By Dr. Mary Kate Roohan, PsyD (CA PSY34538) | Last updated: November 2, 2026
If you are reading this blog, you are likely preparing for one of the most demanding exams in medical school admissions while also trying to make sense of an accommodations process. The process is confusing, and it is navigable.
My name is Dr. Mary Kate Roohan, and I am a psychologist who specializes in high-stakes testing evaluations. In this guide, I explain what the AAMC asks for and how an evaluation can help you build a complete application.
Key Takeaways
The AAMC asks for a personal statement, a current comprehensive evaluation, and supporting documentation, all submitted through its online application system (AAMC, n.d.-a).
For ADHD and learning disabilities, the AAMC's guidelines state that the evaluation should have been administered no more than three years before your anticipated MCAT date (AAMC, n.d.-b).
Initial requests are generally reviewed within 60 days, so the timing of your evaluation matters (AAMC, n.d.-c).
In addition to a diagnosis, the AAMC asks for a current assessment of your functional limitations (e.g., how your symptoms affect you under standard testing conditions) (AAMC, n.d.-a).
How the MCAT Accommodations Process Works
According to the AAMC, an initial application currently follows these steps (AAMC, n.d.-d):
Create an AAMC account if you do not already have one.
Sign in to the Accommodations Application System and create an application. You may apply for the MCAT exam, the PREview exam, or both at the same time.
Complete the Profile, Condition, and History sections.
Upload your personal statement, your current comprehensive evaluation, and any other required or relevant documentation.
Review the application for completeness and submit it.
When a determination has been made, the AAMC sends an email notification, and the determination letter is available in the application system. To schedule an exam with accommodations, you first register for a standard seat through the MCAT scheduling and registration system (AAMC, n.d.-d).
What the AAMC Asks You to Submit
A complete application includes a personal statement, a current comprehensive evaluation (a detailed written report from your evaluator), and academic and medical supporting documentation (AAMC, n.d.-a).
For ADHD and learning disabilities, the AAMC lists supporting documents as follows:
| Document | ADHD | Learning disability |
|---|---|---|
| Academic transcripts | Strongly recommended | Strongly recommended |
| Standardized test score reports | Strongly recommended | Required |
| Verification of previous accommodations | Required | Required |
| Supporting academic records | Strongly recommended | Strongly recommended |
| Previous evaluations | Strongly recommended | Strongly recommended |
The AAMC notes that test score reports and verification of previous accommodations are required only if you have taken such tests or received such services in the past. The AAMC also describes strongly recommended documents as typically necessary for a full review. Omitting them may result in an incomplete application (i.e., a delayed determination) (AAMC, n.d.-a).
Your personal statement
The AAMC asks that your personal statement describe your current functional limitations and your history of accommodations from your own perspective. Examples from past standardized tests, such as the SAT, ACT, or GRE, are helpful when available.
The statement should also explain why you need the accommodations you are requesting. If you do not have a history of accommodations, or you are requesting one you have never used before, the AAMC asks you to explain why.
You do not need to restate what your evaluator has already documented. That being said, it is fine to explain something you feel your evaluator may have left out (AAMC, n.d.-a).
What Your Evaluation Report Needs to Address
The AAMC publishes guidelines for what evaluators need to document for learning disabilities, ADHD, and psychiatric disabilities (AAMC, n.d.-b). The current guidelines ask that:
The evaluator is qualified to administer the tests and lists their name, title, credentials, and training and experience with the relevant condition.
For ADHD and learning disabilities, the evaluation was administered no more than three years before your anticipated MCAT date.
All scores from tests the evaluator administered are included, based on age norms rather than grade norms (except when age norms are unavailable from the test publisher).
Alternative explanations for the condition have been addressed.
The report fully describes your functional limitations.
Recommendations are individualized to you, and the report describes the rationale for each accommodation or device.
The guidelines then list what to evaluate for each type of condition (AAMC, n.d.-b):
For ADHD
A measure of intellectual ability
Multiple measures of academic achievement relevant to your impairment and the demands of the exam, with timed and untimed tests required
Objective measurement of attention (tests designed to measure attention) as well as subjective measurement (self-report of attention problems)
Attention problems present before age 12, even if ADHD was not formally diagnosed until later
The impact of symptoms in two or more settings (e.g., school, work, home)
Other possible explanations for the attention difficulties ruled out (e.g., emotional factors)
For learning disabilities
A measure of intellectual ability
Multiple measures of academic achievement, with timed and untimed tests required
A processing deficit (e.g., auditory or visual processing, memory, reasoning, or processing speed) demonstrated using multiple tests, and a description of how that deficit relates to areas of underachievement
Other possible explanations ruled out (e.g., emotional factors or limited exposure to English)
For psychiatric disabilities
Three types of evidence: historical, objective (e.g., individually administered tests of emotional functioning and personality), and subjective
Evidence of current impact on a major life activity, such as your ability to learn
If extended time is recommended, timed as well as untimed tests in each academic area (reading, written language, and math) and evidence of processing speed or other cognitive deficits
Other possible explanations ruled out (e.g., learning disorders or other psychiatric disorders)
If more than one condition is involved, such as ADHD and a learning disability, the AAMC asks that the report describe the unique impact of each condition and meet the guidelines for each.
