How Many Times Can You Retake the MCAT®?
You can take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT®) up to three times in a single testing year, up to four times across two consecutive testing years, and no more than seven times in your lifetime. These limits are set by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC®), the organization that develops and administers the exam. They apply to everyone regardless of when you started testing or which schools you’re applying to.
| Limit Type | Maximum Attempts |
|---|---|
| Per testing year | 3 |
| Per two consecutive testing years | 4 |
| Lifetime | 7 |
- If you hit your yearly cap, you'll need to wait until the next testing year to sit for the exam again.
- If you hit your lifetime limit, you'll be required to submit a written appeal to the AAMC for special consideration. Approval is at the AAMC's sole discretion, and only one appeal is allowed per testing year.
What Counts as an Attempt?
Three actions count toward your seven lifetime attempts:
- Sitting for the exam and receiving a score
- Sitting for the exam and voiding your score
- No-show without cancellation
Only one exception keeps your registration from counting toward your lifetime limit: cancelling or rescheduling at least 10 days before the test date. That cutoff is fixed by the AAMC.
Cancellations go through the MCAT Registration System or by phone with Pearson VUE. Once you’re inside 10 days, your appointment is locked in. Your only options are to sit for the exam or take a no-show. For the full registration timeline, cost breakdown, and rescheduling fees, see our guide on MCAT Registration, Scheduling, and Cost.
How Common Is Retaking the MCAT?
Retaking the MCAT is common, and AAMC’s data backs that up. About 42% of students who took the MCAT in 2023, 2024, and 2025 were retesters. Among those who retest, the vast majority retest only once. For many students, an MCAT retake is a strategic step toward earning a more competitive score, not a sign that anything went wrong the first time.
Should You Retake the MCAT? Three Questions to Weigh Your Decision
There's no universal answer on whether you should retake the MCAT. The decision should be based on your current score, the expectations of your target medical schools, and whether additional preparation is likely to result in meaningful score improvement.
The MCAT is scored on a 472-528 scale. For context, the average MCAT score for students who matriculated into U.S. allopathic Doctor of Medicine (MD) medical schools in 2024-2025 was 512, while the average entering MCAT for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) programs was 503.
Here are three questions to ask yourself:
- Is my score below my target schools' range, or am I trying to improve an already competitive score? Being several points below your target schools' median is a different situation than earning a score that's already competitive.
- Do I know specifically what held me back the first time? A successful retake starts with identifying why your score fell short. Whether it was content gaps, CARS performance, pacing, or test-day execution, pinpointing the cause helps you build a study plan that addresses your weaknesses instead of repeating the same approach. Simply hoping for a better outcome isn't a strategy.
- Do I have enough time to prepare differently? If your schedule only allows for reviewing the same material the same way, you're more likely to land in the "same or lower" outcome than the "improved" one. The data below shows why.
What the Data Says About Retaking the MCAT
The AAMC's data on retesters shows a clear pattern, and it isn't the same story for everyone. The table below reflects AAMC's analysis of 56,953 examinees who first tested and then retested between 2023 and 2025. For a fuller breakdown by score range, see our MCAT Scores and Percentiles guide.
| Your Score | Percentile | Median Gain on Retake | Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below 500 | Below 48th | +2.7 to +3.7 | Retake is advisable; below competitive range for most MD programs. |
| 500-509 | 48th-76th | +3.2 to +3.6 | Retake is advisable if targeting MD programs; gains here are typically meaningful. |
| 510-517 | 79th-94th | +2.1 to +2.8 | Retake only for a specific program with an attainable target, have a clear plan for what to change and a strong study strategy. |
| 518-528 | 95th and above | +1.2 | Scores typically don't increase much at this point; retaking carries risk with limited upside. |
Percentiles reflect the AAMC's official ranks in effect May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027. Median gain figures reflect AAMC's published analysis of retester score changes.
There’s considerable variation within every scoring band. The median gain was generally 1 to 3 score points for examinees who tested a second time, but some examinees posted much greater increases, and others saw their scores decrease.
