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Applying for Accommodations
MCAT Financial Assistance Application for Psychoeducational or Medical
Re-Evaluations
AAMC is pleased to offer financial assistance to qualified individuals
who need updated psycho-educational or medical evaluations to complete
their applications for MCAT accommodations. Assistance is available to
individuals who qualify for the AAMC's Fee
Assistance Program (FAP) and who have evaluation information that
is older than AAMC uses to support applications for testing accommodations.
The award is not for first-time psychoeducational or medical evaluations
or to retroactively subsidize recently updated evaluations. The award
is for $500; applicants will be responsible for the difference between
$500 and their evaluator's fees.
Are you eligible to apply for this financial assistance?
You may be eligible to apply for financial assistance toward the cost
of the psychoeducational or medical evaluation required by the MCAT Office
of Accommodated Testing Services if you meet the criteria below. The maximum
award will be $500. Funds for eligible examinees are distributed on a
first-come, first-served basis. Therefore it is possible that you will
meet these criteria, but we will be unable to provide funds in the current
application year. The key is to apply as early as possible and know how
to contact us if you need help understanding the process.
Eligibility Requirements
- You must have an approval for the AAMC's
Fee Assistance Program (FAP). The FAP approval establishes your
financial need. This is a separate program that, upon approval,
provides the following benefits in addition to eligibility for this
financial assistance application:
- Reduction of MCAT registration fees from $230 to $85.
- A free copy of the Official
Guide to the MCAT Exam.
- Waiver of the application fees for submitting the completed
AMCAS application to up to 13 medical schools. Applicants pay
an additional fee for each school beyond the 13 free applications.
- You must demonstrate, by providing a copy of an evaluation, that
you have been previously diagnosed with a disability or medical
condition. Funds from this program may not be used if you are seeking
an evaluation for the first time.
- You must demonstrate that you are currently receiving accommodations
at your college or university by providing a letter, on institutional
letterhead, from your disabilities services office.
- You must be able to provide a letter, on institutional letterhead,
from your school's pre-health or other academic advisor attesting
that, to the best of her/his knowledge, you intend to take the MCAT
exam and apply to medical school.
Please note that if you are awarded funds from this program, you must
be able to supplement the funding if the cost of your evaluation exceeds
the amount we have awarded to you. For example, if we have awarded you
$500, but the cost of your evaluation is $1,000, you will be responsible
for the additional $500. While we do not require you to demonstrate that
you have these additional funds for the purpose of this application, you
should be aware that your evaluator may not release the evaluation to
us if there is an outstanding payment for which you are responsible.
When should you apply?
This is a challenging question to answer because so much depends on how
quickly you can get your application materials together. Hopefully, the
following information will help you determine the date to submit your
applications. Remember, earlier is always better.*
- First you need to know when you want to test. Please review the 2010
MCAT Exam Schedule.
- Then you need to be aware of how long each step takes in the Request
for Accommodation process. There's lots of good information on the MCAT
Web site about this. Generally, you should submit your completed
Request for Accommodations and supporting
documentation at least 60 days before you want to register for the
exam. It is also important for you to know that we strongly recommend
that you register at least 60 days prior to the exam date. So that means
you should submit your completed request about 4 months prior to the
date you think you want to take the exam.
- You also need to know when you can get an appointment for your evaluation
and how long before your evaluation is ready.
- And then you should know that we need about 15 days to review your
application for financial assistance
- So altogether, that's about 4 1/2 months just for the financial assistance
application, the Request for Accommodations, and registration. This
doesn't include the time needed with your evaluator. That seems long,
doesn't it? But each step goes by quickly and then you're ready to take
the MCAT exam.
How do I submit my application?
If You Do Not Have a FAP Approval
-
Complete a FAP Application
and submit the required supporting documentation.
-
Once you receive your FAP approval, follow the steps below.
If You Have a FAP Approval
- Complete the MCAT Application
for Financial Assistance for Psychoeducational or Medical Evaluations (PDF).
- After completing your application, attach a copy of your previous
evaluation and the letters from your advisor and disabilities services
office. Note: You do not need to submit a copy of your FAP approval
letter. We will contact the FAP office to confirm your approval.
- Mail everything to:
Medical College Admission Test
Office of Accommodated Testing Services
Attn: Financial Assistance Application
2450 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
Please be assured that the personal information will remain confidential.
Confidential data is data that may not be released outside of the Association
of American Medical Colleges with individual identification, except with
permission.
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