How many times can you take the MCAT?
The AAMC lets you take the MCAT no more than 3 times in a testing year, 4 times over two consecutive testing years and 7 times in your lifetime. You can hold only one exam appointment at a time. The AAMC may consider an appeal of these limits, but approval is at its sole discretion.
In more detail
The lifetime count of 7 begins with the April 2015 test dates. The MCAT is offered from January to September, so in practice a testing year is one season. Registration for the whole 2027 season opens October 20 to 22, 2026, by testing center location, so a plan that includes a possible retake needs seats early.
You can ask the AAMC to consider an appeal. It may ask for more information or documents, approval is at its sole discretion, and it will not consider more than one appeal in a test year. Do not count on an appeal as part of your plan.
The limits rarely bind. The real constraint is time: each attempt needs weeks of prep aimed at specific gaps, so three sittings in one season leave little room to fix anything between them. Retake when your recent full-length practice scores are at or above your goal, not just to try again.
MCAT attempt limits (AAMC)
| Limit | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Open exam appointments | 1 at a time |
| Single testing year | 3 attempts |
| Two consecutive testing years | 4 attempts |
| Lifetime (from the April 2015 test dates) | 7 attempts |
| Appeals | At the AAMC's sole discretion, 1 per test year |
Step by step
- 1
Count your past attempts against all three limits before you book a seat.
- 2
Book a retake only when your recent full-length practice scores are at or above your target.
- 3
Use your score report to see which of the 4 sections cost you the most points.
- 4
Spend the weeks between attempts on those sections with timed passages and content review.
- 5
Take a full-length practice exam under real timing about a week before the retake.
- 6
If you may need to go past a limit, read the AAMC appeal rules before you register.
How StudyPDF helps
StudyPDF helps between sittings. Upload your MCAT content review notes, prep book chapters and the topics from your score report, and it builds flashcards, quizzes and timed practice exams from them, then tracks per concept what you still miss. Set your exam date in the Plan tab to get dated sessions up to it. The free plan covers about 4 materials a week, no card needed.
See also
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More questions
How many times can you take the MCAT in a year?
Up to 3 times in a testing year, and no more than 4 times over two consecutive testing years.
Can you take the MCAT more than 7 times?
The AAMC limit is 7 in your lifetime. It may consider an appeal, but approval is at its sole discretion, and it considers only one appeal per test year.