Reapplicant: Take my MCAT on July 26 or wait apply next cycle with research pub?

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I am a reapplicant applying through TMDSAS. I have been having trouble committing myself to study for the mcat due to my current research as a NIH post bac. However, I am most likely going to get a paper published in the next 4-5 months. Should I risk applying late by retaking a July 26 MCAT or wait another year to focus on my MCAT without being rushed and also have a publication on my resume + an extra year of research experience with 4 years total? My biggest concern is my age (23yrs) and that I don't want to be too old when I get out...what should I do? Is July 26 too late to take my mcat or will it put me in the normal pile between early and late applicants?

PS. I scored a 21Q on my MCAT last cycle and I recently scored similar on a practice test this month which tells me that I am not yet ready to take the test and I don't know if I can bring it up by July 26th

Med schools look for maturity in applicants too.

I would suggest and wait. The MCAT is something you don't want to rush.

I don't know your specific situation, but if you ever got a 21 on the MCAT you obviously need months of proper studying. Apply next year.

bumpp

I'm a post-bac at NIH too and studying is really hard with lab duties. I asked my PI if I could come in late some days so that I can study in the morning and she said that was totally fine. For the last two weeks before my MCAT I came in at 1 on MWF to take practice tests and it really helped. I also was able to study when I was waiting for PCR or ISH incubations. The point of the post-bac fellowship is to help us get into graduate or medical school. Your PI should accommodate your study schedule to a degree.

I am considering skipping applying this cycle and waiting until my research paper is published (next 4-6 months) and then applying next cycle (2014). Another reason I am considering this is because I am received a 21 on my mcat last year and I am still averaging the same range as of now with my MCAT retake date being July 26th. I already think taking it on July 26 will put me in the late pile. I have a 3.6 GPA with 4 years of total research experience w/ 1 year at the NIH. I am worried that I am taking too many gap years after college and that I am already 23 yrs old and probably wont start med school until I am 25 if I wait until next cycle. Is it worth waiting for my publication and having a year to prepare for my MCAT or should I bite the bullet and apply now and take the mcat in July for the second time?

Originally Posted by reese07

I am considering skipping applying this cycle and waiting until my research paper is published (next 4-6 months) and then applying next cycle (2014). Another reason I am considering this is because I am received a 21 on my mcat last year and I am still averaging the same range as of now with my MCAT retake date being July 26th. I already think taking it on July 26 will put me in the late pile. I have a 3.6 GPA with 4 years of total research experience w/ 1 year at the NIH. I am worried that I am taking too many gap years after college and that I am already 23 yrs old and probably wont start med school until I am 25 if I wait until next cycle. Is it worth waiting for my publication and having a year to prepare for my MCAT or should I bite the bullet and apply now and take the mcat in July for the second time?

Uh, wait and get a legitimate score; the pub is much less important than a palatable mcat.

Originally Posted by reese07

I am considering skipping applying this cycle and waiting until my research paper is published (next 4-6 months) and then applying next cycle (2014). Another reason I am considering this is because I am received a 21 on my mcat last year and I am still averaging the same range as of now with my MCAT retake date being July 26th. I already think taking it on July 26 will put me in the late pile. I have a 3.6 GPA with 4 years of total research experience w/ 1 year at the NIH. I am worried that I am taking too many gap years after college and that I am already 23 yrs old and probably wont start med school until I am 25 if I wait until next cycle. Is it worth waiting for my publication and having a year to prepare for my MCAT or should I bite the bullet and apply now and take the mcat in July for the second time?

A 21 MCAT is a huge problem. You should take another year off. Apply for the 2015 cycle.

This is your second thread on the same topic, and the advice will be the same. There's no way that you're getting into a US MD school (except maybe PR schools?) with a 21 MCAT, publication or not. Wait a year, set aside dedicated time to study for the MCAT, and hopefully apply next year with a much higher score. You should also consider DO schools if you haven't already.

You should wait..especially since you have been scoring the same on your practice MCATs... maybe you need to change how you are prepping, try a review course.

Originally Posted by reese07

I am a reapplicant applying through TMDSAS. I have been having trouble committing myself to study for the mcat due to my current research as a NIH post bac. However, I am most likely going to get a paper published in the next 4-5 months. Should I risk applying late by retaking a July 26 MCAT or wait another year to focus on my MCAT without being rushed and also have a publication on my resume + an extra year of research experience with 4 years total? My biggest concern is my age (23yrs) and that I don't want to be too old when I get out...what should I do? Is July 26 too late to take my mcat or will it put me in the normal pile between early and late applicants?

PS. I scored a 21Q on my MCAT last cycle and I recently scored similar on a practice test this month which tells me that I am not yet ready to take the test and I don't know if I can bring it up by July 26th

A July 26 MCAT will make you a late applicant and with a 21 MCAT, you're unlikely to see any acceptances from any US schools of medicine. You need to take another year to address your poor MCAT performance. Publication of your work in the next year will also make you a stronger applicant, but won't compensate for such a low MCAT score. You're not going to be too old when you enter medical school and you'll be even older at matriculation if you try again this cycle with such unlikely statistics. Adcoms don't like to see reapplication without significant improvement. Take another year to address your weaknesses and reassess next year before wasting your time and energy on another application cycle.