Entrance Exams
Achieving a competitive score on your entrance exam shows preparation for your future career and is an important step in your professional journey.
Achieving a competitive score on your entrance exam demonstrates readiness for your future profession and is an important milestone in your pre-health journey.
Begin preparing for your entrance exam by truly learning the material in your prerequisite courses—not simply studying for the next test. Take thorough, organized notes and save them, along with your textbooks and course materials. Consider forming study groups with peers who share similar career goals. Plan to take your entrance exam only after completing the relevant prerequisite coursework and allowing sufficient time for dedicated preparation. Most students require several months of focused study (approximately 4–6 months or 300 hours for the MCAT, 3–4 months or 200 hours for the DAT, 2–3 months for the GRE, and 3–4 months for the OAT).
If you would like additional guidance on creating a study plan, selecting preparation resources, developing test-day strategies, and understanding exam timelines, be sure to review our Entrance Exam Workshop.
You may also find it helpful to review the results of our Entrance Exam Preparation Survey, which summarizes study approaches, resources, and preparation strategies reported by Northeastern applicants who performed well on their entrance exams: Entrance Exam Preparation Survey (you will need to be logged in to your Northeastern account to view the survey).
If you do not have adequate time to prepare for your exam, or if additional coursework could strengthen your academic record, it is often advisable to delay your application to a future cycle and focus on improving your overall competitiveness.
One of the most common mistakes applicants make is taking an entrance exam before they are fully prepared. It is generally better to postpone your exam—and, if necessary, defer your application by a year—than to earn a non-competitive score. Most health professional programs will have access to all of your exam attempts, so it is important to test only when you are confident that your score will be competitive for admission.
About the Exam
The Dental Admissions Test (DAT) is the required entrance exam for Dental programs.
The DAT is administered year-round at Prometric test centers in the U.S. and Canada.
The DAT is comprised of multiple-choice test items consisting of a battery of four tests: 1. Survey of the Natural Sciences, 2. Perceptual Ability, 3. Reading Comprehension, and 4. Quantitative Reasoning.
The DAT should be scheduled only after all biology and organic chemistry prerequisite courses are successfully completed and the applicant has had 3-6 months (approximately 200 hours) to study. If the resulting date would be later than May, then deferral to the next year is highly recommended.
On March 1, 2025, the DAT moved from a 2-digit to a 3-digit scoring format. Learn more! Understanding the New Dental Admission Test (DAT) Score Reporting Scale
Metrics
Average total DAT of Accepted Dental Applicants: 20.8 (2-digit score) or 420-430 (3-digit score)
Limits
Three-time lifetime limit, unless granted special permission by ADA; applicants must wait 90 days between attempts
Northeastern University DAT Prep
The Navigating Entrance Exam Preparation expedition courses offer complimentary MCAT and DAT prep courses exclusively for our students and alumni. Learn more HERE!
DAT Resources
About the Exam
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is the required entrance exam for Medical and Podiatry Programs.
The MCAT® is offered on set dates from January through September.
The MCAT® has four test sections: 1. Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems, 2. Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, 3. Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior, and 4. Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills.
The MCAT should be scheduled only after all laboratory science prerequisite courses are successfully completed and the applicant has had 4-6 months (approximately 300 hours) to study. 2 semesters of Behavioral Science coursework are also recommended for MCAT prep (1 semester of Psychology and 1 semester of Sociology). If the resulting date would be later than May for Pre-Med or August for Pre-Podiatry, then deferral to the next year is highly recommended.
Metrics
- Average total MCAT of Accepted MD Applicants: 511.7
- Average total MCAT of Accepted DO Applicants: 502.97
- Average total MCAT of Accepted Podiatry Applicants: 493
Limits
Maximum of 3 attempts in a testing year, 4 attempts over two consecutive years, and 7 attempts in your lifetime.
Northeastern University MCAT Prep
The Navigating Entrance Exam Preparation expedition courses offer complimentary MCAT and DAT prep courses exclusively for our students and alumni. Learn more HERE!
MCAT® Resources
About the Exam
The Optometry Admissions Test is the required entrance exam for Optometry Programs.
The Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) is administered year-round by Prometric test centers in the U.S. and Canada.
The OAT is comprised of multiple-choice test items and consists of a battery of four tests: 1. Survey of the Natural Sciences; 2. Physics; 3. Reading Comprehension; and 4. Quantitative Reasoning.
The OAT should be scheduled only after all prerequisite courses are successfully completed and the applicant has had 4-6 months to study. If the resulting date would be later than August, then deferral to the next year is highly recommended.
Metrics
- Average OAT of Accepted Optometry Applicants: 348
Limits
Maximum of 4 attempts within a 12-month period; after 3 attempts, candidates must apply for permission to test again; after 5 attempts, may only test once per 12-month period.
OAT Resources
About the Exam
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is the required entrance exam for many Physician Assistant and Veterinary Programs.
The GRE General Test is administered year-round and is available at more than 1,000 test centers in more than 160 countries.
The GRE is consists of a battery of three tests: 1. Verbal Reasoning; 2. Quantitative Reasoning; and 3. Analytical Writing.
The GRE should be scheduled only after all prerequisite courses are successfully completed and the applicant has had 2-3 months to study. If the resulting date would be later than the launch date of your program’s centralized application, then deferral to the next year is highly recommended.
*Note to Pre-PA students: As you build your PA schools list, our office recommends applying to programs that allow you to take the same entrance exam.
Metrics
- Average GRE of Accepted PA Applicants:
- Verbal Reasoning:153.1
- Quantitative Reasoning: 152.7
- Writing: 4.1
- Average GRE of Accepted Veterinary Applicants:
- Verbal Reasoning: 155
- Quantitative Reasoning: 160
- Writing: 4
Limits
Five attempts allowed within any continuous 12-month period; must wait 21 days between attempts.
GRE Resources
About the Exam
The Physician Assistant College Admissions Test (PA-CAT) is an entrance exam used by a few Physician Assistant programs.
The PA-CAT is administered year-round and is available at more than 5,000 test centers and at home through remote proctoring.
The PA-CAT measures general academic ability and scientific knowledge necessary for success in the demanding Physician Assistant curriculum. The PA-CAT covers the following subjects: Anatomy, Physiology, General Biology, Biochemistry, General and Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, Behavioral Sciences, Genetics, and Statistics.
The PA-CAT should be scheduled only after all prerequisite courses are successfully completed and the applicant has had 4-6 months to study. If the resulting date would be later than the launch date of your program’s centralized application, then deferral to the next year is highly recommended.
*Note to Pre-PA students: As you build your PA schools list, our office recommends applying to programs that allow you to take the same entrance exam.
Metrics
- The overall scoring range is between 200 to 800, with 500 as the mean.
- A competitive score would likely be in the 550-600 range, depending on the competitiveness of the specific PA program.
Limits
Maximum of three attempts over a 12-month period; must wait 6 weeks between attempts.
PA-CAT Resources