Advice needed... MCAT... time off

[hon abe lin]

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I'm in a program within my university that offers an early application and possible acceptance to our medical college during one's junior year. I've recently decided that I don't feel as though I want to go directly on to medical school and that a year in between to focus on some things (i.e. research, more medically related experience, Ironman...) would be a good idea for me personally. However, I think I would still need to take the MCAT at the end of my junior year to fullfill my university's requirements for the program. I don't think I'll be fully prepared to take it in April and would thus take it in August. I'd be able to apply early to my university's medical college (defering one year if accpeted) and would be ready to apply to other medical schools at the end of my senior year, having the option to retake the MCAT during the spring semester of my senior year.

My questions are as follows:

I know the April MCAT is recommended, but is that solely because of the time frame issues? Do people generally do better on the April MCAT?

If I decided to apply to medical schools during my senior year and had already taken the MCAT but decided to retake it again, how would schools view this? Do they take the best total score? Best combined score?

How many of you are planning to go right into medical school? How many are planning to take some "time off." Why?

 

[tinkerbelle]

I know the April MCAT is recommended, but is that solely because of the time frame issues? Do people generally do better on the April MCAT?

I thought the April MCAT was easier. It's easier to do well b/c people have less time to study for it. So as long as you are good about devoting time to studying, you'll do fine.

If I decided to apply to medical schools during my senior year and had already taken the MCAT but decided to retake it again, how would schools view this? Do they take the best total score? Best combined score?

Most schools will look at your highest score, although a lot of schools do consided how you did the first time. A few schools asked me about my previous MCAT score. I've never heard of a school taking the best combined score.

How many of you are planning to go right into medical school? How many are planning to take some "time off." Why?

I took some time off--- a lot of people do nowadays. We do it for all sorts of reasons. We need a break from school and we want to experience more things b/f we're stuck in school for another gazillion years. Some want to work and make a little money. I'm sure there are millions of other resons. If you do a search, you'll find a bunch of threads about non-traditional students.

 

[Law2Doc]

I'm in a program within my university that offers an early application and possible acceptance to our medical college during one's junior year. I've recently decided that I don't feel as though I want to go directly on to medical school and that a year in between to focus on some things (i.e. research, more medically related experience, Ironman...) would be a good idea for me personally. However, I think I would still need to take the MCAT at the end of my junior year to fullfill my university's requirements for the program. I don't think I'll be fully prepared to take it in April and would thus take it in August. I'd be able to apply early to my university's medical college (defering one year if accpeted) and would be ready to apply to other medical schools at the end of my senior year, having the option to retake the MCAT during the spring semester of my senior year.

My questions are as follows:

I know the April MCAT is recommended, but is that solely because of the time frame issues? Do people generally do better on the April MCAT?

If I decided to apply to medical schools during my senior year and had already taken the MCAT but decided to retake it again, how would schools view this? Do they take the best total score? Best combined score?

How many of you are planning to go right into medical school? How many are planning to take some "time off." Why?

If you definitely are taking a year off, I see no reason not to take the MCAT in August. April is only recommended because if you are going to submit the AMCAS that following June, your scores will be in, and you can be in the first batch considered for interviews (a benefit in a rolling admission process). Also, I think its usually best if you only take the MCAT when you are ready and prepared and can do it well. It's always better to have taken it just once and cranked on it. Not only because it is a hellish experience, but otherwise schools will see the prior score, and you may have to explain it away. While this is not usually fatal to admissions, you really want to try and limit blemishes to your application as much as possible. Thus never "wing it" on an MCAT you are not yet prepared for -- make sure all your ducks are lined in a row before you start shooting.