How Long Is the MCAT? Breaking Down the Exam’s Timing and Sections
The MCAT is one of the most challenging hurdles you’ll need to clear on your path to medical school, not only because of its content but also due to its length. With over 6 hours of testing time and an even longer seated time, the exam requires both thorough academic preparation and mental endurance. But understanding how long the MCAT takes, and how to manage that time effectively, can make all the difference when it comes to your performance.
In this guide, we’ll break down what you need to know about the test, including how to make the most of your test time, details about the structure of the exam, time management strategies, and how long you’ll have to complete each section.
What to Know About the MCAT
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized exam required for admission to most medical schools in the U.S. and Canada. Developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the MCAT is designed to assess problem-solving, critical thinking, and the knowledge of natural, behavioral, and social sciences needed for a career as a physician.
To put your best foot forward on test day, understanding the exam’s structure and content is key.
Content of the Exam
The MCAT consists of 4 sections, each testing different scientific and analytical skills:
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Assesses knowledge of chemistry and physics in the context of human bodily functions
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: Evaluates reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and critical thinking using passages from the humanities and social sciences
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Focuses on basic biology, biochemistry, and organic and general chemistry concepts
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior: Tests your depth of knowledge in psychology, sociology, and other behavioral sciences
Exam Structure
This is a long and rigorous exam, not just in terms of content but also in structure. Here’s how it breaks down:
- Test day certification: Before beginning the exam, candidates must complete an identity verification and agreement process.
- Tutorial: AAMC also provides a pre-test tutorial that explains the testing interface and navigation. Completion of this part is optional.
- Breaks between sections: There are 3 optional break periods worked in between each section of the test. All breaks are 10 minutes long, except for the mid-exam break which lasts 30 minutes.
- End-of-exam options: After the test is complete, you have the option to void your exam (meaning it will not be scored) and to complete a survey about your experience.
Number of Questions
There are 230 total questions on the MCAT. 3 out of the 4 sections — Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems; Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems; and Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior — each include 59 multiple choice questions, with 10 passage-based question sets and 15 independent questions.
The Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section features 53 multiple choice questions spread over 9 passage-based question sets.
How Long Does the MCAT Take?
Taking the MCAT is a full-day event. When all is said and done, test takers will spend 6 hours and 15 minutes directly engaging with the exam content and answering questions. Here’s how it breaks down:
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: 95 minutes
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: 90 minutes
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: 95 minutes
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior: 95 minutes
When factoring in breaks and the time it takes to complete administrative and any optional sections, the total seated time bumps up to 7 hours and 30 minutes.
The only exception to these time constraints is if you require extended time accommodations. Students who qualify for these accommodations — due to disabilities or medical conditions, for example — will receive additional time to complete the MCAT. The exact duration differs on a case-by-case basis and depends on the specific accommodations granted by the AAMC.
MCAT Time Management Tips
Given the length and complexity of the MCAT, effective time management is key to completing the test before the timer runs out. To help you stay on track during the exam, incorporate the following strategies into your prep and test day plans.
Skip and Return to Difficult Questions
If you come across a question that takes too long to answer, don’t dwell on it. Instead, mark it for review and move on. Prioritizing the questions you can confidently answer first will go a long way toward maximizing your score. If time allows at the end of the section, you can revisit the questions you flagged.
Keep in mind that you won’t be penalized for getting questions wrong or leaving them unanswered, so if you really aren’t sure about an answer it’s always better to make a guess.
Take a Full-Length Practice Exam
Practicing under real test conditions is one of the best ways to prepare yourself for the MCAT’s time constraints. A full-length practice test will help you:
- Understand how long it takes you to complete each section
- Identify the subject areas that slow you down
- Develop strategies that you can use to speed up your test taking
If you find yourself consistently running out of time, you may want to take an additional practice exam. This way, you can adjust your pacing and refine your approach to certain question types before sitting for the real deal.
Use Strategic Reading Techniques
Reading passages, digesting them, and referring back to them when answering questions is time consuming. Using techniques like outlining and highlighting can help you process information and extract key concepts quickly. Try:
- Skimming passages to identify the main idea before getting started on the questions
- Highlighting key terms and conclusions to make it easier to reference important information
- Summarizing each paragraph to improve comprehension
Use the Milestones Strategy
To ensure you stay on pace, break each section into time-based milestones. For example, in a 95-minute section, aim to answer just over half of the questions (30/59) in roughly half the time (~47 minutes). If smaller chunks of time are more manageable for you, track your progress accordingly every 15 or 20 minutes instead.
Take Advantage of Scheduled Breaks
The MCAT is a marathon, not a sprint, which means that pacing yourself is essential to avoiding test fatigue and burnout. So while it may be tempting to power through the break periods to finish the exam more quickly, it’s in your best interest to take advantage of breaks to give yourself a chance to reset and refocus.
Make the most of the downtime by:
- Stepping away from your testing station
- Stretching or taking a short walk — even if it’s just to refill your water bottle
- Eating a snack to stay energized
- Staying hydrated
Work With a Mentor
Working with a mentor ahead of time can help you refine your approach and arrive at the exam feeling confident. An experienced mentor will:
- Provide guidance on time management strategies
- Be able to answer your questions about the exam
- Offer encouragement and tips for performing your best on test day
- Help you develop a customized study plan
FAQs
How long does it take to complete the MCAT?
When sitting for the exam, test takers will spend 6 hours and 15 minutes directly engaging with the exam content and answering questions. However, with breaks and the time it takes to complete administrative tasks and any optional sections factored in, the total time extends to 7 hours and 30 minutes.
What does the MCAT test you on?
The MCAT is designed to assess test takers’ problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and knowledge of the biological, behavioral, and social sciences needed for a career as a physician. To achieve this goal, the exam is broken down into 4 sections: Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems; Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills; Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems; and Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior.
How many questions are on the MCAT?
The MCAT has 230 questions in total, with 59 multiple choice questions per section, except for the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section, which is made up of 53 questions.
What can I do to improve time management for the MCAT?
There are several strategies you can use to make the most of your test time. These include: skipping and returning to difficult questions, using strategic reading techniques like outlining and highlighting, keeping track of your progress through the exam by setting milestones, and taking advantage of break periods. Additionally, taking a full-length practice test and working with a mentor are great ways to prepare yourself for test day ahead of time.
Preparing for the MCAT isn’t just about mastering the exam’s content — it also involves developing time management techniques that set you up for success on test day. If you’re looking for help coming up with these strategies, Advanced eClinical Training’s Pre-Medical Mentorship Program can help you prepare. In addition to providing guidance along your medical school application journey, our expert mentors are committed to getting you ready for the MCAT, whether you need help with time management, test-taking strategies, or general prep.
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