Alumni wasting time? Should I wait to take MCAT?

[makattak7]

I'm a recent graduate (BS Biochemistry) of Temple University, and I have a bit belatedly decided to go to medical school (after years of weeding out everything else). I plan on applying for 2014, scheduled the mcat, and got on a rigorous study schedule balanced with research 30 hours a week. I plan on applying to post-bacs next semester, if I don't do so well on the MCAT. Temple requires a portfolio for pre-health committee recommendations, but I never completed it. This portfolio is required 2 years in advance, and I missed the deadline. What I'm wondering is, should I bother taking the MCAT? If I can't apply for 2014, wouldn't my scores expire?

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[Porfirio]

MCAT scores expire 2-3 years after you take the exam (it all depends on the school).

You are looking at a gap year (1 year)? That is not enough to be considered a non-trad. Most schools will want a committee letter in your situation. If you do not have one, it will hurt you at some schools.

 

[mechengmed]

MCAT scores expire 2-3 years after you take the exam (it all depends on the school).

You are looking at a gap year (1 year)? That is not enough to be considered a non-trad. Most schools will want a committee letter in your situation. If you do not have one, it will hurt you at some schools.

I thought most school allowed MCATs from up to 5 years ago.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

I thought most school allowed MCATs from up to 5 years ago.

No, the normal is MCAT within three years.

Did you take all your pre-reqs at Temple? How did you do?

 

[mechengmed]

No, the normal is MCAT within three years.

Hmm. I've been looking mostly at Tennessee and that's just them I guess.

 

[tima]

The MCAT is valid 3 years to matriculation.

 

[Praefectus]

Ask the pre-health committee if they can make an exception since you're no longer an undergrad.

 

[Ironmandoc]

The MCAT is valid 3 years to matriculation.

No, it depends on the school.

 

[tima]

The general consensus is 3 years, with some exceptions (2 - 5 years). The majority of the schools have a 3 year requirement.

Posts 5, 7, and 13
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=899481

No, it depends on the school.

I don't know how recent this data is, but it gives you a good idea.

The oldest MCAT score(s) accepted by these schools must be within 2 years of planned entry:[/B]

• Drexel University College of Medicine
• East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine
• Eastern Virginia Medical School
• Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University
• Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
• Mercer University School of Medicine
• Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy
• Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center
• Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
• Tulane University School of Medicine
• Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine
• University of Kentucky College of Medicine
• University of Louisville School of Medicine
• West Virginia University School of Medicine

3 Years

The oldest MCAT score(s) accepted by these schools must be within 3 years of planned entry:

• Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
• Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science
• Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
• Creighton University School of Medicine
• Dartmouth Medical School
• Florida State University College of Medicine
• George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Georgetown University School of Medicine
• Howard University College of Medicine
• Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University
• Loma Linda University School of Medicine
• Mayo Medical School
• Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine
• Medical College of Wisconsin
• Meharry Medical College
• Morehouse School of Medicine
• Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University
• New York Medical College
• New York University School of Medicine
• Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine
• Ohio State University College of Medicine
• Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine
• Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
• Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota
• Stanford University School of Medicine
• State University of New York Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine
• State University of New York Upstate Medical University
• Temple University School of Medicine
• The Commonwealth Medical College
• The University of Toledo College of Medicine
• Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine
• University at Buffalo State University of New York School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine
• University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine
• University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
• University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
• University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine
• University of Central Florida College of Medicine
• University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences The Pritzker School of Medicine
• University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
• University of Colorado School of Medicine
• University of Connecticut School of Medicine
• University of Florida College of Medicine
• University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine
• University of Illinois College of Medicine
• University of Kansas School of Medicine
• University of Massachusetts Medical School
• University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
• University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine
• University of Michigan Medical School
• University of Minnesota Medical School
• University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
• University of Nebraska College of Medicine
• University of Nevada School of Medicine
• University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
• University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
• University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
• University of South Alabama College of Medicine
• University of South Florida College of Medicine
• University of Utah School of Medicine
• University of Vermont College of Medicine
• University of Virginia School of Medicine
• University of Washington School of Medicine
• Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
• Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
• Wake Forest University School of Medicine
• Weill Cornell Medical College
• Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine

4 Years

The oldest MCAT score(s) accepted by these schools must be within 4 years of planned entry:

• Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
• Boston University School of Medicine
• Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
• Duke University School of Medicine
• Emory University School of Medicine
• Harvard Medical School
• Indiana University School of Medicine
• Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans
• Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport
• Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
• Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
• Saint Louis University School of Medicine
• University of Arizona College of Medicine
• University of Maryland School of Medicine
• University of Mississippi School of Medicine
• University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine
• University of New Mexico School of Medicine
• University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
• University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
• University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
• Wayne State University School of Medicine
• Yale University School of Medicine

5 Years

The oldest MCAT score(s) accepted by these schools must be within 5 years of planned entry:

• Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine
• Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
• The School of Medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center
• The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
• Tufts University School of Medicine
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
• University of South Carolina School of Medicine
• University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine
• University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine
• University of Texas Medical School at Houston
• University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio
• University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Southwestern Medical School