MCAT Sophomore Summer?

[desi5286]

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[aumed22]

Take the MCAT this summer, but stay in college for four years.

 

[DrBowtie]

Take the MCAT this summer, but stay in college for four years.

Agree.

 

[calvinandhobbes]

Agree.

agree

 

[45408]

agree

agree

 

[solitude]

If you really need to graduate in three years, plan to take a year off because you don't want to have taken the august MCAT before the year you are applying. But if finances aren't an issue, I wouldn't recommend graduating a full year early. I have the option, but I'm planning to just take a bunch of grad courses instead. If I'm really burnt out by then, I'll just graduate in December and spend the rest of the spring interviewing and getting ready for med school.

I have also chosen to take the written MCAT this summer (I'm a sophomore). I'm afraid of the computer-based, and there are just too many advantages to having the exam over with before you start junior year that I can't pass it up.

Good luck.

 

[JacqueCousteau]

just for a different opinion...not sure that I would do it. I took the mcat the summer after my sophomore year, and I'm now paying for it. I decided that I wanted to pursue research for a bit and see how interested I am before applying--now I'm in a situation where my MCAT will be too old to apply to most schools-- probably gonna have to take it again. Also, a lot of upper level biologies are nice review before taking it. Just depends--ups and downs to either way.

 

[Rafa]

If money's not an option, then taking it this summer will be a good 'test run', if you will. If you don't like your score, you can always take it again the following spring.

 

[hsperson]

Well, you also might want to consider that the MCAT will be offered up to twenty times starting 2007. Just a thought. Anyway, I feel that no matter what they do, the new MCAT won't be harder than the old one just because of the fact that it will be 3 hours shorter with 1/3 less questions. Regardless of the content, that alone relieves a ton of strain. But since you'll have completed your prereqs, and if you're all studied up, you should go on and take the MCAT in August while it's still fresh in your memory. After it, you can bask in the relief of having gotten it out of your way.

 

[jhrugger]

MCAT: i did the summer after sophomore year thing and did alright. many people in my mcat class who took the august exam after sophomore year also did alright (some much more than alright). theoretically you will be free for the good part of the summer to devote nearly all of your energy to studying for the mcat (a plus for the august administration), whereas during the school year you will have other obligations that will drain energy away from mcat studying (a minus for the april administration).

Graduation: a half-way-house between graduating a year early and "staying the course" (as our prez would say) for the full four years would be to graduate a semester early. this could allow you some time to regroup after college classes and before medical school classes. perhaps travel a bit, work a bit, do a bit of full time research, or whatever you may like to pursue that you may not have time to pursue later.

good luck with your decisions

jhrugger

 

[desi5286]

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[Dookter]

I took the MCAT after my soph. year. It was definitely the way to go, but my junior year really sucked. I am glad I got it over with.

 

[Rafa]

Any suggestions for dramatically improving verbal reasoning scores?

1. Major in English, Writing, or Literature.

2. Read more books.

 

[zero2hero]

I agree with everyone else, take the test this summer. If you do well you can relax for the next year and be good to go when you decide to apply. Just don't let the scores get old. I took MCAT after sophmore year also and I'm glad I did. If I had taken during the school year I wouldn't have done as well with such a hard course load. I ended up graduating early, only a semester though, and now I'm just relaxing and doing a little research before all hell breaks loose in August.

 

[browniegirl86]

I agree with everyone else, take the test this summer. If you do well you can relax for the next year and be good to go when you decide to apply. Just don't let the scores get old. I took MCAT after sophmore year also and I'm glad I did. If I had taken during the school year I wouldn't have done as well with such a hard course load. I ended up graduating early, only a semester though, and now I'm just relaxing and doing a little research before all hell breaks loose in August.

Oh we are the SAME person! (Minus the resarch . . . right now I'm working at Kaplan and sitting on my ass before all hell breaks loose in August )

To the OP, study for it this summer. We (Kaplan) are advising people to take the paper test if at all possible, because the computer test is going to be completely different. Take advantage of your Kaplan course and all the research and expertise we have regarding the paper MCAT. If you knock the August '06 test out of the park, you won't have to worry about it anymore. Then you can keep your gpa high by focusing on school in your 3rd (and possibly 4th) years.

Taking the MCAT in August after sophomore year is the best of all worlds: you'll get it over with early, o-chem will still be fresh in your mind, you'll have all summer to devote to the MCAT, you can still take the paper test, your apps won't be delayed like they would if you took it the August of your application cycle.

Good luck!

 

[CruiseLover]

Alittle different perspective. Money is an issue for me. I do not have a fullride for my undergrad - in fact, I'm paying big for my private school education. I took the MCAT after my 2nd year (while all the subjects were fresh in my mind). I managed to do a summer of fulltime research and study in the evenings for the August MCAT. I got a 34 and got into my #1 choice. I did not hear one negative about graduating early. In fact, at all of my interviews, I heard positives that I was graduating in 3 years. I will still have off the summer before med school when I plan to vacation, relax and work 16 hours per week at my hospital job to make some grocery money.

So the bottom line for me was money. I'm also glad I am able to start studying for my career, instead of taking classes that are not as interesting, just to keep attending undergrad.

So the decision is definitely a personal one to make! Many angles to consider. Good luck!

 

[bbaek]

1. Major in English, Writing, or Literature.

2. Read more books.

I would say a philosophy major. as a former english major, english is for weak -minded people, not that I hate english. but philosophy is a lot more rigorous and demanding. will definitely help with verbal.