Advice on MCAT timing issues....

[BeachBlondie]

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Alrighty folks, let's get down to the brass tacks here...

I'm a few years older than a good deal of you. As such, I'm looking for advice on the best option that conserves as much time as possible without sacrificing my grades.

Background: I'm researching full-time, am an executive of a pre-med organization and attending class. Now that I'm beginning to plan ahead for a solid course of study for the MCAT, I'm finding that time is my biggest issue. Dropping any of my aforementioned obligations is not an option.

If you were me, would you...

1) Finish all classes in the post-bacc program, thereby taking the MCAT in August (or later) of the same year. This would allow at least 3 months of free time dedicated to studying--save for the 40 hours/week of research. I'd have to wait to apply during the following cycle, sacrificing a year.

2) Be a cowboy and try to cram in intimate MCAT alone time in between work, class, ad nauseum. No sacrifice of time, but possibility of taking a heavy blow to the test score.

3) Take the second semester of Bio/Orgo off to study and take the MCAT. I would resume classes after applications have been submitted. No sacrifice of time, more months to study, but I'm not sure how the lack of second semester in those subjects would break my score/how taking the final pre-reqs so late would be received by prospective admissions committees.

tl;dr I'm working full-time, going to class, and am an involved student leader. How would you also fit in MCAT study time if you were in my position?

Hollar atchya girl.

 

[2050vlsb]

Alrighty folks, let's get down to the brass tacks here...

I'm a few years older than a good deal of you. As such, I'm looking for advice on the best option that conserves as much time as possible without sacrificing my grades.

Background: I'm researching full-time, am an executive of a pre-med organization and attending class. Now that I'm beginning to plan ahead for a solid course of study for the MCAT, I'm finding that time is my biggest issue. Dropping any of my aforementioned obligations is not an option.

If you were me, would you...

1) Finish all classes in the post-bacc program, thereby taking the MCAT in August (or later) of the same year. This would allow at least 3 months of free time dedicated to studying--save for the 40 hours/week of research. I'd have to wait to apply during the following cycle, sacrificing a year.

2) Be a cowboy and try to cram in intimate MCAT alone time in between work, class, ad nauseum. No sacrifice of time, but possibility of taking a heavy blow to the test score.

3) Take the second semester of Bio/Orgo off to study and take the MCAT. I would resume classes after applications have been submitted. No sacrifice of time, more months to study, but I'm not sure how the lack of second semester in those subjects would break my score/how taking the final pre-reqs so late would be received by prospective admissions committees.

tl;dr I'm working full-time, going to class, and am an involved student leader. How would you also fit in MCAT study time if you were in my position?

Hollar atchya girl.

I'd vote for #1 ... depending on how long it's been since you've last gone through the basic sciences, your post-bacc classes will help review the material and likely make your MCAT studying that much more bearable. I took a review class, and having someone walk me through a lot of physics topics I didn't really understand the first time anyway definitely helped significantly.

This of course is dependent on how okay/against you are with taking an extra year off. If you look at the classes you won't have completed and figure out you may not be missing that much, the third option is okay too.

One comment on taking time off: I've heard med students and residents I shadowed with say over and over again that this process is so long that taking a little extra time and making yourself as competitive as possible is far preferable to rushing through it.

Good luck!

 

[phnerd1105]

#1. You definitely want a good long block of time to study for the MCAT. Cramming doesnt work, trust me. I tried last semester with biochem, cell bio and anatomy lab and I did a total of 0 hours of studying.

Just take your time and you'll get there soon enough 🙂

 

[BeachBlondie]

Thanks!

I'm certainly not partial to number 2, but it is an option.....albeit a very far-off option.

The only thing about taking another year off is that I would take the MCAT, wait one year to apply, and then an additional year to matriculate. I mean, I agree with taking time off prior to medical school, but two years is a little bit of a stretch before I start to get antsy. If I go with #1, I will be 32 when I graduate from medical school...

And, I haven't yet taken the basic sciences (well, not until I started this program in the Fall, anyway) so this is my first exposure to them.

Again, thank you for taking the time to type a thoughtful answer. It helps hearing from others in the same scenario.

 

[phnerd1105]

Thanks!

