Starting with the upcoming 2017/2018 application cycle, only the current version of the MCAT will be accepted. This is the MCAT version that launched in April 2015 with the sections BBFL, CPBS, PSBB and CARS. Many applicants will need to take the MCAT in 2017, either for the first time, or because their old scores will no longer be accepted. This means that test dates in BC may be in particular demand this year (even more than usual, that is!). If you can arrange your study time and work/school/life schedule to accommodate one of the earlier exam dates, we would strongly recommend doing so for a couple of reasons.
The first reason is that the latest test dates do not allow you to receive your scores before the application deadline. We recently posted the interim stats, and as you can see, there were a lot of ineligible applications this year. Many of these were ineligible due MCAT scores. Applying without having your MCAT scores first means you are taking a chance that your application will become ineligible as soon as the scores are released. That would be such a waste of time and money! If you receive your scores before the deadline and they don’t meet the minimum, at least you can save yourself the application fee.
The second reason we recommend taking the MCAT early is because, at least anecdotally, applicants seem to be experiencing more computer problems during the exam. This could perhaps be due to the longer duration of the current exam. Whatever the reason, the earlier you write the exam, the better chance you have of rescheduling a retake on a date we can accommodate if any testing difficulties do arise. Even if there are no testing issues, if you take the exam early and it does not go as well as you had hoped, you might have time to take it again before the end of August.
We understand that writing an earlier exam won’t work for everyone, and in terms of your application, results from an August 24 exam are treated exactly the same as results from a June 1 exam. However, if you can wrap up your preparation a bit earlier and write on an earlier date, it might save you from a disappointing situation later on.
The schedule of MCAT exam dates and release dates can be found here. Good luck to all 2017 test-takers!