Taking The MCAT As A Canadian: 520 Scorer Tips

If you are confused about where to start as a Canadian student studying for the MCAT, you’re not alone.

Questions like:

→ “What is different about the MCAT in Canada vs the US?”

→ “Should I approach studying for the MCAT differently as a Canadian student?"

→ "What resources are right for me if I'm trying to get into Canadian medical schools?” 

... are probably running through your mind!

I had this same experience and I’m here to tell you what I learned!

My name is Sophie and I’m one of your MedLife Mastery mentors. Today, I’m going to be walking you through some of my key tips and takeaways from my experience taking the MCAT as a Canadian student.

The Key Differences Between the US & Canadian MCAT

First and foremost, the content and format of the MCAT are completely the same in Canada as it is in the US, so there aren’t any actual differences between the test an American takes and the test you would take as a Canadian.

With that being said, there are differences with regards to how the MCAT is considered by Canadian schools, and how you should approach studying based on that.

Unlike in the US where there are 155 medical schools, there are only 17 medical schools in Canada. This means that acceptance rates are quite a bit lower in Canada, simply because there aren’t nearly as many spaces for new students.

It also means that when you’re making the decision to apply to medical school, it’s important that you take some time to review the application requirements for each school you’re interested in, and focus on MCAT requirements for those schools to help you to guide your MCAT goals.

The Fees Aren't Exactly The Same For Canadians Taking The MCAT

The first thing to remember when you register for the MCAT as a Canadian is that the prices on the AAMC website, and some other 3rd party resources, are in US dollars. This is super important when budgeting. 

Many of you are likely students like me, so taking the MCAT is a pretty major expense. I remember my shock when I paid the registration fee, only to see a much bigger charge on my credit card a few days later.

Avoid the shock and panic that I had and always double check what the cost will be in Canadian dollars by looking at the currency exchange rate. This will ensure that you know exactly what you’re spending and how this fits into your budget.

Differences in Score Evaluation Between US & Canadian Medical Schools

Most Canadian medical schools that require the MCAT have minimum requirements for each section of the MCAT, as opposed to just a minimum overall score. Because of this, when you start studying, make sure to put a big emphasis on being well-rounded. 

You don’t want to spend all of your time studying for the B/B section, only to get a C/P score that is below the minimum requirement. These section minimums will depend on the school, so make sure to look into this in advance. They might even change depending on your GPA like at Dalhousie, so make a list in a spreadsheet of all of the minimums that you can easily refer back to. 

This MCAT Section Matters More To Canadian Medical Schools

Although you do want to make sure your MCAT score is well-rounded, many Canadian schools have specific requirements for CARS scores. This is particularly important to look out for if you are applying out of province. 

For example, the University of Alberta has a minimum of 124 in all sections for Albertans, but a minimum of 128 in CARS for non-Albertans. This is a pretty major difference and important to account for in your studying. 

McMaster University takes this one step further and only looks at your CARS score from the MCAT. When I was studying for the MCAT, I had no idea about these special CARS requirements, so I put little effort into improving my CARS score because I thought it was “good enough”. It wasn’t until I took a look at the McMaster requirements that I realized my mistake and had to rush into CARS strategies late in my study journey. 

Make sure to start your CARS practice early!

If you haven't already, consider joining a 2-Week CARS Strategy Bootcamp or enrolling in our self-paced CARS Mastery Course!

This will get you on the right track out of the gate and you won’t be scrambling to improve this section when your test date is creeping up.

How Canadian Medical Schools Treat MCAT Retakes

When considering taking and re-taking the MCAT, one thing to look out for is what score the school will actually look at. This is school-dependent in Canada. 

Many schools like Queens University and the University of British Columbia will take your best score if you have multiple attempts, but others, like McMaster University and the University of Toronto, will only look at your most recent score.

It’s good to know this info in advance so you can really make an informed decision when choosing if you want to retake or not.

The Additional Step Only Canadians Have To Take To Release MCAT Scores

Now that you’ve taken your test, you receive an amazing MCAT score, and you’re ready to apply. You fill everything out, give your AAMC ID, and submit. Unfortunately, you’ve missed one crucial step in the process! 

Canadian medical schools don’t have one centralized portal like the AMCAS in the US. In order for the schools to receive your score, you need to manually release your scores to them.

Although Ontario schools have a central application portal, OMSAS, you still need to manually release your scores. This is something that created additional stress for me when applying to medical schools, when it is really quite a simple process! 

To do this, simply log into your AAMC account and go to My Reports, where you can select “Send score electronically”. Here, just select the schools or application portals you are applying to and send them. 

Now you’re good to go!

Key Takeaways: Feeling More Confident & Comfortable Going Into My Test

I know it can be overwhelming getting started on this journey. That’s definitely how I felt!

But keeping these tips in mind will help you to be prepared for the unique considerations of taking the MCAT as a Canadian.

These takeaways were key to making me feel more comfortable and confident going into my test.

If you want to talk to me or one of our other mentors more about these tips or just about MCAT strategies in general, you can always sign up for our one-on-one MCAT tutoring using this link. 

Remember that we’ve been where you are! It will all work out. 

You got this, 

The MedLife Mastery Team
Your MCAT Success Mentors