Short answer
AAMC scales and equates every MCAT exam form after test day, and reviews concerns test takers raise about questions and test conditions. That takes about a month, so each test date has a fixed release date 30 to 35 days later. Scores are released by 5 p.m. ET on that day.
Why it takes a month
AAMC says it is not able to give a score right after the exam. Different test takers see different forms of the MCAT, and AAMC says the process to scale and equate every form after test day takes about a month. Scaling and equating makes a score mean the same thing whichever form you took and whichever day you tested.
During the same period, AAMC collects concerns from test takers about exam questions and testing conditions, and reviews each one before scores are released.
How MCAT scores are calculated
AAMC describes three steps:
- Count the questions you answered correctly in each of the four sections.
- Convert each section's count to a scaled score from 118 to 132.
- Add the four section scores for a total from 472 to 528.
| Score | Range |
|---|---|
| Each of the four sections | 118 to 132 |
| Total score | 472 to 528 |
What happens on release day
- Time: AAMC releases scores by 5 p.m. ET. "By" is a deadline, so scores can appear earlier that day.
- Notice: AAMC emails you when your scores are available.
- Where: scores appear in the MCAT Score Reporting System.
5 p.m. ET is 2 p.m. Pacific. If you are checking from another time zone, convert the deadline before deciding your score is late.
Finding your release date
Every MCAT test date has its own release date in AAMC's calendar. Two consecutive test days often share one release date, so test takers a day apart can get scores on the same day. Some test dates are offered only at select testing centers, as AAMC notes in its calendar.
AAMC's 2027 calendar runs from January 15 to September 11, 2027, so there are no MCAT test dates in the last three months of 2027.
Official sources
Every fact in this guide comes from these pages, checked on the update date above.
- AAMC: The MCAT scoring process (opens in a new tab)
- AAMC: MCAT calendar and score release dates (opens in a new tab)
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