choosing test date (taking year off)

[gnomeski]

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i'm going into my junior year as an undergraduate. i want to take a year off between college and med school. i'm finishing up the core requirements with physics in my junior year coming up. i want to devote plenty of time to exclusively studying the mcat. when would you recommend taking the mcat?

1. august before senior year (allows me to study all summer after junior year).
2. [graduate 1 semester early] and take mcat spring of senior year (aprilish) (allows me to study during my class-free 2nd semester senior year).

my thoughts: i would get scores in time for apps either way. taking it after junior year means my sciences are 1 year fresher. however, spending the summer studying is probably tougher than senior semester (in other words, i would prefer to do something else during the summer whereas during a school semester, i would ordinarily be studying anyway + friends are in school).

-thanks

 

[KiwiBruin]

Sounds like you want to take it during senior year. I would do what you want to do.
If you do decide to take it during the end of summer, it might give you a bit more time to retake the MCAT rather than senior year, but I think either way would be fine.

 

[capn jazz]

Take it when you'll be most motivated to study. It's really hard to study during the summer when all your friends want to stay out late or go out, etc. It's a lot easier when your social group is also studying.