Health School Admission Tests
- Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
- Dental Admission Test (DAT)
- Optometry Admission Test (OAT)
- Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)
Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
The MCAT is the entrance exam that you will need to take if you are planning to apply to allopathic (M.D.), osteopathic (D.O.), or podiatry schools (DPM). The MCAT is administered multiple times each year through Prometric, Inc. and can be taken at UIUC Testing Center, 46 Student Service Building, 610 E. John St.
MCAT Test Structure
The MCAT is a standardized multiple choice exam.
- VERBAL REASONING - VR
- The reading passages are reflective of the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences and are not designed to test subject matter but rather your reading comprehension and critical thinking abilities.
- PHYSICAL SCIENCES - PS
- BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES - BS
- These two sections each contain multiple choice questions and informational passages assessing molecular biology, human systems, chemistry (general and organic) and physics. It is the application of knowledge and the solution of the science problems.
- WRITING SAMPLE - WS
- Two short 30 minute essays are written.
Scoring of the MCAT
The tests in Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, and Biological Sciences are scored on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 15 (highest) and based on the number of questions you answer correctly. The Writing Sample is scored on a scale of J (lowest) through T (highest).
MCAT Application: http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/start.htm
Dental Admission Test (DAT)
To apply to Dental programs, a DAT is required. The DAT is administered multiple times each year through Prometric, Inc. and can be taken at UIUC Testing Center, 46 Student Service Building, 610 E. John St.
The four exams of the DAT include Survey of Natural Sciences, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning.
Scoring of the DAT
The exam is scored on the number of right answers with a range from 1 (lowest) to 30 (highest) and there is no failing or passing score.
Optometry Admission Test (OAT)
Students pursuing optometry will be required to take the OAT. The OAT is conducted by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry and is designed to evaluate your general academic ability and comprehension of science principles. The four-part exam is multiple choice and includes: Survey of Natural Sciences, Physics, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning. The OAT is administered multiple times each year through Prometric, Inc. and can be taken at UIUC Testing Center, 46 Student Service Building, 610 E. John St.
Scoring of the OAT
The exam scores are based on the number of right answers with a range from 200 (lowest) to 400 (highest) and there is no failing or passing score. Obtain an online OAT application at the ASCO site.
Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)
Students pursuing a career in pharmacy are recommended to take the PCAT http://tpc-etesting.com/pcat/
The PCAT is designed to evaluate your general academic ability and comprehension of scientific knowledge necessary for pharmaceutical education. The five content areas of the PCAT include Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability, Biology, Chemistry, and Reading Comprehension. The PCAT is administered four times each year through Prometric, Inc. and can be taken at UIUC Testing Center, 46 Student Service Building, 610 E. John St.
Scoring of the PCAT
The exam scale used for the PCAT ranges from approximately 100 to 300 with a median score of 200 and there is no failing or passing score. Obtain a PCAT Applicationat at PCATWEB.
