Best Time For Mcat?

[bluejellybelly]

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I'm still not sure after all the advice some SDNers gave me....

When is the ideal time to take the mcat??
I spoke to some lady at MT Sinai and she told me that I shouldn't take it this august because thats too early. (I'm a soph currently this semester) . She knows everyone in the AD COMM and she heads the research programs at MSSM for undergrads. I don;t know whether or not to take her advice because I know plenty of people who wil be finished with their subjects at the end of soph year.

 

[derf]

I'm still not sure after all the advice some SDNers gave me....

When is the ideal time to take the mcat??
I spoke to some lady at MT Sinai and she told me that I shouldn't take it this august because thats too early. (I'm a soph currently this semester) . She knows everyone in the AD COMM and she heads the research programs at MSSM for undergrads. I don;t know whether or not to take her advice because I know plenty of people who wil be finished with their subjects at the end of soph year.

take it after you finish your science prereqs (the earliest administration of the exam after you're done). Definitely don't take it in August of the application year.

 

[dr.z]

Take the April one after your pre-reqs.

 

[LauraMac]

if you're done with the prereqs take it this august (that way you have a chance to retake it and still apply on time if necessary). if not, take it in april of next year. whatever you do, don't wait til august after your junior year.

 

[45408]

The best time is the August MCAT after your sophomore year, but only if you're done with a year of biology/gen chem/organic/physics. I did it this way, and I can't imagine gearing up to take the MCAT now at all.

 

[efex101]

But do NOT take it for practice for now all exam scores are reported to medical schools. Take it with the notion that this is the *only* time you will take it.

 

[QofQuimica]

The best time is the August MCAT after your sophomore year, but only if you're done with a year of biology/gen chem/organic/physics. I did it this way, and I can't imagine gearing up to take the MCAT now at all.

Me too. I took the test this past August (what would be the equivalent of the end of my sophomore year, if I were in college) and I highly recommend doing it if you possibly can. I was able to spend last summer studying, when I had more time, and now I don't have to worry about the MCAT this spring on top of doing my applications and finishing my dissertation. There are some threads about this in the MCAT forum if you want to check 'em out. to you.

 

[QofQuimica]

But do NOT take it for practice for now all exam scores are reported to medical schools. Take it with the notion that this is the *only* time you will take it.

This is a good point; my score from April 1996 is still on my record even now. I guess these things will follow me until the day I die.

 

[bluejellybelly]

Thanks guys. I guess i might just stick with the august one after all....

I just felt funny - i mean taking the mcats during the spring semester doesn;t sound great at all.

 

[efex101]

Taking it in the Spring is the best option for those applying the same year...there is some advantage to being an early applicant.

 

[Rogue_Leader]

I took mine in august after my sophmore year. I think that was the best thing to do since I had all summer to study for it, and if I had bombed it, I could still retake it in the spring of my junior year without falling behind in my applications. Though having to study for the MCAT again while taking classes would have been a pain and a half no doubt.

 

[lattimer13]

Take the April one after your pre-reqs.

good advice...don't try to take during august after you've completed undergrad and you're working 40 hours a week.