Confused about when to take the MCAT.

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drtroy

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Hello everybody I am a little confused and need some help. I am going into my junior year this year and plan to graduate in December of 2012. Now I have asked my premed advisor when should I take the MCAT and all she told me was to figure out when I want to graduate and take it 1 year before which would be this year. Friends of mine said it doesn't matter when I take it during my junior year just sometime this year. I guess my question is who is right? I know you get your scores within 30 days now so should I take it like in June? July? or does it even matter? Any help on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

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If you want to apply this summer, for fall 2012 admission take the MCAT early. Late May or early June. That way, you can get your scores back, and if necessary, you have time to plan a rewrite for Early August. Hopefully that won't happen. You should take a practice test to see where you're at and gauge it by that.
 
Although I am having my own MCAT problems, my suggestion for you is that since you graduate fall 2012 and you want to attend Med school 2013 fall, to take the MCAT spring 2012, apply summer 2012, interview winter 2012/spring 2013 (and graduate). You will have a gap semester in the spring but other than that you should hopefully enter fall 2013 into medical school.

The reality of the MCAT is you will want your scores before you apply to med school. I think the May or june MCATs may be the latest to recieve your scores by application deadlines. The whole year before you graduate dosen't apply to fall graduates, it assumes spring graduation.

Of course you can take the MCAT anytime before Spring 2012, but if you plan on 2013 med school you need to take it spring 2012 at the latest.
 
You should start studying after you graduate in Dec 2012. Then take the test in April or May. That way you'd have time to devote to the MCAT AND you'd be able to apply the same year since you'd have your score in before June.
 
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