Which Medical Schools Use AAMC PREview?

Which medical schools use AAMC PREview is a moving-target question, so the safest answer is not a copied school list. Use PrepTrack AAMC PREview prep to build rating skill, use the AAMC PREview practice exam to test calibration, and verify school participation through AAMC, MSAR, AMCAS, and each admissions page before relying on any article.

Which Medical Schools Use AAMC PREview: The Categories That Matter

AAMC publishes a participating-school page for each testing year. For the 2026 PREview testing year and 2027 medical school application year, AAMC describes several participation categories. The category matters more than the word participate because each category affects your application differently.

AAMC participation category	What it usually means for planning
Requiring PREview	The school may not consider your application complete until it receives a PREview score
Recommending PREview	You may be able to apply with or without a score, but the school is signaling that it values the exam
Requiring a situational judgment test	A PREview score can satisfy that SJT requirement when the school states it will
Exploring PREview for future use	The school may view scores for evaluation of the exam, not to evaluate current applicants

This distinction is why AAMC PREview required vs recommended is more useful than a flat yes-or-no list. Required, recommended, accepted, and exploring are different planning problems.

Why This Article Does Not Print a Static School List

A static list can become wrong during an admissions cycle. AAMC notes that the participating-school list may be updated as schools confirm participation. A school's own admissions page can also contain program-specific details that matter, such as whether PREview is required for all applicants, a particular program, or a particular application route.

Use a three-source rule before making a testing decision:

Source	What to verify
AAMC participating-school page	Whether the school appears and which category AAMC lists
MSAR or AMCAS information	Whether the requirement appears in your application workflow
School admissions website	Program-specific deadlines, applicant groups, and score-use language

If the three sources disagree, treat the school admissions page and direct school communication as the practical next step. Do not assume an old Reddit post, spreadsheet, or cached article is current.

How PREview School Use Should Change Your Timeline

The AAMC PREview exam is offered in testing windows, and score reports are tied to those windows. For 2026, AAMC lists testing from April through October, with scores released after the relevant window. Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, and AAMC says deadline extensions are not granted.

If a school...	Your timeline response should be...
Requires PREview	Choose a test date with a score release early enough for file completion
Recommends PREview	Decide whether the score can strengthen context without delaying the rest of the application
Requires an SJT that PREview satisfies	Confirm whether PREview is the intended way you will meet that requirement
Is exploring future use	Do not treat it like a required school unless the school says otherwise
Is not listed	Check the school page and AMCAS before assuming no SJT policy exists

The AAMC PREview exam dates and AAMC PREview score release dates should be checked together. A convenient exam date is not enough if the resulting score arrives after a required school needs it.

MD, DO, and Program-Specific Policies

Most applicants ask this question because they are building a school list across MD and possibly DO programs. AAMC's participating list can include different program types and school-specific score-release instructions. That does not mean every DO school uses PREview, and it does not mean every MD school uses it the same way.

For DO-specific planning, use AAMC PREview for DO schools as a strategy guide, then verify each program directly. If a school requires a situational judgment test and says PREview satisfies it, record that exact language in your tracker. If the school says it recommends PREview, record that separately. Do not merge those categories.

Build a School-List Tracker

A simple spreadsheet prevents most PREview planning mistakes. Add one row per program and update it only from official sources.

Column	Example entry
School or program	Exact program name, not just university name
AAMC category	Required, recommended, SJT requirement, exploring, or not listed
School-page language	Copy a short summary in your own words
Score release method	AMCAS automatic release or separate score reporting if required
Earliest acceptable test window	The latest window that still releases on time
Notes	Contact date, uncertainty, or program-specific instructions

This tracker also helps you decide how much to study. If several target schools require PREview, schedule earlier and practice more deliberately. If only one school recommends it and your timeline is tight, weigh the benefit against other application priorities.

FAQ About Which Medical Schools Use AAMC PREview

Which medical schools use AAMC PREview?

The medical schools that use AAMC PREview are the schools on the current AAMC participating-school page and any schools whose own admissions pages list PREview or a situational judgment test policy. Verify the current cycle before registering.

Does participating mean PREview is required?

No. A school may require PREview, recommend it, require an SJT that PREview satisfies, or explore PREview for future use. Those categories have different application consequences.

Should I take PREview if only one school recommends it?

Maybe. Consider the school's language, your test-date options, score-release timing, cost, and whether taking PREview would distract from higher-priority application work.

Can I rely on a school list from last year?

No. Use old lists only as a starting point. Verify AAMC, MSAR or AMCAS, and the school's admissions page for the current cycle.

Related AAMC PREview Resources

Final Takeaway

Which medical schools use AAMC PREview changes by cycle and category. Build your plan from official AAMC, MSAR or AMCAS, and school admissions sources, then choose a test date that releases scores before any required-school review point.