When the psychologist recommends additional time, they are expected to specify the amount and the rationale. For example, a psychologist might recommend time-and-a-half (50% additional time), double time (100% additional time), or an additional 30 minutes beyond the standard testing time, depending on the individual's documented needs. The recommendation should clearly identify the specific accommodation (e.g., 1.5x standard time or 2x standard time) and explain how it addresses the individual's functional limitations, such as slower processing speed, difficulty sustaining attention, or needing additional time to read, process, and respond to test questions. A general recommendation such as "extra time" is not sufficient (AAMC, n.d.-b).
Why so much detail? The AAMC is not only asking whether a diagnosis exists. Its guidelines ask for a current picture of how your condition limits you and how each requested accommodation addresses that limitation. A brief letter that only states a diagnosis does not meet these guidelines.
Where a Psychologist Fits In
An evaluation for accommodations has to answer the questions the testing organization is asking. If accommodations are part of your goal, it is important to ask the evaluator before you book whether their evaluation will address the AAMC's current guidelines for your condition (for example, objective attention measures and timed and untimed achievement testing for ADHD). If extra time is recommended, ask whether the report will specify the amount and the reasoning behind it.
Please keep in mind that no evaluator can guarantee that the AAMC will approve a request. An evaluator can thoroughly document your history, current functioning, and test results and explain the reasoning behind each recommendation so reviewers can follow it.
If you already have an evaluation, check its date against your anticipated test date. For ADHD and learning disabilities, an evaluation older than three years may still be useful as a previous evaluation, which the AAMC lists as strongly recommended supporting documentation. A current comprehensive evaluation is still required (AAMC, n.d.-a).
Our practice offers high-stakes testing evaluations for exams such as the MCAT. My therapy and assessment practice has also written about the pros and cons of high-stakes testing and about the LSAT accommodations process, which has some parallels for other professional exams.
Timing Your Application
The AAMC's published review windows can help you plan:
Initial requests are generally reviewed within 60 days of submission, and reconsiderations, appeals, and extensions are generally reviewed within 30 days.
The AAMC encourages applicants to submit by the recommended submission date associated with their intended exam date. Those dates are listed in the AAMC's current table and change with each testing year.
You must be approved for accommodations and have a scheduling request submitted with Pearson VUE at least 15 days before your exam. If approval comes later than that, accommodations will not be available for that exam. You can still test under standard conditions.
The current submission dates for each exam date are listed on the AAMC's review cycles and important dates page (AAMC, n.d.-c). Generally speaking, it helps to work backward from the recommended submission date and leave time for scheduling the evaluation, completing testing, and receiving the written report.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get MCAT accommodations approved?
The AAMC states that initial requests are generally reviewed within 60 days of submission. Reconsiderations, appeals, and extensions are generally reviewed within 30 days (AAMC, n.d.-c).
How recent does my evaluation need to be?
For ADHD and learning disabilities, the AAMC's guidelines state that the evaluation should have been administered no more than three years before your anticipated MCAT date. For psychiatric disabilities, the guidelines call for a more recent evaluation, no more than six months before the anticipated test date. Documentation between six and 24 months old is accepted if it is accompanied by a letter that provides an update on the diagnosis, current level of functioning, changes since the previous evaluation, and current treatment, along with a continued rationale for the requested accommodations (AAMC, n.d.-b).
Can I get MCAT accommodations for anxiety?
Requests based on anxiety or another psychiatric condition fall under the AAMC's guidelines for psychiatric disabilities, which require historical, objective, and subjective evidence and a recent evaluation. If extended time is recommended, the guidelines also ask for timed and untimed tests in each academic area and evidence of processing speed or other cognitive deficits (AAMC, n.d.-b). Everyday test stress is different from a diagnosed anxiety disorder. An evaluation can help clarify which one you are experiencing.
Do I need a history of accommodations to apply?
A history of accommodations is not a requirement to apply. The AAMC requires verification of previous accommodations only if you have received them in the past. Your personal statement is the place to describe your accommodation history (AAMC, n.d.-a).
If You Are Planning to Request MCAT Accommodations
You do not have to sort through these requirements alone. If you are preparing for the MCAT and want to understand whether an evaluation makes sense for you, you can fill out our intake screener to talk through your timeline and goals. Support starts with a simple conversation - and you are closer to a plan than you think.
References
Association of American Medical Colleges. (n.d.-a). Application guidelines and requirements. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://students-residents.aamc.org/mcat-exam-accommodations/application-guidelines-and-requirements
Association of American Medical Colleges. (n.d.-b). An overview for applicants: What does my evaluator need to do? Documenting learning disabilities, ADHD, and/or psychiatric disabilities [PDF]. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://students-residents.aamc.org/media/8461/download
Association of American Medical Colleges. (n.d.-c). Review cycles and important dates. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://students-residents.aamc.org/mcat-exam-accommodations/review-cycles-and-important-dates
Association of American Medical Colleges. (n.d.-d). Submitting an application or request. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://students-residents.aamc.org/mcat-exam-accommodations/submitting-application-or-request
This article is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional evaluation, treatment, or legal advice. Accommodations decisions are made by the AAMC, and requirements may change; please confirm current requirements directly with the AAMC.
