The MCAT: Format, Sections, and Scoring
The MCAT is a 7 hours and 30 minutes standardized exam required for medical school admission in the United States and Canada. It consists of four sections: Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems (B/B), Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (C/P), Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior (P/S), and Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS). Each section contains 59 questions (except CARS with 53), for approximately 230 total questions. Each section is scored from 118 to 132, for a total score range of 472 to 528. The median score is 500. A score of 511 or above is roughly the 80th percentile and competitive for many MD programs. The B/B section covers biology, biochemistry, and organic chemistry as it relates to biological systems.