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Mastery of prerequisite knowledge is important not only for academic success in your health professions program, but also for attaining a competitive standardized test score, required by most programs as part of your application.
We advise all students to take the exams when you are MOST prepared. The goal is to take the test once and that timeline may be different from your classmates. It can depend on your progress for your program’s pre-requisites as well as when you plan to apply.
We generally recommend studying for the admissions test for about 3-4 months and treating it like a 3-4 credit course. Some students self-study while others utilize a structured prep course. There is no right or wrong. Choose a method that works for you.
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score is a critical component of your application to medical school. The MCAT is a standardized, multiple-choice examination designed to assess your abilities in problem solving, critical thinking, writing skills, knowledge of science concepts, and behavioral and sociocultural determinants of health. Explore the interactive MCAT guide to learn more about the content and framework of the test.
The MCAT offers dates ranging from January until September. (Typically, tests are not administered in February and March.) The majority of these dates cluster in April and August. It is expected that this pattern will apply for the foreseeable future. The dates for a given year can be found here. Once you have decided on a date, you should register for it as early as possible, because the number of seats in a given site are limited. Test sites are managed by Pearson VUE test centers.
The DAT is a standardized test composed of multiple-choice questions to assess knowledge of natural sciences, perceptual ability, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning. (ADD MORE CONTENT if needed)
For more information on the DAT, please visit the American Dental Association ( ADA ) website
The PCAT is tested on the following areas: Biological Processes, Chemical Processes, Critical Reading, Quantitative Reasoning, and Writing.
For more information, refer to the American Association of College Pharmacy
For mor information about testing dates for PCAT, please utilize this page
The OAT is a comprehensive exam that optometry education programs utilize to assess the knowledge of natural sciences, physics, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning.
The PA-CAT is tested on the following 9 Subject Areas: Anatomy, Physiology, General Biology, Biochemistry, General and Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, Behavioral Sciences, Genetics, and Statistics.
The GRE is used for admissions for graduate & professional schools. You should check your target schools if it is required.
It assesses verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing.
Accommodations: The University of Michigan Office of Services for Students with Disabilities provides links to information about accommodations for high stakes tests.
