any other juniors who have already taken mcat?

[QuantumMechanic]

I only know of 2 other juniors at my school that took the mcat with me this past August. I was wondering if there are a good number of SDNers that took it this early as well? My two friends and I all scored well, and we think that maybe taking the mcat with a summer of studying (and no applications yet) was the reason why our scores were very pleasing . After taking it in August with plenty of time to prepare, I see no reason to wait to take the mcat unless you haven't taken intro bio, intro physics, intro chem, or orgo. Are there any people that took it this early and did not perform up to their expectations? Maybe only gunners take it early?


It's quite odd since right now, the only thing I can do during break to further my competitiveness for next year is to get some more health care exposure (shadowing an ob/gyn this week) and read up on some health care issues that are sure to come up during interviews.

-qm

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[QofQuimica]

I think your plan is great. I also took the MCAT early (though I'm non-trad, so I'm well past my junior year of college ) I highly recommend that people consider taking the MCAT in August two years before they plan to matriculate if they have completed all of the pre-reqs and will have the summer off to study. Of course, none of this is likely to matter after next year, since the test will be CBT and offered more frequently beginning in 2007....

 

[bigdogg]

I did this, in between my soph and junior years. It was the best decision I ever made. I actually took it without taking physics in college and just relied on AP from high school and the review courses. Princeton Review has got it on lock. I was very, very pleased with my score.... having the summer to study makes a world of difference.

 

[justskipee]

that would have been nice to know last year, damn it.

 

[LucidSplash]

I took it early (between my soph and junior year in August 2001) and I am only so-so about the experience. However, I did not take a review course at the time and I think my ability to read textbooks and actually retain information did not begin to be up to snuff until half-way through my junior year. I got a better score after retaking in 2005 having had the extra experience and a review class. So that's just me. I think if you are ready for it, then definitely do it. I did it for the same reason you did at the time and had the above mentioned factors been different, I probably would have done better the first time around.

 

[Will Ferrell]

I am also a Junior who took it in August. One of the best decisions I ever made . Definitely a pressure reducer. I highly recommend it to anyone in a similar position.

 

[DrBowtie]

Im taking early this August.

 

[chandelantern]

I took the MCAT in Aug after my soph year. I think it was best for me, although I don't know if I'd advise everyone do this. I had all the recommended classes done, and I also wanted the summer to study (although it didn't work that way because I ended up working more than 40 hours a week and getting married a couple weeks after the MCAT, so stress-free studying was definitely NOT reality.) I definitely liked being able to focus on my extracurriculars during the school year and then perfecting my application that spring rather than worring about the MCATs in april.

To anyone considering taking it "early", go for it if you are getting the test scores you want...preparing for it early certainly won't hurt. But DON'T take it if you don't have the recommended classes (ie, biology, chem, etc.) or if you are not scoring as high or higher than you want on the practice exams.