How Much Does the MCAT Cost? The REAL Costs Analyzed

Ask any doctor, and they’ll tell you medical school will cost you. But first, you need to get there. Along with the hundreds of thousands of dollars you’ll (hopefully) spend on your medical school tuition, applying to medical school also costs you, and one of those costs is taking the MCAT. So, how much does the MCAT cost?

In this post, we’ll break down the cost of registering for the MCAT, as well as the additional costs, both financial and mental, associated with studying and preparing for this monumental test.

How Much Does the MCAT Cost?

Just like any cost associated with going to medical school, taking the MCAT isn’t cheap.

Standard registration for the MCAT costs $355, though this price has risen over the years and is likely to continue to rise. The Fee Assistance Program registration costs $145.

Anyone testing outside of the US, Canada, or US Territories will be charged a $130 international fee in addition to the registration fee. If you’re hoping to qualify for the AAMC’s Fee Assistance Program, you must receive final approval before you select your test date and location.

How to Register and Pay for the MCAT

There are multiple opportunities to take the MCAT throughout the year, with hundreds of test sites in the US, Canada, and around the world.

To register, you must create an AAMC account and have your login information available. If you already have an AAMC account, you do not need to create another one. It’s also a good idea to have your valid, MCAT-accepted ID with you when you register to ensure your registration matches your ID exactly.

Select your preferred date, along with a few alternative dates in case your first choice is unavailable. You will pay for the MCAT when you register. VISA, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted, including debit cards with the VISA or MasterCard logo. AAMC does not accept any other form of payment. Payment is processed immediately.

If you hope to qualify for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program, you must be approved before you register. The review to determine if you qualify for fee assistance takes about 10 business days.

These are the dates available to take the MCAT. 

What Other Costs Are Associated with the MCAT?

1 | Practice Tests and Prep Materials

The cost of the MCAT doesn’t end with the registration fee. There’s a range of MCAT practice tests and preparation materials available, and while some come free, most legitimate resources will cost you.

The official AAMC practice tests, which will be your best marker of how well you might do on the MCAT, cost $35 each. The AAMC also offers a variety of planning and study resources, priced from $15 to $45. AAMC also offers preparation bundles that can cost over $300, including the Complete Bundle.

2 | Classes, Courses, or Tutoring

There are many MCAT prep options available to you with varying prices and varying degrees of effectiveness. Whether you choose outside help is entirely up to you and depends on your confidence level, resources, and the score you need to achieve to be competitive at the schools you’re applying to.

Essentially, you have four MCAT prep options:

1. Go it alone
2. MCAT class
3. Online course
4. MCAT tutoring

Naturally, there is no (financial) cost to going it alone. You can set your own schedule and design a system that fits your personality and study habits. However, if you don’t have someone in your life to show you the ins and outs, you will miss out on expert insights from people who understand the process.

It’s also very difficult to determine your own strengths and weaknesses. You will need to build your own strategy, which will mean a great deal of trial and error and a great deal of extra time to create those systems from scratch.

An MCAT class is mid-range in cost, providing you with a firm class schedule and a familiar learning environment. That said, a class will not be tailored to your unique learning or studying habits. It will be a one-size-fits-all approach, which means you will repeat information you’re already familiar with.

You will be slowed down by the other students, as the content will focus on the lowest common denominator, and if you’re taking the class in person, the time it takes to travel to and from class will eat into your study schedule.

Most online courses also cost in the mid-range, but they offer more flexibility than an in-person class. With an online course, you can study on your own schedule and work from the comfort of your home. That said, it comes with many of the same disadvantages as an in-person class, as the material and study strategies won’t be tailored to your specific strengths and weaknesses.

MCAT tutoring is the most expensive option, but it also offers the most advantages, including one-on-one tutoring with an expert, a schedule tailored to your availability, and study strategies tailored to your strengths, weaknesses, and habits. Quality MCAT tutoring also comes with a guarantee that you will perform well on the MCAT.

If you want or need that extra edge, the cost of an MCAT tutor is certainly worth it—and is a mere drop in the pond when considering the exorbitant costs of applying to and attending medical school. Plus, it’s far better than retaking the MCAT, which won’t only cost you more money, but also more time and energy that you could be spending on perfecting other elements of your application.

These are the pros and cons of MCAT classes, courses, or tutoring.

2 | Time and Energy

There is another cost to the MCAT: time and energy. The MCAT is one of the most difficult tests out there.

The MCAT is a grueling 7.5-hour marathon that tests across 11 different content areas, including biology, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, general chemistry, physics, psychology, sociology, humanities, and social sciences. There is a great deal of information to learn, so you will need to dedicate ample time to studying.

Most students spend 250-350 hours studying for the MCAT, though some spend over 500 hours. We believe three months of studying (with evidence-based learning principles) is ideal if you can dedicate 40-50 hours per week to studying.

The amount of time you need to spend studying for the MCAT could prevent you from finding a full-time or part-time job, which will also put a drain on your finances. Depending on when you plan to take the test, you could be trying to juggle your college coursework along with preparing the other components of your medical school primary application, including an enticing personal statement, strong letters of recommendation, and a notable Work and Activities section.

Finding the time and energy to fulfill all of your obligations and study for the MCAT is extremely challenging. When determining the true costs of the MCAT, it’s important to remember that this monumental test won’t only affect your wallet.

The Cost of Retaking the MCAT

Not everyone finds success on the first MCAT, leading many students to retake it. Over 25% of medical applicants have taken the MCAT more than once.

The AAMC allows students to take the MCAT up to three times a year, four times over two years, and seven times in a lifetime. However, it is essential to note that each scored attempt will appear on your record, so admissions committees will see each of your MCAT scores, not just your best one.

While you can technically take the MCAT more than once, know that it will cost you. The AAMC doesn’t offer a buy-one-get-one-free option for the MCAT. You’ll face the same costs you did the first time if you decide to retake the test.

Knowing that you need a higher score and actually achieving one are two different things. Most people who initially scored between 472 and 517 only improve their score by 2-3 points with a retake. Plus, there’s also the chance you could score even lower on your retake, which is a serious stain on your application. Remember: admissions committees see each of your MCAT scores.

Retaking the MCAT means reevaluating your study strategies and identifying where you went wrong the first time, which will also take time, especially if you decide to go it alone. If you decide to retake the test but don’t change any of your work or study habits, you can’t expect your second test to turn out any differently.

Dedicating your time and energy to studying for an MCAT retake will also take away from the time you could be using to pursue other activities. Extracurriculars, such as research, volunteering, and shadowing physicians, add significant depth to your application and likely go a long way toward making you an appealing candidate, rather than a one to two-point increase to your MCAT score.

Before retaking the MCAT, it’s essential to think long and hard about whether or not you have the money, time, and energy needed to improve your score significantly.

How to Approach the MCAT

Performing well on the MCAT is not a matter of how smart you are or how long you studied. Many premed students don’t realize that success on the MCAT depends on the quality of their resources, study strategies, and lifestyle.

The Med School Insiders MCAT Course comes with the industry’s first-ever honest 510 score guarantee, with gold standard content, three full-length and two half-length practice tests, and guidance from those who scored in the 100th percentile. We’re so confident you’ll find incredible value in our course that, on top of the 510 score guarantee, we offer a 10-day 100% money-back guarantee. Try it at zero risk.