I'm currently registered to take the MCAT mid may and am considering delaying to mid June. I know this will delay my application which is not ideal in rolling admissions, but I don't want to take the test unprepared. Given my current schedule, I will be able to start studying for the exam late January. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
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Delaying MCAT
Started by medstudentwannab111
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unless you're working crazy hours or something why not just take it in May?
You can always also take a gap year and volunteer or do research or something and study in the evenings. June isn't a death sentence but it will definitely put you at a disadvantage.
You can always also take a gap year and volunteer or do research or something and study in the evenings. June isn't a death sentence but it will definitely put you at a disadvantage.
I'm taking classes, volunteering, and working in the spring! I'm just nervous 4 months won't be enough while trying to balance everything else! A thought I had was that verification may take up to 6 weeks, so it might not really be that much of a delay, but I'm not sure!
@Hollow Knight sorry, I forgot to tag you! also thanks so much for your reply!!
ImaFutureDO
Full Member
I did that and was fine in my cycle. I realized that date I chose was also finals week… I didn’t want to skimp on studying for either one, so I moved
It. After all of the prep I didn’t want to set myself up to need to retake it again, once was enough! I took mid-June, got score mid July but applied in June to get through verification process, and then had my scores sent when they came in. Worked for me, got at least two acceptances from the three places I applied.
It. After all of the prep I didn’t want to set myself up to need to retake it again, once was enough! I took mid-June, got score mid July but applied in June to get through verification process, and then had my scores sent when they came in. Worked for me, got at least two acceptances from the three places I applied.
@ImaFutureDO thank you for sharing your experience and congratulations on your acceptance, future Dr!!
When are you going to take Casper or PREview?
@Mr.Smile12 thanks so much for your response! I was thinking the week after the MCAT, so maybe June 22nd?
How much have you prepared for the SJTs?
Read
How to Prepare for PREview | Student Doctor Network | SDN
AAMC PREView is a situational judgment test becoming more common for medical school admissions. Learn prep tips and what others have seen.
www.studentdoctor.net
Our article archive also has many suggestions for Casper.
@Mr.Smile12 I haven't started preparing! Thanks for including the article. I didn't realize Preview takes 4 weeks for scores to come out. I think I remember reading CASPR takes 4 weeks.
sorry i meant a couple of weeks!
The MCAT and application stuff on top of your normal premed 80 hour workweek is indeed bad. I specifically took easy courses that semester on purpose. I put about 20 hours a week into MCAT prep on top of everything else. Was definitely working 90 hours a week considering everything, I had no life whatsoever.
It's your decision. You can absolutely do this, but you're going to be battening down the hatches and not seeing your family/friends much for the next 6 months. You just have to decide if you want to kill yourself studying like that or not.
This is why gap years are so common now. Shadowing, volunteering, clinical experience, getting published, and working to pay for stuff if you don't have rich parents, on top of getting a 4.0 GPA and a competitive MCAT score, is VERY hard to do in 3 years. I did it, but I was working just as hard back then as I am now in medical school.
Applying in June isn't ideal but it's fine. But don't push it any later, just take a gap year at that point.
Edit: don't forget to budget time for the CASPER and SJT as well. Part of the reason I hate those tests so much is that, during spring of your application year, you have too much going on anyway. I was applying the first year they came out.....
It's your decision. You can absolutely do this, but you're going to be battening down the hatches and not seeing your family/friends much for the next 6 months. You just have to decide if you want to kill yourself studying like that or not.
This is why gap years are so common now. Shadowing, volunteering, clinical experience, getting published, and working to pay for stuff if you don't have rich parents, on top of getting a 4.0 GPA and a competitive MCAT score, is VERY hard to do in 3 years. I did it, but I was working just as hard back then as I am now in medical school.
Applying in June isn't ideal but it's fine. But don't push it any later, just take a gap year at that point.
Edit: don't forget to budget time for the CASPER and SJT as well. Part of the reason I hate those tests so much is that, during spring of your application year, you have too much going on anyway. I was applying the first year they came out.....
@Hollow Knight Thank you so much for your insight! I will definitely be a busy bee next semester, but I'm definitely determined!
VelmaBoots
Full Member
If you’ve already taken ochem and physics in college, then 3.5 months should be plenty of time to study.
However, having said that, delayed my mcat twice to make sure I was 100% ready. (I was self studying some of the context which took extra time and was th reason I rescheduled).
If you don’t feel ready, reschedule until you are. I’ll tell you from personal experience, once you take mcat the first time it’s hard to get into the mindset to study again if you aren’t happy with that first score.