I'm certainly not partial to number 2, but it is an option.....albeit a very far-off option.

The only thing about taking another year off is that I would take the MCAT, wait one year to apply, and then an additional year to matriculate. I mean, I agree with taking time off prior to medical school, but two years is a little bit of a stretch before I start to get antsy. If I go with #1, I will be 32 when I graduate from medical school...

And, I haven't yet taken the basic sciences (well, not until I started this program in the Fall, anyway) so this is my first exposure to them.

Again, thank you for taking the time to type a thoughtful answer. It helps hearing from others in the same scenario.

I completely understand. I'm debating taking a year off as well, but I'm still in undergrad. I don't think you should go with #3 because the Ochem and Bio that you put off will be on the MCAT. If you haven't taken the basic sciences that will be tested on the MCAT, I would suggest AGAINST studying for it until you do.

Were you going to apply this summer or the summer after?

 

[Silverfalcon]

1) Finish all classes in the post-bacc program, thereby taking the MCAT in August (or later) of the same year. This would allow at least 3 months of free time dedicated to studying--save for the 40 hours/week of research. I'd have to wait to apply during the following cycle, sacrificing a year.

You will likely not be able to apply on that year if your MCAT is in late August or early September. You will be very behind in the cycle so most likely, you will have to delay another year.

2) Be a cowboy and try to cram in intimate MCAT alone time in between work, class, ad nauseum. No sacrifice of time, but possibility of taking a heavy blow to the test score.

Would you let strangers to smack your forehead just for the fun of it?

3) Take the second semester of Bio/Orgo off to study and take the MCAT. I would resume classes after applications have been submitted. No sacrifice of time, more months to study, but I'm not sure how the lack of second semester in those subjects would break my score/how taking the final pre-reqs so late would be received by prospective admissions committees.

Again, if someone told you to jump in the cold water on New Year's, would you do it without knowing the consequences of it?

Bottom line: It's your life, so do what you want to, but think before you act.

 

[BeachBlondie]

I completely understand. I'm debating taking a year off as well, but I'm still in undergrad. I don't think you should go with #3 because the Ochem and Bio that you put off will be on the MCAT. If you haven't taken the basic sciences that will be tested on the MCAT, I would suggest AGAINST studying for it until you do.

Were you going to apply this summer or the summer after?

I was planning on applying next summer. But, now that I've really had a moment to analyze that my weeks dictate 60+ hours to obligations OUTSIDE of MCAT studying, I snapped to the harsh realization that I'm not going to be in such good shape.

I mean, 2 years would be OK to wait. The research pays well and I get to be in the OR at my leisure, so the experience and rapport I would build would be killer (not to mention having the opportunity to have a couple additional publication). But, if I'm not in school for those years, student loans would come due, and that will be a little gnarly. Maybe I can take some upper division? Enough to stay eligible for deferment...

 

[BeachBlondie]

You will likely not be able to apply on that year if your MCAT is in late August or early September. You will be very behind in the cycle so most likely, you will have to delay another year.



Would you let strangers to smack your forehead just for the fun of it?



Again, if someone told you to jump in the cold water on New Year's, would you do it without knowing the consequences of it?

Bottom line: It's your life, so do what you want to, but think before you act.

Haha thanks for the analogies! The more I hear people other than myself grind through these issues, the clearer it becomes that I'll have to wait for two years.

(And, in #1, I took into account waiting for a year due to the late MCAT)

 

[bucks2010]

Definitely #1.

 

[omgyou8myrice]

The biggest time waster of all would be scoring poorly on the MCAT because you rushed it.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Thanks!

I'm certainly not partial to number 2, but it is an option.....albeit a very far-off option.

The only thing about taking another year off is that I would take the MCAT, wait one year to apply, and then an additional year to matriculate. I mean, I agree with taking time off prior to medical school, but two years is a little bit of a stretch before I start to get antsy. If I go with #1, I will be 32 when I graduate from medical school...

And, I haven't yet taken the basic sciences (well, not until I started this program in the Fall, anyway) so this is my first exposure to them.

Again, thank you for taking the time to type a thoughtful answer. It helps hearing from others in the same scenario.

get over it, you won't be the only one. a bad mcat is like herpes, forever.

