PREview Score Validity

AAMC says AAMC PREview scores are valid for multiple years. AMCAS guidance also says all PREview scores from 2020 to the present are automatically released to AMCAS unless they were voided, and those scores will be included in future AMCAS applications.

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

That is the broad rule. The practical rule is more careful: a valid score is not always the same thing as a score every school will treat the same way in every cycle. Individual medical schools may decide which testing dates, score reports, or score-use policies matter for their review process, so applicants should confirm details in MSAR, AMCAS, the AAMC participating-schools page, and each school's admissions instructions.

For the full PREview planning map, start with Ultimate Guide to the AAMC PREview Exam. Then use this page to decide whether an existing score can support your current application plan or whether you need a new testing window.

Quick Answer

AAMC PREview scores are valid for multiple years, and AMCAS automatically releases non-voided PREview scores from 2020 onward to AMCAS applications.

However, that does not mean applicants should assume every older score will satisfy every school in the same way. A school that requires PREview may not consider an application complete until a score has been received. A school that recommends PREview may allow applicants to submit with or without a score. A school that requires a situational judgment test may accept PREview to satisfy that SJT requirement. Other schools may be exploring PREview for future use without using scores to evaluate applicants in the current cycle.

Because those categories affect timing, an applicant with an older PREview score should still check each school before deciding not to test again.

What PREview Score Validity Means

Score validity answers a basic question: can a score from a prior PREview exam still be submitted later?

According to AAMC guidance, yes. If you delay your application or reapply in a future cycle, you may be able to submit a score report from a PREview exam you already took because the score is valid for multiple years.

That helps applicants who tested previously and are applying again. It may also help applicants who took PREview before finalizing a school list. But the validity rule does not replace school-specific policy. Admissions offices can still decide how they use PREview, whether they require it, whether they recommend it, or whether they have expectations about testing windows for their own process.

This is why score validity should be treated as a starting point, not the end of the decision.

How AMCAS Releases PREview Scores

AMCAS guidance says all PREview scores from 2020 to the present are automatically released to AMCAS unless voided. Those scores will be included in future AMCAS applications.

For applicants, this has two important consequences.

First, if you took PREview in an earlier year and did not void the exam, you should expect that score history to be part of your AMCAS record. You do not need to treat the score as hidden simply because it came from a prior cycle.

Second, if you are deciding whether to retake PREview, the question is not only whether a new score can be added. It is also how your existing score, any future score, and each school's policy fit together. For retake limits and decision-making, use Can You Retake PREview? alongside this article.

Why School Policies Still Matter

AAMC's participating-schools page is cycle-specific, and school participation can change. The AAMC list for the 2026 PREview testing year and 2027 medical school application year uses categories such as requiring PREview, recommending PREview, requiring a situational judgment test, and exploring PREview for future use.

Those categories are not interchangeable. If a school requires PREview, timing can affect when your file is complete. If a school recommends PREview, you may still want a score available, but the logistics may be different. If a school requires an SJT and accepts PREview, you need to understand whether PREview is the right test for that requirement. If a school is only exploring PREview, the score may be visible for research or evaluation without being used in admissions review for that cycle.

Use Schools That Require PREview and Schools That Recommend PREview to organize your school list, but verify final requirements with official school pages, MSAR, AMCAS, and AAMC before relying on any static article.

How to Decide Whether an Older Score Is Enough

Start by listing every school where PREview may matter. Next to each school, note whether it requires PREview, recommends PREview, accepts PREview for an SJT requirement, is exploring PREview, or does not appear to participate for your cycle.

Then add three details beside each school: your existing PREview test date, the score release timing if you retest, and the school's application completion expectations. This makes the decision concrete. You are not asking whether PREview scores are valid in the abstract. You are asking whether your available score supports the schools and deadlines in front of you.

If the school list includes required PREview schools and your score situation is unclear, confirm directly before assuming you are done. If the issue is score strength rather than score age, read What Is a Good PREview Score?, PREview Percentiles Explained, and How PREview Scoring Works.

Timing a Retake or First Attempt

PREview is offered in fixed testing windows, not on every day of the year. For the 2026 testing year, AAMC testing windows run from April through October, with scores released approximately 30 days after each testing window. Registration deadlines, appointment availability, and score release dates can affect whether a score reaches schools when you need it.

Applicants should also remember that AAMC states deadline extensions will not be granted for any reason. Appointments are limited, dates are subject to change, and rescheduling deadlines are tied to the scheduled appointment time and time zone.

If you are choosing a test date, work backward from the earliest school deadline where PREview could affect file completion. Then compare that plan with PREview Registration Deadlines Explained. If you have not prepared yet, use How to Study for PREview and PREview Sample Questions to make the format familiar before test day.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Do not assume that “valid for multiple years” means “accepted the same way everywhere.” It means the score can remain usable for multiple years under AAMC guidance, but schools still control how they use PREview in their own admissions process.

Do not rely on an old saved school list without checking current sources. Participation categories can change by cycle, and static lists may become outdated.

Do not retake automatically just because a score is old. The choice to retake is up to the examinee, but it should be tied to school requirements, timing, preparation, retake limits, and your broader application strategy.

Do not treat PREview as a replacement for academic metrics. PREview complements measures such as MCAT and GPA; it does not replace the MCAT.

Related AAMC PREview Resources

Final Takeaway

AAMC PREview scores are valid for multiple years, and non-voided scores from 2020 onward are automatically released to AMCAS. But applicants should not stop there. Confirm how each school on your list uses PREview, whether the score affects file completion, and whether your timing leaves enough room for score release before you decide that an older score is sufficient.