Can I Take the MCAT Before Finishing Prerequisites?

[noelmedicine1]

Hello. Can I take the MCAT exam before taking organic chemistry 2, physics 2, and biochemistry? I'm a nontraditional student and I plan to complete my prerequisites coursework by Fall of 2024. I wanted to apply for the next application cycle to start med school in the fall of 2025. Since I don't really have an advisor, I'm not sure of how possible it is to take the MCAT without taking those three courses yet.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[I'mJustCurious]

It's possible if you put in the effort to learn. I've seen YouTube vids of people doing well on the MCAT despite not taking all the pre-reqs

 

[GoldMold]

Hello. Can I take the MCAT exam before taking organic chemistry 2, physics 2, and biochemistry? I'm a nontraditional student and I plan to complete my prerequisites coursework by Fall of 2024. I wanted to apply for the next application cycle to start med school in the fall of 2025. Since I don't really have an advisor, I'm not sure of how possible it is to take the MCAT without taking those three courses yet.

There is nothing that prevents you from taking the MCAT. You don't have to prove that you've taken those classes to register/take it. The only thing that holds you back is your performance on practice exams. Plan on only taking the MCAT once, which means you should not take it until you are ready and have scored where you want to on one or more practice exams. It is possible to do well on the MCAT without taking any of those classes, but you should make sure you study them on your own. Organic chemistry 2 isn't super high-yield for the MCAT, but biochemistry is. Physics 2 is kinda hit or miss for it as it will just depend on your exam. I would recommend prioritizing biochemistry, physics, and then organic chemistry.

 

[gyngyn]

Hello. Can I take the MCAT exam before taking organic chemistry 2, physics 2, and biochemistry? I'm a nontraditional student and I plan to complete my prerequisites coursework by Fall of 2024. I wanted to apply for the next application cycle to start med school in the fall of 2025. Since I don't really have an advisor, I'm not sure of how possible it is to take the MCAT without taking those three courses yet.

You can take it, but I don't recommend it.
The MCAT is the only standardized data in the application and all scores (except voided) will be visible forever.

 

[Hollow Knight]

It's possible, but I wouldn't do it personally

 

[Goro]

Hello. Can I take the MCAT exam before taking organic chemistry 2, physics 2, and biochemistry?

You can, but I believe that this would be an act of self-sabotage.

The MCAT is a high-stakes career deciding exam. You should not take it until you are fully prepared for it.

The exam is as much an assessment of good choice making as it is an assessment of competence.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Can you? Yes.
Should you? Heck, no.

 

[karaya]

Biochem is the highest yield class you can take for the MCAT. Amino acids, metabolism, ATP synthesis, enzyme kinetics, and the various methods of separating DNAs/RNAs/proteins--it's best to learn this stuff in a structured way.

Physics 2 is less important but I did get a lens question on the real test.

 

[Dee2daK]

I would wait to take the MCAT.; that being said, you can still apply having taken the MCAT after the spring semester/quarter. It won't hurt you at all even if your results aren't released until July, so it really depends on when you're able to take those classes. If you're not completed with those courses with enough time to have valid MCAT results before the end of the cycle, I would strongly recommend waiting for both the MCAT and application until you have enough time to study and do well on the MCAT. Doing well the first time is much better than a first-time shoddy attempt due to lacking fundamental understanding of the concepts it tests on.

Waiting for another year may make the difference in acceptance at your preferred school, plus it gives you chances to expand your ECs without having to work them around school, potentially strengthening your application. This is not a process to rush.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

You can, but I believe that this would be an act of self-sabotage.

The MCAT is a high-stakes career deciding exam. You should not take it until you are fully prepared for it.

The exam is as much an assessment of good choice making as it is an assessment of competence.

I would also recommend against it...unless you are absolutely destroying practice AAMC MCATs taken under conditions approximating Test Day.

I once worked as an MCAT tutor; if my client got a 515 on their diagnostic and 518, 517, and 521 on practice tests, I'd tell them to go ahead and book a date - unless they've got major test anxiety, they're pretty likely to do well on the real thing.

 

[bio-Psych-social]

Hello. Can I take the MCAT exam before taking organic chemistry 2, physics 2, and biochemistry? I'm a nontraditional student and I plan to complete my prerequisites coursework by Fall of 2024. I wanted to apply for the next application cycle to start med school in the fall of 2025. Since I don't really have an advisor, I'm not sure of how possible it is to take the MCAT without taking those three courses yet.

I wouldn't. Take it from a non-traditional now medical student that was very hurt on the MCAT by not taking biochemistry. You will bomb the MCAT without these courses and seriously damage your application.

 

[carw1801]

Hello. Can I take the MCAT exam before taking organic chemistry 2, physics 2, and biochemistry? I'm a nontraditional student and I plan to complete my prerequisites coursework by Fall of 2024. I wanted to apply for the next application cycle to start med school in the fall of 2025. Since I don't really have an advisor, I'm not sure of how possible it is to take the MCAT without taking those three courses yet.

The bigger question is what schools do you plan on applying to and what is your target range? Some schools won't look at your application without a 512 and others will even accept applications with below 500 (even if they don't advertise that...believe me I go to one of those schools)

Application strategy is just as important as MCAT strategy when trying to figure out where you will succeed at gaining an acceptance.

Going back to your question, if you're aiming for a high score then you are looking at a lot of test-prep and that will just be easier when you have taken those courses and done well in them. If you're going for a 505, then yeah you can take the MCAT with just the test prep materials.

Again, this comes back to your application goals.