Before you schedule a retake, consider what will be different this time. AAMC’s data shows retesters with no change in academic year or level between attempts saw a mean gain of 2.8 points, those who advanced one academic year saw a mean gain of 3.7 points, and those who advanced two or more academic years or levels saw a mean gain of 4.6 points.
So before you schedule a retake, consider both what you'll study differently and what you’ll be learning elsewhere in the meantime, and pair it with a structured study plan to move your score higher.
How Medical Schools View Multiple MCAT Scores
The data on score gains only tells half the story because the MCAT doesn't work like other standardized tests. Every attempt you complete gets reported to every school you apply to through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS®), whether it's your best score, your worst score, or somewhere in between. The one exception is if you have a score voided, which keeps it from being scored or reported. Don't forget, though, that it still counts towards your seven lifetime attempts.
What varies is how each school reads the scores that do get reported. According to an AAMC survey of admissions officers, there's no standard practice, as schools apply different strategies when evaluating multiple scores.
| Strategy | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Most-recent-focused | The most recent score is weighted most heavily, on the assumption that it best reflects your current ability. |
| Highest-focused | Your single best total score is what counts most, regardless of when you earned it. |
| Holistic/trend-focused | All scores are considered together, alongside other parts of your file (coursework, GPA trends, gaps between attempts) that might explain the change. |
| Averaged | The average of all your scores may be calculated by some admissions committees rather than evaluating a single score. |
Because schools rarely publish how they weigh multiple MCAT scores, you should expect every reported score to be part of the admissions review. That makes it especially important to retake the exam only when you're prepared to improve your performance.
How Long You Should Study for a Retake and What to Do Differently
Most advisors recommend a minimum of three months of dedicated preparation before an MCAT retake, with four to six months producing stronger results. However, how long you need depends on a few factors, such as how many points you need to gain and how many hours you can realistically study. If you haven't identified your score gap, our MCAT Score Calculator can help you translate your current score and target range into a concrete number before you commit to a study timeline.
The amount of time you'll need depends on the size of your score gap. More importantly, improving your score requires changing your study approach, not just spending more time. The four strategies below can help you do that.
- Run a root-cause diagnosis: Pull your score report and look at section performance, as AAMC provides scaled scores and percentile rank for all the sections. A low CARS score alongside strong science performance points to a different opportunity for improvement than widespread content gaps, and your study strategy should reflect that.
- Change your methods, not just your materials: Passive review, re-reading notes, and rewatching lectures are the top reasons retakers don't improve. Active recall and practice-question-based learning drive meaningful score gains. Simply switching to new prep books does not.
- Give CARS daily time from week one: Resist cramming for the CARS section, so pair it with daily practice with unfamiliar passages. MCAT experts and tutors emphasize starting the section early to ease into the prep.
- Simulate real exam conditions regularly: Full-length practice exams are a genuine predictor of real MCAT performance. Take them timed, at a desk with your phone put away, and starting at your actual exam time to build the stamina for the seven-and-a-half-hour test.
Here's what your shift in studying should look like for a retake:
| First Attempt | Retake |
|---|---|
| General content review with a target score | Review directed by your areas of weakness |
| Practice material used as per study plan | Targeted review that addresses learning gaps |
| Full-length exam scheduled throughout | Full-length exams scheduled regularly |
| Evenly spread efforts across sections | Adoption of a more strategic method |
MCAT Retake Study Timeline: A 12-Week Framework
12 weeks lines up with the three-month floor most advisors recommend for a retake. If your diagnostic points to gaps across multiple subjects rather than one or two sections, extend this toward 16 weeks by adding time to Rebuild rather than compressing Build Stamina or Final Assessment, since those two phases are where score gains actually get confirmed.
