MCAT Guide
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized examination run by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) that is used as a tool to assess applicants for medical schools around the world.
Good to know
The MCAT is entirely multiple choice and is taken on a computer in an AAMC approved testing center. In the exam room you will not be allowed any food, water or outside electronic devices. All your personal belongings will be lockedi in a locker that you can only access during scheduled breaks between sections.
Retakes
You can take the MCAT a maximum of 7 times in your lifetime. In one calender year you can take the MCAT 3 times MAX, and over two calender years you can take it 4 times MAX. Most schools only look at your last MCAT score, so if you are retaking it make sure you improve your score. Queen's is the only school in Ontario that looks at your best score.
Cost
Although you can take the MCAT multiple times, keep in mind that it is not a cheap test. It costs $345 USD if you are taking it in Canada or the US, and more if you are taking it elsewhere. Also consider that seats in test centers are limitted, so if you cannot find a spot at a nearby center you will need to write the MCAT in another region, and that may have additional associated costs.
MCAT Registration
The MCAT consists of four sections:
- ⚗️Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (C/P)
59 questions over 95 minutes
Approximate breakdown of disciplines: 30% General Chemistry, 25% Biochemistry, 25% Physics, 15% Organic Chemistry, 5% Biology
- 📚Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS)
59 questions over 95 minutes
There are 9 passages in CARS, each with 5-7 associated questions. 50% of the passages are humanities and the other 50% are social sciences. There are no discrete questions in CARS because every question is related to a passage.
- 🧬Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems (B/B)
59 questions over 95 minutes
Approximate breakdown of disciplines: 65% Biology, 25% Biochemistry, 5% General Chemistry, 5% Organic Chemistry
- 🧠Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior (P/S)
59 questions over 95 minutes
Approximate breakdown of disciplines: 65% Psychology (this includes some biologically relevant psychology concepts), 30% Sociology, 5% Biology
Score
Each section is scored on a scale from 118 to 132, with a total score ranging from 472 to 528.
The MCAT score is scaled, NOT curved. This detail is a common point of confusion for test takers. If you are interested in an explanation of what that means and more, see
Each Ontario medical school has different MCAT requirements:
- ✅University of Toronto
Minimum of 125 in each section, with allowance for 124 in one section.
- ✅McMaster University
Only considers the CARS section with a minimum score of 123. Competitive applicants typically have 128+.
- ✅Queen's University
Minimum of 125 in each section. Queen's is the only school in Ontario that takes your best MCAT score.
- ✅Western University
Cutoffs determined yearly. For 2024-2025: C/P: 127, CARS: 127, B/B: 127, P/S: 126. SWOMEN pathway allows for 125 in each section.
- ❌University of Ottawa
Does not require the MCAT for Ontario applicants.
How you should go about studying for the MCAT is dependent on many variables. So, despite what you may read online, there is no "best" way to prepare for this exam. If you have a strong background in chemistry and physics, you can score well in the C/P section without studying at all. Or if you have a slow reading speed, you may need to approach CARS differently from someone who can easily scan a passage. You need to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses early and figure out what preparation technique will work best for you.
We know we just said that there is no "best" way to prepare for the MCAT. But we strongly recommend understanding concepts well, and not treating the MCAT like a large memorization game. The MCAT can feel overwhelming if your only study method is trying to rmember all the facts. But realistically, each section only has a few concepts that you can be tested on, and if you understand the concepts well, not only will you be able to apply your knowledge more flexibly, but you will also not have to remember so many things. Concepts tend to tie into each other, so you will save yourself a lot of effort and stress.