Applying this cycle. July MCAT vs Aug MCAT

[BlazinBandit]

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[HomeSkool]

I have a couple thoughts here.

1. There's no such thing as a throwaway school, especially if you're aiming for low- and mid-tier schools in the first place.
2. Go ahead and get your application materials ready, but don't have your heart so set upon applying this cycle that you hurt yourself with a poor MCAT. You should take the MCAT when you're ready, not when you need to for a self-imposed application schedule. Med schools will still be here in a year.

My advice is to plan for the July 24 MCAT. If you're consistently scoring well enough on practice full-lengths, take it then. If not, it's easy enough to postpone.

 

[BlazinBandit]

I have a couple thoughts here.

1. There's no such thing as a throwaway school, especially if you're aiming for low- and mid-tier schools in the first place.
2. Go ahead and get your application materials ready, but don't have your heart so set upon applying this cycle that you hurt yourself with a poor MCAT. You should take the MCAT when you're ready, not when you need to for a self-imposed application schedule. Med schools will still be here in a year.

My advice is to plan for the July 24 MCAT. If you're consistently scoring well enough on practice full-lengths, take it then. If not, it's easy enough to postpone.

I guess thinking about it now, Aug 4th is not a good idea. Realistically, how much improvement would 1.5 week difference be anyway in terms of the practice test scores? So I agree I should aim to ace it on July 24th. IF I do well on the July 24th MCAT though (Ex: >510), do you think I should go ahead and apply or wait next cycle?

I was planning on applying to a school I had no intention of going or one that I would have to score amazingly well to get in (Ex: Harvard or maybe Howard as the throwaway school).

 

[HomeSkool]

I guess thinking about it now, Aug 4th is not a good idea. Realistically how much improvement would 1.5 week difference be anyway in terms of the practice test scores? So I should aim to ace it on July 24th. IF I do well on the July 24th MCAT though (Ex: >510), do you think I should go ahead and apply or wait next cycle?

Honestly, I'm not the best one to answer this question. I'm gonna punt to @Goro and @gonnif.

 

[shapley]

Depending on the person, 1.5 weeks can make a big difference.

Just because you can get the primary in by a certain time, doesn't mean you'll get the secondary right away to complete on time within labor day. Taking a July MCAT is already pushing it.

You have a good GPA and your volunteering hours are pretty good, but without knowing what they are, you could just have really generic volunteering/background that doesn't stand out. How are your practice scores? If you have a good score it might be OK applying with a July MCAT

 

[BlazinBandit]

Depending on the person, 1.5 weeks can make a big difference.

Just because you can get the primary in by a certain time, doesn't mean you'll get the secondary right away to complete on time within labor day. Taking a July MCAT is already pushing it.

You have a good GPA and your volunteering hours are pretty good, but without knowing what they are, you could just have really generic volunteering/background that doesn't stand out. How are your practice scores? If you have a good score it might be OK applying with a July MCAT

I guess in general I'm pretty generic. The only thing that really honestly makes me stand out is that I have a background in computer science and programming. My hobbies include building computers, repairing video game consoles, and optimizing rigs in my spare time. So I really like hands-on activities which I've chosen to pursue in my volunteering. I've tied my interest in medicine and pursuit of becoming a physician as a career with my background and experiences in my PS. Still a work in progress, but I've received pretty good feedback so far.


Edit: Also in terms of practice tests, I haven't taken any yet. I'm still in content review, but I should be done in about 2.5 weeks which would leave me with about 4 weeks for FLs. I'm currently just at home dedicating full time to the test with just a few hours of volunteering each week to keep me sane.

 

[shapley]

I guess in general I'm pretty generic. The only thing that really honestly makes me stand out is that I have a background in computer science and programming. My hobbies include building computers, repairing video game consoles, and optimizing rigs in my spare time. So I really like hands-on activities which I've chosen to pursue in my volunteering. I've tied my interest in medicine and pursuit of becoming a physician as a career with my background and experiences in my PS. Still a work in progress, but I've received pretty good feedback so far.

I think that's great! It's unfortunate cause everyone has to have the same cookie cutter experiences to try and get through, so it's easy to come off as generic on paper when you're actually probably really interesting and bring something to the table that a simple application can't convey.

You have solid stats so far, EC's are fine, so you just really have to wait to see how you do on your MCAT, and perhaps personal statements/story. I know waiting sucks, but applying early is really really helpful, especially for a lot of schools. As I said before some schools take awhile to send you secondaries, anywhere from immediately to 4 weeks in my experience so it can be rough and you may or may not make labor day then.

 

[Goro]

Honestly, I'm not the best one to answer this question. I'm gonna punt to @Goro and @gonnif.

One should take the exam only if one is 100% ready, even if it means skipping an app cycle. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

 

[BlazinBandit]

One should take the exam only if one is 100% ready, even if it means skipping an app cycle. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

Yes, I agree. If my practice scores aren't consistently close to my goal come test time, I am just going to cancel and take it later to apply next cycle. I was just curious if I did score well, if it would be worth it to still apply.

 

[Goro]

Yes, I agree. If my practice scores aren't consistently close to my goal come test time, I am just going to cancel and take it later to apply next cycle. I was just curious if I did score well, if it would be worth it to still apply.

If you have your score by early Aug, then MD and DO are OK

IF you have your score after Labor Day, then your state MD school and all DO are OK.

 

[mariposas905]

If you have your score by early Aug, then MD and DO are OK

IF you have your score after Labor Day, then your state MD school and all DO are OK.

I thought you said completion date at MD schools by Labor Day was on time? So if OP took the July 24th exam, he would get his score Aug 24th. Assuming he pre-writes secondaries, wouldn't he still be fine for MD schools in general? Why only apply to his state school?

 

[676188]

I thought you said completion date at MD schools by Labor Day was on time? So if OP took the July 24th exam, he would get his score Aug 24th. Assuming he pre-writes secondaries, wouldn't he still be fine for MD schools in general? Why only apply to his state school?

If the OP waits to see scores in late August before submitting, he won’t be verified before the middle or end of September. If he submits based on FLs and how he feels about the exam, everything but the mcat score would be verified and he would be complete before Labor Day. That’s how I’m doing it, based on my FL scores. I’m scheduled for Aug 4, so if I’m in my ideal range I’ll submit to a throwaway, take the mcat, pre-write secondaries while waiting on scores, and hopefully be complete right around Labor Day.