. Clearly three years is, in fact, not the threshold. I stand corrected. Good catch, Shraf.</p>

<p>(Also, they do not seem to be confused about the fact that I already did this process a couple years ago.)</p>

[student14x]

<p>I think that is a good thing for some people because it throws out “failing” scores.</p>

[Shraf]

<p>

I think that is a good thing for some people because it throws out “failing” scores.

</p>

<p>i thought we just established above that nothing gets “thrown out”</p>

[shades_children]

<p>According to [AAMC:</a> MCAT Exam Miscellaneous FAQ](<a href=“http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/miscfaq.htm#11]AAMC:”>http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/miscfaq.htm#11) :</p>

<p>

How long are MCAT scores valid?</p>

<p>In general, MCAT scores are valid for 3 years. However, this time frame varies from school to school. So you may wish to contact the school(s) of your choice to find out their policies concerning MCAT scores.

</p>

<p>student14x:</p>

<p>At this time I’m unable to verify this, but I’m under the impression that when you send out a score report to a school, the report contains all of your scores. There is no way to release the results from one sitting and suppress the results from another. Maybe only the best of your scores will still be valid, but schools will be able to see your performance in the past.</p>

<p>According to [AMCAS</a> - FAQs - Transcripts and MCAT Scores](<a href=“http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/faq/transcripts.htm]AMCAS”>http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/faq/transcripts.htm) :</p>

<p>

Score Reporting through AMCAS</p>

<p>When you apply to medical schools through AMCAS, the AAMC sends your application materials to the medical schools you have designated in the AMCAS application, including your MCAT scores. AMCAS automatically includes MCAT scores for examinees who sat for the exam in 2003 onward—you do not have the option to withhold scores for exams taken in 2003 or later. Scores from 1991 to 2002 will be included only if you have released them to AMCAS. To release pre-2003 MCAT scores to AMCAS, use the online MCAT THx system (<a href=“http://services.aamc.org/mcatthx)%5B/url%5D”>http://services.aamc.org/mcatthx)</a>.

</p>

<p>So unless you took the MCAT before 2003, you have two options for score release - all or none.</p>

<p>I wasn’t able to find anything about suppressing scores via THx on the MCAT or AMCAS official sites, but the Princeton Review ([MCAT</a> Score Release Option | The Princeton Review](<a href=“http://www.princetonreview.com/medical/testprep/testprep.asp?TPRPAGE=139&TYPE=MCAT]MCAT”>http://www.princetonreview.com/medical/testprep/testprep.asp?TPRPAGE=139&TYPE=MCAT)) had this to say:</p>

<p>

Scores from previous years’ MCATs (that is, those taken in 1991-2002) can still be “hidden”, and are available to medical schools only when the student specifically releases them. However, starting in 2003, every student will have a Testing History (THx) report, which lists all the student’s MCAT scores from test dates in 2003 and beyond, plus any older tests whose scores the student authorizes for release.</p>

<p>Now the only way a student can keep their MCAT scores hidden is to VOID the test before the end of the MCAT testing day. This means their test will not be scored at all, and their participation in that administration of the MCAT will not be reported to AMCAS or to non-AMCAS schools. (However, the AAMC still counts this as having attended the test and it counts toward the total of 3 times a student can take the MCAT without receiving special permission from the AAMC.)

</p>

<p>So it looks like you can hide scores from before 2003, but you can’t hide the fact that you took the MCAT. I imagine that an adcom would be concerned about a hidden score and wonder why an application chose to do that.</p>

[student14x]

<p>

i thought we just established above that nothing gets “thrown out”

</p>

<p>When I said throwing out failing scores, I mean sitting out the period before expiration, and then taking a new one after the failing score has expired. </p>

<p>

So it looks like you can hide scores from before 2003, but you can’t hide the fact that you took the MCAT. I imagine that an adcom would be concerned about a hidden score and wonder why an application chose to do that.

</p>

<p>At this point, they can only speculate. But if they actually see the bad score, they’ll know. Hence making the expiration option a better one(if we assume all else being equal.).</p>

[norcalguy]

<p>There was a change in 2003 as the AAMC switched to the THx. But, I believe that any scores since then cannot be hidden or thrown out.</p>

[Shraf]

<p>

I mean sitting out the period before expiration, and then taking a new one after the failing score has expired.

</p>

<p>first of all if you’re gonna wait 3 years to retake the mcat there’s a problem</p>

<p>second we already established repeatedly that they’ll see the score whether or not it expired…they’re free to use that score any way they see fit even though it is “expired”</p>

[MyOpinion]

<p>…and like i said initially, the answer to your question OP is: check with the schools. They will tell you how recent they want your MCAT score to be in order to be valid for them.</p>

<p>Whether they see the “expired” score or not should be irrelevant. It would be totally unethical of them to consider that score after they have established that it is “not valid”.</p>

[tomahawk518]

<p>Why would it be a problem to take the MCAT now and apply in three years?
The info is fresh in my mind, and I would like to take an intermediate break between college and med school.</p>

[shades_children]

<p>I just saw this, and I had to respond:</p>

<p>Shraf:</p>

<p>

for instance Mount Sinai only accepts MCATs that are 2007 or later…guess I won’t be applying there then.

</p>

<p>Where did you get that from? The MSAR?</p>

<p>From [Mount</a> Sinai - M.D. Program - Academic Standards](<a href=“http://www.mountsinaimedicalcenter.org/Education/School%20of%20Medicine/Degrees%20and%20Programs/MD%20Program/How%20to%20Apply/Academic%20Standards]Mount”>http://www.mountsinaimedicalcenter.org/Education/School%20of%20Medicine/Degrees%20and%20Programs/MD%20Program/How%20to%20Apply/Academic%20Standards) :</p>

<p>

Applicants are required to take the Medical College Admission Test. The oldest MCAT scores that will be considered from individuals applying for admission to the Class entering 2009, are those taken in 2006.

</p>

[Shraf]

<p>yea i got it from the MSAR…i’m looking at it right now and I even highlighted it so I’d know not to apply there. It says “Oldest MCAT considered: 2007” Thats weird that they have conflicting information like that</p>

[shades_children]

<p>I would trust the Mount Sinai website, not the MSAR - I think the MSAR has had typos before.</p>

<p>Anyway, Sinai is a great school, so if your MCAT score is from 2006, you still ought to apply.</p>

[norcalguy]

<p>The MSAR does have typos. I received an interview from Mt. Sinai with a 2005 MCAT score this past cycle. The logical guess would be that the earliest MCAT accepted for this upcoming cycle is 2006.</p>