| Phase | Weeks | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnose | 1 | Review your section scaled scores, percentiles, and confidence bands to identify your weakest section(s) overall. AAMC's report won't tell you which specific concepts within that section are weak, so pair this with an honest self-review of what felt hardest, timing, content gaps, and unfamiliar passage types before building your MCAT retake study plan. |
| Rebuild | 2-4 | Target content review on your weakest areas, using targeted videos and book lessons. Don't re-read the whole chapter, focus on the specific topic where there is a learning gap. Don't wait to start active learning. Use UWorld's MCAT QBank to start working through questions on your weakest subjects. |
| Build Stamina | 5-10 | Shift toward full-length practice, spaced one to two weeks apart rather than back-to-back, to build pacing and endurance without burning out on repeated testing. Review all correct and incorrect answers to ensure you don't make the same mistakes again. In between full lengths and full length reviews incorporate QBank practice. |
| Final Assessment | 11 | Take one final full-length to confirm you've closed the gap and are scoring at or above your target range. |
| Taper | 12 | Do light, targeted review only. Don't study any new content in the final 3-4 days. Prioritize sleep, routine, and test-center logistics. |
How UWorld MCAT Fits Into Your Retake Prep
The strategies above provide a framework, but turning them into a successful retake requires the right study resources. Whether you're rebuilding content, improving a weak section, or preparing for full-length exams, UWorld's Comprehensive MCAT Prep Course provides targeted support at every stage of your study plan.
- For the Rebuild phase: UWorld's MCAT prep books and video lessons give you structured content review, paired with questions by subject so you can test retention as you go instead of waiting until a full-length mock exam to find out what didn't stick. The QBank's detailed answer explanations and performance analytics help you identify exactly where you're losing points, broken down by subject and question type.
- For Build Stamina phases: UWorld's prep course includes two full-length practice exams plus access to seven AAMC practice exams, so you will have plenty of resources to study.
- For Final Assessment and Taper phases: UWorld's flashcards and UAsk™ AI MCAT tutor support quick, targeted review of specific weak points without pulling you back into full study sessions too close to test day.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When in the calendar year is the best time to schedule an MCAT retake?
Should I delay my medical school application to retake the MCAT?
Do I have to retake all four sections of the MCAT?
Can I cancel my MCAT registration if I do not feel ready?
Yes. But, you have to do it 10 days or more before your exam date. If you miss that deadline, your appointment is locked and your only options are to sit for the exam or take a no-show. Your refund depends on when you cancel, as the AAMC uses three refund windows. Check current cancellation fees directly at students-residents.aamc.org, since they can change.
A cancellation made before the 10-day cutoff doesn’t count against your attempt limits. A no-show does.
Should I explain my MCAT retake in my medical school application?
Can I retake the MCAT after being rejected from medical school?
References
- Association of American Medical Colleges. (2026). MCAT examination repeat policies and data. https://www.aamc.org/media/36216/download
- Association of American Medical Colleges. (2026). Testing attempt limits. https://students-residents.aamc.org/register-mcat-exam/publication-chapters/testing-attempt-limits
- Association of American Medical Colleges. (2026). The MCAT essentials for testing year 2026. https://students-residents.aamc.org/media/11711/download
- Association of American Medical Colleges. (n.d.). MCAT FAQs. https://students-residents.aamc.org/mcat-faq/mcat-faqs
Read More About the MCAT
Learn about the MCAT registration and scheduling process, including suggested prerequisites, rescheduling information, and various costs and fees.
MCAT Test Dates & Score Release DatesView the latest MCAT testing calendar for your country, including registration deadlines and score release dates based on when you take the exam.
MCAT Scores, Percentiles, and Pass RatesTake a deep dive into MCAT scoring to discover what you need to achieve your goals. We cover average scores, breakdowns by section, acceptance rates by score, and more.
MCAT SectionsExplore the MCAT's four key sections, understand the exam breakdown and format, and get the guidance you need to strategically plan your prep.
For International StudentsReady to take the MCAT as an international student? Learn everything you need to know about MCAT eligibility, registration, and tips for international students.
