Troubles with Planning / Do most people take the MCAT before graduation?

escape3 · Jun 22, 2011

Hi SDN,

I am having problems planning out my next two years and would like some advice.

I just finished sophomore year and still have Orgo and Physics left to take. I was going to take physics next year but it I have a scheduling conflict with a course required for my concentration/major. I'm definitely taking Orgo in summer after junior year.

Physics is my weakest science so I'm worried that if for some reason I have to retake it, then I'd be in trouble cause I'll have graduated before I get the chance to. (I know post-bacc is an option, but I'm trying my best not to go that route.) But if I take physics junior year instead of my major requirement, I would have to switch concentrations. Any advice on what to do?

Assuming that I finish my premed requirements with physics in senior year, when would I take the MCAT and apply? Is it recommended to take the MCAT BEFORE graduating from college?

mikeh598 · Jun 22, 2011

It all depends when you want to apply. If you want to directly from undergrad to medical school, you need to take the MCAT before your senior year. That is when the application process begins.

If you decide to take a year off, then your time frame can be a little more flexible.

Hope that helps.

escape3 · Jun 22, 2011

mikeh598 said:
It all depends when you want to apply. If you want to directly from undergrad to medical school, you need to take the MCAT before your senior year. That is when the application process begins.

If you decide to take a year off, then your time frame can be a little more flexible.

Hope that helps.

Yeah, I've been thinking of taking a gap year. But for those who take a gap year, do most take the MCAT in senior year/before graduating? Or during the gap year itself?

mikeh598 · Jun 22, 2011

Case by case basis. You should take your MCAT when you are at the peak of your preparedness. Of course, remember to give yourself enough time to receive your scores and apply early.

escape3 · Jun 22, 2011

How long is the time period between taking your MCAT til you apply?

Say I want to leave room for to take the MCAT a second time. When would the next available testing time be? (a few months?) How long does it take to get scores back?

Sorry, I don't know too much about this...Could someone please give a general timeline of how long the MCAT / application process takes once I finish Physics and Organic? i'd really appreciate it. trying to get a general sense of what to expect since I have no clue what the next few years are looking like at the moment

blizzah · Jun 22, 2011

I took my MCAT after sophomore year. I could have gotten higher if I took it now, but getting it over with was a key motivator forme.

dramaqueen14 · Jun 23, 2011

escape3 said:
How long is the time period between taking your MCAT til you apply?

Say I want to leave room for to take the MCAT a second time. When would the next available testing time be? (a few months?) How long does it take to get scores back?

Sorry, I don't know too much about this...Could someone please give a general timeline of how long the MCAT / application process takes once I finish Physics and Organic? i'd really appreciate it. trying to get a general sense of what to expect since I have no clue what the next few years are looking like at the moment

MCAT exams are given a few times per month from January through August, with the exception of February, I believe. Scores are released a month after the exam is taken.

If I understand correctly, you won't be done with prereqs till your Senior year. So (depending on when in your senior year you finish the prereqs) one option would be for you to begin studying for the MCAT during your senior year and take the test in March (or April) if you feel prepared by that point. That way, you will have your score by April (or May) and will be all set with your score to submit your app as soon as possible (early June). This option leaves you with time to retake later in the summer if you're not happy with your score. But don't do this if you're not ready to take the test in the spring because you definitely don't want to go into the test thinking that you'll be retaking.

NOTE: you do not have to have an MCAT score to submit your app. So, another option is: if you are comfortable and confident in your MCAT abilities you can go ahead and submit your app early June take the MCAT in June/July. This would give you weeks of intense studying in the summer time when you don't have classes to study for. Once your score is released, it automatically becomes updated onto the application which has already been submitted.

Either way, you would need to take a gap year. Applying the summer after your senior year means that you're applying for matriculation for the FOLLOWING fall. Hope this helps.

Person0715 · Jun 23, 2011

blizzah said:
I took my MCAT after sophomore year. I could have gotten higher if I took it now, but getting it over with was a key motivator forme.

Out of curiosity, why do you think this is the case? Is it because you took more upper level science classes after sophomore year?

kpcrew · Jun 23, 2011

I'm taking a gap year and I took the MCAT in September of my senior year, right after school started.

escape3 · Jun 24, 2011

dramaqueen14 said:
MCAT exams are given a few times per month from January through August, with the exception of February, I believe. Scores are released a month after the exam is taken.

If I understand correctly, you won't be done with prereqs till your Senior year. So (depending on when in your senior year you finish the prereqs) one option would be for you to begin studying for the MCAT during your senior year and take the test in March (or April) if you feel prepared by that point. That way, you will have your score by April (or May) and will be all set with your score to submit your app as soon as possible (early June). This option leaves you with time to retake later in the summer if you're not happy with your score. But don't do this if you're not ready to take the test in the spring because you definitely don't want to go into the test thinking that you'll be retaking.

NOTE: you do not have to have an MCAT score to submit your app. So, another option is: if you are comfortable and confident in your MCAT abilities you can go ahead and submit your app early June take the MCAT in June/July. This would give you weeks of intense studying in the summer time when you don't have classes to study for. Once your score is released, it automatically becomes updated onto the application which has already been submitted.

Either way, you would need to take a gap year. Applying the summer after your senior year means that you're applying for matriculation for the FOLLOWING fall. Hope this helps.

Thanks! For now I am planning on finishing my last pre-req (Physics) at the end of senior year. When would be the latest I should take the MCAT (while leaving space for a re-take if I'm not satisfied) if I only want to take one gap year not two? Would it be June/July after senior year?

Mountaineer12 · Jun 24, 2011

escape3 said:
Thanks! For now I am planning on finishing my last pre-req (Physics) at the end of senior year. When would be the latest I should take the MCAT (while leaving space for a re-take if I'm not satisfied) if I only want to take one gap year not two? Would it be June/July after senior year?

If you want to leave room for a retake you should probably take the first one no later than June. If you take in July, get your scores in August, you'll have to retake late August/September and your new scores won't be seen for a month after that, which is pretty late in the admission process. I would shoot for May or June of your senior year.

I'm planning on taking a gap year as well. I'm going to take the MCAT in January to apply next June. This will be nice because there is plenty of time to retake, twice if I have to. Maybe think about bumping up phycis 2 if you can? Just a suggestion!

blizzah · Jun 24, 2011

Person0715 said:
Out of curiosity, why do you think this is the case? Is it because you took more upper level science classes after sophomore year?

Mainly this. I hadn't even taken biochemistry or physiology beforehand.

I also was doing research full-time last summer

escape3 · Jun 24, 2011

Mountaineer12 said:
I'm planning on taking a gap year as well. I'm going to take the MCAT in January to apply next June. This will be nice because there is plenty of time to retake, twice if I have to. Maybe think about bumping up phycis 2 if you can? Just a suggestion!

Did you mean you are taking the MCAT January of your senior year and applying June after senior year?
So if I don't finish all the pre-reqs BEFORE spring semester of senior year, do I have to expect taking more than 1 gap year?

how long does it take to actually fill out all the applications (personal statements, secondaries, etc) if you're applying to an average number of schools?

Maxwell7301 · Jun 24, 2011

I took the MCAT at the end of May, a few weeks after I graduated. My last semester was mostly spent studying for the MCAT, and I took a light course load to make it more doable.

After spending a gap year working and applying to med school, I would say that I'm happy for taking the extra time. It's not for everyone, but it worked out for me. I definitely wouldn't have wanted to take any more than one year off from school though.

Troubles with Planning / Do most people take the MCAT before graduation?

escape3

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mikeh598

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mikeh598

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blizzah

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