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This is such classic SDN !
Dont start thinking of yourself as a top school oriented applicant until you actually clear the hurdle of outscoring ~95% of the country's premeds.
As for the timing, you are correct it would hurt you to study all summer and test at the end. If you took it in August you wouldn't have a score until September, and the unofficial deadline to be a normal applicant is Labor day. Plus, if you get a score that is not ideal, you're locked into being a reapplicant because you've already submitted your primaries/some secondaries. Much better to test earlier (like by end of June) and then start the application process if you get a satisfactory score.
Future Fulbright applicant and future Fulbright recipient are two very different things. You're counting your eggs before they hatch for both this and the MCAT. Take the MCAT when you're actually ready and capable of scoring well within the range of top schools. August is too late.
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Come back for advice when you have an MCAT score, and THEN apply. Applying, especially to top schools, without knowing a score is an act of hubris.
Even considering to apply any school without an MCAT score borders on the incredulous, but year after year I get loads of students who propose these ideas.
You MUST do well on the MCAT in order to get into a top school
You SHOULD know your MCAT score before you apply
You SHOULDN'T RUSH your MCAT to do that
You SHOULD strongly consider taking a gap year and spend the extra time prepping for the MCAT
You MUST do well on the MCAT in order to get into a top school
You SHOULD know your MCAT score before you apply
You SHOULDN'T RUSH your MCAT to do that
You SHOULD strongly consider taking a gap year and spend the extra time prepping for the MCAT
It's frankly pretty naive to be talking about "top schools" and assuming you'll get such a high mcat score before you've even taken a practice test for it.. There are many many premeds with 4.0s that struggle with the mcat. You do realize that the score range you would need to consider "top schools" is 95th+ percentile right? What makes you THAT confident that you will score within the top 5% out of all those premeds that take the mcat? You have no evidence to support that you are capable of achieving such a score (not saying it isn't possible, just that it's ridiculous to somehow assume you can do it based on zero evidence.) It is very unwise to make your school list before you know your mcat score. It is even worse if you're doing an august mcat and trying to apply that cycle. That is making you on the late end for ALL schools, "top" or otherwise.
If you will be taking the MCAT in August, don't apply that cycle unless you're willing to apply late and increase your chances of being a reapplicant. If you're absolutely set on applying that cycle, then at least wait to make your school list until after your scores come in.
Are you URM? Can you go into more detail about what makes your ECs so competitive?
If you will be taking the MCAT in August, don't apply that cycle unless you're willing to apply late and increase your chances of being a reapplicant. If you're absolutely set on applying that cycle, then at least wait to make your school list until after your scores come in.
Are you URM? Can you go into more detail about what makes your ECs so competitive?
Take the time you need to get the MCAT right. I decided to take it in August before my senior year and then do a gap year while applying and it has been the best decision. I had the whole summer to really focus on MCAT studying, got a good score, and then had the whole winter to work on essays and pre writing some secondaries so I was prepared to apply the following spring. It has been a fairly smooth process. Just make sure to take the time you need in the best circumstances for your study style in order to do well because it's a very important test.
The OP is asking about applying before the scores are in. as in submitting primary in June and then taking the mcat that August.
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If you submit in June you'll have secondaries coming in soon after which you'll want to work on. I'm not sure if schools send secondaries without MCAT scores on file but it might be hard to devote your whole time to studying if they do send them. Each secondary takes quite a bit of time and energy to complete.
Take it before August... It is only December, plenty of time to study and take the test before summer.
Q: How detrimental is taking MCAT in August when applying for top schools?
A: Very detrimental - move forward with this plan at your own peril.
A: Very detrimental - move forward with this plan at your own peril.
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