Hi all. I am a former high school math teacher of 6 years with an undergraduate degree in math and psych and a master's in education who has been going back and forth with medicine for awhile. My science GPA is a 3.6 and my overall GPA is about a 3.4 (my master's in education was a 4.0 although I don't think that counts towards my undergraduate overall GPA). I don't have that much in extracurriculars besides shadowing and working with a physician in the past half year and I have an EMT cert that has not been used. With that said, I am more focused on the DO path at this point but would be ecstatic if either allopathic or osteopathic med schools would accept me.
Just in this past year, I decided to go for med school and take some time off to take some science classes as well as study for the MCAT. I've taken the exam twice already: once in 2008 and got a 21P and again in 2009 I got a 25Q (I was not completely focused on the exam at the time and didn't know how to study as well as I know how to now after some more life experience). I had a friend that suggested I take the exam early just to get my applications in. So I had signed up for the exam on April 18. Knowing that it's a new exam and I've got work and other classes I'm currently taking, I don't expect to be fully prepared and do well on it. However, I am turning 30 this year and I know that age is only a number but I would really like to be a competitive applicant this year as opposed to next year (although I am definitely going to apply next year if this year doesn't work out), as med school and residency ends up being over 7+ years. So I was contemplating taking the exam in April still, getting whatever score I did and then applying in June straight away. I have also signed up for a Berkeley Review course for the MCAT in the summer and plan on taking the exam again on August 22nd. That would be the time to excel on the MCAT. However, that would be the FOURTH time I've taken it (granted in a huge span of time) and I hear admissions committees are more and more averaging the scores. Could you all tell me your suggestions? I have two options here:
A. Take the MCAT in April (get my scores) and take it again in August for the fourth time
B. Void the April MCAT (while possibly taking it still to get the experience) or not taking it at all and only take it in August with a full summer of studying
My main concern is that I hear people get royally disadvantaged because of taking an MCAT much later on while rolling admissions occurs and one cannot really be fully considered without the MCAT scores. Any and all input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Just in this past year, I decided to go for med school and take some time off to take some science classes as well as study for the MCAT. I've taken the exam twice already: once in 2008 and got a 21P and again in 2009 I got a 25Q (I was not completely focused on the exam at the time and didn't know how to study as well as I know how to now after some more life experience). I had a friend that suggested I take the exam early just to get my applications in. So I had signed up for the exam on April 18. Knowing that it's a new exam and I've got work and other classes I'm currently taking, I don't expect to be fully prepared and do well on it. However, I am turning 30 this year and I know that age is only a number but I would really like to be a competitive applicant this year as opposed to next year (although I am definitely going to apply next year if this year doesn't work out), as med school and residency ends up being over 7+ years. So I was contemplating taking the exam in April still, getting whatever score I did and then applying in June straight away. I have also signed up for a Berkeley Review course for the MCAT in the summer and plan on taking the exam again on August 22nd. That would be the time to excel on the MCAT. However, that would be the FOURTH time I've taken it (granted in a huge span of time) and I hear admissions committees are more and more averaging the scores. Could you all tell me your suggestions? I have two options here:
A. Take the MCAT in April (get my scores) and take it again in August for the fourth time
B. Void the April MCAT (while possibly taking it still to get the experience) or not taking it at all and only take it in August with a full summer of studying
My main concern is that I hear people get royally disadvantaged because of taking an MCAT much later on while rolling admissions occurs and one cannot really be fully considered without the MCAT scores. Any and all input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
