Studying abroad for a month, when to submit primary?

[limerance]

Hello Everyone!

I'm in quite a dilemma and hoping someone can help me out. I'm applying for 2014-2015 cycle and have yet to take the MCAT. I'm scheduled for this saturday (5/17) but definitely not ready. I'm planning on going anyways and voiding. Now here comes the problem, I'm leaving June 14th for a 1 month internship/study abroad opportunity working in an HIV clinic and orphanage in Africa. Hence, I won't be back till mid-July and only thereafter take the MCAT. There is no possibility of me taking the MCAT before I leave because I have summer classes and research work to complete.

So my question is, should I submit my primary for verification or no? The reason I ask is because I've heard some schools send out secondaries without MCAT scores and I'm worried about receiving them but not being able to send them back on time because of lack of internet and/or time. Any thoughts on what I should do?

Any help is immensely appreciated!

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[ThisCouldBeYou]

Here's the thing: you're not ready to take the MCAT AND you'll be away. That tells me you'll either regret taking the MCAT or you'll regret applying too late. Skip this cycle altogether. Apply next year. Do not bother taking the MCAT unless you are ready. Why give AMCAS more money to just take the test when you already know you're not ready and your timing stinks?

 

[justAstudent]

Here's the thing: you're not ready to take the MCAT AND you'll be away. That tells me you'll either regret taking the MCAT or you'll regret applying too late. Skip this cycle altogether. Apply next year. Do not bother taking the MCAT unless you are ready. Why give AMCAS more money to just take the test when you already know you're not ready and your timing stinks?

This. And your application will be a bit late with your MCAT date, which will hurt your chances some more.

 

[limerance]

I completely understand what you all are saying but the thing is I've already sat a cycle out (2013-2014) and really don't want to go through another year of waiting. If I do amazing on the MCAT, let's say mid-upper 30s, won't I have a chance of getting in somewhere even if I am a little late?

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

Why risk it? Didn't you say you're really not ready. I mean, how will you know if you were amazing on the MCAT if you voided it? And if you take it when you say you're not ready, you're shooting yourself in the foot.

 

[limerance]

Agreed.

If you'll be away, would you even have time to study for the MCAT and take it right when you come back?

What are your practice scores like right now? I wouldn't bet upon scoring mid-upper 30's unless you're consistently doing that now.

I'm scoring 26-28 range...the physical sciences is killing me and I haven't had enough content review in that area. Realistically, I would get max. 8-10 hours a week while over there and maybe 2 weeks after I come back and take the test.

 

[nemo123]

I'm scoring 26-28 range...the physical sciences is killing me and I haven't had enough content review in that area. Realistically, I would get max. 8-10 hours a week while over there and maybe 2 weeks after I come back and take the test.

Like others have said, I would probably wait until next app season and don't apply this cycle if you're set on going abroad. You said you're not ready to take the test and are already thinking of retaking in July or August. Expecting mid to upper 30s when you're currently at the 26-28 range is somewhat unrealistic within the time frame you've presented us.

If you are set on applying this cycle, is there a way to move your study abroad experience to another month?

 

[limerance]

Like others have said, I would probably wait until next app season and don't apply this cycle if you're set on going abroad. You said you're not ready to take the test and are already thinking of retaking in July or August. Expecting mid to upper 30s when you're currently at the 26-28 range is somewhat unrealistic within the time frame you've presented us.

If you are set on applying this cycle, is there a way to move your study abroad experience to another month?

Sadly, I can't move it. Everything is already paid for and set.

I wish I had thought all this through before deciding to go.

 

[xffan624]

Sadly, I can't move it. Everything is already paid for and set.

I wish I had thought all this through before deciding to go.

Yeah that would have been a little smarter. Don't compound poor decision making with taking the MCAT when you're not ready.

 

[woltej1]

If you're scoring that low on practice exams then I doubt 2 weeks of studying is going to improve you nearly 8+ points to make up for a mis timed application. Planning goes a long way and sadly you didn't do enough. Applying early is nearly as important as what your application consists of. Take a year off, continue some of your more meaningful experiences, save some money, enjoy life before med school takes up you time and ties you down and then apply nice and early next cycle.

 

[stevvo111]

If you're scoring that low on practice exams then I doubt 2 weeks of studying is going to improve you nearly 8+ points to make up for a mis timed application. Planning goes a long way and sadly you didn't do enough. Applying early is nearly as important as what your application consists of. Take a year off, continue some of your more meaningful experiences, save some money, enjoy life before med school takes up you time and ties you down and then apply nice and early next cycle.

agreed to this. My first MCAT practice score was a solid 30 and that was after 2-3 months of bs studying and messing around (1 semi-solid month of studying...I ended up posponing and waiting for a few more months). After 1 more month of intense studying I got a 32. Retook it 6 months later, studying for 2 more months, and got a 35.

You can see how difficult it can be to up your score. You have a very low chance of doing well unless you spend 5-7 solid hours a day focusing on MCAT. I don't think you have this opportunity while in Africa (also, it's pretty insensitive to say "africa", have some respect for the country you are going to and name it for peets sake haha)

Good luck with everything, ultimately it's your decision, so don't let anyone tell you that you can't do anything.

 

[woltej1]

agreed to this. My first MCAT practice score was a solid 30 and that was after 2-3 months of bs studying and messing around (1 semi-solid month of studying...I ended up posponing and waiting for a few more months). After 1 more month of intense studying I got a 32. Retook it 6 months later, studying for 2 more months, and got a 35.

You can see how difficult it can be to up your score. You have a very low chance of doing well unless you spend 5-7 solid hours a day focusing on MCAT. I don't think you have this opportunity while in Africa (also, it's pretty insensitive to say "africa", have some respect for the country you are going to and name it for peets sake haha)

Good luck with everything, ultimately it's your decision, so don't let anyone tell you that you can't do anything.

It's not necessarily impossible to improve largely without a huge time commitment and complete focus. I improved from a 27 to a 33, but that was going from what I'd say was poor studying to about average studying. Just depends how efficiently you spend your time and if you can learn the mindset of standardized tests.

 

[limerance]

agreed to this. My first MCAT practice score was a solid 30 and that was after 2-3 months of bs studying and messing around (1 semi-solid month of studying...I ended up posponing and waiting for a few more months). After 1 more month of intense studying I got a 32. Retook it 6 months later, studying for 2 more months, and got a 35.

You can see how difficult it can be to up your score. You have a very low chance of doing well unless you spend 5-7 solid hours a day focusing on MCAT. I don't think you have this opportunity while in Africa (also, it's pretty insensitive to say "africa", have some respect for the country you are going to and name it for peets sake haha)

Good luck with everything, ultimately it's your decision, so don't let anyone tell you that you can't do anything.

I appreciate your advice. You're the first one that's stated while difficult and maybe slightly impossible, still not to give up. I'll think it over a few days but will either way start preparing a better study plan.

And forgive my insensitivity, I'm still new to this whole forum and it said not to give out identifiers...so yeah I guess I got a little paranoid there! But it's Tanzania.