Should You Void Your MCAT Score? How to Decide on Test Day

At the end of your MCAT, you'll choose whether to have your exam scored or voided. If you void, your exam won't be scored or reported to medical schools, but it still counts toward your testing limits and your registration fee isn't refunded. The decision is final and can only be made on test day.

That makes voiding one of the few MCAT decisions you have to make while you're tired, stressed, and unsure how the day went. The best time to think it through is now, well before test day.

Here's how voiding works, what it costs, and how to set clear rules for yourself in advance.

How does voiding the MCAT work?

After you finish the last section, the testing software asks you to choose one option:

• Score my exam. Your exam is scored and your results are released on the scheduled score release date.
• Void my exam. Your exam is not scored. You won't see a score, and no score is sent to medical schools.

Once you confirm your choice, you can't change it. There is no option to void after you leave the test center, and no way to cancel a score once it's released.

Review the AAMC's scoring and voiding guidance before test day so the screen isn't a surprise.

What happens when you void your MCAT?

Here's what changes, and what doesn't, when you void:

Because a void still uses an attempt, it helps to know how many times you can take the MCAT before you decide.

When should you void your MCAT?

Void your MCAT when something specific and significant happened that you know kept the exam from reflecting your preparation. A general feeling that the test went badly usually isn't enough.

Reasons that may justify a void include:

• You became ill during the exam and couldn't perform.
• A personal emergency or major distraction affected your ability to focus.
• You ran out of time on a large part of a section, not just a few questions.
• You were clearly not ready, and your recent practice exams already showed it.

When should you keep your score?

Keep your score when the exam felt hard but nothing unusual happened. The MCAT is designed to feel challenging, and many students walk out feeling worse than they performed.

This is especially true for CARS and passage-heavy sections, where it's hard to judge accuracy as you go. A difficult passage set doesn't mean you scored below your practice range.

Keeping your score also has practical value. Even a score below your goal gives you real data: section scores you can compare with your practice exams and use to build a retake plan if you need one. A void gives you none.

How should you decide before test day?

You'll make a better decision if you set your rules while you're calm. Here's how we recommend preparing:

Write down your void criteria in advance

List the specific situations that would make you void. Keep it short and concrete, such as "I got sick," "I left more than one passage unanswered in a section," or "a personal emergency affected my focus." If none of them happened, score the exam.

Check your readiness before the 10-day deadline

The best way to avoid a void is to not sit for an exam you aren't ready for. Schedule a full-length practice exam and time to review it before your 10-day deadline. If your scores aren't close to your goal, reschedule instead of testing and voiding.

Rescheduling costs a fee, but it doesn't use an attempt. A void costs your full registration fee and an attempt.

Know your next available date

Before test day, look at the calendar and note which future dates would work for a retake. Knowing your fallback reduces the pressure of the moment.

Practice the full test-day routine

Take your later practice exams on the same schedule as test day, with timed breaks. When the real exam feels familiar, you're less likely to misread normal stress as a sign that the day went wrong.

Frequently asked questions about voiding the MCAT

Do medical schools know if you void the MCAT?

A voided exam isn't scored, so medical schools don't receive a score for that attempt. It still counts toward your testing limits.

Can you void your MCAT after you leave?

No. You can only choose to void at the end of your exam on test day. Once you confirm, the choice is final.

Do you get a refund if you void your MCAT?

No. Your registration fee isn't refunded when you void.

Is it better to void or take a low score?

It depends on why the score might be low. If a specific event affected your performance, voiding may make sense. If the exam simply felt difficult, keeping the score gives you useful data and avoids using an attempt without a result.

Does voiding the MCAT look bad?

A voided exam doesn't produce a score for schools to review. The bigger concern is using attempts. Several voids can limit your options later, so treat voiding as a rare decision.

Get support preparing for test day

Your next step is to write down your void criteria and schedule a practice exam before your 10-day deadline.

If you'd like help building confidence and a test-day routine that holds up under pressure, explore The Brem Method's live MCAT Prep Course. Mental Fitness Training is built into the course so you can walk into test day prepared and ready to perform.

Happy studying!