Are you thinking about studying medicine? A quick search will show you there’s a lot to consider—from choosing the right school to understanding residency.
But in this article, we’ll focus on a topic that frequently concerns prospective students: how long is the MCAT? How challenging is it, and do you really have to take it?
If you’re looking for answers to other key questions, we invite you to check out our other blog posts—for example, one about the duration of medical education.
What Is the MCAT and Who Needs to Take It?
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), created by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), is a standardized exam that most medical schools in the U.S. and Canada require for admission.
It examines your readiness for medical training through 4 main sections:
- Biological & Biochemical Foundations.
- Chemical & Physical Foundations.
- Psychological, Social, & Biological Behavior.
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning (CARS).
This is not just a test of academic knowledge. It’s also designed to evaluate your ability to think logically, apply what you’ve learned, and handle complex problem-solving.
The format is multiple-choice, and you’ll be required to interpret various forms of data, such as graphs and tables. What makes the MCAT more challenging is the time constraint—with the specific number of questions and the time limit, you’ve got less than two minutes per question.
How Long Is the MCAT? Format and Timing Overview
The MCAT is particularly challenging due to its extensive duration—approximately 7.5 hours, including optional breaks. Each section lasts around 1.5 hours, followed by a 10-minute break. After the first two sections, there’s a 30-minute break, and then the pattern repeats.
Time management becomes a critical aspect of success on the MCAT, given the large number of questions that candidates must answer.
How many questions are on the MCAT?
The test consists of 230 multiple-choice questions divided into four sections.
Each section contains 59 questions, except for the CARS section, which has 53 questions.
This means that test-takers not only need to navigate through challenging content but also do so under the pressure of a strict time limit.
What Is a Good MCAT Score and How Hard Is the Exam?
The MCAT is scored from 472 to 528, with 500 as the average. Each of the four sections ranges from 118 to 132.
- The AAMC calculates your score based on the number of correct answers per section—there’s no penalty for incorrect or skipped questions.
- Those correct answers are converted into scaled scores for each section.
- The sum of these four scaled scores results in your total MCAT score.
As a result, candidates receive five scores—one for each section and one cumulative total.
What is a good MCAT score:
The highest possible MCAT score is 528, although very few test-takers (approximately 30–70 out of 200,000 annually—less than 0.5%) achieve it.
- Top Score Range—515–528 (128–132 per section).
- Competitive—509–514 (127–129 per section).
- Above Average—501–508 (125–126 per section).
- Below Average—500 or less (124 or less per section).
How hard is the MCAT?
It’s undeniable that the MCAT is considered a difficult exam—not only because of the challenging questions, but perhaps more importantly, due to the structure of the test itself. Its long duration and large number of questions require quick thinking, which is made even more complicated by increasing fatigue.
When Do You Take the MCAT — And Why CMU Students Don’t
The AAMC offers multiple MCAT dates throughout the year (e.g., 30 in 2025), but registration must be completed in advance. For instance, if you plan to take the exam in January or spring, you should sign up in October of the year before.
Most students take the MCAT during the spring or summer, typically between March and September, of their junior or senior year, before applying to medical school. However, it is also essential to consider your own preparation timeline.
MCAT may seem essential for a medical career—and many schools do require it. But not all. At Caribbean Medical University, we do not require the MCAT for admission.
Why? Although it is an important criterion, we replace it with others that enable us to assess your preparedness and future commitment accurately.
We review applications with a comprehensive perspective, examining more than just grades and standardized test scores. We aim to gauge your academic capabilities and your commitment to meeting the demands of a rigorous medical curriculum.
You can find more about it here.
Typical Timeline vs. MCAT-Free Options
One of the key benefits of our approach is time efficiency, as demonstrated in the example below.
Usual MCAT path:
- Early college—finish pre-med classes.
- Junior year—take the MCAT.
- Senior year—apply/interview for med school.
CMU MCAT-Free Option:
- Maintain the required GPA.
- Enroll in CMU med school — skip the MCAT.
How to Study for the MCAT — Or Skip It with CMU
How long it takes to prepare for the MCAT really depends on how much you’ve studied before and how much time you have. However, it’s worth using official AAMC materials, as they help familiarize you with the exam structure and question types.
Additionally, there are many preparatory courses specifically designed for the MCAT, though you should be prepared for extra costs. However, these courses not only cover the material but also provide tips and strategies that—in theory—can help you achieve a better score more easily.
However, if you’re looking to skip the MCAT, APPLY to CMU and start your medical journey with us.
What skills do you need to be a doctor—a good doctor? Is it enough to have theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience? Or perhaps, even in this profession, soft skills like communication, empathy, and the ability to work under pressure play […]
Do you want to become a doctor in the USA but don’t know how to start? Saving lives is a challenging yet gratifying career path. There are many routes to get there, each with its own unique benefits and potential […]
A Caribbean medical school residency, a critical phase in a career, is a topic of great interest to our students even before they apply to a medical university. They are keen to understand how their chosen school will support them […]