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

I was planning on applying next summer. But, now that I've really had a moment to analyze that my weeks dictate 60+ hours to obligations OUTSIDE of MCAT studying, I snapped to the harsh realization that I'm not going to be in such good shape.

I mean, 2 years would be OK to wait. The research pays well and I get to be in the OR at my leisure, so the experience and rapport I would build would be killer (not to mention having the opportunity to have a couple additional publication). But, if I'm not in school for those years, student loans would come due, and that will be a little gnarly. Maybe I can take some upper division? Enough to stay eligible for deferment...

Look, if it takes you 2 years to do it right, then it takes you 2 years. No excuses. You made some decisions that got you to where you are today, and you're not really in a bad situation at all. You have to finish the courses, you have take the mcat, you have to work...you can't just snap your fingers and be done with it all. It takes time. And you'll be fine.

Student loans becoming due shouldn't be an issue at all if you're working. You just make monthly/quarterly payments. No biggie.

 

[g8orlife]

Haha thanks for the analogies! The more I hear people other than myself grind through these issues, the clearer it becomes that I'll have to wait for two years.

(And, in #1, I took into account waiting for a year due to the late MCAT)

Option #1.

If you're concerned about money, maybe even quit the research for a more lucrative job during that application year.

Don't worry about age. The average age of a med school matriculant is 24-25; thus, you'll only be ~3 years above the average. Which is not much considering that there are many who begin med school in their 30s.

As a non-trad applicant, I've learned that you don't want to BS around with anything that stays in your record forever. Make sure you put in the time and effort so that you don't have a terrible MCAT score following you around for the rest of your life.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Student loans becoming due shouldn't be an issue at all if you're working.

lol

 

[FlowRate]

The only piece of advice I'd give my freshman-undergrad self would be to take time to do things I enjoy and don't rush the process. I thought about trying to apply during my junior year. While I might have gotten in, I think it would have been a huge waste of this wonderful last year. Doing your MCAT right and taking time to get everything set properly will be much more enjoyable than rushing it all and the possibility of not being the best you can be.

 

[addo]

If you havent done so, you should take a practice mcat to see where you stand. That will give you a better idea of how much studying you really need to do. I spent a great deal of time trying to improve my verbal score, but you may be naturally good in that section so you may not need to spend as much time on it.

 

[BeachBlondie]

If you havent done so, you should take a practice mcat to see where you stand. That will give you a better idea of how much studying you really need to do. I spent a great deal of time trying to improve my verbal score, but you may be naturally good in that section so you may not need to spend as much time on it.

Thanks, but that wouldn't be entirely practical. I wasn't set to take the MCAT until next year. Because I don't have all of the appropriate classes under my belt, I think it would be a waste of time.

 

[BeachBlondie]

Option #1.

If you're concerned about money, maybe even quit the research for a more lucrative job during that application year.

Don't worry about age. The average age of a med school matriculant is 24-25; thus, you'll only be ~3 years above the average. Which is not much considering that there are many who begin med school in their 30s.

As a non-trad applicant, I've learned that you don't want to BS around with anything that stays in your record forever. Make sure you put in the time and effort so that you don't have a terrible MCAT score following you around for the rest of your life.

As a non-trad like me, did you take any upper-divisions to "prove your science worth"? Someone suggested this to me, but I wasn't sure how to take it. I mean, I feel like schools would make them pre-reqs if they really desired them. Then again, maybe those that go above and beyond stand out a little more.

Takes on this?

 

[g8orlife]

As a non-trad like me, did you take any upper-divisions to "prove your science worth"? Someone suggested this to me, but I wasn't sure how to take it. I mean, I feel like schools would make them pre-reqs if they really desired them. Then again, maybe those that go above and beyond stand out a little more.

Takes on this?

Yeah, it would definitely help your application if you had all of a program's "Strongly Recommended" and "Recommended" advanced coursework completed; especially, if you show significant improvement from its entry course. (ie. if you get a C+ in Physiology but later get an A in Pathophysiology.)

Usually, you need to understand the basics in order to do great in upper division courses; so if you do better, it shows that you've fixed a lot of your previous weaknesses/gaps in understanding.

If taking them works for your schedule, I'd recommend it.