AAMC PREview Registration Guide and Deadlines

AAMC PREview registration is a calendar decision, not just a sign-up task. The exam is offered in fixed testing windows, appointments are limited, and scores are released approximately 30 days after each testing window. If a school on your list requires PREview, a late test date can affect when that school considers your application complete.

For applicants who want structured support alongside this article, PrepTrack's AAMC PREview prep resource connects AAMC PREview reasoning practice, timed review, and AI feedback in one prep routine.

Use this guide with Ultimate Guide to the AAMC PREview Exam, Schools That Require PREview, and PREview Score Validity so your test date fits the rest of your application plan.

Quick Answer

For the 2026 AAMC PREview testing year, AAMC lists testing windows from April through October. Registration closes two weeks before each window at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, and AAMC states deadline extensions will not be granted for any reason. Scores are released approximately 30 days after the testing window.

That means the best AAMC PREview date is usually the earliest date you can take seriously after confirming your school list. Earlier windows give you more room before score release, school completion checks, and possible retake decisions. Later windows can still work for some applicants, but they carry more timing risk if any school requires PREview before considering your file complete.

2026 PREview Registration Deadlines and Score Release Dates

Registration for the 2026 testing year is open, and AAMC notes that appointments are limited and dates are subject to change. Use the official AAMC calendar before you register, but as of the June 3, 2026 source refresh, the listed 2026 windows are:

Testing window	Registration closes	Score release
April 15-16	April 1	May 19
May 5-6	April 21	June 9
June 3-4	May 20	July 7
June 24-25	June 10	July 28
July 22-23	July 8	August 25
August 12-13	July 29	September 15
September 16-17	September 2	October 15
October 14-15	September 30	November 13

The important pattern is simple: registration closes before the window, and scores come later. For example, the June 24-25 window closes June 10 and has a listed score release date of July 28. If you are building an early application timeline, that score release date matters more than the test date alone.

How Registration Close Dates Work

PREview registration deadlines close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Do not treat the deadline as flexible, and do not assume you can fix a missed deadline by contacting AAMC. The source guidance is direct: deadline extensions will not be granted for any reason.

Because appointments are limited, registering at the deadline is also not the same as having full access to every preferred appointment. If PREview is required or strategically important for your school list, build in time before the registration close date instead of waiting for the final day.

A practical rule: choose your target test window first, then place the registration close date on your application calendar as the real deadline. The test window is when you sit for the exam; the registration close date is when your option can disappear.

Rescheduling Deadlines

AAMC states that rescheduling deadlines are two weeks before the scheduled appointment. The deadline is based on the appointment time and time zone, not just the general testing window.

That distinction matters if you register and then realize your MCAT, work schedule, travel, illness, or application workload makes the date unrealistic. You should not plan around last-minute movement. Once you choose a date, note the appointment-specific rescheduling deadline immediately.

If you are still deciding whether PREview preparation fits your schedule, use How to Study for PREview before you register. The goal is not to overprepare; it is to avoid discovering too late that the format needs more attention than you gave it.

Work Backward From Your School List

Your school list should drive your test-date decision. AAMC’s participation categories include schools that require PREview, schools that recommend PREview, schools that require a situational judgment test where PREview can satisfy the requirement, and schools exploring PREview for future use.

For a school that requires PREview, the school may not consider your application complete until a PREview score has been received. For a school that recommends PREview, applicants may submit with or without a score. That difference is why the same test date can be reasonable for one applicant and risky for another.

Build a simple school-list table for yourself:

Required PREview
Recommended PREview
Requires a situational judgment test
Exploring PREview
Not participating or not yet verified

Then add your planned test window and score release date next to the schools where PREview matters. Use Schools That Require PREview, Schools That Recommend PREview, MSAR, and each school’s admissions page to verify your list before relying on it.

Which PREview Date Should You Choose?

Choose the earliest window that you can take seriously and that gives schools enough time to receive the score. For many applicants applying in the regular 2026-2027 cycle, a June or July score release may feel cleaner than waiting until September, October, or November. But the right answer depends on your actual schools, your AMCAS timing, and whether you need time to prepare.

Earlier windows have three advantages. They reduce completion risk at required schools, leave more room if life disrupts your schedule, and make it easier to interpret your score before later application decisions. They can also reduce the temptation to squeeze PREview into the same stressful stretch as secondary essays.

Later windows may be reasonable if your schools only recommend PREview, if your application timeline is intentionally later, or if you need more time to become comfortable with the format. Still, be careful with the October 14-15 window. Its listed score release date is November 13, which may be too late for some school-specific review timelines.

If you are unsure whether your score would be worth retaking, read Can You Retake PREview? before making a late-window plan. AAMC states examinees may take PREview no more than twice in the same testing year and no more than four times total in their lifetime, counting from the 2024 testing year.

Score Release Timing and Application Planning

Scores are released approximately 30 days after the testing window. Your application plan should use the score release date, not your exam date, as the relevant admissions milestone.

A school cannot use a score it has not received. If a school requires PREview for completion, the difference between a July 28 release and a September 15 release can matter. If a school recommends PREview, the timing may be less rigid, but you should still avoid assuming that a late score will be reviewed exactly the way an earlier score would be.

PREview scores are reported on a 1-9 scale and include a confidence band and percentile rank. For score interpretation after release, use How PREview Scoring Works, PREview Percentiles Explained, and What Is a Good PREview Score?. Do not choose a date based on an imagined guaranteed score; choose it based on preparation readiness and deadline fit.

Mistakes to Avoid

Do not wait until the registration close date if PREview is important for your school list. Appointments are limited, and official deadlines are not a backup plan.

Do not confuse testing date with score availability. A June exam does not mean a June score if the listed release date is in July.

Do not rely on an old school list. AAMC says participating-school information can be updated as schools confirm participation, and individual schools may have their own policies for which scores or testing dates they consider.

Do not assume CASPer and PREview are interchangeable for every school. If your list includes situational judgment testing requirements, compare policies carefully with PREview vs CASPer and the official school pages.

AAMC PREview Registration: What to Verify Before You Schedule

Before choosing a window, verify the official AAMC registration calendar, the score-release date, the school participation category, and any school-specific timing language. Registration planning should connect the exam date to when the score will be available.

FAQ: AAMC PREview Registration

When does AAMC PREview registration close?

For the 2026 testing year, AAMC lists registration close dates two weeks before each testing window, closing at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Can an AAMC PREview registration deadline be extended?

AAMC states that deadline extensions will not be granted for any reason, so applicants should treat the listed close date as firm.

Related AAMC PREview Resources

Final Takeaway

PREview registration deadlines are easiest to manage when you work backward from score release, school requirements, and your realistic preparation timeline. Pick a test window early, register before the close date, note your appointment-specific rescheduling deadline, and verify each school’s policy before assuming a later score will fit your application plan.